I’m working on my bachelors degree currently and would like to spend an extended period of time in Japan once I graduate. I still have a few years to plan since I’m just starting my second year of college, but I want to be prepared.

Just to be clear here, I’m not saying that I want to reside in Japan permanently, while this is a possibility I have only visited Japan a couple of times and while I love Japan, it’s culture, language, and people, I feel I need to spend more than I few months there to make that call. I just want to stay there for 2-3 years to start with and go from there.

I was wondering if anyone has experience relocating to Japan from the US and can provide their insight on how to get started? I’d love to be and ESL teacher for a couple years but I’m not sure about the job market for that (of course it could all change in 3 years), also I wouldn’t want to do it as a career for more than 2-3 years. Meaning I’d need to be looking for something else if I were to stay longer.

I’d like to start my own business in export if I did stay, similar to j-list or jzool.

I know it’s a huge question, I know there are a lot of unknowns and it won’t be easy. However I’m not the type to back down from a challenge. If it can be done than I will do it. I also don’t have some jaded otaku view of Japan either, I’ve been there, I know it’s just more people trying to make it in life. However to me the culture is amazing, and being there is a great adventure.

So, anyone got any advice?

I don’t want to sound like I don’t care about it though. I genuinely think that ESL teaching would be an awesome experience, I see it as a “foot in the door” but also as a genuinely interesting experience. I enjoy teaching, I just don’t think it’s what I want to do for my ultimate career, as I said before, I’d like to start my own business eventually.

It seems as though we were cut from the same cloth. I as well just joined an EIKAIWA (conversational English school) just as a means to an end. From there, I started making contacts and a network to support me beyond my stay as an English teacher.

That’s the stage I am approaching now.

What has been your experience? How much have you made on average during your time there? I’m trying to determine the best route to take for ESL teaching.

Geos went bankrupt and was bought by EC (I think).

JET is the official government program, not a private school. Teachers there are placed into actual public Elementary, Junior High and regular High Schools.
The biggest downside I’ve heard to this program is the likelihood of being placed in a very rural area of Japan.

One thing I will say about working in Japan, a lot of the people who come here as English teachers has a fairytale view of Japan and when it doesn’t live up to their expectations, they want to go home or they complain about everything. I don’t like these people. I have met many foreigners working in Japan. The ones who stay simply have a better attitude than those who don’t.

Like you said, these are just people trying to make a living. How good or bad your ESL experience will be is completely determined by your coworkers and not simply by the company you work for. If you have a shit boss, you have a shit boss no matter where in the world you are.

If you have realistic expectations, you should be fine.

Now I’ll just have to research the different companies and decide who I’ll try to go with. Of course it may change in three years, I’m just planning way ahead. I guess I’ve just been a bit scared off by the Nova and American Club scandals. That won’t stop me though, I’ll just research as best I can and go from there.

Do you mind telling me which company you work for? It’s OK if not, I’ve talked to a couple people who would rather not divulge that information for one reason or another, I’m just searching for ideas at this point and everything helps.

Thanks for your advice.