Korean Job Discussion Forums

[chaz47]

Anyone on here made the jump to Japan and regret it?

I am really beginning to feel comfortable here, I have had my issues with various people, but in general my life is really easy now.

I wouldn't mind something different next year though... I would like to make the jump to university level, which may be possible here. Japan, China, Thailand, anywhere else sounds interesting too though... wanderlust is kicking in I guess.

Anyway, back to the idea behind this, has anyone left Korea for Japan, or anywhere else for that matter and regrets it now. If so, what are your reasons?

[andrew]

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[Bibbitybop]

This is good question for the international forum where more people in Japan cruise.

From the folks I've talked to, the culture rocks, the jobs can suck, but that's anywhere in Korea, too, eh?

[bosintang]

I did, and I regretted it. Others have completely different experiences of course.

My biggest problem was that I was too impatient to pick up where I left off in Korea, and that wasn't going to happen without putting my time in Japan, so I decided to leave. The biggest issue for me was the money. Korea has really spoiled me. An entry-level English teachers salary in Japan is nothing to be proud of and you can make as much working in a call centre back in your home country.

[cardigan bay]

I moved to Japan after teaching in Korea for 3 years and just being completely sick of working in badly run hogwans and being made to work in lots of different places at once etc etc.
I then lived in Japan for 2 and a half years. It was tough. It was almost impossible to get ahead financially. This was partly bad luck and partly my own fault. Because I took the first job offered to me and didn't do my research I ended up in a really weird school where I was threatened and physically attacked by my boss's boyfriend and then fired for hitting him back and defending myself.
In another job I had a completely insane boss who was constantly criticising us, always payed late, sometimes didn't pay at all and in the end closed the school with no warning. I returned to Korea.
Interestingly neither of these bosses was Japanese. One was from Sri Lanka and one from Uganda. I had other jobs in Japan and some were good but I always had to travel a lot every day and work really long hours.
Although my working life was difficult I made a lot of wonderful friends and had a great time socially. Japanese people are unbelievably kind and generous. They don't have the Korean hang up about only being able to make friends with someone who is exactly the same age as you.
Living in Japan also provides a welcome relief from the relentless squalor and noise of Korea. In Japan people care about the way things look and take responsibility for the area around their homes. They clean up trash and recycle and make things look nice and tidy. Bars and clubs and restaurants are great so it's fun to go out and you don't have to choose between just beer and soju.
I have no friends in Korea and no social life at all but in Japan I had a great time, lots of friends, a really nice boyfriend etc etc.
BUT now that I am back in Korea I can save money and I can take holidays and go and see my family. I can plan a year or so ahead and even though I am sometimes bored out of my mind I have time to study languages, do hobby stuff and do another teaching course online.
I am lucky that I have a good job and a good boss which has been kind of unusual in Korea but I think things are improving here.
Another thing about Japan is that you don't usually get your apartment provided so you have to bear the full cost of that. You may have to pay key money too or borrow it from your employer and then pay it back in installments. I rented a tiny one room apartment and had to buy a washing machine and furniture. There was only room for a one ring gas burner. I had to pay to get gas and power on. I had to pay about 2,000,000 won in key money, non refundable. I couldn't afford a TV. I could only afford a phone because a Japanese friend payed for it for me. After you pay rent and utilities and mobile phone etc. there is not much left. People make extra money with privates because they are legal in Japan so you can do as much extra teaching as you want.
I hope that I have given a few of the pros and cons from my experience.
I LOVED Japan but it was tough.
I don't love Korea but it is easier here.
Give Japan a try, it's a great country, but really do your research. I have heard good things about the JET program and met lots of JET teachers who had a good deal with subsidised housing and good salaries.
GOOD LUCK