Well... What now?

March 11, 2011 has changed life here in Japan.  For the last month I have been debating whether any advice I might have now will apply in the future.  I have come to the conclusion that it still may have some benefit but the popular JET program saying of “Every situation is different” (ESID) applies even more now post 3/11 than it ever did before.  Radiation fears, electricity availability and price, gas for cars, kerosine for your house, availability and price of food, and who knows what else, are all issues that will be different and ever changing in the new Japan.

I will try to share what I can of what life is like for a Family JET now and how things change here in Northern Japan.  Although we are in Akita, the safest and least affected place in Tohoku, life for the Family JET is and will be a lot more challenging.  Budget concerns, safety factors, and just being able to enjoy life are all things that we still have to figure out. 

I will still post advice about what happens in the process of getting here and the details that need to be attended to in the early months, but I will intersperse into that things about life here and now for the Family JET.

I will put up my next post on "Life since 3/11" soon, hopefully tomorrow.  And then more to follow quickly after that.

Thanh, Only you (The JET participant) needs the health Check.

Laura, my youngest daughter was just 6 months when we arrived here so I know exactly what you are going through in terms of vaccinations.  I will do a post ASAP on that.  There is a someone here in my town who knows a lot about the vaccination program here.  I will be getting him to write as much down as I can.

Sydaine, if you can and it doesn't cost too much, do as much as you can now.  When you get excepted life gets a little crazy for a few weeks.  If you can't do it now, make sure you make a list of all the things you want / need to do and how to accomplish each one so when life does get crazy you know what needs to get done and how to get it done.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!  Don't panic if results don't come when they said they would. Things here have changed and I am sure it will cause delays in the process.