PLEASE HELP, WITH THIS BIG DECISION TO MOVE TO JAPAN

[aliza]

Hi,

I have been offered a chance to enter Japan in April 2008 as a student of Kyoto University. I have also been awarded a scholarship from the Japanese government, to pay for my studies. I would be a masters and eventually a PhD student in the school of Pharmacology, studying under my advisor who I have worked for the past year and a half at Johns Hopkins.
He would be my my teacher for most of the program however I would need to take certain courses and exams in Japanese.
I do not know Japanese at all and I am very willing and excited to learn, but I am not sure where or how to begin. I was thinking about taking a course at hopkins in the fall but that would probably not be even close to enough time to learn Japaese before April.
I have several major concerns about this decision:
First, is the fact of the language barrier in the beginning, is that a do-able challenge? Will I be able to study and learn at a good pace? Am I setting myself up for failure basically?
Second, Is my degree going to be well respected after my completion of the program, when I apply for a post-doc at an american or British University?
Third, I am recently married so I would be bringing my husband and I can't part with my cat, what is the easiest and realistic way of doing that? He has no college degree just lots of credits, we were thinking he could complete his degree at University of Phoenix or some online place, would he be able to get a teaching English job with that? If not what else could he do?

How much money do we need to be earning per month to be able to live there, not looking for comfort but something reasonable?

Also it would be for six to eight years depeding on my degree progress and that is a really long time to be away from all of our family?

I guess this is a huge risk that I would be taking and affecting a lot of people I care about, I want to know what you think you would do?

[untmdsprt]

First the cat should stay with a relative. I've heard horror stories that animals had to stay in quarratine for who knows how long, and running up a huge bill.

Student visas don't allow you to work, so your husband will have to be the sole breadwinner. The only thing he'd be able to do is teach English at one of the schools, and possibly take private students. Does your scholarship pay for room and board?

Is he willing to learn Japanese himself, and be in Japan? I can't imagine having the added headache of bringing a husband to Japan unless he was Japanese or has the same level of interest as you do.

You say you want to do a post-doctorate at an American or British university. Why can't you just do everything there instead of going to Japan?

[aliza]

My scholarship pays for flight, tuition and 170,000 yen per month.

The key to choosing the right graduate school is being in a lab that is going somewhere and recieving one on one guidance from your advisor to help you become a good scientist.I want to study in Japan because of the research I have been doing for the last two years. The Researcher I am working with is accepting a position as professor and starting his own lab at Kyoto University. I have found that I am very interested in his research and his teaching methods are wonderful, plus the technology available in the department I would be entering would be very advantageous. So, it is in my best interest to do my graduate work in his lab. The fact that its in Japan is an added bonus.

Post-Doctorates should be in a different school than where you do your graduate work, and in the field that I am in, I would want to apply to Post-Doc's at many competitive labs which would likely be in the U.S. and Britain.

The spouse visa, I have been told, would allow him to work part time only. So it would be better to have him enter with his own visa?

I looked up that cat stuff and it says quarrantine is for 12 hrs if the animal has been microchipped and followed a few other rules, I just don't know how apartments are there, do they let you have pets.

My husband is very supportive and would absolutely go with me, I don't know about you but relationships need a bit more than phone calls and e-mail, especially when I would be away for 6 to 8 years! He will be learning Japanese with me. He is a musician and artist. I justed wanted to know if there was any advice about him finishing his degree or if he evens needs to do that. I know alot of people teach in their homes too,

Why do you think this is a bad idea?

[untmdsprt]

Hmm, I've always had bad luck with men. None of them wanted to support me in my dreams. It was always about them. Congrats on finding a good one!

Your husband needs a BS degree to get any kind of teaching job in Japan. No exceptions is what I've read. Since he's a musician, he could get an entertainer's visa. You'll have to check the requirements on that.

Apartments are a hit or miss. http://www.gaijinpot.com has a listing for apartments. Like anywhere the farther you are from the city, the cheaper they are. I've seen some that don't provide bathrooms. Does the university provide housing?

As far as making it, how far are you willing to go outside your comfort zone? You won't have the option of turning off Japanese as easily as you can now. Try living Japanese 24/7 before you move. Can you do it?

[aliza]

The housing options are in the university setting and I won't know the details until September, when I go there for some interviews.
My decision has to be made now because of the acceptance deadline. I kind of feel with the way we are as a couple and him being a musician that we will want to be in an actual city area as opposed to living in a dorm or something. I am willing to deal with the traveling. I am still unfamiliar with district names and stuff. So I don't know where to be looking.
How much money should I expect to have per month if we choose to do the apartment verses some sort of school housing? My professor has offered to assist with the co-signing paperwork.
So, do you think that if he completes his BS online, one of these companies would pick him up?

I am totally ready to do this move as far my comfort zone goes. I have traveled to lots of places like Egypt Israel Italy and Jordan and I speak Hebrew fluently which I know is different completely but, they use different charachters too....


So, I know that we are psyched to challenge ourselves and experience a new culture and grow with it and leave Mr. Bush behind...

I just want to be sure that there is no bad reputation for the school and that people like you, who have already gone through the learning process for Japanese, think I could learn in the time that I have. Seriously any tips on where to begin would be hugely appreciated. We have the Rosetta stone program but I need like a good text book or something to learn the charachters any ideas?
Also there is the option for me to begin school as a research student which would give me a year to learn Japanese before entering the classroom. I would just do research in the meantime and still have the monthly stipend.

By the way you are right about the lucky husband part. I have been hearing that a lot from friends. I am really lucky to have someone so supportive.

[annie]

Did you get the Mombugakusho Scholarship? If so, it includes a 6month language training program before you start your actual studies.

You can work on a student visa. And your husband can work on a spouse visa. (everyone I knew on spouse visas taught "part time" and earns about 250,000 a month). Your husband probably won't be able to get a visa on his own, so it's better to come on the spouse visa. You only need a 4 year degree if you need a work visa.

You could live on 170,000 a month, it might be difficult with 2 of you though.
(I spend about 150,000/month for just me)

If you want your own apartment, you're looking at a lot of upfront fees. (probably at the minimum 200,000yen to move into a 50,000/month apartment with key money/deposit/agent fee/1st months rent). Look into shared houses (called guesthouses here), less upfront fees, and home home-like than a dormitory)

[aliza]

Annie,

Yes it is the Monbukagakusho scholarship. I don't remember seeing anything about language courses though. I did take a language proficiency exam, which was interesting.

So, you think it woud be hard for him to get a job through an english teaching company like NOVA? Or is the Visa the problem? Does Nova take care of the visa acquiring or you do it yourself?

Do you have any recommendatins on where to look for guest house availabilities in Kyoto? What cities nearby would be a good place to live?

What do you think about the bringing a pet to Japan?

If you rely on public transit, how much should I expect to spend on unlimited passes?

Sorry about all the questions, It is really hard to find info online for foreigners moving to Japan.

[annie]

Annie,

Yes it is the Monbukagakusho scholarship. I don't remember seeing anything about language courses though. I did take a language proficiency exam, which was interesting.

So, you think it woud be hard for him to get a job through an english teaching company like NOVA? Or is the Visa the problem? Does Nova take care of the visa acquiring or you do it yourself?

Do you have any recommendatins on where to look for guest house availabilities in Kyoto? What cities nearby would be a good place to live?

What do you think about the bringing a pet to Japan?

If you rely on public transit, how much should I expect to spend on unlimited passes?

Sorry about all the questions, It is really hard to find info online for foreigners moving to Japan.

maybe they've changed the scholarship since i last looked at it, but there was still a language component if you weren't proficient enough to attend classes in japanese.

Nova wouldn't sponsor his visa without him having a B.A. But, he could still work for them on a spouse visa. (unless they go under... the Japanese govt has banned them from taking any new contracts, or soliciting for customers, for the next 6 months) It wouldn't be hard for him to find work here, but no one will be able to sponsor the visa for him.

I don't think that bringing a pet to japan is a good idea. as someone else mentioned, the quarantine procedure is pretty strict, and who will take care of it if you go on holiday? and you might end up living in a 1 room apartment. it's better to leave it with someone who can take care of it properly.

i'm not familiar with the kyoto area. so i have no guesthouses to recommend. do a search for "guesthouse kyoto" and see what comes up. look for places that cater to long term residents

they don't really have unlimited passes here, but students get a discount on their transport to and from school. (i've spent about 1000yen on train fare this week, but i'm the exception as it's a 5 minute walk from home to work)

[melspite]

I'm Mel, and am new to this forum, but thought I would weigh you down with more words.

My sister and husband moved to Tokyo last year and took their cat. I understand that Kyoto is quite different from Tokyo, but nevertheless... The cat was in qurantine for a short time, but as there are no real sidewalks in Japan, more a section of the road for pedestrians, they decided that he should be just a house cat. He seems happy enough though, and has plenty of kitty toys, including a huge wall climbing thing.

Her husband has no degree but had the intention of studying to complete it, then found out the courses were all taught in Japanese. He is now working as a teaching assistant at an International school.

I wish you all the best with your decision. She reported a certain amount of culture shock, as all Westerners do, but absolutely loves Japan, although she speaks no Japanese! I am looking to go as soon as possible with my young family, but would like some language first!

[untmdsprt]

Thanks annie! Good to know to stay away from NOVA. Why did the government ban them? the British teacher being killed or something else?

[Bueller_007]

Thanks annie! Good to know to stay away from NOVA. Why did the government ban them? the British teacher being killed or something else?

The British teacher being killed had absolutely nothing to do with NOVA. She was killed by her private student. And the Japanese government isn't so ridiculous that they'd run a company into the ground because a *student* killed a *teacher* anyway.

NOVA was minimizing refunds to students when they cancelled their contracts. There were also charges of false advertising, because students couldn't take classes whenever they wanted (as they were told they could.) They also backdated student contracts, so that students couldn't back out of them as easily if they reconsidered. They've also been getting heat for a long time because foreign NOVA employees don't pay into social insurance. Now there are also suspicions of bid-rigging to get school contracts as well, but nothing is likely to come of that.

So the punishment is "a six-month ban on signing new students to contracts of one year or more". Of course, NOVA has already found a loophole. I heard they've introduced single-day contracts, so if you want to sign up for more than a year, you just opt for a single day contract, and then you're not a "new student" anymore, so the ban no longer applies.

[untmdsprt]

I certainly will be staying away from them as a future employer. Anyone else worth considering or staying away from?

[annie]

I certainly will be staying away from them as a future employer. Anyone else worth considering or staying away from?

As much as everyone likes to get all anti NOVA, they're not all bad.
I know plenty of people who were quite happy with their NOVA experience and worked for the company for several years. You hear more bad things about NOVA because it's a huge company, and people like to complain.

There aren't any companies that I would whole-heartedly recommend. None of them are perfect, so it really depends on what you need out of a company, as they all have their advantages and disadvantages.

[untmdsprt]

What I'm looking for is a company that can provide some time off so people can experience the culture around them, and provide a decent place to live. A simple bed, bathroom, and kitchen would be nice.

From my experience a happy employee is a better one. So I'm certainly going to look for a company that treats their employees well. I've worked at places that want you to work all the time, and belittle you for everything you do.

Besides how can you teach the students if you know nothing of their background?

[foxyshez]

Second, Is my degree going to be well respected after my completion of the program, when I apply for a post-doc at an american or British University?
Third, I am recently married so I would be bringing my husband and I can't part with my cat, what is the easiest and realistic way of doing that? He has no college degree just lots of credits, we were thinking he could complete his degree at University of Phoenix or some online place, would he be able to get a teaching English job with that? If not what else could he do?

cats are not expected to have college degrees in Japan-i wouldnt worry haha!