Job Discussion Forums

[lgibson]

Hi, I figured there may be some people that have been in a similar situation to myself and willing to offer a little advice to me?

I'm 30 and in Japan with my husband. We are both British. We're in a city of 350,000 in the middle of Tokoyo and Osaka. It's an ideal city for us and close to the mountains/beach. My husband works as an ALT and I work 1 day per week for a small language school. I also have one private class per week and finding it takes time to find privates for new arrivals.

We have been travelling for 3 years, this is our first year in Japan and we both love Japan, people etc., however, I'm finding being at home (for 80% of the time) really difficult. I do go for hikes, walks in the park etc. but.....

Although I have taught in other countries (without having a degree, tefl certificate etc) I really dont enjoy teaching a lot and feel unhappy taking work because I cant put in 100%.....

Without really wanting to teach and without speaking fluent Japanese I'm forced to be at home (when I'm not hiking, supermarket etc) and finding myself in a country I love but with strong desires to go out and work as I would back home (managerial, office work).

On top of that we hardly know anyone (other foreigners or Japanese) and are both a little shy when it comes to introducing ourself to people etc. In previous countries, we find it just takes a little time but in the meantime I'm really bored at home and feeling a little isolated.

I have thought about doing an exchange class or joining a class of some sort (art/craft) but am still trying to learn some basic Japanese at home and learning to read.

Any advise would be really appreciated, thank you for any replies in advance.

[Celeste]

You really need to sign up for a Japanese language class. There are many benefits to this. The obvious one being that you will learn to speak Japanese more quickly. As well, you will meet other people in similar situations this way. If you are not sure where to go to sign up for a Japanese class, your spouse could ask someone from work, or you could try at the local colleges/universities.

[Glenski]

The longer you stay at home, the worse your situation will be. Take advantage of those walks to chat with people. Anyone.

See the group of oldsters playing croquet or gate ball? Sit and ask about it.
You must be recognized by the mom & pop markets by now. Ask them about fruits and vegetables in season, or soon to be.
Find the community center and stop in. They are always in need of helpers.

Whatever you do, don't worry about your weak Japanese. Just talk.

You can always find a culture center and take up a hobby yourself. Japanese language, bonsai, ikebana, ballroom dancing, pottery, anything. Then, chat with your classmates and teacher!

Find a park with a nature guide and join in his tours. Talk!

Visit an onsen or ryokan or minshuku. Talk to the manager and other guests.

You know that making mistakes in any language is one of the best ways to learn it. Don't let your weak skills deter you from making friends or contacts or just having an enjoyable time.

[Judo]

Join a craft class or sports team, if you are interested. I lived in Osaka for two years teaching, and my coworker played all kinds of sports, which helped his Japanese and helped him make friends outside of work. I`ve never met a ball that didn`t hit me in the face first, so I asked a friend to help me find some craft classes. She found two classes that sounded interesting: wasaii, which is traditional Japanese sewing, and a class in making dolls out of clay. Both were great. I became good friends with another student in the dollmaking class, and absolutely loved the sewing class. The teacher and students were all older than me and married, so we did not form any lasting friendships, but I learned a lot about Japanese culture, and seriously improved my Japanese ability. I also got to make a number of pieces of Japanese clothing, including a simple kimono (talk about a great souvenir), and got to attend a hari kuuyo, a Shinto ceremony for tailors. At first I was treated as a bit of a novelty act, but they eventually did take me seriously, since I kept going, learned the sewing skills quickly, and always did a lot of work at home.

Those classes were in a `culture college` on the top floor of a Seibu department store. I have seen the same kind of college, with different classes, at a Lumine department store as well.

I recently returned to Japan and got someone to help me find another sewing class. Again, the teacher and students have all been really nice, and there is nothing like sitting there and sewing next to someone for 5 hours to improve your small talk ability! Good luck finding something interesting.