Jobs in Japan

When we first came to Japan Andy already had his job and visa set up, where as I had a promise of a job but no visa. This made it fun getting through immigration! They asked me dozens of questions such as "if are coming here for 90 days what will you do for a job when you get home?" I guess I must have looked like I'd confess to wanting to stay for longer if they asked me enough stupid questions!!

We both started working the Monday after we got here, which we both felt to be quite impressive considering we only arrived at 7pm on the Saturday before. Still it helped with the jet lag.

Andy's job is as a research fellow at the University of Kyushu. He does lots of experiments on hydrogen as well as bossing, I mean supervising 5 students (masters and degree students). The building he is working in is brand new! This means that it is fitted with state of the art toilets! This means that they are not like this (I have to use these in school!):

but like this (complete with a heated seat, music to hide the sound of what you are doing, various different sprays and a whole host of other features):

Andy also enjoys the view below from his office:

He works hard though bless him and is always off to Tokyo or somewhere else for a conference.

My first job in Japan was fun at first, I mean I got a car and the kids were so cute. The novelty wore off quite quickly though as I found out the reason I was given a car was because I had to spend five hours a day driving! The nail in the coffin though was despite telling me they were sorting my visa, I found out they had done nothing and I was in fact working illegally. Their official line was everyone else is doing it so you can too.

After that revelation I started to apply for other jobs. Being offered other jobs wasn't a problem as the offers flooded in, the problem was they wanted me to work stupid hours! Those of you who know me well, know I like to sleep! I will get up at 6am but I need to be in bed by 10pm or I turned into a pumpkin. These companies though wanted me to work 3-9 Monday to Saturday. Which was never happening so I stayed were I was.

On top of my normal job, I also found 8 private students and a Christan school who wanted to teach their students English. The Christan kids were cute but the teachers had spent time in America and were therefore crazy. These are some of the children at a sports day:

Working 60 hour weeks soon took its toll and in January and I left my job. I left work thinking I could have a couple of weeks off only to get a interview the very next day. I started working the following Monday. The job that I got, and that I still have, involves working in Japanese elementary schools. I also work in the local education centre training English teachers. I get to work 9 until 4 most days and the kids I work with are just so great, but more about that later.