The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[JU!]

I do feel sorry for all those people with Nova and hope they get something sorted. Surely the Japanese goverment will not leave all the foreigners stranded in Japan with no job etc?!? I start a job with Aeon (Eng conversation school) soon and am looking forward to it. I could see Nova was having problems when I went for my interviews, I did not go for my interview with Nova as I was aware of the problems and bad rep.

[Richard.John]

Why would the Japanese government help English teachers? The students, yes, as they want and deserve their money back but the teachers can piss off back to their own country. I would imagine that this is the common perception within Japan. I could be wrong though.

[DCharlie]

well, i wonder what will happen?

if they have no cash, but thier Visa is due to expire - how do they get home? :/

[fuji]

have to hand in themselves to immigration who will then put you into prison before being expelled I imagine. On a seperate note starting next month you need your fingerprints from now on to enter/exit Japan.

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUST10748320071026?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

[Richard.John]

"There has not been a single incident of foreign terrorism in Japan, and there have been plenty of Japanese terrorists"

That says it all really. People forget that the those who carried out the world's only chemical weapons terrorist attack were Japanese.

They mention it comes at a time when they are trying to bring in more tourists. Japan's biggest problem when it comes to tourism is that the country is not particularly attrtactive enough to lure tourists from going to Thailand or other, more beautiful and cheaper places.
I went to Okinawa two weeks ago, and nice though it is, it pales in comparison to Hawaii with its spotless streets and wide variety of attractions. Dirty, Pocari Sweat bottle laden beaches are another downside.

[suicidepirate]

The inevitable outcome of the Nova fiasco AKA What happens when you hire bunch of foreign graduates, don't pay them, and leave them penny-less...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWORKaOBrwI

Yet (no doubt mostly consisting of Brits and Aussies) they still manage to find the money to get beer, as well as retaining the ability to be loutish and generally terrorize people on public transport. Just like back home!

[JU!]

Why would the Japanese government help English teachers? The students, yes, as they want and deserve their money back but the teachers can piss off back to their own country. I would imagine that this is the common perception within Japan. I could be wrong though.

I thought maybe to get the teachers out the country, but I do understand they are indeed not Japanese so I do see your point. Looking at that video above at a glance, embarrassed me, no wonder some Japanese think foreigners are idiots. What's the point invading a train!?!?

[saif]

Some of the westerners in Japan are the most embarassing people to be from ANY country. Some are alright but everyone does end up being tainted.

[Richard.John]

That is pretty embarrassing. The main problem is that they tar us all with the same brush. We are all foreign so are all alike. They divide the world into two, them and us, which causes astonishing ignorance at times. Just the other day, one of my students asked me whether we take off our shoes before entering houses in the UK. I said that as a rule, no, to which she replied, oh American style then. I gently reminded her that people were wearing shoes in their homes in the UK long before America even existed. LOL

[JAPJAC]

I gently reminded her that people were wearing shoes in their homes in the UK long before America even existed. LOL

You did very well mate, you could of mentioned wig-wams though for extra effect. Played.

[DCharlie]

The main problem is that they tar us all with the same brush. We are all foreign so are all alike.

that's the big thing - it's annoying that we have to carry the can for the dicks who don't know how to behave.

There seems to be a general outcry (across 2ch and a few other boards) that if this was a bunch of Japanese students or whatever, they would have all been delt with MUCH more strictly than the foreigners have been.

So there is annoyance with the Japanese authorities that they are allowing foreigners to get away with things.

[DeathAdder]

Returning to Nova, as if it wasn't hard enough getting people to take teaching English in Japan seriously, former Nova teachers are now offering lessons in exchange for food. This is a program being set up by a labour union.

http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/420960

[JAPJAC]

I went to Chiba recently in Japan, the JAMMA Show and made a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBLdrLS2fTw

Cheers.

[randombs]

hey all,

going daft punk next week in kobe and the damn ticket printing guys are late, so my ticket agency emailed saying they need an address in Japan to send to (sending it to the UK before i go is impossible now apparently), so i was thinking of having it sent to the hotel i'll be staying at there. problem is it'll most likely get there before i do. do hotels allow things like this? if not, what are the alternatives? i've asked my japanese friend but noone's at his house during that time...

[Anpanman]

You should be OK, I had a travel agent send an airline ticket to the hotel I was staying.

Could you email the hotel and warn them