Update for Japan and applying for Amity Aeon

Well, it has been awhile since I gave my acceptance speech, if I can even call it that.

I will be leaving the terrain of the United States on October 12, and be taking an overnight flight to Japan. I still have a long wait ahead of me to spend with loved ones by taking pictures, sharing memories, and eating yummy hamburgers and such. Even though I have been putting restrictions on me for certain days to limit my eating habits, it's not really working as well as my mother hoped. What can I say? This mouth was made to ingest delicious calories.

A little more information for those that are thinking of teaching in Japan: No, I have not began teaching, but so far, I know a bit of the acceptance process, at least for the Eikawa I have applied to.

If you decide to teach abroad in Japan, look into the hiring process, what the people want from you in the essays or paperwork that they want you to fill out. This is your first impression: on paper. As scary as that sounds, don't be afraid, suck it up and just jot down proper vocabulary, good grammar, and correct spelling. Depending on how well they liked your presentation of the essay and/or your other paperwork will determine whether or not you will be invited for a group interview.

Applying for Amity means meeting up for a group interview before you are granted a private one on one interview. What I did to prepare was read up as much as possible in the forums at Dave's ESL and had Google sitting in the passenger seat the whole time. The internet is a massive database of information, and with great power comes great information is what I learned through this trial.

First is dress code: Japan (especially if you will be going to work for an Eikawa school) likes their people to dress conservatively. This means black, navy, dark brown suits with an undershirt. Ladies, pant suits or skirts, your choice, just if you plan to wear a skirt, don't forget hosiery, and not the ones that are fishnet stockings, regular and nude. In other words, be as plain as you can be.

When going up for the group interview, you will be in a room with five other people or just three people. It all depends on how many people were invited for the interview, just be sure you have enough supplies for everyone. If you have left overs that's better than coming up short. They (the people or person that will become your future employer) will come in the room where all applicants are and begin discussing who they are as a company and what they have accomplished and even give a 10-15 minute presentation of a day in the life of an employee. Be sure to take notes throughout the entire time they are talking, don't sit there dumbfounded; look interested.

For the thirty minute lesson plan and the five minute presentation of said lesson plan, do your best. I can't really give much information on the lesson plan, so long as you don't come up short on the five minute presentation and have a clear view of what you wanted to show in the presentation from the lesson plan you should be fine.

Once everyone has done their presentation of their lesson plan, they will give you a grammar worksheet, which should not take you longer than the time given. Afterwards, they will either hand you an envelope or tell you if you will be invited for a second one on one interview.

On the one on one interview, you will be taken to a room to set up a ten minute lesson plan. On the spot, sure, but not that difficult, because it is dedicated to children. Short and simple should do the trick. Afterwards, they will tell you how you did, ask you how you think you did, and then continue with the interview process with questions like why do you want to work in Japan and such. Have a calm complexion and feel prepared to answer their questions. Show confidence mostly.

After that, you have three to four weeks of free time, so my advice is go have some fun and relax, and get ready to bite your nails after three to four weeks are done. If you have been considered for a position, you will have to submit a background check which you will pay for out of pocket, and soon after (literally for me it was the next day) you will be offered a position or an extended invitation, and put on a waiting list.

After that, it's paperwork after paperwork to send back and forth. I have no complaints so far as to how I have been treated in getting everything ready, because the people that I have been in contact with is the best. I have a question, I get on the phone, and I get the answer right away. :)

Well, that's all I got to say about Japan, the application process at Amity, and will write more in the future to keep those that are interested in teaching in Japan an open door with me.