Rezz's Japan Forum Q + A Thread

[Evo_Lee]

no worries, it was probably late when I read your message.

[Rezz]

Alright...

Back to Q+A guys.

Sorry Akihiro.

[funkymonkey]

Q. What car spy mags do you read to get new info... which ones do you think are credible and which ones do you think pander to public tastes.

[Poida]

And another question/s from me..

A) I need to print out my Resume/cv... where can i do this, for minimal fuss/cost? And no i dont have a printer where i live..

B) Where can i get some business cards made up? Not many... say 20/30. And how much roughly?

[lwells]

*tap tap* "This thing on?" *terrible feedback*

I have some questions for, and about, our host, the almighty Rezzahhhhhhh (if his highness doesn't mind). As interesting as the cultural questions are, its fascinating to hear people's own experiences... So:

When did you move to Japan? What prompted you to go? How did you initially find living in a new country? Did you find it hard to "find your feet", meet people (friends?), get a job, and so forth? Do you see yourself staying in Japan for the foreseeable future? Would you do it all over again ? Any regrets?

Cheers,

Lucien.

[akeenan]

These people are a minority though, so more often than not Japanese are either genuinely shy or they are afraid foreigners are going to babble some strange language to them. It doesn't help on the foreigners part that Japanese language is so hard  

All the Japanese people (other than my in-laws) that I've spoke to about this all are aware of the apparent 'uncoolness' of the Japanese penchant to be ignorant or even a little hostile to other cultures and really view it as the #1 reason why Japan isn't progressive as Western countries.

I just had the same conversation with my girlfriends parents..

And I have another question.. why is everyone so interested in japanese girls.. yes they are cute and good looking but there is more to japan than just girls and cars... I was at a club last night and I`m sick of tired of most western people with their number one aim of jumping into bed with japanese girls..

and why is everyone asking rezz all the bloody questions ive been here for 1 year now...?? ....

[lwells]

My guess is they are all pimple faced computer/car geeks who think that Japanese girls will some how be easier to bed than their western counter parts

LW.

[Laurence]

Well unless tentacle hentai has lied to me that would be a reasonable assumption!

[Rezz]

Funky: All of 'em mate I think they all have their 'credible' information AND their outright speculative articles. Thats coming from me who actually reads and translates most articles of interest. Alot of so called 'Japan experts' can't even speak the language, let along read it... and they pass judgement and say "oh those Jap magazines are just full of crap"... little do they know that all the articles are quite honest about the crdeibility of their info.

Poida: One word: Kinko's ) trust me it ain't cool...

When did you move to Japan? What prompted you to go? How did you initially find living in a new country? Did you find it hard to "find your feet", meet people (friends?), get a job, and so forth? Do you see yourself staying in Japan for the foreseeable future? Would you do it all over again ? Any regrets?

I moved to Japan in June 2000. I really wanted to see JGTC cars in the flesh at Suzuka circuit... thats all really... I didn't really like J-girls (although they grew on me - or I 'grew' on them hehe ).

I had a working holiday visa so I had enough money to support myself without work for 6 months, so in the beginning I took it easy. It wsn't so hard to 'find my feet', I met some pretty cool people when I first got here (which was really easy... everybody likes Aussies... well except Kiwis) so I had a helping hand.

My first job was landed 4 months after I arrived, and was really easy to negotiate... BUT, I had to relocate to country Mie. That was difficult at times (lonely) but I can owe my confidence and mental fortitude to that experience alone. Other jobs were equally easy to get, but as has been told to me numerous times, being 'not exactly ugly' is the #1 reason for that.

Yes, I can see myself staying for at least another 2 years. As time wears on and my Japanese gets better, I could probably stay for another 10 years... it all depends on timing. If it's time to go, it's time to go.

If I could do it all over again, I would've come here in the mid-90's (just from the money making aspect). But other than that, I think I've had the time of my life really. I've always loved Japan and I couldn't see myself living anywhere else other than my fathers native Germany.

About the only regeret I have about coming to Japan is not studying the language more before I came. I think I've missed out on 2 or 3 awesome opportunities (one with a very rich young lady) because I couldn't speak enough Japanese... oh well.

[funkymonkey]

Rezz... i liked you're other answer better

So my next question's this... I already subscribe to Option, Option2 and Young & Cool mags but I find them lacking in the industry development side of things... what mag should I get to read about upcoming developments (instead of just a 2 page "Trend Watching") in the automotive manufacture and tuning industry.

[lwells]

Rezz: Thanks for all the answers And akeenan, feel free to answer the same questions

LW.

[niscort]

Rezz... i liked you're other answer better

I agree... how would you say.. It had more 'punch'

[Rezz]

Rezz... i liked you're other answer better

Lol, I thought it was too hardcore

So my next question's this... I already subscribe to Option, Option2 and Young & Cool mags but I find them lacking in the industry development side of things... what mag should I get to read about upcoming developments (instead of just a 2 page "Trend Watching") in the automotive manufacture and tuning industry.

'Motor Magazine' might have some useful info in it if you want more of a 'credible' mag to look at... but at 780 yen I don't think they have anymore upcoming development articles than say 'Xa Car' or 'Best Car' do at 300-odd yen.

[Rezz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkymonkey

Rezz... i liked you're other answer better

I agree... how would you say.. It had more 'punch'

Lol How many of you internet geeks read that???

[topi]

When waiting at the train station in the morning, groups of hot schoolgirls would look at me and giggle. Why?!?! I wanted action, not mocking.

[Rezz]

When waiting at the train station in the morning, groups of hot schoolgirls would look at me and giggle. Why?!?! I wanted action, not mocking.

Hehehe... they were probably taking bets to see who would have enough guts to go up to you and try out their English skills. Because thats all it is really, practicing English. I hate it how some guys who come here thing they are 'Gods gift to J-girls' ... of course there are 1,000's of girls here who *direly* want a foreign guy but thats only 0.04% of the whole population... and some of those are quite neurotic. Most of them either want to learn more English (for whatever purpose: higher TOEIC score, become a flight attendant, get a promotion etc) or just meet someone more interesting (in their eyes) than the average Japanese... classed as 'foreigners'.

I've been teaching 100's of J-girls a week in their 20's and 30's for 4.5 years... and this is the impression I get.

[Poida]

Another Question For Ya Rezzstar... Have you ever worked for NOVA? Or any other of the "Big" English Schools? And if so, was your over all experience positive or negative?

[Rezz]

Another Question For Ya Rezzstar... Have you ever worked for NOVA? Or any other of the "Big" English Schools? And if so, was your over all experience positive or negative?

No, I haven't personally worked for *any* of the 'corporate' schools BUT my boss has, as have 4 of our current teachers (plus many more who are either friends, aquaintences or past employees). I wouldn't really want to work for the big corporates anyway... I get more salary than them, I can take (paid) holidays, I can nominate the time of my holidays, heck I can even negotiate my working schedule within reason on a weekly basis... but then again I'm equal 2nd in command (with another guy) at our small chain of schools, so I guess I have a better than average working situation.

The guys that are or have worked for Nova, GEOS, Berlitz etc have basically said it's not what it's cracked up to be... they all seem to complain about what they could or couldn't do in class ie: they had to act a certain way, and they couldn't talk to the students outside of class. Berlitz even videotapes classes for 'performance evaluation' (not sure if they still do that). All this came about a while back when teachers took it upon themselves to pick up students from the schools directly, as in getting their email addy's or phone numbers in class. It was such a problem that the 'corporate' schools had to do something or the whole English Teaching industry in Japan would forever be branded as a foreigners pick up service... or so the tale goes.

Having said that, we just last year sacked a teacher because he *cough* *COUGH!* unbelievable KISSED a girl in class (he was a French guy - haha say no 'a-more'! hahaha). That guy TRULY though he was Gods gift to Japanese women... what a tosser... he brought a bad name to that particular school (we have 5 schools in total). So the issue is very real, and theres nothing some horny little guys won't try in order to score.

I could go on for aaaaaaages with stories like this...

[Poida]

LoL.. Interesting life you need there Rezz.. I too am looking for work anywhere other than the big chains at the moment.. Found myself a nice Kindy job in Mejiro, but need a few more hours now =( Thanks for the info anyway =)

[SuperGimp]

Rezz,

How much do you get paid?

Dan