Looks like I'll be an FG again

[Kurofune]

Background: After six years in Tokyo, I returned to the US about a year ago. My J-wife joined me last August, and we had a son in October. I work as an investment advisor, and she stays home with the baby.

Present: My wife and I decided this evening that we want to return to Tokyo when our townhouse's lease is up. It's going to be a couple years before she has the independence that she needs now, whereas I have near complete independence in Tokyo. With a baby in tow and me working all day, that's a significant consideration.

Also, living in the US has lost its appeal for me. It's not that there's anything wrong with being here (although the shoddy customer service is grating); I just felt more alive in Japan. Whenever I think of getting out and having a good time, I think of Shinjuku, Shibuya, or one of the Tokyo hotspots. Again, it's not that I can't have a good time here, or that everything was roses in Tokyo. But Tokyo just became a part of me, and it's intensifying rather than fading. I guess I'm the definition of an FG.

The only reservation I have regards my son's education. I don't want him to go to an ordinary Japanese school. My wife and I want him to be educated in English. I just hope we can make those ends meet. To those of you who have kids in school in Japan, I'd appreciate hearing your experience with it.

[AssKissinger]

I think you should have your kid educated in the JPN school system until he is 12. That's because learning to read Japanese is so much harder than English. After he can read a newspaper and so on in JPN take him back to Philly so he can learn how to roll a proper blunt and speak English and go to a real college in America.

[tonikoro]

[kamome]

The best option is to send your kids to the American School in Japan (ASIJ) or to Seisen. The Baccalaureate degree your kids will earn can get them to any college in the US. But you will have to pay a fortune to send your kids to a school like that. It's basically costs the equivalent of a college tuition to attend an international school. If you go to Japan as an independent businessperson, you'll have to cover the costs of that education out-of-pocket.

[FG Lurker]

[tonikoro]

[Kurofune]

Thanks for the advice, everybody. My wife and I talked more this evening, and we agree that Japanese tertiary education isn't even on the table. In fact, one of the arguments that quells our "all the money we spent on this move" feeling is that it was worth it to have our son born with US citizenship and for my family to spend some time with him.

Once we get back to Tokyo, my wife and I will start pounding the pavement in search of a good school. We might be lucky enough to find a truly outstanding public school, but private schools will be our focus. Since my son will be baptized in the RC Church before we leave, maybe we'll be able to find a Catholic school that can accommodate us.

I hadn't realized how down I was about the prospect of slogging through the rest of my working days in a corporate environment, until I went to work feeling relieved in the knowledge that I would be returning to Japan. On the other hand, this will be third time going to Japan (three years with the US Air Force, and six teaching EFL). I won't be coming back this time, at least until I retire. But I'm wiser this time, and I trust this experience will be even better than the last.

[Taro Toporific]

... my son's education. I don't want him to go to an ordinary Japanese school. My wife and I want him to be educated in English. I just hope we can make those ends meet. ..

No PACKAGE. No come.
You're in "investments" --- there's always a fat-cat-expat Package. Sheesh.

[omae mona]

No PACKAGE. No come.

Taro, how come you weren't there for me to give me this sage advice before I came back?

You're in "investments" --- there's always a fat-cat-expat Package. Sheesh.

I'm still trying to claw my way back into one. Life's cruel... you only get the fat-cat-expat package when you don't need it.

[Taro Toporific]

You're in "investments" --- there's always a fat-cat-expat Package. Sheesh.

I'm still trying to claw my way back into one. Life's cruel... you only get the fat-cat-expat package when you don't need it.

To prevent "in-country hires" murdering their fellow coworkers on expat package fat-cats, many foreign security and finance firms throw a bone to their in-country FG hires. Sometimes such f'ed gaijin hired in-country will get a partial package as THREE-FIFTHS OF A MAN

[kamome]

... my son's education. I don't want him to go to an ordinary Japanese school. My wife and I want him to be educated in English. I just hope we can make those ends meet. ..

No PACKAGE. No come.
You're in "investments" --- there's always a fat-cat-expat Package. Sheesh.

Absolutely. Best advice ever. Like I said before, the best option is to send your kids to one of the international schools. The best (and usually only) way to afford it is to come here on an expat package. If it were me, just "hoping to make ends meet" wouldn't cut it if kids are involved.

[kamome]

Since my son will be baptized in the RC Church before we leave, maybe we'll be able to find a Catholic school that can accommodate us.

Seisen and St. Mary's are Catholic international schools with excellent programs.

[L S]

For my son, it costs about Yen120,000 per month for kindergarden.
That is at a Christian academy (not RC) type of school where the try to indoctrinate the kids slowly over time . Quality is acceptable, but I would not want him there past 4th grade as I do not think the curriculum is good enough.
Top level schools such as American School cost upwards to Yen3,000,000 per year . The cost of college...
My company has footed the bill as an expat, but am being sent back to my HQ in US. I thought about quitting and staying, but realized finding a good package to cover education etc. would be tough, so agreed to return in May.
In my industry (semiconductor) it is tough tofind an expat package while in-country. For finance, however, many of my friends have done quite well jumping around here and can afford to send kids to good schools. That being said, I would try to line something up before getting here just to give yourself the security.

[AssKissinger]

For my son, it costs about Yen120,000 per month for kindergarden

.

Jesus Christ.

Top level schools such as American School cost upwards to Yen3,000,000 per year

Holy Fuck.

[cstaylor]

For my son, it costs about Yen120,000 per month for kindergarden

.

Jesus Christ.

Top level schools such as American School cost upwards to Yen3,000,000 per year

Holy Fuck.

My thoughts exactly. How the hell did Lincoln become president with only ~30 minutes of actual classroom time?

[FG Lurker]

For my son, it costs about Yen120,000 per month for kindergarden.

Ouch, that's baaad. And I thought the 50,000/month I pay for a private Japanese one was high!

International schools in Japan don't get any gov't funding...That's one of the reasons that the fees are so high.

[Taro Toporific]

Top level schools such as American School cost upwards to Yen3,000,000 per year

Holy Fuck.
My thoughts exactly. How the hell did Lincoln become president with only ~30 minutes of actual classroom time?

How the hell did Bush become president or graduate Yale?

[FG Lurker]

Top level schools such as American School cost upwards to Yen3,000,000 per year

Holy Fuck.
My thoughts exactly. How the hell did Lincoln become president with only ~30 minutes of actual classroom time?

How the hell did Bush become president or graduate Yale?

Money.

(Losing it, Taro? )

[cstaylor]

Top level schools such as American School cost upwards to Yen3,000,000 per year

Holy Fuck.
My thoughts exactly. How the hell did Lincoln become president with only ~30 minutes of actual classroom time?

How the hell did Bush become president or graduate Yale?

My point is: is the schooling worth that much money?

[kamome]

My point is: is the schooling worth that much money?

The quality is definitely there at the top int'l schools. If you knew that the school would guarantee your child a berth at an Ivy League uni in the States (or at least put him in contention for it), wouldn't you pay the money if you had it?

[L S]

My point is: is the schooling worth that much money?

The quality is definitely there at the top int'l schools. If you knew that the school would guarantee your child a berth at an Ivy League uni in the States (or at least put him in contention for it), wouldn't you pay the money if you had it?

My grad school was like that. I took out huge amounts of $ loans to go there. Was it worth it? debatable from education standpoint...good, but not great...BUT the name on the diploma did open doors for me and helped me get some great jobs. You don't have to go to top schools to be happy or succesful, but it can provide opportunities.