Job Discussion Forums

[Jack Tripper]

I thought the initial post was very insightful- though also a bit discouraging. I took it as a stern warning to the folks who might be moving to Japan for either unclear or wrong reasons so on. I spent 2 weeks in Japan about 10 years ago in high school. The first week I was blown away- no otherway to describe it. Words don't describe what its like- the good and the bad. It was a bit hard and I got over it though I was much younger, never been away from home long, and knew I was only going to be there for 2 weeks. (This was brought up during my JET interview).

Now Im going back as an ALT this year and that post started to give me the fear. I believe I'm going back for the "right" reasons...but what am I going to do about it now that Ive already planned everything?

Nothings certain- we're all going to hit walls when we're out there but we're also going to do great things that we'll remember for the rest of our lives. There will be some lows to contend with only to be followed by tremendous highs. Its a very important part of the whole experience. I've travelled a bit and always get some form of homesickness, culture shock- but hey, I'm still kicking.

Lets stay positive, roll with the punches, plow through the walls and enjoy every second of it!

[melirae]

I had a Japanese student at my university look over my contract to verify that the English and Japanese read the same. When she returned the copy she attached a note to wish me luck and also wrote:

Here is a useful proverb for you:
"When in Rome, do as Romens do!"

Coming from someone born and raised in Japan who is now experiencing life in the US, I think this is advice I will heed!

[PAULH]

[Brooks]

I think there is opportunity for non-native teachers, but it is much easier if they have at least a M.A. from the US, UK, Aus., etc. At my school two Finns teach at the university, a Korean works at the junior high and a man from Brazil used to, and a Pole worked at the high school. They all got their MAs from the same American institution.

[cafebleu]

Thanks to zzz? for his long and informative post. No need to apologise for length - it was so interesting to read as were the responses. My 2 yen`s worth of warning - if your working life is problematic, your personal life may very well end up being very difficult.

For me, the work situation I entered caused most of the problems of my initial year in Japan. I was very isolated in the country at the mercy of the absolutely laziest woman I have ever encountered in my working life. I had an absentee boss (not a complaint as he ran several businesses and was located in the city) and was left to the whims of this dreadful woman. She was Japanese and could speak English but her work ethic was wanting, to put it politely.

Her brief was to manage, do most of the school promotion, take care of the finances, pay my salary on time, reimburse me for all legitimate expenses incurred when on school business, and liaise with the students and younger students` parents. She limited herself to taking care of the finances and paying my salary, with some liaison with students/parents thrown in when it suited her. Her laziness and unwillingness to accept a foreign teacher politely pointing out that we needed to recruit, etc, caused untold problems.

She enjoyed parading me around at school festivals where she loudly spoke in English and abruptly corrected my attempts to speak in Japanese. Apart from that we had no social contact. It was just as well but having arrived in Japan knowing nobody, it would have made such a difference to have a school manager with whom I could have been friendly. I missed out on so much in my first year, and maybe it was that particular country town but my attempts to undertake some social activities with students met with reserve. I could related so many things that contributed to an unhappy experience of Japan until I met my partner, but I would go on forever.

My most important piece of advice to anybody considering going to Japan - if your working life is difficult it is bound to spill over into your private life, especially if you are isolated through working as the only teacher and/or in the countryside. Culture shock will hit you harder under those circumstances. The Big Four have their problems but you are bound to find at least one teacher with whom you can make friends your first year.

[alibaba]

nice post man. This covers most of the points I would have made about living in Japan. Neither a tirade against gaijin complainers nor a total Japan Bash just the facts of what it is like to live here.

By the way elle I do disagree about one point. I think that foreign women I have met do feel discriminated against. While not in the same way as in Japanese women i have seen and heard some frustrated women out here.
That said I have also met some really happy women here too. One of the most important things to know about coming here is not to take it too seriously. Japan looks like a developed country on the surface however many aspects of the culture and attitudes IMO are way lacking by about 30/40 years. But if you have the ability to laugh at stuff that might piss you off back home and try not to take yourself or your 'at home' standards too seriously. I am not saying that this is an easy thing to do.
It took me the better part of 2.5 years now i have been here 6 and there are still constantly things that get me raging. So anyway as the japonski's say Ganbatte.

(survival tip) I like to think of the more unsavoury students or joe publics as something like a wasp. They might seem intimidating but they are actually an insignificant pest and almost always more scared of you than you are of them.