Now that I am more or less confirmed that I am going to Japan, I better start updating this site!

Friday was a real crazy day where I rushed down to submit my reply slip and medical report.

One word of advice, the medical report takes 3 working days to be done, so do not be naive like me and assume that medical checkup can be done in one day. =x Can't describe how I felt when the nurse told me I can't collect the report when the deadline for submission was 3 days later. So I had to pay $25 extra for them to rush my tests' results. =x

Anyway, I really like the lady from the Japan embassy who's in charge of the JET programme. She's so helpful and nice. She was worried that I "forgot" about the deadline or maybe, I am the only person who didn't submit the forms early that she sent a reminder email to me on Friday morning to hand in the forms. Heh..

Felt so super relieved to be able to submit the forms to her personally and she checked through everything for me.

Now it's the long process of waiting for my placement results. Where will I be posted to stay for the 1 year in Japan?

While I wait in anticipation, I shall cut and paste all Tina's emails to me after she notified me about the interview...

On 13th Feb, one week after my interview, my present for V-day was..

Dear Ms Yip,

I am pleased to inform you that you have passed the preliminary selection
process for the 2009 JET Programme/ALT conducted by this embassy. You are now
on the shortlist for the final selection process to be conducted by the JET
authority in Tokyo.

Please note that not every applicant who has passed the preliminary selection
process will be offered the post. You will be informed of the final results in
the beginning of April.

Best regards,
Naoki Kuwayama
Second Secretary
Embassy of Japan

And on 3rd April...

Dear Ms Yip,

Congratulations, you have successfully passed the 2nd stage of the screening
process for the 2009 JET Programme and are now on the final short-list for ALT
candidates.

The attached letter and documents will be posted to you today.

Have a nice weekend.

Best regards,
Tina Chiang
Senior Assistant
Japan Information & Culture Centre
Embassy of Japan