Interview Results: Short-listed!!

The interview results are in, and I've been short-listed (i.e. officially accepted) for JET 2016!

(I don't yet know where in Japan I'll be going. Placements will be announced in May/June.)

During the weeks leading up to the email announcement on March 30, I honestly had made peace with getting rejected. I would have been happy to be an alternate (i.e. waitlist) candidate. Since I'm currently finishing up a degree, I had a few backup options to pursue (research fellowship applications, science programs, etc.) if JET didn't happen. Luckily for me, I can do JET now and worry about those later (haha).

When I received the acceptance email on Tuesday, I didn't have time to celebrate because I was busy working on a research paper due the next day, but now that the paper's done and it's the weekend, I can finally celebrate by spending the day doing ... JET paperwork!

I've never been more excited to fill out forms in my life, but there deadlines to meet, so slacking off now isn't an option. Short-listed JETs must:

• Send a form indicating acceptance of the position
• Submit a passport photocopy
• Get fingerprinted for an FBI background check
• Have a doctor fill out a Certificate of Health
• Apply for Japanese tax exemption
• Apply for an international driver's permit
• Submit a special JET insurance form
• Supply proof of graduation upon degree conferral
• ...among other things.

In the meantime, besides filling out paperwork I'll be studying Japanese as fast as I can to ease the transition when I arrive. Some friends have generously given me a bunch of their old Japanese textbooks and workbooks (the Yookoso! series, whose online resources I found out today are now free of charge). Thanks Karen and Christina!

The fact that I'm actually going to go to Japan hasn't really sunk in for me yet... I'm sure it will soon enough.

Many thanks to everyone who helped me get this far. Special shout-outs to my loving family for their endless support, my iaido classmates for their faith in me, my research advisor Dr. Warrior and my karate instructor Mr. Barker for writing references, my University's writing center and Study Abroad office staff for looking over my initial Statement of Purpose drafts, my friends Melody, Dave, Vince, and Michael for providing more critical feedback on my SoP, and again to Michael for helping me prepare for the interview. I wouldn't be here without all of you!! <3

The Interview

The fated day has arrived. (^{DUN DUN DUN} _DUUUUNNNNN)

Preparing for the Interview

Last Friday I met up with a friend and former JET for a practice interview. Originally I was going to try to book a mock interview with my school's career center, but in hindsight that wouldn't have helped as much as yesterday's meeting did, since the questions asked in the JET interview differ greatly from "normal" job interviews.

My answers are ok, and I don't fidget, which is good. On the other hand, I can come off as a bit stiff, but it's the kind of stiffness where it's difficult to answer interview questions in a way that doesn't make it seem like you're being interviewed.

I'm now trying to store a bank of ideas that would help me answer questions such as "what objects would you bring from home to teach your students about American culture?" and "act out a sample lesson for us." For the first question, I imagine that most people would think of American symbols first: flags, Statue of Liberty figurine, cowboy hats, etc. but those are just symbols, They don't really show someone what our culture is like. Moreover, a lot of what makes America America has already been exported across the globe - theme parks, fast food, baseball, (American) football, to name just a few.

Two weeks left.

Pre-Interview Thoughts

Today is January 10th, 2016. Two days ago, on January 8th, the first stage results for the US were released via a message in the JET Inbox.


It's good news.