Job Discussion Forums

[ERINJK]

I find the foreign food club ... is quite expensive! especially since you have to pay for customs on top of everything.

there is another site.. www.theflyingpig.com . It's Costco(located IN Japan) and has quite a variety of foods. I used to order there every couple of months!

I would recommend "Lonely Planet" Japanese phrasebook if you are needing something to start with OR Barron's Japanese at a glance. Both are good!

I didn't experience culture shock, which was strange, since I came from a small town...but I did find it hard to make friends with someone other then foreigners just because of the language barrier!

I don't have a fish allergy, but I really do not like fish. In the 3yrs I have been here, I have found quite a few foods that don't have fish in them(I still don't like it), so hopefully you can find something too!!

Internet - ASAHI.NET is a pretty good service, but I think YahooBB is cheaper. Brastel phone cards are great but there is also another called PhoneBank Voicepass and it is good too&you can use if from pretty much anywhere in the world!!

GOOD LUCK Buying a bike!! shop around before getting the first one.. I've seen about a 5000yen difference in the same bike from different stores!!

ERIN

[worlddiva]

Well, things are looking up a bit.... I suppose.

I bought a brand new bike for 7,800yen, so 78$CAD. I though it was a pretty good deal.

I also ordered a Brastel card online, thank you for the info!

I also managed to order a landline and the internet through YahooBB. That guy Jimmie is quite helpful. I will be getting my landline on friday and the internet by next wednesday, I can`t wait...somehow it will make this that much more bearable.


Ok, ok....I actually had a pretty good day today, but I must admit that the only thing keeping me going right now is the idea in my head that I could just pack up and leave whenever. I know, I know...that`s bad but you gotta do/think what you gotta think to get you through.　ps: chatting with you guys helps.

I really didn`t think that the culture shock would be this bad..I somehow overlooked that aspect before deciding to do this.

Oh...yeah, I also got international calling on my cell which has helped immensely.

WD

[Senshixena]

I'm glad you are doing much better. I know I'm not in a position to help you out, but I hope that as the days go by you find things getting better and not worse. You can always email me if you need to vent!

[Sweetsee]

Hi WD,

You could think of your present situation as something that you will never be able to experience again--enjoy!

Have you ever lived in a place so long you wish you could get lost there? Ever met visitors to your place and gotten a rush from how fired up they were to be there?

Now, you have a bike, explore. You are lucky to be where you are because there are not so many foreigners around. You will meet very nice people and they will be excited to meet you.

Seek out your neighborhood shops you will be frequenting. Good place to start practicing your greetings, introductions and small talk. The people get really fired up when you show an interest in them and their language.

Find the parks, libraries, museums and sport facilities available in your area.

This is your great adventure!

Have fun and enjoy yourself. Ah yeah, you must get great surf down there, some of the best in Japan I believe. What are your interests?


Enjoy yourself,
s

[Gordon]

Sweetsee is right.
Kochi is supposed to be one of the most beautiful places in Japan (minus the typhoons). Explore the countryside. Focus on the positives rather than the negatives. The best season is coming (spring) now and soon the cherry blossoms will come out. Truly spectacular, ask your students where the best places to see the blossoms are and they may invite you to a party.

[Sweetsee]

Thank you Gordon. That was very kind of you and I don't have to tell you that it certainly brightened up my day.

Oh yeah WD, you are styling down there! Whatever you do, don't sit around your "room" on the net all the time. You have been given excellent advice here. Especially, what Guest of Japan said about work. Umm-hmm, and you can be busy getting to know your way around. Surely, you can get anywhere by bike. People will say you are crazy and such but don't listen. Might as well start collecting your private students, get paid to hang out. Hmmph, I remember back when, getting paid to shoot the breeze with folks...


Have fun,
s

[worlddiva]

Thanks guys,

I will try to get out and see the city. I`ve heard that kochi is beautiful. The view from my apt is awesome, on one side I see Kochi castle and from the other the Shikoku mountains. From what I`ve heard from others I`m pretty lucky to have such a view.

Thanks, for all your support.

I`ll keep you updated.
WD

[sethness]

I'd strongly recommen dthat you check out your local kouminkan or shuukaisho. (The former is a BIG community ectivity center; the latter is a little one.) Both are government-run, and there's one about ever one or two kilometers in cities and suburbs. The ones in the countryside are few and far between, but they're ENOURMOUS and incredibly well endowed in the countryside, to make up for their rarity.

At a typical kouminkan, you'll find a "learnign Japanese" circle with Japanese teachers (volunteer) and foreigners banding together to learn the language. You'll also find sign language lessons, pottery, cooking, woodcarving, every kind of sports, a few kinds of dancing, calligraphy Japanese style, gardening, hiking, yoga, English lessons, Spanish lessons, Chinese and Korean lessons.... you name it, although electronics and other handyman do-it-yourself stuff seems underrepresented.

That, and they always have pamphlets and flyers for upcoming festivals, concerts, and so on... free or pay-to-go.

I felt a bit bored and not socialized enough (I hate the bar scene & loud music) until I dicovered the incredible number of lessons and clubs at all the community centers near me. I live in teh suburbs, and am within 2 kilometers of at last 3 kouminkan and 4 shuukaisho.

It's certainly a good place to meet English-speaking, ready-to-volunteer Japanese folks, and to get some interesting friends. Go for it.