According to the paperwork, I'll be working at Isawa Junior High School, which is grades 7th, 8th, and 9th when compared to US grade levels. It is a 10 minute bike ride from my apartment (so perhaps a 20-30 minute walk). There are 750 students in the school, and I will be working with a number of Japanese English Teachers. Each class has about 32 students, and I'll assist in 24 classes each week, as well as get involved in other clubs and activities in the school community.
In this map, (A) is the school I'll be working at, (B) is my home address, and (C) is the train station in the area. If you click "view larger map" it will tell you how many minutes it takes to walk from A, to B, to C. Just to give you a rough idea.
If you look at the map below, it shows a route from Isawaonsen (which is the Isawa Train Station) to Shinjuku Station in Tokyo. It can take between an hour 1/2 to more than two hours to get there, with varying price ranges. I think it would cost somewhere between $16.00 and $40.00 to get there, also depending on the trains that you take.
I will post my address here, but please do not send anything to that address until the end of July. My predecessor will live there through July, so it would be best to wait so the poor person doesn't start getting my mail. ^_^ If you would like the mailing address, please e-mail me.
According to my contact, rent will be ￥52,000 per month (depending on the exchange rate, +/- $520.00). Other expenses such as electricity, gas, water, internet, etc., are not included in the rent I am pretty sure. I have no idea what my apartment looks like, or how big it will be. I have not heard anything yet from my predecessor.
Included in the packet was also a little information about the city and surrounding area. For example, the summer temperatures can "exceed 35 degrees Celsius" and the winter down to 5. (This is 95 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit.)
Information about Yamanashi: http://www.pref.yamanashi.jp/english/index.html
Information about Fuefuki: http://www.city.fuefuki.yamanashi.jp/english
It said that Yamanashi was "Kai no Kuni," which I am pretty sure means "Shellfish Country." They might be famous for really tasty shellfish, so I'm a little sad that I don't like seafood!
My first pay day will be August 20th, and I'll be paid on the 20th of every month. In Japan they do not usually get paid bi-weekly, but instead monthly.
In this packet I also got the details of my contract, and am really looking forward to all of this now that the information is more solidified and tangible. I am going to the NYC this Thursday to hand in my Visa application, and then have a mini-orientation to look forward to later this month.
All for now.
Lana
That sounds like a REALLY good deal in terms of the distance to the school and the teaching situation (does that mean you don't have to teach whole classes by yourself?).
ReplyDeleteAlso, your own apartment for $520 a month is pretty excellent. Although my rent-o-meter is probably skewed from living in Berkeley, where a studio apartment with a hole in the ceiling would cost almost twice that much.
Also also getting paid monthly is great because you never spend any money because you never feel like you have any :P
Anyway, I will test out your Japanese address before I leave for Sicily because I am literally afraid of Italian post offices. :)
I agree, I think it'll be a really good situation. Can't wait to receive your letter, and try to convince you to come visit. ^_^
ReplyDeleteI keep trying to post a comment, it's hopeless
ReplyDeleteit seems.
G
Hello Grandma! What do you mean hopeless? You've posted a comment!
ReplyDelete