/trv/ - Travel » Thread #65324

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E Thu 25 Sep 2008 23:57:00 No.65324 View View Reply Original Report

Quoted By: >>65329

I'm a 19 year old Canadian highschool student, and most of my curriculum is English and business (international) courses. My aspirations are to teach English in Japan, a dream I've had since I was 14.

How do I go about this? I know of the working holiday visa, which I intend to take advantage of, to get the feel of working in Japan. I know some DK Houses which I can easily afford (500$/month for 1-2 person room with bath, kitchen inclusive + free internet/cable), but should I go to college first?

I know little Japanese (which I plan to increase in college, 4 years of Japanese courses), but can I do this in Japan? I want to leave my country ASAP so I can become immersed better. Are there vocational schools in Japan for people around my age (by the time I definitely will go around 22-24 years of age)?

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 26 Sep 2008 00:15:00 No.65326 Report

Quoted By: >>65331

I only know of the JET program, OP. Hopefully other /trv/lers can be moar helpful.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 26 Sep 2008 00:24:00 No.65329 Report

Quoted By: >>65331

>>65324
You can't (legally) get a work visa without a degree.

E Fri 26 Sep 2008 00:32:00 No.65331 Report

Quoted By: >>65333 >>65574

>>65329

This is why I wonder if I can do college/university in Japan instead of in Canada. Either way I'll get a degree, but I'll learn Japanese much faster if I am immersed in the culture as well as taking classes. I think I read that I can get a WHV without a degree/diploma, but I won't be able to get any "priority" jobs. But a 12 month WHV means I can begin my college career, assuming I can even study in Japan.

>>65326

I'll check up on JET. I've never heard of it, to be honest until now. I hope more /trv/elers can help.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 26 Sep 2008 00:41:00 No.65333 Report

Quoted By:

>>65331
You've wanted to teach English in Japan for awhile but haven't heard of JET before O_O?
I know it's pretty competitive to get in but they set you up with the job, apartment, orientation etc. Well organized from what I hear. Or you could try to apply for jobs on your own @ http://www.gaijinpot.com/
Make sure you research whatever company hires you to check how legit/organized they are. Doing JET would be much better then going on your own though.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 26 Sep 2008 03:00:00 No.65348 Report

Quoted By: >>65520

Go to college.
Study abroad in Japan.
Once you graduate do JET.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 26 Sep 2008 04:26:00 No.65361 Report

Quoted By:

OP, go to cracked.com make an account and message a guy named happykitty, he was a Canadian that taught in japan, so he'd know all the shit you need to know.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 26 Sep 2008 04:51:00 No.65368 Report

Quoted By:

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　ｉｓ　ｆｉｎｅ，　ｂｕｔ　ｄｏｎ’ｔ　ｍａｋｅ　ｉｔ　ｙｏｕｒ　
ｃａｒｅｅｒ。Ｍｏｖｅ　ｏｎ　ｔｏ　ｓｏｍｅｔｈｉｎｇ　ｂｅｔｔｅ
ｒ　ｂｙ　ｇｅｔｔｉｎｇ　ａ　ｕｓｅｆｕｌｌ　ｄｅｇｒｅｅ　ａｎｄ　
ｂｅｃｏｍｉｎｇ　ｆｌｕｅｎｔ　ｉｎ　Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ．　

E Fri 26 Sep 2008 21:03:00 No.65520 Report

Quoted By: >>65522

>>65348

From the looks of JET, all I need is to be approved and have a bachelors degree (three-four years of university). I don't need to study in Japan, do I? A nearby college offers Japanese (introductory to advanced), which I was planning on attending (and was accepted already), but I don't know if they have abroad programmes.

Japanese salaries are pretty "meh" by Canada's standards. An English teacher in Canada can expect a starting salary of 40,000 - 50,000$, but in Japan, the dollar equivalent is about 29,000 - 31,000$ for the same job.

One place I was looking at was Sapporo. It's a bit far from Tokyo and all the exciting places, but it's really affordable. I'm looking at DK House Sapporo and I can get a 27/m^2 apartment for 60,000 yen (570$ Canadian) a month. In Canada, a similar apartment would go for at least 300$ more (inclusive kitchen, bathroom/shower, free internet).

The only problem with Sapporo is that again, it's a bit far from where all the jobs are demanded. I don't know the strength and reach of the Japan subway systems, but I doubt I could commute the 1000km from Sapporo to Tokyo every morning and evening.

E Fri 26 Sep 2008 21:12:00 No.65522 Report

Quoted By:

>>65520

Oh, and I was looking at DK House Warabi (north of Tokyo), and it's way too expensive. It's 60,000 yen (580$ equivalent) for half the size (13/m^2) of the Sapporo location.

Anonymous

Anonymous Fri 26 Sep 2008 22:21:00 No.65539 Report

Quoted By: >>65542 >>65641

you could:
major in business
minor in japanese
then work for a japanese company as a translator for product or merchandise or advertising.

anyway that's probably going to get you more money then teaching english.

E Fri 26 Sep 2008 22:34:00 No.65542 Report

Quoted By:

>>65539

True. My business marks are higher than my English marks (95% vs 85%), but I enjoy teaching much more than I enjoy counting beans.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 27 Sep 2008 01:12:00 No.65574 Report

Quoted By: >>65587

>>65331
Look into Temple University Japan. The first fully English college in Japan. Its also in the heart of Tokyo

E Sat 27 Sep 2008 02:27:00 No.65587 Report

Quoted By: >>65630

>>65574

Wow, TUJ is really something. If I am able to transfer to TUJ from a uni here in Canada, that would be the greatest thing ever. I'll talk to my guidance counsellor about it, as I'm sure he will know a lot about this kind of stuff (a student last year went to study abroad, but in Korea).

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 27 Sep 2008 07:13:00 No.65630 Report

Quoted By: >>65912

>>65587
TUJ does look interesting but honestly if you just want to teach English you could as easily finish up your studies in Canada and then go to Japan.
If you can get into TUJ then you could definitely get into a North American school of similar or high caliber and probably come out with a better education. Remember, teaching English isn't a career in Japan, just a job. If you do go to TUJ you might as well major in East Asian Studies or w/e the fuck they've got so you can get as close to fluent as possible in Japanese. If you don't have at least JLPT 2 proficiency you'll never get hired by a Japanese company (other then teaching English). If you do TUJ w/o learning some very advanced Japanese then what's the point? Minor/double major in Business so Japan's mega-corporations would be comfortable hiring you either as a translator or something for international relations. Don't half-ass this OP if you really want to make a life in Japan.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sat 27 Sep 2008 10:25:00 No.65641 Report

Quoted By:

>>65539
That's exactly what I'm going to do, an International Business Major and a Japanese major or minor.

E Sun 28 Sep 2008 04:31:00 No.65912 Report

Quoted By: >>65917

>>65630

Are you saying if I stayed in Canada I'd get a better education?

The only reason I'm contemplating college in Japan is because I would get a genuine grasp of the Japanese language. I can take courses here, but it would never amount to learning the language while living the language.

In the end, I'm looking at a lot of schooling. My English credits if I went to college would not transfer over to university, so I'm trying to focus on uni instead of college, but I fear I may not be accepted into uni, but definitely will to college. If I went to college then uni, it's 3 years college, 4 years uni to get my bachelors degree in teaching. If it requires a masters to teach abroad then it's another 4 years something I'm trying to avoid.

I want to do it as soon as possible as the WHV is only available to Canadians between 18 and 30. If I wait too long and begin teaching at 30+ and I find out I can't do it, it's a life wasted.

Anonymous

Anonymous Sun 28 Sep 2008 05:00:00 No.65917 Report

Quoted By: >>65918

>>65912
65630 here. Could you explain the difference between college and university in Canada? I'm a USAfag and for us there isn't much difference between the two besides size (same quality of education). Definitely does not require a Masters btw to teach abroad. In Japan they only require a BA.
Pretty sure you don't need a WHV if you get into JET because they'll actually get you a work visa.

E Sun 28 Sep 2008 05:17:00 No.65918 Report

Quoted By: >>65919

>>65917

I know in the US "college" can mean both uni and college, but here in Canada it's much different.

College - can't give a degree, only a diploma - students go to college if they're good with practical jobs like construction, plumber, electrician etc.

University - can get a diploma (Bachelors, masters, doctorate) - students go to university if they're exceptional in English, Math, Science, History. Pretty much all of the jobs like doctors, engineers, teachers demand a university education.

For me, I could go to university fine, but I'd have to grind this year like mad to get at least 95 average. My average is around 73, and most universities require an average of 75-80 or higher (teachers need only 75 minimum). I've been accepted into the college already (Niagara College, apparently they have a decent Japanese and East Asian program), but if I do great this year I am applying to University of Toronto.

E Sun 28 Sep 2008 05:18:00 No.65919 Report

Quoted By:

>>65918

Oops, for university I meant degree, not diploma.

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