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Post by むちゃRABU❤ on Mar 26, 2015 15:55:36 GMT 9
Okay, this has probably been talked to death, but considering how there might be newer CIRs coming and seeing as how the Japanese government is looking to increase the number of JETs exponentially in the upcoming years, there will be first time CIRs like me and fukuoka-museum-hulemdo CIR.
In those positions, we know as much about what we have to do as our supervisors (ie. nothing).
THEREFORE, those senpais who have had their CIR positions for more than 20years, or those that are newer.. Please post about your job responsibilities etc.
So this can be a good reference for the future. (I also know that there useful info like this in the old forums.. if we can move that info here.. it'll be good too but idk how possible that is?)
Anyway YOROSHIK guys.
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Post by むちゃRABU❤ on Mar 26, 2015 15:56:33 GMT 9
I am especially looking at those NOT in international divisions.
BOEs, tourism, economic divisions....
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sana
So jozu at chopsticks
Posts: 171
CIR Experience: Former CIR
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Post by sana on Mar 26, 2015 17:40:00 GMT 9
Here's a dump of some of the stuff from the other forum here to kick this off - there's some duplication but this is the guts of it... 2009 CIR duties report from AJET English: ajet.net/downloads/reports/2009/Jun/CIR%20Report%20EN.pdfJapanese: ajet.net/downloads/reports/2009/Jun/CIR%20Report%20JP.pdfTranslation Interpretation Native checks School visits Adult English classes International festivals Lectures PA duties Local foreign resident support Attending Foreign Visitors - monthly article in the 広報 - update my city's English homepage - help out with events around my office - basically help out other coworkers when it's a slow time for me Something I used to do and might start doing again next year: - monthly radio show Another thing I might be doing come the new fiscal year: - offer English lessons during lunch once or twice a month for 職員, to teach useful phrases just in case a foreigner comes in and I'm unavailable. CLAIR/AJET-related duties: - API AJET Block leader - CIR Network Representative Columns for Japanese 広報 Publication of 広報 in native language/やさしい日本語 Event planning Sister city exchange (keeping office informed of what's happening, Skype sessions, penpal exchange between schools, etc.) Native language version of CO's social media accounts (well, not doing this yet, but whenever my town gets FB/Twitter set up...) Native language version of CO's website Main point of contact for sister city exchange Help with student exchange (募集host families, liaise with the schools, support students when here etc) Liaison with English-speaking performers for annual festival (and interpreting etc when here) Work with the tourism section on campaigns etc Help with the human rights/anti discrimination plan also ran recycling/ ゴミ分別lectures and 防災lessons for the n00bs - Yasashii Nihongo workshops: go out to local businesses and government offices by request to help their Japanese workers communicate more effectively with non-Japanese customers and citizens in Japanese. So, for example, when there's no interpreter available, they don't have money or time to call an interpreter etc. they don't have to bumble along in English (ineffective!) they can communicate in Japanese (effective!)! So we talk about what parts of Japanese are difficult for learners, what grammar constructs to avoid if the person is a beginner, why talking in bad English to someone whose first language isn't English is not a great idea, and stuff like that. write a monthly newsletter blogging on 2 sites updating and management of 2 Facebook pages Assist with the sister city exchange (mostly translation) Help with the implementation of a large international festival Featured in a local cable TV show 2 times! I do an English version of the monthly 県内観光情報 that I heavily abbreviate and edit to my fancy. |
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Post by marudate on May 28, 2015 15:45:29 GMT 9
As the first CIR to be hired in this town's tourism section my duties include:
English Consulting Service for town tourism related businesses upon request (website, training for speaking with customers, pamphlets, menus, etc.)
Training town staff and town councilors in basic English to greet tourists
Formulating and executing a PR strategy to encourage more foreigners to visit our region
Coordinating outreach with staff working on foreign tourism at the city/prefectural level elsewhere in the region
Creating and maintaining an English language Facebook page
Occasional tours for foreign VIPs (mainly tourism-related staff considering tours of our region)
the bestest in all of CHIRP. photography
Column in the town newsletter
More to come!
We don't have English-speaking resident foreigners so that isn't part of my duties. There is also a sharp divide between Town Hall and the Board of Education and they don't want me near the schools as that isn't who hired me.
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Post by snell_mouse on May 28, 2015 15:59:04 GMT 9
Your position sounds super interesting, marudate! Also like you're getting some good experience to put on a resume for the future. いいな～
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keio chris
Dead Stargod 
ever looked a star dragon in the eyes?
Posts: 3,043
CIR Experience: Former CIR
Location: Tokyo
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Post by keio chris on May 28, 2015 16:03:29 GMT 9
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Ｈ Ｅ Ｙ
it's time to stop posting
Posts: 1,906 
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Post by Ｈ Ｅ Ｙ on May 28, 2015 16:10:12 GMT 9
What are you talking about!? I represent all CIRs!
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Post by snell_mouse on May 28, 2015 16:11:12 GMT 9
What are you talking about!? I represent all CIRs! Hey that's my job. (Soon to be mucha's) |
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Post by marudate on May 29, 2015 15:27:00 GMT 9
Your position sounds super interesting, marudate! Also like you're getting some good experience to put on a resume for the future. いいな～ Nah, I just make it sound fancy. It's similar to what the rest of us do, maybe just slightly more focused since I am only doing tourism. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on May 29, 2015 15:33:54 GMT 9
answeｒ： @mikan
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2015 13:40:45 GMT 9
Hi,
I'm a municipal CIR. I'm pretty new. Recently my supervisor asked me what things I would like to do in particular. He said I can probably do anything another CIR has. Can you list some of the things you have enjoyed doing?
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Post by snell_mouse on Sept 17, 2015 14:09:12 GMT 9
Personally, what I like best is interpreting (even though it is stressful/makes me nervous) and accompanying guests/delegations when they visit, but I also enjoy school visits/storytime at the library. When I wrote a monthly newsletter I also liked coming up with what to say/writing it (I had complete free reign over what to put in it, it wasn't a required part of my job or anything), but after a while making one per month became kind of a drag and it was also hard to come up with new topics so I ended it at exactly 1 year.
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Post by Sparkles on Sept 17, 2015 15:47:52 GMT 9
I do a lot of translation at my job (probably 60~70%), but my favorite things I've done so far are....
1) School visits to 2 special-needs schools (they're attached to children's hospitals), twice a year for one and three times a year for the other. 90% of the content is in Japanese, so I'm not being used as an ALT.* I introduce aspects of my home country through games (usually quizzes and bingo because a lot of the kids aren't up to physical activity), crafts, and Q&A time. I don't think I'd want to go more often, but the elementary-age kids in particular are always excited and we have a fun day.
*The only really ALT-esque thing I've done was do a 100% English kids' class at the zoo. But since it was at the zoo and we got to go around and see the animals and pet bunnies and guinea pigs and stuff, it was all good and I didn't mind. Plus at the end we did a big reveal of "We CAN speak Japanese!" with a little culture presentation I took from a previous school visit so the kids would at least be sure to get that.
*I also do the English lunches with coworkers on a casual basis, so it's not a "class" so much as a "hey let's eat lunch and use as much English as we can" gathering.
2) Visiting historical places and buildings in my prefecture and listening to the owner/guide/whoever talk about the architecture, history, or any interesting stories about the place, take lots of pictures, then go back to the office and write bilingual reports with the pictures to put online. (I worked with a different division than my own for this, but a CIR still did it!)
3) Like snell said, accompanying visitors to my prefecture on their visits. This usually involves a lot of interpretation which can be very stressful, but it's worth it when they're clearly enjoying their visit and/or learning a lot. Plus, you get to tag along to whatever tourist-y places they're taken to!
4) Translating descriptions about ancient Japanese artifacts and KOFUN for a local museum, eventually recording my voice for an app (this wasn't actually my favorite part, haha) -- it was really difficult and took me a long time, but it was very rewarding and I learned so much about history and art. (These are areas of interest for me, so.)
5) Very recently, doing やさしい日本語 workshops with government employees so they can more effectively help non-Japanese residents, especially those who don't speak a "major" second language that is sometimes accommodated here (English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, maybe Tagalog), with all that bureaucracy. I know it's something that would've made a big difference for me during, say, my study abroad days where my Japanese was good enough to understand やさしい日本語 but was very confused at terms like 手続き、登録証明書、入居、住民票、etc.
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Post by asawo on Sept 17, 2015 15:58:02 GMT 9
Hi, I'm a municipal CIR. I'm pretty new. Recently my supervisor asked me what things I would like to do in particular. He said I can probably do anything another CIR has. Can you list some of the things you have enjoyed doing? Interpreting is definitely my favourite. Especially for 偉い people like Mayors of sister cities who visit us every now and then. During my first week here, the Mayor from our sister city in Germany visited us and I interpreted for him. I learnt a lot about the city I was placed in because I had to interpret at the tour of the city's historical sites, museums and booming industries. I also enjoyed the 出前講座, where I was asked to talk about Australian culture to a bunch of おじいちゃんs and おばあちゃんｓ. |
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Post by CaptainSeery on Sept 17, 2015 16:52:04 GMT 9
I work in the Planning Division of my city. The majority of my work involves the city's International hulemdos Association, including (a lot of this is stuff my pred did since I'm still on my first here year):
- Writing articles for and compiling the quarterly newsletter
- Collecting membership fees
- Managing the budget, reciepts, etc.
- Holding Board of Directors meetings (5-6 times a year), preparing documents for them, etc.
I also do a lot of event planning, most of which are sponsored by the international association and some by the city, including:
- Internationally themed events for city residents (英会話 (well, my pred did but I'm kind of putting it off for now), cooking classes, 4th of July BBQ)
- Events intended to bring international visitors to the city and mingle with residents (hiking, hanami, tea picking 体験)
- Events held every year (International Festival, elementary school English camp, a work camp for international visitors (I get the impression it's kind of like WWOOFing), etc)
For these events I am involved in making the original plan, finding locations, good, insurance, etc., promotion, the actual event, and putting together a report.
I also do various things for the city:
- Correspondence with our sister city and planning for next year's 20th anniversary commemorative events, including a visit from them in April and from us to them next March.
- Teaching English (weekly visits to an elementary school to teach 5th and 6th grades, monthly visits to a preschool)
- Helping to judge the English recitation contest
Sometimes I do translations and interpretations when something comes up (not as often as I'd like). This can be for the city or a request from a resident, including:
- Translating things for the municipal museum, city policy, pamphlets, letters to and from the mayor
- Interpreting for visitors to the museum and storytellers at the museum, 表敬 with the mayor, receptions, tourists to the city, etc.
I also do a monthly column in the city newsletter, support the ALTs with Japanese, etc., have an irregular 英会話 with the mayor, help with other stuff the Planning Division is involved in such as the census, gives speeches or 国際理解教室 if requested.
As for what I enjoy... translating and interpreting mostly. I think I'll enjoy the event planning when I get around to it (beginning to put out feelers for my first plan now). I'm looking forward to the sister city stuff, too.
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Post by marudate on Sept 24, 2015 14:00:19 GMT 9
Hi, I'm a municipal CIR. I'm pretty new. Recently my supervisor asked me what things I would like to do in particular. He said I can probably do anything another CIR has. Can you list some of the things you have enjoyed doing? I would ask them what goals they have for the CIR position, or perhaps relating to foreigners in general (e.g. supporting resident foreigners, increasing foreign tourism, increasing international business, etc.) If what you do is actually useful to your town I think it will be more interesting for all involved! |
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Shimanchu 2024
Well you can tell by the way I use my star I'm a woman's star, no time to star. Music loud and starring stars I been starred around, since I was star.
中年危機イン沖
Posts: 6,892
CIR Experience: ULTIMATE UNICORN (6th year)
Location: Okinawa
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Post by Shimanchu 2024 on Sept 25, 2015 10:37:31 GMT 9
I think there are a couple of things I've done that I don't think a lot of other CIRs do. Making trips to foreign Embassies or Consulates in Osaka and Tokyo with our SHUKAN to talk with them about building consulates in Famous Old Mansion. Doing English situational roleplaying with the prefectural police at the 警察学校 etc, acting as the criminal GAIZIN during an interrogation, or a GAIZIN they stopped on the street who happens to have an expired ZAILYUU KAADO  |
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Post by zdaradara23 on Apr 6, 2016 16:15:51 GMT 9
So, just a question. On the Incoming JETs 2016 facebook page, a few of the incoming CIR's said that they are planning to study medical terminology. I know ESID, but how important is it to know medical terminology as a CIR?
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Post by snell_mouse on Apr 6, 2016 16:19:39 GMT 9
It's never been an issue for me? I don't do interpreting for foreign residents/am not a PA so I have never had to know more than anything that can be easily googled (aka isn't too 専門的) for certain translations sometimes.
I would say unless you know in advance that your job might involve medical things on a regular basis somehow, it's probably not something you need to really worry about/put special effort into.
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Post by Caic on Apr 6, 2016 16:23:42 GMT 9
So, just a question. On the Incoming JETs 2016 facebook page, a few of the incoming CIR's said that they are planning to study medical terminology. I know ESID, but how important is it to know medical terminology as a CIR? My knee jerk reaction is they are complete try-hards. Studying stuff like that is IN NO WAY NECESSARY at all. Yes brush up on your general japanese maybe but leave that kind of shite till you actually know whether you have to deal with it or not. Everyone has ended up with dealing with pretty specific/weird vocab at some point but thats the kind of thing you deal with when it comes about. Yes some people have probably had medical translations/interpretations at some point but there are so many other specific terminology and vocabulary that you never know what is the thing you are gonna end up needing that its just a waste of time to study that shite now tbh. Deal with it when it comes cos for all you know you might even end up being a CIR that doesn&t even do any interpretation or translating |
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Post by zdaradara23 on Apr 6, 2016 16:25:27 GMT 9
It's never been an issue for me? I don't do interpreting for foreign residents/am not a PA so I have never had to know more than anything that can be easily googled (aka isn't too 専門的) for certain translations sometimes. I would say unless you know in advance that your job might involve medical things on a regular basis somehow, it's probably not something you need to really worry about/put special effort into. Ok *phewph*. Thanks snell_mouse |
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Post by songbanana on Apr 6, 2016 16:27:22 GMT 9
I can't see how specific medical terminology would be necessary unless
1. you have a medical issue you need to know how to talk about in Japanese
2. you have to interpret for foreign residents/JETs at the hospital, in which case you can definitely bring a dictionary
3. your placement has a medical institute that receives a lot of visitors from abroad or something (but this could just as easily be ports, a certain food product, a Buddhist temple, or some other 専門的 thing that you can't predict until you get there and find out your city makes a certain kind of rice that you're going to have to PR until the end of time)
Edit:
4. studying Japanese before coming refreshes your language skills and makes you feel more prepared to move to a foreign country where you kinda speak the language :)
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Post by dosanko on Apr 6, 2016 16:28:43 GMT 9
So, just a question. On the Incoming JETs 2016 facebook page, a few of the incoming CIR's said that they are planning to study medical terminology. I know ESID, but how important is it to know medical terminology as a CIR? It's good to know them (the more 語彙 you have the better, not necessarily just medical terminology) but I don't think it's that important unless you're supposed to do a lot of work with... like... 保健福祉部 or something... or a hospital.... But in the workload of an average CIR (and I'm speaking for CIR-PAs too), they're not that required. If anything, you can easily learn them as they come. |
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Post by zdaradara23 on Apr 6, 2016 16:31:46 GMT 9
So, just a question. On the Incoming JETs 2016 facebook page, a few of the incoming CIR's said that they are planning to study medical terminology. I know ESID, but how important is it to know medical terminology as a CIR? My knee jerk reaction is they are complete try-hards. Studying stuff like that is IN NO WAY NECESSARY at all. Yes brush up on your general japanese maybe but leave that kind of しte till you actually know whether you have to deal with it or not. Everyone has ended up with dealing with pretty specific/weird vocab at some point but thats the kind of thing you deal with when it comes about. Yes some people have probably had medical translations/interpretations at some point but there are so many other specific terminology and vocabulary that you never know what is the thing you are gonna end up needing that its just a waste of time to study that しte now tbh. Deal with it when it comes cos for all you know you might even end up being a CIR that doesn&t even do any interpretation or translating Thanks Caic, a couple of CIR's in the Incoming 2016 JET's facebook groups were discussing that they were studying medical terminology in preparation, but I wasn't sure if it was necessary to study such difficult 用語 before leaving for Japan. Besides, as some of you mentioned before, there are other important things that should be done, like spending time with family and such. |
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Post by Sparkles on Apr 7, 2016 9:26:03 GMT 9
zdaradara23I learned so much on the job once I came here, and even if I had tried to study, it wouldn't have been very effective. My (former) Fellow CIR sent me a short document on interpreting to read up on in late June/early July, since he knew I would have to start interpreting pretty soon after I got here, but in a medical situation you could absolutely bring/use a dictionary. (When some politician from abroad is having a meet-and-greet with your local important politician, there's no time for dictionaries, but there is often time to look up relevant vocabulary in advance based on who's meeting and what they're planning on discussing.) Translating (and interpreting, in terms of prior preparation) in an office environment is very different from a university/classroom/exam environment in that the use of reference materials is not only allowed but highly encouraged. (You shouldn't mindlessly copy/paste from an online dictionary, of course, but those resources are there to help you!) No one's testing your "raw language ability," but on if you get the job done accurately and efficiently. (That said, no one's 100% efficient or accurate, especially when they first start, and the people in your office shouldn't expect that of you.) If you know more grammar and vocabulary, you're going to be more efficient, but there's a lot to be said for learning through experience/as you go. Something I told (former) Fellow CIR's successor: There is really a huge variety in Japanese levels amongst CIRs when they first start. You have everyone from heritage/native speakers to people who've never taken the JLPT or who passed N2 but without much confidence. Some people are initially much more comfortable with reading/writing than with speaking/listening and vice versa. But the vast majority of new CIRs have never worked in a Japanese government office before, and therefore start from zero when it comes to the 専門用語 used in 行政. So don't worry about studying in advance! If you do feel like you want to practice because it will help calm your nerves, you're bored, etc., I'd say focus on: 1) Crafting a good, ideally memorized 自己紹介 that you can recite on command/while jetlagged, nervous, and/or stressed. Coming as a CIR, I could make a nice 自己紹介 like the rest of 'em on a normal day, but when I was suddenly placed in front of the vice governor on a hot August day while vaguely dizzy and definitely overwhelmed...well. 2) Answering the phone and writing business emails using keigo -- but there will be lots of handouts at Tokyo Orientation on this. 3) Reading news articles, especially about international affairs, 多文化共生, and economics/tourism -- broad topics that will help you acquire vocabulary that will probably be relevant to your job in some way. If you end up doing translation, translation naturally involves a lot of reading, not just the thing you're translating but also background research/reference materials. So I don't think getting more comfortable with reading would be amiss. 4) Since the daily language of the workplace is Japanese, just being comfortable talking in Japanese and explaining your thoughts in Japanese is probably the most critical; even if you don't have the vocabulary, being able to "talk around" something is great. Maybe try reading an article and then try summarizing it/explaining it plus giving an opinion on it aloud as something you can do on your own and in smaller chunks. ...I think that's about all you CAN do before you get the specifics of your placement. And of course as people have mentioned before, spending time with hulemdos and family in places you love and eating all your favorite home country/culture foods before you come is an A+ plan. I definitely did that -- hung out at home, spent a few weeks traveling with/visiting hulemdos, got anything I needed before I left -- and didn't spent too much time "studying," just kept up with my regular activities (which did involve speaking/reading Japanese casually when I felt like it). tl;dr: if you really want to prepare something, go broad and general and being comfortable with the language you already have; if not, don't worry about it and enjoy the time you spend in your home country/whatever other adventures you want to have pre-Japan. 
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Post by むちゃRABU❤ on Apr 7, 2016 9:55:30 GMT 9
My knee jerk reaction is they are complete try-hards. Studying stuff like that is IN NO WAY NECESSARY at all. Yes brush up on your general japanese maybe but leave that kind of しte till you actually know whether you have to deal with it or not. Everyone has ended up with dealing with pretty specific/weird vocab at some point but thats the kind of thing you deal with when it comes about. Yes some people have probably had medical translations/interpretations at some point but there are so many other specific terminology and vocabulary that you never know what is the thing you are gonna end up needing that its just a waste of time to study that しte now tbh. Deal with it when it comes cos for all you know you might even end up being a CIR that doesn&t even do any interpretation or translating Thanks Caic, a couple of CIR's in the Incoming 2016 JET's facebook groups were discussing that they were studying medical terminology in preparation, but I wasn't sure if it was necessary to study such difficult 用語 before leaving for Japan. Besides, as some of you mentioned before, there are other important things that should be done, like spending time with family and such. Hi daradara. Just want to let you know if maybe, you can give a heads up to the CIRs in the incoming 2016 group to join THE CIR FACEBOOK GROUP. Search for JETプログラム国際交流員 and you should find it!! It'll be a good way for people to keep in contact during orientation AND after that too. Please? Thank you (: |
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Post by no yark shark on Apr 7, 2016 10:39:35 GMT 9
Sparkles that was an excellent post. I second the importance of 1 especially. 2 is something you can probably pick up really easily on the job, but also something you will probably do a lot in any placement so it probably doesn't hurt to practice as well.
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Post by zdaradara23 on Apr 7, 2016 11:16:52 GMT 9
Thanks Caic , a couple of CIR's in the Incoming 2016 JET's facebook groups were discussing that they were studying medical terminology in preparation, but I wasn't sure if it was necessary to study such difficult 用語 before leaving for Japan. Besides, as some of you mentioned before, there are other important things that should be done, like spending time with family and such. Hi daradara. Just want to let you know if maybe, you can give a heads up to the CIRs in the incoming 2016 group to join THE CIR FACEBOOK GROUP. Search for JETプログラム国際交流員 and you should find it!! It'll be a good way for people to keep in contact during orientation AND after that too. Please? Thank you (: Will do! |
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Post by hikaru on Apr 7, 2016 11:39:15 GMT 9
So, just a question. On the Incoming JETs 2016 facebook page, a few of the incoming CIR's said that they are planning to study medical terminology. I know ESID, but how important is it to know medical terminology as a CIR? As someone who has had to interpret for this kind of stuff on a few occasions, I second some of the other opinions on here that say it's not really necessary to brush up on it at this stage.
Even now, when I get these interpretation requests and know the situation, I still really have no idea what obscure vocab is going to come up. I usually spend a decent chunk of time before the interpretation cramming in any and all possible 用語 that could come up and usually never hear any of it. (actually instead other words somehow always pop up that seemed unrelated before and just yeah so much headdesking)
Something I think is important to know before you get here; there will ALWAYS be things you don't know, no matter how much you study. So don't waste your time studying things you probably won't even need, especially before you even know the specifics of your placement.
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Post by zdaradara23 on Apr 8, 2016 15:13:46 GMT 9
zdaradara23 I learned so much on the job once I came here, and even if I had tried to study, it wouldn't have been very effective. My (former) Fellow CIR sent me a short document on interpreting to read up on in late June/early July, since he knew I would have to start interpreting pretty soon after I got here, but in a medical situation you could absolutely bring/use a dictionary. (When some politician from abroad is having a meet-and-greet with your local important politician, there's no time for dictionaries, but there is often time to look up relevant vocabulary in advance based on who's meeting and what they're planning on discussing.) Translating (and interpreting, in terms of prior preparation) in an office environment is very different from a university/classroom/exam environment in that the use of reference materials is not only allowed but highly encouraged. (You shouldn't mindlessly copy/paste from an online dictionary, of course, but those resources are there to help you!) No one's testing your "raw language ability," but on if you get the job done accurately and efficiently. (That said, no one's 100% efficient or accurate, especially when they first start, and the people in your office shouldn't expect that of you.) If you know more grammar and vocabulary, you're going to be more efficient, but there's a lot to be said for learning through experience/as you go. Something I told (former) Fellow CIR's successor: There is really a huge variety in Japanese levels amongst CIRs when they first start. You have everyone from heritage/native speakers to people who've never taken the JLPT or who passed N2 but without much confidence. Some people are initially much more comfortable with reading/writing than with speaking/listening and vice versa. But the vast majority of new CIRs have never worked in a Japanese government office before, and therefore start from zero when it comes to the 専門用語 used in 行政. So don't worry about studying in advance! If you do feel like you want to practice because it will help calm your nerves, you're bored, etc., I'd say focus on: 1) Crafting a good, ideally memorized 自己紹介 that you can recite on command/while jetlagged, nervous, and/or stressed. Coming as a CIR, I could make a nice 自己紹介 like the rest of 'em on a normal day, but when I was suddenly placed in front of the vice governor on a hot August day while vaguely dizzy and definitely overwhelmed...well. 2) Answering the phone and writing business emails using keigo -- but there will be lots of handouts at Tokyo Orientation on this. 3) Reading news articles, especially about international affairs, 多文化共生, and economics/tourism -- broad topics that will help you acquire vocabulary that will probably be relevant to your job in some way. If you end up doing translation, translation naturally involves a lot of reading, not just the thing you're translating but also background research/reference materials. So I don't think getting more comfortable with reading would be amiss. 4) Since the daily language of the workplace is Japanese, just being comfortable talking in Japanese and explaining your thoughts in Japanese is probably the most critical; even if you don't have the vocabulary, being able to "talk around" something is great. Maybe try reading an article and then try summarizing it/explaining it plus giving an opinion on it aloud as something you can do on your own and in smaller chunks. ...I think that's about all you CAN do before you get the specifics of your placement. And of course as people have mentioned before, spending time with hulemdos and family in places you love and eating all your favorite home country/culture foods before you come is an A+ plan. I definitely did that -- hung out at home, spent a few weeks traveling with/visiting hulemdos, got anything I needed before I left -- and didn't spent too much time "studying," just kept up with my regular activities (which did involve speaking/reading Japanese casually when I felt like it). tl;dr: if you really want to prepare something, go broad and general and being comfortable with the language you already have; if not, don't worry about it and enjoy the time you spend in your home country/whatever other adventures you want to have pre-Japan. Wow! Thank you so much Sparkles for the great advice! |
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