Job Discussion Forums

[dbooster]

Hello all!

I just interviewed with Aeon about a week ago. The interview went really well and I knew they were going to offer me a job - I just wasn't expecting it so soon. Just last night I was called and offered a job in Okazaki. I was told it was an emergency - the teacher I am replacing had some kind of family crisis - and so I would start training the very day I arrive, it would be a short training, and then I would be thrown right into teaching by myself.

That's a lot to digest! Add to it that they want my reply by this evening. I think I will accept, even tho it will be very daunting at first (not to mention, I should buy some caffine pills for that first day). But once the high stress of a limited training and the first week or two of classes is over, I think I would start enjoying it just like a normal position. That is to say, I am trying to throw the circuimstances of this specific position out of my decision making process since they would only affect me for a limited time.

Anyways, I wanted to throw that out as a way of introducing myself (tho I've posted on here before, it has been over a year). Has anyone here been to Okazaki or know anyone there? Moreover, is the Aeon school there a good one? My recruiter said that the school there is one of the most sucessful in Japan, but I wonder if they say that about all the schools. haha. I have also heard really bad things about Aeon East, and conversely really good things about Aeon West. Which one controls Okazaki since it is right in the middle of Japan?

Thanks all!

[Like a Rolling Stone]

Wow! That is hardcore! Where is Okazaki? and where are you coming from?
Sounds like a loooong haul, and then working straight away Sounds bad!
Did you apply to another place too?

[JimDunlop2]

I have no idea about Aeon in Okazaki, but the summer before last I lived there for one month while I was studying Japanese at a school there.

Okazaki is a nice little city in Aichi-ken, about 30 minutes from Nagoya by train. It is the traditional birthplace of Tokugawa Ieyasu (the Shogun) and part of the Tokaido Road.

As far as places to live go, this one ranks fairly well IMO. There are LOTS and LOTS of foreigners, due to the large Japanese school there as well as the proximity to Toyota's major car plants which employs many Brazilians and Peruvians. It's also only about an hour from the coast, specifically Tahara which has some of the best surfing in Japan.

If you need any additional info, plz ask me specific questions but the working end of it, I probably can't help you with too much.

[dbooster]

What do you mean by "LOTS and LOTS". My only experience in Japan has been when I visited Kyoto about two months ago. Tho I saw maybe 2-3 white faces a day, most everyone was Japanese. I'm not sure how I would feel about a huge foreign population, to be honest. A few would be nice, sure, but I really want to experience that "stranger in a strange land" feeling.

I have reasearched some about Okazaki already. Interestingly, my AEON recruiter gave me the population number of 1.4 million, but everywhere I check I am seeing closer to 400,000. I did read that Okazaki recently merged with another city, so maybe this is where those extra numbers come from?

[markle]

Just want to echo JD's assessment I live just up the rail line to Okazaki and I've always found it pleasent enough, especially around the river and the castle environs.
I wouldn't stress about the foreigner situation, you really have to go out of your way to feel like there are too many around. One advantage is that the local international Association is pretty well developed which means there are more services that they can offer you.

[sallycat]

[dbooster]

I've pretty much decided that I will accept it, as I wrote above. Any suggestions for questions when I call him in a few hours? I thought to ask more about this shortened training period, about what my schedule would be, how closely I will be placed to the school, and some general city questions. Any others?

[womblingfree]

[Perpetual Traveller]

[dbooster]

[JimDunlop2]

Downtown there's a foreigner hangout called "Izakaya ja nai." It's a pretty good little bar... The owner's nice enough and you can meet some people there too.

[in_japan]