Preparing for Akita

Three Months Before You Depart

• Start gathering materials you can use to introduce your life.
• Check out Facebook and YouTube
• Check out the Japanese Language Learning section of the wiki

Two Months Before

• Ask people in the area you will be living in for advice about what materials will be most effective for your self-introductions.

One Month Before

• Get your International Driver's License.

• Get your Japanese cell service provider set up.
  • Physical sim companies:
    • Mobal
    • Sakura mobile
    • JP SMART SIM
    • Rakuten Mobile

Three Weeks Before

• Look around for some local delicacies/local arts and crafts to bring as presents (omiyage) for the people who will help you settle into Japanese life.
• Change some of your money into Japanese yen at your local bank.

Two Weeks Before

• Start organizing things you want to pack.
• Ship anything you can.

One Week Before

• Enjoy the last week with your family, friends, and loved ones.
• You may have some last minute packing, gambatte(fight)!

Tokyo Orientation Conference

• Attend the Orientation and be prepared to learn a lot.
  • I've heard recently that attendance may be taken during the Orientation. Your Contracting Organization (CO) could be contacted if you are not at Orientation. Getting into trouble with your CO before they meet you is not a good way to start off a year in Japan.
• Meet new people from all over the world. Try to get some contact information from friends you make from different prefectures. Maybe you can visit them during the year.
• Each Country's embassy has some sort of event in the evening after one of the Orientation days. These events are highly recommended. The United States of America recently started hosting a Embassy event at the Keio Plaza (I know very little about it however).
• Talk with your TOA. They know a great deal about Akita and would love to answer your questions.
• Change the rest of your money at the Keio Plaza. It will be difficult to do so once you arrive in Akita. Plus the Keio offers a good deal on exchange.
• E-mail family and friends from the hotel room (there is internet access, but no wireless). When you arrive in Akita it may take some time to set up your internet access.
• Take some time at night to go out and explore Shinjuku. Whether you're just going for a walk among the skyscrapers, grabbing some ramen, or going to enjoy a night Karaoke, it will be a good time and a great way to get to know some other people coming to Akita.
• On Tuesday of Orientation A and B there will be a Prefectural Meeting. This meeting is mandatory for all JETs coming to Akita. During the meeting you will meet some of your PAs, and will also have a chance to ask some questions you may have.
• The next day we'll leave for Akita together. Excited yet?

We are all looking forward to meeting you soon.

Arrival In Akita

• Contact your sempais. They are waiting to show you around, but it is likely that they won't be able to contact you unless you contact them first. You will have received a sempai contact list when you arrived in Tokyo.