Sciby

The other side is that Nurburgring has claimed the lives of some skilled test drivers for Ferrari/Porsche, etc so like Rezz said, the Japs have to be a part of that. Also, it's just so damn cool to belt around something that's legally an open one way drive through a national forest. It's amazing what can be done when the car industry is your single biggest political lobbying group.

Minimum wage, I believe, has to be 250,000y, and it depends on what kind of job. Very few working visas are given for jobs in Japan beyond 'government' office jobs, teaching/training and 'humanities' jobs... if they're related to the humanities students at my uni, you'll just wear a lot of black, smoke a lot, write bad poetry. and mumble "Satre" and "Jung" occasionally. Sake, yes, for sure. Hoping to get all the SAU gaijin together when I'm over for a cruise or a weekend of merriment... Personally, I want to go to a rural area... I have logic for this: 1. I come from a rural area already, so I'll be familiar with how (some) things work. 2. I'm not crazy about HUGE crowds, so rural would be better for me at first. 3. It's cheaper. 4. Because most people applying want to be in the cities with the nightlife and action, good rural slots may not be filled... I would like a good rural slot.

Well, back again after my 4 weeks of holidays and conferences down the east coast of oz, and after a week back at work, I can finally jump back onto SAU. I've done a lot of reading about the whole teaching english in japan thing, and it's safe to say that the rose-coloured glasses are off. http://www.bigdiakon.com is a good place to start for stories from ALT's (assistant language teachers) and the problems they face (racism, housing problems, lack of shags, how to do their job). http://www.jetanuki.com - A japanese-american's journal. He's had somewhat of a good run, except for housing. He's made a lot of friends, but I suspect this may be because he's of japanese decent, making it easier. Anyone in japan care to comment on that side of things? http://www.yesicanusechopsticks.com - Another american's page, which I found applicable to me, because he's 30 (I'm 29), he's physically large (6'3" like me) and he's got little japanese language skills (like me)... if you can find a journal for someone who's similar to you, it'll help. Thanks to that guy, I know now that very little available clothing will fit me over there. At the moment, I'm trying to find reviews/opinions on the big english teaching companies/paths over there, will post in here when I find stuff out.

Just a sidestep about tatts... here's some dragons from Denmark (This guy is talented): http://www.tattoo.dk/colins/ecolin_ramme.htm I'm 1/2 danish, so I've been wanting to get over there and get that guy to do a nice back piece. Yay for not having the money to travel. Will have to get a jap one done as well... maybe have jap and danish dragons intertwined on my back.

Or in the words of the honourable Christopher Reeves, "Hey, let's go horse riding!"...

Damn good advice, ta 180.

You could always teach english over there... but depends on what you're wanting to do with your life. I'm currently at the stage where I've had enough of IT, I want a change, and I need to get out of the rut I'm currently in... so... heading to japan for a year seems ideal, and teaching english doesn't worry me... I've been speaking it since I was about two, so should be fine...

From what I've researched (IT guy also, but not looking for IT job over there, quite happy to do the bum english teacher thing), you need a (any) degree so that the jap government knows that you're a capable person. This is definitely true of getting an english teaching job, and appears to just apply to any working visa. Of course, YMMV. Having a degree is A Big Thing to the nihon-jin. The jap exchange students we get at the uni I work for are very serious about their degrees, often working harder at it than their australian counterparts. Interesting sidenote... a lot of japanese parents are convinced it costs $100-200kAUD to send their child to regional queensland to get a degree... of course, it doesn't, so the child lives it up, nice cars, nice house, etc etc. This isn't always the case, but there's an amazing amount of students like this. In regards to the non-japanese speaking part... it will be *very* hard for you to get an IT job there without speaking the lingo. They're a very technology-savvy culture, so there's nothing unique that you can bring to the party... except your ability to speak english fluently. From what I've seen, if you can speak japanese passibly well, you'll be able to get an IT job as a project co-ordinator... or at the worst, an IT-focused translator. The other problem you'll have is that they don't use english in emails or in their native software, so you'll have to practice being able to read japanese (which is a feat in itself) and then being able to type it. I don't mean to rain on your parade, but I've looked at it for myself, and it would be not impossible, but very hard, for an australian who can't speak japanese to get an IT job in japan.

Shouldn't be too placebic... you're replacing something that was restricting the fuel flow (when it's very dirty)... it should start easier, be smoother, blah blah blah. Did you have to seal off the hose from the tank, or did you just let it drain out?

Got a kite?

Mmmmm... beer cave.

Damnit... Japan will be destroyed before I get over there.

What Fanny said. I've never actually changed a fuel filter myself (don't like getting fuel on me hands)... but you should be able to get a code off the old filter. You don't *really* need 'CODE XYZ' filter, since it's not actually fitting onto anything mechanical like an oil filter fitting onto the side of a block. You just need one that will fit in the hoses snuggly. I get mine changed by the mechanic and it costs like $12 in 'parts'.

This means you're dating a car, or your g/f has wheels. Either way... :confused:

It's lighting up to tell you there's an error with HICAS... namely there's two metal collars stopping it from moving.

It's not actually that bad, and since you've got an R32, it'll be hydralic, not a computer. Make you feel better? It's a very subtle thing... the rear wheels deflect maybe 1 degree... but when you reef it around a corner at 70-80, HICAS tries to sort out what you're doing, not thinking that you're being a hoon, and tries to save you from destroying yourself... which you're trying to do on purpose, so it can be a little... frustrating. The worst it does is gives the bum end a little wiggle when cornering hard... which like it was stated before, sucks on a track.

If SkylineGeoff doesn't have them, UAS has them.

You can also get the tomei lock kit, which doesn't.

Not a real good idea to just cut the wire and disable it that way. Get a proper lock kit.

NULOSE... I don't get it. New Lose? Never U Lose? Nose Umbrellas LOSE?

For good pressies, go to your nearest dodgy tourism shop, go nuts... like Rezz suggested, coasters, teatowels, spoons, shirts, a good book on the history of where you come from (even though it'll be in english, they'll still appreciate it as an 'exchange of culture')... any local candy/sweets/lollies, or perhaps a good (great) photo of your town, nicely framed with an engraved thingy with the year, towns name, your name, etc. A bit boring, but it'd be different, and I get the feeling they'd love that sort of thing. Just remember not to buy too much... one well-selected and thought-out present will beat a mass of average stuff, every time. Hmmmm... if you've got another contact at Jun, talk to them quietly about what the boss likes, and the number and age of family members. Candy for kids, etc. Get a good bottle of Glenfiddich at the airport, if he's a scotch drinker, or perhaps some *good* cigars (since 60% of people in japan smoke)... might be a bit exxy, but he's saving you the price of hotel rooms, and taking you under his wing. Worth every penny for a decent single malt, if you ask me. If you *do* get a bottle of something, get it engraved. Small idea that not many people seem to do, but it looks great. I've got a bottle of Walker black label from my 21st that I can't bring myself to open because a very good/dear friend of mine got it engraved for me. Anyway, i've rabbited on enough.

That's just disgusting... completely... yeah... erm... where can I buy the dvd from?

Is it AWD? No? Then sorry, but no turbo for you.

Personally, I'd love to see an AWD VR-X turbo. That'd make me tingly all over.

Thanks anyway Enrico, you did your best. Alas, another case of too good to be true. (Good thing, because I can't really afford them anyway. )