Job Discussion Forums

[senor boogie woogie]

Hola!

I am a teacher living in China now, but I am interested in coming to Japan, possibly in the summer or fall of 2004. I would like some information about the country.

1. I know Japan is expensive, much more so than China. If I stay out of Tokyo, will I be able to save money?

2. I read from the "Westgate" school web site that the Japanese want their teachers in business suits and ties. A tie I can deal with, but a suit? I don't want to be buried, just teach.

3. Can I take my Chinese wife with me?

4. I am a big guy, (about 280 lbs 5'10") how much will I be discriminated against on employment?

5. Any information on the JET program? I want to get a TEFL this spring in Thailand. I am 36 years old, but I hear the limit has been raised to 41.

6. Lastly, I spent several monthes in Korea, how is Korea and Japan similiar? It seems to me that Koreans are not much like Chinese, I suspect they are closer to Japanese, even though they hate the hell out of each other.

Any help appreciated.

SENOR

[Glenski]

1. Saving money. Read the FAQ first (if you haven't already).
2. Japanese dress conservatively. Many language schools do NOT require a suit, but you WILL be expected to wear nice clothes and a tie. Remember where Westgate sends their teachers. It's not eikaiwa work. James English School also has high standards.
3. You probably can, but I don't know the immigration regulations on Chinese. If you have a FT job, you can try to get her a dependent visa (on which she could actually work PT with the right paperwork!). Otherwise, she'll have to settle for the 90 day tourist visa.
4. Probably not at all. I have worked with bigger.
5. Exactly what info do you want?
www.jetprogramme.com
www.bigdaikon.com (for lots of JETs)
6. Culturally different? Physically? Socially? Or from the standpoint of the teaching business? Try this one for the last point.
http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~jonb/

[BenJ]

Hangzhou hey? I worked there last year at Zhejiang university City college.

Westgate require suits yes, but feel free to remove the jacket in class!

From my memory of China, I think I can save a lot more here than in Hangzhou, depending of course on your job conditions there.

[senor boogie woogie]

Hola!

I am not interested in Westgate at all. They sem way too tight arsed for me. I am interested in general Japan, their teaching standards, and the general environment of the country.

I am thinking about taking an intensive one month course to get a TEFL certificate in Thailand in March, then make applications, maybe to summer schools and ekaiwas. I just want to be able to live and see the country for one year. I am getting tired of China and want a change.

I am interested in the JET program also, but I live in China and I do not want to leave China for an interview. Also, if I go to japan, I would like to live where it is fairly rural, I would love Tokyo, but I think that Tokyo would be a money killer.

Please, more Japan opinions.

SENOR

[Gordon]

I really like Japan and live on the island of Shikoku, one of the most rural parts of the country. I have a car, traffic is nonexistent, and prices are lower than many other parts of Japan. I feel it is more authentic too as there are not a lot of western stores/restaurants around here. This is what I wanted to find before I came here.

I have lived in S.Korea too and see Japan as totally different. The people are more accepting here, more law and order, schools are better run and more professional. You'll always find the cowboy outfits, but not to the extent of Korea. Moneywise, Korea was a better place to save, the cost of living is higher here and travel is outrageous. I'd love to travel more within Japan, but it's too expensive. It's more affordable to travel outside the country.

[shmooj]

[shmooj]

Actually, I'd like to hear more comments from Japan based people.

Senor mentions being in a "fairly rural" place. My impression is that there is urban sprawl and well... pretty much nothing. I don't think that there is much in between. It all seems, from my experience, either built up or not with nothing like suburbs or small towns.

I hope I'm wrong. Am I and if so, where are these places so that Senor (and me one day) can find them?

[Celeste]

I lived in Korea for 2 years, and hav been living in Japan for over a year now. THey are not even a little similar. I found Korea to be really loud and chaotic, and I find Japan a lot more orderly and tranquil. THe subways are crowded but no one shoves me here in Fukuoka the way they did when I lived in Daegu. Having taught kids in both countries, I can say that Japanese kids are a lot more polite than Korean kids but Japanese kids have a tendency to be a bit more self conscious. In Japan it is often difficult for me to get adult students to give opinions about anything. In Korea, the adults that I taught and worked with seeemed to hold some very strong opinions (that seemed to me to have no basis in fact).
I like it better here in Japan, but I know that a lot of the single guys I know would probably be better suited to the "wild party" atmosphere in Korea. I like the tranquility and the anonnymity of living in a big city in Japan.

[Lynn]

I was in Korea only a short time, but the differances and similarities really stuck out in my mind.

Koreans are much more affectionate; especially with children.
The level of English is different.

Both Koreans and