So.....it's getting pretty close to two years since I moved back to Michigan after 8 months spent living in Japan, and miss it over there terribly. Thus my decision to move back! Actually I hadn't wanted to leave in the first place, but 3 of my best friends and my older sister were all getting married so staying wasn't exactly an option. I ended up helping all of them with their wedding plans, expecially my sister (I secretly think she is incapable of doing anything without me. I know it's a terrible thing to say , but sadly it's the truth).
This time around I am putting my foot down a little more than last time about where I want to teach. Working with Heart English School was pretty good. I know a lot of people online are always bashing it and saying they are horrible to work for, but I enjoyed it. The staff was very friendly and tried to help whenever I needed it, the only thing was where they placed me. Which I suppose could have been worse. All the students were fantastic, thou most of the older kids didn't really try all that hard. But then you get that with Junior High schools no matter where you live. English expecially, we were in such a remote place even I, non-Japanese speaker that I was, began to think English was pointless. It was a 45 minute drive to reach the nearest train station and grocery store! I seriously think it might be the smallest villiage (yes, ladies and gentleman, it is still a village) in Japan.
Look up: Kawauchi mura, Fukushima ken Japan if you are curious, but here is a bit of a preview!I'm a small town girl anyways so I was able to survive it, but I want to go somewhere with a little more night life this time around. I mean come on, I'm only 24!
So here is my delema. I have essentially been hired at 2 companies, I still have the formalities to go through, but both have told me they want to hire me. Both companies in themselves would be perfectly acceptable to me, and have both agreed to work with me on my placement requirements, but they are completely different.
Option 1 is PKC (Peppy Kids Club)
The positives:
While reading other people's blogs, forums discussions, and by talking with my interviewer PKC sounds like a really great school to work for. AND, if I managed to get all my paperwork together quickly (in like a week) Donna (my current contact) wants to get me over there for the February training session. Meaning I would get to quit my job sooner, my bosses are OCD about EVERYTHING. I've put up with it for over a year and my capacity to do so any longer is quickly going down the drain. This is a very big incentive. Plus according to stories, they meet you at the airport and take you to Nagoya for 2 weeks of trainging. Training is VERY good. I would also apparently have more free time/days off. The lesson plans are already made for me I would, yay!, just have to use my creativity in how I wanted to impliment them. Which is fantastic. I hate coming up with classroom subject matter, but once it's decided on I am great at figuring out how to present it in class. Plus, as it's a more eikaiwa (suplimentary or cram) school I would get to sleep in as my classes wouldnt start till the afternoon. Which does mean I obviously get out later, but I would still most likely have enough private time to do private tutoring, probably before work if I wanted to.
The negatives:
With the last minute hiring for that trainging session, getting the right size of town is something they might not be able to do. Plus I would prefer to do just kids of nursery school or Elementary ages and PKC is 3 years old all the way up to High School. As mentioned earlier, I would get out later, I have read this is about 10pm, but could vary. With this option I would be packing my own lunch, and I have NEVER been good at doing that, let alone in a tiny Japanese kitchen! Plus, as I said this is an eikaiwa, and I have been warned that there is going to be occations where I am the only teacher at the entire school, which means: no comradery at school with my fellow teachers, and class sessions last only for 1 month. So every month I would have the potential to have all new students and never see the old ones again. This does not boad well for learning names.
Option 2 is to sign back up with Heart English Schools.
The positives:
I have worked with them before and know how everything works as well as some of the staff member at the head office. One of which I never did lose contact with. Plus, they are definately giving me EXACTLY what I want. I made specific requests of the smallest size town I was willing to work in, if it was less than an hour train ride to a big city...or right in a big city, plus they seemed ok with my Elementary age level request too. In the Elementary I got to eat Kyushoku (school lunch) with my students, which was great for building a bond between us, I got to eat good Japanese food (most of the time) instead of attempting it myself. With this option, I would essentially work the classic 8-5 job (at the same schools, and with the same students and teachers for the full year) which if I wanted to, would be perfect for picking up extra work part time at an eikaiwa or doing private tutoring. Again, I'm not certian I would want to, but it is always nice to know for certian you do have that option.
The Negatives:
I definately wont be going till April which a bummer, but this might be happening with PKC anyways. I'm currently unsure of the pay I'd be getting from Heart as I haven't officially been hired, but from what I remember it is on the lower end of the range for English teachers. So after rent, bills, and grocerys I would probably be more strapped for cash to travel. As I said, I know the Heart system and this means when I get off the airplane in Narita, tired and jet lagged I have to make my way to Mito, find the hotel, get all my luggage there, and check in all on my own. Something I feel more confient of this time, but last time it scared the crap out of me. In an Elementary school, I would be the only one teaching in the class. Meaning the main teacher would be sitting at their desk in the back "supervising" but pretty much ignoring us. So I would be completely in charge of deciding for every grade and every class an entire school year's worth of subject material, not something I look forward to.
What do you all think?
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