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JET: Perosnal opinions.

From Eric:

I am a current (2001) CIR working in the Koshigaya Board of Education. Koshigaya is in South Eastern Saitama. I give the JET program good marks. For labor fresh out of college, we make good money and get life enriching Japanese cultural/linguistic experience. I pull in 220,000 yen a month after rent and tax. It is hard to quantify, but I learn lots of Japanese language and cultural stuff in the office. The JET program is a good choice whether you just want a break from school and some easy money, or weather you really want to use Japanese in your future career. Almost no American who studies Japanese in college is ready to fully function in a Japanese company. The JET program can be that link to you to having a career in Japan. Let me also say that if you really intend to involve Japan in your career, you need to be a CIR and not and ALT to get the language experience required in the Japanese business world. ALTs have little pressure in the school to use Japanese, and often are encouraged to hide what little Japanese they know. If your Japanese is not good enough to become a CIR off the bat, you might try being an ALT for a year then switching to being a CIR.

There are many different types of CIRs. I am a very rare type that is attached to a Board of Education. My work involves assassinating foreign dignitaries that have double-crossed the board of Education. My official title is Yakouseiri-gakari (group leader of nighttime liquidation). In reality, I have lots of free time at work to think up titles like that. I facilitate communication between the ALTs employed by the Board and do lots of miscellaneous translation, and a little English teaching. In my opinion, the most interesting kind of CIR is the Prefectural advisor. When picking my desired city, I chose well with Saitama. If you like Tokyo, you would do well to not choose B!HTokyoB!I but rather a city or prefe near Tokyo. No one gets sent to Tokyo, but there are lots of JETs in Saitama and Chiba. Play the game, and enjoy the life.

-Eric Kosinski

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