Sayonara Japan

I moved to Japan over 12 years ago now. For the most part, this is a fantastic country. I love the food, safety, culture, artistic appreciation and aesthetics. Japan is a great. However, I also like many other countries in the world and would love an opportunity to live in those places to truly get a feel for the culture and people.

We are going to change careers and move to a new country by April 1, 2010.

My wife and I really want to experience other cultures and challenge ourselves professionally. To that end, we have decided to leave our secure business and lifestyle and try something different in a new country.  We are both about 40 years old so this may be our last chance to really start over. We have enough savings to survive for a few years, but we are not rich by any stretch of the imagination. We feel we are very close to the age limit of being able to lose everything and still have a chance at a secure old age. I would like to share our decision processes and experiences over the next year as we extricate ourselves from our small business and embark on a new adventure in a foreign land. Here are the key issues that we have to consider.

Should we keep our house in Japan, or should we rent it out?
Mortgage rates in Japan are so low that it doesn’t make much sense to sell our house. There is very little capital appreciation, but if we were to rent out the house we could reliably make a little profit every month while paying down the bank loan. The choice we have to really decide on is whether or not we want to keep a home-base in Japan so that we can return on a regular basis.  It is expensive to keep the house, but we really want a place to call our own.

Can we give up most of our material possessions?
It is expensive to keep an empty house, pay bills and insurance on a car for a large portion of the year when we are not here. We could rent out the house and sell or give away all of our furniture and possessions and live a much cheaper nomadic lifestyle, but do we want to? As much as I hate being tied to physical possessions, I do love some of my things. My guitars are so personal that I would never give them up. It is also nice to have two big computer monitors and my own desk. I really like my espresso machine and I am quite fond of my sofa. The rest are just things and don’t really matter. We just don’t want to live like backpackers full time. It is nice to have a place to call your own, where everything is familiar and yours. Will we keep the house? Stay tuned to find out.

Should we sell our car?
We have a great car and it is paid for so the primary expense is insurance and the Japanese automobile tax every two years. In Japan, cars are not really necessary because of the great train system but having a car opens you up to a whole new world that most foreigners in Japan never see. The main problem is that the resale value of cars is so low in Japan that it almost doesn’t pay to sell. We will probably get rid of the car though.

Where will we go for doctor and dental visits?
We have health coverage in Japan. It is a little expensive and the quality of doctors is not always great, but we are covered nonetheless. The main thing is to be able to understand the doctors in the foreign countries we are going to live in. I know there are great doctors all over the world, but it is still something we are discussing and debating. Should we keep our Japanese health care or get some international health insurance?

Do we want to live in a tropical paradise or would that get boring fast?
I love traveling to exotic countries and relaxing on beaches with beautiful weather, but I am a city person at heart. I love and need the excitement and energy of busy places. Three or four weeks in paradise is fine if it has decent a internet connection, but I don’t think I could do it for half the year. Where are we going to go? I have no idea. I am currently thinking of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Hungary or the Philippines.  If you have any advice please leave it in the comments!

Should we sell our business?
We own a small English school as well as having a few internet ventures in the works. We are not sure if we should sell our school or keep it self running. Hiring a manager and staff will likely eat up all the profits, so it won’t bring in much money. Keeping the school would always give us a back up plan if our other businesses should fail. Another option we considered was trying to find a couple to jointly work the business, six months on and six months off, but there aren’t many that share our zeal for lifestyle design. We are probably going to sell but that hasn’t been 100 percent decided yet.

Should we buy another house in a different country?
We definitely want to keep our own places around the world. We will always have Canada, at my mother’s house. Now we have Japan. I also have many relatives in Hungary, so that will definitely be a regular travel destination for us. Having one more small apartment or house in another country would be fantastic. Hopefully somewhere warm to escape the winters of those other countries.

Where should we pay taxes?
We still need to make money,  so it is likely that we will need a place to collect income, pay bills and pay taxes. We will probably keep a house in Japan, so this decision may already be made for us. We will have to see what happens.

There it is for the world to see. We are embarking on an adventure of lifestyle design. My wife and I are giving up a safe and secure life with good income and long vacations for something completely unknown and uncertain. Regardless of the outcome I know the next few years are going to be a great experience.

Here is Part Two of our One Year Plan

Please give your advice, suggestions or comments below!
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Bossa Nova in Japan

Japan really is an exciting and unique country. Even after living here for more than 12 years I am still amazed at the diversity and excitement of this country. I just went to a small monthly Brazilian music concert, where my designer and friend performed two songs. This event was a window into the culture and people of Japan. I was taken aback as I considered how many other countries around the world, if any, have similar gatherings. Every city has its ethnic events, I know, but this was different and yet so Japanese.

There were 14 performances on this afternoon and all were by Japanese. All of these musicians study and practice various Brazilian musical styles and sing in Portuguese. In fact, many if not all study Portuguese only to be able to sing these Brazilian songs. None of them earn an income from any of this, nor do they hope or expect to earn any money playing Brazilian music. They truly love the music they study and play. Certainly all devote a large amount of their free time to master their musical hobbies.

The audience was comprised of all the musicians and their friends, maybe 60 or 70 people in total. The venue was in the main bar area of Shinsaibashi, Osaka but that is another story. Several of the musicians have traveled to Brazil and have brought back instruments and clothing. Obviously, they were all passionate fans of Brazilian culture.

As I was watching the performances, I started thinking about what other countries might I experience this same type of event. I realized that there is probably no other country in the world that embraces foreign cultures like Japan. There is a fundamental respect and admiration for most foreigners. Most countries are quite racist toward foreigners, but not Japan. In fact, visitors are often venerated beyond there inherent qualities.

I personally have been invited to various events and treated as a distinguished guest for no other reason then being of foreign descent. All those stories of how easy it is to find Japanese mates and spouses are all true. Even your compatriots who would have a difficult time securing convenience store employment are likely to engage in higher social and marital circles, solely due to not being Japanese. If you happen to be blond and blue eyed, expect near movie star treatment.

I would venture to say that no other country in the world spends more on international travel and learning foreign languages than Japan. Even senior citizens are avidly attending English or other language lessons with the purpose of traveling to distant countries. Other examples include the ongoing market for older recording acts that lost their markets in other countries. Bands that would have trouble filling a small local bar in other corners of the world can still earn some quick and decent cash playing a few gigs in Japan. Even the number of foreign celebrities on television, in magazines and advertisements is astonishing. Anything with a foreign connection seems to sell better. Japan is in a league of its own on cosmopolitanism.

Japan is too complex to explain in words or images. It really has to be experienced. Come and and see for yourself. If you happen to be coming through Nara, please send me an email. I would love to meet up.

Shinjuku

With the strong yen and increasing unemployment around the world, there has been no greater time to come to Japan to teach English. Furthermore, there are abundant entry-level teaching positions available which makes Japan an ideal destination for those who are just getting started in TEFL. There are also plenty of opportunities for mid-career level teachers, and these openings increase the longer you stay in the country.

Teaching positions are available in a variety of working environments, including language schools, primary, secondary and tertiary education, cram schools and large companies who provide classes for their employees. Almost without exception, they hire only native English speakers from the USA, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and, in some cases, South Africa. Although Japan is very much a male-dominated society, female teachers are just as likely to be hired as their male counterparts and, in the case of young children’s classes, perhaps more likely. However, it should be noted that westerners of Asian descent have been known to face discrimination in the job market, largely due to Japanese stereotypes of what a westerner should look like. If you happen to be blond-haired and blue-eyed, then it’s likely that some schools will be falling over themselves to hire you, regardless of qualifications and/or experience.

In order to teach in Japan, it is necessary to have a university degree for the purposes of obtaining a work visa although, in most cases, the field of study is unimportant. TEFL certificates are not often required, though having one will give you a distinct advantage when applying for the more sought-after jobs and, with some of the larger companies, may even earn you a slightly higher salary. For full-time university positions, a masters degree is usually required. Preference may be given to those whose study area was in a related field, such as English, education or linguistics, but a TEFL certificate and good experience is often an adequate substitute.

For a long time, a salary of ¥250,000 (US$2,765) per month was the legal minimum for full-time foreign English teachers. While this is no longer the case, average salaries continue to be around this mark. In language schools, it is likely that you will work 40 hours per week over 5 days, of which 30 or more hours might be spent teaching. In primary and secondary schools, teaching hours are likely to be much less, however you can still expect a total working week to be around 40 hours. Corporate and university positions offer the most relaxed working schedules, and salaries for full-time positions can be in the range of ¥350,000-¥400,000 (US$3,872-4,425) per month. However, it should be noted that these positions are very highly sought-after, and are normally offered only to those who have spent considerable time teaching in Japan and, in the case of universities, have part-time experience in a Japanese college. These jobs are rarely advertised and it is often the case that out-going teachers recommend a replacement, so networking is extremely important.

The JET Program has been in existence, in it’s present form, since 1987. It is essentially a cultural exchange scheme and one of it’s missions is to hire native speaking university graduates to work as Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) in public schools. Teachers are hired from all of the major English-speaking countries, although more than 50% of ALTs are from the USA. While recruitment has always been highly competitive, the Jet Program has long been considered to be the ideal route to teaching in Japan. No experience is required and salaries at ¥320,000 (US$3,540) per month were above the industry average. JET Program ALTs also enjoyed less teaching hours and longer holidays than most other entry-level teachers.

However, in recent years, budget-cuts have led to an increasing number of education boards to abandon the JET program altogether. While they still have a legal obligation to provide native-speaking English teachers in public schools, many are now recruited indirectly, through third-party intermediaries known as ‘dispatch companies’. While ALTs employed in this manner can expect similar working conditions to their JET Program counterparts, salaries are often 30% lower and often don’t include full health and pensions benefits. They can also expect to receive reduced salaries during the winter and spring vacations and, in many cases, are not paid for the long summer vacation. It should also be noted that many ALTs, regardless of the hiring procedure, are placed in rural areas offering little access to other foreigners. Although this can be a great way to learn the language and experience real Japanese culture first-hand, it can be too isolated for some.

While salaries for English teachers are higher than in most other regions, the cost of living is a concern for many people. In reality, though, it largely depends on your lifestyle. Food prices are certainly higher than those in North America, but teachers from the UK and Ireland will find that the cost of meat and vegetables is quite comparable. Imported goods can be expensive, but those who are able to adapt to Japanese cuisine, shop in supermarkets and cook for themselves will reduce their monthly outgoings considerably. If you’re further willing to limit your spending on entertainment, it is quite possible to save as much as US$1,000 per month on an average salary, even more if the current exchange rate prevails.

However you decide to spend your salary, you can enjoy a good lifestyle in Japan. Japanese cuisine is world-renowned and you can expect to find a variety of exotic seasonal vegetables and just-caught seafood. Although certain cultural exports such as sushi, sake and manga have become increasingly popular the world over, there’s really nothing like trying them first hand in their country of origin. Japan also has a very low crime-rate, making it a particularly safe country for women. However, the usual precautions should be taken, particularly at night, in the major cities. Japanese cities are also extremely clean, in comparison to their size and population. It is a common sight to see shopkeepers and elderly people cleaning streets outside their properties early in the morning.

Japan has a lot to offer from an historical and cultural point of view; you can explore centuries-old temples, shrines and castles; huge fireworks displays throughout the summer; a multitude of ancient festivals, some of which continue long into the night; and take advantage of the vast swathes of countryside outside the cities.

There are great opportunities for foreigners. Many English teachers have gone on to become famous celebrities, rock stars and TV hosts. Learn the language and develop your skills, the very fact that you are a foreigner will open many doors in virtually any industry.

Japan is a great country to open a business. Red tape and bureaucracy will leave you scratching your head, but the tax write-offs and low effective tax rates make this a good place to start your business. Japanese people generally have a large amount of disposable income to pay for high priced products and services and Japanese value quality. Another thing to consider is that, this is not a particularly entrepreneurial country, novel ideas do not typically have much competition; until they become popular, that is, and then you will find a flood of imitators.

Why not weather the economic storm outside of your home country, see the world and maybe even save some money? This is a great time to be in Japan. You can find teaching jobs in Japan and around the world at: YouCanTeachEnglish.com