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zaneth
Joined: 31 Mar 2004
Posts: 545
Location: Between Russia and Germany
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 Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 12:43 pm Post subject: Okinawa? |
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Been in the cold Eastern regions of Europe last 5 years. Have the usual qualifications and experience. One of my students is a Japanese diplomat and was talking about Okinawa the other day.
Never been especially drawn to Japan, but suddenly the magic combination of 'tropical paradise' and 'save money' appeared in my head.
Also, I'm getting more and more serious about pottery.
So, is the idea of saving money in a tropical paradise and learning more about traditional pottery a complete fantasy?
Seriousness about teaching is a given. |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 12:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Okinawa is probably the worst place in Japan to make money. Salaries are the lowest in the country while expenses are still high. I'm not saying it is a bad place to go, but it's not great to save. |
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zaneth
Joined: 31 Mar 2004
Posts: 545
Location: Between Russia and Germany
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| Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 1:08 pm Post subject: figured as much |
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Sounded like it's a place Japanese people go for vacation. Thought maybe it wasn't a high salary zone but thought I'd ask.
How bout the traditional pottery? Is that limited to certain areas of Japan? How difficult is it to make contacts in traditional crafts? |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 1:34 pm Post subject: Re: figured as much |
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| zaneth wrote: |
Sounded like it's a place Japanese people go for vacation. Thought maybe it wasn't a high salary zone but thought I'd ask.
How bout the traditional pottery? Is that limited to certain areas of Japan? How difficult is it to make contacts in traditional crafts? |
Its not, teaching jobs are taken by the US military wives.
20% of the main island of Okinawa is occupied by the US military. So that means sharing it with a veritable garrison of hardware. 75% of the US military in Japan are on Okinawa.
Never heard of pottery on Okinawa but Bizen in Okayama is quite famous. |
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womblingfree
Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 826
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:40 am Post subject: |
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| Gordon wrote: |
| Okinawa is probably the worst place in Japan to make money. Salaries are the lowest in the country while expenses are still high. I'm not saying it is a bad place to go, but it's not great to save. |
Surely the eikaiwa salaries are the same as anywhere else? I know that Aeon has schools there and so do probably Geos, Nova etc. If you put yourself down on a waiting list you could end up there. Might be a loooong wait though.
The Okinawan cities are rather provincial compared to mainland Japan as Okinawa has been hideously neglected by Japanese governments over the years.
There are a hell of a lot of bored GI's around who are often refused admittance to clubs and bars due to a very bad reputation. I didn't have any problems (I obviously don't look like I have 'the right stuff'  )
It's the outlying islands which are amazing. Just a short (or long) ferry trip away.
If you end up in Okinawa I hope you like pork, and you'll have to get used to goya! Rather delicious if you ask me.
Okinawans live longer than anyone else on planet earth by the way. I'd love to live there. |
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Brooks
Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1369
Location: Sagamihara
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:51 am Post subject: |
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for pottery Saga and Ehime have good reputations.
Saga is in Kyushu and Ehime is in Shikoku.
The town in Ehime I am thinking of is called Tobe.
It is not easy to get a job in those places, but not impossible. |
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BradS
Joined: 05 Sep 2004
Posts: 173
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:13 am Post subject: |
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Some of my friend are Okinawan and have asked them about the same thing. There may be less jobs there (as most Okinawans don't get sucked into the "cool factor" of English like the mainland Japan and in fact from what I encountered the everyday person in Okinawa spoke rather good English!) but the rent is cheaper AND the buildings are bigger! For what you'd pay for in Tokyo would get you a place twice the size in Okinawa (in Naha anyway).
I loved it when I went last year and am heading back for another trip in a few months. There are several English magazines printed there (like Metropolis on the mainland but for Okinawa only) with job postings, etc, etc. |
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