Comments on: Umm … Am I In The Wrong Country? http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/ Yet Another Gaijin In Japan Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:55:52 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Jason http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-993 Jason Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:40:15 +0000 http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-993 @Nick - As it is, there is still quite a bit of money in Japan for foreigners, especially in the computer field. Unfortunately, all the computer jobs that I'm over-qualified for are up in Tokyo. For anyone that wants to come to this country and "teach" English, the well is going to dry up pretty quick, I think. Earlier today a few people at my work who are also ALT's for the Aichi School Board came in with some sour moods as their contracts are going to be quite a bit different when (and if) they're renewed. Rather than 12 month contracts, ALTs will be given a 9 month contract. What's interesting, though, is that the nine months is not consecutive. So people will need to find something to do for six weeks between April and May, a few weeks in August, and again in December. Of course, most of the ALT's that I know also double as the epitome of wasted resources, so while they're not too happy about the pay cut, the school board should be congratulated on cutting out some of the fat from their system :wink: @Chris B - The NOVA thing was pretty funny. I'm still astounded by the number of people that are claiming they were caught completely unaware. While NOVA did a pretty good job of hiding their impending doom from the new suckers -- I mean ... recruits -- in other nations, it doesn't take a genius to take 10 minutes and check up on your potential employer via the internet. Hopefully this slowdown will force a few of the idiot gaijin back to whatever swamp they crawled out from. There are far too many here that have come only to exploit the ladies and waste some time. @Mike - The dig wasn't really aimed at John Chow, but instead the number of people that are writing about making money online, but not really making money online. There are only three pros that I can think of off the top of my head that will have no problem roughing out any online market instability, and The Chow or his bretheren aren't on the list. Who knows. Perhaps this will be the start of a new direction in blog marketing :eek: @Nick - As it is, there is still quite a bit of money in Japan for foreigners, especially in the computer field. Unfortunately, all the computer jobs that I’m over-qualified for are up in Tokyo. For anyone that wants to come to this country and “teach” English, the well is going to dry up pretty quick, I think.

Earlier today a few people at my work who are also ALT’s for the Aichi School Board came in with some sour moods as their contracts are going to be quite a bit different when (and if) they’re renewed. Rather than 12 month contracts, ALTs will be given a 9 month contract. What’s interesting, though, is that the nine months is not consecutive. So people will need to find something to do for six weeks between April and May, a few weeks in August, and again in December.

Of course, most of the ALT’s that I know also double as the epitome of wasted resources, so while they’re not too happy about the pay cut, the school board should be congratulated on cutting out some of the fat from their system :wink:
@Chris B - The NOVA thing was pretty funny. I’m still astounded by the number of people that are claiming they were caught completely unaware. While NOVA did a pretty good job of hiding their impending doom from the new suckers — I mean … recruits — in other nations, it doesn’t take a genius to take 10 minutes and check up on your potential employer via the internet.

Hopefully this slowdown will force a few of the idiot gaijin back to whatever swamp they crawled out from. There are far too many here that have come only to exploit the ladies and waste some time.

@Mike - The dig wasn’t really aimed at John Chow, but instead the number of people that are writing about making money online, but not really making money online. There are only three pros that I can think of off the top of my head that will have no problem roughing out any online market instability, and The Chow or his bretheren aren’t on the list.

Who knows. Perhaps this will be the start of a new direction in blog marketing :eek:

]]> By: Mike http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-992 Mike Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:41:15 +0000 http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-992 I liked your comment about John Chow.. :smile: I liked your comment about John Chow.. :smile:

]]> By: Chris B http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-991 Chris B Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:01:07 +0000 http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-991 The more part time 2 year "hacks" that wash out of this country the better. The NOVA demise was coming for at least 2 1/2 years so anyone who signed a contract with them in that time got whatever came to them. Some people want to come here so bad they lose their common sense. I get in a week what most get in a month but i started with 3 students and well....you get the picture :neutral: Thank god for my savings! But now with 96 students and no lease rent I'm making a lot more than I could in Hawaii :razz: Smart people create the game while dumb ones get "played" The more part time 2 year “hacks” that wash out of this country the better. The NOVA demise was coming for at least 2 1/2 years so anyone who signed a contract with them in that time got whatever came to them. Some people want to come here so bad they lose their common sense.

I get in a week what most get in a month but i started with 3 students and well….you get the picture :neutral: Thank god for my savings! But now with 96 students and no lease rent I’m making a lot more than I could in Hawaii :razz:
Smart people create the game while dumb ones get “played”

]]> By: www.japansoc.com http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-990 www.japansoc.com Wed, 23 Jan 2008 04:14:20 +0000 http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-990 <strong>Is It a Bad Time to Teach English in Japan?...</strong> Without a healthy economy, will there still be a demand for English teachers? Will there be cut-backs, and reduced salaries among Japan's Eikaiwa instructors? Will it be the end of the JET program? What opportunities exist for foreigners with minimal ... Is It a Bad Time to Teach English in Japan?…

Without a healthy economy, will there still be a demand for English teachers? Will there be cut-backs, and reduced salaries among Japan’s Eikaiwa instructors? Will it be the end of the JET program? What opportunities exist for foreigners with minimal …

]]> By: Nick Ramsay http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-989 Nick Ramsay Wed, 23 Jan 2008 04:06:31 +0000 http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-989 Less foreigners will be coming to work in Japan if the financial incentive isn't there. So with less competition, it isn't a question of finding work, it's just that you might not get paid so much for it. My fall-back plan is my wife. The demand for nurses can only increase! :-P Less foreigners will be coming to work in Japan if the financial incentive isn’t there. So with less competition, it isn’t a question of finding work, it’s just that you might not get paid so much for it.

My fall-back plan is my wife. The demand for nurses can only increase! :-P

]]> By: Jason http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-988 Jason Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:39:47 +0000 http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-988 @Michael Lane - I couldn't imagine running a company that was trying to do the (seemingly) improbable at this point, regardless of whether it was something in the medical field, space industry or just a software startup. With so much uncertainty, I'd be just as worried about money as I would be about my brightest employees jumping ship for something a bit more secure :???: @Thomas - I hope you're not affected by the coming economic changes. With the fall of Nova (which was a good thing, I think), lots of foreigners returned home because it was just too difficult to find work. With a potential recession or depression looming, I would think that even more would rather return home to find work than tough it out in a country with a clear bias against gaijin. All that said, I certainly hope that Michael is right that this will be just a six to nine month economic self-correction :neutral: @Michael Lane - I couldn’t imagine running a company that was trying to do the (seemingly) improbable at this point, regardless of whether it was something in the medical field, space industry or just a software startup. With so much uncertainty, I’d be just as worried about money as I would be about my brightest employees jumping ship for something a bit more secure :???:
@Thomas - I hope you’re not affected by the coming economic changes. With the fall of Nova (which was a good thing, I think), lots of foreigners returned home because it was just too difficult to find work. With a potential recession or depression looming, I would think that even more would rather return home to find work than tough it out in a country with a clear bias against gaijin.

All that said, I certainly hope that Michael is right that this will be just a six to nine month economic self-correction :neutral:

]]> By: Thomas (nihonhacks.com) http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-987 Thomas (nihonhacks.com) Tue, 22 Jan 2008 22:30:55 +0000 http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-987 I'm not sure if it's related or not, but at our prefectural JET conference in Hyogo last week, one of the top guys said that they will be cutting a lot of ALT jobs due to the "critical financial situation of Hyogo prefecture Board of Education". I don't think it will effect me, since I'm a Jr. High ALT and I am hired by my city, not the prefecture, but a lot of High School ALTs (in Hyogo) may get the boot. I’m not sure if it’s related or not, but at our prefectural JET conference in Hyogo last week, one of the top guys said that they will be cutting a lot of ALT jobs due to the “critical financial situation of Hyogo prefecture Board of Education”. I don’t think it will effect me, since I’m a Jr. High ALT and I am hired by my city, not the prefecture, but a lot of High School ALTs (in Hyogo) may get the boot.

]]> By: SpaceElevatorGuy (Michael Laine) http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-986 SpaceElevatorGuy (Michael Laine) Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:47:56 +0000 http://www.j2fi.net/2008/01/23/umm-am-i-in-the-wrong-country/#comment-986 Can you imagine trying to build an elevator to space in this economy? Is it any wonder that this project has become more and more challenging? And when it becomes a global slowdown, it becomes even harder. People are not interested in a vision for the future, when they are having a difficult time paying for gas and rent... I am sure you guys will be alright. No it won't be easy, but I suspect it is a 6-9 month problem, not a multi-year one. That is just my hunch, but I tend to be right about these things. Good luck. mjl Can you imagine trying to build an elevator to space in this economy? Is it any wonder that this project has become more and more challenging? And when it becomes a global slowdown, it becomes even harder. People are not interested in a vision for the future, when they are having a difficult time paying for gas and rent…

I am sure you guys will be alright. No it won’t be easy, but I suspect it is a 6-9 month problem, not a multi-year one. That is just my hunch, but I tend to be right about these things.

Good luck. mjl

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