Let's Japan.org Debunking Eikaiwa and Ramblings in Japan

I've always had a fascination by Japan and visiting the place but I never thought that I'd actually consider doing it. But, get a guy to work in the same crappy job and live in the same old place for long enough and he begins to think some crazy shit. And have that same guy think about crazy shit for long enough and you never know, he may actually do it. Just take a look at Michael Jackson's face and you get the picture.

I began researching English teaching in Japan after I discovered that a friend of my brothers actually done so himself. I remember him saying that one day he received a call from a friend who mentioned that a guy he knew in Japan was looking for a teacher to begin a teaching gig asap. Two weeks later he was in Japan riding along on his little scooter pissed in his even littler town looking up into the night sky shouting out aloud "What the fuck am I doing here!" with gay abandon. I thought to myself "I too want to experience Japan and possibly vomit over some poor bastard in a sleazy bar down some small laneway in Roppongi".

So, ignoring all of LetsJapan's advice I called a couple of English schools like AEON, GEOS, NOVA, Interac and even looked at the JET Programme. I liked the sound of AEON because the pay was OK and the fact that they took care of things like your accommodation and other things that a foreigner in Japan may find difficult to do themself was just too enticing. So, I mailed off my resume.

About 2 weeks later while I was on a short summer vacation in the beautiful Snowy Mountains of Australia I received a phone call. I remember it vividly. I was sitting in my little cabin looking over a Japanese language text when my mobile phone rang, catching me by surprise.

"Hello, Jason speaking".
"Hello, I am Yukiko Maeda from the AEON Corporation". At that moment my heart fluttered a little as the realisation of what this was about suddenly hit home - am I actually going to Japan?
"Yeah, umm, hi. How can I help you?"
"We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected to attend a presentation at our regional office..."

After a short conversation about the date of the presentation and the process and purpose of the interview, I got off the phone, sat back on the lounge, lit up a Dunhill and pondered the thought of actually suckin' back a mild seven while sipping on Asahi Super Dry in a cherry-blossom lined park. The hair on the back of my head stood on its end at the thought of the new and the exotic that was to be Japan, my home for the next year at least.

Three months later I found myself suckin' down a brewski at a bar in Sydney International Airport. All of my friends were fussing over me making remarks like "Man, you finally get the chance to get out of this hell hole" and "Get me some of those schoolgirl panties from one of those vending machines". And, I just sat there. Oblivious to it all, mumbling to myself "What the fuck am I doing? I've left my job, my mortgage, a car - for what? For the opportunity to vomit over some dude in a bar in Roppongi? The chance to sip SuperDry and slam down Mild Sevens? To perve on J-Girls all day, everyday?" At that moment the realisation of why I originally wanted to come to Japan became apparent and I suddenly became my old cheery self, joining in on the blokey festivities of making crude statements, fucking stupid remarks and generally looking like a total deadshit.

And its now been six months since I arrived here. And let me tell you all, it's been one hell of a ride. Is Japan what I expected? No, not really. Am I disappointed? Nah, not at all. Am I regretting coming here? No fucking way! Did I get to vomit on that poor fucker in a bar in Roppongi? You better believe it! And, not only him! The rest of the bastards family as well! So, as the guys from LetsJapan say regularly, come on over boys and girls! The more the merrier!

P.S.
It was actually Chris from LetsJapan who aided my decision as to whether to come to Japan or not. I remember asking him for advice about Japan and he sent me this really sincere email. I thought "Fuck me. This guy's lived in Japan for years now and he doesn't seem fucked up (unlike that Dwayne guy in "Return of the Native"窶芭an, that might be me!)". So I thought "What the hey?". And here I am. No regrets.

Jazza