@missing – お直しありがとう
@Kiaifighter – spot on
@Miki – If your interested in teaching in Japan, the JET program is the way to go. The pay is better than other companies, you get paid holidays and there is a large network of people who are supporting you (helping you find an apartment and so no). Unfortunately, I think they are starting to make some cutbacks, so the selection process could harshen over time. There are plenty of other ways to get over here and work though.
If you’re incredibly interested in teaching and love the responsibility of planning and control over content, be warned that, of all the ALTs I’ve met, very few have any real responsibilities of any kind. That’s not to say that they aren’t useful. Especially out in the countryside (where most JETs are placed), the students have very little opportunity to interact with foreign people. This is, in my opinion, the main purpose of ALTs; just chatting with the kids in English and getting them used to dealing with different types of people and recognizing the similarities that we all share. With that said, I think my biggest impact is not in the class room, but in the hallways between class and after school.
As far as living in Japan is concerned, life is life. I would advise not to expect moving to Japan to be a magical adventure full of wonder and bliss. I think some people get roped into this type of fantasy and then actually get over here, live here for a few months and realize that life is just as much of a bummer here as it was back home only a bit worse because they can’t communicate with anyone about it. Not that I’m not enjoying myself, I’m just saying that it comes from the inside, not the surroundings.
This wasn’t meant to be this self-helpish. I apologize.