Job Discussion Forums

[Glenski]

JJJJJ,
You "stated the facts" about poor grammar and spelling, yet ironically made similar ones yourself. Feel fortunate that I was not trying to flame you. The word blunder was merely put in to show how ironic it was that you would chastise someone for something that you yourself did.

If you want to know how I feel, your own post with the many colors and quotes looked pretty harsh, but then again, it's much in my own style, and others have commented on that.

You are going to have to develop a thick skin if you are going to post on these forums, let alone work overseas. I have. Perhaps too thick for some people's tastes, and if I offended you, I'm sorry but that was not my intention. Now, can we return to the OP at hand? If you want to continue on this tangent, feel free to PM me.

[mineposa2]

Returning to the OP sounds like an great idea to me!

[dove]

Why does anyone need to get "down and dirty" on a forum about teaching English? Are your egos bruised that easily?
But actually, I kind of like it when some of you all do get down and dirty....kind of entertaining.

[wailingtraps]

I worked for Westgate for three months in 2003.

I really liked being in Japan and I would love to return to teach there one day. I thought Westgate were pretty decent to work for but as I've never worked for another Japanese school/company I have nothing to compare them to.

Good points

They fulfilled all their contractual obligations with no fuss or drama

Everything was as it was stated to me before arrival

Bad points

They are a very impersonal company to work for. You do get the feeling you are a number.

The curriculum is pretty bizarre and can be very constriciting to work with.

It is a pretty hard slog and by Friday I would always be getting a little stir crazy. There is something in sitting in the same room for five days in a row doing the same thing repetitively that is probably not entirely healthy.


For anyone who wants a taster of teaching in Japan then Westgate is a decent option. If you really don't get on with the system then its only three months. I wouldn't work for them again unless I had a three month window with nothing to do. All in all I had a cracking three months.


Bottom line......read all the small print....have a think about what it entails.....sign on the bottom line if you think its a good deal.......

Good luck!!!!!!!

[sumyunguy]

of course it's about Westgate, that's what I got on here for too...

But some verrry interesting drama! You can't make this stuff up.

Glenski, always to the point, informative, no wasted space... Our unassuming protagonist.

Taikibansei, came on like a private investigator, got it a bit wrong about Zorro, though...still, forgivable, an honest seeker of truth.

mineposa2 - a lively OP, with something like a rant of his/her own in the middle. Like an opening scenes narrator who who wants to get back into the story.

Zorro - The villain? the notion of coming back for thirds after twice defending a company too abusively--what a plot line, even made-up. Intriguingly, by the third post, Zorro is starting to win over the crowd. Good, conversational writing, and acknowledgment of bad jokes are winning points...shows logic, responds to everything...what next?

JJJJJ - Not realizing average folks have begun to side with Zorro, J5 drops an egg. Correcting spelling, grammar, and sarcasm (if saying edu-u-ma-cated counts as sarcasm) is neither funny nor useful. Even Glenski is against this policing attitude, and JJJJJ drops a couple more eggs in response. A show of boos.

Conclusion: Zorro vs. Glenski feels like a draw. Mineposa2 seems restless for a sequel. JJJJJ is sent to bed without dessert. And Wailingtraps wraps it all up in a solid, professional manner, befitting someone outside the drama.

>6 months later, an otherwise boring evening of research--thanks for the entertainment!

[6810]

[misteradventure]

I cannot help but comment on what I had to read through before I got to the end of the thread. If all teachers in Japan fight like this, I would definitely think twice before accepting an assignment from Westgate.
Of course, no worries; Westgate has rejected my application:

[zorro (3)]

Don't go to Pattaya...

[SeasonedVet]

Sorry to resurrect this theread but just wanted to say to zorrow(3) that you had alot of heat here but you defended yourself well. No help from anyone but you defended yourself nevertheless. Your info, whether fact or opinion enlightened me in some way as did other posters' info.

[midas224]

Despite all the arguing, I found this thread extremely helpful. It is true - it comes down to being informed and making the decision yourself.