Life in Japan begins!

So I have been in Japan now for 3 weeks. I completed training a week ago and have spent the last week moving into my apartment and teaching my first week solo!

Let me start by saying that my apartment is fantastic! It's a 1k mansion, but it's a good sized room and laid out really well. I also have an amazing placement! My city has lots of shops not too far away, it's a 20minute train ride into Umeda and all my schools are pretty easy to get to. One I can even walk to! Score!

The first week has flown by! My first day was actually cancelled because of a typhoon. I went all the way to the classroom, got absolutely drenched and then was told to turn round and head home! The lessons after went pretty well. Most of the kids are great!

I have photos to share from training and my first week but I don't get actual internet (I'm currently tethering through my Iphone!) until the weekend, so those will have to wit til then! 

But so far, it's great! Woo Japan!

Konnichiwa Japan!!!

So I touched down in Japan two days ago! Wee!

Now people have warned me about how hot it is but MY GOD it is hot!!!! In fact I spent most of yesterday feeling (and nearly being) really sick D:Yuck! Doesn't help that the AC was broken our first night. It was like sleeping in hell. @___@

So far so good! Trains re pretty easy to use and I've used a little of my Japanese. Managed to buy cold medicine because I'm a sickly lady.

Photos of the matsuri in Nagoya and so forth will come later!

Hyogo here I come!

That's right! I have been given my placement. A tentative placement. But a placement! I really hope it does not change! I will be moving Kawanishi City in Hyogo, which looks pretty close to Osaka! 

Now I'm not just excited because it's Osaka and Osaka is a big place and looks AMAZING, but also because my friend will be working there soon! It means I'll have a familiar face close by to bug! Woo!

Anyway, I am incredibly excited and am now going to research the hell outta the place!

Hayley awaaaaaaaay

Flights

A warning to all! 

So I've been looking at flights for weeks and weeks but had not booked yet because I needed money, wasn't sure if I should book without my VISA confirmed, etc. I found a flight with Etihad which would be perfect! It got me to Japan in the right place and at the right time, didn't have too many stop overs and the company looked good. The flight was £625. 

Unforunately, after speakign to my future employers who recommended I book soon, the flight went up by £100. *cry* 

To add salt to the wound I have just spent an hour trying to book through Etihads website with no success! I get right to the end but it seems to have a problem with EVERY card number I input. -___- Luckily I could book through lastminute.com, which I have done. Alas I can not book my seats via lastminute.com (I had my eyes on a loner seat on the Etihad website).

And breathe.

So now it's done, after a few stressful hours of trying to book and crying over the extra fees. 

Stupid flights.

The Interview

The interview went exceedingly well and the person who interviewed me was so lovely!

Before interviewing I really wanted some more information on what to expect, but I didn’t really find much. Maybe this post will be useful for people thinking of applying or who have applied to Peppy.
The interview is broken down into four parts.

1. The Grammar Test

To begin with you are given a short grammar test. This lasts around 15 minutes. You are asked to write a short piece on a topic from a list, around 300 words long. I wrote about my long and shor term goals.

You then answer a few questions on grammar. You pick out what is wrong or how to improve some written sentences. Easy peasy!

2. The Presentation

Next is a prentation about the company. Information on schedules, working day, training, living arrangements, wages, expectations, etc. I won’t go into detail here as most of this information is available on the internet already. Check out their website for such info!

There is also a short video of a typical lesson at Peppy. This was aodrable! The lesson was to young children and they were so hyper and excited! One kid started off crying and not wanting to join in but by the end of the lesson he was loudest shouting ‘Cucumber!’ haha. (They were studying vegetables). It made me so happy to see the kids and got me excited about starting!

3. The Interview Questions

The usual affair. Questions like ‘Why Peppy?’, ‘Why Japan?, etc. along with some questions related to what you would do in certain situations. Typical teaching/ TEFL interview questions. Just by yourself and be honest and you will be fine! ^^

4. The Demo

When I was invited to interview I was told that I needed to prepare a five minute demo to imaginary 5 year olds. This got me nervous! I kept changing my mind and wasn’t sure what to cover in such a short time. Eventually I decided to go with a simple song: Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes!

This was kind of embarrasing as I was doing it to two grown women rather than real children, but once I got started it was really fun and they really seemed to enjoy it and take part! My singing isn’t great but i tried to be enthusiastic and speak clearly when I said the words.

And that’s that!

I was super nervous for my interview. After hearing how terrifying the JET interview is I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was really laid back and the interviewer was really friendly. You also learnt alot about the company, which left me with no doubts that I was making the right choice.

Hope this is useful for people out there thinking of going to Japan and trying to pick who to go with!

So It Begins!

Hey!
This was going to be in a new blog, but then I realised I might as well just use this one! So I’ve got a job in Japan! Woo!

That’s right! I will be travelling to the other side of the world, to the land of the rising sun, to teach English as a foreign language.

I am SO EXCITED!

My chosen company is Peppy Kids Club! I had previously applied (twice) to JET and failed (twice) to even get interviewed *sob* but I did not give up hope of getting to Japan! For the last year I have been working as a Teaching Assistant after graduating from university with a degree in Fine Art Practice. I applied a little over a month ago for a position with Peppy, interviewed last Saturday and have just been told that I got it! Yay!

Peppy is an eikaiwa company, but with a little difference. For a start there isn’t that much info out there! At least compared to other companies or JET. Although like most eikaiwas the stuff I have read has been mixed reviews. But, to me, it sounds almost perfect!
Peppy Kids Club are small one room classrooms scattered across Japan, running lessons for children (only children) ages 2 to 17. All the lessons take part in the afternoon and evening, so they fit in with school hours. You teach 2 to 4 hour long lessons a day, with two days off a week. You get travel re-imbursed, a company apartment (no key money, yay! Just rent, eh…) as well as basic furnishing, etc. Great!

Like most private companies you must pay for your own flights, but that isn’t too big a deal. You also get paid the average eikaiwa pay, around 240,000 yen a month, but you work less hours! I have heard that there can be longish commutes, but these are paid for by the company and you would still be working much shorter hours, even including the commute!

My attraction was that you work only with children! A lot of eikaiwas also teach business English, etc and adult classes but I want to work with children. So perfect!

Well. This was meant as a short intro to this forthcoming blog, but it’s trailed on a fair bit…

Basically I will be flying out to Japan in August and working with Peppy Kids Club! (Placement to be confirmed)

Stay tuned! <3