Japan

[Super Ugly]

I've just been offered a job in Japan, teaching english. I know that there are one or two people on this board who live over there, so if you could answer a quick question I'd be very grateful.

The company's name is NOVA - I tried to do a little research on them, and so far they seem ok. Do they have a good reputation in Japan? I'm worried that I'll go all the way over there and end up becoming an indentured servant or something ridiculous like that ...:)

Also, if you know of any good books/websites that are useful, I'd be very happy to know about them.

Thanks in advance!

[oykib]

I teach English out here. Do a search on the web and you can find bunches od sites like ELT News and Jobs in Japan. The message boards on these sites have plenty of info.

NOVA's got somewhat of bad rep. But I know a bunch of NOVA guys that are happy. The main problems with them are:

1. They provide you with an aprtment. But you have to share it with your other foreign co-workers (foreign equaling you). Sometimes your co-workers are assholes. Your apartment is bigger than the average Japanese apartment, though.

2. You are not allowed to fraternize with your students. All the English schools are worried about this to a certain extent. They are worried that you will set up a private side deal with the students and then they'll quit.

You were probably thinking it's because they don't want you dating the students. But, actually, half your job is to flirt with the students. You're like the personal trainer in a gym. They don't say this outwardly. But in Japan two-thirds of the language students are women.

3. NOVA teachers usually have to work on Sundays. A somewaht lesser problem is that you'll often have a schedule where you don't get you days off in a row. Having Saturdays and Wednesdays off can suck. This is especially true because the biggest forms of entertainment in Japan seem to generally include getting hammered.

The Sunday thing is a problem because that is usually the day that all of your friends and girlfriends will have off.

Really, though, it all comes down to the particular school that you work at. Of the ten or so Nova guys that I know, the biggest complaint I've heard is about the asshole roommate. I've heard horror stories over the web. But those usually have to do with having an asshole for a boss. But that happens at every school.

But Japan is fun as hell.

Where are you going to be located? Is there a big city nearby?

[cthomer5000]

Originally posted by oykib
the biggest forms of entertainment in Japan seem to generally include getting hammered.

I had no idea that I was so in touch with Japanese culture.

[ice4277]

If there's one thing people around the world have in common, its getting shit-faced on a Saturday night.

[JeeberD]

Originally posted by ice4277
If there's one thing people around the world have in common, its getting shit-faced on a Saturday night.

The Germans agree!!! :)

[Super Ugly]

Wow, thanks a lot. I read a LOT of bad things about NOVA on the web, and it's seriously put me off. But then, people usually only write on the web when they want to complain about stuff. :)

I'm not TOO bothered about having a bad room mate. I lived with a guy in my last house and he was an utter prick, but I managed to get through that.

I haven't been allocated to any school in particular, but I was thinking about applying for Hokkaido - I want somewhere that's a little less urban, and that region sounds like a good bet.

They're giving me until Wednesday to decide if I want to go, so I'll have to think about it some more. Thanks a lot for your help.

[oykib]

If you want to go to Hokkaido, then request somewhere near Sapporo. I've heard stories from guys who've lived out in the sticks who lost their minds. Maybe you're the type who likes solitude. But if you aren't, you should be specific about that. A bbig problem for eikaiwa is retaining the native speakers for the length of the contract. Many of us westerners aren't able to take it.

I live in a small town. But my town is the first moderately sized settlement (~300,000 people) outside of Kobe. I'm also only an hour from Osaka and an hour and twenty minutes from Kyoto. That makes the small town liveable in the times that you are about to go batty.

[Super Ugly]

Can I ask who you're out there with? I've just applied to GEOS, who seem to have a better reputation from what I've heard. I'm also thinking about waiting to apply to the JET programme later this year. Right now I'm probably going to turn Nova down and wait for something a little better to show up.

[oykib]

I'm with AEON. Aeon and ECC seem to have the best overall reps. But at ECC you tend to have to teach a lot of kids classes. Maybe kids classes are your thing. I love kids, but I hate teaching them.

The general idea is to work for one of these "big four" companies for a eighteen months or so and then swith to a smaller private school or firm. There are many schools that only hire people that are already in Japan. Those places have better pay and better hours.

I was very lucky in that my school is a great place. It all comes down to the staff you work with. The staff at my school is pretty nice. I like the students and they really like me. So I've stayed longer than most people do.