quitting nova?

[elaine00]

just have a question about quitting nova. in nova's information brochures and what they tell you, if you quit nova, then you must leave the country because they sponsored you to get a visa (if you went with that option). i've heard or read somewhere that even if you quit, you can stay in japan because your visa is still valid. is this true? i'm thinking about looking for another job and quitting from nova.

as well, how easy is it to find a teaching english job in the nara area?

thanks!

 

[TwistedMac]

ask over at www.letsjapan.org that place is full of former disgruntled NOVA workers..

I think I remember someone saying they just quit nova a few months after getting there on that forum... went out looking for a better school..

 

[senseiman]

NOVA is lying. I used to work for AEON and had a 3 year visa sponsered by them (which is the same visa NOVA sponsers). I quit after 2 years but stayed in Japan on the same visa afterwards and had no problems. When that visa was about to expire I went to immigration to get a spousal visa after getting married and had no problems.

AEON was pretty open about it and never lied to me about having to leave the country. I'm surprised NOVA would do such a thing.

 

[Mike Cash]

Surprised Nova would lie? Are we talking about the same Nova which has been known to throw two or three foreigners into an apartment and charge each of them the full rent on the place? While telling the foreigners they are doing them a favor? That Nova?

I envy your lack of cynicism.

 

[Ewok85]

I reckon i could skip going to NOVA all together and get a decent IT job straight out of the bag, which is a big releif.

Nova managers will lie to you till their blue in the face. Blergh.

 

[senseiman]

Surprised Nova would lie? Are we talking about the same Nova which has been known to throw two or three foreigners into an apartment and charge each of them the full rent on the place? While telling the foreigners they are doing them a favor? That Nova?

I envy your lack of cynicism.

Let me correct that. Knowing what I know about NOVA I'm not surprised that they would lie to teachers. In general though I am surprised (disturbed) that there are companies out there willing to tell such obvious lies to there employees in an effort to screw with their lives.

 

[PopCulturePooka]

Yeap straight out lie.
I'be heard plenty of stories where people ditched NOVA and stayed on in Japan.

One guy I know stayed at NOVA a week before he had a better job.

He freely admits to using NOVA for their visa.

 

[Mike Cash]

Let me correct that. Knowing what I know about NOVA I'm not surprised that they would lie to teachers. In general though I am surprised (disturbed) that there are companies out there willing to tell such obvious lies to there employees in an effort to screw with their lives.

I hope that those who were reading earlier threads in which I pointed out why Eikaiwa schools aren't the sort of places one should plan on building a career in Japan with. And perhaps it also helps to illustrate my point about why the schools prefer fresh meat. The longer one is here, the better one knows the ropes, and the more one knows when they're getting shafted. A constant turnover of fresh employees is easier to handle/shaft.

 

[antantrevolution]

I hope that those who were reading earlier threads in which I pointed out why Eikaiwa schools aren't the sort of places one should plan on building a career in Japan with. And perhaps it also helps to illustrate my point about why the schools prefer fresh meat. The longer one is here, the better one knows the ropes, and the more one knows when they're getting shafted. A constant turnover of fresh employees is easier to handle/shaft.

At this point in all honesty, I would settle for getting the shaft if it meant that I could teach in Japan where my fiance lives. I can't get a working Visa because of no company sponsorship, yet, companies ignore you without a visa. I find it very hard that I can't teach my native language better than the morons that teach my fiance because they have degrees and I don't. My favourite lesson they made her do? Say potato chip 100 times.

F'ing ridiculous.

Anyone who knows how I can work over there lemme know.

Ant

 

[Mike Cash]

Anyone who knows how I can work over there lemme know.

Ant

Change your fiancee to a wife and apply for a spouse visa, no degree required. And practically no limitations on the type of work you can do.

 

[gedatsu]

Anyone who knows how I can work over there lemme know.

You can also go for a working holiday visa i think...? once you are over there and settled you can look for companies to work at that will then sponsor you for a working visa. i'm not sure of the details, but have heard people do this.

 

[TwistedMac]

i don't see why you don't marry her, ant.. start at NOVA then find a better job. it'd solve all these problems you've been having.

You get to go to Japan, you get to stay with your love. All is well that yada yada.

Mike knows all about that stuff, you've got it all here in a neat little package

 

[Ewok85]

Working Holiday visa is not applicable to US citizens.

 

[gedatsu]

Really? Ok, so thats not an option then.
Aussies can get a working visa can't they? Im sure...

 

[Ewok85]

Aussies can, Canadians can, Brits can...

 

[antantrevolution]

She's been saying to me to just move there and marry her. I have been worrying about all of my bills, but damn, it's getting to the point where I'm behind after the move to the West Coast that I am almost considering picking up and then just going.

Just have to sell my car.

@mike - What about if my Japanese isn't so great now, even with a spousal Visa, I can find a decent amount of work?

Ant

 

[Ewok85]

By marrying her that means that visas are no longer a problem and the only limiting factor being your Japanese and what experience/education you have. At the very least teaching english is open to you, and theres not really a shortage there.

 

[antantrevolution]

By marrying her that means that visas are no longer a problem and the only limiting factor being your Japanese and what experience/education you have. At the very least teaching english is open to you, and theres not really a shortage there.

Like I said, I KNOW FOR A FACT that I can teach damned good English, and not just the swear words either I was appaled that an American would resort to having them say ridiculous things like potato chips over and over. I swear to you, listening to her say that damned word over and over while shopping was like listening to Chi from Chobits before she could talk.

potato chips

potato chips

potato chips...


GWAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok.

Save money.

Go to Japan.

Marry her.

Become Great Teacher Ant..

Ant

 

[PopCulturePooka]

Like I said, I KNOW FOR A FACT that I can teach damned good English, and not just the swear words either I was appaled that an American would resort to having them say ridiculous things like potato chips over and over. I swear to you, listening to her say that damned word over and over while shopping was like listening to Chi from Chobits before she could talk.

Heh maybe that guy WAS a great teacher but working in soul crushing eikaiwa killed it.

Working in a company like NOVA where hard work and good teaching skills leads too little or no reward only encourages complacent lazy teaching.

I should know.

I tried to be a GREAT teacher of english. Fun varied lessons etc. Got nothing for it, a bare minimum pay rise at the end of my contract. Forget that.

Welcome to 40 minutes of listen and repeat.

 

[Ewok85]

Spare your sanity

 

[senseiman]

You could try other schools like GEOS or AEON. I've worked for both, they have their definite down points (ie saleswork, esp. at GEOS) but you get more freedom in the classroom and at AEON I was never harrassed by power tripping trainers or head office (GEOS was another story).

 

[Mike Cash]

@Mike - What about if my Japanese isn't so great now, even with a spousal Visa, I can find a decent amount of work?

Ant

Like you, I don't have a college degree. I went a couple of years in the US, and went for a year in Japan on one of those Ministry of Education scholarship thingies, but no degree.

I have to warn up front that so long as you work in fields where foreigners traditionally work (read that "eikaiwa" for purposes of this thread), the lack of a degree will slam a lot of doors in your face. They don't give a damn how well a person can or can not teach English, as a general thing. And that holds whether a person has a degree or not. The role of the eikaiwa teacher at the eikaiwa mills (Nova, Geos, Aeon) is not the effective teaching of English. The mere illusion of teaching will suffice.

Now, there are lots of smaller schools which aren't so particular. And some of the large ones will take you on without a degree if you are already in-country, with a visa, and ready to fill a slot for them. (I worked at our local Nova when it opened up).

A small number of foreigners, most of whom actually care if their students learn anything or not, go into business for themselves. Some manage to make a living. Some make relatively big bucks and live the life of Riley.

Some people opt out of the eikaiwa scene entirely. In large cities like Tokyo, you can find foreigners working in bars, restaurants, etc. Typically those that cater at least in part to a foreign customer base. Japanese ability, job skills, and your circle of connections can broaden the area of employment you can try for. In my case, for example, I'm a truck driver, a job with no relation to my foreignness or my English ability. If anything, in fact, they are drawbacks rather than enhancements.

To sum it all up, the chances that you'll find yourself on a soup line are really slim, but you will find things more limited than you would if you had a degree.