The steps of AEON

Ok well here is the waiting part so what I'm up to at the moment is job hunting. I want to try and make sure all my bank payments are up to date so when I leave the UK I don't have anything outstanding apart from my student loan.

Currently I'm earning just under £400 a month which is not near enough to pay for my car, phone, contact lenses and living expenses. I've tried a few jobs from handing out flyers to selling makeup and I don't seem to be getting very far. I dunno if it's because I'm 'over qualified' or they just don't like me. I mean I have arms and 3yrs of customer service experience, how can I be unsuitable for handing out flyers for a bed store.

For now B&Q have given me some over time hours, including new years so that should bring in a little bit more. I should point out new years and Sundays give time and a half so they are a great help.

I have sent my degree and forms to AEON who in turn will do the relevant paperwork to get my visa forms to me. I think it will all take about 3 months so hopefully some time in March I should have a clear idea about going to Japan.

For the rest of the year I'm going to take it easy, maybe drink a little less and try and save some money. Christmas is on a budget too this year and I think everyone will feel the backlash of my cheap and tacky gifts haha.

In January I hope to host a poker match at my house which could be a nice little pot if I can win it. It'll be nice seeing everyone anyway and I love a bit of poker. My parents will be in California for my Dads 60th so their is no excuse not to :)

I have my birthday at the end of March, plus I hope to have a leaving party so back on the booze for those ones I think. With perhaps only February being my quiet month since I don't anyone for Valentines day, home in front of the TV for that one I think. My parents are taking me to Egypt in March too, so a bit of sun before the cold.

Once into April I'll be raring to go and I'll fly into Tokyo on April 5th. I'll be staying in Tokyo for a few weeks whilst I complete my training and get the feel of Japan. Then I'll be on the bullet train for about 4hrs as I travel up to Aomori which will be my new home.

I'll keep you posted on how things go, I just wanted to paint a picture of my final months in England.

Also this is my first blog and documentary and I was wondering what the readers thought. Do you need any more details on anything? Is this the information you need? And also what would you like me to blog about: I.e. myself and what I get up to, my preparation/time in Japan and/or more AEON related?

Thanks

Working for AEON in Aomori

Some good news I got the job with AEON, I have until the 26th November 07 to accept it.
I have been offered a place in a school in the town of Aomori at the northern point of the main island. The weather there is meant to be quite cold with very long winters and snow.

I've never lived anywhere snowy or ever really been to such a snowy country so it should be interesting. I'm really looking forward to it.

At the moment I just want to research the place and get a feel for what the town is like. If anyone has any information or experience of the town please let me know!

I get my flight on April 3rd 2008 and arrive April 5th so a few months to go yet.

Colin

After AEON

Im in desperate need of cash at the moment. My parents are being rehoused to somewhere smaller (of their own choice). This means I'll have to buy the house or I'll be kicked out and right now I work 2 days a week and earn under £4K.

If I don't get the job with AEON I'm going to be stuck for money. Right now I'm after some sort of temp employment. I think the future is uncertain for me which is bringing me down, I can't go for anything permanent incase I move to Japan and most temp jobs require little education and creativity.

I'll keep applying and hopefully something will come up but I'm not sure how long I'll be able to go on.....

After the AEON interview

I've recently got back from my AEON interview in London. I spent 2 nights in 'My place hotel' at £60 a night, which was by Earls Court. I also got the National Express coach down at £10 but it was a 5hr drive.

The first part of the interview was the video presentation of the company and following people who work at AEON. The interviewer demoed a kids lesson and intermediate lesson and got the group to be students (about 30 in the group).

Then we had a break and groups of 8 would come back and perform lessons. I did my lesson on jobs and came with pictures and cards with the job name on e.g. A bus driver picture = bus driver.

We then were presented with a test which was tricky but not too difficult. Finally a few questions about preparing for Japan e.g. finance, what part of Japan etc. After waiting in the lobby for about 15 mins we all got an envelop inviting us back or turning us away. Luckily I was invited back the next day.

The one on one interview involved a lesson where the interviewer pretended to be the student and acted accordingly. The lesson was out of AEON's book and on 'used to' e.g. Susan lives in Japan but she used to live in Australia. I don't think I did very well because didn't correct him about 'a' and 'an'.

I'll know for sure in about two weeks so until then I'd like to thank all who gave me help. Thanks a lot guys!

Still having problems AEON

My lesson plan for the upcoming AEON interview. This will be my first real lesson plan I've come up with so any comments or suggestions are very welcome and could help me immensely with my interview! Lesson Plan
(should be a word doc)

I'll also post here my essay that I wrote with with my application that got me the interview. Must have been what they were looking for, I dunno how tough they are with applications although I'm sure they aren't very. Application Essay



Sorry the sound isn't very good on the camera. I may have a mess around with that before I post again.

Nova, ECC, AEON....

Bad bad news, I didn't get the job at ECC :(

I don't think it helped being an hour and forty-five minutes late but the signals went down in Birmingham and my train was stuck.

The worst part was I was stuck in London for 6 hours which meant I had been up since 4am and didn't get back home until 1am and was back at work for 10am.

Well I've rested up and on Sunday 4th November I have an interview with AEON. This should last 2 days. I shall come to London a day early and stay in a hotel.

From what I can see about the interview, I will have to watch a presentation about the company followed by some Q&A. Later I will have to submit my 30min lesson plan and perform 5mins of it, this will be part of the group interview.

I think that should be all for the first day, the second day will consist of another lesson but this time using one of their lesson plans and given 5mins to plan it out and perform it to the interview team who will take on the role of students. This will be tough for a first timer but not impossible.

Finally an interview is conducted in the traditional one to one way. I'm not sure how tough this final interview is but I'll stay prepared.

I have had to write a page on why I want to live and work in Japan which I submitted to get the interview. Since I got the interview they must have liked it.

I should also point out at this time Nova has filed for Bankruptcy and so the beast has finally fallen. I'm along way beyond Nova and missed it by an inch but I must be more careful.

Anyway AEON Nov 4th !

Nova Wont Offer Accommodation

I got an email from Nova today saying I had two choices:

1. Withdraw my application
2. Continue my application

If I chose option 2 I could get the job with Nova but they wouldn't provide me with accommodation. This email seemed to be sent to all candidates and was followed up with a phone call.

I think this was a polite way of saying 'could you please cancel your contract' since there is no way I could go to Japan without accommodation, it simply isn't feasible.

Either way I opted out and asked for my documents to be returned.

ECC interview is this coming Saturday 27th October so I'll let you know how that went and what's involved.

Fingers crossed!

ECC - Beyond Nova?

Finished 100hr TEFL

Going to try ECC School

I have also applied for GEOS so hopefully I wont have to go with Nova. ECC seem to have there head screwed on so hopefully they do.

I'll let you know how the interview goes, if its hard or not.

For the Nova interview all I had to do was turn up go through the presentation and look enthusiastic. They had an easy written test, I don't know if anyone was penalised against any mistakes or anything. I know a few didn't finish. The one on one interview with Nova involved situation questions and quick fire questions where I had to answer the first thing that came in my head or they would move onto the next question after 3 seconds.

Any more news I'll let you know!

September- Days of TEFL

I'm about 70hrs into my TEFL course with i to i (see i to i here). I have a few things left to do but the hefty 20 hour weekend is over. The whole thing has left me very tired, squashing the information down and feeding it into my brain has taken its toll.
The weekend was very good though and very well worth it if...:

A) You only have a small amount of time and
B) You are going to teach a foreign language.

I wouldn't just like to go with a degree even if you have all the patience in the world. The course will set you back £400-500 depending on various offers but well worth it.

I'm not looking forward to the 20hr 'Grammar awreness' course but I'll need it to complete my 100hrs and i also hear it is also worth it.

I have a growing concern with Nova and its financial situation at the moment. Seems the company has only recently been allowed to teach again after a ban has been lifted. Nova has also failed to pay its paper advertising company as well as bonuses for its teachers and managers. With Nova's shares falling by almost 30% i'm worried the company might go under and I'll lose my job and my accomodation, rented with Nova.

Right now i'm just going to sit back and do my TEFL and see how things pan out.

If I finally get to Japan this is where I will doument what I do and see. I will post videos and pictures, maybe some audio too. I don't leave until January so I'll keep you posted as things unravel.

By the end of this month I hope to have completed my TEFL, I collect my degree in November and sort out my visa.

Until something comes up....bye for now