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Greetings and Smiles fellow tribers. I'm older (42) and without a degree, and have lived nomadic. I went on TEFL's .com and it says you have to have a university degree. Basically, I'm wondering if anyone has gone on to Teach English in Japan or other countries, who have lived off the grid, had very little money, etc., you get the drift. This just hit me, that I know I want to do this, and will do it any way I can, I've just come accross some hurdles concerning education background, finances, etc. I see some past threads I will read, but I thought I could maybe connect with others on this subject and hear your experiences.
Arigato.
Arigato.
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Re: Teaching English in Japan
Wed, December 12, 2007 - 12:18 PMGreetings -
Well, I lived in Japan teaching for a while and I think you may have some barriers. Do you have a US passport? The reason I ask is because you would possibly be eligible for working holiday visas if you don't have an American passport, which was easy ways to get around and spend some time in Japan. The real problem is getting a visa - jobs are all over the place once you're in the country, but getting there is the tough part.
Japan recently has started to crack down on foreigners in general, and the fall of Nova (the largest English school chain) has created a glut of English teachers. By now many have fled, found new employment or waiting to hear from the new Nova.
Living "off the grid" is possible, though more via organic farms and whatnot. There's a great site with a list of farms that offer pseudo-homestays in Japan, but the address escapes me for now. The cities can be expensive and travel isn't cheap either, so I guess it comes down to a practicality question.
So things to consider - Visas are hard to come by, without a university degree you're looking at part-time work, income sources need to be flexible and varied, no health insurance, reasonable cost of living depending on where you live and what style.
Sorry this is probably a bit garbled, but let me know if you have any other specific questions. My advice for the lifestyle you're seeking in Asia would be to check out Korea or Thailand. Japan can certainly be a challenge, though a rewarding one. -
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Re: Teaching English in Japan
Wed, December 12, 2007 - 3:48 PMkorea is going to require a degree if you are going to work legally... most schools want a minimum year contract, altho there are some shorter term, usually 6 months. korea began cracking down pretty hard a few years ago on foreign workers. if you are busted for teaching or tutoring without the proper paperwork, you'll be fined heavily and deported...
thailand may be a much better prospect.
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Re: Teaching English in Japan
Fri, December 14, 2007 - 9:55 AMThanks for the feedback, I'm going for this nonetheless, because I'm set on this. I just got back from Hawaii, where I was inspired by the Japanese culture there, so I'm set on getting to Japan by hook or crook, so I gotta follow my heart. I'm in NYC, so I'm hoping there is an avenue here with a Japanese company, which is completely on the grid, not my usual route but maybe a bit of infiltration ha ha.....
I put an ad on Craigslist here in New York for Japanese language partners, and I've been inundated (is that the right word?) with Japanese folk to exchange teaching with, there are so many Japanese in NYC right now.
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Re: Teaching English in Japan
Thu, January 24, 2008 - 4:30 PMI've been researching teaching English in Japan. No teaching experience or knowledge of Japanese. Do have a BA. I've seen a few companies/programs besides NOVA for Teaching English in Japan. AEON, WinBe, and JET. Does anybody have an experience with any of these programs?
