I live in Japan!

[Annaliza1228]

really! you live in japan! cool! but are there actually realy yakuza and stuff still alive? and do most of the students walk to school? and what are the ages for the elementary, Jr. high, and highschool ages? I'm totally psyked!

[AntiCitizen]

Originally Posted by Annaliza1228

really! you live in japan! cool! but are there actually realy yakuza and stuff still alive? and do most of the students walk to school? and what are the ages for the elementary, Jr. high, and highschool ages? I'm totally psyked!

wow do american kids drive suv jeeps's to junior high school or something, walkings good exercise and yes japan would have yakuza just like england has just about any gang you can imagine

[WanderingWarrior]

Not to offend you Nyororin, but for some of us JET is a great option for going to experience Japan for a few years and not all of us want to go to make money and nothing else. I thinks it's amazingly selfless and kind what your doing for strangers to help them out. I myself want to live in Japan for a few years, I want to be outside the city in a mountain town, or the countryside and I want to become better at speaking Japanese than I am now and learn more about the culture. I know a former JET who came back after 3 years was fluent in Japanese (was not before he went) and had an overall great experience. It's all in what you make of it, sure I could go over and not pick up any more Japenese or learn more about the culture and get by ok, but thats not what I want and I'm sure thats not what a lot of ppl interested in JET want. Again it's awesome what your doing, but there are some of us interested in JET for the right reasons too.

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by WanderingWarrior

Not to offend you Nyororin, but for some of us JET is a great option for going to experience Japan for a few years and not all of us want to go to make money and nothing else. I thinks it's amazingly selfless and kind what your doing for strangers to help them out. I myself want to live in Japan for a few years, I want to be outside the city in a mountain town, or the countryside and I want to become better at speaking Japanese than I am now and learn more about the culture. I know a former JET who came back after 3 years was fluent in Japanese (was not before he went) and had an overall great experience. It's all in what you make of it, sure I could go over and not pick up any more Japenese or learn more about the culture and get by ok, but thats not what I want and I'm sure thats not what a lot of ppl interested in JET want. Again it's awesome what your doing, but there are some of us interested in JET for the right reasons too.

I don`t recall saying anything against JET specifically - the thing is, JET isn`t near the majority of English teaching in Japan... And in the end, isn`t what most people mean when they ask about teaching here. In most cases, JETs seem to be chosen partially for how serious they are about cultural exchange and the like. There are only so many participants, and they really only seem to cover the tiniest corner percentage of English teachers in Japan.
Most "English" teachers are of the private school / chain school variety.

But even with JET, it does depend an incredible amount upon placement, from what I understand. The school itself has policies, and if their policy says no contact with people outside of work - then you follow it if you want to continue. If the JET community is very strong (not always a bad thing) you may have little chance to encounter real life without being enveloped by a blanket of western opinion and ideals. The high school I attended (GAP?) had two JET teachers. Both of which were in their second or third year... And one full time teacher who had been there 10 years. None of them could speak Japanese, and used that handicap as a reason to hang around with the other numerous JETs in the area.

It`s not so much as saying that those interested have poor intentions as much as saying that there is a fair chance that they`ll be limited by their surroundings. And being as 90% of the people who come in here asking things are too lazy to even bother trying to find any information on their own, the chances that they`d actually put forth effort to learn without a constant background commentary while in Japan are low.

Your perceptions are largely shaped by your surroundings and the attitudes of those around you. Good attitudes are very hard to find in English teaching, so bad spread like wildfire. Sure, someone dedicated can manage even in the most adverse circumstances... But I will never agree that teaching English is a good way to learn Japanese. It isn`t. A way to live in Japan, maybe. But it`s not going to help you learn the language.

[WanderingWarrior]

You are right that you didnt specifically mention JET I (wrongly) made the assumption that was what you were speaking of when you talked about teaching English. I have spoken with many of the people at my local Japanese cultural center, and some say yes it is possible to get by speaking minimal Japanese which I dont understand because I see it as an opportunity to immerse myself in a culture and language and to learn as much as I can while im there. Not everyone is going to look at it that same way, but thats how I see it. My only real experience of this has been the 1 former JET I wrote about who came back fluent. And it wasn't that he told me he was fluent so I believed him, I have been around while he held a conversation in Japanese with native speakers. As I said before I think it's all what you make of it, so when you go to the market, or out for a drink, or have to ask for directions these are all opportunities I would take to struggle through language barriers until they are no longer a barrier. I just dont assume that since I will be teaching English in a school that will be my entire experience and the only thing I surround myself with.

[SGTOkinawa]

You can't buy a one way ticket to Japan.

Hope that helps, (try it, and see.)
'
(and if you did is because you have dual citizenship or something like that)

Peace!

[littleknotty8]

Hi, I live in the United States and I have a project for my communication class in college where I pick a country and have to interview 2 people who have lived in that country. I picked Japan and I had people to interview, but they bailed on me last minute. Would it be possible to ask you a few questions? It would be so helpful, seeing as i dont want to fail. And if anyone else would be willing to answer these questions, I would be forever grateful!!! I need as soon as possible because it is due tomorrow. Thank you so much!!

~Brittany

email me at littleknotty8@cox.net for the questions

[MMM]

If it only takes a few minutes I can answer your questions here or in PM.

[buttonss]

Oh your so lucky! Your livin' my dream!
So how easy do you think it would be for me (being 17) to get a job there.
I mean a simple job to surive over there for a few years.

[SSJup81]

Originally Posted by buttonss

Oh your so lucky! Your livin' my dream!
So how easy do you think it would be for me (being 17) to get a job there.
I mean a simple job to surive over there for a few years.

I'm no expert, but it'd probably be very difficult given your age. For one, you'd need to obtain a Visa to remain there, and one way of doing so is through a work visa, and to get that, one of the requirements is that you have a Bachelor's Degree. The other way is to get employment, somehow, with a company that'll sponsor your Visa. You could always go over there on a student visa if you go to a University and do an exchange or something along the lines of that. Given your age, that would probably work best for you, but as I pointed out, I don't have much experience with this, just going by what I've researched myself and through most of the threads here and elsewhere.