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Okay, so my name is Shawna, and I just started my second year teaching English in Japan, so yeah, it’d be really nice if I could communicate with people here. I’d also love to be able to read, but I know only a handful of Kanji. I was quite motivated to study when I first arrived, then I got discouraged because I don’t feel like I’m picking it up as well as I should be, or have seen others do,so my confidence and motivation has taken a hit. I came here with almost no Japanese, so I guess I’m proud of being able to understand/speak the little that I can, but my ability to have a conversation is still severely lacking. The textbooks I’ve been using are not sinking in so I’m excited to give it a go with textfugu!!
Hi Shawna! Welcome to Textfugu. :) Hopefully you’ll find this is the right resource to get you rolling with your Japanese studies!
It is hard to feel like you’re not picking it up as well as you should. Just remember that you don’t have to compare your learning with someone else’s. Just think how much more you’ll learn if you keep at it! Even if it takes time, you’re still making progress day by day if you stay with it. :)
Welcome and good luck with your studies!
~CassandraWelcome. You’ve already learnt one language in your life, there’s no reason you can’t learn s second. =)
Just idly, I’m pondering doing English teaching in Japan at some point – who are you with? Since you’re in your second year, I assume it’s going well, but how have you been finding it? Fun? Challenging? Complete culture shock? =)
Hi Shawna!
Wow, you’re doing exactly what I dream of doing! I have so many questions for you, just as Joel asked in the previous post.
I myself am completely new to Japanese (I now know the first 10 hiragana woot! lol), so don’t feel discouraged that you feel like you barely know enough Japanese to get by; you’re doing amazing by my standards!!
Best of luck with your studies, and let me (or anyone here for that matter) know if there’s anything we can do to help!
P.S. I look forward to hearing from you sometime about your experiences teaching English in Japan ;)
Hey Shawna, welcome to TextFugu! Good luck with your studies!
Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!
Joel and Carli, I’m with the JET program, which I recommend if you aren’t in a rush to get here and can endure a long application process. I recommend it since you have a lot of support (usually, “every situation is different” is like the JET motto though), as in you don’t have to mess with housing, flights, they help you with your visa, and general getting set up with daily stuff. That being said, the program seems to be getting phased out slowly, since a lot of JET positions are now being cut in favor of private companies. I know some people who have finished with JET and now work for private companies and complain that they don’t get the “perks” that JET provides. Also, the pay is generally better for JET ALT (assistant language teacher) positions, although that might change as well due to budget cuts. There are quite a few options in Japan though, you can do the ALT thing, or work at an eikaiwa (English conversation schools).
I’m enjoying life here…the pay is good, the country is beautiful, and Japanese people are kind and generous. The students I work with are ridiculously fun, so even though some days I wish the job was more stimulating, I’m usually satisfied with it. As far as culture shock, The first 7 or so months here I felt no homesickness and was purely enjoying myself. However, I also had a great group of foreigners in my town and neighboring towns, but some of my closer friends moved on, so I guess at that point was when I first experienced culture shock in that I felt some homesickness and anxiety. Now that I’ve gotten used to those changes, I’ve adjusted pretty well I think. I do miss home more going into this second year, but that has to do with the newness wearing off, and I find there is still plenty to marvel at in this country. The other foreigners I’ve met here have pretty much enjoyed their experience here, and I can’t say I’ve met anyone that has regretted coming here. Of course, it is challenging at times. The language barrier hasn’t been TOO much of a problem. Of course I wish I could get into more in-depth conversations, or understand simple things just in daily living situations, but I’ve gotten by well enough, and I’ve found the people to be quite patient for the most part. The Japanese have a reputation for being shy about using English, but in my experience, they are usually quite willing to try to pull out whatever English they’ve learned and remember. I also worry at times that I’m offending people since they are so overly polite all of the time, and I, frankly, can’t keep up with all the phrases I should be using all the time, so maybe I come off as rude. I hope they cut me some slack though :)
So, if you seriously want to come, then I recommend it wholeheartedly!
It’s the JET Program that I was looking at too, though I won’t be applying for another two years. I’ve been hearing various things about it, both good and bad. I’ve also heard about the long application process, and the cutbacks that the Japanese government is starting. Hoping it still exists in two years…
If JET ceases to exist then it’s not that big a deal, I’m not going to go for it because of the lengthy app process, I’m just going to turn up in Japan and start applying for every job I see pretty much. English teachers are in high demand and a lady I spoke to that works at one of the largest ALT recruiting agencies told me it’ll be incredibly easy to find a job with a degree, of course some people are fortunate enough to get them without.
A school in Japan emailed me back saying my cover letter was fantastic but they needed somebody with prior experience. That was nice of them and pretty inspiring! I don’t have a degree yet so I’m more limited in what jobs I can apply to unfortunately. Still it’s nice to know JET isn’t the only option.
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This reply was modified 13 years ago by
Luke.
The degree is necessary for a working visa to enter Japan, not for the job itself. You’re not limited in the jobs that you can get so much as not able to work in the country at all.
You don’t need a working visa depending on your country of origin. UK residents can go to Japan for a year on a work holiday visa, which can be extended quite easily too and doesn’t require a degree.
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This reply was modified 13 years ago by
Yggbert, what kind of degree do you need? Like one in teaching English as a second language? The reason I ask is because I finished my B.A. in 2010 but my majors were French and International Studies with a minor in Linguistics…..no ESL experience. Do you know if that makes a difference?
Also, thank you SO much Shawna for the info…..it’s people like you that inspire me to not give up my dream of teaching in Japan. :)
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This reply was modified 13 years ago by
Carlie.
For a visa (if you need it) then any bachelor is fine. I couldn’t speak for someone in Yggbert’s position, though.
As Yggbert says, it is fairly easy to find work teaching English here. It also depends on what kind of teaching you want to do. You can work at a elementary, junior, or senior high school as an assistant, or do conversation classes at an eikaiwa, which are usually going to be small groups and a wide range of ages/language abilities, and that work is often in the evening. There’s a lot of options, and JET certainly isn’t the only one. The ”perks” of JET that I mentioned are also being decreased as funds get tighter, depending on your placement (usually the people out in the boonies get more subsidies), and depending on what company you work for, you may get just as much support as you would with JET in terms of help getting your life set up here. I know a couple people that work at an eikaiwa in the city I live, and they seem quite happy with their situation, and have had a lot of assistance from their employers. It’s also quite easy these days to connect with other foreigners in your area/prefecture through Facebook groups and whatnot, if that is a concern. I think pretty much every prefecture has a JET website that posts events that are not only for JETs, everyone is welcome. Or maybe you just want to get involved in your community and make Japanese friends. There are so many ways to do that as well, most cities have some sort of community center where you can take a class in something that interests you, I do taiko and pottery. My city also offers free Japanese conversation classes run by volunteers that are interested in international relations.
I personally only have a bachelors degree (in Art), and I think generally you can find work with a BA (in anything). Carlie, your International studies and linguistics will be helpful I think. Lots of JETs that came this year majored in linguistics. I think ESL experience would be helpful to help you feel more comfortable in a classroom and teaching, but again, not necessary.
Yep any degree! I’m thinking of just ditching the idea of going to university, doing some part time work and going to Japan on my own in 2013 instead of paying the outrageous university fees. (around $60,000 here)
Might not be an option for all though, the US has a pretty poor visa option I think. It only gives you around 30 days to stay, or maybe it was 90 days I can’t really remember. Where as on work holiday visa (UK) some people have been living in Japan for years and just keep getting it extended.
I’m really not sure what I should do and it does stress me out sometimes.
I get paid for attending uni, I can’t even imagine having to pay for it yourself… Seems so odd to me
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This reply was modified 13 years ago by
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