Job Discussion Forums

[MerryGoRound]

I'm stuck at the moment between teaching or studying at a language school in Japan.

My initial goal was too:

1) Study for 1 year and 3 months at ARC Academy

2) Get into a Japanese University and major in History while minoring in music (Koto).

However I've been told that I should teach and then study at a Japanese University because:

a) I'll make more money and can learn Japanese at the same time

b) It wouldn't be too late to enter a University after making more money teaching.

But the problem is:

- living expenses

- being able to find a teaching job.

I also have a diploma in Marketing at a Canadian Community College. (I don't mean a big shot University or anything). I'm literally a college student with no teaching experience or teaching degree in anything.

I was wondering if anyone on this forum had been to Japan and attempted to teach English there with a similar background like mine and had been successful?

I would love to hear your story and if you've got any advice to give me about my given situation, I'd be really grateful!

My name is MerryGoRound and its nice to meet you all! [/list]

[rtm]

[HLJHLJ]

The OP could get a working holiday visa and work on that, it doesn't require a degree. They could also register as a student and get permission to work part time while studying.

[move]

How is your Japanese ability? If its not around JLPT Level 1, do you think you could get it up to that level by the time you enroll? Or are the history/music programs taught in English?

About working and then going to university, I think jobs that you would qualify for (jobs with a working visa) wouldn't let you save that much money. Definitely not enough to pay for a college tuition. If money is an issue look into how to finance your education, there are many options out there.

I have to agree with rtm, I don't think either history or koto are very in demand majors. It's not like electrical engineering or something. I think you could study koto by doing a class once a week or so. I say, figure out more or less what you want to do career-wise, and do your studies first. You have the rest of your life to work.

P.S. I think that people who study in Japan end up working here anyway.

[rtm]

[TokyoLiz]

Why not go to a Canadian university that has strong study abroad programs?
For example, UBC - http://www.students.ubc.ca/global/index.cfm

[MerryGoRound]

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I was a bit stumped by RTM's questions, to be honest.

My future career goal is to be a translator but I want to study history because I have a strong background on the subject. But then I started to think, what does history and being a translator got to do with one another?

Maybe I just find it fun to translate historical text.

I don't think my JLPT level will be 1 by the time I go. I did get a job offer with Jellyfish language school to teach English. Has anyone heard of them? Are they reliable? I don't want to go there and find I've been tricked or lied to by so and so company etc.

I also have a cousin who is interested in doing a JET placement but if she's going to get free lodging etc, would I be able to share an accommodation with her?

Its probably going to be hard to find a job that requires translation services in Japanese but it would be ideal for me. As for koto, I just want to teach it on the side so I'm willing to learn it.

Hmmm...someone also wrote about how you wouldn't make enough for tuition? I was thinking a long the same lines and I have saved up quite a bit though, if 20,000.00 counts as anything at all. I probably shouldn't say that's my life savings on the internet. But I plan on spending it on tuition and living expenses. Think I could pull through with that amount?

[HLJHLJ]

[Rooster_2006]

OP, check your inbox. I am sending you a PM.