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artemisia
Joined: 04 Nov 2008
Posts: 875
Location: the world
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 Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 6:33 am Post subject: |
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gaijinalways wrote:
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| So, where is the best place to teach? Where is the best place to start? |
This debate seems to be about more than just where a teacher can get the best salary & benefits. As Gaijinalways mentioned, opportunities for professional development as well as technical support and facilities are also important considerations. I guess there's a big difference between the short-term 'travelling' teacher and those who want to be established in one place and go after the best professional options available.
I didn't like the job I had in Japan but I loved travelling around and seeing a bit of the country. I felt a sense of freedom there that I mostly haven't had in other places because it is (or was) a very safe country. I enjoyed teaching in Germany because of the huge variety of classes I had and, despite the rather dour reputation of Germans, the many witty and amusing students I had over a long period of time. Germany is not a great long-term option unless you're lucky - and I just couldn't 'see' myself there forever.
Whatever your professional field is, it seems rare that you get both the job you really want AND the place you want to live in. I think most people have to compromise and choose one over the other. If you choose location (and culture, people etc) then usually you've compromised on the work front. You might not have a job you hate but it probably won't be well-paid and so on. |
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Perilla
Joined: 09 Jul 2010
Posts: 792
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 6:45 am Post subject: |
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| artemisia wrote: |
| Whatever your professional field is, it seems rare that you get both the job you really want AND the place you want to live in. I think most people have to compromise and choose one over the other. If you choose location (and culture, people etc) then usually you've compromised on the work front. You might not have a job you hate but it probably won't be well-paid and so on. |
Very true. The "perfect" work situation on all fronts is, generally speaking, a myth - unless you're remarkably fortunate. And even then, it's probably only a matter of time until something puts a spanner in the works. |
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Thu Sep 02, 2010 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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Japan can be one of those love/hate places.
I don't know why Sasha thinks teachers here do counseling, as we actually have trained counselors on staff at the unis I work at. People who might need help are told about the services or we send the student's name to admin, and then let them talk to the student and see if a counselor might be helpful.
artemisia posted
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| This debate seems to be about more than just where a teacher can get the best salary & benefits. |
Very true. I would guess one thing that might be better outside of Japan, perhaps in Russia, would be the level of the students. We have a lot of lower level students here, though depending on the departments one teaches in, you can have more returnees, etc. (I'm not currently in any English literature departments).
Also due to the fact that all students here have 6 years of mostly grammar translation exercises (junior high and high school), we end up with a lot of false beginners who often have difficulty putting sentences together and/or comprehending in real time conversations.
We do see students making real progress, but I would say it's a minority. A lot of students look at language study as an end to getting a good grade and credits rather than a process of learning how to communicate.
I noticed that general safety hasn't been raised. Japan probably rates as one of the safest countries around generally, but like most places you have to exercise common sense. We have had an increase in credit card fraud cases recently and some drink spiking, both in Roppongi.
Since Sasha was so worried about the female population, as I stated they are probably some of the most fashionably kitted out females in the world. Of course like in Russia, speaking the local lingo increases your chances, but sometimes being nice and patient (two traits here that are highly valued) goes a long way. It's not difficult to date local women here, though having good long term relations can be problematic due to the usual cultural differences about family relations, etc..
Public transportation here is very modern and generally very good, though buses like anywhere often run late during rush hour and whenever it rains. hence, 90% of people in the Tokyo are come in by train or subway, so it can seem like a lot of people in your face on longer commutes (well, even short ones depending on your mood and neighbors).
You can find most foreign food here somewhere, though it can be expensive. Scotch and whiskey used to be outrageously expensive, but now they are sometimes cheaper than what you might find back home.
On another teaching related front, scheduling for classes here can be chaotic. Admin departments sometimes don't coordinate scheduling and room assignments very well. It is sometimes a popularity/charm contest to vie for the better rooms, though it does also depend on what you want (PC support, CALL, etc.).
My apologies for a scrambled post, it's late and have some other things going on right now..  |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 11:15 am Post subject: |
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Who's the 'you' you refer to?  |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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| Posted: Fri Sep 03, 2010 11:22 am Post subject: |
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| Not me. Hic! |
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Sat Sep 04, 2010 8:55 am Post subject: |
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Entertainment and recreation
The hot and humid summer months make some outdoor activities less appealing in the summer for most people (though I have a colleague bicycling around southern Japan right now). Luckily, the other seasons are relatively mild, especially when compared to other areas of Asia, except the Koreas.
People do play various sports here, the more common ones are rugby, baseball, softball, soccer, badminton, tennis, and golf. One thing though that is a downer for tennis and golf is the price of playing, as it tends to be expensive and joining a private golf club may not be an option without an introduction and a hefty wallet. Some people will practice golf a lot in Japan, with golfers atop high rise buildings visible from the Yamanote line in downtown Tokyo.
70% of Japan is mountainous, so hiking is accessible in many parts of the country, though it does help if you live away from Tokyo as the better hiking takes some time to reach making shorter day hikes nearly impossible if you live downtown.
There are certainly a number of modern sports clubs (free weights, exercise machines, etc.), and some of them are even government run facilities which are cheaper and offer pay as you go systems. The drawback of these places is that you get more kids and some of them don't allow soap in the showers (use of recycled water prohibits it).
Martial arts classes are easy to find with kendo, judo, akido, and karate being very common here. It's even possible to find classes conducted in English.
The bigger downside here is entertainment. There are plenty of sports bars and pubs (certainly in the metro areas), and smaller kinds of drinking restaurants 'izakayas'. The one thing I miss is better inexpensive livehouses. There are some here and there, but they tend to fall into three categories; free ones where the bands can range from awful to sublime, 2000-3500 yen where professionals, though probably not well known ones, will belt out some decent tunes, and finally dinner clubs that will feature well known acts, but you'll pay plenty to see them (from 8000 to 15000 yen). coming from near the NYC area where you could see some people who might later be famous for free or the second price tier, it's difficult to go out often unless you're a serious music aficionado or have too much money on your hands.
Live comedy also exists with the Tokyo International Players doing performances in English (and some in Japanese).
http://www.tokyoplayers.org/
I actually know two of the performers (one is a coworker), and they can be quite amusing.
Finally of course, you an do karaoke (literally empty orchestra) and sing your own lungs out, which can be quite cheap if you go during the afternoon where 100-200 yen an hour per person will get you a room with a decent karaoke and speaker system. |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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gaijinalways
Joined: 29 Nov 2005
Posts: 2279
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| Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2010 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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The last thing I might mention about in Japan, besides temples, etc. would be going to hot springs, which sometimes you would think is almost a national obsession. Since Japanese currently live the longest in the world (with Japanese men now having dropped to 5th), it does seem very likely that bathing in various mineral baths might be a significant factor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_life_expectancy
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2102rank.html
I'm fortunate in that there are three located in Tokyo, but I would say the more scenic ones are located throughout Japan with some people taking 'onsen' tours. Some of them are quite cheap, depending on how accessible and popular they are. The seemingly most attractive ones would be the coed ones, but actually there are not so many of those now and generally these are more popular with older bathers. |
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Sashadroogie
Joined: 17 Apr 2007
Posts: 11061
Location: Moskva, The Workers' Paradise
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