WTF do I do? (Bunch of Qs)

[Visitor]

Hey,

I'm looking to come to Japan for 1-2 years with the intention of supporting myself teaching and focusing my spare time putting together a portfolio (I'm an illustrator). I've done a few years in Korea, and whilst the country itself didn't enthuse me much the working situation was fairly good, in hindsight. I worked in a hagwon. I went in at 1:30 finished at 9 mon-fri. I taught elementary kids and had about an average of 5-6 students per class. Some more some less. I taught via a set curriculum. It was easy. I did my job, and they left me alone.

I'm hoping for something similar in Japan, but from the advertisements I've read recently the majority of jobs seem to suck - is it really the case? Massive corporation types like Aeon/GABA/whatever, which I'm just not compatible with. Dispatch (hassle). Bizarre shifts from 10am-9pm teaching every age under the sun, and all this whilst having to make your own lesson plans!

TBH, I want an easy job (naturally). I want my free-time to be stress free so I can focus on my other plans. Are such jobs available?

Also, I'm a UK national, is the Working Holiday Visa my best route into the country?

[yanpa]

Also, I'm a UK national, is the Working Holiday Visa my best route into the country?

Very probably.

[wagyl]

A Working Holiday Visa will make it easier to enter here, give you a wider freedom of activity and you also front up to potential employers with a work permit already supplied, without them having to do any more paperwork.

I see your very probably, and raise you an indubitably.

I don't think many people here can give you advice on the job market in the industry you are looking at. I don't know any specifics but I can imagine that there is less of the mass demand here for the sort of education the hagwon's provide.

[yanpa]

Wot's a hagwon?

Anyway, for industry-related questions, Let's Japan might be more useful.

[wagyl]

Hagwon = Korean juku

[Visitor]

Okay, thanks for the responses.

Quick question.

How are Japan's other larger cities compared to Tokyo?

I'd probably rather be in Tokyo (city-person), but other large cities are fine so long as they provide a bit of diversity and the opportunity to meet similarly-minded people (cf. illustration). Korea was very Seoul-centric.

[wagyl]

Quick question. Not quite so easy to answer. To give us a hint about how you feel about things, are you/do you have to be in London? Or can you cope with Birmingham, Manchester, or Glasgow, for example? Tokyo is a strong force here, and second fiddle Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe while still having a strong cultural presence does tend to be overwhelmed by the centre.

[yanpa]

Nagoya I would avoid like the plague (apologies to any Nagoyans, though I'd still choose it over Birmingham), but the Kansai area offers a fair amount of diversity and it's relatively easy to flit between the major centres. Not that I've ever lived there though.

[legion]

I always have a wonderful time, wherever I am, whomever I'm with.

from the movie "Harvey"

[Coligny]

Yea... Nagoya is...

Bad...

Real bad...

It's a lump of concrete pretending to be a city. Kills you from inside...

[yanpa]

Which reminds me, is there really a phrase in French along the lines "e^tre de Birmingham" to imply someone has somewhat less than a scintillating personality?

(Disclaimer: I have certain educational qualifications from an institution in Birmingham and honed my nascent driving skills in the Handsworth area so can claim some experience with the place)

[Coligny]

I don't think...

One of the most Britain based saying is :

"Les anglais debarquent"

"The english have beach landed"

In reference to female menstruation... (Nevar trust a creature that can bleed for 5 days without dying...)

[Visitor]

Quick question. Not quite so easy to answer. To give us a hint about how you feel about things, are you/do you have to be in London? Or can you cope with Birmingham, Manchester, or Glasgow, for example? Tokyo is a strong force here, and second fiddle Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe while still having a strong cultural presence does tend to be overwhelmed by the centre.

Mancunian already. So, if Japan's secondary cities are akin to Manchester, that'll suit me fine. In Korea it felt like it was Seoul or nothing. I spent time in Daegu which was supposed to be the 3rd/4th largest city, so in that respect it was akin to Manchester, however it terms of diversity in the expat crowd, and cultural interest etc. there just wasn't much of note. I do expect a bit more cultivation nation-wide in Japan but that's just conjecture, tbh.

[Russell]

Quick question. Not quite so easy to answer. To give us a hint about how you feel about things, are you/do you have to be in London? Or can you cope with Birmingham, Manchester, or Glasgow, for example? Tokyo is a strong force here, and second fiddle Osaka/Kyoto/Kobe while still having a strong cultural presence does tend to be overwhelmed by the centre.

Mancunian already. So, if Japan's secondary cities are akin to Manchester, that'll suit me fine. In Korea it felt like it was Seoul or nothing. I spent time in Daegu which was supposed to be the 3rd/4th largest city, so in that respect it was akin to Manchester, however it terms of diversity in the expat crowd, and cultural interest etc. there just wasn't much of note. I do expect a bit more cultivation nation-wide in Japan but that's just conjecture, tbh.

Kobe and Kyoto are nice cities. I do not like Osaka much, because it is too crowded, and quite ugly actually.

People in Kansai are more open than in Kanto.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Hagwon = Korean juku

Thanks for that....I thought it was one of the Harry Potter wizards.