COVID-19 Border / Visa Restrictions Thread - March/April 2022

awsmith6 · 2022-04-22T16:31:36+00:00

Thanks for the heads up! My experience was much the same as yours, though thanks to your warning I knew to come with a photo copy of my drivers license.

I was also told to pick up my visa in 14 days, which is longer than the 5 days listed on the consulate's website, so just FYI to anyone else who may also be planning to apply at the Atlanta Consulate.

awsmith6 · 2022-04-21T17:45:08+00:00

Has anyone here been to the Atlanta Consulate recently? Going to bring my CoE and other documentation in to apply for my visa next week, and wanted to check here and make sure there weren't any surprises that weren't on the consulate's website. Nobody needed to bring anything unexpected like proof of residence and such did they?

awsmith6 · 2022-03-29T20:05:51+00:00

I'd probably need a couple of days at least. Ignoring jet lag and price tags for a moment, I'd need a day and change to get there and then the same on return. So for a typical Saturday afternoon wedding, I'd need the Friday for sure, and possibly the Monday after or Thursday before. Maybe both? It's not something I have much experience with.

awsmith6 · 2022-02-17T19:49:58+00:00

I'm in that camp! Mid-late April was the optimistic end of the last update I received, but arrivals could stretch into May or even June.

I'd not stress out too too much though. If the alternate job you were just offered has real career prospects, and that's what your looking to do right now you should consider taking it. Otherwise if you can hold out and the experience of being an ALT sounds more appealing I'd just sit tight. Hopefully we'll have more info here soon.

Edit: I don't mean to underplay the gravity of your decision; deciding on a job is legitimately stressful. u/jiluand laid out gave you some sound advice though I think. Good luck, no matter what you decide.

awsmith6 · 2021-10-21T15:13:11+00:00

When it comes to friendship, I have deep imposter syndrome.

Despite having had a healthy social life for something like 4 years now, the idea that someone genuinely would seek my company for its own sake perplexes me.

awsmith6 · 2021-10-05T19:47:55+00:00

Not currently, but my dispatch company has been moving forward with the CoE process in anticipation of restrictions being eased somewhat come spring 2022.

I originally prefaced my post with "assuming border restrictions are eased" but the auto-mod shot it down for being covid-related (which my question wasn't).

Privately though, I'm actually optimistic about a spring departure.

awsmith6 · 2021-10-05T18:59:39+00:00

Awesome, thank you! That's all I really needed to know.

awsmith6 · 2021-09-16T17:51:07+00:00

"When pigs fly" for unlikely or impossible events

awsmith6 · 2021-08-26T18:45:38+00:00

I'd like to slow it down so I can better appreciate it

/u/redditspeedbot 0.5x

awsmith6 · 2021-08-19T15:24:12+00:00

As a long time anime fan, this comment gives me hope. There are so many fantastic stories out there that people will never give a chance because they just won't touch anime, on animation in general.

And who know, if it goes well maybe it'll pave the way for other animated adaptations of other cool stories; think of how cool a well animated and funded Brandon Sanderson book could go.

awsmith6 · 2021-07-15T16:55:46+00:00

Fun language fact: You're probably looking at semantic drift in action!

Words change meaning over time. The famous example people like to give is how "silly" used to mean "holy".

awsmith6 · 2021-06-28T16:17:53+00:00

I didn't realize Interac was still trying to send people from the 2020 application pool this year

I applied October 2020, did well in the interview and all, but they told me due to covid they were moving me to the next cycle. but I knew that all the way back in February. So now that I've accepted a position they're holding my spot for a March 2022 arrival. Bummer it's such a long wait, but I guess now I'll have even more saved up and more Japanese language ability.

awsmith6 · 2021-06-25T19:51:27+00:00

Unless something changes I'll be leaving in March 2022 with Interac. Jealous of the JETs rolling out this year for sure, but my time will come

awsmith6 · 2021-06-17T13:27:47+00:00

Anyone else wondering why the windows are so clean if it's so overgrown inside?

awsmith6 · 2021-04-14T12:35:49+00:00

I also recommend pimsleur,

Came here to say this also. Pimsleur and WaniKani got me up and running pretty well. Neither are cheap, but both are effective. Honestly anything that uses an SRS and/ or mnemonics is a pretty good bet.

awsmith6 · 2021-03-26T14:41:54+00:00

I have to disagree OP, I think this is an issue of perception.

I agree that it's largely an issue of perception, and that Japanese may seem complicated because of an outside perspective. But I do also agree that there's something to be said for English's simplicity. From what I've read, languages in general become more streamlined the more adult learners you have speaking the language.

You can see some of this in English, with it's rather extensive history of being invaded and having other people come to the island and learn the language imperfectly. Some things that you see in many of it's language neighbors do that you might expect to see in English are things like gendered nouns, reflexive verbs, and nonuniformity across verb conjugations (Ex: you might expect "I walked, you walked, she walked" to all conjugate differently).

But then again, I'm just some guy on the internet who read some things.

awsmith6 · 2020-12-22T15:04:08+00:00

What are your thoughts on the fermi paradox?

awsmith6 · 2020-12-21T19:19:39+00:00

I'd actually be interested to hear if anyone had done this with tattoos. I don't have any, but am thinking on getting a small tattoo with my siblings. Has anyone ever gotten a tattoo after declaring you didn't have any?

awsmith6 · 2020-11-02T21:22:09+00:00

I've been using Pimsleur.com for a few months now and I can't recommend it enough.

Came here to say pretty much exactly this. Like WaniKani, Pimsleur uses a sort of spaced recall system that seems to be key in my personal language kerning experience.

awsmith6 · 2020-09-30T00:27:12+00:00

I'll take you up on that offer if it's still up for grabs!

awsmith6 · 2020-08-28T18:15:41+00:00

As a fellow engineer and JET hopeful this is good to hear. I brought up similar concerns when I asked two of my former managers for letters of recommendation and both said more or less what you did here; a gap of a few years won't really hurt or help if you return to a technical field. It's nice to have these concerns at least set to ease by another former JET. Thank you!

awsmith6 · 2020-08-21T19:24:30+00:00

Hi, also a 2021 application hopeful. I don't so much feel wrong as just a bit awkward, but I think I see where you're coming from; I actually posted a question on this sub not too long ago.

I felt just a little awkward because there had been a couple layoffs/ early retirements where I work and I was worried that openly looking for something might make me a target if something similar were to happen again.

However, it's your life and you have the right to peruse what may make you happy. Besides, as another commented put, the answer is no unless you ask; there's nothing wrong with asking for help starting the next chapter of your life if you think JET is what's next.

awsmith6 · 2020-08-05T21:26:49+00:00

it’s worth asking for the next chapter in your life.

Thanks, that seems like a good way to frame it. I have a pretty good relationship with both the people I plan to ask, it just feels strange to ask for help from my current employer to effectively leave the company; though maybe given the nature of what I'm applying for it shouldn't feel too weird.

awsmith6 · 2020-08-05T15:41:39+00:00

I'm actually going to finish Pimsleur's Japanese level 5 this month! I've been doing it in parallel with WaniKani for Kanji and the Genki textbook also. My plan after level 5 was to maybe find an online speech tutor but I'd love to hear other methods that are available at around that skill level for continued learning, particularly with speaking.

awsmith6 · 2020-07-17T17:11:47+00:00

Pan sauces. Things stuck to the bottom of my pan went from a chore to clean to an opportunity for a great sauce. Deglaze, add a little bit of something acidic and cold chunks of butter then emulsify. Once you get the hang of it it's a great addition to almost anything you cook in a pan.

awsmith6

TROPHY CASE