| Moving halfway around the world, to a culture as | | | | read the latest article at ELT News to see that. No this |
| foreign and difficult to penetrate as Japan's is difficult | | | | prevalence of complaints is something more. Indeed |
| for anyone. If you become an English teacher here, | | | | culture shock is one aspect of this phenomenon. |
| you will probably have to deal with a Japanese boss | | | | At many of the big schools the working hours are |
| and staff with different cultural values from your own. | | | | about the same as they are at public schools in North |
| This can lead to a feeling of paranoia in some cases; | | | | America. Yet the teachers of GEOS and Nova |
| isolation and disillusionment. | | | | complain about their 28 hours of teaching and 40 hour |
| To a great extent, leaving your friends and family and | | | | a week shifts. (They work a 9 hour shift, five days per |
| going to Japan to teach English engenders some of | | | | week at GEOS, with a one hour lunch break which |
| the same feelings as that of teenagers rebelling from | | | | equals eight hours of preparation and teaching). One |
| their parents in the West. Teenagers rely on their | | | | Canadian elementary school teacher said: " I don't |
| parents, yet resent and rebel against them. Of course | | | | know what they are complaining about. That is what I |
| they complain to their friends about them too. | | | | do every week. That is what we all do at the public |
| Foreign English teachers in Japan must rely on their | | | | schools in Canada." |
| Japanese bosses for: their work visa, in some cases | | | | At many schools though, the shifts are much shorter |
| their apartment, and of course their salary. Some | | | | and they don't require you to be in the office. The |
| teachers come to Japan with virtually no knowledge | | | | work time of around 20- 25 hours per week, would be |
| of the country. Childlike, they ask questions about | | | | considered part-time work back home. At Kevin's |
| Japan that many six year old Japanese know the | | | | English schools the teachers work between 20-25 |
| answers to. The new teacher can feel embarrassed | | | | hours per week with no requirements to be in the |
| at times having to ask such basic questions as how | | | | office when they are not teaching. Under the contract |
| do I use the Japanese toilet in my apartment? Can | | | | they can be asked to work as many as 28 hours per |
| you open a bank account for me tomorrow? How do I | | | | week but none are currently doing so. The current |
| get home from the school? To someone used to | | | | average is about 22 hours per week. They are not |
| being independant, it is an uncomfortable, flashback to | | | | required to put in any office hours, so when they don't |
| the teenage years. | | | | teach their time is their own. |
| Japan is a beautiful, interesting, yet daunting country for | | | | Many of the Eikaiwa teachers miss their friends and |
| the newcomer. Some people thrive in the adventure | | | | family back home. Some were not happy in their |
| that is teaching English in Japan and others don't. For | | | | home country and escaped to Japan to try to sort out |
| them it is the toughest thing they have ever done. The | | | | their lives--only to find they are not happy here either. |
| new arrival to Japan is faced with three alphabets to | | | | The old saying: "Where ever you go, there you are." |
| learn just to read her pay cheque! One comes to feel | | | | springs to mind. |
| pretty helpless and childlike at times. Going to the | | | | I assert that the rampant negativism on the internet |
| doctor for your first cold can be intimidating. You don't | | | | about teaching at Eikaiwa schools is only in a very |
| understand her questions and she doesn't understand | | | | small part due to the schools, but is a symptom of |
| your answers. | | | | culture shock and the difficulty adjusting to life in Japan |
| Paranoia is common amongst immigrants the world | | | | for some teachers. It is a reaction to the sense of |
| over. Experts argue it is a symptom of not | | | | dependancy some teachers feel as they have to rely |
| understanding what is going on around you-- | | | | on their bosses and Japanese staff for many things. |
| linguistically and culturally. The isolation this can lead to, | | | | The boss who is in some cases also the landlord, is |
| causes the paranoia. | | | | cast by the teacher (unconsciously) in the role of |
| Resentment can set in if you are not prepared for this | | | | parental figure, and the Eikaiwa teacher, the star of our |
| kind of culture shock. The possible symptoms of | | | | show, is the rebellious teenager with a need to get it |
| culture shock are many, and of course different levels | | | | off his or her chest. The internet forums provide the |
| of culture shock can occur over many years. If you | | | | perfect venue for that. |
| are not a member of the majority, culture shock can | | | | While most Eikaiwa teachers are well balanced and |
| hit you at any time. One symptom we often see in | | | | make the most of their time in Japan, it is the vocal |
| Japan is that of foreigners lashing out by complaining. | | | | minority we see on the internet complaining about how |
| They complain about the food, they complain about | | | | unfair their Eikaiwa school is. While some of these |
| Japanese people, if they work for a Japanese | | | | complaints are legitimate and the Eikaiwa school should |
| company, they complain about how they are | | | | be taken to task, others are merely venting a teenage |
| mistreated, and if they work for an Eikaiwa school, | | | | like rage, as they rale against what they fail to |
| (which comprises most Western foreigners in Japan), | | | | understand is simply culture shock. |
| they complain about the Eikaiwa school they work for. | | | | If the person is your friend, you need to listen to them |
| Some complain about all Eikaiwa schools as if all of | | | | and sympathize, but at some opportune moment, you |
| them are the same, and all are bad. Some expats in | | | | may want to suggest to them, that couldn't their |
| an attempt to beef up future sales for the book they | | | | negative feelings about their boss or school be due to |
| are writing, even set up a whole website to complain | | | | something else? If their complaint is legitimate then |
| about Eikaiwa. | | | | talking with their union, labour relations board or finding |
| While there are certainly problems in Eikaiwa, there are | | | | a new job with one of the many great Eikaiwa |
| many great things happening too. You only have to | | | | schools here, might be the answer. |
| open the pages of an ETJ magazine, ELT Journal, or | | | | |