Job Discussion Forums

[JezzaYouBeauty!!]

Hey all,

Just wanna ask a question.

I hope I get many people saying yes....or partly yes.....

Do you have a job that you are really happy with, you enjoy, is no stress at all, and that you are totally satisfied with?

...while also going out on average, 3 nights a week, drinking and eating all night, with one fantastic little group of 3 to around half a dozen, tight nit, foreign and japanese friends........in several little drinking establishments a 5 minute walk from where you live.....

....while also.....usually..... not arriving at work with a hangover.....

.....and while also....saving lots of money....lots......

For all its faults....actually that was Korea, for me.

hmmm.....oh well, just interested. And for those who often come on here asking "Korea or taiwan or Hong Kong or Japan...where should i go?" etc, .......this could be a good thread

-jezza

[Mark]

[denise]

I had a great job, enough money to go out whenever I wanted (although usually for dinner and a drink or two--I'm just not the clubbing type of person), and enough people, foreign and Japanese, to go out with. It is definitely possible. If only my school hadn't closed and I had liked the country itself a bit more, I might still be there.

d

[JezzaYouBeauty!!]

yes....thanks for the input

Actually.......my question possibly was a bit silly. Of course no one has the exact same situation in Japan. Maybe some aspects the same.

Overall, besides those working in universities or international schools in Japan........comparison wise, I think things can be pretty sweet in Korea. Unfortunately, it is Korea that doesn't seem to be so sweet.....

And some do find themselves in pretty horrible (for several reasons) schools in korea, in not the best places to be.......probably the same for Japan really....in that sense.

I had a good situation and was lucky to meet a few good friends quickly, Korean and foreign.

For the "Where to go....Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan or Botswana?" kind of topics....... this is just my 2 cents worth........

Still,....I miss the 3 nights a week with my 3 closest friends representing, Korea, Canada and the U.S. ......the coalition of the drinking......we were........

-Jezza

[Glenski]

[JezzaYouBeauty!!]

actually.......i should say....my friends in Korea.....very intelligent and nice people.

Sitting down, conversing, eating, drinking together a few nights a week was wonderful.

When work hours are from around 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM, it can certainly be done. Not to mention a 5 minute walk to and from work, and the korean izakaya type places also. And no stress at work, except for a few psycho anti-japanese and anti-foreign teacher, elementary and middle school students......

I shouldn't harp on about it. My colleagues and I thought we were working in the best school in Korea. Just luck really.

But for those considering where to go to teach....it is some information I guess....

For those considering korea.......if I told you some of the stuff I heard of, saw and experienced in Korea......it is pretty.....bad....... BUT.....I bet you there are those who go to Korea and never experience anything bad at all and love it.

See ya.....

[taikibansei]

[JezzaYouBeauty!!]

takibansei......you are complaining and WHINING about japan, and about newbies who don't speak japanese, and about me......and about people who are not glenski and paul and Jim etc......and about people whining........

...in one big, rambling, aggressive e-mail.

You've made all these absolutes....that would put down a lot of people. And you've made huge, incorrect assertions about the content of my previous postings.

Ahh....look......just go away

[JezzaYouBeauty!!]

I know......'e-mail'.....I made a boo boo.......sorry

[taikibansei]

[guest of Japan]

Taikibansei opined:

[taikibansei]

[PAULH]

[Zzonkmiles]

I like my job very much.

I currently work at a senmon gakko (technical college), so I'm working with the student age group that I'm most comfortable with (the 18-30 crowd; no kids, no teenagers, no middle-aged salarymen, and no obasans). The staff there are quite friendly and I am respected as an actual teacher there by the students and staff, rather than just hired help or a conversation partner like at an eikaiwa. The office ladies even bring me tea, orange juice, and snacks--something that is still taking some getting used to.

I work Monday through Friday, but there are no classes on Friday. I teach six 90-minute lessons a week. When I am not teaching, I simply do prep. But because prep is easy (I don't have so many lessons to prep for), I spend a lot of time in the office (I share an office with all the other teachers, but I have my own computer and internet access) working on my own personal projects or simply netsurfing.

I am the only English teacher and the only foreigner at the school. This might make some people lonely, but it has worked out fine for me. It has done wonders for my Japanese, particularly my listening comprehension and my knowledge of slang, because I am exposed to and forced to use Japanese everyday. I pretty much AM the English department and am (almost) completely responsible for what goes on in the classroom. The only thing I can't choose is the textbook. I choose the activities and assign and grade the homework. I'm also allowed to use Japanese in the classroom, so I don't have to worry about giving my students a "hint" in Japanese without worrying about them calling the office after the lesson, complaining that I spoke Japanese (like eikaiwa students do), and getting an earful from my trainer.

I get all national holidays off in addition to four weeks of paid vacation a year. And if I have to work on a weekend (such as attending a training seminar or working at an open campus event), then I can take a compensation day off at a later date. The school provided me with an apartment that is a very, very large 1DK (the bedroom is 6-mats, the living room/kitchen area is about 14-mats) and pays half the rent for it. They even paid for me to move here. I get National Health Insurance and pension and the school has been very cooperative with me in terms of setting it up for me.

We also have many office dinners and barbeques. I remember going to one such barbeque about a month ago on a Sunday afternoon and they were litterally throwing chuuhais and beers at me to drink. (That was the first time I've ever been drunk before noon on a Sunday afternoon. *grin*)

Sometimes I do a few other projects, not just teaching. For example, I had to plan and conduct a presentation for an international delegation that visited my school earlier this month. I also had to train the office ladies in English so that they could serve as tour guides for the visitors. I also sometimes do some proofreading and odd jobs like that. Basically, I get to use my brain and feel a real sense of ownership and appreciation for what I do. It can be a busy job, but it's different from the type of busy that you experience at an eikaiwa where you have only a few minutes to write lesson comments, go to the bathroom, and search for files.

Considering that I was fortunate enough to escape eikaiwa, I consider myself very, very lucky to have secured this gig. Japan is such a wonderful country--I can't believe how much I was missing when I was stuck doing that job. To those seeking an escape from NOVA and GEOS and whatnot, learn Japanese, pay your dues, sign up for as much training as you can at your current job, network, and cross your fingers.

[guest of Japan]

As a matter of fact it does connect two very mirky, sweltering, malaria infested swamps. I'm glad you're interested. Let's see in yen it's retail value is about 10,000, so if we use a standard yen to dollar conversion of 1 to 100 - you can be the proud owner of said bridge for only $1,000,000.

The office will be open 24 hours to process your transaction if you still have interest. We are also willing to act as a broker in case you would prefer the front of beach property that Paul is offering.