Japan

There are so many options to consider when choosing a country to teach abroad, but not many people give much thought to what they will be doing in their free time and or what activities they will get involved with while they are there.

Whether you are into sports, sightseeing or even scuba diving, Japan has got you covered…

When most people mention Japanese culture many think of a very serious and respectful society while to others it invokes thoughts of women clad in kimonos and strange looking masks. Now while things like these still can be seen in Japan, today’s modern Japanese culture does know how to kick back and have a lot of fun too.

Read more at the site: Japanese Culture

When most people ‘take the plunge’, and head half way across the world to teach ESL, the thinking is that they will be home in a year -the length of the contract they sign - but they tend not to consider how their lives, as well as their views on life, will be affected and changed by the experience. A very large percent of teachers will stay for one additional year after completing their first contract, usually staying in the same country; but why limit your experience to just one new culture? As Evelyn Davies explains from her article on visarus.co.uk, there is a lot to learn from different cultures and that not all ESL students are the same.

Japan has an international reputation of having smart and hardworking students. This is the image that is projected to the international community and reinforced by a report by the OECD; which listed Japan as number 5 in the rank of smartest students in the world. So it comes as a huge shock when a native EFL teacher enters a classroom of rude, loud students playing with their cell phones, sleeping, applying makeup or even plucking their eyebrows (in my case these were boys). To discover that the most used English word, other than the colorful language picked up from American Rap music, is “No”; and, that the students have little or no interested in learning a language that has been forced onto them.

The overall level of English ability is very low in Japan even after 6 years of study and even university graduates who have studied English longer still, on the whole, have a very low level. Compounding this is the general low level of speaking skills of the Japanese English teachers.

From online resources I see that Russian students are enthusiastic learners, they have a willingness to challenge and discuss and their level is much higher than those of Japanese students. Certainly this was true of the Japanese and Russian university students I taught in Australia.

The reasons people decide to go to Japan and Russia in the first place are basically the same: A new culture, a new environment, money (for Japan, not Russia), personal development, professional development, adventure and of course sex (usually men not women). The gender and age of the teacher is also a contributing factor. So then why do teachers leave and specifically leave Japan to go to Russia?

For an experienced EFL teacher it is not for the money. It will be one of the other reasons including, maybe for some, the satisfaction of teaching students who want to learn.

Japan has a culture that is very different from many other countries; the same can be said of Russia. While thousands of people are flocking to Japan and general world knowledge of Japan is increasing; Russia still holds the allure of the unknown and I am confident that those who take the leap into the unknown and unfamiliar will be rewarded with experiences that they never expected. And that is exactly what I am expecting.

If you think Ramen is a popular snack in North America, just wait until you get to Asia, namely South Korea and Japan. Ramen companies are always trying to think of new flavors, new packaging - basically anything to differentiate their product from the competition. This restaurant has gone a different route by adding ice cream - yes ice cream - to the ramen dishes they serve. Mmmmmmm!

there’s a restaurant in Tokyo that has created the ultimate ramen + desert in one package. Looks simple enough. Take some ramen, add some ice cream, and then eat as much as you can before puking

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Most people think that eating sushi is daring enough… not the Japanese! For some unknown reason, these two can’t seem to find enough enjoyment from eating like normal human beings do; instead, they want to feel what it’s like to be - I guess - a larger fish???

“I can feel them swimming in my stomache!” (at least I think that’s what he said). Not for long buddy, not for long…

On October 26th 2007, Nova, previously one of the the leading language schools in Japan, filled for bankruptcy protection.

Nova, which has about 900 schools, over 418 000 students and employs over 1,000 British language instructors, found itself in trouble when their business practices came into question after complaints that they were not refunding tuition to students who had cancelled their contracts.

Nova’s problems became increasingly worse once word got out to the public:

The negative publicity led to a dramatic decline in enrolments and left the school unable to pay thousands of its teachers, some of whom also face eviction because Nova failed to pay their rent, which is deducted from their salaries. Nova’s 2,000 Japanese staff have not been paid since July and about 4,000 foreign instructors have not been paid since September. Christopher Gunn, one of around 900 British Nova teachers caught up in the crisis, has had to borrow from friends to pay his 55,000 yen monthly rent and has only 3,000 yen left in his bank account.

“Until this morning no one knew what was happening,” he told NHK television. “I’m angry and a little upset but not surprised at all. I may have to borrow money for a plane ticket home.”

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1) Mount Koya
Take a break from the crazy city life and trek on one of Japan’s most beautiful mountains. Your only choice of places to stay are in Buddhist temples, but here you will enjoy amazing vegetarian dishes at a very low cost to you (payment is usually in the form of donations to the temple).

2) Karaoke
If you have tried Karaoke at home with your friends, you may have found it somewhat boring; this will not be the case in Japan. Karaoke is usually a destination after a good night out at the bar with friends and co-workers, making it all the more interesting.

3) Onsen (hot springs)
Onsen resorts are all over Japan. Said to have healing power, these hot springs will make you feel relaxed and fresh, especially in winter with the cool air contrasting against the warmth of the water.

4) Kaiseki (multi course meals)
Enjoy true Japanese cuisine and indulge in a variety of different tastes, designed to not only to excite your taste buds, but your eyes as well.

5) Hanami In spring, cherry blossoms bloom for a short period of time all across Japan. This is a time when families, friends and lovers take to the parks to experience the beauty of this short-lived experience.

Apartments in Tokyo come in all different shapes and styles, prices, names and sizes. Abbreviations are how they are referred to, so you will need to know some lingo to get started:

K - is the abbreviation for kitchen. The flooring in the kitchen is usually wood laminate or tile
DK - means dine in kitchen
Jo or Tatami - interior sizes are measured by the size of a reed mat called a ‘tatami, a single tatami being 1.8 meters by 90 cm
L - means living. A 1LDK for example, would mean that there is an eat-in kitchen, with a living room usually right beside the kitchen. Sizes range from 35 square meters (52 jo) to 60 square meters (85 jo)
GH - means guest house. These are usually temporary living conditions. They can be shared or private accommodations
1K - is the abbreviation for single room with a kitchen and usually a bath. Approximately 20 square meters (13 jo)
2Ks - will have 4 rooms including the bathroom and the kitchen
2DK - same as a 2K, but with a dining area

ESL schools usually put teachers in a 1K apartment if they are alone, and a 2K or 2DK apartment if they are rooming with a friend or their partner.

Apartment prices will rise not only in the monthly rent but also with the key money. Key money is basically a deposit that needs to be given to the landlord in order for you to rent. Some Tokyo apartments for example, will cost you 4 months rent in key money while other smaller apartments will cost you only 2 or 3. Apartment prices can range from 39 000 Yen to 125 000 Yen.

The majority of schools in Korea will have your get your visa done in your home country (read about the Korean visa process), but there are some certain circumstances that will require you to do a visa run to Japan from Korea which are listed below. If you are in the northern part of Korea, you will be flying to Osaka, but if you are in the southern end, you can either fly or take the ferry to Fukuoka.

*Note that visas can be completed in one day in Osaka but rumor has it that this will change to at least a 2 day wait as of September 2007

3 Reasons for the Japan visa run

1) If a school has a teacher that needs to leave the position immediately, they will find themselves without a teacher to teach their classes. In this case, the school will not have time to go through the visa process, so they will opt to fly the teacher to Korea and then send them to Japan a week or so after they have arrived in Korea. The cost of the flight will be covered by the school, but make sure that you get this in writing as you can never be too careful with contracts in Korea.

2) If you have finished your contract at one school but would like to begin working for another. The cost of this should be covered by your school as a replacement for your airplane ticket from your home country that they would have otherwise paid for.

3) If you are quitting your job before your contract is finished and want to work for another school. This situation can get a little tricky, so be careful. Most employers will do their very best to keep you at their school no matter what the problems might be, as they will be left without a teacher otherwise. If your situation at your current school is really bad but you want to continue to work in Korea, you will have little choice but to take this option. In order to make sure that you will have no problems with your new job, you will need to have your school sign a letter of release which will allow you to continue to work in Korea with another employer. Try and leave your school on good terms though, as directors have the power to put you on a blacklist, making it impossible to return to Korea for an entire year.

Tips and directions to the consulates

Be sure to check out the Korean national holidays as well as the Japanese national holidays so that you don’t get to the office on a day when no one is there.

Here are the addresses as well as the directions to both the Osaka and the Fukuoka Korean Embassies:

Osaka Korean Embassy

2-3-4 Nishi-Sinsaibashi, Chuoku, Osaka, Japan
Postal Code: 542-0086
Phone number: (06) 6213-1401-3
Time difference with Korea : 0
Documents: Visa letter and one picture plus fee
Office Hours: 9:00-12:00, 1:30-17:00 (Monday to Friday) No Saturdays.

** In order to get your visa processed in one day you should submit your documents before 2pm and you will be able to pick them up after 4pm

Instructions of how to get to the Osaka consulate from the airport

1) From the Kansai International Airport, take a train called ‘Rapit’, which is on the Nankai line. Get off at the last stop called ‘Namba Station’ and take exit 25

2) Ask for the ‘Holdiay Inn Nankai Hotel’, which is about a10 to 15 minute walk from the station. The consulate is right across from the hotel

Fukuoka Korean Embassy

Fukuoka 1-1-3 Chuo-Ku Fukuokas Jigyohama
Postal code: 810-0065
Phone number: 81 92 771-0461/3
email: mailto:fukuoka@mofat.go.kr
Office Hours: 9:00-12:00, 1:30-17:00 (Monday to Friday) No Saturdays.
Time difference with Korea: 0
Documents: Visa letter and one picture plus fee

**The minimum time for getting a E-2 visa here is two days.
If you hand your documents before 3pm, you will be able to pick up your visa the next day anytime after 10am.

Instructions of how to get to the Fukuoka consulate

1) From the Airport
Take the subway take it to the brown vase stop, Tojin Machi (the 9th stop from the airport). It will be right after Ohori Koen, which is a park. From Tojin Machi, go out exit #1, which will say Korean Consulate on it. Walk straight out of the exit towards the traffic lights, where you will turn right and walk straight for about 10 minutes. You will have to cross over to the other side of the street to get to the consulate which has a Korean style roof and a Korean flag hanging from it.

2) From the Ferry
Take a bus to Tenjin (#80 or the #84 both of which should say Tenjin on them). Change buses and take a bus to the Fukuoka Dome and the consulate will be right around the corner from here.