March 6th, 2008
Talking Behind My Back Is A Good Thing?
Everything went smoothly with the trains today, unlike Tuesday. I got to Fukuyama on time and walked to the school as usual. I went inside and picked up my train tickets for the return trip and the trip back tomorrow morning. As I came out to head to the High School building, the American teacher that I met back in October yelled to me. I walked back to where he was to see what was up.
Oh boy. Apparently the whole school, or at least everyone who has ever had any contact with me, had gotten together to talk about my application for the Phys-Ed/Art teacher position. They want me to come in tomorrow for an interview right after my classes end. I was in a state of shock at that time, but I think he said the Elementary School Principal and the head of the Phys-Ed department would be there. He would come along too to help translate. Since they invited him to the interview, they must be well aware of my language problems. Since they want to talk to me anyway, that must not be a show-stopping hurdle.
I did my classes, and they went quite well today. These students are very motivated to learn as much as they can. They know they’re going to America very soon, and they want all the help they can get. There’s nothing like a little terror and intimidation to inspire motivation among students. They don’t want to look bad in America. With the exception of the Hiroshima adults, these classes are the most interactive I have had here, which is good.
Okonomiaki? Not Tomorrow!
On Tuesday, I made plans to eat with the principal and vice principal tomorrow. We even planned to have okonomiaki. Unfortunately, now I can’t go because the interview is at the same time. I don’t think the High School Principal that I have had lunch with several times in the past is the same guy as the Elementary School Principal that I’ll meet tomorrow. That means I had to let them know I couldn’t make it for lunch tomorrow. I found the Vice Principal in his office, and explained “no lunch tomorrow” with fingers crossed in an “X” shape. He nodded; although we usually manage to communicate, his English level is pretty low. I didn’t think he understood me, but then I heard him mention the American teacher’s name, so apparently he already knew all about it. As I said, they’d all been talking.
Omiyagi Planning
In one way, this interview is going to be bad timing. A far as I know, I won’t see the Principal or Vice Principal on Saturday, so tomorrow is my last chance to see them. I had planned on giving them their omiyagi tomorrow. Omiyagi is a small gift for being a good host. They’ve paid for my lunch so many times it’s the least I can do. I brought a bunch of stuff from the bookstore at the Home University with the school logo on it, intending to use them as gifts. There actually hasn’t been a need to dig into those things until now, but the time has come.
- • Large “beer stein” cup… Mr. Kindergarten
- • Small “jewelry box”… Y-San (I don’t have much good stuff, but these are nice)
- • Small “jewelry box” … Mr. Kindergarten’s Secretary (“The Cookie Lady”)
- • Coffee Mug… Fukuyama Principal
- • Coffee Mug… Fukuyama Vice Principal
- • Baseball cap… The Guy who runs the Culture Center
I don’t think it’s actually appropriate to give omiyagi to my students, but it turns out that I have exactly the right number of University Key Chains to give them out to each student, so why not? That will leave me with only one ball cap left over with no one in mind to give it to yet. I think there is a special way you are supposed to wrap omiyagi, but I have no idea how to do it, so gift bags from Happy Town will have to do.
Indecision 2008
OK, so now we’re back into it. They’ve all talked together, including several people who know me pretty well, so I think they know what they are getting into. Although I did meet the Elementary School Principle way back in October, I am sure he won’t remember me personally. I don’t know the head of the Phys Ed. department, at least I don’t think I know him. Otherwise, everyone else in the school of importance seems to like me quite a lot. I assume that includes the American teacher, whom I have had doubts about in the past. I had some less-than-generous things to say about him in the past, and I’m not really going to say I was wrong then; I stand behind my first impressions. That being said, I don’t think any of that stuff still applies. I didn’t “steal” anyone’s job, and he’s fully aware of that. At this point, he knows the position has to be filled, and it may as well be me as much as anyone else.
So anyway, tomorrow should be interesting. I’m usually really nervous about saying the wrong thing at interviews, but this is different, since a translator will be in the middle. That actually makes it much easier I think. As long as I look confident, I think that will go a long way.
All this makes it sound like I am eager to get the job. Nothing has changed really. But I do want them to offer me the job. That offer will validate that I have made a good impression over here. I think I have done pretty well here, certainly as well as I was able, but it’s not like I am going to get a grade or a “score” on anything as feedback. A “Good Job” from Y-San or deported doesn’t seem likely; I don’t think it works like that here. As long as you aren’t hearing complaints you’re doing a good job. That’s really not enough for me right now. I want to be offered a real job, especially after being the default second choice for staying here this summer. Being second choice after Marc may or may not have been intentional (probably not actually intentional), but there’s enough doubt in my mind that I want this job offer too.
So, the bottom line is they more or less already know what they are getting tomorrow. I certainly got the impression last week that there were very few applicants for the position. I do have good English teaching credentials and references. My lack of Japanese skills does not appear to be an irresolvable dilemma, especially since it’s an “immersion” class. They know my travel schedule already; I put that right on the cover letter of my resume. I’m betting they offer me the job outright tomorrow on the spot.
So what will I say if that is the case? As I said yesterday and earlier in this posting, everyone there seems to know me and I have already commented on how friendly they all are. It would be a good place to work. The school is large enough that it’s well established and the job would be secure, but small enough that everyone knows everyone else. The Company has already proven itself to be reliable and fair in my mind, so I have no problem continuing to work for them. The school only has twelve classrooms (I counted today), so there aren’t a huge number of students.
I don’t know what the pay or benefits are, but I suspect they will be reasonable; probably a good deal more than the “conversational language schools,” like the now-defunct Nova would have paid. Minimum wage here is 250,000Y a month here I think. Currently, I’m getting by on around 180,000Y a month, but I am in an “educational internship” not a “real job” right now, so they can get away with paying me less. Even so, I am surviving adequately on sub-minimum wage right now. I suspect a real teaching job for The Company will pay a good deal more than minimum wage. I don’t think living in Fukuyama should be significantly more expensive than Okayama. Come to think of it, I’m not really sure which city is larger.
Many of the objections I wrote about continuing on in the summer program do not apply to this job. I’ll be here at lest one year, so the need to find a job in August, either this year or next, will not be an issue, since school years here are April to April. The problem with the airfare being too much money also doesn’t apply when you amortize it over a year or six months. Also, it will be a “real job” not an internship. A small distinction on a resume, but it counts. It sounds pretty good just looking at these factors.
So what’s bad? Obviously, it’s a whole year commitment, and probably longer if it works out well. It’s teaching a subject I know little about, although I can’t say that really worries me too much. I don’t have anyone like Y-San looking out for me. I’ll probably have to find and rent an apartment on my own. I’ll have to buy a bike and cell phone. I don’t know what is involved with renewing my visa. I’ll need to open a bank account if I stay a year. I’ll have to figure out doctor visits and haircuts. I’ll have to learn my way around a new city, since the commute from Okayama is too long and too expensive.
Right now, my thinking is that if they make me a reasonable financial offer tomorrow I will accept it. I’ll still go home next week and can re-evaluate my decision after getting home and thinking about things. If I do change my mind, I can let them know right away and they will still have a couple of weeks to hire their second choice. Backing out on them won’t look good, but it won’t be awful either. I suspect that after a week or two at home, I’m going to want “something more” pretty quickly.
If they don’t make me an offer immediately, I doubt they will make a decision before I leave. That, too, would be cool. I’d much rather get to make a decision after I have been home a few days. Y-San mentioned that if I wanted to come back here anytime soon, I will nee to get an exit visa in order to leave and come back. The cost is 3000Y ($25). Depending on what happens tomorrow, I may want to get one of those regardless. It might take a couple of days, so just having one “in case” may be a good idea.
Look At The Time!
On the bright side, it’s currently 7:30 in the evening on Thursday night. This time next week I’ll be on my way home. I checked on the website www.seatguru.com and found that I have aisle seats all the way home. That’s great; my biggest complaint on the way here was being squished in a window seat with nothing to see out the window. It’ll be dark all the way home anyway, so the window is no big deal. On the Aisle, I can get up as many times as I want a can even spread out a little more I hope.
No related posts.
Entries (RSS)