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Hi Gigatron, I realize you wanted to put this thread to rest, but I just came upon it trying to figure out some Anki stuff.
Anyways, I just want to throw in my bit of encouragement about getting yourself to Japan, since I moved here (Japan) just over a year ago. Yes, knowing the language will help immensely, but I came here knowing pretty much no Japanese and have managed just fine. There is a surprising amount that can be communicated even if 2 people don’t speak the same language. If you have even basic Japanese under your belt, that will be quite helpful, and the immersion will just build on what you already know. Yes, it can be quite frustrating not knowing the language, and I find not being able to read the most frustrating mostly because I feel like I miss out on cool things/events/places to see because I can’t read. However, there is a lot of information that can be obtained in English here, and if you have even a small grasp of Japanese to be able to ask, or locals that speak English, they can and will help you. Also, I don’t know if you aim to live in a city, or want to be in the countryside, but I know foreigners that have lived in both big cities, and in remote villages with varying levels of Japanese (one friend also had no Japanese before she came and lived in a tiny village where hardly anyone spoke English), and not only has she survived just fine, but she enjoyed her time there.
Taking the step to make a huge change like moving to another country is of course intimidating. I didn’t really think I would actually do it either, as I tend to have a very difficult time taking risks. But, I managed to do it, and certainly don’t regret my decision to come, and think I’ll be here for another year and a half. My Japanese is still at very much a beginner level and I often get discouraged thinking that maybe I just don’t have the right kind of brain to pick up another language and think about giving up (especially considering I have immersion on my side). However, I try to focus on how much I have learned and how no matter what, learning a new language will help keep your mind sharp, even if I never use Japanese once I leave Japan.
Hope that helps!
Sorry about your dog Carlie! I’m impressed with the amount you study also! I have the advantage of total immersion at this point, but that is so helpful that you have friends that you can practice conversation with. If/When you come to live in Japan, it’ll be incredibly helpful to have some Japanese under your belt, I wish I had!
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.
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!
