Very sure that somewhere on this blog, I've described JET as "living overseas - easy mode" or something to that effect. now that i'm in the UK and REALLY doing the living overseas thing without any help, i realize exactly how and why JET is easy. for JET, you have a supervisor whose job scope literally includes "helping the foreigner". I've heard that some supervisors aren't that good, but at least there's a sense of reassurance that you can at least call someone if something goes wrong or if there's something that you don't know. in my present case, i MIGHT be able to reach out to other singaporeans living here, but they are by no means duty-bound to help me. i'd be lucky if they even paid my message(s) any attention!

one way in which JET is easier than any old move overseas (and is a way which i totally overlooked) is that you're moving with a job offer in hand. this means that you can have less starting capital, and also less worry because you have a confirmed source of incoming funds. right now, with no solid job offer yet, i'm eating into my savings. and while it can sustain me for a little bit, i'll have to do something to stretch the money while jobless. i'm considering finding part time work, but that will have to wait until i can secure a place to live. yet another thing that my town settled for me! granted that not all JETs are this lucky; i understand that tokyo JETs have to settle their own accommodations.

currently, the housing situation is a bit tricky. see - ideally i'd want to live close to work, for no other reason than to save time/money on the commute. but not knowing where work is means that i'm taking a huge chance on renting a place now. and yet, i have to have a roof over my head, right!? the positive here is i have one place in the works, so i can sign the lease there to tide me over in the meantime. just that it's a little inaccessible. small price to pay for shelter, i guess. and it's not like i haven't tried to look for housing - positive responses haven't been coming in. all that is contingent on me finding a job, though. I've got an interview tomorrow, and if i land that job, the commute is approximately 2 hours each way. granted, about an hour will be spent on the train, so i can study, sleep, do whatever to make full use of the time. still not looking forward to it.

side note: i realized that i kind of romanticized the public transport system in singapore to my japanese students. i told them all about how it took 2 or 3 minutes between train stations. what i forgot (and was reminded of while in singapore) is the time taken from the starting point to the embarking station, and then from the disembarking station to the actual destination. for example, from my front door to sengkang station takes between 10 to 25 minutes, depending on the mode of transport (LRT, cycle, walk). so i guess hour-long commutes exist in singapore too! I've been horribly spoilt by my 20-minute walk/7-minute cycle/5-minute drive japan commute.

whenever this uncertainty is making me feel bad, i should remind myself that (1) i have backup plans and (2) i have exit plans. the backup is job-hunting while working part-time, and the exit is just buying a plane ticket back to singapore! yes, i know that it's not trendy for people to imagine their plans failing, but we need to be realistic. the current thought is if nothing comes through by the end of the year (or when my money runs out, whichever's earlier), then i'll just pack up and go. but let's hope for the best for tomorrow's interview.

-random thought of the day: Surprisingly, not super jet-lagged.-