Job Discussion Forums

[Luna Chica]

Luna Chica wrote:
When you go to your first training day at head office they can sign you up for a k-tei (mobile phone) then and there. Get one it saves you having to try and explain and understand to a Japanese shop assistant at a later date.


"Yeah, don't put yourself in a position where you actually have to deal with a Japanese person while living in Japan. It's best to stay inside a bubble full of other foreigners while living here. And, while you're at it, save some more time by not actually going and seeing anything interesting in Japan like shrines or areas of cultural interest (unless you can get in with an all-foreigner sightseeing group that has a guide who can speak English). Yeah, I think that would be best.

Jeez! Give me a break! At first I thought this person sounded like she worked for NOVA, but then I realized, even the people at NOVA encourage the new teachers to get out and mix it up with the locals."

cAN YOU GET THE SDFDFF OVER YOURSELF? I was simply trying to help someone out when they first arrive, it is nice to have a phone to let people know you arrived safe and sound. How do you make a link between that and not wanting to expose yourself to Japanese life? Ofcourse in the two years I lived in Japan I just went to work and came home and hung out with my caucasian friends. No exposure to anything Japanese thank you very much!

If you can't sya anything nice, don't say anything at all. No personal attacks thanks very much.

[Luna Chica]

phone calls tend to be pretty expensive, but sending emails from your phone are really really cheap. Therefore when contacting friends to organise going out or something you will often find yourself text messaging instead.

As someone mentioned there are plenty of bilingual phones - or is that a cop out by taking a phone with English capacity instead of one with only 16th century Kanji on it?

You could have someone at your school organise your phone or you could find a Japanese person or reasonable speaker to help you out organising it - what is the difference, you end up with a phone eiter way?

I hope you are not put off by all the nastiness on this forum. Japan is an amazing place, there is so much to experience and I guarantee it will be totally unlike your home country. Enjoy it all, even enjoy the things that annoy the sdsd out of you. One of the best things is just to deliberately get yourself lost in the city, you will be amazed by the things you come across. Or jump on a train and get off at a random stop and look around, always fun. Make sure you get yourself to an onsen - I miss them so much. That's the first thing I am doing when I get back there soon.