1. Introduce yourself, and tell us about your journey to teaching English abroad.

Hello! My name is Kate Burke, and I am 23 years old; I’ll be 24 next month. I’m from West Cork, Ireland, and I love art, cooking (and everything food related), and the outdoors. I graduated last year with a Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Sociology degree from Trinity College. I enjoyed my degree and hope to work in a related area in the future. However, I was not ready to face the “real” adult world yet… which led me to TEFL in Japan. I have always enjoyed travelling, meeting new people, and learning about new cultures, so when I began researching a TEFL course to teach English abroad, all my uncertainty about what my post-university world would look like seemed to dissipate.

2. What was your path to a teaching internship in Japan? Why did you decide on this particular internship? Was the interview process arduous?

The Japan internship package offered by the TEFL Institute of Ireland appealed to me because I had to complete the online TEFL course in my own time and prepare any necessary documentation; the rest (finding a job, accommodation, organising orientation weekends) was done for me. The prospect of job and house hunting in a country I have never been to, and in a language I don’t speak proficiently, was daunting, so this option made the most sense. I have always been fascinated by many elements of Japanese culture. Mainly food, art and spirituality, and the standard of living in Japan appealed to me as it would not be too different from what I have been used to in Ireland.

The interview process was handled by a TEFL Institute of Ireland partner, whom I found extremely helpful. They assigned me a mentor, who was always on hand to respond to any questions or concerns and was also the person charged with interviewing me. The interview was online and lasted about 30 minutes. All of the questions were straightforward – it felt like my interviewer was rooting for me! In addition, I had to video a demo lesson in which I acted out a game in an imaginary task for about 6 minutes.

3. Do you think your TEFL course prepared you to teach English in Japan?

Yes, I believe the 120-hour TEFL course, the 30-hour advanced grammar course, and the 30-hour teaching young learners course provided a solid base to launch my TEFL career. However, no matter how much theory one learns – there is nothing quite like learning on the job to help build your confidence! The first few lessons can be nerve-wracking for a new teacher, but with a solid lesson plan and some backup games and tricks, nothing can go too wrong. In Japanese public schools, TEFL teachers usually work as assistant language teachers (ALTs) and co-teach with a Japanese English teacher. As a first-time teacher, this also appealed to me as I knew I would not be entirely alone in the classroom. ALTs are also tasked with broadening students’ cultural horizons; seeing their curiosity being piqued when learning about other cultures has been a highlight.

4. How much to budget for accommodation? Was it hard to find a place to live? Any tips for future interns who will be moving to Japan?

The company I am employed by here in Japan looks after finding housing for their employees based on their budget and requirements, which is excellent! My rent is ~ 370 euros a month, including furniture rental. Pretty much everyone lives on their own unless you come with your partner. The setup costs can be pretty high, so my company recommended bringing about 3500 – 4000 euros to be safe, as you don’t receive your first cheque until the 20th of the following month (for example, you get paid for April on the 20th of May). I had to pay “key money” and three months’ rent upfront, which amounted to quite a lot. Most apartments also come unfurnished, so purchasing items like crockery, towels, and so on can add up. However, once this initial period has passed, accommodation is reasonably priced and pleasant – once you don’t mind the typical Japanese small dimensions!

5. Describe to us your day in the life of a teacher in Japan? How many hours a week have you been teaching? How big are your classes? What’s your favourite style to teach?

I teach at one Junior High School (13-15-year-olds), which is quite fortunate. Some of my friends teach at several different schools. My teaching schedule is much less complete than I had anticipated. I teach about 10/11 classes per week, so the rest of my time in school is spent lesson planning, making worksheets, doing corrections, researching games, or reading my book! There is no need to bring work home with you.

The class size is about 36 students, which sounds more significant than it feels – especially since two teachers are in the room. My working hours are 8.30 a.m. – 3.20 p.m. Monday to Friday and the holidays are perfect too, with decent summer and Christmas holidays and plenty of national holidays in between. The school I work at is enormous (about 1200 students), so I have one year per week. Each year is lovely and fun – it would be impossible to pick a favourite!

6. Would you recommend learning a bit of Japanese before coming over?

I would recommend learning the basics. Even though no Japanese knowledge is required to get a TEFL job, it is helpful! The level of English spoken by Japanese people is generally low, and they appreciate it when you try to meet them halfway. Etiquette is also essential here, so learning basic greetings, saying please/thank you/excuse me, and so on. Japanese characters can be daunting – I learned hiragana and katakana (2 out of 3 Japanese writing systems, the third being kanji) using Tofugu. This free website uses mnemonics to memorise the symbols. I also take beginner Japanese lessons once a week at the international centre in my city; they are reasonably priced and an excellent way to meet people too.

7. What are the locals’ attitudes towards foreigners?

I haven’t found there to be much of a reaction. I live close to Tokyo, so people here are accustomed to foreigners. This might be different if you live in rural Japan, however. As young people are more uninhibited with their reactions, the students I teach and children I see display their curiosity more. They tend to be fascinated by my blonde hair and blue eyes, which is sweet! Any interest I have been met with has been positive.

8. How much would you budget for daily expenses?

Transport would be my main daily expense; it is very convenient and efficient, but it does add up! Luckily my company pays for my transport to and from work. Revolut works well here, so adding a certain amount per week and staying within that amount is probably the best bet, especially if you are new to being paid monthly rather than weekly.

9. Were you able to travel around Japan? If yes, where to?

I have only been in Japan for about eight weeks, so I have not travelled anywhere too far yet. I have travelled within Kanagawa and Tokyo prefectures as this is convenient for me. Urban, coastal and mountainous regions are all nearby, which is brilliant. My sister is visiting me soon, and I am going to Kyoto, Nara and Osaka (all in the Kansai region) with her.

I hope to travel to Okinawa in the summer and ski in the Japanese Alps at Christmas. There are many areas nearby, like Hakone, Fuji and Chiba, that I hope to take short trips to also. TEFL Institute of Irelands partner company has organised for us to take us on a weekend break to Osaka, which is also covered in the signup fee of the internship. This will be a great way to learn about Japanese culture and to meet other English teachers in Japan.

10. Tell us what’s your favourite thing about Japan. What do you like doing on your days off?

I like how the people here appreciate small things; for example, different blossoms blooming have entire festivals dedicated to them! The food here is also excellent; I have yet to eat anything I dislike. I love living near Tokyo, as there are many different areas to explore. On my days off, or even in the evenings after work, I love picking an area of Tokyo I have read about and exploring the parks, cafes, and galleries on offer. On weekends, I try to organise day trips to see new parts of Japan that aren’t too far away. There are always events and festivals, which are often free!

11. Do you think a welcome orientation helped you? Did it prepare you for your first teaching lesson?

Yes, it helped a lot! I spent my first week in Japan in a hotel in Yokohama, Japan’s second-largest city, with other ALTs who had just moved to Japan. This week was spent doing online training, which was helpful and set my expectations of what would come. The prospect of teaching and making lesson plans seemed much more manageable after I had completed this training week. It was also an excellent way to meet friends and helped me to ease into life in Japan slowly.

12. Are you planning any other TEFL adventures?

I have caught the TEFL bug and would love to work and travel in many countries. Living in a country rather than just visiting provides a much deeper insight into a culture and its people. I would love to travel to Korea, South East Asia, and South America in the future, and while I have no concrete plans, I know that the TEFL Institute of Ireland will always lend a guiding hand in helping to make these ideas a reality!