Job Discussion Forums

[Crab]

I have lurked on this forum for a long time. I rarely post. But, I probably check out the Japan forum twice a week. I lived in Japan for two different 3 year stints and left for good in 2004.

So, I'm sitting here in my hotel room in Elon, North Carolina wondering, "Why do I bother?"

A few reasons:

1. The different personalities here are entertaining. It's the same reason I like sitting in a bar or cafe and watching the people go by. Or, why I will occassionally watch professional wrestling on TV.

2. I can keep up with the ELT scene in Japan. I'm no longer directly involved in ELT, but spent 8 years of my life doing it and it was an interesting, formative and worthwhile time in my life.

3. I like to see if anyone mentions a textbook I wrote for Macmillan while in Japan. Don't worry I won't plug it here. I'm just curious.

4. I still travel to Japan once a year on business and like to know what's going on. See you in November!

5. Boredom. It's a way to kill a few minutes.

6. Curiosity. I've lurked here so long I feel like I know many of the people who post here often. I remember when JimDunlop2 first started posting and have enjoyed following his transition from Newbie to veteran. Glenski and Paul H have shared a lot about their personal and professional life on here and I wonder how it's all going to turn out for them. Sweetsee is a guy that I will never be able to figure out - and I think that's how he wants it. Entertaining stuff though. Many others left a long time ago and I wonder if they also lurk.

7. Commonality. The posters here are all on the somewhat unique journey of being an ELT professional (no discussions of "professional" please) in Japan. It's not an experience that I can share with many others and I like to hear about how others are coping with situations and decisions that I also faced.

8. A laugh. There's lots of amusing angles here. Some intentional, others not so much.

Anyway, not sure why I felt like making this post today, but here it is.

Post on my friends! I'll be pulling for ya!

The Crab

[Gordon]

Thanks, Crab. I too wonder why I come here. I haven't posted much the past few months, but I have spent more time here than I would like to think. I can't say why I come here so often, what with everything else on my plate. Perhaps it is because I work in a pretty secluded part of Japan and have very few people to "talk to" about teaching English and life in Japan.

I have been posting on Dave's for 8 or 9 years, far longer than this current format. There are many here I would like to think I know quite well and some I wish i knew far less.

I also come here to look and learn about other countries and gather info. I feel my time in Japan is coming to an end sooner rather than later and this site is a gold mine if you know where to look, who to ask and even more importantly, how to ask.

I like to give advice occasionally, but find more often than not, people take exception to hearing something they don't want to hear, so often it is a waste of time.

I'd like to hear why others come here too.

[Eva Pilot]

I just hope to someday be considered as "One of the guys" on the forum, and be able to have gained enough experience and knowledge to be able to pass advice to people who will be in the role I am currently.

[bornslippy1981]

Gordon, I come here for various reasons.

Such as:

1) I don't like watching cooking shows on TV, and I fall asleep during movies. I do my reading on the trains to and from work (currently American Psycho) so it's a way to pass the time at night when I return from the gym.

2) I've gotten great information from here since I started reading. Before coming to Japan I felt well informed, and unlike a lot of other new people I've met, I think I was already prepared for a lot of the things they didn't know about.

3) It's entertaining. There are some really funny characters on here. I studied film in university, and was involved with improv theatre and stand-up comedy for two years, and I have found many new characters for my routine and writing.

4) Due to the information on this site I have been able to: change jobs understanding visa laws; received final wages within 7 days; received the proper severance documents; changed to a much better bank; didn't get ripped off on Internet service; know where to buy deodorant; am now aware that there are toothpaste connoisseurs in the world; have gained information on many cities I probably wouldn't have ever heard of, but now want to travel to; and there are probably many more I could list, but I have also found the people on here much more professional than on other sites. For example, one site has an ongoing "debate" about the proper spelling of the Nova President's surname. Despite people complaining about working there, they sure seem ready to defend their company president's honor.

5) I got a private student from somebody on this site, and always have my eyes open for somebody offering another.

Probably a lot more I could write, but I have some videotapes to return.

[wolfman]

I pretty much lurk here... I doubt anyone besides those I've PM'ed have even noticed me. Heh.

[SeasonedVet]

Hey crab,
Interesting post.
I have been reading these posts for a number of years too but I never posted.
I was reading from way back in the old format.
It is interesting that when you actually begin posting some might think that you are a newbie ( unless you state otherwise or your posts reflect that you are).
I have been reading on and off. Not only the Japan forum but I pretty much used to read ALL the Asia forums.
I actually started reading long before I came to Japan.
I also read posts from other countries and other sites.

I do it because it is interesting and we can get the story straight from the person's mouth rather than just reading a Travel Guide.

There seem to be alot of the arguments/disagreements on the Japan forum and guys and gals are taken to task for spelling errors, for opinions etc and the overall mood is one of professionaliosm and trying to maintain high standards maybe.

Compare it with other forums.

Interesting. Informative. Sometimes silly. Sometimes funny.

[gaijinalways]

[dove]

I have gotten a lot of advice and insight from this forum over the years. But I have to admit that one of the main reasons I keep reading is to see who's flaming who. It's always fun to see who is going to get all bent out of shape from a spelling or usage mistake (I myself was recently flamed for the using the word "utilize" instead of "use"). It's like watching a Discovery Channel program on predatory animals-- they stalk their prey and then.....POUNCE and DEVOUR.... I sometimes feel disappointed when threads get locked. I want to see more one-up-manship and superiority and bruised egos.... I know this is a professional forum, but I can't always go out on a Saturday night and do you know how many repeats they show on the Discovery Channel? Thanks for the entertainment.

[Like a Rolling Stone]

Yeah, I agree with dove. You do get alot of jerky posters who like to make trouble for everyone else. Sometimes i think it is just good humoured ribbing but sometimes they go way over the top.

Some of the cynical ones can be funny (Deconstrucor, shuize and sometimes even canuck can be funny ) but they are balanced out by the helpful and friendly ones (Jim dunlop2 and Gordon) and then there are ones who have been here along time and have good advice but get a bit frustated (Glenski and PaulH) and then there is a few posters who are just waaaaaay out there (I'm not going to mention names )

[kinshachi]

I've been lurking for about three years, ever since I first started thinking about coming to Japan, but have only just started posting.

Clashes of personalities are inevitable on any forum, I think, but on this one, the flaming has always been far outweighed by good information. It has helped me to get set up here in a much better position than I would have otherwise expected, and eased the transition immeasurably. There are so many things I've been prepared for, that otherwise would have taken me by surprise. So, I'd just like to say thanks for all the help, even though I've never asked a question...

[bornslippy1981]

[Like a Rolling Stone]

[womblingfree]

I thought this was a thread about Morrissey!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Kd2pVNNrWw

[Brooks]

cool video.
Where in America was that filmed?

[chirp]