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 Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:42 am
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:22 pm
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little Mira Inazuma LilChibiusa ... @Ina - I've missed you! I'm glad to see you around again! Our Mira came back for a little while and then left again. Life has been hitting her hard. What about you? I know you live in Japan, so did you feel any of the effects of the tsunami? I'm glad to be back. Life becomes a bit busy between New Year's and mid March usually. Then with is crisis here in Japan at the moment I can't guarantee my daily attendance on Gaia. I need to be doing what I can here more. exclaim arrow I hope Mira is having the best of luck. 3nodding As for myself, I'm safe and fine. The entire country of Japan felt the earthquake. The tsunami didn't affect my area so much. Only sent the waves about 20inches (50cm) higher than usual, not a big deal here. Really right now in Japan, things are starting to sink in and people are getting emotional (not always logical). But overall most people are living a serial life at the moment, just not really knowing how to deal with this devastation. Honestly the foreign residents community around me seems more emotionally stable than some locals. I think it is just the size of it all that is getting to people. Some just can't grasp it all. Anyways I am ranting. heart Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone 3nodding and may the luck of the Irish be with us all, especially those devastated around the world. heart
I'm glad that you're doing okay. I can't imagine having to deal with the devastation that so many people are feeling right now. Are you a local or are you a foreign resident? I never did think to ask. What region do you live in?
There's nothing wrong with ranting. It's usually the truest way that people express themselves. 3nodding |
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 8:27 pm
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LilChibiusa little Mira Inazuma LilChibiusa ... @Ina - I've missed you! I'm glad to see you around again! Our Mira came back for a little while and then left again. Life has been hitting her hard. What about you? I know you live in Japan, so did you feel any of the effects of the tsunami? I'm glad to be back. Life becomes a bit busy between New Year's and mid March usually. Then with is crisis here in Japan at the moment I can't guarantee my daily attendance on Gaia. I need to be doing what I can here more. exclaim arrow I hope Mira is having the best of luck. 3nodding As for myself, I'm safe and fine. The entire country of Japan felt the earthquake. The tsunami didn't affect my area so much. Only sent the waves about 20inches (50cm) higher than usual, not a big deal here. Really right now in Japan, things are starting to sink in and people are getting emotional (not always logical). But overall most people are living a serial life at the moment, just not really knowing how to deal with this devastation. Honestly the foreign residents community around me seems more emotionally stable than some locals. I think it is just the size of it all that is getting to people. Some just can't grasp it all. Anyways I am ranting. heart Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone 3nodding and may the luck of the Irish be with us all, especially those devastated around the world. heart I'm glad that you're doing okay. I can't imagine having to deal with the devastation that so many people are feeling right now. Are you a local or are you a foreign resident? I never did think to ask. What region do you live in? There's nothing wrong with ranting. It's usually the truest way that people express themselves. 3nodding
Thank you. heart
I am a foreign resident, originally from the U.S.A. I've been living in Japan since July 2008. I'm in Abashiri City, in Hokkaido (the northern most island).
The region below Hokkaido, Tohoku, was the area strongest hit.
I'm fine where I am at the moment and trust the local authorities judgment if the need arises. Also the USA embassy is not ordering all Americans to evacuate, just those in the effected areas have evacuation assistance upon request. So far I'm sitting pretty where I currently am. So please send your positive wishes to the people in the Tohoku region, because they certainly need it more than myself. |
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Posted: Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:58 pm
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little Mira Inazuma LilChibiusa little Mira Inazuma LilChibiusa ... @Ina - I've missed you! I'm glad to see you around again! Our Mira came back for a little while and then left again. Life has been hitting her hard. What about you? I know you live in Japan, so did you feel any of the effects of the tsunami? I'm glad to be back. Life becomes a bit busy between New Year's and mid March usually. Then with is crisis here in Japan at the moment I can't guarantee my daily attendance on Gaia. I need to be doing what I can here more. exclaim arrow I hope Mira is having the best of luck. 3nodding As for myself, I'm safe and fine. The entire country of Japan felt the earthquake. The tsunami didn't affect my area so much. Only sent the waves about 20inches (50cm) higher than usual, not a big deal here. Really right now in Japan, things are starting to sink in and people are getting emotional (not always logical). But overall most people are living a serial life at the moment, just not really knowing how to deal with this devastation. Honestly the foreign residents community around me seems more emotionally stable than some locals. I think it is just the size of it all that is getting to people. Some just can't grasp it all. Anyways I am ranting. heart Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone 3nodding and may the luck of the Irish be with us all, especially those devastated around the world. heart I'm glad that you're doing okay. I can't imagine having to deal with the devastation that so many people are feeling right now. Are you a local or are you a foreign resident? I never did think to ask. What region do you live in? There's nothing wrong with ranting. It's usually the truest way that people express themselves. 3nodding Thank you. heart I am a foreign resident, originally from the U.S.A. I've been living in Japan since July 2008. I'm in Abashiri City, in Hokkaido (the northern most island). The region below Hokkaido, Tohoku, was the area strongest hit. I'm fine where I am at the moment and trust the local authorities judgment if the need arises. Also the USA embassy is not ordering all Americans to evacuate, just those in the effected areas have evacuation assistance upon request. So far I'm sitting pretty where I currently am. So please send your positive wishes to the people in the Tohoku region, because they certainly need it more than myself.
I wish them well, but I don't know anyone from there. Now that I think about it, you're the only friend I have living in Japan. What kind of work are you doing over there. Isn't Hokkaido a rural region? |
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 4:25 am
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LilChibiusa little Mira Inazuma Thank you. heart I am a foreign resident, originally from the U.S.A. I've been living in Japan since July 2008. I'm in Abashiri City, in Hokkaido (the northern most island). The region below Hokkaido, Tohoku, was the area strongest hit. I'm fine where I am at the moment and trust the local authorities judgment if the need arises. Also the USA embassy is not ordering all Americans to evacuate, just those in the effected areas have evacuation assistance upon request. So far I'm sitting pretty where I currently am. So please send your positive wishes to the people in the Tohoku region, because they certainly need it more than myself. I wish them well, but I don't know anyone from there. Now that I think about it, you're the only friend I have living in Japan. What kind of work are you doing over there. Isn't Hokkaido a rural region?
I'm an Assistant English Language Teacher. Hokkaido is predominantly agriculturally focused, but there are actual cities and such up here. It is just the large island that the rest of Japan takes a bit for granted sometimes for a lot of its food, especially now after the earthquake. Irony I guess. But anyways besides its agriculture and hot springs (onsen) there isn't much Hokkaido is known for. Well, besides the place that hosted the winter Olympics when Japan had it some time ago.
EDIT; P.S. I think many people think anything outside of the major metropolitan cities (ex. Tokyo) is rural....so I don't take any offense to your question. |
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 11:39 am
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little Mira Inazuma LilChibiusa little Mira Inazuma Thank you. heart I am a foreign resident, originally from the U.S.A. I've been living in Japan since July 2008. I'm in Abashiri City, in Hokkaido (the northern most island). The region below Hokkaido, Tohoku, was the area strongest hit. I'm fine where I am at the moment and trust the local authorities judgment if the need arises. Also the USA embassy is not ordering all Americans to evacuate, just those in the effected areas have evacuation assistance upon request. So far I'm sitting pretty where I currently am. So please send your positive wishes to the people in the Tohoku region, because they certainly need it more than myself. I wish them well, but I don't know anyone from there. Now that I think about it, you're the only friend I have living in Japan. What kind of work are you doing over there. Isn't Hokkaido a rural region? I'm an Assistant English Language Teacher. Hokkaido is predominantly agriculturally focused, but there are actual cities and such up here. It is just the large island that the rest of Japan takes a bit for granted sometimes for a lot of its food, especially now after the earthquake. Irony I guess. But anyways besides its agriculture and hot springs (onsen) there isn't much Hokkaido is known for. Well, besides the place that hosted the winter Olympics when Japan had it some time ago. EDIT; P.S. I think many people think anything outside of the major metropolitan cities (ex. Tokyo) is rural....so I don't take any offense to your question.
That sounds really cool! I've been toying with the idea of doing that. I have an English degree, and I've been having a time and a half trying to get a job with it. How do you get started with something like that? I still have about 35k worth of student loans to pay back, so I'm interested in knowing if it pays enough to pay back student loans while living abroad.
Btw, the only stuff I know about Hokkaido is stuff I picked up from watching animes. I guess they must stereotype it a bit. sweatdrop |
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 9:12 pm
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LilChibiusa little Mira Inazuma LilChibiusa little Mira Inazuma Thank you. heart
I am a foreign resident, originally from the U.S.A. I've been living in Japan since July 2008. I'm in Abashiri City, in Hokkaido (the northern most island).
The region below Hokkaido, Tohoku, was the area strongest hit.
I'm fine where I am at the moment and trust the local authorities judgment if the need arises. Also the USA embassy is not ordering all Americans to evacuate, just those in the effected areas have evacuation assistance upon request. So far I'm sitting pretty where I currently am. So please send your positive wishes to the people in the Tohoku region, because they certainly need it more than myself.
EDIT; P.S. I think many people think anything outside of the major metropolitan cities (ex. Tokyo) is rural....so I don't take any offense to your question.
That sounds really cool! I've been toying with the idea of doing that. I have an English degree, and I've been having a time and a half trying to get a job with it. How do you get started with something like that? I still have about 35k worth of student loans to pay back, so I'm interested in knowing if it pays enough to pay back student loans while living abroad.
Btw, the only stuff I know about Hokkaido is stuff I picked up from watching animes. I guess they must stereotype it a bit. sweatdrop
I didn't mean to be mad at you for the Hokkaido thing. I guess I just get too many Japanese friends from outside of Hokkaido asking me silly things like do people actually live there and such. Sorry for venting that frustration at you. sweatdrop
English Degrees are somewhat sot after for the ALT/AET jobs through my programme (JET Programme). I think the salary is enough to pay back loans of at a decent rate. Most JET people I know can send about 10,000 YEN worth of funds back to their home countries each month. Still depends on how much traveling you plan to do and how much you miss foreign foods, etc. LOL I am a super budgeter who rarely travels far and I can easily send 10,000 YEN worth home each month. That is roughly 1,000 USD.
If you do consider doing such jobs abroad, I highly recommend researching the company/program you are looking at. If you come to Japan I recommend going into the JET Programme (Japanese Government run) over the privately owned placement agencies. Too many of the private ones are on hard times. Also if you do come I would plan for working here for at least one year or two. The JET Programme currently allows up to 5 years, with employer's permission of course. Also the JET Programme is notorious among ALT/AET people for its efforts to protect workers rights and such. You have more power belonging to a group than as an individual, but that is the same anywhere really.
Below is a link to the official homepage of the JET Programme
http://www.jetprogramme.org/
Below is a link to the official homepage of Hokkaido's Association for the JET Program
http://www.hajet.org/
I hope this helps you and if you have more questions I'll try to help you out the best I can. 3nodding |
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 9:14 pm
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Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:43 pm
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little Mira Inazuma LilChibiusa little Mira Inazuma LilChibiusa little Mira Inazuma Thank you. heart
I am a foreign resident, originally from the U.S.A. I've been living in Japan since July 2008. I'm in Abashiri City, in Hokkaido (the northern most island).
The region below Hokkaido, Tohoku, was the area strongest hit.
I'm fine where I am at the moment and trust the local authorities judgment if the need arises. Also the USA embassy is not ordering all Americans to evacuate, just those in the effected areas have evacuation assistance upon request. So far I'm sitting pretty where I currently am. So please send your positive wishes to the people in the Tohoku region, because they certainly need it more than myself.
EDIT; P.S. I think many people think anything outside of the major metropolitan cities (ex. Tokyo) is rural....so I don't take any offense to your question.That sounds really cool! I've been toying with the idea of doing that. I have an English degree, and I've been having a time and a half trying to get a job with it. How do you get started with something like that? I still have about 35k worth of student loans to pay back, so I'm interested in knowing if it pays enough to pay back student loans while living abroad. Btw, the only stuff I know about Hokkaido is stuff I picked up from watching animes. I guess they must stereotype it a bit. sweatdrop
I didn't mean to be mad at you for the Hokkaido thing. I guess I just get too many Japanese friends from outside of Hokkaido asking me silly things like do people actually live there and such. Sorry for venting that frustration at you. sweatdrop
English Degrees are somewhat sot after for the ALT/AET jobs through my programme (JET Programme). I think the salary is enough to pay back loans of at a decent rate. Most JET people I know can send about 10,000 YEN worth of funds back to their home countries each month. Still depends on how much traveling you plan to do and how much you miss foreign foods, etc. LOL I am a super budgeter who rarely travels far and I can easily send 10,000 YEN worth home each month. That is roughly 1,000 USD.
If you do consider doing such jobs abroad, I highly recommend researching the company/program you are looking at. If you come to Japan I recommend going into the JET Programme (Japanese Government run) over the privately owned placement agencies. Too many of the private ones are on hard times. Also if you do come I would plan for working here for at least one year or two. The JET Programme currently allows up to 5 years, with employer's permission of course. Also the JET Programme is notorious among ALT/AET people for its efforts to protect workers rights and such. You have more power belonging to a group than as an individual, but that is the same anywhere really.
Below is a link to the official homepage of the JET Programme
http://www.jetprogramme.org/
Below is a link to the official homepage of Hokkaido's Association for the JET Program
http://www.hajet.org/
I hope this helps you and if you have more questions I'll try to help you out the best I can. 3nodding
Was it a typo when you said that 10,000 yen is about 1,000 dollars? eek I thought that 10,000 yen was closer to 100 dollars. I didn't realize that the exchange rate was so bad for someone from the US visiting Japan. @_@ I'm definitely interested in the program. This may sound stupid, my biggest hesitation about going is not wanting to leave my cat. sweatdrop I don't suppose they let you bring pets with you, do they?
Also, is it true that they prefer to have people who aren't fluent in Japanese? I know a few words and phrases that I picked up from years of watching subbed anime, but I can't really form a coherent sentence. Would my level of Japanese be an asset or a hindrance?
And, actually, only 25k of the gold given was mine, and 100k was donated. It makes it so much easier on me when I have donated items to give away. It gets kind of painful on the pocketbook having to buy everything. |
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Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 2:13 am
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LilChibiusa little Mira Inazuma LilChibiusa little Mira Inazuma LilChibiusa little Mira Inazuma Thank you. heart
I am a foreign resident, originally from the U.S.A. I've been living in Japan since July 2008. I'm in Abashiri City, in Hokkaido (the northern most island).
The region below Hokkaido, Tohoku, was the area strongest hit.
I'm fine where I am at the moment and trust the local authorities judgment if the need arises. Also the USA embassy is not ordering all Americans to evacuate, just those in the effected areas have evacuation assistance upon request. So far I'm sitting pretty where I currently am. So please send your positive wishes to the people in the Tohoku region, because they certainly need it more than myself.
EDIT; P.S. I think many people think anything outside of the major metropolitan cities (ex. Tokyo) is rural....so I don't take any offense to your question.That sounds really cool! I've been toying with the idea of doing that. I have an English degree, and I've been having a time and a half trying to get a job with it. How do you get started with something like that? I still have about 35k worth of student loans to pay back, so I'm interested in knowing if it pays enough to pay back student loans while living abroad. Btw, the only stuff I know about Hokkaido is stuff I picked up from watching animes. I guess they must stereotype it a bit. sweatdrop
English Degrees are somewhat sot after for the ALT/AET jobs through my programme (JET Programme). I think the salary is enough to pay back loans of at a decent rate. Most JET people I know can send about 10,000 YEN worth of funds back to their home countries each month. Still depends on how much traveling you plan to do and how much you miss foreign foods, etc. LOL I am a super budgeter who rarely travels far and I can easily send 10,000 YEN worth home each month. That is roughly 1,000 USD.
If you do consider doing such jobs abroad, I highly recommend researching the company/program you are looking at. If you come to Japan I recommend going into the JET Programme (Japanese Government run) over the privately owned placement agencies. Too many of the private ones are on hard times. Also if you do come I would plan for working here for at least one year or two. The JET Programme currently allows up to 5 years, with employer's permission of course. Also the JET Programme is notorious among ALT/AET people for its efforts to protect workers rights and such. You have more power belonging to a group than as an individual, but that is the same anywhere really.
Below is a link to the official homepage of the JET Programme
http://www.jetprogramme.org/
Below is a link to the official homepage of Hokkaido's Association for the JET Program
http://www.hajet.org/
I hope this helps you and if you have more questions I'll try to help you out the best I can. 3nodding
Was it a typo when you said that 10,000 yen is about 1,000 dollars? eek I thought that 10,000 yen was closer to 100 dollars. I didn't realize that the exchange rate was so bad for someone from the US visiting Japan. @_@ I'm definitely interested in the program. This may sound stupid, my biggest hesitation about going is not wanting to leave my cat. sweatdrop I don't suppose they let you bring pets with you, do they?
Also, is it true that they prefer to have people who aren't fluent in Japanese? I know a few words and phrases that I picked up from years of watching subbed anime, but I can't really form a coherent sentence. Would my level of Japanese be an asset or a hindrance?
And, actually, only 25k of the gold given was mine, and 100k was donated. It makes it so much easier on me when I have donated items to give away. It gets kind of painful on the pocketbook having to buy everything.
Sorry I meant 100,000 YEN. It is about 100 YEN to the USDollar. Reality at the moment is around 85 YEN to 1 USD, but if fluctuates. Not fluent in Japanese is valuable for JET, a strong desire to learn Japanese is required. But not being fluent isn't any issue. You just may not be placed in the countryside as much. As far as your cat it is possible to bring them, but there are many rules with customs that you need to know beforehand. I would have researched this before interviewing with JET, that way you can ask more specific questions. But I've met people that brought dogs or hamsters. It may be expensive to transport your healthy cat, but probably possible.
Thank you for all you do for this guild. heart |
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Posted: Sun Mar 20, 2011 9:00 pm
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little Mira Inazuma Sorry I meant 100,000 YEN. It is about 100 YEN to the USDollar. Reality at the moment is around 85 YEN to 1 USD, but if fluctuates. Not fluent in Japanese is valuable for JET, a strong desire to learn Japanese is required. But not being fluent isn't any issue. You just may not be placed in the countryside as much. As far as your cat it is possible to bring them, but there are many rules with customs that you need to know beforehand. I would have researched this before interviewing with JET, that way you can ask more specific questions. But I've met people that brought dogs or hamsters. It may be expensive to transport your healthy cat, but probably possible. Thank you for all you do for this guild. heart
I really don't do as much as I should in here. rofl My pet project has become the 9th Annual Ball, so I devote most of my time and effort on Gaia to that. You should come and join us at the ball. I think we're having it in late July.
That's a more reasonable exchange rate! rofl It would be wonderful if I could have my kitty with me. She's used to living in my tiny bedroom because the dog terrorizes her, so I don't think that she would be too bothered by living in a tiny apartment or dorm room. She would be a nervous wreck at the airport though. sweatdrop The more I hear about the program, the more I want to go for it. I've been obsessed with travel ever since I went to England, Scotland, and Wales on a choir tour during my sophomore year of college. I've made attempts at learning bits of Japanese. I have Japanese For Dummies, and I've learned several words necessary for survival even though I have no idea how to put the words together to form sentences. There was only one chapter on grammar, so I'm kind of lost in that department. But, I really do have a strong desire to learn the language. Actually, I'm highly interested in learning every language I can. Because of my English degree, I've really been wanting to learn Latin, German, and Old English. Those languages make the roots of all of the words we use in the English language, and I love learning the origins of the words and the connotations they used to have. As for wanting to learn Japanese, I'm just an anime and j-drama addict who would like to be able to watch episodes without subtitles. xd I will definitely look into that program. It's scary thinking about going off on my own like that, but I really really want to go. If only I could talk a friend into going with me and being my roommate, I think I would be set. Was it scary for you not knowing anyone? |
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