Job Discussion Forums

[Fedor]

Hello all. Basically, my situation is this: I have just graduated from university, and don't know what to do with my life in terms of further education / carreer at this point in time. Furthermore, I more or less knew that I would be in this predicament around this time, so I took a TESL course, and applied for the JET program (Japan) a while ago.

Time passed, I did not think that JET would accept me, and other ideas started popping into my head. Specifically, the idea of learning Spanish and living in a South American country. In fact, I was working a clerical job saving good money (could likely have banked around CAN$7000+ by the end of the summer), when I got the surprising bit of news that someone had dropped out and that JET had accepted me.

Since that moment, I have been agonizing over the decision... obviously, the money I could save in Japan far outweighs what I would make in SA, and it would thus I would have many more options for the year following. I would also have a chance to see much of Asia, which is very cool, of course.

The other side of the coin is that, at present, I don't quite feel the passion for Asia that I do for SA, though I am sure that I could develop that. Furthermore, JET would also mean a small town, and while this might be good for really getting to know the people there, it would also be pretty isolating. I am also a rather physical person, and dislike even North American physical reservedness, and Japan seems like another step in the wrong direction in this department.

If any of you have some experiences or insights from working in either of these places, I would be glad to hear them.

Thanks for your time,

- Fedor

[supertraveller]

I was in a similar situation a not too long ago. I chose South America and the only down side was that i am back in Toronto and quite depressed as i miss it so much. If you avoid Argentina, as there is no money to be made there, you can save a few thousand and then travel at the end of your contract. And its really amazing. PM me if you need any specific information, I went there with no job and looked around for a long time before finding something i liked. Take care.

[ls650]

You managed to save a few thousand dollars in South America, after only a year of working? I think that's actually pretty unusual, isn't it?

[supertraveller]

I am a very good saver of money. My friends also ask me how I do it. But I am not cheap. Take care.

[Ai]

JET is a really sweet deal!! If you do the JET program for 1 year then you can save a lot of money. I've heard it's easy to save $10,000 in a year. With that money you can go to SA next and not have to worry so much about making money.

[MELEE]

Without a doubt, do the JET!!!!!!

I love Latin America, I have had a love afair with Latin America since 1990. I've also spent 18 months in Japan. DO THE JET DO THE JET DO THE JET!

I think you should do the Jet . Why?
Its your first teaching job and you will have a lot more support on the JET than you would going to Latin America. Japan is also an amazing place. I went there with no expectations, choosing it because I broke and was hire by a school that bought my plane ticket. And I love it, it was such a wonderful experience I'm so glad that I have that as part of my life. At times I miss it, but I left after 18 months because I needed to get back to Latin America. You can always come to Latin America later. And you will be wiser and more experienced (both in and out of the classroom) if you come after having been in Japan.

If you have more questions, just ask.

[denise]

To me it sounds like you're trying to decide between money and culture. Yeah, you can make a decent salary in Japan, but you can also spend a lot there, too!

If money is truly a priority, I'd say choose Japan. Your comment about how you could learn to like the culture caught my attention, though. What do you do if you get over there and just can't get into it? You can't just will yourself to like a place. I tried that with Japan! I chose Japan for the money, and while I loved my job, had a lot of good times and memories, and did save a bit, I was never as interested in the culture as I had always been in Latin American culture. Now I'm here earning a fraction of the salary, but I've lived in two countries down here that actually interested me. While I was in Japan I realized that I would rather go somewhere I wanted to go than be lured by money. (At the expense of my student loan payments--ooooops!)

d

[Fedor]

Thanks for the comments guys; they've all been very helpful. Right now, I am leaning towards doing the JET, both due to the money and to the possibility of seeing the rest of Asia while I am there. I could certainly learn a few things while I am there, and its not like South America is going anywhere.

Denise, I guess what I meant by that comment was that I could learn to find a culture interesting and exciting to me, simply by virtue of the great difference between it and me... however, you're probably right that this may be hard to do if you are constantly in the culture and being routinely hit over the head with its negative qualities... furthermore, I can now see how that link between interesting and exciting is pretty tenuous.

Also, from the way you describe Japan, it really doesn't sound all that bad: good job, good memories, good money... just not interested in the culture. Did you simply feel neutral towards the culture, or did you actively dislike it? If the latter, then for what reason? How is this different in SA?

I apologize if I am probing too much, but I just want to get a balanced picture.

Again, thanks for your opinions, all.

- Fedor

[Justin Trullinger]

(At the expense of my student loan payments--ooooops!)



I know how you feel. I'm finally, after many Spanish speaking years, trying to get mine current again. It's worth remembering- they will NEVER give up. Five days after the apocalypse, you will get a phone call saying "Is this Denise? I'm calling to remind you of your student loan responsibility..."

I'm hovering between two possibilities- arranging a consolidated payment plan, or faking my own death. What do you all think?

Justin

[denise]

Fedor--

Don't worry about probing! You're making a big decision!

I'm not sure how to explain it... Recently a friend asked me if I would go back to Japan. I said no, because I liked everything about my life there except the country itself. Great job, good salary, my own house (paid for), car bought dirt-cheap, good food (even on a limited vegan diet), season pass to ski resort, onsens, onsens, onsens (thermal pools). But many expats in Japan go there because they've had a lifelong love affair with the culture, anime, girls, etc. I never had that initial fascination, so I was left starting from scratch culturally. I think my experience was based more on the specific context in which I lived. Going back to a different area with a different job, different social circle, etc. would probably be a mistake.

Uh, all of a sudden I feel like this is becoming a non-answer... Time to stop rambling!

Justin--for a temporary solution to the student loan issue, I simply called and said, "Hi! I've living in Peru at the moment and not earning a decent enough salary to make my payments, and I'm planning on returning to the US and looking for a job. I might be unemployed for a few months. What can I do?" I got a deferment for a year. No hassles at all. And it's renewable for a second year. It certainly won't cover you for a lifetime of living in Ecuador, though.

d

[MELEE]

I'd go back to Japan! I went thinking I wouldn't like the culture, I had given my heart to Latin American culture. I loved the culture in Japan.

Maybe it helped that I lived in Nara. Just a few blocks from Hozanji Temple, which I visited at least once a week. I don't have my photos here, but here is a link I found on the internet Hozanji I would follow the stairs that you can see in the photo, up around the back of the main temple complex, at the end you came to a large rock on an alter. That rock looked like it had come from an Incan temple. I knew I was in the right place!
I loved the temples, some not to miss are Chogoshonshiji, Murouji and Horyuji in Nara state (not Nara city). And of course Kyoto, my favorite there is Fushimi Inari Shrine. (Yes, I know the difference between temples and shrines)
Modern Japan is also facinating. I loved the Shinsaibashi area of Osaka. Check out these photos!
And then there is the FOOD! I'd never really had Japanese food before going to Japan. And I loved it! At first it all tasted the same, pass me the hot sauce! But then my pallet cleared and the subtle flavours began to come through. Now I love and MISS! Japanese food!
The other thing I miss miss miss, is the stationary shops. I could spend hours in a Japanese stationary shops, most Mexican ones leave me frustrated .

[Justin Trullinger]

[snorklequeen]

i heard on the news a month or so ago that the US Supreme Court decided that the US government can take student loan payments out of Social Security payments

do they have to go through some kind of legal process to do it? don't know. if you are not living in the US, then they might not be able to serve you the papers? would they have some other way to give you notice and gain legal jurisdiction over you? too soon to tell til the gov't starts doing it and are faced with these questions

Q

[guangho]

[JZer]