Hello guys,
I was a bit afraid to even post anything and just gain knowledge through reading other threads. However, I am a bit serious about working in Japan, and I found it better to just be upfront about asking for help. Giving it to me straight! Reality is reality no matter how you slice it. Also I am in no way promoting myself with this background!
Background-
-I am 26/yr old
-Graduated with a BA in Linguistics with an option to TESOL
-Mid to high Intermediate level Japanese from classes in college
-Currently a Behavioral Therapist (over 1yr of experience) with other experiences in some other fields like Air Force, bank, etc
Now I wasn’t sure if it was even relevant to add all that, but wanted to put it out there for a better idea of me. I have been thinking of applying for the JET program and other language teaching jobs, and I am sure that I would enjoy teaching. However I am also unsure of other programs, opportunities, and job out here in Japan(currently visiting) that’s possible for me to look into. I do enjoy helping others, so teaching people which is why I took the TESOL option for school. On top of the job I currently am which is a behavioral therapist, I know I will have the patience since the first year may be a shit show. From my travels in Japan so far, ive realized how much of an issue it could be with dark complexion and am a bit worried about how I will be able to make any genuine connections with anyone if placed in a rural area of Japan. I know I should be prepared for this, and I am for the most part, but having a connection with someone is probably the biggest worry I have. Any advice for me with this and other programs and jobs I can possibly look into? Again, sorry if I sound like I’m a wishful thinker due to the reality here, just wanted to look at other options. I have done a lot of research and been looking through a lot of threads, but I was thought it better to ask personally too!
Thank you for reading!
11 comments
Hi there.
One thing I’d advise you to consider is your long-term career goals. I don’t know how much a behavioral therapist makes, but I’d have to imagine its much more than you could make teaching in Japan. Do you want to be in Japan long-term or do you want to teach for a year or two and go back to your therapist career?
If you want to teach long-term, I’d highly suggest you get a teaching certification. It will improve your long-term prospects for making money as a teacher in this country.
If you just want to teach short-term, understand that taking a few years off to teach in Japan could affect your career.
As for your worries about making connections with people, the best way to do that is to learn Japanese. You don’t have to be fluent. Just learn enough to be able to make an effort with Japanese people, and you will find making connections much easier. If you’re in a deep rural area, there might be some mild racism, but generally speaking people in Japan are quite friendly toward foreigners.
Hey 🙂
I worked as an occupational therapist before coming to Japan and did child/parent counseling. I always enjoyed working with children, so after my working holiday time i decided trying working in an international preschool. I was very lucky with my school and enjoyed it. That’s said, I’m not a native speaker so it was a little challenging finding a teaching job (i personally didn’t want to go for 英会話 because i thought i wouldn’t be able to teach pronunciation the right way). Maybe you could look into preschool/after school work in a city you like?
(I think TELL looks for licensed therapists too sometimes which might be an option for you too?:))
I ended up working for a really nice and free preschool (i finally could show my tattoos andndye my hair lol) i found on craigslist after a few years so even if you find yourself in a situation you don’t enjoy 100%, it can always get better from there.:)
Good luck!
I can’t speak to the experience of someone with dark skin, but as a white foreigner, Japan is a difficult place to find genuine connection. It’s not impossible though, especially if you’re more extroverted and willing to ask others to do things with you. Also other foreigners are more likely to be open to connections of course.
JET is probably the best option jobwise for you to apply for now and it’s only a year commitment. You can absolutely survive a year and don’t put any more pressure on it than just a year. After the year you can evaluate how you’d like to change.
But actually an eikaiwa might work well for you because you’re more likely to be around other foreigners to befriend more easily and can choose a more preferred location. Getting into Japan is pretty much the hardest part, so once you have any kind of job and are in on the ground, you can make easier decisions and jump ship for better jobs or locations whenever you’re unhappy.
I think my advice would mainly be to not overthink it and be willing to be flexible and adaptable to the circumstances! Just take it one step at a time!
Also would like to note, kids are not part of my future whatsoever so it won’t be affecting anything in my life. Haha
There isn’t really a specific question in your post so I don’t know what kind of answer you’re looking for.
You’re qualified for JET. Apply to JET. If you don’t get in, wait and apply again. ALT dispatch companies are absolute garbage and eikaiwa working hours are horrible.
>ive realized how much of an issue it could be with dark complexion and am a bit worried about how I will be able to make any genuine connections with anyone if placed in a rural area of Japan.
If you can speak Japanese proficiently, you’ll have an easier time making friends. Even in rural areas.
Would love to know more, but the teaching experience and possible lack of a visa right now will probably bar me from this at the moment.
If you can’t work for JET don’t apply for any of the other dispatch companies. They’re all blacker than black, pay shit, don’t care about you etc.
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r/gaijinjobs
So it’s been touched upon in the comments, and that is teaching in Japan long-term. What you need to ask is teaching even going to be a viable career option in the future. You’re 26. Say you come to Japan and put in a 20 year-teaching career, but then you’re out of a job. The teaching landscape in Japan is going to be radically different by then.
Right now, today, Japanese education is undergoing a period of prolonged contraction. Schools are closing the country over from universities on down due to lack of students. In my neighborhood in Osaka, two high schools have closed in the past 9 years and whatever students they had were assimilated by other high schools. It’s happening across the country.
At the university where I work, in the past two years we’ve closed the junior college, the dormitory and let go half the teaching staff. I was up in Chiba at a private high school three weeks ago; the liaison officer said 15 years ago they had a thousand students; today they have 450. I could go on and on like this, but the simple fact is (and it’s one that doesn’t get talked about much here from what I have seen because it scares the shit out of people who have no other options) teaching is not a growth industry. Period. Regardless of your qualifications, there are going to be fewer and fewer opportunities with each passing year.
But you have options. Pursue those instead. Only consider teaching a short-term option (up to five years) if that’s what you think you need to get established in Japan. But seriously, this is not a field that has a lot of long-term viability to it.
Hi! I’m an English teacher here and I was an English teacher before coming here too. I think your qualifications sound great since you did AL/TESOL and I think you would really enjoy the experience of living and teaching in Japan. It’s been a really great experience for me personally! I second everyone’s opinion about the JET Programme being the best option for teaching. Japan hasn’t see much inflation re: wages and cost of housing since around 1997, so it feels really cheap to live here (minus groceries and the ever rising taxes) but it’s super frustrating making such a low wage.
I’m about the same level Japanese as you (passed N3 last year, taking N2 this year) and I’ve found that’s my biggest obstacle in finding better paying work. The English teaching industry seems to go through warm bodies like crazy and it just doesn’t feel like a long-term or sustainable option. I was really disappointed in that after I got here, but I have met people who have been teaching here for 15-30 years. One of them told me he made the most money at juku (cram school) in the evenings after his ALT job. You can find part-time jobs here with a really high hourly rate and sort of puzzle them together into your schedule. You can buy health insurance independently so you don’t need to get it through your job. But being able to actually speak Japanese is a huge plus for non-dispatch companies when you’re already in Japan.
In terms of racial prejudice, I’m white (also with a lot of HUGE tattoos lol) so it will be a different social experience, I’ve found people overall really kind, they try to help you, but there’s so much systemic racism. Like non-Japanese struggling to get housing and not being allowed to open a bank account for six month (like what). Some annoying little things like I’m not allowed to use the kanji in my name despite being married to a Japanese person and being under his family registry, my name won’t fit on literally any document due to it being set up for Chinese characters, and just a lot of things like that that make you feel like your existence is a burden to society lol.
About making meaningful connections – I’ve lived in four countries and it’s always the same: if you’re international, the locals aren’t interested in you. I recommend finding other international people! International Japanese, foreign residents, immigrants :)! there are so many interesting people to meet when you’re living abroad. It’s great!
Sorry for the long reply! Tl;dr give it a try!! It’s fun! Your qualifications sound perfectly fine.