Alright, so what are my chances?

[electric_japan]

Unfortunately what Paulh types about is all true folks.
The truth speaks you'll get no better an answer of the have to do and the have better not done from Paul.All schools and some other big names here like GEOS require qualifications but sometimes you can slip in with a real genuine personality preferably with experiance teaching adults and children and a proper visa.

[paulh]

Unfortunately what Paulh types about is all true folks.
The truth speaks you'll get no better an answer of the have to do and the have better not done from Paul.All schools and some other big names here like GEOS require qualifications but sometimes you can slip in with a real genuine personality preferably with experiance teaching adults and children and a proper visa.

These are just some of the things I spend on my kids, which will come out ones regular teaching salary:

Birth: Obs-Gyno costs. Hospital costs.
Public Kindergarten: 5,000 yen a year (rest is subsidised by the government)
Public elementary school 5-10,000 yen a year.
Private schools 30-80,000 yen a month plus entry fees.
International school 1-1.5 million yen per child per year or minimum 100,000 yen a month and related costs
Randsel rucksack 30-50,000 yen
school uniforms. 50-100,000 yen depending on school
school field trips
Piano lessons or sports activities.
Swimming club 5-10,000 yen a month. Matching swimwear, goggles. Change clubs you have to buy them all over again.
Juku 10-15,000 yen a month depending on number of classes and reputation of juku
Toys, books educational aids 10-20,000 yen a month, maybe more
Hospital dental visits covered on national health under my insurance
Trips back home to visit grandma. Under the age of 5, 1/4 economy class airfare. Under 10 2/3 economy class airfare. Accompanying adult is full fare. Last trip home cost me 700,000 yen in airfares for 4 people.
Trips to USJ, Parque Espana, Tokyo Disneyland. Train fares, accomodation and day passes.
University students: Private university: school fees 800,000- 1.5 million per year, apartment rental and key money. My sister in law now pays out 5 million a year for 2 sons at private universities.

This is on top of any regular rent, food utilities, gas, entertainment, insurance for 2 adults.

[electric_japan]

INFORMATION PAULh PROVIDES IS TRUE EVERYTHING.
It cannot be denied as you shall learn.The truth can't hide especially in Japan.

[nugg0t]

I have 13 classes a week this year with about 400 students, at two different universities. I am professionally trained in TESOL Yes, my students do have fun in my classes.

How do I know so much? I read a lot, Google everything and am naturally inquisitive. I also back up my posts with reliable sources. I am also now a Moderator on two bulletin boards.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

That's nice, but the dude asked for advice on getting a job, not a 3000 word lecture on kidnapping legislature. I know loads of people who've done it and had a great time without any of the severe and extreme issues you mention. You obviously know tons about Japan and it's ways and for that you've got my respect, but that was a bit hard-out.

The answer should be simple for someone with your background and knowledge, wise one.
Try not to bite his head off or predict imminent death ok? Life is good!

EDIT: Hmm, seems like there's a lot of angry people on this forum.

[minikomi]

it can be a real downer trying to ask questions on here..
people who post here generally would like to come to japan, and have often made up their minds to do so less reality checking, and more 'why not try this?' or 'i know someone who did this and it worked' type posts would certainly make this a friendlier place... (and more in tune with why this board was set up in the first place)

</rant>

[paulh]

That's nice, but the dude asked for advice on getting a job, not a 3000 word lecture on kidnapping legislature. I know loads of people who've done it and had a great time without any of the severe and extreme issues you mention. .

Have you actually met any one that this has happened to them? Im sure 10 years ago they came here all starry eyed with a Japanese spouse had kids and then watch the Japanese legal system strip their legal rights from them when the wife uses the courts to separate a foreign husband from his family.

Its not pretty, but these are the facts and it happens to dozens, if not hundreds of foreign spouses every year. Just because you choose to ignore it it doesnt mean problems such as this will go away.

[CLOWNPUNCHER]

Have you actually met any one that this has happened to them? Im sure 10 years ago they came here all starry eyed with a Japanese spouse had kids and then watch the Japanese legal system strip their legal rights from them when the wife uses the courts to separate a foreign husband from his family.

Its not pretty, but these are the facts and it happens to dozens, if not hundreds of foreign spouses every year. Just because you choose to ignore it it doesnt mean problems such as this will go away.

Yeah so true .But no matter what country you live in if you're the father chances are you won't get to keep your kids.

There is a case in NZ right now where an English father is trying to say that his Kiwi ex took the kids to NZ without his approval.

Good luck to him but my bet is she gets to keep the kids.

A Japanese lady friend of mine was married to a guy in the US navy and had three kids with him while living on base at Yokosuka.

After she divorced him ( In her words he had mental problems ) She moved back to Southern Ibaraki and gained custody of her kids in a Japanese court .

Being a nice lady she let her ex have the kids twice a month during the weekends.That is until one Sunday evening he never returned the kids.She phoned the base only to find out that he had been transfered back to the states.

He's gone and gotten US passports for the kids and flown them to Chicago through Yokota airbase.

No Japanese customs or passport control there.

So she had to fly to Chicago get a lawyer and go to family court and fight to get her kids back there. She won and brought the kids back to Japan.

If you're a guy no matter where you are in the civilized world the odds are again't you winning

[paulh]

In Japan its not a matter of even getting your kids, its simply being able to see them for 15 minutes once every six months.

Japan is the only developed country that has not ratified the hague convention on child kidnapping which means the Japanese parent who kidnaps their kids back to japan will always win.

The foreign parent can not even get access to see his own children. By law he may be required to pay maintenance and palimony but no law in the land can grant him visiting rights, and thats up to the discretion of the lawyer.

The US has signed onto the convention, which means that kidnapping is illegal in the US and by law has to hand them over. The wife can get visitation and custody in the US, but no such rights exist for foreigners in Japan.

In other words you are 100% screwed if your wife takes off in Japan and you cant find here again.



PS there was another case where a NZ man married to American woman (or was it vice versa) was found in New Zealand where they had escaped a broken marriage in the US. I think they set Interpol on the missing parent as they had stolen the kids and took them overseas.

Yeah so true .But no matter what country you live in if you're the father chances are you won't get to keep your kids.

There is a case in NZ right now where an English father is trying to say that his Kiwi ex took the kids to NZ without his approval.

Good luck to him but my bet is she gets to keep the kids.

A Japanese lady friend of mine was married to a guy in the US navy and had three kids with him while living on base at Yokosuka.

After she divorced him ( In her words he had mental problems ) She moved back to Southern Ibaraki and gained custody of her kids in a Japanese court .

Being a nice lady she let her ex have the kids twice a month during the weekends.That is until one Sunday evening he never returned the kids.She phoned the base only to find out that he had been transfered back to the states.

He's gone and gotten US passports for the kids and flown them to Chicago through Yokota airbase.

No Japanese customs or passport control there.

So she had to fly to Chicago get a lawyer and go to family court and fight to get her kids back there. She won and brought the kids back to Japan.

If you're a guy no matter where you are in the civilized world the odds are again't you winning

[CLOWNPUNCHER]

Yep you're right Japan hasn't signed the hauge convention.

There is a website somewhere run by foreigners here being denied access to their kids by the Japanese parent.

The case in Nz that you're talking about happened last year.

It involved an American woman who had divorced her American husband married a kiwi and fled to NZ with her kid and then went into hiding after she was tracked to NZ and a warrant issued for her arrest.

She was caught camping out in the boonies with her kid.

[CLOWNPUNCHER]

A quick google and I find the site .

Here it is .

http://www.crcjapan.com/

[Thunder]

Look on the bright side of things Paulh. I'm sure you love your kids and your kids love you. I'm sure that helps mitigate the financial pain a bit. I grew up really poor (my parents did the best they could, but well, you know they had no skills and couldn't speak English...) so I'm kind of looking enviously at the list. *Sigh* I wish I had that sort of stuff when I was a kid. We couldn't even afford school uniforms .

These are just some of the things I spend on my kids, which will come out ones regular teaching salary:

Birth: Obs-Gyno costs. Hospital costs.
Public Kindergarten: 5,000 yen a year (rest is subsidised by the government)
Public elementary school 5-10,000 yen a year.
Private schools 30-80,000 yen a month plus entry fees.
International school 1-1.5 million yen per child per year or minimum 100,000 yen a month and related costs
Randsel rucksack 30-50,000 yen
school uniforms. 50-100,000 yen depending on school
school field trips
Piano lessons or sports activities.
Swimming club 5-10,000 yen a month. Matching swimwear, goggles. Change clubs you have to buy them all over again.
Juku 10-15,000 yen a month depending on number of classes and reputation of juku
Toys, books educational aids 10-20,000 yen a month, maybe more
Hospital dental visits covered on national health under my insurance
Trips back home to visit grandma. Under the age of 5, 1/4 economy class airfare. Under 10 2/3 economy class airfare. Accompanying adult is full fare. Last trip home cost me 700,000 yen in airfares for 4 people.
Trips to USJ, Parque Espana, Tokyo Disneyland. Train fares, accomodation and day passes.
University students: Private university: school fees 800,000- 1.5 million per year, apartment rental and key money. My sister in law now pays out 5 million a year for 2 sons at private universities.

This is on top of any regular rent, food utilities, gas, entertainment, insurance for 2 adults.

[paulh]

Look on the bright side of things Paulh. I'm sure you love your kids and your kids love you. I'm sure that helps mitigate the financial pain a bit. I grew up really poor (my parents did the best they could, but well, you know they had no skills and couldn't speak English...) so I'm kind of looking enviously at the list. *Sigh* I wish I had that sort of stuff when I was a kid. We couldn't even afford school uniforms .

And we all used to live in a shoebox all 24 of us......but no seriously.

I love my kids too, but constantly having to think about how you have to keep finding jobs every two-three years and affording it all (been doing it for ten years now) Im not actually financially struggling, but its a lot of money and still money i have to find even if i lost my job.

I dont know how my dad did it (5 kids, private schools blah blah) but now its fallen on my shoulders to somehow keep the family thing afloat.

Maybe its just me, but my idea of what a marriage is certainly is not what I expected it would be, and I do know there are a LOT of guys in Japan (J-wife, kids, not all on GP) just like you who are in a similar situation to me.

Its not actually like I really have a choice in all this anyway.

[CLOWNPUNCHER]

Maybe its just me, but my idea of what a marriage is certainly is not what I expected it would be, and I do know there are a LOT of guys in Japan (J-wife, kids, not all on GP) just like you who are in a similar situation to me.

Its not actually like I really have a choice in all this anyway.

I know how you feel Paul marriage ain't easy.

Christ mine hasn't been easy. I split with my wife four years ago and she went and lived in OZ with the kids for four months.

During that time I hooked up with a high school teacher and moved in with her. Problem was I was at that time an ALT at a JHS near her high school. We were seen together by ex students of mine who were now students at her high school.

Well soon the shite hit the fan with all the rumors and what not . The vice principal of her school ordered her to stop seeing me and contacted my school and complained about our relationship.

I phoned him up at his school chewed him out and told him to keep out of peopled private lives.

Anyway to cut a long story short I ened up getting back together with my wife and since then she hasn't tried to be so controlling and I can kind of do as I please within reason.

Like you I want to be part of my kids lives . I guess that's why I've stuck it out in Japan for so long.

[steeny]

more drunken ramblings-nevermind

[Jacque_S]

That's nice, but the dude asked for advice on getting a job, not a 3000 word lecture on kidnapping legislature. I know loads of people who've done it and had a great time without any of the severe and extreme issues you mention. You obviously know tons about Japan and it's ways and for that you've got my respect, but that was a bit hard-out.

The answer should be simple for someone with your background and knowledge, wise one.
Try not to bite his head off or predict imminent death ok? Life is good!

EDIT: Hmm, seems like there's a lot of angry people on this forum.

Problem is, many of these people have done some combination of (a) fight the system for many years in sh'tty jobs w/o learning about tatemae and going with the flow, (b) marry a local & have kids long before they knew what they were getting into, (c) placed too much faith in things that don't matter here, like 'skills' and 'qualifications,' (d) listened to only one side of too many stories by too many people who either did something stupid or rash or didn't get out when they shoulda or coulda, (e) not had a plans or goals, and found after a few years that time had slipped thru their fingers and they hadn't accomplished anything, not even learned the language or set themselves up for a return home on their own terms.

Now I ain't no Japan-lover by a long-shot, but even I gotta say this thread is a major downer and should not be taken as representative of the experience here. Especially paulh and clownpuncher and electric japan, you guys are accomplished long-termers who know that the bad stories are extremes and happen to a minority within a minority.

[diva]

OP: What is the job situation like in Japan?

Answer: (paraphrased from the above) Divorce! Black Hole! Hague Convention on Human rights! Kidnap! Belly Dancing!!!

I enjoy watching the public nervous breakdown of paulx (name changed to protect identity) as much as the next man but even a hardened old cynic like myself finds the tone on this board so black, so defeatist..

[paulh]

OP: What is the job situation like in Japan?

Answer: (paraphrased from the above) Divorce! Black Hole! Hague Convention on Human rights! Kidnap! Belly Dancing!!!

I enjoy watching the public nervous breakdown of paulx (name changed to protect identity) as much as the next man but even a hardened old cynic like myself finds the tone on this board so black, so defeatist..

Nervous breakdown?

Nah, I'm just getting started. The worst of it is over now. have had some therapeutic counselling (you know who you are) and im feeling much better now, thank you.

Job situation in Japan?

Pretty terrible, if you ask me, unless you want the rose-tinted waters fine version.

[Jacque_S]

OP: What is the job situation like in Japan?

Answer: (paraphrased from the above) Divorce! Black Hole! Hague Convention on Human rights! Kidnap! Belly Dancing!!!

I enjoy watching the public nervous breakdown of paulx (name changed to protect identity) as much as the next man but even a hardened old cynic like myself finds the tone on this board so black, so defeatist..

Exactly diva..and I thought I was a cynical, jaded old pr'ck who loves to say he's seen it all...I think some members of this forum need to spend more time during their holidays getting wasted and banging (someone, something, anything!) and less time on the keyboard. Hague Convention?! Get real everybody...

[paulh]

E think some members of this forum need to spend more time during their holidays getting wasted and banging (someone, something, anything!) and less time on the keyboard. Hague Convention?! Get real everybody...

Well, one out of two ain't bad.

Banging the keyboard, anyone?

[Nick Halliday]

Some of us get our pessimism from reading Nietz...Nietsh...Neitz...Kierkegaard!

[Jacque_S]

Some of us get our pessimism from reading Nietz...Nietsh...Neitz...Kierkegaard!

Jesus H, I know I'm pretty quick to lay into the system & the way some things are set up in Japan, and I know that full-time work that pays well will be gone in a few years, but some of the stuff been written here is way over the top...

[sandro]

i am starting to think about this,
i have moved from uk to come here, i have a pretty ok job, at the moment i have a kind of crisis, but i have a baby, and a kind of wife, so even though i have a ok job, there is the baby, so while you guys is saying pretty realistic dark stuff about finding jobs in japan, i actually found something to do at night beside my ok job, just to get extra cash, so the point is if you are willing to do anything it works.

[VictoriaSmithPrice]

Exhibit F: Caroline Pover, who came out to Japan with NOTHING, began as an English teacher and is now the president and CEO of Being A Broad and Alexander Press, is the publisher of Tokyo Weekender, and has become an influential figure in the Tokyo ex-pat scene. collaborators on a professional level.
.[/QUOTE]

Erm.........actually, I wouldn't say she is an influential figure. She would like to think she is but most of us ex-pats are bored of her pseudo-feminism. We can see through her I am afraid. Overrated.
Being the President and CEO doesn't make her successful. I know for a fact she owes a lot of ex-staff back pay. Yes.....an excellent businesswoman!?
Exhibit F should have stuck to teaching and being a bar maid at Heavens Door.

Victoria. Resident of Shimo-Kitazawa

[銕不死身]

Exhibit F: Caroline Pover, who came out to Japan with NOTHING, began as an English teacher and is now the president and CEO of Being A Broad and Alexander Press, is the publisher of Tokyo Weekender, and has become an influential figure in the Tokyo ex-pat scene. collaborators on a professional level.
.

Erm.........actually, I wouldn't say she is an influential figure. She would like to think she is but most of us ex-pats are bored of her pseudo-feminism. We can see through her I am afraid. Overrated.
Being the President and CEO doesn't make her successful. I know for a fact she owes a lot of ex-staff back pay. Yes.....an excellent businesswoman!?
Exhibit F should have stuck to teaching and being a bar maid at Heavens Door.

Victoria. Resident of Shimo-Kitazawa[/quote]


I agree with Victoria Hyphenated. I met exhibit F at an embassy party. Self-absorbed, pushy Mrkan airhead was my sympathetic evaluation. Kudos to her and to anyone for setting up and running their own business, but most of her success is self-reported, often ad nauseam.

Also, that website is deadsville.

It is a shame, really. It could have been a great resource and counter weight to sites like this, FG, RST, and even PishPosh.com (collectively known as Being a Guy Ginpot).

So, Victoria, couldn't get into Kami-Kitazawa??

[Wallace Christ]

Also, that website is deadsville.

I am still banned from that discussion forum.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention, in the rush I had neglected custom and failed to secure a souvenir postcard.

Rectified.

[銕不死身]

I am still banned from that discussion forum.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention, in the rush I had neglected custom and failed to secure a souvenir postcard.

Rectified.

Dood,

An ex got banned from that site for calling herself MrsKurogane. She was told that that sort of association was not in The Best Interests of the Site.
Apparently I am not only famous, but infamous.
The best interests of that site would be to have someone, ANYONE, log in to it. Not that that happens often.


I used to lurk, but it is so dead, and so populated by the undersexed and over-opinionated that i just couldn't hack it no more.

[vandy]

"...In my many years in Japan I have never met or heard of anyone make a successful transition from language teaching in to a professional occupation in Japan. I have work that I do that pays me handsomely every month that does not involve teaching or students but i have high level Japanese skills and qualifications that employers seek here"



My accounting teacher worked in Japan at a Japanese accounting firm as a department head of disaster recovery for more then 6 years. He told me there is a shortage of qualified Japanese accounts in Japan, and at times he would have to hire people with no experience and an earth science major for example. He also told me if you can speak Japanese and have a CPA it is defiantly possible to find a Job in Japan.
Also through the many recruiting events I have been to for the big four CPA firms. Many of them offer opportunities to work overseas Japan included. For example I spoke with a partner at KPMG in NYC who just recently got back from working in Tokyo for 4 years; he also spoke next to zero Japanese.
The big four are defiantly willing to have their accounts work overseas after they have been properly trained in the American standards.

Just so you know.

[CapnCrunch]

Temple University offers an MBA at its campus in Tokyo

http://www.tuj.ac.jp No Idea what fees are but you are looking at about 3 million yen over a 2-3 year course. Temple MBA was ranked #5 in the USA for its MBA program.

#5? Where did you see this? Temple is strictly third-tier in the in US, no where near Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, etc.

Anyway, Johnny, why do you want to do graduate studies in Japan? It will not have much value in the US as Japanese universities either have no reputation or a bad rep. You are much better off studying at a top school in the US or Europe, especially for your MBA.

Why do eikaiwa when you can do accounting/finance work for twice the money? I suggest that you try that route before eikaiwa. Have you talked to the recruiters at your school about what options their companies offer? Eikaiwa's not for everyone, and is certainly not a better path to take than accounting if you want to work outside education.

(Wow, this thread is old. I wonder how things turned out.)