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mikeffd
Joined: 02 Jun 2005
Posts: 25
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 Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2006 10:58 pm Post subject: A few WHV & tokyo questions |
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Hi
Ive decided to go to Tokyo in January on a Working Holiday Visa. I was hoping a few questions of mine could be answered.
1. How much money do I need to bring with me? Will the $2000 US be enough to last me until I get a job?
2. How long on average does it take to secure a teaching position? Im willing to go to many different places daily.
3. What hours do english teachers (WHV ones) typically get? Can I have my evenings free?
Thanks!! |
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fion
Joined: 03 Feb 2003
Posts: 69
Location: tokyo
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| Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 8:41 am Post subject: |
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1. Glenski will be here soon no doubt with his financial breakdown! Or do a search - he has answered this one before.
2. I have seen any number of guys on WHVs pass through the gaijin house over the years, and although there's no one right answer, I have to tell you that it can take a while. Sometimes after two months they still have a pretty thin schedule, even though they're willing to take the worst paid jobs. Of course it depends on the person. Luck helps, also confidence, personal charisma, and good negotiating skills. Some people find their feet quickly but be aware it can take a long time.
3. It's unlikely you will be able to keep your evenings free. Basically, the evenings are the times with the highest demand. More likely, you will be working evenings but free during the day, which is not actually so bad because you can go out after work and sleep late. Another possibility is work evenings plus early mornings (business English). I've done that, wouldn't want to do it again, but it's possible if you have a good alarm clock. The trick is to get home for a nap in the afternoon.
Good luck to you
fion |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2006 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| 1. How much money do I need to bring with me? Will the $2000 US be enough to last me until I get a job? |
Yes, I've answered this countless times. And, part of the answer is in the FAQs.
WHV holders need to prove a certain amount of funds in their pocket anyway.
Proof of travel funds:
Proof of adequate travel funds (a return ticket, proof of possession of a bank account, traveller's cheques, etc.).
Proof of sufficient funds to support the initial stay in Japan:
At least US$2000 for a single person, US$3000 for a married couple. http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/programme.html#1
Is this snippet the reason why you stated US$2000 instead of some other currency?
Other than airfare, you are going to have to survive until your paycheck on various expenses.
Housing could be 50,000 to 80,000 yen/month (and with a guest house/gaijin house, there may be a 25,000 yen deposit).
Utilities are not tallied on most gaijin houses, I believe.
Phone will probably initially be a cell phone, so figure 10,000 yen setup cost, plus 5000-8000 yen/month (includes internet and email, but there will be additional charges for calls and mail, pretty complex, so consider the above a rough average).
Food will be anywhere from 30,000 to 60,000 depending on who you believe, how much you eat out, how you cook, and what you eat.
TOTAL = 95,000 to 183,000 yen for your first month. I'd err on the high side to be safe, wouldn't you?
Add to this what you might expect to pay for insurance, haircut/styling, local transportation (20,000 yen/month), and miscellaneous things like photocopying or buying stationery, and you are in the red with that US$2000 figure in some cases. Mind you, this doesn't even count any sort of entertainment or sightseeing.
| Quote: |
| 2. How long on average does it take to secure a teaching position? Im willing to go to many different places daily. |
January is fairly dead. You will certainly lose the first week to winding down from the holidays (many places will be closed most of that week anyway). You will lose the second week, or most of it because of places just getting restarted and being unable to schedule an interview immediately and because the ads in The Japan Times only come out on Monday. Most people will probably say that an average time to get a job is 1-2 months. Budget for it, and bear in mind that you will probably get your first paycheck 4-6 weeks after you start working.
| Quote: |
| 3. What hours do english teachers (WHV ones) typically get? Can I have my evenings free? |
I don't know what hours WHV holders get on average. They are much more free to take PT jobs than those who require visa sponsorship. English teachers in general (entry level jobs like the ones you qualify for) operate from noonish to 9pm. There is some flexibility for shift swapping. FT jobs can operate any day of the week, and you might not get Sat/Sun as a weekend; it might be something split up like Sun/Tues. Go for business English classes, and you are probably looking at jobs that start when the customers are available, so after 5 or 6pm. If you want the daytime hours only, you will have to look carefully for jobs that offer piecemeal PT hours, I think, and/or figure on private lessons. |
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