How to make a disillusioned foreigner

Learn Japanese pitch-accent and pronunciation from my Patreon Series "Japanese Phonetics"

Dogen / Dōgen / Japanese / 日本語 / How to make a disillusioned foreigner / 日本が嫌いな外国人の作り方

[granite_]

One of my favourite things about living in Japan is that I was fortunate enough to skip the English teacher phase

[Rayne]

Dougen basically doing rakugo at this point and I'm here for it

[heather]

Interesting how people in the comments stop taking things as satire when it comes to English teaching. As someone who was a certified teacher and has taught both in eikaiwas and an international school, if you want to do it, do it. If you don't plan on doing it forever, have a plan to move beyond it eventually but realize that everything you choose in life is valuable. Eikaiwas expose you to lots of different types of people, and you will probably make amazing friends and connections. International schools give you experience that nearly always adds flavor to your resume. The bottom line is that every job gives you transferable skills and you CAN build your resume with any teaching job. Who cares if it's cliché to go to Japan to teach English?! Live your damn life. That was still on my resume when I was hired by a Fortune 200 company to be an instructional designer. There are a lot of cynical people who will tell you not to even try something. I'm not one of them. Try it. If you don't like it, you're still in bloody Japan! I mean I'm not arguing with Dogen's satire here, you'll have a lot of fun allowing dumb sh!t from the curriculum to repetitively flow out of your mouth. Every job has that, though. Trust me.

[jdprettynails]

Started learning Japanese….had lots of fun learning kanji….joined several online language learning communities to help with my Japanese….ended up falling in love with a French dude, now I’m learning French because apparently I like to suffer.

[unduloid]

I found my true self. It was hiding behind a konbini in Numazu.

So.. now what do I do with it?

[tajagarofficial]

Feel like this was almost me. Applied and interviewed for the JET program, but didn't end up going forward with it. Heard pros and cons about it, but the idea of possibly being a live CD spouting english phrases instead of ACTUALLY teaching english as a legitimate second language kept me away. Do intend to visit the country at some point, and I think my experience will actually be better going there purely to visit rather than to work.

[bethyaginuma]

If you really love teaching and your main goal is to teach English in Japan then there are many other opportunities that aren’t being an ALT. There are many private schools and international schools they are just harder to find and to get into.

[alexc]

The main reason I'm tempted to live in Japan is because they have actually functional public transport. Anything else is a bonus.

[redruby]

I've lived and worked in Japan for a little over a year. It wasn't always easy but I really enjoyed it. Now I study Japanese in university. I'm struggling a lot with the language, but I'm trying. If I pass my test, I will study at a Japanese university for another year starting in September. The more I learn about Japan, the more I love it. I think it's because my own country is similar to Japan in a lot of ways, and because I never viewed Japan as a perfect country. I know it has loads of flaws, but it also has loads of positive things about it. I hope I don't lose that feeling if I ever find a serious enough long term job opportunity in Japan. Funnily enough, I could even imagine teaching English in Japan, lol.

[nathanyork]

Taught English for a couple years as an ALT, went back to US and got my
Masters. Now happily teaching locally. Got my start in Japan and leveraged the experience to get hired straight out of school.

[s.m.]

If anyone says you'll find your true self working for them, it's a scam

[Bralvis]

Still trying to get into a better school in Japan. 😭 finding a better job has been so difficult.

[neko_neko]

I actually became an English teacher after more than 5 years in Japan after vehemently resisting doing anything language related because it was cliche😂 except I teach in my own way, using Japanese to explain grammar points, preparing teenagers for Eiken etc, not to mention working freelance and mostly online

[Catssonova]

Not all ALT situations are the same and if you know some Japanese there are chances to be more than a recorder, but your work is quite limited regardless. Don't be a career ALT if you want to enjoy teaching. Sincerely, a current ALT

[tat]

I want to do the JET program only because it’s the easiest way for me to get there and keep mastering my Japanese. Then I can expand my reach into another job or do the intensive Japanese language program I dream of doing. I don’t care if I’m just a tape recorder for a couple years😂💃🏻 It’s worth it for the great health insurance and the delicious food.

[meowmiaumiauw]

Step 1 - Marry a Japanese person
Step 2 - Wind up in Japan despite never once thinking about the country within any context
Step 3 - Fail to become an English teacher because of your tattoos and work completely random normal person jobs instead
Step 4 - Fear

[JimMonsanto]

3 years? 13 years later with my permanent residence and still wondering where it all went wrong . . .

[ishko]

bakabakashii!!! never mind me, i just love saying that cause it's so funny. just like our dogen here.

[ThatguyinKyushu]

Finally took the leap and moving out of education, but I admit it's both exciting and scary🤣

[yah]

Gags on Dogen, I only tape recorder from 8:30 to 3