Hello,
I'm in a pickle the last couple of weeks as I have graduated in a master's degree in asian languages and cultures, with a major in Japanology, and clearly with the interest in the region that I have I would like to use this knowledge to contribute to my professional career opportunities.
All fun and well but having been doing job hunting for the last month it seems damn near impossible to find anything that I could be doing because of my lack of Japanese skills. I can hold a conversation with a friend but it's clearly in broken Japanese, while having graduated with distinction from a Japan focusses major, our language classes were awful and considering that my final exam had a jikoshokai as part of it, it says enough. I have been studying by myself from an N2 prep book but as you can imagine it's not the same when not actually using it in conversations. I would say my current level is N3.
It seems it's not enough and the only jobs I have been actually offered were being an English teacher. I believe this is because I speak 5 languages and actually do have a TEFL cert that I did 7 years ago when I was not in university yet. While even a professor told me this could a 'foot in the door' and to improve my language and get a visa and what not, I'm not sure if it's as pink colored as some people told me it could be. So I would like to ask some people who have experience with it a few questions if you don't mind.
First of all I would ask people who did the same, what their motives were to do so, of course some people love to teach and had teaching plans even in their own countries maybe, but I have also read about people who had no experience in teaching but going for it anyway. How was the experience in being an ALT or normal teacher in Japan for you and was it difficult to adjust to the job?
Salary wise, comparing to my country it's almost half of what I would make in a regular job here, that being said my country is taxed to hell and quite expensive. How much does someone with a master's degree make give or take? Is it enough for not only to survive in places such as Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, (my point is cities and not rural villages), .. But also to save some for the future? Mayeb do some small trips around the country once in a while?
How has this improved your language skills? I understand the jobs are focusses on English but perhaps being in Japan did have a good impact on your Japanese? Please share me your experience.
If anyone can take a second and share their thoughts and knowledge, or provide some tips for me if there's an alternative, I'm all ears.
Sorry if these kind of topics are not really allowed in this subreddit too, I thought since it's about moving to Japan that it might be ok.
by Guilty_Strength_9214