The Japan Trip Resource Thread!

[Darwock]

In that case no you don't... in fact it seems most eikaiwas and the like will hire anybody with even the slightest hint of foreign about them, as long as they are legally allowed to. For some of the posher schools they might want a CELTA, and Universities typically want a master's degree. Other than that anything will do.. you don't even need experience!

The bigger problem is getting your chance to work amongst all the hundreds of other foreigners trying to cling on to an existance over here, and then holding on to it.

It's not for this thread but if you're planning a long term stay then you'll have to come to terms with all kinds of legal loopholery that prevents you from getting any rights as a full time worker, not to mention having to subsidize the social and national health insurance systems (all those idle housewives have to be paid for by someone, seems like it's the single independant people and the 1 year plus foreigners that are footing the bill). This is a bit of a current chip on my shoulder as my previous employers were shirking responsibilities on this front, and I have recently been landed with a back-dated bill for several years of health insurance.

Yes, they back date health insurance to periods of time that you would not have been eligible for free health care (due to not being enrolled).

[Ghost]

In that case no you don't... in fact it seems most eikaiwas and the like will hire anybody with even the slightest hint of foreign about them, as long as they are legally allowed to. For some of the posher schools they might want a CELTA, and Universities typically want a master's degree. Other than that anything will do.. you don't even need experience!

The bigger problem is getting your chance to work amongst all the hundreds of other foreigners trying to cling on to an existance over here, and then holding on to it.

It's not for this thread but if you're planning a long term stay then you'll have to come to terms with all kinds of legal loopholery that prevents you from getting any rights as a full time worker, not to mention having to subsidize the social and national health insurance systems (all those idle housewives have to be paid for by someone, seems like it's the single independant people and the 1 year plus foreigners that are footing the bill). This is a bit of a current chip on my shoulder as my previous employers were shirking responsibilities on this front, and I have recently been landed with a back-dated bill for several years of health insurance.

Yes, they back date health insurance to periods of time that you would not have been eligible for free health care (due to not being enrolled).

Well the plan is to marry my gf and to settle there. She will be working full time as a nurse so she should be making a decent wage so all of my bills will be halved for a start. To be honest I would be happy with any job as long as Im with the person I want to be with and I was making enough to pay the bills. I dont really want to work for companies like Gaba or Nova as the work is not secure and the wages are ****. Obviously Im going to try and learn the language so once I have done this Im hoping it will be easier for me to find stable work, even if it means me having to go back working mundane jobs such as a manager at McDonalds Thing is I dont want to waste a year working 55 hours a week, going to japanese classes and getting a TEFL qualification and enrolling in a open university program if theres no hope in hell of me finding work out there.

[fuji]

Well the plan is to marry my gf and to settle there. She will be working full time as a nurse so she should be making a decent wage so all of my bills will be halved for a start. To be honest I would be happy with any job as long as Im with the person I want to be with and I was making enough to pay the bills. I dont really want to work for companies like Gaba or Nova as the work is not secure and the wages are ****. Obviously Im going to try and learn the language so once I have done this Im hoping it will be easier for me to find stable work, even if it means me having to go back working mundane jobs such as a manager at McDonalds Thing is I dont want to waste a year working 55 hours a week, going to japanese classes and getting a TEFL qualification and enrolling in a open university program if theres no hope in hell of me finding work out there.

Don't want to put a downer on your rosy plans, but if your just starting to learn Japanese your going to find the job market very tough if teaching is not your thing and your after stable work.

As Darwock said you'll be competing with all the others plus the native Japanese looking for work as well, whose language skills will be much better than yours (being Japanese gives them an added extra advantage!)

Even though your wife is a Nurse (as is mine) the money is quickly gone, even up here in Gunma

[Richard.John]

Yep, unless you are level 1 or 2 on the JLPT, you can forget a job in McD or a convenience store as the Chinese and Koreans have already been there and done that. If you really wanna skip the eikaiwas, you will have to to be able to read forms and so on. Speaking isn't enough.

[Square]

Quick question for you – what's the maximum you can withdraw from Citibank/Post Office ATMs in a day? Would like to just use my Visa Debit card once or twice a week rather than take a wodge of cash.

[Darwock]

It's pretty high, I withdraw my salary from one account and pay it into another each month, so I don't think you'll have any trouble.

My mum got an error message when she exceeded the daily withdrawal limit for her UK account using a 7/11 ATM here, she put in a lower amount and it was OK. So it depends if you are using a UK account or not I guess.

[Square]

Thanks for the info. Doesn't look good then, as it would be a NatWest a/c.

[Fargo]

Who's offering the most resonable flights at the moment ?

[teddymeow]

Who's offering the most resonable flights at the moment ?

Flight Price Checker

This site is prety good for checking current rates.

[Fargo]

Thanks.

[tofu]

Not sure if this is the right area but would someone who lives in Japan help do a pickup from yahoo.jp auction please?.

[wicky]

My boyfriend is off on a cycling holiday through Japan for 20 days through the countryside - he will be flying back from Tokyo though, so I need to think of a really cool present he can bring me back

Any ideas?

[Len]

A return ticket for 2...?

Or more seriously how about a cool old style Jpn lantern...? I've got a huge print of a few of them up on my kitchen wall inspired by our trip there (along with another of the Tokyo skyline elsewhere).

Just a thought...

[huxley]

My boyfriend is off on a cycling holiday through Japan for 20 days through the countryside - he will be flying back from Tokyo though, so I need to think of a really cool present he can bring me back

Any ideas?

Kabuki Mask? Make great wall decorations. Started picking masks up a few years ago, make a great talking point and have a little more punch than pictures. Ive picked up some from South America, cuba, and india so far.
Gonna pick up some Kabuki ones next month. Roll on the 1st

[Len]

Great idea.

We went tyo see some Kabuki whilst in Tokyo, was v interesting.