Experience of asian teachers - the good & the bad

[newborn_doe]

Hi peeps. I'm heading to Nagoya (or somewhere around there) next year to teach in an Eikawa. I am a Chinese-Australian, so I can pretty much blend into Japanese society (visually). I can't speak Japanese, still struggling to learn Hiragana and Katakana, ignoring Kanji until I'm desperate

Comments

no need for "stupid gaijin" card

[aimegami]

even at the bank when you show your gaijin card, people seem to disbelieve that you can't really speak that much Japanese.

as a female eikaiwa instructor, many managers naturally assume that you'd like to teach children. being asian has actually increased the number of kids i've taught over the years. the kids just continue to talk to me in Japanese, and at that point it's best to respond by emphasizing that you really don't know Japanese (even if you do ;P )

high school, junior high school, university, and office workers tended to be more interesting and just ignore my "Asian-ness" as a matter of well, she was born abroad. some of my students had found it less nerve-racking. who knows? it often depends on who you teach and who you work with!

people are pretty friendly. on a bad day, i don't like how many of my japanese friends (even family) introduce me as the gaijin friend. and very often the waiters/waitresses etc. will assume that you are the Japanese speaker of the group regardless...i've taken to ignoring that. i've also taken to ignoring the sudden shift of everyone around because i have the best English people have ever heard ;)

i'm still gearing up my Japanese, but it's a long and lack-lustre path. often i've been lazy about the kind of japanese i use. but yeah. you don't need a lot of japanese to get by, even if you happen to look a bit Japanese.

Re: no need for "stupid gaijin" card

[newborn_doe]

Ah crap, and I thought flipping out my gaijin card would be my sure way of saying 'I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!' in all situations.

Haha, the managers would assume WRONG about me. But getting more students (even if they are kids) would be a definite plus! I can already imagine myself now: No, kiddies, I DON'T understand Japanese. I really don't! Go away or I'll kick you!!

I agree a lot will depend on the place and people I am in contact with. But it's good to hear that they won't quit your class just because they expect a blond babe teaching them :D