gunmajet.net

Ciao Jakey, welcome to Gunma!

I'm looking forward to meet you again, let's catch up, grab a drink, and remeber the good old times when we used to fart in the elevators and pretend someone else did it.

Dear JETs,
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To all taking the JLPT:

Good luck! All the best this weekend. You've put in the study hours, now it's time for all of your hard work to pay off!
May your mad Japanese skillz shine through!
皆さん、頑張ってください！

A woman in Takasaki looking for a female private English teacher. She is the editor an International Association's newsletter and she needs help editing it for content and grammar. She would also like to improve her English in general and wants someone to help correct her grammar and pronunciation.

this is for people who are leaving japan. if you plan to travel around japan before you go home, and want to get in on the JR pass, you can change your visa to a tourist one. (you'll still need to have the JR pass voucher mailed to an overseas address)
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i'm not an official voice of advice on this, but since i have been successful in getting this done (i think -- i'll know for sure in ~4 weeks), i thought i'd share what i did.
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to get a "temporary visitor" visa status, here's what i did.
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you go to the takasaki immigration office (the one where you get the re-entry permit), and you fill out the application to change your visa status that's at the office.
you need to bring some things with you too:
* your passport
* a letter saying what you'll be doing ※
* your official school contract, showing your contract end-date
* your gaijin card
* and the (¥4,000) application fee stamp from across the street.
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here's the takasaki immigration office's official website about visas: http://www.city.takasaki.gunma.jp/English/VisaInformation.html (this also mentions needing something they call a "Statement of Guarantee of proof of identifcation" but neither no one i asked has any idea of what this is.)
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if you still have time on your visa, they might look at you a little funny and try to explain that you don't NEED to do this since you can stay in japan for up to 90 days after your work contract without changing your visa. but, that said, i don't think they'll deny you.
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※ as for the letter, i wrote it like this:
I will finish my contract with my employer on Monday July 27th, 2009. I am finishing that contract because I plan to return to my home country on Saturday August 15th, 2009. After July 27th and before August 15th, I plan to be a tourist in Japan, traveling and sightseeing.
２００９年７月２７日の月曜日に、私と契約団体の契約が終わります。私がその契約を終える理由は２００９年８月１５日の土曜日に帰国するからです。７月２７日と８月１５日の間に日本のどこどこに行って見物するつもりです。

This site is useful for when you can't figure out what the reading of the kanji is:

http://www.kotoba.ne.jp/

If you're like me, who can't figure out what some of the kanji reading is online, then just simply copy and paste it to the website above.

*P.S. Here's another site I use often for translations and example sentences:
http://www.alc.co.jp/

Hey guys, does anyone know of any Tanabata Festivals going on this month, and their dates? I checked the Gunma official website and it mentioned Maebashi has one over four days, but didn't give exact dates. Also found pictures from a Tanabata Festival in Isesaki from 2008. Anything happening in your area?

Hey everyone, my name is David Shaw, and I'm going to be a new ALT in Maebashi! I'm from Miami, so it'll be very interesting to live in a colder climate and a place that actually has elevations of some type.

Are you tired of renting crappy ski boots that don't fit you?!?

Hi folks, Billy Mays here!!! I'm here to sell you a pair of size 12 US (29.5 cm) ski boots bought in January '09 for 20,800 yen and used just one winter!!! They have a few scuffs on them but are otherwise like new!!!

Hey all! I am heading back to the States early, and need to somehow figure out a way to send my last paycheck home. I will be leaving on July 19th and we get paid on July 21st. Needless to say, I won't be here to collect the yen. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can get this money home... fast and easy?!