being a student vs teacher in japan

[moochachip]

have received my associates degree in Baking & Patisserie and am working towards getting my bachelor's in Visual Arts. The college I am going to offers a semester to learn to Japan.. But I also know of this program that allows one to teach in Japan after you are done with college. I have visited Japan once and fell in love. I would like to go again

Comments

[konoichi]

Do both! :D OK, not as helpful.

I have only worked in Japan, not studied. I think the benefits and drawbacks are the same as they would be in your home country, with some cultural caveats. As a worker you can earn money, have real weekends without schoolwork, and (usually) a home of your own. As a student, you'd have fewer responsibilities outside schoolwork and many social opportunities that can be harder to come by as a working stiff.

The cultural differences are that generally in Japan work is work, only there's more of it. :P And college, from what I hear, is not as demanding as it is in America. Not sure where you're from and how it would compare, and I'm sure it differs depending on what you're doing.

I think it would be awesome to study visual arts in Japan! You could certainly do a lot of "research" in baking and patisserie too, heh. I know I did. The more you learn about the program your school is a part of, the easier the decision will be.

[abbajen]

I gained like 15 pounds visa my baking and patisserie "research" that I had to burn off via lunches consisting only of a soyjoy and a fruit. :( (That's what I got for eating 2 cheese bagels and a pastry for lunch 3 days a week, I guess). Once I went the eat bad mostly on the weekends and eat good the rest of the week route, I had the best of both worlds. :D

[moochachip]

Thanks. Haha, I'm curious as to how similar and different Japan's baking is from America..

[konoichi]

Two words: savory pastry.

[moochachip]

Oh yeah? Like savory strudel?

[konoichi]

I'm thinking curry doughnuts, hot dogs baked into cheesy pastries, hamburgers baked into buns, croquette-filled buns... the list goes on!

It's great stuff, and it stood out to me as something one doesn't really get in America.