Okay, so you guys got the Okay* That you're going to be teaching in Japan, but just how ready are you?
Now some of you studied abroad in Japan during high school as a homestay, during your college years as a study abroad, or you went to visit as a tourist for a couple of weeks, or months.
Yup, doing any of the 3 prepared you all so well!
You you guys are soooo ready...
I thought the same thing, but trust me, these were the golden years of your time in Japan, and they're about to change...very very much. Visiting another country is always fun when you don't have major responsibilities! I love being in Japan as a tourist, and questioned humanity as well as my sanity when I was working in this country.
So I have 3 questions for all you readers...
1)Did you really research the company you will be working for?
2)Do you know what area in Japan you will be placed in?
3)Do you have a good command of Japanese?
If you didn't answer yes too all these questions,
you're not ready!
If you answered yes to all the questions, you're still not ready!!
Ohh...I thought I was so ready! Thats a lie...I was so anxious getting to Japan....I thought since I traveled to Japan before I knew everything I needed to know. I even researched my company thoroughly. I even had testimonies from other people that this was going to be a walk in the park. But I made so many mistakes when I first started working, it was ridiculous...(and I lay that blame on both I and the company!! miscommunication and assumptions, how does that work?)
And a term that you all probably heard before, Every Situation Is Different...and man was it like that for me!
I also didn't find out till literally, 1 week 1/2 my placement, which was another annoyance in itself when you're moving across the world with a pet and needed to find an apartment that allowed them!
As for command of the Japanese language? You can get by without knowing Japanese once again depending on your placement. For example if I was persay, placed in a very urban city like Kyoto,Nara,Osaka....me no speaky Japanese would've been fine! But being placed in bum fuck Inaka(country) or a prefecture that is more suburban than urban...and Japanese is a must. My placement city was pretty much like that! I had some people speak to me in English,but I can count those experiences on one hand. But even if you're fluent in Japanese, remember...Japan has different dialects! I want to say hyujungo speakers can do fine all throughout Japan unless they go up north to Hokkaido or way down south to Kyushu, thats where your ass can get ripped a new one, ESPECIALLY if you're placed in Miyazaki or Kagoshima! But don't feel bad, even native Japanese speakers can't understand the dialects of Miyazaki or Kagoshima,and possibly them peeps up in Hokkaido! And Okinawa?...HAH!!
So my advice for all of you guys getting ready to teach in Japan. Try and find FB groups where you can find some people, possibly in your area and ask for their advice up front on what you're up for. If you have your placement,locate as soon as possible where your local conbini store is and load up on booze...
its going to be an interesting change of pace!
And here's some beginner's Japanese to get you by fairly easily when you land in Narita Airport just know how to say yes(hai),no(iie),where's the toilet(toire wa doko desu ka?), how much is this(kore wa ikura desu ka?), can I have this please (kore o kudasai) and thank you(sankyu)...Okay there's more, but you guys must have been practicing your Japanese by now...right?
Also for us U.S. folk, don't get confused about how to understand Japanese money.
100yen is basically 1.00$. Japan just doesn't like using decimals..among other things.
ganbarimasu children!!
Coming up next, living in a Japanese apartment
Company housing Vs Non company housing
Okay, so you guys got the Okay* That you're going to be teaching in Japan, but just how ready are you?Now some of you studied abroad in Japan during high school as a homestay, during your college years as a study abroad, or you went to visit as a tourist for a couple of weeks, or months.
Yup, doing any of the 3 prepared you all so well!
You you guys are soooo ready...
I thought the same thing, but trust me, these were the golden years of your time in Japan, and they're about to change...very very much. Visiting another country is always fun when you don't have major responsibilities! I love being in Japan as a tourist, and questioned humanity as well as my sanity when I was working in this country.
So I have 3 questions for all you readers...
1)Did you really research the company you will be working for?
2)Do you know what area in Japan you will be placed in?
3)Do you have a good command of Japanese?
If you didn't answer yes too all these questions,
you're not ready!If you answered yes to all the questions, you're still not ready!!
Ohh...I thought I was so ready! Thats a lie...I was so anxious getting to Japan....I thought since I traveled to Japan before I knew everything I needed to know. I even researched my company thoroughly. I even had testimonies from other people that this was going to be a walk in the park. But I made so many mistakes when I first started working, it was ridiculous...(and I lay that blame on both I and the company!! miscommunication and assumptions, how does that work?)
And a term that you all probably heard before, Every Situation Is Different...and man was it like that for me!
I also didn't find out till literally, 1 week 1/2 my placement, which was another annoyance in itself when you're moving across the world with a pet and needed to find an apartment that allowed them!
As for command of the Japanese language? You can get by without knowing Japanese once again depending on your placement. For example if I was persay, placed in a very urban city like Kyoto,Nara,Osaka....me no speaky Japanese would've been fine! But being placed in bum fuck Inaka(country) or a prefecture that is more suburban than urban...and Japanese is a must. My placement city was pretty much like that! I had some people speak to me in English,but I can count those experiences on one hand. But even if you're fluent in Japanese, remember...Japan has different dialects! I want to say hyujungo speakers can do fine all throughout Japan unless they go up north to Hokkaido or way down south to Kyushu, thats where your ass can get ripped a new one, ESPECIALLY if you're placed in Miyazaki or Kagoshima! But don't feel bad, even native Japanese speakers can't understand the dialects of Miyazaki or Kagoshima,and possibly them peeps up in Hokkaido! And Okinawa?...HAH!!
So my advice for all of you guys getting ready to teach in Japan. Try and find FB groups where you can find some people, possibly in your area and ask for their advice up front on what you're up for. If you have your placement,locate as soon as possible where your local conbini store is and load up on booze...
its going to be an interesting change of pace!
And here's some beginner's Japanese to get you by fairly easily when you land in Narita Airport just know how to say yes(hai),no(iie),where's the toilet(toire wa doko desu ka?), how much is this(kore wa ikura desu ka?), can I have this please (kore o kudasai) and thank you(sankyu)...Okay there's more, but you guys must have been practicing your Japanese by now...right?
Also for us U.S. folk, don't get confused about how to understand Japanese money.
100yen is basically 1.00$. Japan just doesn't like using decimals..among other things.
ganbarimasu children!!
Coming up next, living in a Japanese apartment
Company housing Vs Non company housing Now some of you studied abroad in Japan during high school as a homestay, during your college years as a study abroad, or you went to visit as a tourist for a couple of weeks, or months.
Yup, doing any of the 3 prepared you all so well!
You you guys are soooo ready...
I thought the same thing, but trust me, these were the golden years of your time in Japan, and they're about to change...very very much. Visiting another country is always fun when you don't have major responsibilities! I love being in Japan as a tourist, and questioned humanity as well as my sanity when I was working in this country.
So I have 3 questions for all you readers...
1)Did you really research the company you will be working for?
2)Do you know what area in Japan you will be placed in?
3)Do you have a good command of Japanese?
If you didn't answer yes too all these questions,
you're not ready!If you answered yes to all the questions, you're still not ready!!
Ohh...I thought I was so ready! Thats a lie...I was so anxious getting to Japan....I thought since I traveled to Japan before I knew everything I needed to know. I even researched my company thoroughly. I even had testimonies from other people that this was going to be a walk in the park. But I made so many mistakes when I first started working, it was ridiculous...(and I lay that blame on both I and the company!! miscommunication and assumptions, how does that work?)
And a term that you all probably heard before, Every Situation Is Different...and man was it like that for me!
I also didn't find out till literally, 1 week 1/2 my placement, which was another annoyance in itself when you're moving across the world with a pet and needed to find an apartment that allowed them!
As for command of the Japanese language? You can get by without knowing Japanese once again depending on your placement. For example if I was persay, placed in a very urban city like Kyoto,Nara,Osaka....me no speaky Japanese would've been fine! But being placed in bum fuck Inaka(country) or a prefecture that is more suburban than urban...and Japanese is a must. My placement city was pretty much like that! I had some people speak to me in English,but I can count those experiences on one hand. But even if you're fluent in Japanese, remember...Japan has different dialects! I want to say hyujungo speakers can do fine all throughout Japan unless they go up north to Hokkaido or way down south to Kyushu, thats where your ass can get ripped a new one, ESPECIALLY if you're placed in Miyazaki or Kagoshima! But don't feel bad, even native Japanese speakers can't understand the dialects of Miyazaki or Kagoshima,and possibly them peeps up in Hokkaido! And Okinawa?...HAH!!
So my advice for all of you guys getting ready to teach in Japan. Try and find FB groups where you can find some people, possibly in your area and ask for their advice up front on what you're up for. If you have your placement,locate as soon as possible where your local conbini store is and load up on booze...
its going to be an interesting change of pace!
And here's some beginner's Japanese to get you by fairly easily when you land in Narita Airport just know how to say yes(hai),no(iie),where's the toilet(toire wa doko desu ka?), how much is this(kore wa ikura desu ka?), can I have this please (kore o kudasai) and thank you(sankyu)...Okay there's more, but you guys must have been practicing your Japanese by now...right?
Also for us U.S. folk, don't get confused about how to understand Japanese money.
100yen is basically 1.00$. Japan just doesn't like using decimals..among other things.
ganbarimasu children!!
Coming up next, living in a Japanese apartment
Company housing Vs Non company housing
