Job Discussion Forums

[paulleszczynski]

Hello ESL Cafe board! This is my first post, so let me preface my question with a little bit about myself (which will hopefully better your understanding of my situation in the process). I'm currently taking summer courses in-between my 2nd and 3rd year of studies for my Bachelor's Degree in music (jazz to be specific) in a Canadian University. I'm taking basic Japanese, and and introductory course to Japanese society/culture. I've always had a love for the culture and arts, ranging from film legends like Kurosawa Akira, and composers like Kanno Yoko and Takemitsu Toru, to activities like Go. Doing these courses and also experiences with 2 of my friends who've taught english in a foreign country (1 in korea, is there for his 2nd 'run' currently, and the other taught in japan about 6 years ago), has led me to develop an interest in the idea of taking a year off of school to teach there.

Now the biggest/most obvious factor here is that I don't have a BA, and neither WILL i have one by the time i'd 'like' to go there. My situation would be entirely different if i've finished the degree, or were 1 year away, but its not and the option of waiting to finish before i go is lower down on my list for personal reasons.

So working on the assumption that im dead set on getting work before i get the degree; What options are open for someone like me? I've been looking at Gaba, and other programs that dont require a BA, and also wondering about the idea of going there FIRST and then finding work after having landed there. As a Canadian, I can get the Working Holiday Visa without having completed my degree.

3 other things to note: 1) I'd like to, if possible, teach music privately as well, and play gigs too. This isn't a neccessity, and its not the biggest issue right now, but in the long term, Japan may have a better industry currently for regularly gigging musicians than western Canada.

2) I've considered a student exchange program, but from what i gather, no Fine Arts and Music schools in Japan offer Jazz programs. Any insight into that?

3) Thus far i can't say i have much of a preference to teaching 1 on 1 vs classroom, wether or not i have to wear a suit everyday, location, hours etc. I've been reading about these issues on the board for a few days, but i can't say ive neccessarily formed an opinion on them yet.

Any ideas would be welcomed. I know the lack of a BA is obviously limiting, but i feel with enough support and ideas from this board, that i might be able to make something work? Thanks in advance, and i look forward to hearing back soon

[Glenski]

No degree means you still have an option of getting a working holiday visa for two 6-months stints (consecutive), or shooting for a student visa (study here, obviously) or a cultural activities visa (if you can find a master craftsman to sponsor you).

With WHV you can work PT or FT, and with special permission the other 2 visas permit PT work only.

My first question is, what's the rush?

You can teach almost anything privately if you can find students willing to take you on. As for playing in gigs, you will still need some valid visa, and I would caution against taking on so much activity because it is likely to tire you out for teaching.

If I were to offer advice, I'd say finish your degree first. That would also give you time to study more of the language and get some experience teaching in Canada.

[paulleszczynski]

Well, because of an injury related to playing my instrument, and because of the nature of my degree, its looking to be 5, possibly 6 years total instead of 4. Any given semester I'm required an avg of 16 or so credits plus at least 2 hrs a day of practice. Most of the students in my program spread it over 5 or 6 years, and thats without having an injury hamper their studies.

So basically that means the earliest i'd be getting my degree is in 3 years.

So its not that i AM in a rush, per se, but theres more to it. Due to the nature of my major as well, i'd be best off going straight into gigging locally (as in, near the cities around my university) right after finishing my degree, as thats arguably the 'climax' of my networking at school. If i take a year off as soon as i graduate, then i'm cutting off a lot of networks i'd have worked hard to establish, and leave lots of room for competing musicians to take my place with groups i'd have been looking forward to playing with.

Then the option of doing a year in Japan much after my gig falls in the boat of 'faraway dreams' and probably won't come into fruition.

So i still think that although maybe not 'ideal', the best case thus far if i want to spend a year in Japan, is doing it before i graduate.

I hope i'm not coming off as close-minded, i just really do wanna get a good feel for my options of going before completing a BA.

From what i've understood, as a Canadian, getting a WHV initially should be pretty easy? I don't need a work contract going into it or anything special for the application do i?

If so, then going on the assumption that i'll be heading over there with a WHV and no BA; what then would you suggest?

[seklarwia]

[paulleszczynski]

The injury was hypertension in both of my arms, centered around my wrists/elbows and partly in my bicep/triceps. It wasn't too serious, but was aggravated in a car accident midway thru recovery. I'm almost fully recovered at this point. I've recieved physio, acupuncture, massage therapy etc already, and i know enough about my injury to say with a decent amount of certainty that i have the tools and the will to avoid reinjuring myself; So i don't think i'll need to go into being treated in Japan..

Not to say i wouldn't enjoy spa's and the like

The funds i can most likely do.
Are you saying that i need to have booked a flight before applying for the visa? i'm a little unsure what you meant by that.

and when you said "Put together a CV and have it checked" ; that refers to a cover letter, correct?

Lastly; What are the right times?

Thank you for your informative reply, the help is most appreciated.

[Apsara]

[Glenski]

This shows what Canadians need to supply for the WHV.
http://www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/canada_e/Visa/working_holiday.html

The "right time" pretty much refers to the time of year when you can see the most ads. For eikaiwas that is usually Feb/March. For ALT jobs, it is roughly 4-6 months earlier (with a start date of April). You might see a small surge in job ads around late Aug/Sept for an October start date.

With all that in mind, please realize that with a WHV in hand, you can start with the day you are hired, unlike those who need to process a work visa. Also, newcomers without a visa at all cannot get PT work, so WHV holders and those who are already here with valid visas have that edge.

When were you planning to come, and what type of teaching did you hope to do?