Teaching in Japan - A beginner's beginning
By Amanda Fernandes
3 Sep 2008
I'm writing this as I wait for my bath to fill up. Despite being the size of a large esky, it takes a surprisingly long time. This is probably because I'm using the only source of hot water in the whole apartment, supplied by an ageing hot water heater that gave me a fright when smoke started coming out. I accidentally tried to have the water going at full trickle- which is too much for it I now know. It's surprising that a country with so many technological advancements (such as heated seats on toilets which both wash AND blow dry your bottom) has housing without insulation, no hot water, except in the shower when it's scalding, and people still use kerosene heaters regularly.
I've been here for 2 weeks, and have recently started work teaching at a government school. It's been a real eye opener of an experience. I'm not one of those over-prepared people who perfects a language before moving somewhere and knows everything about her designated area....I'm one of the ones who applies for a job online spur of the moment, is surprised when she gets it, and starts learning the language 3 days before departure.
I moved into my apartment 3 days ago, and I was really lucky in that it has 3 bedrooms and a view of a park and a shrine. I was unlucky in that I didn't wonder why it was such good value for a 3 roomed place....until I moved in. There's a railway line between the park and the apartment... oh well....I'm still in Japan! I live in a place called Koka-shi, which you won't find on a map as there are only 96,000 people here. It's in Shiga prefecture (which you will find) and is an hour outside of Kyoto. This is considered a rural area, and the lack of internet cafes is proof!
You would think that it was a hard decision to make the big move overseas. In reality, it was surprisingly easy. It all happened in bite sized pieces. I applied online. I was asked for a resume. I had a telephone interview. I went to a seminar. I had a real interview. I sent several forms away. I picked up my visa. I bought a ticket. I got on a plane. And here I am! Being so far away from family and friends is tough, but the internet makes it so easy to feel connected and close to people...It almost feels like I'm cheating.
Everyone here has been so friendly as well. They TRY to understand me, and the head English teacher at my school actually offered me the school microwave when he found out I was living on any food that can be prepared through the use of a kettle! They find it very hard to believe that I am perfectly happy to live without a fridge, oven, toaster, rice cooker, stove or microwave until I can afford them. I put it all down to experience....that's why I moved here, to experience new things. In a week or two I may be singing a different song but for now I am perfectly content.
There are over 700 students at my school, and I must say it's a delight to hear them calling my name in the halls. They desperately WANT to speak English, but some of them are so painfully shy! More girls will come up and say hello to me in the hallway than boys, but I'll get shy waves from some, and nods of the head from the others. I have, however, discovered that boys are the same the whole world over. I bought some fruit from a woman who visits the school, but I dropped some coins. When I bent over to get them, some boys were conveniently walking up the hallway behind me. Of course that's when they decide they aren't shy, and start to say my name...
I hope some of you take the plunge and decide to just go for it. After all, it's better to regret something you've done, than something you haven't...so you have nothing to lose!
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