The information drought is over. I have my placement information!
It has been decided that I will be taking over the Elementary school positions in Monbetsu, teaching at a number of elementary schools throughout the city and ranging from full size to outlying schools with class sizes below ten. As everyone says that the elementary school kids are the most fun, I'm pretty stoked about this.
I've also received information about my apartment. It looks like I'll be living in a fifth floor apartment that comes fully furnished, and provided with a company car for traveling to the schools - I couldn't be happier. This is great, since I won't have to worry about getting the money together to buy a car right away, and I can wait a few months to look into getting a car for personal use. The furniture being sold by my predecessor also amounts to less than a hundred dollars, so for now my money worries appear to be over. Rent is pretty cheap, too!
My predecessor sent me a long text file describing the living conditions, schools, and town in detail - it sounds like Monbetsu is a fine place to live. Although I'll have a better idea once I get there, it sounds like most of the necessities are within easy walking or biking distance.
August can't come fast enough! Now to go shopping for my tracksuit.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
Moving forward, slowly
A very minor update, but some progress has been made in the long process of moving towards departure. Today, my long-awaited FBI background check arrived, as well as the IRS certification of residency - on the same day! Additionally, I received an email a few days ago from the Monbetsu Board of Education, wanting to arrange a phone call with me. Although this has not yet been followed up on, it's nice to have some contact. August can't come fast enough!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Application Process Part 3: Results and Beyond
Now, potential applicant, the moment you've been waiting for: getting in! Or not! Or maybe!
After interviews conclude in February, it's back to the waiting game until early April. You have nothing to do at this point except speculate about your completely unknowable future, so I'd advise trying not to think about it and drinking a lot. In April, however, you can start freaking out because results are coming! At some point. You won't know when until you get them.
There are three possible results you can get, in the US. Some countries are slightly different, or use different terms, but for the most part my understanding is that it's pretty similar. So, when you get the email, it will say one of three things:
1. Shortlisted! This is the result everyone wants. It means you're in, you made it, you passed. This was the result that I (somehow) got.
2. Rejected! Not a good time. You have been dropped. You can try again next year, and are not really any less likely to get in due to having been rejected previously; if this is the case, however, it would be good to think about why you may have been rejected, and adjust accordingly.
3. Waitlisted/Alternated. The third option is probably the most torturous. You haven't been rejected, but you also haven't gotten in... yet. Alternate candidates get to wait until August, or even beyond, for a call that may never come. If it does, it will be to inform them that a shortlisted candidate has dropped out of the program or withdrawn for whatever reason, and that they have been upgraded! This can happen a week after receiving the initial results, or it could happen in October. In most cases, Alternates that get upgraded will hear their status in June or July. If you are alternated, you do have a fairly good chance of getting in still; there's also a decent chance of not getting in, however. You have my condolences for the waiting.
After getting the results, shortlisters and alternates get a bundle of paperwork to fill in. In addition to sending in a form accepting the position (indicating continued interest in participation, for waitlisters), there are tax forms, an FBI back ground check, and a medical exam. Since this is all time-sensitive, it's best to fill it all out and get it sent in right away - specific instructions are given by the interviewing consulate, which now becomes the point of contact between the applicant and the program. Once these forms are mailed in, it's back to waiting around some more.
At some point in May or June, shortlisters and upgraded alternates will be given their placements. This is, of course, a pretty big deal, since most of us have no idea where we'll be going. On the paper application, applicants can put preferences for three different locations, but the program places ALTs according to needs and local preferences, and the applicant's preferences are generally considered last. So, it's more or less a crapshoot where one will end up. In my case, I did end up with the area I requested; another applicant I am aware of requested Osaka or Okinawa (a tropical island and a major southern city) and ended up in the middle of the frozen mountains in a village of 3000 or so. Flexibility is important!
I should also note here that some ALTs find out their city or town at this point, while others do not. The reason is that different people can be hired by different levels of government. In my case, I will be hired by the Monbetsu Board of Education, so I found out my town; some people might be hired by the prefecture of Hokkaido, in which case that is all they would know at this point. People hired by the prefecture generally work in high schools, as they are run at the prefectural level, while elementary and middle schools are run at the municipal level.
After finding out placements, the applicant will wait for two correspondences: Predecessor and Contracting Organization. This can happen right after getting the placement, or it can take nearly until departure. The Contracting Organization is the school board or government that will actually be hiring the ALT; they will send contracts to be signed and information about the placement. The Predecessor is the JET vacating the position; they will tell the new applicant about the position, the conditions, and their job. Departing JETs also generally sell incoming JETs their furniture and other items that they will not be taking with them. So far, I haven't heard from either my CO or my predecessor, and am anxiously awaiting word.
Finally, the day rolls around when you get on a plane or bus and head to your interviewing consulate. In my case, there will be a one-day orientation in Chicago, followed by flying out to Tokyo for another two days of orientation. After this, it's off to Monbetsu. More on this, of course, when it happens.
This concludes my series about the application process, which will hopefully be helpful to anyone wanting to know a bit more about the application process. Next time I'll be writing about some of my pre-departure preparations at home.
After interviews conclude in February, it's back to the waiting game until early April. You have nothing to do at this point except speculate about your completely unknowable future, so I'd advise trying not to think about it and drinking a lot. In April, however, you can start freaking out because results are coming! At some point. You won't know when until you get them.
There are three possible results you can get, in the US. Some countries are slightly different, or use different terms, but for the most part my understanding is that it's pretty similar. So, when you get the email, it will say one of three things:
1. Shortlisted! This is the result everyone wants. It means you're in, you made it, you passed. This was the result that I (somehow) got.
2. Rejected! Not a good time. You have been dropped. You can try again next year, and are not really any less likely to get in due to having been rejected previously; if this is the case, however, it would be good to think about why you may have been rejected, and adjust accordingly.
3. Waitlisted/Alternated. The third option is probably the most torturous. You haven't been rejected, but you also haven't gotten in... yet. Alternate candidates get to wait until August, or even beyond, for a call that may never come. If it does, it will be to inform them that a shortlisted candidate has dropped out of the program or withdrawn for whatever reason, and that they have been upgraded! This can happen a week after receiving the initial results, or it could happen in October. In most cases, Alternates that get upgraded will hear their status in June or July. If you are alternated, you do have a fairly good chance of getting in still; there's also a decent chance of not getting in, however. You have my condolences for the waiting.
After getting the results, shortlisters and alternates get a bundle of paperwork to fill in. In addition to sending in a form accepting the position (indicating continued interest in participation, for waitlisters), there are tax forms, an FBI back ground check, and a medical exam. Since this is all time-sensitive, it's best to fill it all out and get it sent in right away - specific instructions are given by the interviewing consulate, which now becomes the point of contact between the applicant and the program. Once these forms are mailed in, it's back to waiting around some more.
At some point in May or June, shortlisters and upgraded alternates will be given their placements. This is, of course, a pretty big deal, since most of us have no idea where we'll be going. On the paper application, applicants can put preferences for three different locations, but the program places ALTs according to needs and local preferences, and the applicant's preferences are generally considered last. So, it's more or less a crapshoot where one will end up. In my case, I did end up with the area I requested; another applicant I am aware of requested Osaka or Okinawa (a tropical island and a major southern city) and ended up in the middle of the frozen mountains in a village of 3000 or so. Flexibility is important!
I should also note here that some ALTs find out their city or town at this point, while others do not. The reason is that different people can be hired by different levels of government. In my case, I will be hired by the Monbetsu Board of Education, so I found out my town; some people might be hired by the prefecture of Hokkaido, in which case that is all they would know at this point. People hired by the prefecture generally work in high schools, as they are run at the prefectural level, while elementary and middle schools are run at the municipal level.
After finding out placements, the applicant will wait for two correspondences: Predecessor and Contracting Organization. This can happen right after getting the placement, or it can take nearly until departure. The Contracting Organization is the school board or government that will actually be hiring the ALT; they will send contracts to be signed and information about the placement. The Predecessor is the JET vacating the position; they will tell the new applicant about the position, the conditions, and their job. Departing JETs also generally sell incoming JETs their furniture and other items that they will not be taking with them. So far, I haven't heard from either my CO or my predecessor, and am anxiously awaiting word.
Finally, the day rolls around when you get on a plane or bus and head to your interviewing consulate. In my case, there will be a one-day orientation in Chicago, followed by flying out to Tokyo for another two days of orientation. After this, it's off to Monbetsu. More on this, of course, when it happens.
This concludes my series about the application process, which will hopefully be helpful to anyone wanting to know a bit more about the application process. Next time I'll be writing about some of my pre-departure preparations at home.
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