Working in Japan has been a very good experience for me so far and a very interesting one as well.  I very much enjoy working with Japanese teachers, but also other foreign teachers as well.  I`ve only been in Japan for under six months and I believe that I could become much more comfortable than even now.  Unfortunately, I don`t know if I can stay more than one year, but I would really love to.  I currently work with a few different private schools and a kind of nursery center in Shinjuku.  Although I leave work in the morning with a slight headache because of screaming kids, I still enjoy what I do there because in a sense even though the kids are 2 years and under and might not understand, I am still being an English teacher to them.  Also, I teach in Saitama and Chiba and although it takes a long time to get to some of the locations I can see a lot of nice scenery on the way such as little farms, small villages and all the buildings that look like they have been standing for about 100 years or more.  I`m came to Japan to work as a teacher and research the technology world because eventually I want to start my own school in Japan and in Canada which will include conversational English, grammar, sentence structure, basic, intermediate and advanced vocabulary.  I also hope to teach technical English as well for students who are interested in learning technological english.

I will be writing more about work and other information in my next blog.  

I have now lived in Japan for the last 5 months and am completely comfortable with everything that I have done and seen so far.  I believe that anybody can be happy in this country because there is so much to do and see and most people are always willing to help if you need it.  People that speak little to no English do their best to communicate using gestures and some very basic words.  Sometimes it takes a bit of time as well as patience, but I find that I`ve been able to finally understand or be understood by the people that I am attempting to talk to.   I`ve found that through walking around the cities and small towns and looking around in the small stores and shops or even in the big department stores, people are very busy, but friendly and helpful as well.  However, the train systems here are a little bit much and can prove very difficult to become accustomed to especially if you are from a smaller city or town.

 I`ve been on many trains and lines now and enjoy it for the most part.  Really what I enjoy most about the travelling is where I am going.  I enjoy teaching english to people, both kids and adults, but mostly the kids.  I enjoy teaching kids because they learn so fast and it gives me a sense of accomplishment.  I also enjoy teaching the adults because I can talk on a different level to them, possibly a more intermediate to advanced level.

I hadn’t been there for at least 3 years but it was just as perfect – and convenient – as I remember. 1.5 short hours from Tokyo – save some dinero and get off at the un-manned railway station. Get on a bus heading for the lake, cross the dam and head for the hills. An hour hike later and you might as well be in the middle of Hokkaido.

Okutama is the perfect refuge for the Tokyo weary. It’s cured me before, it cured me last weekend and as long as I live in the world’s biggest megalopolis, it will  cure me again. A night of fresh air and stars was about a thousand times better than smokey izakayas and eternal orange skies.

Dai-Shizen, get your refresh time.

level 2 exam is coming, and i am not doing good in studying, because i have to catch up more than half year of NOT studying or paying attention in class … wow, great. anyhow, i have the mock today, for just a section of the test, and ya, bad …

i think my chance of passing is like … less than 50% for sure, it will take a miracle to make me pass it … M I R A C L E …

and so what if i don’t pass it this time, am i in such a hurry, yes and no …

Something that I`ve noticed about the majority of people in Japan is that they live up to the unknown expectations of Canadians, Americans and almost every other culture that knows what the Japanese people are like.  They are very polite and generous.  Also, they are very helpful even trying to communicate when there is a complete wall between themselves and foreigners.  I know this because I`ve had many experiences already with these kinds of situations and they can be very frustrating, but they deal well with it or at least they seem to. 

Every place that I`ve been to so far has something unique, soothing and serene.  I`ve enjoyed visiting several locations North, West, South and East of Tokyo as well as Tokyo itself.  Included in the places that I`ve visited, there`s a lot more nature than I had expected before I came here.  The nature here is exquisite because it is mixed with technology, old and new buildings and many trees and plants that look like they are resting on a tropical island.  Its simply beautiful, comforting and relaxing.  My friend and I went to visit an area close to the ocean a few weeks ago and I felt enthralled with everything that my eyes could see.  There is nothing more powerful and quiet than the ocean.  Although I didn`t swim in it, it felt refreshing.

I have several pictures from my small trips around Japan.  I was in Japan two years ago and visited Kyushu and the whole area was breathtaking and absolutely amazing.  I work a lot of different jobs now and am getting more used to working here, but most of my jobs are outside of the area I live in so I`ve also gotten used to using the train lines.  Its a little difficult because getting used to looking at three systems; Hiragana, Katagana and Kanji is confusing at times.  Currently, I`m attempting to study Katakana and will be starting on Kanji hopefully soon.  I think it would be wise for anyone wishing to come to Japan to work or to even visit,  to try their best to study and learn as much Japanese as possible before arriving here.  Also, make sure to have a job lined up before arriving as well.

Hi,

 After living in Japan for almost 5 months now, I`ve become quite accustomed to life here and am enjoying it very much.  I`ve enjoyed many different sights so far and am looking forward to seeing more over the next several months.  Although, its very costly regarding living and working, I believe that it can be done if careful even for those who aren`t very good with money because after the first month or two of living here, you become a money saver as to survive. I really think that Japan is a beautiful and safe country to live in and visit at the same time.  Its a small island with a lot to offer.  Life in Japan differs from life in Canada greatly, but there are some aspects that are similar.

For me it happens four times a year. The busy week.  In my case, I have the option of turning one severely busy week into two moderately busy weeks or even three mildly busy weeks. Instead I choose, or rather the choice is made without my input, or – more accurately – expressly because of my lack of input, I am plunged each year into a week dominated by work at four separate occasions, spaced roughly evenly throughout the year.

Compared to most, my busy week is pathetic in it’s lack of busy-ness. Or so I am made to believe by throngs of “business people” who tell me of their hellish schedules. My university students, as well, at least judging by the looks of exhaustion on their faces, seem to have it worse off than me.

And so they should, from my perspective. It is, afterall, their “fault” I am so busy. It’s their mid-term assessments that cause me, in fact, to be so busy. It’s the cash they fork out to take my class, as well, that finances my breezy lifestyle, so let it be clear, at the same time, that I don’t “blame” these kids for anything.

The fact remains, to return to the point, that I am having, for better or worse, a busy week.

And this is what it boils down to:

Not enough time to do laundry.

Could be worse.

The other night I went to Unit in Daikanyama, shelled out my 3,500 (after “discount”) and endured my way through 6 hours of minimal techno.

It’s quality music, and I like it. Fumiya Takuya is a genious. His music, and the other’s who played that night was filled with all kinds of complicated build-ups and subtle underlying sounds – and it deserves to be listened to and appreciated. But it simply does not do the job that is required on a Saturday night, packed club in Tokyo. Instead of sweating it out and getting down, people smoked their way through packs of light cigarettes waiting for the tempo to build. It was cool as only Tokyo can be, but it was not an epic club night.

Save the minimal for home listening and artsy events, pick up the pace on a Saturday night with a little less subtlety and a little more bass, and wake up Sunday with less smoke in your lungs.