I live in Japan!

[jasonbvr]

All teachers are not necessarily white although there is a large, overwhelming large, majority that are. One of the JET's I know is a black woman from South Africa and one of my fellow ALT's working for our company is a half black American, half Japanese guy from California. Ethnicity is not a strong factor in being hired as an English teacher.

The top priorities are: 1) you are a native English speaker coming from a country where the official language is English 2) you look young and seem like a friendly person 3) you have a bachelors degree from university study

That being said, I have witnessed a few exceptions. I know of English teachers from places like Denmark and Finland that have very strong accents but speak fluently until you start using American slang. The age factor is also flexible based on your experience level, but you will need a bit more qualifications to be hired. The degree is not flexible because this is the one factor that immigration looks at and you will be fined and deported for working without proper visa given to you based on your having a degree.

[Ksim4000]

Hi there,

Thanks for pointing me to this thread. I have several questions, though, from my original post and I could use maybe even your opinions on how to make a start on perhaps a Japanese adventure.

As I stated in the other thread, I don't have any fancy, high formal qualifications, just a few English Level thingies, nothing to talk about. How would I start by getting to Japan? Would saving up be a good start? What about jobs and staying with someone, is it cheap to rent a small apartment (flat) out over there? And what kind of jobs could I be looking at?

I ask you because you've been able to make a success of your life and since you've gone the tough route, it'll be my only chance of making it over there. I do want to learn the Japanese language too (it could be my skill) so any help would be useful.

Also, what about this Working Visa for the UK? What would it entail? And last but not least, what's the health care like in Japan? I do suffer to some extent mildly with my health, so I might need access to a decent clinic. Do you have to pay in Japan or do they have a national health system like in the UK?

Thanks. I appreciate your posting. I'll be honest, it is nice to find someone that's gone from not these language or university programmes, student exchanges and the like but instead, has made it their own way.

[Nyororin]

I`ll try to answer your questions.

Originally Posted by Ksim4000

As I stated in the other thread, I don't have any fancy, high formal qualifications, just a few English Level thingies, nothing to talk about. How would I start by getting to Japan? Would saving up be a good start? What about jobs and staying with someone, is it cheap to rent a small apartment (flat) out over there? And what kind of jobs could I be looking at?

Regarding where to start... That is really up to you. Obviously, saving money enough to get here would definitely be a start. I would suggest you look into the "working holiday" visa that is likely available to you.
Without decent Japanese skills, or some other special skill, your main option for jobs would be English teaching. As for apartments, it is possible to find very inexpensive ones - but I imagine it is MUCH harder to do so in Tokyo. In this area, if you look around you can find decent one rooms (with shower, toilet, and small kitchen) for around 30,000 yen a month.

Also, what about this Working Visa for the UK? What would it entail? And last but not least, what's the health care like in Japan? I do suffer to some extent mildly with my health, so I might need access to a decent clinic. Do you have to pay in Japan or do they have a national health system like in the UK?

You most likely would not qualify for a regular working visa - but may for a "working holiday" visa. Here is the info on it. I`m not from a country with that visa scheme, so I don`t know any of the details. I`m not entirely certain how the health care would be with that visa, but Japan does have a national health care system - I am fairly sure that if you register and pay your fees that you will receive coverage. The fees are generally based upon your prior income, so would not be too high in the beginning.

Thanks. I appreciate your posting. I'll be honest, it is nice to find someone that's gone from not these language or university programmes, student exchanges and the like but instead, has made it their own way.

Thank you. I hope that you are able to figure out what the best path is in your case. Feel free to PM me anytime.

[Tyler]

Nyororin, I was considering working as an English teacher in Japan. After reading your posts now I'm reconsidering. What jobs would you recommend?

[Daniel]

Hi Nyororin I have a couple of questions for you if you don't mind.

But before that I want to say a couple of things. I was born and raised in South Africa, and I moved to England with my family two years ago (I'm 20 now). I have been very interested in moving to Japan for a few years now. It started off when I was 14 and I got into the whole anime thing. After that I started getting realy interested in Japanese history, and in the last few years I've been into Japanese culture and way of life. I have heard that if you're a foreigner trying to live permanently in Japan, you need some sort of university degree (which is not always the case, seeing as you went there when you were 17). I plan to start studying for a degree in computers next year. The degree will (hopefully) take four years to complete, and after that I want to move to Japan. I don't realy know that much Japanese, only a few basic words, but I am confident that if I put my mind to it and try realy hard, I can learn enough Japanese over here, that if I move to Japan that I can speak basic Japanese, and then learn it properly over there. I also don't want to rush into moving there, so I think I will probarly try and get a one year working visa first, and if I like it there (which I'm sure I will) then I can hopefully live there permanently. I know alot can happen in four years, but if everything goes according to plan, I will be living in Japan permanently in the next six or seven years. I have a couple of questions, but before I dive into those, I just want to say I am glad everything worked out okay in your life and that you are happy now. Now to the questions.

I live in England, so how hard will it be for me to get a visa, for one years work or permanent living? So if I get a one year working visa and I like it there, how would I go about living there for longer, hopefully permanently?
What is the best way to learn Japanese reading and writing? It seems it is alot easier to learn to speak Japanese than to read and write it.
Will it be hard for me to find work there if I have a degree, but I don't want to teach English i.e not be a teacher but work in a place where I will have to speak Japanese most of the time?
How are "westerners" treated over there? I have heard that the Japanese people see some of them as "uncivilized". I know this is generalizing, but I want to know if Japanese people are accepting towards foreigners. You say you are married to a Japanese man. Basically I'll put it like this: I think Japanese women are very beautiful, and if I ever live there permanently, I will probarly get married. Do the Japanese find the foreigners attractive? Do the Japanese and the foreigners mix (as friends and as spouses). This is one thing that concerns me alot, that if I manage to move to Japan, that I will not be accepted by the Japanese.
Thanks alot if you decide to reply.

[Nyororin]

First, a reply to Tyler. I missed that post. I`m terribly sorry!

If you`re looking for jobs in Japan, then English teaching really is the biggest option and it will be hard to find any other kind of job until you have decent Japanese skills. If you just want to teach English, or need to make some money in Japan, well... Then it works. What I meant to say is that it is *not* a way to learn Japanese. If your goal is to teach in a foreign country, then go for it. But if your goal is to learn Japanese - I would recommend saving up and attending a Japanese school first.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by Daniel

Hi Nyororin I have a couple of questions for you if you don't mind.

I don`t mind at all. I`ll try to pull your questions out and answer them one by one.

I live in England, so how hard will it be for me to get a visa, for one years work or permanent living?

As far as I know, Japan offers a "working holiday visa" to those in the UK. It is usually a one year visa, allowing limited employment. I`m not from the UK so I can`t be sure, but I don`t believe there are any strict requirements for it.

So if I get a one year working visa and I like it there, how would I go about living there for longer, hopefully permanently?

That really depends on you, what you do, and what you prefer. If you enjoy your job, then continue on with it until you have enough time under your belt to apply for permanent residency. Or get married to someone Japanese. Or eventually apply for Japanese citizenship.

What is the best way to learn Japanese reading and writing?

My opinion on this is to learn it in the same way a child would learn it in normal life - by observation and attempted communication. I`m very much against textbooks until you are skilled enough to read them in Japanese. If you have to learn that, say, inu=dog=that 4 legged animal over there, then you have an extra step that actually makes it harder to remember. You should never learn a language through the word=word method. That just makes it that much harder to speak it fluently - everytime you speak, you end up having to translate it in your head. You should try to put yourself in a situation where you don`t check definitions. When you learn a word, it should be learned in direct connection to an object, not to an English word. (Very hard to explain, but a very simple concept.)

It seems it is alot easier to learn to speak Japanese than to read and write it.

That is true. But you should never even really learn to write anything if you don`t understand it to begin with. If you begin learning to read and write after you have a firm grasp on what you are reading, then it becomes a lot easier.

Will it be hard for me to find work there if I have a degree, but I don't want to teach English i.e not be a teacher but work in a place where I will have to speak Japanese most of the time?

Yes - if you don`t speak Japanese. If you *do* speak Japanese, then it may not be too difficult. I know a couple people who work normal jobs, and had no problems finding them - but they spoke very good Japanese by the time they started job hunting. Being as any normal company isn`t going to be speaking English, it would be very hard to work for them. You wouldn`t understand the work, and they wouldn`t understand the work you did.

How are "westerners" treated over there? I have heard that the Japanese people see some of them as "uncivilized". I know this is generalizing, but I want to know if Japanese people are accepting towards foreigners.

In my personal experience, I have had no problems - no blatant discrimination, no mistreatment, etc. I know there are some people out there who experience things like that, but I have to wonder if some of it isn`t because of their own behavior. I`ve never seen anything that would lead me to believe that anyone Japanese thinks of "westerners" as uncivilized. Quite the contrary, in fact. Japan has a severe inferiority complex. "The west" seems to be the epitome of civilization and culture.

You say you are married to a Japanese man.

I`m not just saying it. I really am. :P

Basically I'll put it like this: I think Japanese women are very beautiful, and if I ever live there permanently, I will probarly get married. Do the Japanese find the foreigners attractive?

That really depends upon the person, just as any other sort of tastes in love do.

Do the Japanese and the foreigners mix (as friends and as spouses).

This bit depends more upon the behavior of the foreigner than anything else. If you don`t speak Japanese, naturally the mixing will be cut down. It`s a bit hard to mix with people you don`t understand. If you hang out with foreigners all the time, then your chances to meet Japanese people will be few and far between. In my experience, I had no problems, but I was also not around any other foreigners.

This is one thing that concerns me alot, that if I manage to move to Japan, that I will not be accepted by the Japanese.

If your Japanese is good enough, you will be treated pretty much normally. If you choose to wander around, shouting English at people because Japanese is too much trouble... You will be avoided like the plague.

[Kuroneko]

[quote=Nyororin;17377]

Originally Posted by Daniel

My opinion on this is to learn it in the same way a child would learn it in normal life - by observation and attempted communication. I`m very much against textbooks until you are skilled enough to read them in Japanese. If you have to learn that, say, inu=dog=that 4 legged animal over there, then you have an extra step that actually makes it harder to remember. You should never learn a language through the word=word method. That just makes it that much harder to speak it fluently - everytime you speak, you end up having to translate it in your head. You should try to put yourself in a situation where you don`t check definitions. When you learn a word, it should be learned in direct connection to an object, not to an English word. (Very hard to explain, but a very simple concept.)

This is very True. Before I went to Japan I did it by the text book/phase book. Latter during my stay when my Japanese got better I just tossed it aside(I still kept it for reference) and bought a Japanese Language book. (The ones with only kana and kanji, no romaji.) I'd say my language skills in general got better.

[Tyler]

Thanks for the response
I'm glad everything worked out for you!

[Daniel]

Thanks for all the replies Nyororin. So basically life will be much easier for a foreigner, like myself, over there if I can speak a little or basic Japanese (at least enough to hold an average conversation). In that case I'll try my best and work hard on learning as much Japanese as I can before I come over.
Also just one more question. About permanent residency. You are married to a Japanese man (so you got residency that way) , so marrying a Japanese person seems the most simple way to get it. But how long must one stay in Japan to get permanent residency or citizenship without marrying a Japanese?
Tyler. I once read on another site about a guy who went to Japan, first teaching English for about a year, and then after a year he was settled (house etc.) he also took Japanese lessons throughout the year in his spare time. So after being there for a year he could speak good Japanese and had a house etc. So he then got a normal non English teaching job. It seems that is also not a bad way to do things. I.e getting a english teaching job and once you're settled getting another non Japanese job.