As with any big trip a lot of things line up like dominoes, both official and unofficial, that need to be done prior to departure. The first of the official requirements was to attend a compulsory 2-day Q&A session about the JET Programme. These were held in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch; Christchurch is closer but as I put Wellington as my departure point on my application I attended the Wellington one.
Turns out I had an appointment in Christchurch anyway, so after a bus ride, appointment, night in a B&B, walking to Christchurch Airport (yes, I like walking everywhere now if there's time--plus it saves money!!) and jumping on a plane I found myself in Wellington--specifically Porirua, staying with my old school friend Kyla (and her crazy dog and adorable new kitten--I'm in love!).
 |
| View from the Majestic Centre |
So, on the afternoon of June 10th I made my way to the Majestic Centre on Willis St and rode the lift to the 25th floor where the JET seminars would be held. I was surprised to find I was really nervous, like, job interview nervous, and had to keep reminding myself that I'd already got the job and that today I was just here to learn about how to do the job. I blame the clothes. On the first day we had to where formal business attire and I'm a geologist...I only have to wear formal business attire at interviews, when I'm meeting clients or am about to give a conference presentation. Consequently I seem to have Pavlov Doggified myself and now every time I don suit jacket and heels I break into a nervous sweat. I'm going to have to get over this in the next month or so, but I don't really want to have to wander round the house in my suit in order to do it!
Anyway, back at the seminar I walked into a room that would gradually fill with just over 30 other new JETs (one guy forgot that it was formal business dress, but being a local he was able to duck home during the break and change). We all sat down and listened intently as first Director Fujimoto welcomed us then Melissa (NZ JET coordinator and indispensable go-to person for all of our numerous queries) took us through a general introduction. Two women from the IRD gave a presentation on our tax obligations while working in Japan and told us that contrary to all information otherwise, we would not qualify to be non-tax residents while there. Consequently we will need to pay tax in Japan AND New Zealand...at this point I raised my hand and failed to keep a certain angry incredulity from my voice when I asked if they meant what it sounded like: that we would have to pay tax in Japan (around 18%) AND in New Zealand (17.5% based on our contracted income and the current exchange rate). Were they saying we'd be obligated to pay nearly 40% of our income in tax?! Happily the answer was no; we have to pay tax in Japan, and then any difference between that (converted to NZ currency) to the NZ IRD. Under this system and at the current exchange rates, the 0.5% difference between Japanese and NZ tax rates means we might actually be entitled to a refund from the IRD! Seems a bit silly, but who am I to turn down money from the government? (Funnily enough, all the JETs who have since got in touch with IRD to update their situations have been told that they will be non-tax residents, and so all of the stuff we were told in the presentation doesn't apply. Come on IRD, sort yourselves out!). The rest of the presentation was about student loan repayment obligations. Fortunately I had the foresight with my first job to pay my loan off as quickly as possible and was able to switch off during this bit (and instead quietly boggled about IRD policy being such that they'll give out refunds for money not earned in NZ...).
After the IRD there was a presentation from a representative of the Nipon Travel Agency who are handling all of our travel arrangement to Japan. We're all going as one massive group booking so we can't change anything or book additional luggage etc. Fine by me. I need to learn how to pack light! (although let's be honest, my track record isn't good...)
After a break, during which time two of the other JETs and I went to get hot chocolate at the library, Ms Fuke (Fuke-sensei) took us through an introduction to Japanese language. She was careful to highlight the differences between English and Japanese pronunciation and grammar so the classes served dual purpose as teaching basic Japanese to those who don't know any (like me) and teaching everyone about the difficulties they are going to encounter when teaching English to their Japanese students. Fuke-sensei's ('sensei' meaning 'teacher') style was vibrant and engaging, so watching her teach us was also a lesson in how to engage a room full of people and appeal to range of different learning levels. Her sessions were absolutely invaluable and were my favourite part of the weekend seminar.
After another short break we had a Q&A session with past JETs, where we could ask them anything and everything about life in Japan.
At 7pm we called it a night and all headed down the street en masse to invade Waggamama for dinner. There I met up with Josie, past JET and school friend who was the inspiration for getting myself into all of this in the first place. I sat with her and a bunch of other past JETs and listened to them tell me all about their experiences in the programme. I also shared some of my life experiences and approaches to different situations and was reassured when they were all very positive about my prospects for 'fitting in', or rather coping well with life in Japan. It remains to be seen whether or not I will prove to be a good teacher. I don't expect to be very good at first, but I'm old enough now to have confidence in my ability to pick things up as I go along, and am determined to do as much as I can in advance to be prepared when I get to Japan. At the time of the seminar I hadn't yet found out what school I'll be going to, only that I will be in Niigata Prefecture. Not knowing what age group you will be teaching makes it hard to prepare teachings materials beyond listing a few general ideas...
The next day was a full day session and mercifully only casual dress was required. We soon discovered this was because we would be sitting on the floor doing activities and playing games etc., both to learn more Japanese and get a feel for the sorts of activities we can give our students to do to learn English. It was a full day of condensed Japanese lessons, beginning with essential phrases and etiquette, then going on to cover dates, times, numbers and currency, as well as basic question and answer conversations involving school-related objects and situations. After lunch the past JETs returned to give individual presentations about key aspects of being a JET: what our housing might be like (although the range in type and quality is enormous depending on where you get placed), how to give a self-introduction lesson to your classes, what to expect from the supermarkets, useful activities for teaching classes and etiquette, particularly how to make a good impression and get on well with our colleagues. The past JETs were all very friendly and informative and are happy for us to get in touch with them throughout our time in Japan if we need guidance or advice (which I'm sure we will). One of them, Nathalie, I've met before as she is also a friend of Josie's. We've become fast friends and together with Kyla the four of us planned to go out for coffee the next day.
While there wasn't a session on this in particular, there was a strong emphasis throughout the entire weekend on building and maintaining a good support network. This is obviously something we are all going to need once we are catapulted out of the familiar comfort of a New Zealand city office and scattered across the unique geographical and cultural landscapes of Japan. I feel confident that with people like Josie and Nathalie, as well as my fellow incoming JETs that I'll be ok...(famous last words...watch this space for a mental meltdown post at some point in the future!).
The final two things that we had to do while at the Q&A session were to nominate two speakers to give a short speech at a Farewell Dinner being held for us at the Japanese Ambassador's house the night before we leave, and to choose a song for us all to sing as an item at the dinner. Well, this went pretty much as you might expect with a bunch of rookie JETs who are mostly recent graduates. Only four songs were suggested (two of them by me), and only three people volunteered to give the speech, two boys and, after seeing that no girls had volunteered and that one was required, me. Being the only girl volunteer I was of course landed with the speech (I figure it will be good practice, and besides, if I screw it up I'm leaving the country the next morning, what's anyone going to do?), but one of my two song suggestions was also chosen: Tenei Matou, a Maori action song I learned back when I was in intermediate. I felt immediately responsible for ensuring that everyone does at least a half-decent job of this--Maori waiata after all need to be treated with an appropriate degree of respect--so have resolved to make a demonstration video everyone can use to learn it. I don't really like the idea of making a video of myself, but there is no one else and as they say, duty calls. I'll confess part of me is looking forward to the whole filming and editing part. I'm sure I'll be sick of it before I'm half way through, but I do get a sense of satisfaction out of cutting clips together into one coherent piece, and I haven't done it for a very long time.
Anyway, that was the JET Q&A session. There are more Japanese lessons being run out of the Embassy during the weeks leading up to our departure. I'd had a half-baked idea of moving up to Wellington to attend them, but as the time comes for uprooting myself and heading overseas once again I find myself wanting to stay home and make the most of it while I can. It will also afford a good opportunity to put together some more photos, videos and other materials I can use to help engage my students when teaching them about where I am from. Failing that, I'll have something to paw over in a dark corner of my squalid little big city Japanese apartment when the homesickness all gets a bit too much! Not that I have any idea where I am going or how I'll be living yet, but I'm envisioning this in order to be prepared for the worst. Housing seems to be a bit of a contentious issue for JETs--some get really nice places and some get really horrible ones. I just keep telling people that with my first job I moved into a house that had no insulation, mould climbing the windows and walls and floorboards so rotten I fell through one one morning when I got out of the shower...and I was perfectly happy (after commandeering an extra duvet for my bed, attacking the walls and windows with bleach solution and a toothbrush, and getting the landlord to fix the broken floorboard--he used the side of an old beer crate!). After hearing this, all the past JETs tell me they think I'll do just fine.
Chinoike-jigoku hot spring, Beppu
