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state of affairs, staying in Japan, thoughts...
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stumptowny



Joined: 29 May 2011
Posts: 310

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:50 am    Post subject: state of affairs, staying in Japan, thoughts... Reply with quote

the second presidential debate just finished back in the states.. I am pretty dejected by the entire political process (er, financial power) at this point and its emboldened by my 'ex-pat' status. frankly, not paying taxes back home makes me feel great about not supporting our "democracy"

it's so bloated with money, the system can't waddle up to the podium to deliver its cheesy catch phrases that dupe the masses into the "democratic process" burp! there went another trillion to banks and defense spending... burp! there went medicare for 30,000...

complaining aside, I am very happy to be in Japan, living and working. still, I feel frustrated with things back home, even as I see myself being here long term and increasingly feeling better about that. not just for being a victim back home (politically and financially), but because japan basically kicks ass and staying here long term is looking better and better.

I stay up with the state of affairs back home with hopes that I can return some day if I decide.. or that I can at least have that option..

not sure where I am going with this exactly... can any of you relate? are some of you looking to return at some point? what do you consider when doing so? jobs obviously. what else?

I am at the point where I am fine staying or returning. I am guessing many of you have families and are here for good. amused by the process back home.. disgusted.. or indifferent.
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Almond_Lover



Joined: 11 Oct 2012
Posts: 35

PostPosted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:48 am    Post subject: Re: state of affairs, staying in Japan, thoughts... Reply with quote

stumptowny wrote:
the second presidential debate just finished back in the states.. I am pretty dejected by the entire political process (er, financial power) at this point and its emboldened by my 'ex-pat' status. frankly, not paying taxes back home makes me feel great about not supporting our "democracy"

it's so bloated with money, the system can't waddle up to the podium to deliver its cheesy catch phrases that dupe the masses into the "democratic process" burp! there went another trillion to banks and defense spending... burp! there went medicare for 30,000...

complaining aside, I am very happy to be in Japan, living and working. still, I feel frustrated with things back home, even as I see myself being here long term and increasingly feeling better about that. not just for being a victim back home (politically and financially), but because japan basically kicks ass and staying here long term is looking better and better.

I stay up with the state of affairs back home with hopes that I can return some day if I decide.. or that I can at least have that option..

not sure where I am going with this exactly... can any of you relate? are some of you looking to return at some point? what do you consider when doing so? jobs obviously. what else?

I am at the point where I am fine staying or returning. I am guessing many of you have families and are here for good. amused by the process back home.. disgusted.. or indifferent.


Don't go back unless you have a concrete plan like a business idea or something. You're gonna miss Japan. I know I did.
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rxk22



Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 12:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I dunno. Though the American political system is messed up, and the economy is bad. I see Japan as possibly worse in the long term. No one is dealing with any of the looming financial problems in Japan, you just don't hear about it as much. Also, economically, Japan looks to be in a 'change or die' situation save for a few companies (Honda, Toyota, Hitachi, komatsu, and Softbank) outside of those, I see a long slow death for many Japanese companies esp the electronics.
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TWG



Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 39

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 6:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Politicians will be vary between disingenuous and outright evil no matter how long you're away and no matter where you are. The system will always be stacked in favor if the wealthy and powerful no matter what system it is. Live where you have the most peace of mind. Currently that's Japan.
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Almond_Lover



Joined: 11 Oct 2012
Posts: 35

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TWG wrote:
Politicians will be vary between disingenuous and outright evil no matter how long you're away and no matter where you are. The system will always be stacked in favor if the wealthy and powerful no matter what system it is. Live where you have the most peace of mind. Currently that's Japan.


I agree. At least here I can observe the US political system and laugh at the inconsistencies. When I was there, it made me apprehensive.
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stumptowny



Joined: 29 May 2011
Posts: 310

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TWG: agreed as well.. peace of mind is here but as rxk22 pointed out, Japan is on a cliff economically. this may encroach on our cushy, expat peace of mind where we can make decent money but live by lax standards because we don't fall into the social/professional hierarchy as gaijin. we do, kinda, but we get to go home at 3 o'clock!

seriously, the baby boomers are gonna thrash this economy for the next 10 years. it has already started. so sitting here and waiting things out for back home to improve may not be an option in the future? depends how much english education remains in education here. right now, it seems golden. tons of jobs. but at some point cuts are gonna come to certain non-essentials and taxes will rise even more. if english starts to become targeted in the education system here, we are screwed. hopefully by that point things back home will be obama-fied (rectified)...
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Almond_Lover



Joined: 11 Oct 2012
Posts: 35

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

stumptowny wrote:
TWG: agreed as well.. peace of mind is here but as rxk22 pointed out, Japan is on a cliff economically. this may encroach on our cushy, expat peace of mind where we can make decent money but live by lax standards because we don't fall into the social/professional hierarchy as gaijin. we do, kinda, but we get to go home at 3 o'clock!

seriously, the baby boomers are gonna thrash this economy for the next 10 years. it has already started. so sitting here and waiting things out for back home to improve may not be an option in the future? depends how much english education remains in education here. right now, it seems golden. tons of jobs. but at some point cuts are gonna come to certain non-essentials and taxes will rise even more. if english starts to become targeted in the education system here, we are screwed. hopefully by that point things back home will be obama-fied (rectified)...


English being targeted in the education system is only of concern if you are teaching at public schools/universities. There will always be eikaiwa jobs as long as Japanese people want to learn English which, to me, seems to be pretty consistent.
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TWG



Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 39

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2012 11:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

stumptowny wrote:
seriously, the baby boomers are gonna thrash this economy for the next 10 years. it has already started. so sitting here and waiting things out for back home to improve may not be an option in the future? depends how much english education remains in education here. right now, it seems golden. tons of jobs. but at some point cuts are gonna come to certain non-essentials and taxes will rise even more. if english starts to become targeted in the education system here, we are screwed.


I assume most of you have roots here now. But as ESL teachers we do have the option of mobility. If Japan doesn't need us, Dubai will.
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steki47



Joined: 20 Apr 2008
Posts: 1029
Location: BFE Inaka

PostPosted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 1:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

TWG wrote:
If Japan doesn't need us, Dubai will.


Good point. Look at economic and demographic trends and you can see where EFL is going to grow. The East Asian nations have money but low birth rates. I have to wonder how ALTs will be needed if these trends continue. English aimed at seniors will be steady, I suppose.

Going back to birth rates, look at Indonesia or Malaysia. They are having babies and those babies go to school and may need/want to learn English.

Migrant workers follow the jobs. Some of us EFLer are similar to migrant workers.

I have no intention on repatriating back to the US. Personal and professional reasons.
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rxk22



Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629

PostPosted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 4:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

stumptowny wrote:
TWG: agreed as well.. peace of mind is here but as rxk22 pointed out, Japan is on a cliff economically. this may encroach on our cushy, expat peace of mind where we can make decent money but live by lax standards because we don't fall into the social/professional hierarchy as gaijin. we do, kinda, but we get to go home at 3 o'clock!

seriously, the baby boomers are gonna thrash this economy for the next 10 years. it has already started. so sitting here and waiting things out for back home to improve may not be an option in the future? depends how much english education remains in education here. right now, it seems golden. tons of jobs. but at some point cuts are gonna come to certain non-essentials and taxes will rise even more. if english starts to become targeted in the education system here, we are screwed. hopefully by that point things back home will be obama-fied (rectified)...


Another problem is that, the acquisition of foreign companies by Japanese companies won't benefit most Japanese. Much like Taiwan, these oversea assess will never help anyone in japan economically, save for a few share holders.

Though it will bring new life to Softbank and the beer companies, the workers won't gain much, Which means most of us teachers won't either.
BTW Obama won't solve anything. He won't and he can't. As he and everyone else isn't addressing the real problems, corp welfare and competing with countries that don't have OSHA/EPA standards.
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rxk22



Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629

PostPosted: Sat Oct 20, 2012 4:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

stumptowny wrote:
TWG: agreed as well.. peace of mind is here but as rxk22 pointed out, Japan is on a cliff economically. this may encroach on our cushy, expat peace of mind where we can make decent money but live by lax standards because we don't fall into the social/professional hierarchy as gaijin. we do, kinda, but we get to go home at 3 o'clock!

seriously, the baby boomers are gonna thrash this economy for the next 10 years. it has already started. so sitting here and waiting things out for back home to improve may not be an option in the future? depends how much english education remains in education here. right now, it seems golden. tons of jobs. but at some point cuts are gonna come to certain non-essentials and taxes will rise even more. if english starts to become targeted in the education system here, we are screwed. hopefully by that point things back home will be obama-fied (rectified)...


Another problem is that, the acquisition of foreign companies by Japanese companies won't benefit most Japanese. Much like Taiwan, these oversea assess will never help anyone in japan economically, save for a few share holders.

Though it will bring new life to Softbank and the beer companies, the workers won't gain much, Which means most of us teachers won't either.
BTW Obama won't solve anything. He won't and he can't. As he and everyone else isn't addressing the real problems, corp welfare and competing with countries that don't have OSHA/EPA standards.
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stumptowny



Joined: 29 May 2011
Posts: 310

PostPosted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 4:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another problem is that, the acquisition of foreign companies by Japanese companies won't benefit most Japanese. Much like Taiwan, these oversea assess will never help anyone in japan economically, save for a few share holders.

Though it will bring new life to Softbank and the beer companies, the workers won't gain much, Which means most of us teachers won't either.
BTW Obama won't solve anything. He won't and he can't. As he and everyone else isn't addressing the real problems, corp welfare and competing with countries that don't have OSHA/EPA standards.[/quote]

almond_lover: systemic cuts to public ed would be grave. it would saturate other markets with us migrant workers... privates, juku/ekaiwa but if the economy comes to crap, the hurt will be across all english learning.. ekaiwa's housewives/small groups, kids, adult privates. all these groups are susceptible to hits to the pocketbook and when non-essentials like english lessons battle paying the bills, guess what will be first to go.. the real alarm bells will sound when systemic cuts are made to public ed...

TWG: dubai? really? I was all fired up about the big bucks there but when I dug in deeper, it seemed the public ed jobs there require english teaching creds from back home. real creds (state approved credentials > single subject, english teaching, level specific creds via Praxis testing) not the smaltzy TEFL/TESOL that most us migrants have... am I missing something besides capitalization at the start of my sentences? what public ed jobs do they have which I can use my TESOL and make good money? Does UAE have ekaiwa/juku type positions as well as alt/public ed? lots of blabbery.. I know. help out only where you want..

steki47: love it. migrants. we are well paid migrants! no other way around it.. clearly we don't mind either...

rxk22: 94 - 00. had a hefty surplus. mimic those conditions. whether our competitors create cheap/unsafe labor... speaks to a piece of the big picture. as does occupying 2 countries for 10 years.. lots of factors... whoever is in office should mimic conditions that worked... doesn't matter what party it is.. as for obama, this terms president was doomed. as will be the next terms president for the next two years.. recovery is time specific, not party specific...
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 9:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TWG wrote:
I assume most of you have roots here now. But as ESL teachers we do have the option of mobility.
Not everyone is as mobile as you think.
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TWG



Joined: 25 Oct 2007
Posts: 39

PostPosted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 11:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glenski wrote:
TWG wrote:
I assume most of you have roots here now. But as ESL teachers we do have the option of mobility.
Not everyone is as mobile as you think.


ESL teaching is pretty much on par with being in the army as far as "See the world" is concerned, but you have fewer people trying to blow you up. If things don't work out in Japan for an EFL/ESL teacher the world is a big place and you have a skill set desired elsewhere.

Yes, changing tracks is harder when you have family that needs to be dragged across the planet with you. If there are medical concerns it's near impossible. If all of your money vanishes into black holes like cars, homes, or hostess clubs it can't be done easily either. Leaving your comfort zone is just as tough.

But sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

stumptowny wrote:
TWG: dubai? really? I was all fired up about the big bucks there but when I dug in deeper, it seemed the public ed jobs there require english teaching creds from back home. real creds (state approved credentials > single subject, english teaching, level specific creds via Praxis testing) not the smaltzy TEFL/TESOL that most us migrants have...


Unfortunately, that's what I've been told by my properly-teacher-educated-and-certified friend working there... As she emailed me from her spacious skyscraper apartment in downtown Dubai. Money falling in front of the screen because it just keeps stacking up so she spends it by taking her daughter on global trips during vacation time.

Why she keeps telling an ESL Edutainer like me about the job vacancies there is beyond me, but I appreciate her kindness.
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rxk22



Joined: 19 May 2010
Posts: 1629

PostPosted: Sun Oct 21, 2012 11:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

stumptowny wrote:


rxk22: 94 - 00. had a hefty surplus. mimic those conditions. whether our competitors create cheap/unsafe labor... speaks to a piece of the big picture. as does occupying 2 countries for 10 years.. lots of factors... whoever is in office should mimic conditions that worked... doesn't matter what party it is.. as for obama, this terms president was doomed. as will be the next terms president for the next two years.. recovery is time specific, not party specific...


Problem is, most of that was on account of the tech boom. Outside of that, we didn't have a lot of goods things going on in the US. As tons of mnfg jobs went away, and were replaced with service jobs.
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