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QueenSerenity42
Joined: 09 Mar 2005
Posts: 35
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 Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 10:51 pm Post subject: Researching companies and possibilities. Help? |
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This is likely to end up as a two-part post of questions that I haven't found answers to yet in my research.
My boyfriend and I are looking into going to teach english in Japan and I'd very much appreciate some help from those who have done it.
1. I've heard so many terrible things about NOVA and GEOS, so we're looking primarily at AEON and ECC. Any suggestions for which is better and what the chances of getting an offer are (I have a journalism degree; boyfriend has a psychology/economics/philosophy degree(s)?
2. My boyfriend and I have been together for a long time and live together. We would like to continue to live together if/when we go to Japan. Do any companies allow this? What do we need to do to be assigned to the same place and (hopefully) share an apartment?
3. Most of the people on forums and websites are young men describing their experiences (and desire to have sex with students - what's the obsession with that?!). What kinds of experiences/difficulties am I likely to face as a 20-something woman working in eikaiwa?
Any help people could offer with these questions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
QS42 |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Wed Mar 09, 2005 11:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| 1. I've heard so many terrible things about NOVA and GEOS, so we're looking primarily at AEON and ECC. Any suggestions for which is better and what the chances of getting an offer are (I have a journalism degree; boyfriend has a psychology/economics/philosophy degree(s)? |
First of all, you will hear far more negative remarks about any school or company than you will hear positive ones. It's easier to complain, and the Internet affords a great opportunity to remain anonymous.
Second, read these blogs to see a more fair appraisal of NOVA. (I do not, nor have I ever, worked for NOVA. Just trying to show you something more positive.)
http://www.jref.com/practical/teaching_at_nova.shtml
http://vocaro.com/trevor/japan/nova/level_up.html
www.grassrootdesign.com/stuff.asp
http://markcity.blogspot.com/teaching.htm
Third, some people have reported that AEON refuses to let couples, even married ones, live together. Insane, but that's their rule. You might find a branch that permits this, but just be forewarned. In any case, with whatever outfit you end up investigating, you should really know that there are extremely few places that guarantee you can be placed in the same city, let alone the same branch office. You probably wouldn't want to work in the same office anyway. Companies/Schools that take on couples will only "assure" you that they will do their best to accommodate your wishes, but in the final analysis, they put you where they have the vacancies.
Fourth, your degrees are fairly immaterial for eikaiwa work, and the two that you have are pretty common for eikaiwa teachers. You shouldn't feel badly that you don't have teaching degrees, because (probably) most eikaiwa teachers don't.
| Quote: |
| 2. My boyfriend and I have been together for a long time and live together. We would like to continue to live together if/when we go to Japan. Do any companies allow this? What do we need to do to be assigned to the same place and (hopefully) share an apartment? |
See what I wrote above. Also, the places that I have found which allow this, and sometimes even advertise for couples, include NOVA, MIL, ECC, Peppy Kids Club, Fifth Wings, Unitas Language Academy, and JET Programme. Bear in mind that NOVA, ECC, and JET hire thousands of people every year and therefore have just as many possible locations to place each of you. They all promise that they will "do their best" to take your requests to heart, but in the end, you go where they have the vacancies. If you want more info on these 7 places (info from other posters whose messages I've saved), send me an email. [email protected]
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| 3. Most of the people on forums and websites are young men describing their experiences (and desire to have sex with students - what's the obsession with that?!). What kinds of experiences/difficulties am I likely to face as a 20-something woman working in eikaiwa? |
The obsession is just that. I won't go into detail except to say that not all of us males are like that. For some information from a woman's POV, I suggest you look at www.being-a-broad.com and/or read the book Being A Broad in Japan, as well as see what this forum's resident female population can tell you. |
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stillnosheep
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Posts: 2068
Location: eslcafe
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| Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 3:18 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
| Third, some people have reported that AEON refuses to let couples, even married ones, live together. Insane, but that's their rule. |
Sorry Glenski; Aeon have nothing whatsoever against couples, married or otherwise, living together. Indeed as no contract is sent until the location, school and apartment package is agreed upon it is possible as a couple to specify that you wish to work in the same city.
What Aeon do supply is a a single apartment at a subsidised rent of 42 000 yen pcm for every teacher, for which payment is deducted from salary; but you can live where you like. So each member of a couple will have 42 000 yen deducted from their salary of 255 yen. With the free (private) medical insurance, the paid commuting expenses, the slightly higher salary and the completion bonuses this still should work out better than working for Nova and swapping out to your own apartment after a few months. And most Aeon teachers seem to have a teaching workload of around 20 hrs per week, rather than around 28, altho' they still have to be in the office for 38 hrs or whatever it is and take part in the office meetings and training sessions etc etc.
What Aeon do not do is enrol is enrol thir teachers in the state unemployment and medical system. Their not allowing teachers to move out of and cease paying for Aeon accomodation is probably also illegal. In practice therre is nothing to stop a couple living in one apartment and sub-letting the other to a friendly Nova teacher thus providing the couple with an extra income of 42 000 pcm whilst saving the Nova teacher around 25 000 yen compared to the cost of Nova accomodation, and the Nova teacher gets a decent single apartment instead of a room in a shared apartment with strangers. Everyone's a winner! |
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bzakka
Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 48
Location: Santiago, Chile
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| Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 1:30 am Post subject: |
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hmmmm... sheep might just be on to something with that last paragraph...
All i know about Nova is that they group teachers together and most people would prefer not to be. Furthermore, they apparently charge their teachers some 20,000 more per month for rent than what they actually pay for the place, and pocket the difference. I think that this is causing the most damage to their reputation.
Aeon has no policy forbidding couples... i don't know where that came from. I was with them for two years and never heard anything like that. I actually worked with a married couple who lived together in a nice big apt that Aeon found for them... i know because i had to help clean it before they moved in!!
Depending on what division of Aeon you work for (aeon or amity) your apt subsidy can be as low as 33,000 per month. Working for the same company in the same town might be tricky, though. you'll just have to ask them. |
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QueenSerenity42
Joined: 09 Mar 2005
Posts: 35
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| Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 4:48 am Post subject: now that i think about it... |
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| As a minorly stupid question, does anyone happen to know how to go about applying to an eikaiwa school (likely Aeon or ECC) as a couple? Do you just send your resumes together or how would one go about it? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 5:23 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Sorry Glenski; Aeon have nothing whatsoever against couples, married or otherwise, living together. |
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| Aeon has no policy forbidding couples... i don't know where that came from. |
Sorry, but as I wrote, this is exactly what some people have reported. I have no way of confirming this or not, but I felt it was pertinent to mention.
Read this thread to see 2 examples -- one married, one unmarried.
http://www.eslcafe.com/forums/job/viewtopic.php?t=3371&highlight=aeon+couple |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Mar 11, 2005 5:26 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| does anyone happen to know how to go about applying to an eikaiwa school (likely Aeon or ECC) as a couple? Do you just send your resumes together or how would one go about it? |
Put yor preference in your cover letter (ECC) or in the essay on why you want to live and work in Japan (online application, AEON). |
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QueenSerenity42
Joined: 09 Mar 2005
Posts: 35
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| Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2005 7:06 am Post subject: |
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Glenski, you are an absolutely wonderful person for helping out so many of us newbies with our (often redundant) questions. Thank you so much.
(btw, the name's Kari. I just don't usually think to use it in private e-mails to people I don't really know. O.o;; )
Again, you're great and I appreciate your help so much!!!
QS42 |
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Akula the shark
Joined: 06 Oct 2004
Posts: 103
Location: NZ
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| Posted: Sat Mar 12, 2005 10:08 am Post subject: |
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| You'll be able to save a lot of money as a couple in Japan, provided you can both find work. I would recommend a larger city, as it would be easier for the both of you to find work nearby each other. |
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