The Program: Amity

My dad gets this LA teacher newspaper and in it was an ad from Amity.  I've been doing research on teach abroad programs in South Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, and Japan, and so far Amity's site was easiest to navigate and provided me with the most comprehensive information:

Monthly Salary
285,000 yen

(Approximate) Monthly Costs
Social/Health Insurance: 30,000 yen (The Japanese gov reimburses teachers in 6 and 12 month increments, so you have to remember to apply for a refund through the Social Insurance Agency of Japan after leaving Japan permanently.)
Rent: 42,000 yen
Utilities: 10,000 yen
Food: 60,000 yen
+Traveling and shopping (who wouldn't want to do this while in Japan?)

That leaves enough money for me to make my monthly payments on student loans and save up to pay them back early. Yay.

A one-week training period is covered by the program (not like some which require you to drop a few thousand for a credential).  Work week is Tuesday-Saturday (darn, I'll be working the Sabbath), 40 hrs/week with 25 of those hours as teaching hours (the rest is office hours, lesson prep, etc.)

I've seen the best vacation days with Amity: all Japanese national holidays as paid days off, three 1-week vacations, and five personal days off.

One-time expenses: $200 processing fee (due when you sign the contract and reimbursed after the one-week of training upon arrival), ticket to Japan must be covered by you (but there's a 65,000 yen stipend at the end of the 12-month contract), ticket back home is covered by Amity.

The USPS offers Passport Book & Card for $95 if you need to renew your expired one like me (+$25 for those who never had one before).

Anyone want to join me? :-)