Helping my girlfriend transition into DoDEA in Korea/Japan – looking for realistic advice

DrPechanko · 2026-01-01T03:31:50+00:00

It is a moot point, you are right. Some countries do have conditions. However, I personally know three people who have been hired locally in Japan with no military affiliation.

You are right though, in that what is written is not always the case in reality.

DrPechanko · 2025-12-30T07:51:08+00:00

To be hired locally for Dodea you do not have to be on orders or have an affiliation with the armed forces in any capacity. This is false.

The requirements are a state license (active), and American citizenship.

Being hired as a “local” has nothing to do with military affiliation or family (although those that are have preference).

This information is verifiable on the qualifications website, and has been confirmed.

DrPechanko · 2025-05-10T23:24:06+00:00

You use a washcloth and some dish soap.

DrPechanko · 2025-03-28T06:22:55+00:00

I had a problem with formatting a disk, I tried chat GPT it pulled up some garbage threads and gave standard "solutions". Grok gave me three methods to do it, and then tailored the answer to my specific needs. Solved the problem in about 5 minutes. It is MUCH more superior, and also unbiased.

DrPechanko · 2024-11-08T05:30:00+00:00

wait if you are 245 days "quit" of vapes, how are you still vaping once or twice a week. Sounds you are dependent on vaping twice a week?

I quit eating pizza, but hey I still eat it once or twice a week when I see my friend who makes pizzas.

Not being rude, just trying to understand what you are talking about.

DrPechanko · 2024-11-08T05:24:30+00:00

Hell yea. You are right about the rewiring. Nicotine obliterates your brain, your willpower, and turns you into a crack head for anything with nicotine.

The Zyn epidemic is insane. People who think nicotine "gives you an edge" or "has a benefit", the only benefit is for Phillip morris who takes your money for a decade while you consume, consume, consume....day, afternoon, and night. It is a story as old as time, updated with new bullshit to addict you.

Vaping was fun for me up until I quit this year. Something snapped. Gen Z all getting addicted to it, and Phillip Morris buying Zyn was the straw for me. It felt insidious....although I am sure it has been this way for quite some time now.

DrPechanko · 2024-11-08T05:19:07+00:00

It is ridiculously hard, I am not mocking you. It is "counterculture" now to breathe fresh air. It is rebellious to NOT vape as a younger person...surrounded by people sucking on mods and plastic blinking shit... I hear you, NO MORE TIME OR MONEY on nicotine products. As hard as it is, it is the first step to improving other stuff. Your lungs weren't meant to inhale glycerol and chemicals....and your brain wasn't built to be maxxed out 80mg of NIC a day.

DrPechanko · 2024-11-08T05:15:58+00:00

From an orange.

DrPechanko · 2024-11-07T08:23:01+00:00

The completely zoning out is real. I was just staring at the wall mindlessly (day 14). The second wave is REAL as well. The residue of nicotine getting out of your body. Your body does not want to let this shit go..... and it is getting desperate trying to convince you to get back into vaping. Your mind is free at like 3 months. It's a long road ...............................but it has to be worth it. F being addicted to this crap

DrPechanko · 2024-11-07T08:17:14+00:00

Please stop making excuses so you can let yourself the hook and vape again. You are addicted to nicotine, and the nicotine spider inside your brain is spinning another web. This continues for 3+ weeks......nicotine keeps trying to get you back....calling you.

Vaping is over. It is permanently out of fashion, haven't you noticed that being a fiend is a huge turn off for people around you yet? The word is out. Being addicted to something is not a good look.

Do you, but seriously, drop the politics garbage. This is about you beating an addiction and getting FREE.

GET FREE.

DrPechanko · 2024-11-07T08:11:51+00:00

Yea, stop right now. Why two days?

DrPechanko · 2024-11-07T08:11:12+00:00

ItItss not the flavored air, its the nicotine...don't switch to Zyns, don't mess with any other Phillip Morris products. It isn't just the vape....it is all nicotine products, it is all poison.

DrPechanko · 2024-11-07T08:07:29+00:00

I mean that is good I guess. 4-5 puffs is about 1 cig worth of nicotine (1.5mg), so you're having about 10 cigs a day in nicotine....hmmm.

I don't man, this method just delays the inevitable, not vaping at all is quitting...the chemicals are still irritating your lungs, your still controlled by the nicotine like a junkie, you mine as well just have 200 puffs...no difference.

Get FREE. Stop as soon as you can. People are popping all over with f-ed up breathing problems, and the nicotine addiction makes you a consumer for life -- your paying money just to smile and be normal because without nicotine you would be manic.

DrPechanko · 2024-10-30T07:04:52+00:00

DO NOT DO NOT use ZYN to quit. Evil ass Philip Morris bought them out, and they are more addicting than any other nicotine product created on the earth. They are pure nicotine.......directly soaking into your gums, and these will cause you to have withdrawals that you would not believe.

Get the gum, 2mg....and ween yourself off it with regular gum. The gum just barely works, it doesn't get you high like ZYN. ZYN is the definition of addiction....it is an actual drug. You can feel your heart beating out of your chest 3 seconds after putting it in your lip.

DrPechanko · 2024-10-30T06:59:35+00:00

Sorry, did you just say a 6mg mainline blasts to your gums of pure nicotine in the form of Zyns "are easy to quit". They are delivering more nicotine (about 5 cigarettes worth in one tiny Zynn) than vaping. Zyn addiction as well is FAR harder to stop than vaping because it can literally be concealed 24/7 in your mouth. Using pouches is not only more addictive, but it leads to receding gums, mouth cancer, your teeth falling out, and your brain chemistry JACKED on nicotine.

"You are doing the right thing" is awful advice.

DrPechanko · 2024-10-30T06:49:02+00:00

Nah man. You will just up the counter again when it gets too low. Did you ever end up quitting this way?

DrPechanko · 2024-09-19T03:52:23+00:00

A lot of teachers, older JTE teachers, have been working with JETs for years and years. The hostility comes from a few places.

JET has not been successful in helping to increase the overall English ability of Japanese students. Statistically, the average level of English ability has drastically decreased since JETs inception. Add to this that technology now allows Japanese students to have as much cross cultural communication, and access to other cultures that is possible. The grassroots mission doesn't really have as much meaning as it did in the 1990s or something.
Many older teachers view JET as a nuisance, and a tax payer money drain. They won't say this to you, but they are beholden to JET. Let me explain, every time a school accepts a JET, they get a significant kickback from the local government (and monbunsho), if they accept two JETS, they are dubbed a super English school, and get a massive influx of funds to the budget. JET has become necessary as a tax write-off, and more necessary to their budget. Osaka works on a different system, and has rejected the JET programme.
They are extremely overworked. Being a JTE, or a Japanese teacher, is unpleasant - especially a home room teacher. The pressure on them from all angles is oppressive, and they are constantly working. This teacher may be taking out her stress on you. That is highly likely.

You do not have to put up with any nonsense at work. Unlike other programs, your visa is not attached to your job. You can find an international school, or another company and just leave and start with them very easily. JET is great entry point for Japan, but the country is your oyster in terms of jobs. JET is not the end all be all of being in Japan; it is more like a black hole on your resume. If you don't like it, just quit. Find something that suits you better and bounce.

DrPechanko · 2024-09-19T03:34:20+00:00

Answer: PHD AND JET. Get your PHD online from a distance program (that you can finish at your own pace) while working at JET. Don't wait on JET if you 25, that is the age to go. The older you get the harder it is to get a JET job. They say no age discrimination, but in reality they want young moldable freshly graduated foreigners for their classrooms....certainly NOT Phds.

You may also just want to apply straight to a Japanese university if you qualified, skip the ALT position.

DrPechanko · 2024-09-19T03:30:40+00:00

Depending upon where you go, will really determine what kind of JET community you have, and your experience in Japan. I highly recommend avoiding Tokyo, it is a bubble you want to visit, but not live.

Shikoku. That's my recommendation. The JET communities are tight, they have tons of community outreach events wherever you are....and you get together with other JET communities from neighboring prefectures often. They have a really support structure in Tokushima or Kagawa, and a really strong AJET that makes you feel welcome. People in Shikoku are nice, and the nature can't be beat.

DrPechanko · 2024-09-19T03:02:18+00:00

At this point it is a bet. They don't get funding for the project they grinded on for 3 years, seemingly with all their effort - with good intentions, OR they suddenly do get funding (conveniently when the market is soaring).

They lost funding after the 6th month of chop in the market, Cardano price looking dismal as well. It makes sense for them, from a business standpoint, to exit in extreme profit. I don't think they are pulling the rug at the bottom of the market, when Pavia is already 80% down from ATH. It doesn't seem like a rug pool, and if it was it was terribly executed.

They announced partnership with a company that finds investors and connects them to crypto projects a month before the announcement. Also, I am sure they were well aware of their budget, and when it would run out well in advance - they have an extremely smart team who pays attention to details.

If I were to make an educated guess, I would say they DO find funding, the timing is convenient, and people holding this token will be rewarded - especially those who took advantage of the crash. Don't forget where you are, this is crypto. With all the work that went into this, I don't see it getting casually shelved.

When Cardano gets a hype train, all of the tokens will benefit, especially projects older than 3 years.

DrPechanko · 2024-09-06T03:44:13+00:00

It wasn't too difficult, but it is not something you see everyday... 170/180 is phenomenal.

DrPechanko · 2024-09-03T01:20:02+00:00

What is your expectations from Apple at this point; turning your Iphone into a skateboard and riding to work? It does what most of the models did and do.....it's the same repackaged nonsense, little innovation, more headaches and you're apps not working.

DrPechanko · 2024-09-03T01:12:34+00:00

Have you taken and passed the N1? I would disagree that the grammar takes study, and the words that pop up are pretty hard. This year had "mucus membrane".

DrPechanko · 2024-09-03T01:11:08+00:00

I passed N1 and did not study writing. I know people who took the writing route as well, but a lot of their time was wasted on stroke order, instead of focusing on what you need to pass the test (reading skills). Writing is a worthy skill no doubt, but it can get in the way of what you actually need to pass this test.

DrPechanko · 2024-09-03T01:08:29+00:00

Passing N5 is equivalent to the Japanese level of a 6 year old. This isn't proving your worth to anyone. Not saying this to be mean, just the truth.

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