Getting out of Japan... (frequent updates)

[Rezz]

Hi everyone, here's my blow by blow report of the dreaded 'Sayonara Japan' saga I'm about to go through.

Thursday, 9th June, 2005:

Today was just the same as every other day for the last 6 months... or years? I had a 2 hour break between classes today, so I was able to just reminisce about what I've done in the last year or so - went to Central Circuit, went to Osaka Auto Messe, went to Ti Circuit for the Nismo Festival etc etc etc. But what about everything else? Besides motorsport and car culture events, I'm basically just teaching the same old students the same old English lessons... hardly what I call 'interesting'. At home, it's just watch all the English channels on cable. Who needs Japanese TV? Even if I could understand everything, it's still whacky and dare I say - annoying? Going out at night isn't actually a babe goldmine either. Once your beer goggles are off, the girls that you *actually* want to speak to (ie: intelligent) are few and far between... the 'cutesy J-girl' thing is as overrated as Star Wars Ep III. I've got to get out of here...

[benm]

Smuggle afew of these women into your suitcase when you come back... i'll pick em up at the airport

[Beer Baron]

haha Benm, or grandmaster skank!!

Justin mate, sounds like it's either

a: time for a change of location, or;

b: time for a change of job??

[yukz2daizzo]

I think its just time to change job rezz. You are probably just saying that now but don't you think once you're out of this country that you will miss that stupid jizz smell during summer and quiet nights filled with someone yelling "yakiiiimmmmooooo". Think about it, i might be wrong but this is jus how i feel.

[Rezz]

Read on guys, all will be 'rrrrrrrrrrrrrrevealed'.

Friday 10th June, 2005:

Got into work at 11am (usually start at 12 - 1pm *sigh*) for a meeting. Not just any meeting though, the owner of our schools wants to sell up everything and offer 'after-support' (sounds like Japlish doesn't it?) at 20% of monthly takings. Hmmmm. He wants to get out too... a bit of that going around then. Funny though because the schools are doing really well, all posting decent monthly profits - which increased for 12 consecutive months during 2004. I'm not implying that the private English school industry is about to falter (hence the owner wanting to sell) but that the industry - in Osaka at least - seems 'stale'... whereas we used to get alot of serious students all wanting 850+ TOEIC scores etc, now it seems we just mainly teach English for students 'as a hobby', with no real impetus to do anything with it.

Damn, I really should take my camera out with me every day now... I missed a golden oportunity tonight: a huge crowd of people, maybe 200 or more, have just reached the top of the steps having just got off at Umeda (Midosuji subway line). Enter an extremely drunk 'salaryman' - his suit and tie all scraggly and slightly dirty, he must've fallen down a few times already - walks to the top of the staircase just as the 200 people are walking the other way. Then we stops, crouches over, then BARFS his 15,000 yens worth of sake and okonomiyaki at the top of the stairs SCATTERING people left and right, all wanting to avoid getting vomit spashed on them. The odd thing was is that some people did indeed get splashed, yet they didn't even flinch, they just kept going their merry way. Some other people who were about to step in said vomit patch just stopped, and stood there staring at the vomit, wondering how to negotiate such an obstacle... 'go around it' maybe??? NAAAAAAH. To logical... lets just stand here and look dumbfounded instead. But as all this was going on, people from the back started pushing and shoving, ending up in the dumbfounded people who failed to react in time being pushed into the vomit patch, ruining their generic Hikari Shopping business shoes.

The above story just reiterated the Japanese term 'hito gomi' literally meaning 'people trash' but in use it means 'crowds'. That term always made me chuckle, but it really does - in a sad but true way - describe the situation in Japan where masses of people gather... anyone remember the 50-odd old people and children who were crushed to death in the Akashi end-of-summer fireworks displays back in 2001? Those people perished solely because people were in a hurry to get back to their cars or the train station. 'Hito gomi' may not be used in everyday Japanese, but it does exist, and it's one of the things that I'd rather not be in close contact with.

[Rezz]

Fast forward, Monday, 13th June, 2005:

Snniiiiifff.... whats that smell? Summer in Japan, well, extremely humid 'rainy season' first, then an extremely humid (and hot) summer. Yeah, just makes you wanna bust out with some Beach Boys tunes on the way to *cough* Suma *cough* "beach". Not looking forward to it, although I do prefer summer to winter thats for sure. Why do seemingly intelligent students ask that 'ol chestnut "are there 4 seasons in your country?" How can you reply to that??? "Aaaahh, yes, we have 4 seasons, in fact we actually have 5, if you include the silly season...", to which they reply "Heeeeeeeeeee! (pronounced 'heh')" in utter disbelief. Haha.

Speaking of students, I had to teach a 'travel class' to one, she's quite cute actually (shes going to Canada you Canuks! Vancouver lads be on the lookout from August) and it just involves doing role-plays at Immigration, Sucurity check, customs etc... nothing special. The odd thing was is that she can't speak A WORD of English, and she's never been out of Japan!!! Now she's going on a 3 month study abroad program to Canada. Geez I hope she's ok over there. I'm not saying our Canadian friends are untrustworthy, it's just that Canada is so different to Japan. I don't think she realizes what she's in for... 21 years old too.

But I can't feel responsible for these guys anymore. I think thats part of my problem. After 5 years of 'looking after' the students, I just don't wanna be involved anymore... not in this school, not in any school. I just don't care anymore what they do.

[Poida]

Rezz, i share the same feelings sometimes... A very interesting read, and please continue to vent.. It's interesting hearing someones perspective from a similar situation.

[Rezz]

Today, Wednesday 15th June, 2005:

Came to work to day wanting to pick up my much needed salary (having just come back from 2 weeks in Germany) but no dice... this is hopeless. All I want to do is just make a budget, plan an exit date and stick to it. I think thats one of the reasons why some foreigners stay in Japan WAAAAY past their 'used by date' so to speak, it's because they just can't bring themselves to ultimately change their lives *again*... I mean, they've already done that once by coming here. The salary being late is just making me more curious as to our schools real financial position aswell. Hmmmm.

Is it just me, or has the number of hard-tuned cars decreased in Osaka??? Haha, I can't believe I asked that, because any Japanese resident in their right mind would know mini-vans rule the show now. To be honest, thats why I skipped the Tokyo Auto Salon this year, I just couldn't justify the expense of going all that way just to see the Makuhari Messe filled 80% with modded mini-vans, SUV's and other FF paraphenalia with hydraulics and huge stereo systems. And besides, I really don't think theres much of a future for 'decent' affordable performance cars anymore. Honda, Toyota and Nissan can do their best, but the vibe here in Japan (where I am) is like the life has been sucked out. Hearing that (originally) TBO, Buddy Club, SSR and even Bomex going bankrupt doesn't give me much hope. I know the Japanese car industry is huge, and as many new companies are opening up as the ones that are closing down, but it just demostrates the fragility of the industry now... although no Japanese guy worth his weight would admit it.

Oh, I also handed in my notice today, so the guys at work are a bit suprised, I'm like the 'veteran' teacher here and some of the less experienced guys might get cold feet as a result. "Had enough of Japan have you?" asked our accountant. "No... well.... aaaaah...... ye......s...... kinda".

[OKBANANA]

Excellent read Rezz.

[akeenan]

rezz.. i know how you feel ive set a maybe date of next april when my contract runs out at the public schools.... but i think at the same time if i move back ill miss speaking japanese and learning the langauge as much as I am(until my fiance moves to aus in august )

Not saying anything bad about anyone on here or in japan teaching english but you also dont wanna fall into the teaching in japan for most my life and now its all I can do Nova teacher crowd.... those people who always complain about their job, and japan but dont leave annoy me.

[CircusMonkey]

Do this have anything to do with the numbers 3 0 ?

On a serious note:

Are you moving on now or is it venting out steam?

Sounds like you need some sort of change from your posts.....

Like you mentioned Germany being a "mini Japan"

So Europe next?

[Sumo]

Lol, ill stay in Australia thanks..... best country in the world

[Demon Dave]

Hmmm....despite only being here for six years, in that time I have seen way too many foreigners (and friends) come and go. There are lots of reasons people leave Japan, but perhaps one of the most common reason is career prospects. Usually after a couple of years teaching English, people start to wonder..."is this something I want to be doing for the rest of my life? For most the answer is a definite no. The advancing years don't help - as most of the foreigners teaching English are in their twenties - usually fresh outa Uni and in the prime of their lives. The pressure is on to get the career ball rolling...

Together these combine to produce a sense of uncertantity about the future. I've been through it myself. Then you've got the dreaded "familiarity sydrome" setting it....fresh off the boat, for the first year or so being in Japan is like a rollercoaster ride of discovery. Everything is new and exciting, but as time passes you're able to see more of the "real Japan". The Japan that few tourists get to see. The realities of day to day living. And like EVERY country in the world there's lots of downsides....lots of things we hate and wish they were different. Inevitably comparisons are made with ones home country, and while for most the outcome is in Japans favor, I find that with time people's perceptions (and they're "Rose colored glasses") tend to change. It's funny...I know several people who gone from "Japan is the most awesome place to live in the world" to "I hate this fcuking country" is the space of 2 years....

Maybe much of it is brought about because they just they miss their home country.

Anways, enough of this waffle. Justin mate, no one on here can tell you what to do, but I will say think long and hard about going back to Aus. Yeah, sure for those of us that have been here a while there have surfaced many things to dislike about Japan. But at the same time, the grass is not always greener on the other side. Think back to way you first came here....has your situation changed that much? Will you be happier back home?

And if you do decide to stay, good luck. While it does sound (reading your posts) that the school you're working for is now on shaky ground, there are many other opportunities out there...all you gotta do is look

Dave

(living in Japan, married, 2 kids, just brought land, built a house and gonna be here for a very, very long time )

[Rezz]

Lol, I was going to continue this diary thing, but theres too many replies... messes up the 'flow'.

Anyways, thanks for all your advice, but really, I *have* thought long and hard about this, and I know Australia isn't exactly the place for cool tax systems and logical laws... but it's home, thats where my immediate family lives so thats all there is to it.

The guys that have decided to stay in Japan indefinately generally all put blinkers on to the bad side of Japan (not ignore, just... not aknowlege) and yeah... thats what you have to do in order to stay there indefinately as far as I'm concerned. As for the guys that constantly complain and don't leave, well they are as stupid as they sound.

So I'm not going to change my mind, Japan is not for me anymore. Sure, they've got some good things going, but there are as many bad things aswell.

If I have to choose a place to live and get screwed by the government, I'd rather be in a place where I could at least understand the language and not have the indirect racism and other asscociated bullsh!t.

[Sumo]

How many places can you sit in your back yard, suck XXXX or VB or Tooheys with half a dozen of your mates, make rude comments about how big those shelia's breasts are, watch the Footy (Whatever code you follow), drive a skyline. Sure I might get taxed till my bum bleeds, but that is a small price to pay.

Cheers

Sumo

[Rezz]

I agree. Think long and hard before you rock back up to Australia.

I have been here 3 years now and each day that passes there is something new that happens which make me like it less and less here. Nothing here seems to make sense anymore. The country is ruled by knee jerking do gooders who introduce stupid laws all the time and line their pockets with the exorbatant tax rates.

I know where i'd rather be...

Are you Australian born and bred? What stupid laws are you refering to? Not the vehicle importation laws surely??? If so, I couldn't care less about that.

[Ronin 09]

well this is interesting rezz. i've just started learning japanese so i can go to Japan to live for 6 months... i fell in love with the place when i visited my girlfriend teaching in tokyo at xmas.

i'm sure you are making the right decisions for you, and that's all that is important sometimes.

ps so will you bring a container back?

[Rezz]

i'm sure you are making the right decisions for you, and that's all that is important sometimes.

lol, try 'every time' mang... well, when considering my future that is...

[Cefiro_PWA]

Are you going to miss the car/drift scene there, since here it is getting big now...

But im sure your over it?

[Rezz]

Are you going to miss the car/drift scene there, since here it is getting big now...

But im sure your over it?

It's funny, the moment I hook up with someone who *actually* gets out and drifts regularly in Osaka (ie: Streeter), I suddenly have no inclination to go to any illegal drift. I've been there a few times and... well... yeah.

It maybe hard for you guys in Australia or wherever to understand, but Japan isn't 'all that' as far as I'm concerned.

^^^Hehehehe... I'm starting to sound exactly what most Japanese students say when their motorsports-mad English teacher first asks them about illegal drift and drag in Japan:

Teacher: "Hey Yuki, do you know about do-ri-fu-to?"

Student: "Do-ri-fu-to? Ah yes... are you hashiriya? HAHAHAHA!"

Teacher: "Yeah, I like Japanese sports cars."

Student: "Heeeeeee.... are you yanki? HAHAHAHAHA!!"

Teacher: "Well... I like drift."

Student: "Do-ri-fu-to? Heeeeee.... ano... why you like drift?"

Teacher: "It's fun and it tests my skill as a driver."

Student: "It's not cool YO!"

Student: "Are you yanki? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!!!!"

:Oops: