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Advice for English Instructors.
IntroductionThere is a big pressure for Japanese to speak good English, and this has led to a huge demand for native speaker teachers. Many native speakers have come to Japan from the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, U.K. or South Africa to teach English, and the experiences vary. Some have had a very rewarding experiences with respectable employer and friendly students while some others have had an unpleasant experiences in which they could not like their living environment. Such a situation may be avoided if one knew more about what one was getting into. This information cannot answer all your questions about teaching and living in Japan. However, it will offer an overview of what is out there and what you can expect. If you have any additional question, write us. We will try our best to answer your questions.
Different Teaching PositionsPrivately run Language schools(Gakuin):Most teachers teach at private institutes ("gakuin" in Japanese). There are two types of positions in working in an institute. One is teaching adults, and the other, teaching children. In schools that teach adults, classes are usually held in early mornings (6:30AM -10:00AM) and in the evenings (6:00PM-9:30PM). So you will have a lot of free time in the afternoon to explore the city or take Japanese classes. The classes are usually conversation emphasized because the students have already studied grammar and structure in school. The students are usually college students, businessmen or homemakers. Because Japan is a Confucianistic society, they will give you lots of respect and they are usually very eager to befriend you. If you want to make Japanese friends and learn about Japanese culture, working with adults is very good. Most programs for children try to make it fun to learn by incorporating many activities, games and songs into the program. The class atmosphere is more loose. Working hours usually start in the late morning or early afternoon and end in the evening, so if you are not an early bird, this may be a better job for you. Universities/Colleges: Company programs:
Getting a Proper Work VisaIn order to apply for a work visa, you need the following documents: 1. Contract signed by you and your employer - cannot be less than a year and no more than two years 2. Resume 3. Original college diploma or a copy notarized by the Japanese Consulate General 4. Copy of your passport - first page And your employer will have to submit sponsorship guarantee form, certificate of employment, and statement of purpose along with the above documents to the Japanese immigrations office. Then the Immigrations office will issue a visa permit. When you take this permit to Japanese consulate, they will stamp a visa on your passport. When you come to Japan, you have to go to the Immigrations office and obtain an alien registration card. Contracts Contracts are usually for a year. They usually include terms for the salary, housing, airfare, working hours, class size, severance pay, taxes, and medical insurance. Contracts, however, do not specify all the details on working conditions. Take it as a guideline only.
TaxesYou will have to pay about 3 to 5% of your pay as tax, and your employer will deduct it from your paycheck. For Americans who work abroad for a year has a $70,000 income exclusion, so you do not have to worry about paying tax back home. However, you have to file a yearly tax return.
Cost of Living in JapanCost of living in Japan is about the same as New York, which means it is a little higher than most places in North America. Smaller cities in Japan have slightly lower cost of living. It is fairly easy to save money because the housing is paid for by the employer, and with housing being taken care of, your main expense will be treveling expense, food, utilities, and phone bills.Sending money to your home country You can send up to two thirds of your paycheck home. In order to wire transfer the money home, you need to take tax documents to the bank. Since you will not have the tax documents till the first payday, it is not a good idea to make arrangements to send money home too soon. What you will teach Many schools will give you the textbooks, teacher's manual, and a/v aid for you to teach within the framework of their program. You will, however, have to do the research to offer supplementary material to make the class interesting or emphasize what you think is important. In some schools, although rare, everything will be left for you to decide.
Dress CodeDifferent schools have different dress code, but most of them will ask you to wear a tie, a dress shirt, and dress pants if you are a man, and a blouse and a skirt or dress pants if you are a woman.
What you can bringYou will have to plan very well to fit everything you need for a year into 2 luggages that are allowed on the flight. Each luggage cannot exceed a total of 63 inches (L+W+D) or 70 lbs.
ClothesJapan has four seasons, so bring clothes for all four seasons. You can sometimes buy things at a bargain price, but this is becoming more and more difficult to do. So if possible, try to bring things instead of planning to buy things here. If you are tall or big, this is extremely important because most of clothing and shoes come in a very small range of sizes. Bring shoes, socks, underwear, bras, etc. if you are tall or big.
Electronic GoodsIf you have electronic item that you use often ( Walkman or cassette player, hair dryer, camera, etc.), bring it. Electronic items are relatively cheap here. Also, be aware of the fact that most houses in Japan have 120V outlet.
FoodYou cannot expect to eat same exact food that you used to have. You have to remember that you are in a foreign country. Exploring Japanese cuisine can be a valuable experience. However, if you are in a mood for Western food, you can find many restaurants such as Italian food, steaks, and fast food. If you like cooking, you can find many American items in Japanese supermarkets.
OthersDeodorants are not easy to buy in Japan. Bring a year's supply.
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