Job Discussion Forums

[bexely2000]

Hi there,

Does anyone know anything about the Active English School in Shiojiri city, Nagano prefecture?

It sounds really good, Alps are good, 260,000 is good, small school sounds good to me, and qualification are good too. So in conclusion, it sounds good. My question is is it too good to be true?

Any thoughts, notions, ideas, positions, opinions or other stuff�s appreciated.

[kitano]

I don't know the school but I know the area and I think it is good. I lived in the Ina/Iida area and I found it too isolating. However Shiojiri is just a couple of stops from Matsumoto which is my favorite small city in Japan. It has enough to keep you busy citywise and then lots of skiing in the winter and hiking etc in the summer. Although Matsumoto is good, if you are a real city person more than an outdoor type then maybe a bigger city is in order.

[bexely2000]

Thanks for your ideas.

Having just moved to a huge city in the UK, I now realise more than ever that a 'big' city or indeed a 'little' one is eminently relative.

So when you say that Matsumoto is a small city, sorry to be picky, but what exactly do you mean? Have you a vague idea of how many people live there, for example? Or something like that? I don't know of any other way of quantifying it really.

Again, thanks for your help,

[moot point]

Sorry to jump in on this conversation, but if you haven't been to Japan before and you ask about the population of a city I think you'll be deceived. I find the number of people living in the city is not a good indicator of what you'd expect to find in that city. Divide the population by four and compare it to a city in the UK to get an idea of what kind of amenities you'd expect to find in that city.

If it's crawling with tourists, however, I'm sure you'd be able to find an abundance of restaurants all serving variations of the same local food. If it's not, expect to find less local food restaurants but more variations of karaoke bars/snacks with low sofas decorated in various shades of velvet.

By the way, is 260,000 good? How much are you going to be paying for your apartment? How much will it cost you to make occasional weekend trips to a bigger city to fulfil some of those western needs? Years ago I started on a similar salary and found it hard to save more than 50,000yen a month, even less after I made some friends and started enjoying myself.

[bexely2000]

All fair points!!

Like i say, i dont really know of any way to judge the size of a city. That's my only guess, lame as it may be!

260,000 seemed good to me. I ve not taught in Japan before, so going from what i m used to, China, its a fortune! But, of course, your right, need to check out other stuff too. But as a start, considering most i see are 250,000, the one talked about here is, ipso facto, good.

Additionally, with my qualification, or lack thereof, 260000 seems to be the limit of what i can reasonably expect. (Though i did get an interview for Kuwait somehow, but my utter lack of qualification must of somehow shone through!)

Thanks

[Lynn]

I had a friend who worked at that school in the 90s. She stayed for over a year, so that tells you something.

I went to visit her once. It was a nice town, and the apartment was nice, too.

[GreenDestiny]

I'm also interested in the position, although the area isn't at all familiar to me. The *divide population by 4* is an interesting bit of advice. Thanks!

All the best,
GreenDestiny

[Gordon]

If the job sounds good, then apply. Nothing to lose.

[GreenDestiny]

Gordon, is your avatar a photo of Shikoku? Awesome landscape.

All the best,
GreenDestiny

[wintersweet]

I suspect that picture is the REAL Alps. ;D

[Gordon]

[stillnosheep]

Shikoku has its share of awesome highland landscapes!

[ERINJK]

hey!
I'm actually applying with that school too... it sounds good and the pay is average for Japan and really Nagano city or Tokyo aren't that far away if you need to fulfill your western needs!

A comment on population.. I have lived in two cities since coming to Japan. One had just over 50,000people and the one I'm in now has 100,000people. And other then the lack of a few good stores in either place, I haven't found it the population difference much different. I'm sure smaller country side towns would have quite a different feel to it, but hey, really if you don't want a small town feel...Don't move there!!

[ERINJK]

[Gordon]