Living in Japan?

Question

I've thought about visiting or teaching English in Japan like my cousin did. I was wondering for all you others who have visited Japan or live in it- What was it like, was it hard at first? And if someone plans on teaching English in Japan, should you know the Japanese language? Any funny experiences happen since you were a foreigner?

Answer 1

As the others have said, you need a bachelors degree to get a working visa to teach English. If you can manage to get here on another visa, depending on the visa you may be able to teach a few hours a week on the side.

I first came to Japan as a student missionary through my university over 15 years ago and I loved it! I still love it. Of course it is not perfect. Like every country in the world I had my share of struggles coping and accepting differences, but if you are here long enough it really can become home.

As for experiences, I have had 15+ years of them, good and bad. A funny experience that I remember like it was yesterday is when I first came to Japan and I was trying to learn some Japanese phrases. I was trying to learn "You're Welcome" and "Are you Okay?" You're welcome is "Douitashimashite" and are you okay? is "Daijoubu desuka?"
For a week during teachers training I would repeat them over and over in my head. I would be distracted by something then when I came back to the phrases, I couldn't remember them. I had to ask a Japanese person what they were again. Our final night we were eating dinner with everybody and someone accidentally spilled some hot tea on their hand. I thought I was ready so I blurted out "Douitashimashite?"
After a second of dead silence and dumb stares, all the Japanese burst out in laughter. I didn't know what was wrong or why everyone was laughing. Well, let me tell you. I NEVER forgot those phrases after that night.

Answer 2

I would not say so. Japanese men and women's lifestyles is not just approximately animes for certain. Japan has its detailed tradition. Japan is complex in techonology and the men and women are inventive so i feel they're open to new matters. Personally i could propose you to are living in China. In China you'll be able to be competent to enjoy a a lot more diversed tradition than Japan. There's surely extra to peer in China on the grounds that China is colossal and feature fifty six ethnic minorities. It's establishing fairly quick, the towns on East coast are lovely state-of-the-art honestly. Chinese men and women are fairly first-rate and open to be taught new stuff, they're pleasant to foreingers as good. Also Chinese is among the five united country's languages whilst jap is not. Plus you'll be able to improvement extra through finding out Chinese if you're coming into the trade area someday. The solutions you're getting from right here will probably be professional-Japan on the whole most probably so I'd propose you to put up the query in China segment once more in order that you get solutions from either side and make a larger choice. *sorry i edited my reply particularly a little* : ) Good good fortune! : )

Answer 3

You need a BA / BS degree to teach English in Japan. And Japan isn't the most easy place to live. You really need to have a serious interest in Japan and her culture to enjoy life there. You don't need to know Japanese to become a teacher. But people there will be happy to know that you were trying to learn it.

Answer 4

You don't need to know the local language in order to teach English. The students will try the best to communicate with you in English, just be patient when you listen to them.
http://www.findateacher.net/
You can post an ad in the site above, the students will contact you if they want to become your students.
They pay about $38 in order to get 5 teachers' contacts.
The houses/accomodation in Japan are super small. They may not even have bed in the room, they use the Japanese style mat called futon put on top of tatami instead. The foods can be very cheap to very expensive. It's up to your choice. Tokyo is the best place to do shopping!!