Hi. I am an American citizen considering a position with a company that sends people over to Japan to teach English to Japanese students, young and old. It would be a one year commitment to start, and they locate houseing for you. I am trying to get some feedback from someone anyone who has done this, or knows someone who has. It seems like a wonderful and exciting opportunity on the surface. Does anyone know how I can find out about the cost of living in Japan as comparable to the cost of living her in Boston, Massachusetts, USA? How is the housing in Japan in reagrds to kitchen, bathroom etc.? Just have a general curiosity about living conditions, etc. Any and all comments and advice welcome! Thank you! Lisa

If this is with the JET program, I know someone who has done it. He had an absolutely incredible experience. I think there is no better way to get to know a country and its culture as an outsider than to live there for some time. It is a terrific thing and you'd learn a lot. Go for it.

Thanks for the input! Actually the company I am looking at is called Nova, and looks to be very reputable. I guess what I am most interested in learning is also the cost of living in Japan, what the average rent is etc. I would be taking a big paycut in comparision to what I am making here in the states, so I want to be certain that I can afford to take this opportunity. I want the experience and to immerse myself in a new culture, but not if I will be so poor I won't be able to enjoy it!

There seem to be frequent discussions on this topic on the Lonely Planet Thorntree forums. And, as you'd expect with Lonely Planet - some of the discussions are useful and some not so useful. But, you may want to try posting this question there and see what turns up. I hope this helps - it sounds like a great opportunity.

Unfortunately asking the cost of living in Japan, is like asking the cost of living in the US. Which city are you considering? <BR> <BR>I can give you some general. Japan is populated, I don't mean this with any negative implications. But there are lots of people, everywhere and tons of people in places like Tokyo or Osaka. This for the most part means, small apartments and hotel rooms etc. The homes/apartments I've been in and the hotels I've stayed in have been very nice - clean, up-to-date. One nice thing about Japan, great water pressure. Showers are something completely different there, very nice. Tokyo is expensive, but no more than say New York (I'm not familiar with the current COL in Boston). Small towns are not. Hope this helps.

Lisa - <BR><BR>If you have any questions about teaching English in Japan, I recommend you check out the message boards at www.davescafe.com. There have been exhaustive discussions about the so-called "Big Three" - AEON, Nova, and Geos. I would specifically check out the message board titled "Employment."<BR>Very informative.<BR><BR>

Two of my best friends did this ...one with Nova, one with Jet. Both loved it and one went back a second year. It is terribly expense to live in Japan, but the pay is good with these programs. Housing is very small in japan, but compact and you'll find you don't need as much stuff. People don't stock up on things. they go to the shops more often. You can keep it managable with roommates and lots of Saimin for dinner! Take warm clothes for winter...Japanese homes tend to be cold in winter, warm in summer.

I have a friend who went with the JET program. She found the first year quite hard, although very rewarding. Not knowing a word of the language before she went made life difficult at first, and with classes to learn Japanese on top of teaching all day, she found it tiring. She liked it enough after 1 year, though, to stay for a second. By the end of that year she loved it so much she stayed for a third!<BR><BR>My boyfriend and I went out to visit her towards the end of her third year and we loved Japan too. She was living in a small town near Nara (not far from Kyoto). <BR><BR>Her flat was a very reasonable size for 1 person, and didn't even feel particularly crowded with the 3 of us there. The kitchen was fairly basic but had all the essentials. The bathroom was rather different from what we in the West are used to. The toilet was seperate, and was a squat toilet - you get used to it pretty quickly. The bath/shower room was traditionally Japanese - a small but deep bath, in which you sit rather than lie, after having a shower first to get clean. You have the water in the bath really hot, and it's so deep it comes right up to your neck. I loved it.<BR><BR>The beds are also different - just a futon mattress on the floor, but the floor is made of Tatami mats and is really springy, so it's very comfortable.<BR><BR>Things were very expensive then for us, but this was in 1995 when the Yen was extremely strong - things should be better now. My friend seemed to manage fine on her salary.<BR><BR>If you do decide to go, I'm sure it will be a wonderful experience.

Anna gives a very good description of a typical Japanese appartment. I've never taught in Japan, but I can confirm that the first few months staying there are tiring, if only because of the effort with keeping up with busy work schedules and trying to learn Japanese at the same time. <BR><BR>I've met a few individual who had been working in Japan for years without learning the language (and had the gall to complain that the Japanese were unfriendly with foreigners !), but unless you want to spend your time hanging around with other westerners, you'll have to do it. Here's some of the best short advice I've found on the subject:<BR><BR>http://edochan.com/ed/writing/japanese.htm :<BR><BR>"Easy-peasey, Japanesey<BR>A few people have asked me for some tips on how to go about learning Japanese from scratch, so here they are. This is aimed at people who are in the situation I was in, ie. arrive in Japan, as English teachers (and therefore don't necessarily have to use Japanese for work) knowing little or no Japanese. I'm basically concerned with methods of learning that have worked for me and people I know. Some of this might be a bit obvious, but I haven't included anything unless I know lots of people who don't do it. Some of it might be kind of controversial, and attract disagreement from people who are much better at Japanese than me, and obviously everyone's situation is different blah blah blah. Obviously this isn't the last word on the subject. But having said that I think most of it is pretty universally applicable for not-yet-Japanese-speaking Japan-residents, and feel empowered to write the main points ..."<BR><BR><BR>

Dear Lisa, <BR>I am a former JET and knew quite a few Nova teachers during my 2-year stay in Japan. Although I was posted in a small rural town, on the island of Shikoku, it was expensive. (Where are you going to be?) Once you are earning yen and stop converting everything to US dollars, the cost of living is relative to the salaries. I believe that JET teachers get around the same as the Nova ones, although the Nove teaching schedule is a little more demanding. My Nova counterparts were able to aford small holidays around Japan and Asia. and many were able to pay off huge college loans. <BR>As for the living arrangements--they're small, similar to an efficiency here in the States. most of us were in a 450-600 sq ft place. of course some were more lucky than others. in regards to kitchen stuff and general housing needs, everything you need you'll find in Japan. it's far from a backward place. some naive JETs bought plastic shelving from the States with them. save room in your suitcase for more necessary items! <BR>as for teaching. well this can be both rewarding and frustrating. I worked in two senior high schools so my students had no choice but to be there. with Nova, b/c it's private the students tend to be more enthusiastic and willing to learn. but don't expect a lively, raucous teaching environment. Japanese people in general are shy and often ashamed to voice their own opinions. if questions are met with deal silence, don't worry, they don't hate you, it's a cultural thing. <BR>all in all, i had a brilliant, life altering experience. it was thoroughly enriching and i fully recommend it. <BR>feel free to email me any time and good luck. <BR>--Natashia <BR> <BR>