Tell us about Clay!

[jinksys]

Why did you get into japanese anyway?

[clay]

Well, I was teaching English to foreign students at a school in Florida and I met several Japanese students. I had studied some other languages before, but there was something about Japanese that I really liked. I also decided I wanted to live in Japan for a while. I applied and was accepted to the JET program which hires college grads to teach English with Japanese English teachers. I thankfully, ended up in an area with few foreingers and fewer English speakers. I met my wife, Yumi, there and started this website in 1999. We moved back to Florida in 2001 and have been enjoying life here ever since. B)

[Riley]

nice story...so how many languages can you speak then?

[clay]

Really only English and Japanese. My Japanese may be a little strange since I usually only speak to my wife! She lets me get away with a lot of bad grammar...

[jiro]

wow. thats cool. i think one of the english teachers may have done that JET program. she was an english teacher in japan for a year also. lol. but ya. thats neat.

[am_bee]

What was it like when you first went to Japan to teach? I was thinking of trying to get into the JET program, but the thought of being dropped in the middle of a foreign counrty where I know no one is a bit intimidating...

[clay]

They take really good care of you. If you really want to live in Japan, the JET program is perhaps the easiest way since everything is taken care for you - apartment, job even plane ticket.

But if you do make it, try to work hard and adapt to living in Japan. Many JETs have a reputation of being lazy and anti-Japan. Many don't even try to learn the language...

[Riley]

you guys all talk about the JET, can you tell me about it a bit?

[jiro]

ya. i would like to know a bit about jet... like how old do you have to be to do it, and do you have to have a degree in english or something to do it?

[clay]

Check out: http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/

You have to graduate from a 4 year college, but your major can be on ANY subject not necessarily English. I had a minor in TESL (Teaching English as a Second Language) and that would be helpful.

[Yokuro]

I live in florida too and i REALLY hope i can visit Japan. It is my favorite language other than english. If i could have any japanese name it would have to be Yokuro