Job Discussion Forums

viddy · Joined: 07 Jan 2004 Posts: 50 Location: London, England

...how long were you thinking of staying?

Reading a lot of the posts, I get the impression that most people started out at a "Big 4" school on a normal 1-year contract. Was this because you originally saw yourself working there for just a year before going back home, but liked it so much you decided to stay?

unchi pants · Joined: 20 Dec 2003 Posts: 64

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Unchi is right, there are only one-year contracts at eikaiwas. I came with my family with the idea of staying 2 years. One year is not long enough if you're dragging a family along. Of course it was still a one-year contract, but I could renew. Now it has been almost 1.5 years, but we plan on staying much longer because I really like my job at the uni and where we are living. Who knows how long we'll stay and the job market back home is still terrible.

denise · Joined: 23 Apr 2003 Posts: 3419 Location: finally home-ish

One year is also, in my opinion, not long enough if you want to see noticeable improvements in your teaching. I planned from the beginning on being here two or three years (or longer? don't know yet, but probably not more than three years). I've been here for seven months so far.

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foster · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 485 Location: Honkers, SARS

When I first went there, I had intentions of staying at least 2 years, since I sold EVERYTHING I owned and gave away my dog Crying or Very sad

.Also, when filing for Non-resident status from Canada, I read you must be gone for 2 years, which was another deciding factor. There was NO WAY i was paying the gov't of Canada any of my hard earned Japanese Yen.

After 2 years in Nova, I needed out. I moved to HK where I can see myself making a career out of teaching here. I feel much more at home in HK than I ever did in Japan.

Honestly, I believe that if I had not worked with Nova, I would still be in Japan. That company is poison!! (IMHO)

Gordon · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 5309 Location: Japan

Foster, 2 years at Nova is about 8 everywhere else I think. The 2 years deal with Revenue Canada is quite brutal. However, happy day for me today as I finally got my tax return from them. I filed it July 20 and I get the return today (6 months!) and it is alot more than I anticipated. Very Happy

foster · Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Posts: 485 Location: Honkers, SARS

AHHHH...that explains why I went to Nova a bright eyed 29 year old and now I feel 50!!!

Must be nice to get money back from the Taxman...I did and then he changed his mind and wants it back now INCLUDING a crazy penalty which I refuse to pay.

The Canadian tax system sucks.

Lynn · Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Posts: 696 Location: in between

cangel · Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 74 Location: Jeonju, South Korea

I came over on the JET Program and wanted the program to be a stepping stone after receiving my MS in TESL. After JET I returned home and the job market sucked, largely due to not having a primary endorsement area for certification. After 6 months in the states, I'm heading back to Japan. I took the easiest route possible in getting a gig with Nova. This, I hope, will allow me to pursue other teaching opportunities in the future. Everything that I felt was wrong with Japan when I was there, seemed to have a sense of purpose when I got back to the U.S.

Wolf · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 1245 Location: Middle Earth

I had no clue. Ended up as three years. Plus whatever I can add to that in the future.

shmooj · Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 1758 Location: Seoul, ROK

Came for two and will leave one month short of six years.

If you end up with a good deal the place does become addictive. But not all that glisters is gold. Sometimes other things glister too.

guest of Japan · Joined: 28 Feb 2003 Posts: 1601 Location: Japan

I came with no specific plan. I was trying to be as flexible as possible and let Japan let me know when it's time to go. It's been 3 years and Japan is starting to let me know.

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

I was a JET and had only intended to stay a year. Then I went back to Canada, worked in an international ESL school, got a hankering for Japan, and have been here nearly a year now.

This time, I'm probably putting in 3-5 years. I really like the place I work at, and life is good here. I can actually afford to have a life and travel and eat out and have hobbies and save money. Not like in Canada where I was making it but had virtually no savings each month.