Job Discussion Forums

Jizzo T. Clown · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:06 pm Post subject: Alone in Himeji--Ideal Position?

I'm considering taking an offer with American Language School in Himeji. Is this a good place to live? From what I remember, it's a small town between Osaka and Okayama. Is there anything to do in a smaller town like that? Are there many foreginers?

Also, it appears that I would be the only teacher at the school. It does seem potentially lonely, though. Any thoughts on this?

abufletcher

abufletcher · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:20 pm Post subject:

BTW, is this the photo you used on your CV too? Very Happy

Jizzo T. Clown · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:24 pm Post subject:

Apparently there are quite a few branches of ALS that have only one teacher. In the interview I was told that schools vary, having from 1-4 teachers each.
Guess it would be too bad if I had to call in sick, but then maybe there would be lots of OT available...?

abu--just trying to get into the Halloween spirit! Twisted Evil

nomadder · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 1:33 pm Post subject:

I've done it and it can be difficult. It wouldn't suit everyone. Luckily I became pretty good friends with a Japanese co-worker and she was the type who fit in better with foreigners than Japanese.

kitano · Joined: 18 Nov 2004 Posts: 86

Himeji is not THAT small. You'll find things to do, and the Shinkaisoku train is really fast so you can go to Kobe whenever you want.

Jizzo T. Clown · Posted: Fri Oct 21, 2005 10:03 pm Post subject:

So there is stuff to do there? How's the shopping? Is the cost of living relatively low?

Thanks heaps!

--J

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

I lived in Himeji for four years, I have to say that in my opinion it is a fantastic place to live. It isnt' at all small, the population is about 500,000 and there is a very large shopping and entertainment district downtown with lots of things to do. It also has Japan's most famous castle and the temple complex on Mount Shosha where a large number of the scenes from the film "The Last Samurai" were filmed.

There is a good sized foreign community in the city, with an international centre at the Igret centre south of the castle and several bars (Tiger Pub, Hossana and Tropicana) where most of the gaijin community frequent.

There is easy direct train access to Kobe (40 minutes) Osaka (1 hour) and Kyoto (1hr 30 min), so it is quite easy to take weekend trips.

I'm not familiar with American Language school, so I can't say anything about what working for them will be like.

If you have any other questions about the place I'd be glad to answer them. I had a fantastic time there and would gladly live there again.

Zzonkmiles · Joined: 05 Apr 2003 Posts: 309

Himeji has a very high concentration of foreigners, considering its small size. I found many bilingual signs and notices when I visited Himeji last year. I don't think the city has 500,000 people, but you're definitely not in the middle of the inaka either. The JR, Hanshin, and Shinkansen have stations there.

As for being the only foreigner or only teacher at the school, that's what I experience everyday. It'll be great for your Japanese ability. I've found that my listening and knowledge of slang and formal Japanese improved considerably since I started working there. Because I'm able to effectively communicate with the Japanese staff there, I don't really feel so lonely, even though I work in the countryside. I've found the J-staff to be quite friendly and funny. They even include me in their after work social activities, such as private dinners that they don't even invite some of the other J-teachers to. So I think I've fit in quite nicely. You can too if you make an effort to speak with them in their language.

And in your case, there are many foreigners in Himeji. So even if you are lonely at work, at least you'll have other foreigners you can hang out with once the day is over. Himeji's a good place to live. Consider yourself lucky. I don't know anything about American Language School, however.

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

I`m the only teacher at my school and while I have friends now I can you that its a struggle at first. I put myself out there, joined Japanese classes, went to the gaijin bars, and it was still six months or so before I was what I would call good friends with anyone. I had a lot of acquaintences but those first few months were very tough and I thought a lot about jacking it in. My boss (who was actually an *beep* anyway, but sold the school back in March so is thankfully long gone) lived in a different city, and the Japanese manager was a forty five year old housewife.

Unless you`re extremely outgoing and prepared to make serious efforts to meet people I`d advise you to think very hard about it. You`ll have no one to talk to if you`re pissed about work, (your boss won`t want to know!) and no one to chill with whose in the same boat.

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

Population of Himeji: 493,000.

Not quite 500,000 but pretty close.

J. · Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 327

I only vivisted Himeji once during the Cherry Blossom festival time at the castle but I can tell you it's pretty jumping then. I saw quite a few non-Japanese but maybe some like me were visiting. I also thought it had a good shopping area and was an attractive town.

Lots of small schools have only one teacher. It can be lonely but most towns in Japan have a network of non-Japanese and I think it will probably be no problem to get connected once you make contact, as someone said, maybe through an International Centre, or a chance meeting.

To the person who was disparaging the "45 year old housewife", seems to me if she was managing the place she was a MANAGER not a housewife. Throw a little sexism in with your ageism, why don't you?

seanmcginty · Joined: 27 Sep 2005 Posts: 203

Yeah, the during the cherry blossom season each year probably more than a million people come to town to see the castle. Because of the castle there are always a lot of foreigners in town but most of those are just tourists, not residents.

A couple other events of note are the Yukata festival in June, which attracts hundreds of thousands of people in their brightly colored Yukata.

The most famous festival is the fighting festival (Kenka Matsuri) held in October in which thousands of drunk men hoist meticulously decorated million dollar portable shrines made of wood in the air and litterally smash them into each other. Inevitably people get killed or maimed each year, but it is quite the site, often compared to the running of the bulls in Pamplona for the sheer stupidity of the people who participate!!

cornishmuppet · Joined: 27 Mar 2004 Posts: 642 Location: Nagano, Japan

Yeah sorry J, you're right about that! She was the manager, and she was a damn good one too.

She actually quit in the end because her husband wanted her to be just a housewife and guide their two boys through their high school exams. So I was wrong and right in the same sentence.

And she didn't look forty five. Just a little stern.