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nawlinsgurl
Joined: 01 May 2004
Posts: 363
Location: Kanagawa and feeling Ok....
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 Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 9:45 pm Post subject: NOVA newbie with lots of questions! Any help would be great! |
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Hi! I just found out that I will be going to Japan is Sept 04 with Nova. I'm so excited despite all the bad info I've heard about them. I have 43934739484 questions and I'm also in search of any advice,websites, etc you all can direct me to. Also I'm wondering there are any "verterans" of NOVA that could help me with some workplace advice...Thanks in advance!!!!!'
1.What is the best city to choose, if I'm from New Orleans but I live in Atlanta now? I don't want Tokyo, but I've heard Osaka is nice. I want a mid-sized city with a diverse makeup of people (I'm Black,Creole, and Mexican) Plus it needs to be someplace near a beach/place to do watersports...What city to choose??
2.I've read that I should bring $2500 US dollars and I should be ok til I get my first check, but is that accurate? Should I take the NOVA loan or not? Do I bring this in cash? travel checks? american debit card? What about their health insurance?
3.This may sound vain, but I need a GAP or OLD NAVY...some American store that carries women sizes 10?? I know GAP is in Osaka (a city I was thinking of) but any other American places to shop at? Is it really hard to find American sizes?
4. Do I need to bring things I get here like: birth control, mitchell deodarent, crest toothpaste--or can the same things be found in Japan?
Any other good info you can provide:websites,books,mags, anything is great!!!!
Thanks a bunch!!!! |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Mon May 17, 2004 10:57 pm Post subject: |
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1. Japan is 99% Japanese people, and the bigger cities have more foreigners (including Korean and Chinese). Not much diversity here.
2. If you take the NOVA loan, you won't see a full paycheck for 3-4 months. Two months of that time you will be on probation with a lower paycheck than usual, so you will have to live on less. I suggest bringing the money in travelers cheques (yen). NOVA's health insurance costs 3 times more than national health insurance (after the first year, NHI increases tenfold). I think with NOVA's insurance (JMA), you still have to pay for the costs up front, then wait to get reimursed. Anyone confirm this?
More info on NOVA from ex-employees:
http://vocaro.com/trevor/japan/nova/level_up.html
www.grassrootdesign.com/stuff.asp
http://markcity.blogspot.com/teaching.htm
3. Can't help you there, unless you don't mind Eddie Bauer shops.
4. All of those can be found in Japan, but...
birth control -- what type? The pill was only legalized a couple of years ago, and getting it is not as easy as in the west. Condoms are not always the right size for western men, and they are thinner (prone to breakage).
deodorant/antiperspirant -- Ban is here, and although I haven't used it, I hear it isn't quite the same formula. Otherwise, I would suggest bringing your own brand.
Crest toothpaste -- It's here, although not super-common. Many Japanese toothpastes contain fluoride, especially Lion brands. The chief complaint from some people seems to be the taste of some toothpastes. I don't mind. |
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Gordon
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2004 12:56 am Post subject: |
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| If there is anything you think you "need" than bring it. Unless you are in a big city, you won't find big western stores and larger sizes are tough to find here for women. Most Japanese women are size 2-4, I believe. If you must have watersports, try Thailand or the Philippines. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2004 3:16 am Post subject: Re: NOVA newbie with lots of questions! Any help would be gr |
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| nawlinsgurl wrote: |
1.What is the best city to choose, if I'm from New Orleans but I live in Atlanta now? I don't want Tokyo, but I've heard Osaka is nice. I want a mid-sized city with a diverse makeup of people (I'm Black,Creole, and Mexican) Plus it needs to be someplace near a beach/place to do watersports...What city to choose??
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I dont really know where you can do watersports in Osaka but I have seen jetskis around in Yodogawa river and near some of the ports. Osaka Bay is pretty dirty anyway. For beaches try the beaches in South Osaka near Kishiwada and Kaizuka, near the airport. Things like scuba diving you can do in Shirahama and wakayama, but Okinawa and Guam is best.
No real diversity in Japan and almost every is Japanese though they come in all shapes and sizes. Plenty of foreigner bars around though if you want to hang out with other expats.
| nawlinsgurl wrote: |
2.I've read that I should bring $2500 US dollars and I should be ok til I get my first check, but is that accurate? Should I take the NOVA loan or not? Do I bring this in cash? travel checks? american debit card? What about their health insurance?
! |
NOVA's JMA is 6,000 yen a month compared to 1,500 yen a month for national health insurance and there are several things they dont pay out on. Best to read the fine print. JMA is OK if you only wnat to stay a year as NHI will cost 25,000 yen a month in your second year.
NOVA will lend you money if you need it but they will take out of your probationary reduced paycheck in the first three months, leaving you very little to live on. Best to come over with enough cash so you dont need to borrow money and be short at the end of the month.
| nawlinsgurl wrote: |
4. Do I need to bring things I get here like: birth control, mitchell deodarent, crest toothpaste--or can the same things be found in Japan?
!!! |
You can try the Foreign Buyers club in Kobe where you can buy imported things in bulk or in single shipments- they will ship to your door.
Abortion is legal inJapan.most couples rely on condoms- women dont really usethe pill for contraception as far as I know and its a hassle to get it on prescription.
Foreign Buyers Club
http://www.fbcusa.org |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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joncharles
Joined: 09 Apr 2004
Posts: 132
Location: Beijing
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| Posted: Tue May 18, 2004 10:20 am Post subject: |
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There has been some good advice given so far. One idea is that when you come in go ahead and get the Nova insurance just so you will have something to start with. Once you move in to your apartment and go to the local city hall to register for your "Gaijin" card. (Foreign Resident Card) you can apply for the National Insurance. Then cancel the Nova one.
I had the chance to work in the Fujisawa, Chigasaki, Hiratsuka area. I lived in Chigasaki and my apartment was about a 20 minute walk to the beach.. Some friends of mine had a Nova apartment near Enoshima Beach. Just two minutes away. Fujisawa and Chigasaki are about 45 south of Tokyo and 30 minutes south of Yokohama and near beaches and not far from being in the country. Still lots of people, but it less hectic than being in Tokyo or Yokohama. |
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