What You Should DoBefore Departure

JETAANY 2017 Pre-Departure Seminar

Time-sensitive stuff❏ Inform your landlord and/or roommate(s) that you are

leaving the country!❏ Settle any outstanding fees (rent, utilities, cleaning, etc.)

❏ Give your notice at work!❏ Don’t burn any bridges in the process

Time-sensitive stuff (cont’d.)❏ ALTs only: Fill out Form 8802 with the IRS so you can

get Form 6166❏ Form 6166, “Certification of US Tax Residency” = exemption

from paying Japanese income tax for 2 years❏ $85 filing fee for the application (Form 8802), usually takes 4–6

weeks to receive Form 6166 in the mail❏ If needed, have a friend or family member send it to your

Japanese address

Note: You are still responsible for filing US Federal Income taxes!

Pack!❏ You get 2 checked luggage plus 1 carry-on item

❏ Each checked luggage must be under 50 lbs

❏ When you arrive at Tokyo Orientation, 1 luggage will be sent to your Contracting Organization (CO) and 1 you will keep — pack 1 luggage with everything you’ll need for your first week!

Pack! — Essentials❏ Conservative formal business attire for orientation,

school ceremonies, and formal events❏ Suits, ties, blazers, knee-length skirts/dresses, shoulders must

be covered, closed-toe shoes

❏ Business casual attire for everyday use at work❏ depends on your school, but it’s always better to dress up than

down!

Pack! — Essentials (cont’d.)❏ Comfortable summer clothing

❏ Tokyo can get up to 100º with nearly 100% humidity

❏ Larger sizes of clothing and shoes can be tricky to find in Japan, keep that in mind while packing

❏ Stores like Uniqlo sell most clothing staples for cheap (including winter jackets) — don’t worry about bringing everything!

Pack! — Essentials (cont’d.)❏ Omiyage (souvenirs) — bring something to distribute to the

staff at your new workplace

❏ Food is always a great gift! Cookies, snacks, specialty foods from your hometown, etc.

❏ Bring nicer gifts for your supervisor(s), principal(s), vice principal(s), and Japanese Teachers of English (JTEs)

Pack! — Essentials (cont’d.)❏ Things to keep in mind about omiyage

❏ Presentation is important! Don’t give away something that looks sloppy (sloppy = you didn’t put in much time or effort)

❏ If possible, have your souvenirs pre-wrapped for easy sharing (i.e. individually wrapped candies or cookies)

❏ Omiyage and gift-giving are an important part of Japanese culture — be respectful, try to give something that you would also like to be given

❏ Passport with your new Japanese visa

❏ Contract from your Contracting Organization (CO)

❏ Plane ticket

❏ Laptop

Pack! — Essentials (cont’d.)

These should already have been sent to you by mail

Pack! — Good to Have❏ Anti-perspirant deodorant, fluoride toothpastes, and

some cosmetics can be difficult to find❏ Note: Dove, Biore, Neutrogena, Nivea, and other big brands can

be found at most Japanese drug stores

❏ Photos and mementos of your hometown, family, college, etc.❏ These can be used for your self-introduction lessons at school

in addition to making your Japanese house feel more like home!

Pack! — Grey AreasPrescription medication

❏ Includes contact lenses, some forms of birth control, and some over-the-counter pain killers

❏ Can bring up to 1-month’s supply❏ To bring more than 1-month’s supply, you need to fill out

special documentation (yakkan shoumeisho)❏ Failure to comply with these regulations can result in fines,

imprisonment, and/or deportation

Pack! — Grey Areas (cont’d.)Prescription medication (cont’d)

❏ Read the General Information Handbook for details❏ If, for whatever reason, you want to bring more than 1-month’s

worth of meds, contact your supervisor or Prefectural Advisor (PA) ASAP

❏ Most prescription medication can be fulfilled by a doctor in Japan once you’ve run out of your 1-month supply

Cell phones

❏ Some US cell phones (regardless of make) will not work on Japanese networks

❏ You can bring your own, but you will likely have to buy a new phone upon arrival

Pack! — Grey Areas (cont’d.)

Pack! — Leave at Home

❏ Books❏ DVDs❏ Heavy winter gear❏ Towels❏ Blankets

These can be bought in Japan or shipped by sea (cheapest shipping option)

❏ Be sure you have at least $2,000 CASH to bring with you (more is better!)

❏ Order Japanese Yen from your bank — usually better rates than exchanging at the airport

Money, money, money…

❏ If you have student loans, ensure you will be able to make payments while away❏ Make sure you have enough money in your bank account to

make loan repayments until you can send money (remittance) from Japan

❏ Many options for sending international remittance: GoRemit, JP Bank, Western Union, and more

Money, money, money… (cont’d.)

❏ Alert your bank, credit card company, or student loan agency that you are moving to Japan❏ Change your address if necessary

❏ Get your International Driving Permit at an AAA❏ $20 fee, permit is good for one year❏ Must have a valid US driver’s license❏ Even if you don’t think you’ll have a car, it’s a good

idea to get your IDP!

Tie off loose ends

❏ Pay any outstanding bills

❏ Cancel any cable, internet, or cell phone plans, and any newspaper, magazine, or Amazon subscriptions

❏ Register with the US Embassy❏ They’ll send you travel advisories and contact you in case of

emergencies❏ Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)

Tie off loose ends (cont’d.)

❏ Practice a few set phrases before departure

❏ Familiarize yourself with hiragana and katakana

❏ Apps like Memrise can help you learn basic Japanese greetings and phrases

❏ Download a Japanese–English dictionary like Anki, Midori, or Google Translate❏ Make sure you can access it offline!

Basic Japanese

❏ Useful phrases:❏ すみません sumimasen — “Excuse me” or “I’m sorry”❏ よろしくお願いします yoroshiku onegaishimasu — “I look forward

to working with you” (lit. “Please be kind to me”)❏ 英語をわかりますか eigo o wakarimasu ka? — “Do you

understand English?”❏ 日本語をわかりません nihongo o wakarimasen — “I don’t

understand Japanese”❏ __のアレルギーがあります __ no arerugi ga arimasu — “I have a

__ allergy”

Basic Japanese (cont’d.)

❏ Prepare a short self-introduction for when you meet your supervisor, teachers, and coworkers❏ Feel free to keep a cheat sheet to read of off

❏ Simple is best, especially if you aren’t confident in Japanese yet❏ Even if you make some mistakes, your coworkers will

appreciate the effort!

Self-Introduction in Japanese

はじめまして。私は[name]です。アメリカから来ました。趣味は[hobby]です。

[thing]が好きです。よろしくお願いします。

Hajimemashite. Watashi wa [name] desu. Amerika kara kimashita. Shumi wa [hobby] desu. [Thing] ga suki desu. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.

Nice to meet you. I am [name]. I’m from America. My hobby is [hobby]. I like [thing]. I look forward to working with you.

Self-Introduction Example

Connect! — Your Predecessor❏ They will have the best info and advice about your

specific school(s) and placement

❏ They will usually contact you at least 2–4 weeks before departure — do not panic if you haven’t heard from them yet!

❏ Questions to ask your predecessor❏ Schools — What are the staff and students like? How large are

the classes? What will your responsibilities be in class? Are they involved in any extracurricular activities?

❏ Furniture & belongings — Will you be inheriting or buying any of their things? (Do not feel obligated to buy anything)

❏ Living situation — Will you be moving into their old house/apartment, or will you move into a different one? Are there any upfront costs or fees (e.g. key money)?

Connect! — Your Predecessor (cont’d.)

❏ More questions to ask your predecessor❏ Home maintenance — When are the garbage and recycling

days? Can they leave instructions or translations for using appliances (e.g. air conditioner, hot water, etc.)?

❏ Internet access — Will you have internet when you arrive? Can their current internet plan be transferred to you?

❏ Transportation — How do they commute to school or work? Will you need a car? Where is the nearest train station?

❏ Neighborhood — Where is the nearest grocery store/bank/ post office? What restaurants or bars are nearby?

Connect! — Your Predecessor (cont’d.)

❏ Contact your Prefectural Advisor (PA) if you haven’t yet heard from your predecessor or if you have general questions about your placement region❏ They are your go-to if you have any problems or questions

while you are on JET

❏ Most PAs will send a welcome email to incoming JETs, check your spam if you haven’t heard from them

Connect! — PAs

Connect! — Social Media❏ Check Facebook for ALT or JET groups in your

prefecture or city❏ Get to know other JETs or ALTs in your area

❏ Search online for any resources from your prefectural Association of JETs (AJET)❏ E.g.: Gunma AJET, Akita JET have websites with plenty of

articles and information

Connect! — At Home❏ Make time for friends and

family before you leave

❏ Visit your favourite places, eat your favourite food, enjoy your last month!

Useful Resources:Packing — http://www.tofugu.com/japan/jet-program-packing-guide/ JETAANY documents — http://jetaany.org/resourcesGeneral Info Handbook — http://jetprogramme.org/en/gih/Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) — https://step.state.gov/step/Instructions for IRS Form 8802 — http://www.chicago.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JIC/JET2017/notes_and_instructions_chi_2017.pdf (p. 12)

You’ve Got This!