Dear Ashleigh,
Welcome to Sasebo Tosho Hight School! Today my supervisor asked me to send you a welcome letter. There is so much information I'm not really sure where to start. I'll try to give you an overview and please write any time with more questions!
so first off (you probably already know) you'll be working at Sasebo Tosho High School (佐世保東翔高
等学校) in Nagasaki prefecture. I have been the ALT here for two years.
I'm originally from the state of Maine and have loved my time out here.
I am sure you will enjoy it too!
The School:
Tosho
is about a 10 minute drive from your apartment. it's about an hour to
walk. There is a bus that can take you there from outside your
apartment but I have found it extremely difficult because the schedule
always changes due to extra classes held in the early morning. So
during the normal schedule the bus usually comes around 7:30 but a when
the extra classes are taking place it can come at 6am or 7am. there is
one at 8:07 but it doesnt' get you to school in time. so the school
hours are 8:15 to 4:00 M-F. the rest of the teachers have to stay at
least until 5 and most of them stay until 8 or 9 as they have to
moniter/coach the club activities. So there is the 1st bell at 8:15 and
the second bell at 8:20 is when the morning teachers meeting begins for
about 20 minutes. there are about 600 students at Tosho between the
ages of 15 and 18. The students here are amazing!!! They are so cute and are always happy to try to talk to you. They really make coming to school more fun than a job. It is not a high academic high school so they're english levels are pretty low but there are a few students who have incredible English. There
are 3 grades, 5 classes per grade, 40 students per class. you will
teach all 5 first grade oral communication classes with a JTE and one
2nd year class with only 4 students 3 times a week (so you have 8
classes a week). ever since I arrived i have been in charge of making
the lesson plans and leading the class, i believe they will want you to
do the same. 4 of your 1st year classes you will teach with Yoshimoto
Sensei. She is only a part time teacher but she is amazing! she has
helped me so much here and her english is so incredible compared to the
other teachers here. she is a lot of fun, crazy at times but so sweet.
the 5th 1st year class you will teach with Ide Sensei who you sit
beside in the staff room. He was new last year at this school but he
has been so kind to me and always makes sure i know the schedule and
what's going on. His English is not so great, but he really tires. he
knows a lot but his pronounciation is so difficult to understand the
students say they can't understand his japanese either! lol. anyways
you will also teach the 2nd year class with him 2x a week and the 3rd
time you will teach with Fukuda Sensei. she is a new part time teacher
this year. she seems really nice but maybe nervous a lot? i think she
doesn't have a lot of experience teaching with ALT's but she is nice
and her English is decent. As for you supervisor, Itose Sensei, he is
different. He doesn't know a lot of english and doesn't like to speak
in english (either he's self concious about it or just it's too
difficult) so he will probably speak a lot of japanese. He doesn't seem
to know much about being a supervisor but the other teachers here are
so great it really doesnt' matter. they will help you with anything!
and the vice principal and principal are also English teachers or were
so their Engliish is really good and the principal will look out for
you! he's really great...although he looks intimidating. and the new
vice principal seems so sweet but i think she's a little shy to speak
english even though she's really good. there are 2 new young 1st time
teachers maybe 24 years old here and they are both sweethearts! one of
them can speak english pretty well the other one a little. The school
nurse here is so great too! Masuda Sensei. if you're bored or tired or
sad you can always go and visit her and have tea! She loves to practice
English. as for a normal school day the 1st class starts at 8:55 on a
normal day and is 50 minutes after 4th period you have lunch for 45
minutes and then 2 more classes. For your schedule Monday and Tuesday
you have 2 classes each day, wednesday you have 1 class, thursday you
have 2 and friday you have 1. oh there is also a chinese ALT here at
Tosho her english name is Lydia and she just arrived here this past
april. She is so sweet and has fluent japanese and her egnlish is good.
i'm sure if you have any problems she would be happy to help, we hang
out a lot! ok i'm probably boring you so i'll move on...
Your Apartment, Haiki & Sasebo:
Your
apartment is big but old. there are 3 tutami rooms a big kitchen and
bath and shower and a balcony. It comes with 2 couches that can lay
down to make a bed, a fridge, a western bed, etc. if you have skype i
can show you around. rent is ¥18500 a month so very cheap as it is
teachers housing. It is in the town of Haiki in a apartment complex
area (forgot the enlgish word...?) called Hanataka Danchi. it's
actually a nice area there is a small park about 2 minutes walk and a
nice walk path along a small river about 10 minute walk. there is a
tiny store across the street and there is a small grocery store La La
about 10 minutes walk from the apartment but that's about it. The train
station is about 40 minutes walking but there is a bus stop in front of
your house that goes to downtown sasebo or to haiki station. it takes
about 15-50 minutes depending on traffic to get to downtown sasebo
driving. Haiki has quite a lot of stores and restaurants but they are a
bit far from your apartment. a lot of people from downtown sasebo come
to shop here. Jusco is a big department like store with a grocery
store, pharmacy, arcade, restaurants, etc. it is only 5-10minute drive
and there are a ton of others stores around. Sasebo is considered the
country so it's not that big but they do have the longest shopping
arcade in Japan, 1 kilometer long. Sasebo is also home to a navy base
so you will see foreigners/americans wherever you go. A lot of them
live in or near Haiki. You are about an hour+ from Nagasaki city and 2
hours from Fukuoka a big city with great night life. there is a good
beach near sasebo and more near nagasaki.
p.s.
the summer is insanely hot and humid here and the winter is cold and
damp is actually snowed a few times this past winter. and for school
you will need 1 suit but every day dress is casual just nice pants and
a polo shirt or just a t-shirt. you're also allowed to wear sports
cloths epsecially on days with no class or on cleaning days etc. all
the teachers have a tracksuit and jacket. oh and also you need indoor
shoes for school and sneakers for the gym. (you can get those here tho
depending on your shoe size).
p.p.s. i hope you like karaoke!!! ;)
