Hey everybody!  I'm Kevin from Union/Ann Arbor, Michigan (USA).  I arrived in Japan on the JET Programme (as an ALT - Assistant Language Teacher) on July 23, 2000, and I first lived in Iino-machi in Fukushima-ken in the Tohoku region of Japan.  Fukushima-ken is the 3rd largest prefecture in Japan, and it's the southernmost prefecture in the Tohoku region.  By shinkansen (bullet train), it takes approximately 1.5 hours to reach Tokyo from Fukushima Station (which was approximately 16km from me).  Iino is a small town of 6,914  residents.  It's so small that there's only one convenience store in the main part of town, a 7-11.  Anyone who's been to Japan knows how ubiquitous convenience stores are here, so that should give you an idea of how tiny the town is.

I finished up my 3 year JET term in August 2003, and then I took a private ALT position with RCS Corporation, working as an ALT in Yorii-machi, Saitama-ken.  RCS is an upcoming ALT agency in the Saitama area, helping to place teachers with various Boards of Education in the northern Saitama and southern Gunma areas.  If anyone is interested in working as an ALT for RCS, please send me an e-mail and I can put you in touch with the appropriate people. 

Yorii is a larger town, with around 38,000 residents and 3 junior high schools.  There are 3 ALTs working at the junior high schools, and 2 ALTs working at the 6 elementary schools.  It still takes me 1.5 hours to get to Tokyo (Ikebukuro Station), but that's on the normal train (using the Tobu Tojo line) instead of the shinkansen, and it costs 860 yen vs 8100 yen.

Information on:

• Iino-machi
• Iino Junior High School
• Iino Elementary School
• Aoki Elementary School
• Ookubo Elementary School
• Iino Board of Education

I am also keeping a diary of some of my experiences and general thoughts that I've had while in Japan.  Check it out, yo!

For those interested in how the living conditions are in Japan, here's some information on my old apartment in Iino.  Pictures of my new, tiny apartment in Yorii (interestingly named "Toy's Palace," a *very* pink building) will come eventually.

Last updated 11/27/2003