*sings* I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so! Do-do-do
I'm thinking about teaching English in Japan when I graduate from UMBC in 2010. The program I choose to go with is JET. The reason why is because it is the most offical and I hate corporations. That means the McEnglish schools like Aeon, Geos and Nova's out. I don't like that whole "We're using you to make our profit" All-American business thinking. Dealing with JET also means I'll be dealing with the Japanese public school system almost directly through the Japanese Embassy. I think the fact that applications are to be mailed to the Japanese Embassy in DC tells would tell you something.
I was going to go to Japan via Davison Learning Service but while it would be pretty much free for China and Korea, because of the high turnover rate, I would have to pay my way there and for the first month until my paycheck comes in. Since I can't snap up $3000 easily, I'm going elsewhere for Japan, where it is a life dream to go. However, I'm still interested in China and Korea (the other countries of choice in DLS is Thailand and Vietnam) and the people at DLS (mainly a married couple) are super nice and informative so I would totally go with them. As a matter of fact, the people at DLS told me about JET. I appreciate that, really.
Before people think I'm just jumping right into Nihonville with no thinking, wrongo. I've been thinking about this for a lot. I mean, I'm talking about shipping myself halfway across the entire world for a year! I better know what I'm getting myself into! That and I don't want to be in a situation that looks glamourous but will have me calling home about how I hate Japan and that Asians all around are some of the most cold-hearted and backwards people I have ever met in less than a month. I'm thankful that I didn't find Japan the same way otakus do, through anime and stereotypes. I found Japan through its culture. It was the origami that got me cinched kinda, really. Not some bulbous-eyed drawing racing around the screen but the different arts of folding paper. I was watching Sailor Moon but I saw Sailor Moon the same way I saw The Simpsons and any other show I watched: It was just a show I like to watch that merely had a different drawing style. I didn't know that it came from Japan and frankly, at 8, I really couldn't give a screw. It wasn't that important to me and even to this very day I feel that obessing over a whole country just because of the cartoons they produce is stupid nearly. I want the true culture. The history, the clothes, everything that makes a culture and a country what it is. Animes are nice tho.
Before people go "Iya! Racism and the culture is so different from America! You'll hate it there!" Okies, I have been looking at sites like Secrets of Teaching in Japan and A Guide to the JET program for an idea of what to expect. Plus some common sense. It's a country that is homogenous in culture and people, show someone different and far away, looks and crap will happen. Also, it's a country with a culture different from the rest of the world, just like nearly every country in the world. There's going to be some xenophobia. I mean, look at America and how we look at the world. Speaking of America, I'm a Black person. In America. I think I know how to deal with both institutional and non-institutional racism by now. At least I never heard the Japanese throw anything a la KKK. I was told people would walk up to me and say "Get out of my country!" Hm, a tad different from "Go back to Africa" and other, far more hurtful sayings that Americans seems to drum up. Dealing with someone who just doesn't like me for my skin color or has terrible stereotypes because of it I already got covered. Thanks America for your 400+ years of training! Now back to Japan. I love the culture there and got most of it down pat because I would love to study it that much growing up and I had the help of my Japanese pen pals without them knowing. I don't know where my love for Asia, especially Japan, particularly began but it's something I truly appreciate. As well as their culture and how they approach things. I figured a long time ago the smart move here is to be open minded rather that imperialistic about it. No culture is exactly perfect. Plus, for teachers from Japan or just plain Asia who come here, what do you think they're briefed on? How do you know there's no "Secrets of Teaching in America" for them. And I bet their's is scarier because they would have to be briefed on super rude and violent kids, prejudiced parents and a country that loves your work but hates your un-American guts despite all the smiles and plastic cheery voices.
One difficulty about teaching in Japan is getting the students to open up and express themselves rather be so cloistered. In America, we're a pretty outward bunch. We'll tell you what we like and what we don't like, even if you don't want to hear it. We're very individualistic in opinion and will follow the beat of our own drums even if everyone else wants you to conform. Japan, from what I found, is a tad different. They take "beating around the bush" to a whole new level called "reading the air." As a collectivist culture, people are willing to keep themselves closed for fear of disapproval to the point it's even a certified mental disorder. Everyone has to agree with everyone. That means if there is something bugging one person even after the deal is set, the only person who is going to know is that one person because of the cultural disapproval of being disagreeable. If a teacher wants to create a debate to better the English of the students, that debate will be quickly closed as everyone will try to reach an end with which everyone is satisified. I personally don't like debates but I think conversations will work since people won't feel so under the gun about their opinions and how it may clash with everyone else. I know the feeling and even I know it can shut me up in any language because I don't want to cause an altercation (unless one is needed (which is rare), then I'm seriously raging against the machine). Ask the students something innocent like "what sport do you like?", you can get the kid to talk, even for a little while. Say, "What do you feel about [place topic here, either hot or cold]?" and the kid may not answer or give some blanket statement that will steer them the farthest from giving their own personal view. I got something to remedy that, thanks to the Asians at UMBC.
A particular worry of mine is that I might not get accepted because I never traveled abroad before. I was raised poor, how could I? Instead of traveling abroad, I brought the world to me and sharpened my sense of what's there and what isn't. I may not have set foot off of the shores of America (and it's slightly embarassing to say so) but I make up for it with my common sense, international interactions and study. Not everyone has the money to go somewhere they can't so hopefully they'll overlook that or something.
Spending money. God is it ever confusing to look at yens and think in dollars. I still will look at a page and think "50,000? That sounds like too much money! I don't have a lot!" and find out its $500 roughly. Oh. Well, that ain't so bad. Kinda. That's better than 50 grand tho. Well, doing the money totals and such, I should be ok since I am a pretty frugal person and outside the gothic lolita, all things Shinto, and Japanese festivals, I'll just stay home and work on my novels. That means I should be able to save up money for the most part. I don't drink, not big on clubbing and will be a bit petrified of my not-so-l33t Japanese skillz. Just spend my nights staying in, learning stuff and watching Japanese commercials ^.^
Either way I hope that my time with JET and in Japan will be a positive experience for me and a wonderful time.