Job Discussion Forums

aaaronr · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 82

I may get a summer job with Westgate. They want to know what area I prefer. I've only been to Narita Int'l on the way home from Taiwan.

I'm interested in Chiba, so if you've been there or lived there, let me know how it is, especially costs of living.

Thanks,

Aaron in Arizona.

water rat · Joined: 30 Aug 2014 Posts: 1098 Location: North Antarctica

I'm not trying to be discouraging, but it can hardly be helped.

First of all while Westgate is scrupulous about following up on people who have submitted to their arduous application process, I don't think they necessarily end up hiring all that many people.

Granted I have no idea what percentage of the applicants make it through, but I do know that if you are unfortunate enough to pass you will be worked like a dog in tedious classes of drill and repetition with the native speaker for the summer. As it is Japan, you will work long hours.

While sometimes on clear winter days coming from Chiba's main station I would see a fine Japanese castle in the distance, I never found out just where it was. Mostly Chiba is a featureless, endless chockablock suburb of Tokyo. It will be crowded, hot, humid and you will spend most of your money just on rent and food.

Good luck in all your endeavors.

aaaronr · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 82

Thanks, Mr. Water Rat. I heard that it is long hours by ESL standards.

I live in Phoenix. It is a featureless wasteland. There are 100 days when it is over 100 degrees. We have high heat, high humidity days end of July through August. I've been here for about 25 summers. I delivered refrigerators in this weather for 8-12 hours a day.

I"ll only have work for two months at about $1000/month here. I won't know if I will have classes until about 3 days before the fall semester starts here.

I don't make much money here, and I'm looking to get out for a while.

mitsui · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 1562 Location: Kawasaki

Well go ahead then. Maybe you would prefer Shizuoka since it is less crowded.
Parts of Chiba are fine, just not the suburbs of Tokyo.
Got the beaches and Minami Boso is fine.

Arizona has the right to work law, so not so good.
I am working on Arizona certification now, and it seems lots of people quit teaching there. I have to take the SEI class online.

Maitoshi · Joined: 04 May 2014 Posts: 718 Location: 何処でも

Did you go to ASU, Aaron? The Tempe campus is quite nice! I also hear good things about their PhD program in Composition and Rhetoric.

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

Chiba is very diverse. I used to live in Chiba city. Chiba castle is what it was. A nice little museum, though the castle is obviously concrete at this point.

CHiba goes from being dull and urbanregular cookie cutter burbs in the NW, to rural in the east and south.
I'd say that it depends on where in Chiba, as Chiba Prov is much more than Chiba city.

BTW, I have been in Arizona a lot. Japan's summers imho are by far worse. I have never sweated as much here as I have anywhere else in the summer. I sweat a work out amount just walking in the morning.

RyznFree · Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 27

I worked one semester for Westgate from May to July 2013 and really liked it. It's a great way to get started in Japan as they fly you out here for free, help you set up a bank account with Japan Postal bank, and provide a nice soft landing at schools with motivated and friendly students. You also finish the short 3 month contract with 9 months left of work visa so if you want to stay in Japan and find other work (like I did), it takes off the pressure of finding a visa sponsor right away. As for the work schedule, it's not light but it's also not that bad and some positions are better than others.

As for location, I was placed in a rural part of Saitama and really liked it. Coming into Tokyo was a pain but definitely doable. I have since moved into the city and also like it here as well. I traded some peace and quiet for convenience which seems to suit my lifestyle at the moment.

In any case, good luck!

rxk22 · Joined: 19 May 2010 Posts: 1629

Ryan, has some good points there. You can get set up and established here easily.

I will say this though. Take it as you will. Going back to the US from Japan is VERY hard. I did it once, and it took me dozens of hours of job applying online to get anything. Make sure that coming here fits into your plans, as it may be a good break, but it could set you back years.

Also, the job market here is still OKish, but it is def melting/declining. Almost like the PC market is. It sued to be incredible. but now has def peaked, and is in decline.

aaaronr · Joined: 08 Nov 2008 Posts: 82

Thanks for all your replies.

My goal is to get out of Phoenix for the summer when my hours are cut down to where I make only about $1000/mo.

I also want to experience Japan and hopefully learn some different ways of teaching.

As a bonus, I can visit friends in Bali and Viet Nam and have a nice vacation when I'm finished.

dynastar · Joined: 24 Sep 2010 Posts: 26

You can live in Saitama, next to Tokyo, like a king compared to living in the city. Chiba and Kanagawa are also viable alternatives if you want a decent apartment for much less money than actually living in Tokyo. You'll still have a variety of options for access to the city and other areas of Kanto.

I write about some of it on occasion.

http://suntorytimes.blogspot.jp/