Job Discussion Forums

duckeating · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 4

...I'll be in Japan, teaching my first class.

So, what would you do with 31 days to go?

D.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

duckeating · Joined: 12 Jul 2005 Posts: 4

I'm leaving the question open-ended.

Thinking back to before you left, what did you do and what do wish you had done?

D.

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

This may be useful for you when the plane is touching down at Narita or Kansai airport...

http://thejapanfaq.cjb.net/

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

1. Study as much Japanese as you can.

2. Be absolutely sure you have contact numbers for people back home.

3. Study as much Japanese as you can.

4. Prepare a collection of recipes that you can make with minimal cooking utensils, and that you can store in batches to each later.

5. Study as much Japanese as you can.

6. Learn about the area you will live/work in.

7. Study as much Japanese as you can.

8. Lurk here and ask questions as they come up.

9. Study as much Japanese as you can.

10. Prepare to have someone take care of sending you CARE packages with books, video tapes, clothes, etc. as needed.

11. Study as much Japanese as you can.

12. Learn as much about teaching EFL as you can, especially what you can expect from students.

13. Study as much Japanese as you can.

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

Why close the bank account? He (she?) might need it to remit savings, make payments back home, etc. I'd say leave it open, but get everything set up online--you can check your balance, make monthly payments, etc.

d

king kakipi · Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 353 Location: Australia

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

From the FAQs page

Do you have any tips?"

*Learn as much Japanese as you can before you come. Anything you learn will make your stay here easier. Very few Japanese can speak English with ease. If you get lost, try writing your question on paper and giving it to someone young. Use simple words. Probably they can point you in the right direction.

*Bringing a number of inexpensive gifts with you is also a good idea, to give them to those who show you a big kindness. Nothing extravagant is necessary -- even a video of MTV would do wonders, or some item of Americana or that represents where you're from. Cassettes of Top-40 radio (Japanese radio is horrible), small picture books or calendars, posters, ashtrays, chocolates, pure maple or berry syrups, t-shirts or pens/pencils with famous animation characters (except Disney or Snoopy, which they have in abundance), BBQ sauces, salad dressings like Ranch, flavored coffees, keychains, postcards, liquor, caps, coasters, nice soap or shampoos, lotions, cosmetics, etc. would be great. Even varieties of green tea that Japanese have never tried, such as with mandarin orange by Celestial Seasonings, or green tea with jasmine, earl grey, apple, raspberry, lemon, ginseng or mint from Salada would do well - they're cheap, light, and familiar to Japanese yet still unique. Be aware though that in Japan 4 and 9 are "unlucky" numbers, and especially older Japanese tend to be superstitious, so avoid giving sets of 4 or 9.

*If you still don't know how many litres there are in a gallon, how hot 37 degrees Centigrade is, how heavy 32kg is, or how far 1 km is, then join the rest of the world and get on the metric system. Everything here is metric, and if you're not, you'll be lost very quickly.

*If you know where you'll be, getting some business cards before you come may be a good idea. However, while getting them in Japan is far more expensive, in Japan they can be printed in Japanese, or with English on one side. You will also receive many of them. They are exchanged to show who is superior to whom in this vertically-structured society. Do not play Frisbee with them , or stick them in your back pocket and sit on them when you meet someone.

* In Japan there is a 5% consumption tax. It is placed on every product you buy and every service (except public transportation), and more increases are expected in the years ahead.

* This is obvious, but NEVER SURRENDER YOUR PASSPORT TO ANYONE except the legal government authorities. Many people have been blackmailed to stay in their jobs by shady types who took them "for safekeeping". If they ask why, tell them the truth -- that you trust them about as far as you can throw--, well, maybe not that. But say that it's not even your property to give them -- it's your government's, which is also true. Stay away from such places -- you wouldn't be working there long anyway.

* If you're definitely coming, bring a good digital camera with you. They are excellent for sending photos to friends thru the net, as well as easy to make many photo albums of your experiences here. You can also store thousands of photos on a Super DigiBin, X-Drive, Nixvue Vista, Image Tank, or really dazzle people with an Archos Jukebox. The photos will be a treasure you will look back on with great fondness as you get older, and if you don't do it you'll sorely regret it later.

Some other useful things to bring (which are very high in Japan) are aspirin, vitamins, Vicks vapor rub, OTC medicines, deodorant, suntan lotion, birthday/Xmas cards, books, and some spices for some cooking. If you are a women wearing a US size 8 shoe or larger (25cm, Euro size 39), your size may be very scarce; the same goes if you wear larger size lingerie or clothes/suits. It is not hard to get stuff shipped to you, but to avoid customs hassles have your family send it to you; not direct mail-order. Men's shoes may be harder to find above size 9, especially in rural areas.

* On the main island of Honshu there are many earthquake faults, and tremors in Tokyo are a daily happening. Most of them you won't even feel, but on occasion you might get a jolt. DON'T PANIC. But Tokyo is expecting a "Big One" someday, so be prepared for any big earthquake or tsunami.

* In case you lose your passport, license, etc., keep a photocopy of them in your place just in case. They can't be used in place of them but might speed up getting a replacement.

freddie's friend daniel · Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 84 Location: Osaka-fu

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Paul,
There is plenty of information in English on Amazon.jp. In fact, on the opening page, there is a button near the upper right corner that you click to convert the page to English. It says "IN ENGLISH".

While there may not be as many selections on Amazon.jp as on Amazon.com or UK, you can still get better prices there than at the regular booksellers in Japan. And, one thing more, if you use Amazon.jp and spend 1500 yen or more in a single purchase, shipping is FREE.

So, unless you can find and rely on a used book store that sells thing in English, go with Amazon.jp all the way.