Going to Japan in 2 weeks!!!

[sketchley]

Question though. How helpful is a TESOL certification for applying to public school ALT positions in Japan or the JET program?

I apologize for going off-topic but does anyone have any experience teaching in Korea too?

Not certain exactly how helpful for ALT and JET positions, but in general, any education in teaching English, whether that be a TESL/TEFL/TESOL certification all the way up to a degree in English teaching, is helpful. Not only are you more likely to get more job interviews, you're more likely to get paid a higher wage. (I have a TESL certificate that I can thank for raising the hourly rate of part-time jobs from ￥2500 to ￥3000 (it might have been ￥3500 in one case)).

Korea is akin to Japan. The key difference is that visa's are tied to specific contracts in Korea, and some employers (specifically in the Hagwon) exploit that by not living up to their end of the contract completely.

More info:

Japan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teaching_Engl..._language#Japan

Japan - more up-to-date, accurate and legal: http://www.generalunion.org/

Korea: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teaching_Engl...age#South_Korea

Edited April 30, 2010 by sketchley

[robokochan]

Question though. How helpful is a TESOL certification for applying to public school ALT positions in Japan or the JET program?

It would be helpful, but not exactly needed. The only requirement to work in Japan is to have at least a 4 year degree in something or have a spousal visa or something.

What you need and what they look at:

1. 4 Year Degree - Anything will do, but something related to teaching or English is a plus.

2. Visa Type - You need sponsorship, a company / workplace can provide it, or you can get married.

3. Experience - The more you have, the higher you are paid. If you don't have any, volunteer somewhere (Community Center or Special Needs School).

4. Patience, patience and more patience.

Although they can't come out and say that they care about this, but looks do matter. If a school doesn't like the way you look, they won't even bother to respond to your resume no matter how qualified you are or the experience you have. In private school it is not about ability but advertising.

Right now I work as a free-lance teacher for the ministry of education. Schools request me to come in when the JET teacher has totally screwed things up, or when JET teachers refuse to teach at a school. Starting next year the M.O.E. will be phasing out the JET program. And they will be opening up bids for private schools to take over to some extent, but mostly it will be handled by Japanese teachers who have a teaching license for English. So if you want to work inside a public school, your best chance would be to appy to a company called "W5" (pronouced "Dubba-five").

Rob

Edited May 1, 2010 by robokochan

[sil80jdm]

Im gonna check out Akiba again tomorrow with Save and it should totally be way better than the first time i went! Ill take more pics and post them up, I posted a bunch of pics on facebook.. Any boardies who wanna be my friend hit me up using my email sil80jdm@yahoo.com and check out the pics.. That sounded so gay lol.. Anyways, Lets try and keep my thread on topic guys!! Also anybody who has pics of their visits to japan post em up!!

[Snail00]

I went to Akiba yesterday and Save was right.. If you dont know your way around its really tough to enjoy it.. It was super crowded and pretty much everything was jam packed! Im gonna try and go back again next week during a hopefully much less crowded day and hopefully enjoy everything Akiba has to offer! I did however was able to find this!

The line was so LONG to go eat inside but i was able to go to the sideline for only the gundam pancake. Next time im gonna wait in that line no matter how long the wait and get to go inside =)

The guy in the blue shirt looks like he had WAAAAAAAAY too many gundam pancakes

[Zentrandude]

Looks like you having a lot of fun, wish can I join you but I will be leaving japan for awhile. I'm curious are you trying to speak Japanese? They love it when you try to.

[Renato]

It would be helpful, but not exactly needed. The only requirement to work in Japan is to have at least a 4 year degree in something or have a spousal visa or something.

What you need and what they look at:

1. 4 Year Degree - Anything will do, but something related to teaching or English is a plus.

2. Visa Type - You need sponsorship, a company / workplace can provide it, or you can get married.

3. Experience - The more you have, the higher you are paid. If you don't have any, volunteer somewhere (Community Center or Special Needs School).

4. Patience, patience and more patience.

Although they can't come out and say that they care about this, but looks do matter. If a school doesn't like the way you look, they won't even bother to respond to your resume no matter how qualified you are or the experience you have. In private school it is not about ability but advertising.

Right now I work as a free-lance teacher for the ministry of education. Schools request me to come in when the JET teacher has totally screwed things up, or when JET teachers refuse to teach at a school. Starting next year the M.O.E. will be phasing out the JET program. And they will be opening up bids for private schools to take over to some extent, but mostly it will be handled by Japanese teachers who have a teaching license for English. So if you want to work inside a public school, your best chance would be to appy to a company called "W5" (pronouced "Dubba-five").

Rob

Wow, I had not heard that the JET program was being phased out. Huh, I think they have been rapidly approaching the bursting point for a while now, so I can't say I'm all that surprised, though...

[F-ZeroOne]

My all-time favourite photo of Japan that I took myself, and a total fluke as well - held the compact digital camera over my head and pressed the button. This, incidentally, is also why one does not visit Shibuya on Sunday nights if you're planning to get anything done there...!

[F-ZeroOne]

I'd like to visit the Gundam cafe, it looks pretty well done actually. Meanwhile on that theme, back when Bandai had a Bandai museum (possibly they still do, but last I heard it had been moved some way from Tokyo, and the original wasn't exactly close to start with!):

[Lott Sheen]

Looks like you having a lot of fun, wish can I join you but I will be leaving japan for awhile. I'm curious are you trying to speak Japanese? They love it when you try to.

Yep, the way you can tell when your Japanese is actually good is when Japanese people stop constantly complementing you, that`s the turning point.

I have seriously met so many people and said `watashi wa Lott Sheen desu` or `konnichiwa` and had Japanese people automatically snap back `NIHONGO JOUZU!! SUGOI!!!` which means something like `Your Japanese is awesome! Wow!`

[sil80jdm]

I am having loads of fun out here and trying to do absolutely everything! I was actually gonna take a day to go to the bandai museum but save told me its competely changed from the one before and is weak sauce because the RX-78 is behind glass now, not like that pic =(. Heres my pic of Shibuya at the starbucks you see on the 2nd floor. It was super crazy crossing the street but when i got up to starbucks it didnt seem too crowded anymore.

[Shadow]

I took this while touring a preserved village just outside Takeyama.

This was taken while walking around Ginza.

Unfortunately, I never got to see Shinjuku.

[sil80jdm]

Actually got into GUNDAM CAFE today!!! Talk about Awesome!!! Akiba was definitely a way better experience with my man SAVE who definitely saved Akiba for me!!! Big thanks to my boy save!

[Gubaba]

Some pictures I took last July:

Shibuya (with the 109 Building):

A bizarre house (I think) that was behind my hotel:

'Nuff said:

Edited May 6, 2010 by Gubaba

[sil80jdm]

Man i really wish i was down here while the lifesize gundam was up!!!! That woulda been such a crazy experience, but i guess Gundam Cafe will have to do!

[Gubaba]

Man i really wish i was down here while the lifesize gundam was up!!!! That woulda been such a crazy experience, but i guess Gundam Cafe will have to do!

How was the food?

[Valkyrie Nut]

Got this shot on my last day when I visited in 2007, these are some of the office buildings near the Imperial Palace in Tokyo

The view facing me from Shibuya station, one of my favourites!

Another favourite, taken from the observation deck of Tokyo Tower

If you want to see the rest, here is a link to the gallery on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/83239867@N00/...57600059715927/

I happening to be going again in 1 1/2 months, I can't wait!

[Gubaba]

I happening to be going again in 1 1/2 months, I can't wait!

Really? Me too!

[Valkyrie Nut]

Really? Me too!

Nice! Where about's you going?

[Gubaba]

Nice! Where about's you going?

Tokyo. I'll probably be arriving there around the middle of June.

[Valkyrie]

I have to wait til november for my return trip to japan...

But I suppose I need the time to learn more Japanese... not to mention save up some money!

[Valkyrie Nut]

Tokyo. I'll probably be arriving there around the middle of June.

I'm in Japan for 2 weeks from 19th June. Me and my girlfriend will be going to Tokyo, Yokohama, Fujisawa, Kyoto, Osaka & Himeji. We'll also be going to Tokyo Disneyland and Sanrio Puroland! XD

I suppose I need the time to learn more Japanese...

I'm brushing up on my basic conversational Japanese at the mo, I seem to know more than I did a few years ago so that's a good sign...

Edited May 6, 2010 by Valkyrie Nut

[Gubaba]

I'm in Japan for 2 weeks from 19th June. Me and my girlfriend will be going to Tokyo, Yokohama, Fujisawa, Kyoto, Osaka & Himeji. We'll also be going to Tokyo Disneyland and Sanrio Puroland! XD

Damn...that's covering a lot of ground!

[Valkyrie Nut]

Damn...that's covering a lot of ground!

Heh heh true, I'm a bit of an explorer when it comes to holidays. I have friends in most of the places I'm visiting so that's one of the reasons I'm going there. I have the Japan Rail Pass so that'll make getting around easier

[F-ZeroOne]

One of the stranger places I've ever been to in Japan, the small town of Sakai-Minato; its the home of Ge Ge Ge No Kitaro, and not a place to go if you're easily given the willies!

There is Japanese vending machine coffee, and then there is THE BOSS. Accept no substitutes!

Japanese formal gardens always give the impression that no detail was left to chance; I'm almost prepared to believe that this brush was left unattended on purpose!

Edited May 6, 2010 by F-ZeroOne

[sketchley]

There is Japanese vending machine coffee, and then there is THE BOSS. Accept no substitutes!

No, Deeppresso is teh sexh!"

[danth]

No, not really, you can`t spend your time in Japan lecturing to and explaining to everybody on why they`re wrong everytime someone offends you (which happened almost every day to me), you`re never going to convert half the country, it`s better to just have a one liner or a quick comeback to confuse them, make them think twice about bugging another gaijin and just make them leave you alone. In the case of the chuugokujin da! comments if I was lucky an adult may understand the irony of me being called a `gaijin` where I could well be naturalised Japanese for all they know and then me Chinese because they look asian and the wrongness of generalising.

I think you comebacks are hilarious, personally. Some people think you should walk on eggshells to not offend the Japanese while forgiving them whenever they are rude or selfish. Screw that.

[bluemax151]

"For relaxing times, make it Suntory time."

BTW Has anyone tried Habushu/Habu Sake?

[Zentrandude]

"For relaxing times, make it Suntory time."

BTW Has anyone tried Habushu/Habu Sake?

The snake venom drink? Its all over the place here in yokosuka, nothing like a drink to stop the body to process alchol while you down a dozen chu-hi.

[sketchley]

I think you comebacks are hilarious, personally.

Comebacks only work if they're understood. The one given doesn't work on the intended target, period. Ergo, it's a nonsensical statement that reinforces negative stereotypes.

Some people think you should walk on eggshells to not offend the Japanese while forgiving them whenever they are rude or selfish.

Yeah, why do some people think that? The Japanese are people, and as long as you (or they) don't do something truly offensive, it's all water under the bridge, eh.

[Lott Sheen]

I think you comebacks are hilarious, personally. Some people think you should walk on eggshells to not offend the Japanese while forgiving them whenever they are rude or selfish. Screw that.

word, a lot of Western otaku see Japanese people as somehow special or above the rest of us mere mortals. Of course everyone is just people and someone who insults me in Japan gets the same treatment as someone who insults me in Australia.

[Save]

word, a lot of Western otaku see Japanese people as somehow special or above the rest of us mere mortals. Of course everyone is just people and someone who insults me in Japan gets the same treatment as someone who insults me in Australia.

, . :lol: :lol:

[Lott Sheen]

, . :lol: :lol:

Keep wishing you were born Japanese buddy, maybe if you wish real hard one day you`re gonna wake up and look Japanese and speak in perfect keigo then Japanese people will finally accept you as their equal.

[Beltane70]

You know, Valkyrie Nut, I have almost the same exact shot in my pictures from Tokyo Tower! See?

I'm hoping to get to Japan sometime this year. I was originally hoping to go this month, but it looks like I might have to wait until later this summer, or sometime in November.

My next trip will be to a destination that I've never been before, Fukuoka. A very close friend of mine is currently living there, and I've been given an open invitation to stay with him anytime I want.

Actually, Lott, the only thing I want to do is wake up one day to find that all the anime I've been watching will have suddenly given me the ability to speak fluent Japanese!

Of course, if I actually got off of my butt and took some Japanese classes, I'd probably be fluent by now. Sadly, I've been saying this for the past 20 years or so. It could be worse, though, at least I've been able to get myself to Japan every couple of years.

[Save]

Keep wishing you were born Japanese buddy, maybe if you wish real hard one day you`re gonna wake up and look Japanese and speak in perfect keigo then Japanese people will finally accept you as their equal.

Didn't You try that method and from reading your posts it was a complete failure, you just left out the part about going home jaded with your tail between your legs.

[Lott Sheen]

Didn't You try that method and from reading your posts it was a complete failure, you just left out the part about going home jaded with your tail between your legs.

But the point is that you or I can never be accepted by most Japanese as an equal, yet you keep trying.