What is it like to Live in Japan?
Good idea to go with the JET Programme. That's quite a long time ahead to be thinking about it though. You know you need a university degree, right? You won't necessarily be provided a house. In fact, that's quite rare. The JET Programme is known for a little catch-phrase: ESID - Every situation is different. For most people on that programme, you're paid the same amount, but you pay for accommodation out of that salary. Usually a place will be found on your behalf (same apartment others on JET have used in the area), and it's usually a decent apartment. Sometimes you may even be put up in subsidized housing with other teachers (separate apartments of course). It's the luck of the draw. On your application, you're given the chance to name a few areas you would like to live in, but that isn't guaranteed. It just gives the coordinators an idea of where you could go. Those are pretty cheap utilities. Again, it depends on your set-up. I would expect to pay at least: gas - 5000/month, electricity - 2500/month, water - 1500/month, internet - 4000/month. That doesn't include your phone. Depending where you are and your lifestyle, electricity and gas can go up to around 10,000/month each in winter. Anyway, on JET, you are making good money, and if you watch your money, there's no reason why you can't save money and still pay for these expenses and an apartment on the expensive side, living a comfortable life. There are all sorts of perks associated with JET too: free Japanese correspondence course (high quality), free local conferences, free re-newers' conference (free transport and hotel in another part of Japan), free initial orientation in Tokyo (hotel, conference, some food), free transport to your new place of work from Tokyo orientation, free airfare to start and finish JET, tons of stuff taken care for you by the authorities (visa, accommodation found, bank account opened, local orientation, etc.), help lines, teaching resources, ... Considering some people just go to Japan, look for work, and have to take care of everything on their own, I wouldn't worry about money on JET. It's such a small issue. You've got people just barely getting by just for the chance to live in Japan, then you've got JET people who sometimes have no idea how good they've got it. Good luck!
How was it like to live and work in Kobe, Japan before and after the Kobe Earthquake?
Kobe city is very lively. If you live in and work as a company in the city center, there are plenty of places to do. You can also go to Kyoto with famous sightseeing spots in 1 hour by train.Meanwhile Kobe and also Japan can be difficult for foreigners to live in. For example, there are many "invisible discrimination". They are shy so and tend to avoid talking with foreigners.Also, as you pointed out, there is also the risk of an earthquake. There was an earthquake of magnitude 7.3 in Kobe in 1995, and there were many damage.( Kōbe earthquake of 1995 | Japan )Japanese article, here is the probability that a large earthquake will occur in Kobe within 30 years is written to be over 70%.( http://kiki-kaihi.com/?p=3094 )Also, it is difficult to rent a apartments in Kobe, because few people can speak in English.I will introduce the only real estate service for foreigners I know below.(ERent, chat based real estate agents in Kobe. )It's a chat-based online real-estate agency. What you need to do is quite simple. Just talk to an agent about your ideal property and location. Then they will suggest a lot of options that the most suitable for you. They can offer you any kind: Cheap or Expensive, Furnished or Not-furnished, etc.Please take a look at this as well. It is a point to note when a foreigner rents a room.( Kobe International Community Center )Hope this info helps you somehow.
What is Living/working in Japan like?
I think you need to first understand that working long hours is not the same as working hard. In Japanese workplaces, there is an unwritten rule that leaving work before your manager makes you less loyal in the group or collective sense - not necessarily to the boss. I'm sure in some places the employees do work hard, but in my experience most are just sticking around pretending to be doing something while waiting for the boss to leave. As a foreigner and an intern at that, you most likely will not be expected to adhere to that rule. For one thing, as a non-Japanese you will always be an outsider and while you will be treated (in vast majority of the case) politely and well, you are an outsider. And unlike in the West where making friends and becoming buddies is a relatively quicker process, most Japanese tend to take the wait and see attitude which could mean months or years before you get a peak into the inner circle. As for getting a girlfriend, you should be aware that what I wrote in the above also applies to personal relationships. Your blonde hair and blue eyes will get you noticed, but Japanese girls are not going to be bashing down your doors to jump into your bed.
I want to live and work in a temple in japan.?
Not possible. For the most part, non - Japanese are not wanted in these places. It wouldn't work out anyway because you don't know Japanese. In places like this it's probable they don't know any English at all. You need a work visa to work in Japan. And to get the work visa you need someone to sponsor you.This isn't going to happen for a Buddhist / Shinto temple.Sorry.
How is it like to live and work in Singapole?
I heard there are strict laws even to forbid to throw craps on the streets. I feel exhausted to work in Japan but how do Singapolean feel about their own life and working environment there? As a advanced country, Singapole is shining in Asia. Japan is regareded as one of these Advanced, but I actually dont even think advanced, at least about the working environment in Japan. We are not able to take long vacation more than 5 days. Because We Japanese envies so deeply on what other comrades do, how long they take holidays. Because of this jealousy, we have to keep stop taking payed vacations every years. Some even make Karoshi(death by overworking) How about in Singapole? I believe they work relaxed. they won't Karoshi at all. And they will be smarter than the ordinaly Japanese, I mean average level will be higher than Japanese.
How do I get a job, live, and settle in Japan?
Check out GaijinPot Jobs. It's a website for searching for work in Japan. When you search, click advanced search and check the "Overseas Application OK" box. This will limit your search to employers who will accept applicants from abroad.Unless you're going to Japan on a visa that gives you permission to work (such as a spouse visa), it's highly recommended that you find a job before going. Most employers will only hire foreigners who are already authorized to work in Japan and if you're there on a tourist visa, you aren't authorized. Here are the most common positions that people apply for to get to Japan:The JET Program - This is an international exchange program run by the Japanese government. They hire foreigners to come to Japan and work for local governments, such as working as ALTs (assistant language teachers of English in public schools) or CIRs (coordinators for international relations, people who have a high degree of Japanese ability and help local governments with things like translation and internationalization efforts). This is the best bet as the salary is good and they provide a lot of support. The downside is you're far more likely to get placed in a rural area as opposed to Tokyo.ALT Dispatch Companies - These are companies that provide ALTs to school districts, but they're able to do it for a lower price than the JET Program, so some schools (especially in larger cities) have opted to use them. It's similar to the JET Program, but generally means a lower salary and not as much support. Interac is one of these companies.Eikaiwa (English conversation schools) - These are private schools where they bring in foreign teachers to teach English conversation to classes—as small as one student, as large as five or six (might be some larger ones). These are all over Japan so you can easily find one in a big city. The downside is that the hours are all over the place, the pay's not that great, and they'll provide you with very little support.Getting a job before you come to Japan is pretty much necessary, because you need an employer to sponsor your work visa. Once you come over to Japan though, you can begin looking for another position. There are far more job opportunities available to people already living in Japan with a valid work visa. You'll also need an employer to help you out with things like getting an apartment, because Japanese landlords require renters to have a guarantor who will vouch for them.
I want to live/work in Japan: Should i quit my job as a software engineer in the US to attend a Japanese language school?
Thanks to A2A. Let me ask you some questions and you could take the time to think about it. What is your passion? Do you want to make a change in life and have a different life experience? An American friend of mine who resided in Japan for 15 months to attend a local Japanese school to achieve his language learning goal. He was a software engineer in San Francisco with a high pay job 15 months ago. He told me that he had been learning Japanese for seven years and made a several trip to Japan before he resided here. He knew that he needed to come here to study Japanese before it was too late. Recently, he is graduated and is about to start his new chapter of life in Japan next month. He is living with his dream job in Japan as a software engineer now. So, what is your call? It is about you. Who you want to be in the future! I hope this helps. Feel free to ask me questions; I'd happy to help.