Job Discussion Forums

Taffmonster · Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Posts: 35

OK so departure dates are being set and GEOS are asking me to depart August 16th. Having absolutely no money is making me very nervous. I am thinking I will have to take out a loan to cover flight and first months food/rent. It's terrifying because I've already convinced myself I am going to hate working for GEOS (only so that I am not disappointed when I arrive). I thinking I am going to need about �1,500/�300,000 (which includes the flight money). Well that's how much I assume as I am unsure how much cost of living is going to come to. I am panicking about things I will need to buy on arrival such as plug converters, toiletries, stationary for teaching and I don't even know know my exact rent yet! its all so terrifying!

On top of all the money worry I am trying to figure out what sort of gifts will be appropriate for fellow employees when I arrive and what times I should give them and how I can politely decline drinks or suspicious food at parties.... actually I do really need to work out polite ways of declining drinks as I am not good with alcohol, especially sake!

Anyhow if anyone has some nice money saving advice please share away or any ideas on cost of living for the first few weeks. Very Happy

Oh and any phrases for saying no politely, would be more than welcome!

earthmonkey · Joined: 18 Feb 2005 Posts: 188 Location: Meguro-Ku Tokyo

Don't worry about bringing gifts. No one will expect that.

Do worry about bringing money. Don't come here with no money!! Bring enough money to last you for the first month and a half. Maybe $1,500 US.

Don't come with nohting.

Taffmonster · Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Posts: 35

Yeah, well like I say i am going to have to take out a loan fom the looks of it. I'll ahve to either sneak it and not mention the fact i will be living in Japan and send money back or I willa hve to get a guarunteur its just pretty terrafying!

TRod · Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 59

I kinda have the same problem. I also signed a contract with GEOS and first I told them my earliest availability date was August 1. Then I had to change it for personal reasons but also because of financial reasons--I am just not ready to live off my savings. So I changed it to mid September--they actually said that was a "Huge and drastic change of availability"--Personally I don't think so, I could use more time to try to save up some money....

madeira · Joined: 13 Jun 2004 Posts: 182 Location: Oppama

You must come with cash.

There are obligatory parties, and I don't know how you'd get out of them without seeming like a berk. Your welcome parties may go on for a bit... and there may be farewell parties for your predecessor. Not usually expensive, but not often free, either.

Teaching supplies are mostly provided by the school. I spent a lot, but I wanted to keep my props. You don't have to.

I was worried about cash, too, so I brought a suitcase full of food on my first trip. Food isn't that expensive in Japan, though... unless you eat a lot of fruit or meat.

A good gift for the co-workers is a big bag of cheezits or something like that. One bag for everyone to share. Don't spend a lot.

Don't forget that you need cash for your train fare for the first month or so. That can add up.

Taffmonster · Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Posts: 35

thanks for the gift ideas guys Very Happy

any ideas about turning down drinks? hehe

Yeah, so it seems deffinate i am going to need a loan! I can't pospone them and i don't really want to either. I guess I'd have this problem moving anywhere it just seems more extreme because it's Japan. I am absolutley wetting my pants with fear though. I am so terrafied about it all. Not knowing where I'll be, what my work collegues will be like, what my apartment will be like, if i have to travel far to work, how long i will be able to manage to avoid eating fish (I am not a big fish lover). All these things equal absolute terror! Confused

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

There really isn't the pressure to drink alcohol you might imagine. Just do the same as you would in your home country, say "No, thanks" politely. Many Japanese women and some Japanese men don't drink, and the other teachers aren't going to be pressuring you. Drink ornage juice or Coke, or if you develop the taste for it, oolong tea, which is always available at bars etc.

There is no need at all to stress this one, unless you are going out with a group of hard-drinking middle-aged Japanese salarymen, which I doubt somehow.

I don't like fish either (I'm a vegetarian). Eat what you want to eat- there's no law saying you must eat sushi once a day! Eat pasta or spaghetti, or soba or ramen- plenty of choices! Smile

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

By the way, you should buy the plug converter(s) before you leave, they're not expensive and you don't want to be running around trying to find those when you first arrive.

Since we use a totally different voltage in my country, I had to buy new appliances on arrival, much more expensive, so you're lucky you don't have to do that!

Taffmonster · Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Posts: 35

I am not actually sure about teh voltage I am in the UK but its only a laptop and external hard drive i need to plug in.

I was worried about the drinks thing because people seem to mention the whole "person next to you filling your cup" thing..... I guess i am just a bit of a worrier hehe.

Thanks for the tips Very Happy

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

PAULH · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 4672 Location: Western Japan

JimDunlop2 · Joined: 31 Jan 2003 Posts: 2286 Location: Japan

Japanese people (above all) want to be good hosts, and that applies to not just foreigners (whom they often see as guests to their country, even if you've lived here for years) but also even to other Japanese people too.

(But you wouldn't believe, even after years of living here, how many people I get trying to explain to me common Japanese dishes... "Disu izu... How you say... Japaneezu... nantoka... sunakku. Wee say... umeboshi! Maybe you donto raiku because itsu bery sawaa..." Only to have me say, "Yeah, I got a whole tub of them in my fridge at home.") Anyway, I digress...

Because they want to be good hosts, there will always be more food and more drink than what could possibly be consumed... That's the whole point. They will very rarely push you to eat/drink if you acknowledge their generosity but don't indulge. "keiko desu" is useful, but often I just let them be generous, and then make a big deal out of their generosity. Smile really big, bow politely (extra points if you can do it multiple times in a row and make it look natural), and say, sheepishly, "Sumimasen deshita. Oishii-sou... Demo, honto ni ippai desu kara." (Meaning: Thank you, it looks delicious, but I honestly couldn't -- I'm quite full already).

On the few occasions where people have been a bit pushy (and don't want to make it into a big deal: "OMG!!! FOREIGNERS DON'T LIKE <FOOD>", I've just told them that I have an allergy to whatever it is they are trying to feed me, and that stops them cold with no more questions asked. (In Japanese they pronounce the word as: "ah-reru-ghee," BTW.

In the case of declining alcoholic drinks, nowadays that is quite common. At virtually every party I've been to until now, there has been a non-alcoholic faction drinking oo-long tea. Just explain that you CAN'T drink... On occasion I've gotten a strange look, but if I clarify (for instance) that I have to drive a vehicle later, they immediately stop offering booze, and I don't have to worry about it the rest of the entire evening.... Although they will still insist on keeping you well-watered with tea. Smile

In cases where you DO want to drink, but don't want to over-do it, just keep your glass topped up. This will not stop people from pouring, as they will just look at you expectingly and hover the bottle over your glass. The polite thing to do is to take several sips, allowing your host to pour you a little bit, (it doesn't have to be much) to top up what you just sipped. You can nurse a drink for a long time this way and stay very sober.

Just as an aside, whenever you accept something politely from a Japanese person, whether it be a business card, a gift, an important document, a drink, always accept it with both hands. (That also applies when giving such things... Especially gifts). When someone is pouring you a drink, hold the glass in both hands as they pour it. When they are finished, you may revert to using just one.

Anyway, don't worry too much about the other things (like the gift angle) virtually anything will do -- see the other recent thread on that topic if you need help with that... and just what the others have said: relax. It's not going to be nearly as scary as you are dreading it to be....

luckyloser700 · Joined: 24 Mar 2006 Posts: 308 Location: Japan

Willy_In_Japan · Joined: 20 Jul 2004 Posts: 329

I don't know about other people's experiences, but when I went out with the GEOS crowd during my time there everyone 'split' the bill 'Japanese style'.

That meant that if you drank an orange juice and someone had 10 beers, you were in effect paying for part of their beer and food. I have been late to parties in Japan and been expected to kick in a full share despite having very little myself. In for a penny, in for a pound.

Get a credit card, and cash advance yourself some money. That is how I financed my trip to Japan. Once I got here earning money, I was fine.

As for gifts......bring something for the person who meets you at the airport something that you cant get in Japan. I chose Reeses Peanut Butter Cups for my gift. Also, cheap souvenirs from Britain for the teaching staff and management, and you should be fine.