Job Discussion Forums

[PrinceofZibo]

Hi,

I'm writing this topic as I am planning on coming to Tokyo for the summer. I want to come straight when school ends at the end of april and plan on staying until the end of august. I am coming as I want to spend my time with my girlfriend (a japanese foreign student living with me in Canada whose family live in Shinjuku). As their apartment is small they don't want to accomodate me for more than a couple of weeks.

I have found a part-time job in Shinjuku but wouldn't be earning enough money for me to live very well off it (100 000 Yen a month for 20hours a week). So I was wondering if anyone had a giant flat around that area and would be willing to share a room or share its place with me in exchange for money.

I am a very talkative guy, fun type, non smoking. I don't party much. I'm interested in languages (I taught english for a year in China before and speak french, english as native languages and also speak spanish and mandarin). Basically I'd be looking to pay between 25 000 to 40 000 Yen for a decent place.

If you have something to offer, any tips, feel free to pm me or reply to this topic.

[azarashi sushi]

Don't hold your breath!

[Sweetsee]

Was your "girlfriend" homestaying with your family?

[PrinceofZibo]

Thank you both for the reply.

To answer you azarashi sushi, I do have savings and plan on finding extra income once in Tokyo (finding work from overseas is kind of hard and long). I know I will have to be careful with money, but I am used to it. As for entertainment, I never go out clubbing where I'm living now so I don't expect to go out that much more in Tokyo.

As for your question Sweetsee, my girlfriend wasn't homestaying with my family, though the first time she came, she homestayed with a family for 9 months. She has been living with me in an appartment for the past 8 months and my family has invited her quite often.

So here is how it is.

I hope to get more posts from you guys. If you see any opportunities (for housing or jobs, keep them posted!)

[Sweetsee]

I presume you will be here on a 90-day tourist visa?

[PrinceofZibo]

I will come on a working holiday visa. It is valid for 6 months but my school holiday is only 4 months.

[Sweetsee]

First, you will never find anyone to share their living space with you in Tokyo, it's too expensive and places are too small. In over 16 years here I have never ever heard of such an arrangement.

You may share a room in a gaijin house. They used to go for 30,000 to share and 60,000 for your own but I heard they are like double that now, though I may be wrong. You would have to research that.

Second, I hope the part time job you mentioned does not envolve teaching English, does it?

Finally, don't make the mistake of imposing on your girlfriend's parents, even for a night. She may have been cool with shacking up with you over there, but here, at her parent's, I seriously doubt that would be cool, at all. Of course again, I could be wrong.

If it were me, I would bring my gear and live rough, I did it before. It won't be easy but you will be a man.

[angrysoba]

Sweetsee:

[Sweetsee]

What's wrong with teaching English? Nothing.

That is a joke, right? Wrong.

What's more, either offer the OP advice or...

[angrysoba]

Prince of Zibo:

Here's some advice. Don't listen to Sweetsee when she tells you to sleep rough, sleeping rough is not manly.

Japan's crime rate may not be high but employers tend to frown on their workers living like tramps.

[Sweetsee]

Never advised anyone to live rough, I said if it were me.
As for being a man, that was in reference to staying with her parents.
You can pm me PZ and I will share my summer of love experience.

[PrinceofZibo]

Well her parents aren't so bad, sincerely (and I mean it!!) . I spend 6 days there last year and they were totally in love me with me. Thing is they don't feel like helping me as they are scared I'll run into trouble because of my absent japanese language abilities.

To answer your questions as for the job I'll be having, well, I don't see anything wrong with teaching english (or french) though it isn't the job I was mentionning in my post. I do consider teaching if I find an opportunity (I actually have a Tesol certificate and would be opened to substitude teachers and stuff).

I know that my summer will probably be a little rough, but I won't live in the trash or do any such things. My girlfriend and I have looked for appartments online and found a couple decent places I'd probably consider if I were there right now. I've seen those in Nakano and the prices range between 25 000 and 35 000 a month (those aren't advertised in english so you won't find them by yourself).

I made this post to see if some (by any chances) were looking for a roomate of someone to share their place with for a short term. I know this isn't an habit in Japan but it is anywhere else in the world, and believe me, there's nothing wrong with it as it helps you improve your social relationships and opens you to other realities (this is probably what the japanese society of nowaday lacks the most and what lots of people who closes themselve and refuse to live with others suffers the most).

Thanks again for your advices. If you want to share your summer of love in Japan stories, feel free to send them to me in pm, sounds interesting.

Olivier

[Sweetsee]

Don't get me wrong Olivier, nothing wrong with teaching English of course, just not 20 hours a week for 100,000 a month, obviously.
And I hear you on the roommate thing, if more folks had them things might be different here--better!
Check the Metropolis, who knows, you may be able to find a sub-let if you are lucky. And try some of the other sites where teachers hang.
Heck, we are thinking of renting a room but this summer we can't.
Good luck to you, make it happen!