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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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 Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 8:39 am Post subject: Moving back |
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I think I will leave next year.
I would like to hear of other experiences on the transition back to the USA.
I think I will move to Hawaii and I will need to get certified, which I am looking into.
I don't think my wife can deal with life on the mainland.
At least she will find work but my concern is the high cost for rent and gas. |
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rtm
Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US
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| Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 1:10 pm Post subject: Re: Moving back |
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| mitsui wrote: |
I think I will move to Hawaii and I will need to get certified, which I am looking into.
I don't think my wife can deal with life on the mainland.
At least she will find work but my concern is the high cost for rent and gas. |
You're right that Hawaii is a very expensive place to live. I don't think I'd want to move my family there if I didn't already have something lined up that would provide an adequate amount of money to live on. |
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esl_prof
Joined: 30 Nov 2013
Posts: 2006
Location: peyi kote solèy frèt
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| Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 6:02 pm Post subject: Re: Moving back |
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| mitsui wrote: |
I think I will leave next year.
I would like to hear of other experiences on the transition back to the USA.
I think I will move to Hawaii and I will need to get certified, which I am looking into.
I don't think my wife can deal with life on the mainland.
At least she will find work but my concern is the high cost for rent and gas. |
Why can't your wife deal with life on the mainland? Is she Japanese? If it's a cultural issue, and Hawaii proves to be too expensive of a destination for relocation, you might consider seeking out multiethnic urban neighborhoods on the mainland.
My wife and I are currently living in a multiethnic neighborhood in the same metropolitan area where I group up, seventeen miles from my childhood home. Frankly, after having lived in four different countries together as a biracial, bicultural couple, we both fit in here much better than we ever have anyplace else.
It sounds like Hawaii may well meet your needs. But if it doesn't work out, I suspect you'll find a number of other suitable options. |
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Rooster.
Joined: 13 Mar 2012
Posts: 247
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| Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 7:27 pm Post subject: |
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At least Oahu is small so it's not like there can be a lot of driving.
I think moving to Hawaii is a good place to transitions, I would just worry about it being too small and expensive. What about Seattle or San Jose?
The main things I would worry about would be boredom, stress, and depression.
Would you be using a spousal/k-3 visa? The wait to get permission to work could lead to the above as well as being away from friends, family, and home. I would look into finding Japanese groups/societies and things to ease the shock. Find restaurants and stores that have familiar foods. |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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| Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2015 11:23 pm Post subject: |
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No can't get that visa. Been married too long.
If I had moved already maybe it would not be an issue.
She won't live on the west coast.
She has gotten stubborn, as she has gotten older and set in her ways.
Lots of Japanese refuse to live outside Japan.
She thinks she would be lonely and get discriminated against, so she prefers a multi-ethnic place.
There is even a Japanese phone book in Honolulu, although Japanese-Americans can be quite cliquey.
At least it will be easier for her to get a job.
Public schools don't have air conditioning, but I think I can get work.
Just got to get certified first.
Think I would just use the bus in Honolulu and would buy a small used car.
I know where to get cheaper food, but gasoline is 28% more. |
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esl_prof
Joined: 30 Nov 2013
Posts: 2006
Location: peyi kote solèy frèt
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2015 2:30 am Post subject: |
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| mitsui wrote: |
She has gotten stubborn, as she has gotten older and set in her ways.
Lots of Japanese refuse to live outside Japan.
She thinks she would be lonely and get discriminated against, so she prefers a multi-ethnic place. |
That makes sense. It sounds like you've been thinking through the logistics carefully, so hopefully it will be a viable move.
Good luck, and please keep us posted as you continue the transition back. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2015 5:02 am Post subject: Re: Moving back |
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| mitsui wrote: |
I think I will leave next year.
I would like to hear of other experiences on the transition back to the USA.
I think I will move to Hawaii and I will need to get certified, which I am looking into. |
You probably should post on the N. American forum if you want to know about others' experiences transitioning back to the US.
That said, be realistic about the job market on the islands. If teaching positions in your particular content are scarce, you'll end up holding a useless teaching qualification. (See the Hawaii State Teachers Association.) Additionally, there tends to be an overall hiring preference for locals over newcomers. |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:59 am Post subject: |
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I wonder about it. There are some bad schools so there is turnover.
Many teachers leave for the mainland to make more money.
One problem is that with turnover or retirement is that many teachers are young and inexperienced, so perhaps that it is good for me, plus my experience with Japanese students could help.
I think my wife could make more money than me as she wants to work in translating and interpreting. In fact I think it would be easier for her to get a job than for me.
For her to get the visa I think I would have to move there and live by myself in order to have a US address which would satisfy the US embassy so she could get a visa. |
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Rooster.
Joined: 13 Mar 2012
Posts: 247
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 2:48 am Post subject: |
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| mitsui wrote: |
No can't get that visa. Been married too long.
If I had moved already maybe it would not be an issue.
She won't live on the west coast.
She has gotten stubborn, as she has gotten older and set in her ways.
Lots of Japanese refuse to live outside Japan.
She thinks she would be lonely and get discriminated against, so she prefers a multi-ethnic place.
There is even a Japanese phone book in Honolulu, although Japanese-Americans can be quite cliquey.
At least it will be easier for her to get a job.
Public schools don't have air conditioning, but I think I can get work.
Just got to get certified first.
Think I would just use the bus in Honolulu and would buy a small used car.
I know where to get cheaper food, but gasoline is 28% more. |
I didn't think that there was an age limit for a spousal/k-3 visa (for non-citizen children there is).
I suggested Seattle and San Jose because of the good locations and high Japanese populations, but if they are out of the picture at least Oahu is a good cultural fit. I heard people from the mainland get "island fever" from living in such a small place.
| mitsui wrote: |
| For her to get the visa I think I would have to move there and live by myself in order to have a US address which would satisfy the US embassy so she could get a visa. |
Do you mean the spousal/k-3 visa? If so you do not. |
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timothypfox
Joined: 20 Feb 2008
Posts: 492
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 4:07 am Post subject: |
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| Why don't you try a place like New York City? I lived there for 10 years before coming back to Japan. The Japanese population there is around 80,000 strong. Your wife will likely start out as an ESL student at a language school anyways, so will make some friends immediately and get help enculturating from her teacher. Do one of those emergency Cert programs like Teach for America, or Teaching Fellows in ESL, and that will be a good in to work in NYC. NYC is very multi-cultural too. |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 6:33 am Post subject: |
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I already got rejected by TFA and my wife doesn't like the east coast.
Plus she got her MA in the USA, so ESL classes are not needed so much,
although there is always room for improvement.
I have been married for 11 years so I cannot get a K-3 visa. It is only for couples married 2 years or less.
I think I have to find out about any job fairs for next year. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 6:49 am Post subject: |
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| mitsui wrote: |
There are some bad schools [in Hawaii] so there is turnover.
Many teachers leave for the mainland to make more money.
One problem is that with turnover or retirement is that many teachers are young and inexperienced, so perhaps that it is good for me, plus my experience with Japanese students could help.
I think my wife could make more money than me as she wants to work in translating and interpreting. In fact I think it would be easier for her to get a job than for me. |
However, keep in mind:
- You'd be coming from a Japanese EFL context as opposed to the Islands' multiethnic/multilingual ESL environment.
- Those presumably young/inexperienced local ESOL teachers have an advantage over newcomers in that 1) they're familiar with Hawaii's k-12 educational system and student demographic as former students themselves, and 2) their university studies will reflect that particular language learning context.
Hawaii will be a challenge for both of you in terms of the types of jobs you're focusing on. I agree with a couple of the other posters; you should consider other states that offer your wife her cultural comforts and a solid job market for you. |
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mitsui
Joined: 10 Jun 2007
Posts: 1562
Location: Kawasaki
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 6:59 am Post subject: |
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I am certified in English, not in ESL.
I have known a couple teachers who quit after working in public schools.
I know a couple more who worked as subs and one of them tried journalism before he gave up and came back to Japan.
My wife is not flexible about this so that is why I focus on Hawaii. |
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Rooster.
Joined: 13 Mar 2012
Posts: 247
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 7:55 am Post subject: |
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| I think you are confused. Regarding the k-3 visa, if you have been married for less than 2 years then the green card is conditional and a new one will be issued after reaching 2 years of marriage. Additionally there is also the IR1 visa which I've heard to be a better option. |
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nomad soul
Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world
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| Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 8:12 am Post subject: |
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| mitsui wrote: |
I am certified in English, not in ESL.
....
My wife is not flexible about this so that is why I focus on Hawaii. |
I recall you mentioning pursuing a teaching license a year or so ago. I didn't realize you'd gone through the process.
Ironically, I've also been considering moving to the Islands in the next few years. (I grew up in Asia as a military brat.) However, I'm transitioning from TEFL to instructional design, which will open more doors.
Anyway, good luck. |
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