Well since I jsut moved to Japan and im bored as hell at work right now I might as well try and do something constructive. If there is a similar thread sorry, i checked back about 10 pages and didnt see something specific like this.

THis is for anyone who is currently living in Japan and who wants to find out where other Jdorama members live in comparison to themselves. Fell free to post however much info you want. Prefecture and city would prolly be best. It cant really hurt to let people know that much anyway. Wll if your interested post away. If ther are enough ppl I'll make a list.

As for me I live in:
Ibaraki (Prefecture) ��錧
Chikusei (City)�@ �@�}���s

Hopefully others wil be interested in find out where they live in relation ot other members.

darkflame21 wrote:

Well since I jsut moved to Japan and im bored as hell at work right now I might as well try and do something constructive. If there is a similar thread sorry, i checked back about 10 pages and didnt see something specific like this. THis is for anyone who is currently living in Japan and who wants to find out where other Jdorama members live in comparison to themselves. Fell free to post however much info you want. Prefecture and city would prolly be best. It cant really hurt to let people know that much anyway. Wll if your interested post away. If ther are enough ppl I'll make a list. As for me I live in: Ibaraki (Prefecture) ��錧 Chikusei (City)�@ �@�}���s Hopefully others wil be interested in find out where they live in relation ot other members.

yeah, don't think there is a thread like this one. I am not too sure if there are very many others on here that live in Japan. I live in California, but i would like to move out there and teach eng. in japan, that is something i hope to do. What brings you out there in Japan? How do you like it? have you meet many other japanese people? other foreigners like yourself there? Is there much to do out there? Whereabout's are you? Not too far from Kyoto? Tokyo? Best of luck to you out there in Japan in finding other J-dorama members.

Wow thats alotta questions in one place. Im in Ibaraki-ken North of Tokyo. The town im in is at most an hour on a train from Tokyo. Im here teaching english in elementary schools. It kind of rural here so its not easy to meet other japanese ppl who are willing to speak to me easilly. I can understand japanese really well but can"t use it all that well myself but most japanese ppl tend to avoid me here. The only other american Ive seen in this town have been the two Junior High teachers in this town and 2 more from nearby towns. Plus 2 ppl from the complany I work for but they are far away from me.
Hopefully some others post, find out who else is around here. ;p

I'm out here... in Fussa-shi... which is a part of Tokyo, but I'm about 25 miles from the heart of the concrete Jungle...

If you ever want to hang out in Tokyo sometime, let me know... I do have to go back to the states for a class next month... but, I'll be back around the end of August...

darkflame21 wrote:

Wow thats alotta questions in one place. Im in Ibaraki-ken North of Tokyo. The town im in is at most an hour on a train from Tokyo. Im here teaching english in elementary schools. It kind of rural here so its not easy to meet other japanese ppl who are willing to speak to me easilly. I can understand japanese really well but can"t use it all that well myself but most japanese ppl tend to avoid me here. The only other american Ive seen in this town have been the two Junior High teachers in this town and 2 more from nearby towns. Plus 2 ppl from the complany I work for but they are far away from me. Hopefully some others post, find out who else is around here. ;p

cool, so you teaching eng. in japan...what prg did you go thru? like it so far? i am planning on apply to some prg's soon and hope to move out there in the future. I just love everything japan.
well good luck in finding other people out there so you can hang out with and sightsee in Japan.

hikki wrote:

I'm out here... in Fussa-shi... which is a part of Tokyo, but I'm about 25 miles from the heart of the concrete Jungle... If you ever want to hang out in Tokyo sometime, let me know... I do have to go back to the states for a class next month... but, I'll be back around the end of August...

Cool an actual response from someone living here! Hopefully we'll get some more!

C'mon ppl there must be some more of us living in Japan here!!

You think it's boring in Japan or just where you are at?

SubaruWRX wrote:

You think it's boring in Japan or just where you are at?

guess it is matter of opinion really...
i think for me, the way i look at it, it is an opportunity, and to be able to live in Japan and experience it, the differences, would be probably more beneficial if anything. I cannot wait to move there, not sure when though. I know if i were there, i would like to meet up with other Gajin(foreigners like myself), a common bond, but i think i would want to learn some japanese first, that would be helpful and try to meet some j-people some i know some of the locals first, probably via online/email.

Its not boring for me at all being here. Even though im in a pretty rural place with very few ppl around that are easy to find that are my age. I still enjoy it soo much being here. I was refering to it beoing boring as hell at work when i have to be hree from 8:30-4:30 and my first class i teachis at 9:30 and the last ends around 2:30. Leaving me alotta time to do nothing but surf the net while teacher and studnets are in their last classes but im stuck in the teacher room alone.

Hey at least your lucky! lol you have a extended stay time haha and I'm just trying to get to Japan!

Two years ago i spent all my money to go to Ritsumeikan Daigaku (college) in Kyoto for a 4 week summer program. I have lotsa friends over thre tho so i stayed an extre 2 weeks with them after my classes were done too. Too bad I dont know anyone around here really. My one japanese friend that lived up near me kid of got a job in Thailand. : /

darkflame21 wrote:

Its not boring for me at all being here. Even though im in a pretty rural place with very few ppl around that are easy to find that are my age. I still enjoy it soo much being here. I was refering to it beoing boring as hell at work when i have to be hree from 8:30-4:30 and my first class i teachis at 9:30 and the last ends around 2:30. Leaving me alotta time to do nothing but surf the net while teacher and studnets are in their last classes but im stuck in the teacher room alone.

yeah, that sucks...why are you by yourself in the teacher's room, are you a teacher's assistant. I guess the fact that you are in japan, and are teaching, that too me sounds so exciting. Actually i hope to apply to some teaching prg's and move there hopefully. But the fact that you are bored and have so much extra space and time, hopefully there is something that can help you out.
btw: what teaching prg did you use? do you like teaching at your school? There must be other foreigners not too far from you that you can hang out with. How far are you from Tokyo?

*shakes fist at darkflame* lucky bastard!

qilver wrote:

yeah, that sucks...why are you by yourself in the teacher's room, are you a teacher's assistant. I guess the fact that you are in japan, and are teaching, that too me sounds so exciting. Actually i hope to apply to some teaching prg's and move there hopefully. But the fact that you are bored and have so much extra space and time, hopefully there is something that can help you out. btw: what teaching prg did you use? do you like teaching at your school? There must be other foreigners not too far from you that you can hang out with. How far are you from Tokyo?

Im prolly about an hour by train outta Tokyo. I asist in their english classes but if i show my face at any other time I am jsut a big distraction. The students see me and immedeatly stop their work.
I teach 4 classes a day and there are 6 periods in a standard japanese school day. so for 2 periods Im doing nothing. Then I have to wait till its time to leave after the students leave.
There are 2 other english teachers in the town im at. They both teachin junior high schools and dont live in the same place as me. They are JETS but this town has stopeed using JET so people from private companies like me are starting to become more common.
If you interested in looking for jobs check out ww.gaijinpot.com the only requirements to teach english in Japan are a 4 yea university degree and being a native english speaker. Unfortunatly most job openings require you to already live in japan to apply but if you dig you can find jobs that that hire from out of japan.

darkflame21 wrote:

Im prolly about an hour by train outta Tokyo. I asist in their english classes but if i show my face at any other time I am jsut a big distraction. The students see me and immedeatly stop their work. I teach 4 classes a day and there are 6 periods in a standard japanese school day. so for 2 periods Im doing nothing. Then I have to wait till its time to leave after the students leave. There are 2 other english teachers in the town im at. They both teachin junior high schools and dont live in the same place as me. They are JETS but this town has stopeed using JET so people from private companies like me are starting to become more common. If you interested in looking for jobs check out ww.gaijinpot.com the only requirements to teach english in Japan are a 4 yea university degree and being a native english speaker. Unfortunatly most job openings require you to already live in japan to apply but if you dig you can find jobs that that hire from out of japan.

thanks for the info. It sounds like, other than the boredom extra time between classes, the teaching is ok. I've done a little research as far as which prg's there are, It seems the must funded prg, JET is the toughest to get into, there are others like NOVA, and smaller ones like AMITY(AEON), not sure which one you went through, any recommedations? I am quite open as far as which prg, i just want to teach and experience life in Japan, i am excited about the opportunity. I wouldn't mind teaching in a town just outside japan, 1hr by train is not too bad. I heard of the website you mentioned, will check out it. Most likely i will apply outside of japan as i am in the USA. Was it a tough process to apply to your smaller teaching prg, i have the qualitications to do any teaching prg, but i just want to know how to get in. Thanks.
Have you met a lot of other teachers your age? how are the students? are they nice to you? Is there a policy where teachers and students cannot socialize outside of the classroom? Did you learn the japanese language already while in japan?

qilver wrote:

thanks for the info. It sounds like, other than the boredom extra time between classes, the teaching is ok. I've done a little research as far as which prg's there are, It seems the must funded prg, JET is the toughest to get into, there are others like NOVA, and smaller ones like AMITY(AEON), not sure which one you went through, any recommedations? I am quite open as far as which prg, i just want to teach and experience life in Japan, i am excited about the opportunity. I wouldn't mind teaching in a town just outside japan, 1hr by train is not too bad. I heard of the website you mentioned, will check out it. Most likely i will apply outside of japan as i am in the USA. Was it a tough process to apply to your smaller teaching prg, i have the qualitications to do any teaching prg, but i just want to know how to get in. Thanks. Have you met a lot of other teachers your age? how are the students? are they nice to you? Is there a policy where teachers and students cannot socialize outside of the classroom? Did you learn the japanese language already while in japan?

I got my job really last minute through a company called Heart English School. Nova and Aeon and Geos are bigh english conversation schools but if you work for them you will be teaching cram school type english lessons ony. Where you ahve a class of different faces each day and the students can vary from kids to old people.
The company I work for does individual and small group lessons in Mito city but they also fill ALT positions. Alts used to only be JETs but JET doenst work well with the japanese system. Jets were hired direcetly by the japanese government for a towns BoE. So if a JET did something that a school didnt like they werent likely to complain to their bosses saying the emplyoee they hired was bad. Thats why smaller comapnies are starting to get used or ALT jobs. If I do something wrong they school talks to my company and then we fix the problem.
Heart is the third biggest english language school that fills ALT positions. I think we currently have 70 or so ALTs working for the company. Interac largest comapny and RCS is the second largerst, im not sure of the smaller ones. Schools should be looking to fill positions starting this fall now if your currently looking now is prolly one of the better times. I know my company is looking for one or two more around where I am now.
Back to the part of meeting teachers my age. There arent many teacher that are my age that ive seen. Im 23 so im pretty young. Some of the smaller schools have stuendt teachers or aides that are around my age, im not exactly sure what thier jobs are tho becuase they arent regular teachers, they tend to move around between classes and stuff.
I havent really done anything with people from work after school was over but I dont think there is anythin wrong with it. I was invited to go drinking once but I had something to do that day. :/ I also play with the student from the school near my apartment at a park nearby whenever I see them when I go shopping and such.
About knowing Japanese i studdied it in college for three years. I still dont speak well but i understand all normal conversation in japanese. (look at my list of dramas Ive watched and youll understand why). Knowing Japanese isnt a requirement at all but its very helpful for elementary schools. English isnt offically taught until junior high school so many middle schools dont have teachers who can speak english well. When the teacher here learned that I knew japanese I could hear them all sighin relief. If your working at a middle school they have Japanese teachers who are there to teach english. Their english still might not be very good but it will be good enough for them to try and talk to you.
Wow the posts jsut keep getting longer and longer.
Also if you end up applying to a Heart School position PM me so you can say I refered you so i can get some extra cash!

darkflame21 wrote:

I got my job really last minute through a company called Heart English School. Nova and Aeon and Geos are bigh english conversation schools but if you work for them you will be teaching cram school type english lessons ony. Where you ahve a class of different faces each day and the students can vary from kids to old people. The company I work for does individual and small group lessons in Mito city but they also fill ALT positions. Alts used to only be JETs but JET doenst work well with the japanese system. Jets were hired direcetly by the japanese government for a towns BoE. So if a JET did something that a school didnt like they werent likely to complain to their bosses saying the emplyoee they hired was bad. Thats why smaller comapnies are starting to get used or ALT jobs. If I do something wrong they school talks to my company and then we fix the problem. Heart is the third biggest english language school that fills ALT positions. I think we currently have 70 or so ALTs working for the company. Interac largest comapny and RCS is the second largerst, im not sure of the smaller ones. Schools should be looking to fill positions starting this fall now if your currently looking now is prolly one of the better times. I know my company is looking for one or two more around where I am now. Back to the part of meeting teachers my age. There arent many teacher that are my age that ive seen. Im 23 so im pretty young. Some of the smaller schools have stuendt teachers or aides that are around my age, im not exactly sure what thier jobs are tho becuase they arent regular teachers, they tend to move around between classes and stuff. I havent really done anything with people from work after school was over but I dont think there is anythin wrong with it. I was invited to go drinking once but I had something to do that day. :/ I also play with the student from the school near my apartment at a park nearby whenever I see them when I go shopping and such. About knowing Japanese i studdied it in college for three years. I still dont speak well but i understand all normal conversation in japanese. (look at my list of dramas Ive watched and youll understand why). Knowing Japanese isnt a requirement at all but its very helpful for elementary schools. English isnt offically taught until junior high school so many middle schools dont have teachers who can speak english well. When the teacher here learned that I knew japanese I could hear them all sighin relief. If your working at a middle school they have Japanese teachers who are there to teach english. Their english still might not be very good but it will be good enough for them to try and talk to you. Wow the posts jsut keep getting longer and longer. Also if you end up applying to a Heart School position PM me so you can say I refered you so i can get some extra cash!

just sent you a "pm". thanks for the teaching prg info.

The eaisest way for me to give you info is over AIM or MSN if ya you either of those. Add me if ya want, I pm"d ya my info. If you dont use either of them I'll jsut PM ya messages i guess. Its jsut eaiser chatting.

darkflame21 wrote:

The eaisest way for me to give you info is over AIM or MSN if ya you either of those. Add me if ya want, I pm"d ya my info. If you dont use either of them I'll jsut PM ya messages i guess. Its jsut eaiser chatting.

yeah look me up on msnm, thanks for the info.