Calling all Japan dopers - Auto is on his way and needs your help.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

OK, I’ve procrastinated enough. It’s time to make my big announcement. I’ve been reticent to announce it I guess because it involves a request, and I feel awkward asking you all for help :o

I will be in Tokyo starting August 1st. From the 4th to the 16th I have a job working as an assistant at an English summer camp. At the moment, after the 16th I am unemployed. My return ticket is on the 28th. I could return home…

But I don’t want to return to The States. Living at home is swell and all, but it’s time I get on with my life. I want to continue my life plan of becoming an international businessman. That’s my next step anyway. My Japanese skill is in between conversational and semi-fluent, and it’s not going to get better unless I’m in Japan. I could work in an American company and then get transferred to Japan but that’s risky and no fun. With the current American job market, it would take me months to years to find a job anyway.

My problems are two-fold. First, I’m broke. Second, I don’t have a visa sponsor. I’m working on the second. I have a bunch of websites that I need to post my resume too; I have an English and Japanese one (I got help on the latter). I also have some contacts and Japan-specializing job agencies I can e-mail. So, hopefully I will find a dinky English-teaching job (my kanji skills are too weak to be able to do anything else) and they will facilitate the visa process. If I don’t find a job before I go to Japan, it’s possible that I can find one after my 10-day job finishes up. If that happens, then I guess I’d go to the US embassy in S.Korea to change my visa status.

My first part is where I’m hoping I can rely on the kindness of dopers. No, I’m not asking for donations. I’ll come right out with it; I need a place to stay. My girlfriend is currently in China and will come to Tokyo as soon as her work allows, but it looks like that will be September at the earliest.

Right now my money situation is -800$. By the time I go to Japan, unless I find some other way to make money, I will have around 200$ to my name. My 10-day job will pay 600$ but only after the completion of the program. My current source of income is my parents. Before you flip, I work real hard for that money. I work helping my parents renovate our house. Sanding, painting, setting up scaffolding, climbing 70 feet up said scaffolding, etc. All of this in the hot Florida sun. I do this in exchange for 10$/hr and room and board.

My parents were kind enough to loan me the money to buy my plane ticket ahead of time, but all things considered it looks like my monetary allowance for hotels/hostels/food is going to be dangerously low. I could use www.couchsurfing.com, but I’d much much MUCH prefer staying with one or several of you guys. TokyoPlayer (I know you’re probably super busy with your wife and beta-chan so please don’t worry at all if you cant help. I really shouldn’t even ask), SageRat, Jovan, Sleel, am I missing anyone else? I know that bellcandlesnuffshuttalumpagus, Hokkaido Brit, and Caractus Pott are also in Japan, but I don’t think they’re in the Tokyo area.

Any advice, help, or well-wishing is greatly appreciated. よろしくお願いいたします！ (I humbly ask this of you).

2

Do you have a TEFL or TESL? If not I would strongly recommend you get one before you come here. A lot of programs are only a month or so, but can often be expensive. Though I don’t have experience with trying to find a job here, I can only imagine it would be to your benefit, especially in the Tokyo area where there are plenty of other gaijin. You might want to check the edu section of craisgslist Tokyo. There are always people looking for Eng conversation teachers or tutors for children. Again, I can only assume you’d have a better chance of getting one of these with a TEFL cert.

And sorry about the crashing thing, but I’m a bit far from the Tokyo area-- the 4 hour shinkansen commute would probably wipe your earnings out. However, if I do change my doper name, it will definitely have an -uffle and/or -umpagus attached to it. :smiley:

3

You could do a porno film for coke - I hear it’s big in Japan.

4

Off the top of my head there’s also Sublight. His email is in his profile.

5

Thx beebs. Yeah, I also forgot Cerowyn and JpnDude. I’ll e-mail everyone if they don’t see this thread.

No time or money ;_; You are right though. I wish I had done that during college /sigh.

6

Not that I want to discourage you or anything, but are you sure this is the right move to make Right Now?

You’re in debt at the moment, and once you’ve done your summer job you’ll only be up by less than a grand.

You’ve not got qualifications for teaching English as a second language, and whilst they’re not necessary most places look more favourably on those who do than those who don’t.

You don’t have anywhere to stay, and though Dopers are a great bunch and most would happily give you the shirt off their backs, you’re asking to be put up for anywhere up 8-12 weeks when you’ve got no guarantee you’ll have income to contribute to their householding, in a city where living space is at a premium anyway?

Dreams like this are admirable, and if you can make it work then good on you. But the deck is stacked pretty heavily against you already. Your parents seem amenable to helping you as much as possible - why not do your summer job, go back to the states, ask your parents to get your TESL or TEFL and save as much money as you can whilst doing so, then try again in, say, 12 months or so? If I recall correctly you’re still pretty young, what’s another 12 months in preparation in the grand scheme of things, especially if you have a set timetable in place?

7

Yeah I’m 24, and you make a good point. The downsides to staying at home for another year are thus:

  1. I’m home, living with my parents. Yeah it’s not the end of the world but it really chafes my pride ya know? Sometimes I already feel like a slow dummy b/c it took me 6 years to graduate college.

  2. I’m in Orlando, a city that I’m not too fond of (no disrespect Orlando dopers - y’all are great)

  3. My relationship with my GF is good but I don’t think we can handle another year dating long-distance. Having once dated long distance for 8 months, I’ve been there and done that. It sucks. Being apart just for the summer is bad enough.

I’ve been to Japan three times already and I know I’m called to go there eventually, although for what I’m not sure. If I can’t stay in Japan this time, it would probably be at least six months before I’d be able to go back. Plane tickets are expensive!

There’s also the option of getting my MBA, but I really want to get some work experience first. I know that’s a whole different can of worms.

I’ve also thought about the option of getting a small personal loan, but even without researching it my gut says it’s a terrible idea.

8

Don’t I feel like a patronising jerk, you’re the same age as me :smiley:

I’d definitely go with your gut on the loan thing - the last thing you want to do is end up without any money, have to go back to the states & find a debt waiting and wanting payment RightNow.

Don’t feel bad about the college thing. I didn’t even manage to pass high school :wink:

I feel ya about the LD relationship thing. I had one LD that broke down badly. Then my husband and I spent a couple of years doing the LD between aus and the UK. It’s hard, but if you’re both really committed it is do-able. Especially (again) if there’s a set expiry date involved. 1 year. 12 months. 365 days. Each day gets you closer. And nowadays it’s easier than it used to be. You’ve got IM, video calling, VoiP, MMORPGs to play together. Better than the old pen pal days, right?

It’s great that you’ve got the calling to be in Japan and you really want to succeed there. And god knows you don’t want to be sat in Orlando in 4 years time going “Damn, I wish I’d moved to Japan when I had the chance”. It’s just to be brutally honest, you really don’t seem all that well prepared for an international move at this point in time. Not just yet.

But I am wishing you the best of luck, and I’m hoping that you do succeed over there. I’m rooting for you :smiley:

9

True honesty is always brutal ;). Thanks a lot for your advice, seriously. 　I’m confident that things will work out one way or another. 頑張ります！（I will do my best).

10

Consider teaching in China for a year, while working on developing contacts in Japan?

Also: taking 6 years to graduate university? Piffle. I took ten. :stuck_out_tongue:

11

Learn Chinese and Japanese at the same time? I’m good at languages but still I think my head would explode. And I wouldn’t go to China and not learn the language. Goes against my principles it does.

Also, Japan and China are not really too friendly with each other. If I tried to get a job in Japan after spending a year in China, it might actually be a negative. I’ll keep it in mind though.

12

I’m unfortunately in Canada until August 25, so I can’t help you out.

I’d seriously re-think going to Japan with $200 in your pocket. It’s possible to eat fairly cheaply if you’re careful (as you no doubt know), but transportation alone is going to wipe out your money pretty quickly. And, I’m not sure where you’ve stayed in the past, but pretty much every mansion and hotel requires payment up front, so unless you do impose on a friend for somewhere to stay (and, I’m sure you understand that in Japan that’s much more of an imposition, given how small Tokyo residences are), you have to have the money before you check in. Even without Internet, the cheapest mansions are something like $60-70/day.

Sublight once mentioned that getting an English teaching job is better done in Japan than before you get there. The companies that recruit overseas the most are the ones that tend to pay less and have the less desirable jobs. Presumably that’s because people already in Japan know better, or can at least learn.

You didn’t mention what your education and work background is, but you can also send me a resume (my email’s in my profile). In truth, though, the company is probably not going to be willing to sponsor an American without good Japanese for what is likely to be an entry-level position. I think you’ll find that outside of teaching English, that’s going to be the biggest problem you face.

Good luck.　ガンバって！

13

Auto,

I’d love to help, but I haven’t lived in Japan for 7 months. Even when I was, I was 4 hours via the shinkasen north of Tokyo. Since I can’t help with lodging, I have a suggestion or two. Have you thought of being an English language instructor in Korea? When I was there visiting there seemed to be a pretty serious need. Seoul is only a couple hours from Tokyo, unless you’re swimming. These positions usually only require a college degree and native English speaking ability. I don’t know if experience in Korea would be a knock against you like China work would be…

Do you have any computer experience? That’s how I got there. I’m a computer person and just lucked into that position in Japan. My company doesn’t have any more positions in Japan, but I may be able to point you in the right direction.

PS-I’m considering a trip to Tokyo at year-end. If you’re still there, maybe we can say Hey in Yokohama or something.

14

I fear that I’ve moved back to the US as of about a year ago.

You might call up my alma mater, ICU, and see if there’s any 1-year courses (for a TESL for instance) that you could take starting in September, or if they know of any other schools that might have something like that.

  • Student Visa
  • Dormitories

Obviously, it wouldn’t be free, but you could justify the expense in a way better than “I wanna be able to shack up with my gal.”

15

That’s not the main reason I’m going over there :frowning: I know you didn’t mean it that way, but it really chaps my ass when I mention how I’m going to Japan and people respond with something like, “So you like Asian women then huh? You’re going to have a good time.” It’s that type of sentiment that leads to Americans treating Japan like their own personal theme park and adds fuel to Japan’s fucking xenophobic fire.

Again, that’s not directed at you. Thanks for the ICU information. It’s one more option to consider.

My flight leaves July 31st. The clock is ticking :eek:

16

Autolycus - I honestly think this is ill-considered. Are you having to pay your airfare to get to this 10-day job? Do you really want to get over there and have to come back in a couple weeks, then have to save up again to go later? No housing and no money to get any is dangerous stuff. It is sort of asking a lot of people who only know you as pixels on a screen to house you and feed you, for what looks like an indefinite period. It’s one thing for a long weekend, but you don’t have anything in your OP as to when you expect to leave.

I hate to burst your bubble, but it seems to me that getting a real job in the US (instead of working for your parents) and saving up while looking for employment in Japan is the way to go.

Also, the $ goes before the numeral in this country. (example - $10/hr)

StG

17

Well, I’ve already bought the plane ticket and signed the 10-day job contract, so there’s no turning back now. I’ll definitely be there for at least a month.

I know it’s a huge favor to ask, especially considering how cramped Tokyo is. In return I would help with chores or do w/e else I would offer. As for when I expect to leave, I stated in the OP that my return flight is on the 28th. If I can’t find employment before or during my trip, then I would return home on the 28th.

As for the large possibility of having to pay for a place to stay, if I absolutely had to my parents would loan me the money. If I stayed I’d have a job and would pay them back that way. If I came back, there’s no shortage of work to do on the house (or w/e else job I get). There are hostels that charge around 35 a day, so I'm aware that would be minus 900 + food. The part-time job would pay 600 of that. It will also reimburse my subway fare.

I realize this is a very risky thing I’m doing, but having this 10-day job on my resume will help immensely in gaining employment in Japan. References from Japanese people are an immense help. This is debatable, but IMHO many Japanese people believe they are superior to non-Japanese. A favorable reference from a Japanese employer alleviates the fear that one is a worthless gaijin (foreigner). Even if I have to return home, this will be a worthwhile endeavor.

Indeed I am American. Oops :o

18

Just saw your PM, so headed over here to read the thread. If you look at this trip as an adventure, that’s fine, but do not expect too much. Especially don’t expect to be able to just walk into a job or a place to live. I’m sorry to say that I can’t help you with either since I’m way the heck out in the country, and I can’t realistically ask any of my in-laws to put you up.

First, the money situation. You are — to put it bluntly — going to have a serious problem doing anything if you’ve only got $200 plus the $600 for the short-term job. You’ll be lucky if you don’t run out of money for food in the ten days before you get paid, and you will absolutely run out of money by the time you would get your first pay from a job, even if you started work the day after your short-term gig. My monthly budget for home-cooked food is almost $400. That’s not anything fancy and doesn’t count meals out, which I consider part of my entertainment budget.

Everything is much, much, much more expensive than you think it is. Going out for food even once during that ten days will put a serious dent in your funds. Going out for drinks could easily wipe out half of it in an evening. Heck, a canned drink from a vending machine is twice the cost that you’re used to.

If you’re going to interviews, you need money for travel. Depending on how far it is and how fast you need to get there, that could add up really fast. When I’m down in the Tokyo area, just going to Shinjuku or Shibuya and back can eat up close to ¥1,000, and that’s nothing but local trains. From my area to Tokyo, only 1.5 hours by shinkansen and regular train, costs almost ¥5,000. One-way. If you stay local, it won’t be a big bleed like that, but you’ll die a death of 1000 paper cuts just getting to places.

Getting set up in an apartment anywhere is going to cost roughly twice what you’d make in a month at most eikaiwa jobs. That means that if you find a place to set you up, you’re going to owe them for several months, and you won’t be getting your full salary for a long time as a consequence. For a realistic bare-bones budget for the Tokyo area you’ll probably be spending ¥150,000 to 180,000. Rent is easily ¥60,000 at a very low minimum, probably twice that in many areas. Standard rates for English teachers are ¥250,000 a month right now. You don’t get paid anything until you finish at least a month of work.

That means that it’s not $800 for a month, it’s $800 to last two months (or more) with set up expenses, travel money, and miscellaneous other stuff on top of food. You might have enough, just barely, to make it through a very bare-bones trip if someone gives you a place to live from the time you land until your departure date, but you have no way of making it long enough to get set up here without someone who will put you up for probably about 3–4 months for free. Probably not going to happen.

I had more money than you saved when I came and the only reason I didn’t starve my first month was because my supervisor was a god and somehow got me an advance on my pay. I had very minimal set up costs since the house I lived in was the next best thing to free, and I still was lucky to afford to eat for a couple of months.

Sorry to be discouraging, but you’re not being very realistic about what you need before coming. I would say that you need a minimum of about $2,000–3,000 to pay for typical expenses, assuming you start work a day or two after you land. What you’re going to have isn’t anywhere near enough.

Anyway, I’ll try to come back with some more supportive information later. Just, man, seriously reconsider your plans. Try to get your hands on more cash for even the short version of your trip, or you’re probably going to be pretty miserable.

19

Never been to Japan, or anything. Just popping in to wish you good luck - lord knows my moving to Australia next year isn’t going to be any more pleasant.

That said, consider selling a lot of your stuff. Blunt, I know, but I sold pretty much 3/4ths of my stuff when I moved to Oslo, since I could only realistically take what I could fit in the trunk and back seats of a Mitsubishi Charisma when I left. The money from that paid for my apartment deposit and two months worth of rent, after which my student mortgage and stipend came in and I was home free. (Well, for a few months, until I got a job)

The second thing is to do everything you can to get a job before you leave to Japan. Translators, transscribers, low-level english tuition, physical labour; anything.

I know you can write, so also consider going to local magazines, travel magazines or e-zines and offer to write a “slumming in Japan” kind of diary-feature for them for a monthly stipend. A Lithuanian friend of mine did so when he moved to South Korea, only he had the fortune to get picked up by a Norwegian magazine. (Norwegian kroner is strong, these days, and our average salaries are way high. Minimum wage is around $23/hour and I think he got paid 2000 NOK per article, or $400 once a month) I’m not saying to get your hopes up, but think about it and build a pitch around it and then sling it around.

Also, I just wanted to leave you with this, gaijin-to-be :wink:

GAIJIN SMASH!

20

I’ve sent my regrets by PM at not being able to help, with a housefull of in-laws and our move during that period.

After reading your OP, I’ll have to agree with Steel that you will need more money. It starts with the $30 train into town, and then goes from then.

As Steel points out, even home-cooked food isn’t cheap. If you can find people on Couchsurfing, you will still need to eat, and I wouldn’t attempt that on $200 for the two weeks. How soon after the job will you get paid? Will they pay for trains in advance?

Are you waiting for something to start posting resumes? Even if you were to find something today, I don’t know if there would be enough time now to get a working visa before you depart, but the longer you wait, the more difficult your time frame will be.

I don’t want to seem overly negative, but it looks like the teaching market is depressed. Checking out the jobs at the Metropolis, (also a good place to find apartment to share, if you get that far) there’s only two positions advertised. When Nova went bust, a lot of experienced English teachers were set loose. The days just showing up and getting hired on the spot are long gone.

If you do still come over, let me know and we can go out for beers.