Interac - my gateway to Japan

If you are reading this I hope you find this helpful.

At the time of writing I have worked with Interac for just over a year and 2 months now. I applied and was assigned to the Sapporo branch which includes all of Hokkaido. I received 5 days of online training with a couple of in person things to deal with like drug tests and meeting the office staff.

After my training I was immediately taken to my new home which is a decent sized apartment (my experience is different from city ALTs I know so please don't take my word for accommodation as gospel). The branch manager helped me find various things for my home and showed me the key shops I'd need in the future.

I was lucky to be able to shadow a fellow ALT with experience which helped me a fair amount as I've never done anything like this job. My schools were super friendly and the students really enjoyed my presence which made adjusting to the new life a lot easier. I would advise that people who think they can't handle being isolated to really contemplate if this is for you as well as you won't know where you'll be placed and no guarantees can be made either, cities will be fine but the countryside towns can be quite far with no trains and limited bus travel.

Anytime I've had any issues I've been able to receive quick responses and help from the office staff who I've always appreciated and continue to do so, without them I would have crumbled under unexpected mail and legal forms for changing my driving license over and VISA extensions.

I ventured out and met locals who invited me to various things including a project to clean up the local beach. These kind people have kept me upbeat on my adventure, almost everyone is going to suffer culture shock at some point but thanks to a combination of things mine wasn't so bad and was only a slight feeling of being homesick.

You don't have to know any Japanese to get the position, I would recommend knowing basic Japanese or at least starting before you come to Japan. I managed fine but I do regret not knowing any before coming outside of arigatou and daijoubu.

It's not all sunshine and rainbows though, to be perfectly honest I can recommend Interac as a short career but long term you really have to think about what you want to do. Interac sadly doesn't pay as well as the JET program and with no subsidized housing rent & bills can eat into your pay. I'd highly recommend having a decent amount of savings if you want to explore Japan whilst you work here. It is possible to save and still be fulfilled in your daily life but you have to budget well, also after 1 year you will have to pay more tax which you can find information on easily but it's likely to cost an extra 20,000 yen a month and unless I'm mistaking you can't avoid it. On the note of finances, start up cost will be on you like flights and 3 months rent upfront. The company offers a loan if you need it but I highly advise avoiding this if possible by saving prior to avoid any worries.

I've rambled on a fair bit but I'll conclude this review with a brief sum up.
The office staff are super helpful.
Take chances in your community and say yes to invites whenever you can to get the most out of your time here.
Personally my schools, students and teachers have been great.
Experiences will differ case by case.
Do your research before you take the plunge.
Have savings if you wish to get the most out of your time here.
Enjoy your first year but have a long term goal or just even having a rough date for your departure will help you plan and budget.

I've enjoyed my time and I'm thankful for being able to come to Japan through the company and looking forward to one more year at the least.