oh dear, you're in trouble... ask a simple question, get a complicated answer. hmmmm, where to start....
ok, so don't feel creeped out, but i did take a look at your journal, and just want to say kudos to you! creative, talented, out, and not yet in college. i wish i was all those things at your age!
oh, sorry, there i go sounding like a patronizing old person. it's just that i'm usually the youngest in my group of friends (i'm 25, btw, and find myself hanging with 30-something's all the time), so i know how annoying it is have my hair tousled and cheeks pinched.... it also makes me nervous to give you career advice because i'm not usually asked for it.... take what i say as just a personal opinion, and with a grain of salt.
teaching in japan... well, for me, i was torn between choosing the no-money career (acting/art) and the money one (asian studies, international affairs). i chose the latter and came to japan as a stepping stone and resume-builder. however, i've decided its just not for me. sure, i've had amazing experiences... done a lot of growing up and exploring the world, which most people never do.... and even discovered passions and talents that i might not have otherwise.
but it's time for me to move on. i taught english at first, then both art and drama, which was all good fun, but i'm a selfish person and would much rather do it for myself. it takes a special kind of person to first and foremost be a teacher... an even more special person to live in japan. you have to put up with a lot of frustration, challenge, bullshit, and the feeling that you'll always and forever be an outsider in their eyes. a few years are good, but more than that... not gonna do it.
so, sounds like you've got a long time before you need to make a decision... but in the meantime, i'd say that JET is a good program (NOVA sucks) and japan is an awesome place. but the opportunities to be MORE than just an english teacher are few and far between, and hard to break into. i was kinda lucky, but still not completely and wholly satisfied in the end. and therefore, i'm still coming to terms with my experiences here... was it a waste of time, a delay in my life, or something that has given me insight and experience that i might not fully understand for years to come?!?!
hope this doesnt seem like the ravings of a bitter queen.... and i hope you decide to ask me more questions. i'm always willing to give advice on what little i know about this crazy thing we call "life".
I read my last post, and I can't believe how self centered it was.
I don't even know where to start. I definetely understand the idea of forever being known as a foreigner. I guess i'm fine with it now, but back like, 4 years ago, I didn't understand a word of english, and it was crazy stressful.
Is Japanese a hard language? Do they really sound angry all the time? Ha, such ignorant questions... I wish I could just grow up faster and travel, and do stuff that I've always dreamt of. Teaching in some foreign country is an ambition of mine, and reading your experiences (negative or positive, still an experience, I guess) I get more and more impatient to get myself into society. Hating highschool doesn't help much either.
talking about sounding like a bitter queen, I hope like I don't sound like some emo fag!
ok, so don't feel creeped out, but i did take a look at your journal, and just want to say kudos to you! creative, talented, out, and not yet in college. i wish i was all those things at your age!
oh, sorry, there i go sounding like a patronizing old person. it's just that i'm usually the youngest in my group of friends (i'm 25, btw, and find myself hanging with 30-something's all the time), so i know how annoying it is have my hair tousled and cheeks pinched.... it also makes me nervous to give you career advice because i'm not usually asked for it.... take what i say as just a personal opinion, and with a grain of salt.
teaching in japan... well, for me, i was torn between choosing the no-money career (acting/art) and the money one (asian studies, international affairs). i chose the latter and came to japan as a stepping stone and resume-builder. however, i've decided its just not for me. sure, i've had amazing experiences... done a lot of growing up and exploring the world, which most people never do.... and even discovered passions and talents that i might not have otherwise.
but it's time for me to move on. i taught english at first, then both art and drama, which was all good fun, but i'm a selfish person and would much rather do it for myself. it takes a special kind of person to first and foremost be a teacher... an even more special person to live in japan. you have to put up with a lot of frustration, challenge, bullshit, and the feeling that you'll always and forever be an outsider in their eyes. a few years are good, but more than that... not gonna do it.
so, sounds like you've got a long time before you need to make a decision... but in the meantime, i'd say that JET is a good program (NOVA sucks) and japan is an awesome place. but the opportunities to be MORE than just an english teacher are few and far between, and hard to break into. i was kinda lucky, but still not completely and wholly satisfied in the end. and therefore, i'm still coming to terms with my experiences here... was it a waste of time, a delay in my life, or something that has given me insight and experience that i might not fully understand for years to come?!?!
hope this doesnt seem like the ravings of a bitter queen.... and i hope you decide to ask me more questions. i'm always willing to give advice on what little i know about this crazy thing we call "life".
good luck and take care.
-cody
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I don't even know where to start. I definetely understand the idea of forever being known as a foreigner. I guess i'm fine with it now, but back like, 4 years ago, I didn't understand a word of english, and it was crazy stressful.
Is Japanese a hard language? Do they really sound angry all the time? Ha, such ignorant questions... I wish I could just grow up faster and travel, and do stuff that I've always dreamt of. Teaching in some foreign country is an ambition of mine, and reading your experiences (negative or positive, still an experience, I guess) I get more and more impatient to get myself into society. Hating highschool doesn't help much either.
talking about sounding like a bitter queen, I hope like I don't sound like some emo fag!
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