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Pompeyian · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 3 Location: Tokyo

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Pompeyian · Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 3 Location: Tokyo

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Timuli · Joined: 10 Jan 2004 Posts: 51 Location: Saitama

I wrote this on another thread here a few days back about Saxoncourt (Shane):

I worked for Shane for 2 years (Feb 2002 - Feb 2004). Not too many complaints. Salary was always on time. Didn't have to do too many extra things other schools require you to do apart from teaching (Like selling).

More holidays than most conversation schools.

You'll be working regularly at a different school for each day of the week (You get 2 days a week off, though not consecutive, lest you're lucky).

They do have a bit of a $hitty system for you days off - you have to be on "stand by" (Cover days) for some of your off days, so if some other teacher is ill, you cover for them. During the 2 years there, I prolly only covered about 6 times. So you could be lucky or not so.

Another thing is that on your off days you are expected to go to the regional office to check your post and stuff(Either once a week or once every two weeks. I forget). As you have a bit of liberty in what you teach (as long as you use their textbooks as a core), you'll do lots of copying of extra materials for your classes then.

They provide you with a furnished apartment (I was lucky in that it was bigger than most). Sure you'll be paying more than your Japanese neighbour, but if you're only going to be there for a year, considering it already has a fridge/air-con/phone line/washing machine/... it evens out short term.

Health Insurance wise they'll ask you to sign up with Global Health. Do some research on them to see if it's worth your while (Many foreigners are members.)

If you have a good DOS (Director of Studies - basically your immediate regional boss) life can be smooth sailing. If not you will have some frustrations (But luckily you don't see them every day:))

A lot depends on you and what you make of it. Some people come here straight out of uni, never having worked hard a day in their lives and complain a lot about this job. Others see it for what it is and enjoy their time here. I don't regret my time there. Was fun, learnt a lot, made good friends.

(Pardon any mistakes - I'm typing with one arm at the moment)

yamanote senbei · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 435

yamanote senbei · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 435

Asking which is better, Shane or Nova is like asking which is better, Burger King or McDonalds.

The only difference between eikaiwa and working in a fast food burger restaurant is that in an eikaiwa they call you teacher rather than grill crew. Actually, there's also the dress code. In eikaiwa you wear a suit and tie, and at a fast food restaurant you wear a uniform. At least McDonalds supplies their workers with uniforms, eikaiwa teachers have to buy their own. Gaba used to give their teachers a black suit on hiring, but they've since withdrawn that benefit.

Shane is quite small and comparing them to Burger King is somewhat unfair. They're not in the same league as Nova. Maybe, Fatburger?

Timuli · Joined: 10 Jan 2004 Posts: 51 Location: Saitama

If it's illegal, I haven't been arrested not prosecuted yet. As for my experiences with Global, I've had 5 big operations since coming to Japan 4 years ago (costs of the actual ops and hospital stays ranged from around 2 million yen to half a million yen) which were all covered in full by them. I just pay for the doctor visits which Global pays back. So regardless of what the founder is doing, I've had no problems with Global's assistance with my medical needs. (Might as well stop buying VW due to their Nazi links in the past. Do some research on most big businesses. Not role-model material)

stillnosheep · Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 2068 Location: eslcafe

bornslippy1981 · Joined: 02 Aug 2004 Posts: 271

A guy at a Japanese class I use to attend worked for Shane. His holidays sounded better than Nova. Not sure about pay, or the possibility of transfers.

As for Nova, transfers are easy. Holidays aren't great, but you can swap your shifts with people. I went home to stand in a wedding last fall, and didn't use any paid holidays during the 12 days I was gone. It was a pain working all the extra days prior to leaving, but I was able to save my holidays for this coming week when my family is visiting.

Many threads will tell you the same. Use these companies for the visa, and then jump ship. I can't say I've seen people given a hard time for resigning. A lot depends on the trainers/ATs/DOS, etc. at your branch. Some people will say, "a contract is a contract, so stick with it," but it all depends on what you want.

I got stuck because of my family coming, so wasn't able to interview for something else before my visa expired. I didn't think it would look good to interview and say, "Oh by the way, if you hire me, I need two weeks off in April. It's the start of the school year? That's okay. I'll make it up to you. Ha ha ha."

The DOS for Shane didn't sound so friendly from what the guy I knew was telling me. Then again, he said he got in trouble for not knowing what an adjective is, so maybe he deserved whatever treatment he got?

yamanote senbei · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 435

Timuli · Joined: 10 Jan 2004 Posts: 51 Location: Saitama

I didn't have 2.5 million. I've had 5 operations in Japan so far. The most expensive operation was around 2 million Yen. The cheapest one was around half a million. The other 3 operations were inbetween. So total for the operations is probably over the 5 million mark

And Global didn't pay back for them either. They paid the hospital directly. I just paid for the out-patient visits. (If you need a big op they will deal directly with the hospital. You just have to go through the motions of being operated on, eating hospital food and having nurses check your stats too many times a day)

As for my employer, who cares (My DOS was annoyed for the first one tbh.) It's my health that takes priority. Luckily most of the operations happened during a holiday (Most recent one was 4 weeks ago. Still wearing a shoulder brace and doing loads of physio. Only start teaching at uni again tomorrow though, so don't need to take days off. Blessed be the long uni hoidays Smile

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

yamanote senbei · Joined: 28 Jun 2005 Posts: 435

I'd like you to find me a reference for that, Paul. As far as I know, all residents must be on either Kenko Hoken or Kokumin Kenko Hoken. It's possible to argue that all workers, full and part time, must be covered by Kenko Hoken because that's what's written in law, but that's another argument. Part time workers should be fighting to be covered by Kenko Hoken because it has as additional benefits and their employers pay half the premiums.

The public or private insurance as long as you have insurance is a myth.