Job Discussion Forums

[mitsui]

I would prefer Seattle or Portland but I would need to find work.
Maybe I would have to work part-time while getting certified.
I saw a job in Bellevue. I could see myself commuting by bus to save money.
As long as my wife works part-time, that is enough.
Rent in suburban Seattle seems high. I have two small dogs so that limits my choices.

At least I do know people from Washington so I could ask them about life there. They all went to Eastern, Central or Western Washington University.

I got certified in Arizona since there are more jobs than on the west coast.

Hawaii costs more with lower wages. One good thing is that it is closer to Japan, so flights cost less.

[kzjohn]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think only HNL has direct flights to Japan, and international anywhere.

Kailua-Kona used to have some flights but they've been discontinued--and were more $$ anyway.

It's the politicians and biz interests on Oahu that want every international vi$itor funneled thru them on the way in and the way out. A very rigged game.

I used to have some property on the big island, but the cost of going thru HNL, both money and time/hassle, truly sucked.

[mitsui]

You can fly to California on either Air Canada or Lufthansa, then fly to Canada and Germany.
Otherwise, flights are just to destinations in Hawaii.

[Lynn]

According to our local newspaper our city has the largest Japanese population outside Japan. It is Torrance, California, which is in Los Angeles County.

I lived in Hawaii for five years and have lived here for ten. I'd agree the Japanese population is huge here. There is even Japanese school so the "chuzai" can keep up with the Japanese education and return to Japan without a hitch.

I have small children who go to Japanese youchien here and have met many Japanese mommies who never leave the Japanese bubble and have no interest to leave it.

Japanese speaking pediatrician, doctor, lawyer, real estate, speech therapist, you name it!

But not that there are any jobs here. I actually miss Hawaii, and say go for Hawaii! LOL.

But just thought I'd put it out there.

[mitsui]

As it stands now I am leaning more towards Seattle.
I need to get certified in Washington first.
I sent the letter off to the certification office in Olympia, WA yesterday.
I may just do a year in Phoenix before moving.

Southern California does not appeal to me, as I would be sick of the traffic.
I would rather commute to work by train, light rail or bus.

Washington has a Japanese teacher association, and there are jobs, but my wife would have to get certified first.
She could buy fresh fish and get Japanese food, and being near a big airport with flights to Japan would help.

Pay in Hawaii is not good enough. The cost of living is high. Public schools have no air conditioning.
Plus there is the animal quarantine. I have two dogs.

[G Cthulhu]

You're limiting yourself if you're wanting to stick to just teaching. Amazon is hiring like crazy and are always looking for bilingual people. They are demanding, but they pay well and the benefits are good. And, as others have said, you seem to have the visa thing back to front. If you've been married 11 years then you should be able to apply under a couple of different visa classes prior to departure that allow for PR immediately upon arrival.

[nomad soul]

[Shakey]

Mitsui,

Are you still teaching at the university level in Japan, or are you leaving Japan to teach high school in the U.S.? Frankly, I think you are insane to want to return to the U.S. and teach high school kids.

[mitsui]

My wife had surgery. Cost in the US is 40,000 bucks.
Cost in Japan is about 2,000.

No need to rush. She needs to see the doctor next week.
I taught high school for 8 years in Japan.
I teach part-time here.
In the US, I can get SS plus a state pension. Sure beats what I will get here.
Not all high schools in the US are bad.

I know a teacher who is about 58. He is unemployed.
Another American is about the same age with 17 koma at 4-5 schools.
He has had enough but has to keep working. On Tiesday he looks like he will get burnout but he keeps going.
Sounds like a warning sign to me.

[kzjohn]

[mitsui]

Don't know. It would be the totalization agreement between Japan and the US.
Arizona and Nevada have state pensions for teachers.

[Shakey]

[nomad soul]