Job Discussion Forums

ellienihon · Joined: 20 Sep 2003 Posts: 34 Location: San Diego, CA

This charge includes room and board, utilities, use of washing machine, bedding, furniture, parking, and program operating expenses.

It's a homestay through the school. They state that 60.000 goes to the family. Is this reasonable? It doesn't seem to be to me. They also have crazy deductions for being late or being sick. What does a normal contract look like?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I'm not familiar with that sort of program, but here is my take on the finances.

Average rent in Japan is 50,000 to 70,000 yen/month.
Average cost for groceries is about 30,000 yen/month.
Utilities run an average cost of 15,000 yen/month.
Parking can be 5000 to 10,000 yen/month.

So, the total for these things is 120,000 to 125,000 yen/month. Seems reasonable to charge a person around these figures.

cheryl · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 119 Location: Japan

30 000 a month for food??? what the hell are you eating?! (that being said in a nice way)

i'm spending at least 40 000 a month. It's the freaking fruits i tell ya! They kill me, they just kill me...or maybe it's the meat....

markosonlines · Joined: 22 May 2003 Posts: 49 Location: Ise

My girlfriend and I spend about Y30,000 Shocked

on food a month, excluding beer and shochu from the supermarket or going out for meals/drinks. We eat at home almost everyday as we are complete misers, at least for the next two pays as my credit card debt is being wiped Very Happy

. Our supermarket discounts after 6pm and Y100 discount days on Tuesday and Wednesday.

We eat pretty well though, have yakiniku bbq's, fruit (I demand avocado in nori-sushi). It's a lot cheaper to have a yakiniku bbq w/beer etc. at home than a restaurant and we use Korean samjang sauce, kimchi and lettuce leaves to perfect the experience. Make a ball from a lettuce leaf with the yakiniku, sauce, kimchi, garlic, bean sprouts, rice, anything you like, inside. It's royal. Anyway I'm transgressing.

We do live in 'the country' (town under 300,000, so my entire prefecture qualifies) where food is cheaper. When we want to buy beer, shochu or sake Razz

we pay that out of our budgeted p1ss-away money.

Markos

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

I'M with Glenski here... my wife and I can eat for 35,000 a month.

I'd skip the fruit personally, but then I am a limey... Rolling Eyes

cheryl · Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Posts: 119 Location: Japan

I don't eat the name brand stuff either, and i can't buy meat or anything else that would need freezing in large quantities. (you'd understand if you saw my freezer) As for the fruits, having only been in Japan for 3 months or so, i still don't know what's in season and i need my fruits. I buy those big round grapes (that you're not supposed to eat the skin of), asian pears, bananas, and oranges... and at times, an occasional apple. I was however including the dinners i have to buy at the 7/11 once a week when i have my ekaiwa's.

Is living in a smaller town more expensive for groceries? I've noticed that the prices in Saga city are less than the prices where i live (Kashima, population around 35K )

kovac · Joined: 12 Apr 2003 Posts: 78

Why is it when people move to Japan the feel a need to embrace the food as well as the culture and language ? Saying this I have studied the language for 2 years...but upmost refuse Japanese food...so bland, so unappetising...

I mean Ive lived in Scotland all my life before moving to Japan never sticking to a "scottish" diet....and feel no need to change my diet, in fact since moving here, Ive found the ripest tomatoes, red n green peppers to make my own salsa and various other lovely mexican foods. I currently spend 20,000 yen a month on fresh vegetables, cheap chicken and beef...my only overhead being cheese, flour tortillas and Tabasco (Kasumi marts now do 4 packs of Flour tortillas for 210 yen !!!)

hmmm mmm mmm tonight is cajun stew ! YUM

Celeste · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 12:53 pm Post subject:

Kovac-

When I lived in Korea, I learned how to make tortillas- couldn't get them for love or money where I was living at the time. Would you like the recipe?

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Speaking of the high cost of fruit, I am getting pretty sick of bananas and apples. Can't wait for mikans, should be any day now as I see them ripening. Has anyone ever splurged on the square watermelons before? Personally I could never spend 10,000 yen on a watermelon, but if someone is sharing....

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Celeste · Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2003 11:45 pm Post subject:

I am not yet in love with Japanese cuisine, but I am sure that in time some dishes will grow on me. I really like all of the noodle dishes in Japan, and I also find some of the pickles and marinated vegetable dishes quite interesting. Onigiri makes a fun snack, and I am fascinated by how many "things-on-a-stick" you can get here. I am allergic to shellfish and do have to be pretty careful about what I eat though.

Then there's sashimi. For some reason people think that I am not embracing Japanese culture because I do not enjoy sashimi (it is usually other foriegn residents who feel this way...). It is not that I haven't tried it ( I lived in Vancouver for 10 years and was involved in the theatre community there- seems like every event I went to was catered by a trendy Japanese restaurant and included a huge spread of sashimi and sushi) and it's not that I haven't had the expensive stuff (people have taken me out for some very expensive meals in Japan that I have methodically eaten with a smile on my face and determination in my heart) I just don't care for something so bland. If I wanted to drown something in soy sauce and wasabi, I would eat something with a texture more pleasing to me.

I eat Japanese food when I eat out and I cook western food at home. I do run into the odd person who tries to convvert me to an all Japanese diet ("When in Rome, do as Romans do!") but I politely tell them that food is an important part of my own culture that I practice in my home, as I'm sure most Japanese families living abroad would practice in thier homes as well. (That is usually a sufficient argument for those who wish to stick their noses into my eating habits).

kovac · Joined: 12 Apr 2003 Posts: 78

off at a tangent (as is my want...)

Kagome Salsa is the only salsa I can buy over here and its 268 yen a for a tiny jar...so heres my recipe for those that want it

2 cloves of garlic (finely minced/chopped)
1 and half tin of chopped tomatoes (cheating I know...)
2 green onions finely diced
1 and half green pepper finely chopped
2 red peppers finely chopped
3 tbsp vinegar
1 small green chilli (seeded)
1 tbsp of lemon juice
A "mans" dash o tabasco
1 tsp of oregano
small dash of chilli powder and paprika
1 "gulp" of olive oil or cooking oil
dash of salt n pepper

I soften peppers, chilli, onions and garlic with oil, when things start to smell nice n soften ; add, vinegar, lemon juice and dash of S&P..once approaching maximum softness retaining crunch...add tomotoes, oregano, chilli, paprika with "man dash" of Tabasco...let it broil with 2 cups of water and simmer for about 30 mins...consistancy looks good at this point....let it cool...Put it in jars, chill...

Get out the tortillas, cheese n beers 1 hr later...hmmm mmm mmm

J. · Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 327

I live in a small town in the "country" but I think this may apply to many towns. Here we have a farmer's market every Sunday from 7:00 to about 2:00. One section of road near the downtown is closed off for the stalls with all the fresh fruits and vegetables you could want at fair prices. You can get small baskets of fruit or vegs to large bags of onions to "homemade" pickled vegetables to tempura'd stuff. Everthing is more tasty too.

Also there are farmer's cooperatives where everything is dirt cheap, and the local people know where they are. Usually they are in the country a bit but sometimes a student may offer to drive you if you ask about them. If you can find the location, then maybe a few people could get together with someone with a vehicle and bulk buy for the week ahead. Takes a bit of organization but it would be very cheap.

There are also discount fruits and veg stores around here called "Peemans". Everything there is cheap, especially if you can buy the bigger sizes. In season you can get a whole big box of tomatoes, maybe about 20 or so large, for around 750 yen. My advice is to ask your students how to save money on groceries. It might even be a topic for an intermediate class. No one can beat a Kagawa housewife for thrift and smart shopping!

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

My, how we have strayed from the topic!

Celeste--I don't suppose you could post that tortilla recipe?

I have had only limited exposure to Japanese food, but (other than the excessively pickled things) I have enjoyed most of it. I've got friends & colleagues who, bless their dear hearts, are always on the lookout for things suitable for vegans--and there is a lot more here than I had thought! Still, when I cook at home, it's the same stuff I made in the States--rice & veggies, basically.

I don't mind splurging for food, especially fruits & veggies, but I think I have to draw the line at 10,000 for a watermelon.

d