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Japanese study abroad program grows in prestige

There are so many opportunities given at Rollins to help and benefit us in many ways. We may sometimes miss our chances; however, do not miss the JET Program.

The JET Program stands for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program. It is a competitive service opportunity that allows young professionals to live and work in cities, towns, and villages all throughout Japan.

Being a JET is an opportunity of a lifetime; you get to work and represent the United States as cultural ambassadors to Japan.

Activities you can engage in include:

  • Assisting Japanese teachers in foreign language classes taught in elementary, junior, and/or senior high schools.
  • Supervising foreign language activities, during or after school in elementary schools, junior, and/or senior high schools.
  • Preparing class materials for teaching a foreign language.
  • Providing information on language and other related subjects for people such as teachers’ consultants and foreign language teachers.
  • Helping out in extracurricular activities and club activities (e.g. class activities, homeroom activities, student council.)
  • Assisting in foreign language speech contests.
  • Engaging in local international exchange activities.

The JET Program seeks applicants who are adaptable, caring, outgoing, and who have a deep interest in Japan. Only the best candidates are chosen to represent the United States.

The JET Program typically collects 4,000-5,000 applications each year from the U.S. Of these, only 1,000-1,100 will be chosen for participation on the JET Program. Each fall, applications are revised to ensure that all needed documents have been submitted. Applicants who pass the initial screening are invited to interview and will be offered a position with the JET Program and then fitted with a contracting organization. Then participants will live and work in the cities and towns of Japan, and they will become a part of their communities in a deeper, more meaningful way than the average American has a chance to experience while traveling abroad.

The JET Program participants’ flights to and from Japan are provided for free, but they are expected to be at work for whatever position they are in approximately thirty-five hours a week, excluding lunch breaks.  You would most likely be required to work during normal office or common school hours, which are from around 8:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m., Monday through Friday, while Saturdays, Sundays and Japanese national holidays are days off. All new JET Program participants must attend orientations that take place at the Japanese Embassy or Consulates General prior to departure for Japan. This orientation is designed to prepare new JET Program participants for the imminent departure. The JET Program participants are assigned to placements in all areas of Japan, from Hokkaido to Okinawa. Most placements are in rural or suburban areas of the country, and only a very limited number of placements are available in urban locations. So hurry up and email JET@mi.mofa.go.jp for more information. The deadline is November 18.

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