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pnksweater
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 173
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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 Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 1:42 am Post subject: Japan with Family |
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I've done the prerequisite search and come up empty handed... but I know there are members here who do have family- spouse, kids, with them in Japan.
Here's the background... I have a BA in East Asian Studies, a Masters of Education, TESOL certification, conversational Japanese, and a few years of experience teaching at the university level, and a random stint teaching at a snooty "international" kindergarten in Tokyo. I've since returned home and started a family. I have not been doing much teaching.
I'd like to go back to Japan for work, though some place more relaxed than Tokyo. Rural or suburban is fine. I would prefer to work at a university or school, as opposed to eikaiwa. I plan on enrolling my daughter in a local yochien when she's old enough. Thankfully, she has a grasp of basic Japanese. I would sponsor the husband's dependent visa. He would be staying home with the child.
So considering the slowdown in hiring, the economy being in the toilet and all... am I asking for the impossible? Any tips or helpful websites?
ETA: I am especially looking for advice from working women and/or those with non-Japanese spouses.
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by pnksweater on Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:08 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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pnksweater
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 173
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:59 am Post subject: |
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Glenski, you never fail to point out the painfully obvious.
Do you have anything to share about your own personal experience working in Japan with a family? |
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Symphany
Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 117
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| Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:06 am Post subject: |
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| Pinksweater, this post may seem obvious as well (or not). Have you thought about JET? I personally don't have children but it seems to be a more family-friendly program than private language schools (Eikawa). It is actually one of the most family friendly from the comments I've seen on this board and my own research. |
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pnksweater
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 173
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:10 am Post subject: |
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| Symphany: thanks, I was wondering about that. The JET site seems to say little, one way or the other. I'll look into that. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:49 am Post subject: |
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| pnksweater wrote: |
| Glenski, you never fail to point out the painfully obvious. |
Not sure if you actually saw the stickies before or not...I choose to err on the side of caution and hope people don't clobber me in return. 
| Quote: |
| Do you have anything to share about your own personal experience working in Japan with a family? |
Well, my wife is Japanese, so our situation is different twofold -- gender and nationality of spouse.
For a foreign spouse like yours, I'd definitely recommend having long serious talks (yes, plural) about what they are going to do while you are away at work. If they are not working, they will be faced with household chores, running errands, and other sundry tasks that may give them more of an opportunity to meet the locals and use Japanese. Case by case.
Will they be the one who needs a car, who learns the subway system or neighborhood better, who has to handle city hall, the ward office, mail, taxes, sales people, etc.? Will they feel more pressure from the other spouse to learn more Japanese for those things? Will they have time?
Will they study or work? Be bored with J television or learn where the DVD shop is? Manage the finances, make dinner/sightseeing reservations, window shop for major purchases, etc.?
And, how about picking up the child from yochien or taking care of children before yochien age? And, when yochien wants something special, who will be the one to handle it (parents' day, sick child, holiday events, etc.)?
Both people will have new experiences from exotic Japan (tongue in cheek there) at the end of the day. Share. Neither is more important, especially if the experience is a cause for complaint.
Learn to make foreign and Japanese friends, but realize how you interact differently with each (and between each spouse!).
Enough to chew on for starters. |
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starteacher
Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 237
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| Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry to dampen the spirits, but unless one of the parents can guarantee they will keep a job once they get it, it is inadvisable. What happens during the time if and when contracts end ? Will it be renewed ? It also helps if at least one of the partner is Japanese, or the family has some (Japanese) guarantor to safeguard the family living in a country. Unless the family is loaded with backup funds for the rainy day.
There are two things employers look for in teachers. One is if they can do the job (qualifications, experiences etc). This is always open for debate as you can gather from this forum all sorts of people get taken on as well as turned down. Next is employers will also be looking at exactly the same as you are asking yourself .... can you support yourself. If you carry more baggage, can you carry it all ?
Then the employer do their little risk analysis, and see if it is worth taking on the candidate. As there are plenty of candidates too. Employers may have some empathy but employer is a business first.
And I have not even moved onto the children or the aspects of living in Japan.
Why don't you let your husband look for a job first on Japan, get settled, and join him later. |
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pnksweater
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 173
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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| starteacher wrote: |
Why don't you let your husband look for a job first on Japan, get settled, and join him later. |
Because my husband is not qualified to work in Japan. I am. He does not have the degree or experience necessary for a Japanese work visa. Last time I worked in Japan I sponsored his visa. I intend to do the same. Maybe I'm just crazy frugal, but my teachers salary was enough to support us and put away sizable savings.
However, I know that things change. Have they really gotten so lean in the teaching sphere? |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:41 pm Post subject: |
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| starteacher wrote: |
| Sorry to dampen the spirits, but unless one of the parents can guarantee they will keep a job once they get it, it is inadvisable. |
In spirit I would agree with this, but in reality what job can ever make that guarantee?
| Quote: |
| It also helps if at least one of the partner is Japanese |
To a degree, yes, but what is the OP supposed to do about that? I don't see the point in offering this "advice".
| Quote: |
| , or the family has some (Japanese) guarantor to safeguard the family living in a country. Unless the family is loaded with backup funds for the rainy day. |
The guarantor would be the employer, so we're back to the first statement in this thread again. I do agree again, though, with the idea of having sufficient funds on hand.
| Quote: |
| There are two things employers look for in teachers. One is if they can do the job (qualifications, experiences etc). This is always open for debate as you can gather from this forum all sorts of people get taken on as well as turned down. Next is employers will also be looking at exactly the same as you are asking yourself .... can you support yourself. |
Yes, on the first item, but I would also add that many go just by someone's nationality and definitely by their personality.
As for an employer judging whether someone can support themselves...I disagree. They really don't care. They may shy away from hiring someone with a family if they only offer small housing (perhaps what you referred to as "baggage"), but how a family supports itself is not up to the employer to judge.
[quote=pnksweater]Maybe I'm just crazy frugal, but my teachers salary was enough to support us and put away sizable savings.
However, I know that things change. Have they really gotten so lean in the teaching sphere?[/quote]How much did you make back then? And, now you have another person to support, so it could be harder despite being (not-so-crazy) frugal.
Lean? I would prefer to use the word "tight" or "saturated". What work did you have back then (i.e., what does "random stint" mean), and what exactly are you unwilling to take now? |
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pnksweater
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 173
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:32 am Post subject: |
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| Glenski wrote: |
Lean? I would prefer to use the word "tight" or "saturated". What work did you have back then (i.e., what does "random stint" mean), and what exactly are you unwilling to take now? |
I worked at the pre/kindy from 2004-2005. It was random in that my degree is in ADULT education. From 2005-2006 I worked for a private university in Tokyo. It was a great job with above average contract renewal. 5 years instead of the usual 2 or 3. The pay was 320,000 before taxes, not including stipends for housing, dependent spouses, etc. I am considering reapplying for this position- but I am concerned about the small living quarters in Tokyo. And the practical aspect of raising a kid in such an urban setting.
I've reviewed my old position and noticed that overtime pay has decreased from 7,000 yen per hour to 2,500 yen. So I know some things have changed in the last few years. I suspect with the lowering student populations that many universities are feeling the squeeze these days. I just don't know how much.
Due to the nature of childcare, my husband will be unable to do as much part time work as he did last time. So I really don't feel comfortable taking home less than 250,000 yen per month. Especially if we have to find housing outside that provided by the university. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 3:43 am Post subject: |
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| pnksweater wrote: |
| Due to the nature of childcare, my husband will be unable to do as much part time work as he did last time. So I really don't feel comfortable taking home less than 250,000 yen per month. Especially if we have to find housing outside that provided by the university. |
Even 320,000 would be tight, especially in an urban setting. Best of luck. |
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pnksweater
Joined: 24 Mar 2005
Posts: 173
Location: Tokyo, Japan
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 5:42 am Post subject: |
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| figured as much... |
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starteacher
Joined: 25 Feb 2009
Posts: 237
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 10:12 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| reality what job can ever make that guarantee? |
Precisely. So what I am saying is you are putting the risk of your entire family, that's all. It's a little different type of life this time having a baby to tow around.
Last edited by starteacher on Wed Mar 28, 2012 10:38 am; edited 1 time in total |
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seklarwia
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 1546
Location: Monkey onsen, Nagano
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:12 am Post subject: |
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| starteacher wrote: |
| Quote: |
| reality what job can ever make that guarantee? |
Precisely. So what I am saying is you are putting the risk of your entire family, that's all. It's a little different type of life this time having a baby to tow around. |
Coming from UK where at the moment, it seems that 1000s are losing their jobs monthly as big companies go bust or lay off huge numbers of workers to cut costs, I'd say that unless the OP is planning to come and pound the pavements looking for jobs whilst having a family in tow, then the risk of coming to work in Japan is comparable to working in many of our own countries at the moment.
As long as she takes some precautionary measures then there is no reason why she can't make this work.
1) Get a job before coming (something the OP is trying to do)
2) Have some money put away for a rainy day (something any responsible parent tries to do regardless of whether they are at home or abroad)
3) Make sure you have friends or family who can put you up if things go pear shaped, especially if you intend to sell your house back in your home country. It would be nice if they were in the country you intend to move to, but even back home will do (ideally both but back home is a must if you plan to sell up); which leads on to...
4) Make sure you have enough funds to fly you and your family back home if all else fails.
If the OP and her husband have discussed this and he is willing to do this, as long as they do the necessary planning and take the necessary precautions, I don't think that any of us has the right to criticise.
To the OP:
If you can't back into your old job, definately have a go with JET since you don't mind rural. They may not take on a huge number, but they do take on people with family. |
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Glenski
Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN
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| Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 11:50 am Post subject: |
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| pnksweater wrote: |
| No companies are THE guarantor, it is only for the job in question, |
I'm not sure I understand your point. Get hired with a company or school that is willing to serve as visa sponsor, and they will in all likelihood serve as your apartment guarantor, too.
Not all apartments these days require it, but at least the employers usually do that part.
So, if you leave the job, it is unreasonable from the word go to assume that any ex-employer would remain as guarantor for your apartment, but that's why you get another one who will.
We all walk that line. You seem to be making it out as if there's something else going on here. There isn't.
| pnksweater wrote: |
| I am concerned about the small living quarters in Tokyo. |
Most quarters are small no matter where you live. You should know that already. Adapt or change your plans.
What's your timeframe in getting here?
| seklarwia wrote: |
| If the OP and her husband have discussed this and he is willing to do this, as long as they do the necessary planning and take the necessary precautions, I don't think that any of us has the right to criticise. |
Who is criticizing? I for one am merely trying to point out all sides of the situation here. You made some good points, and I agree with them. However, one point deserves special attention:
Get a job before coming
Easier said than done, especially for uni level jobs. Even before the market was saturated, there were only about a dozen places that advertised widely as recruiting from abroad. |
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