# Considering moving back



## easylife

I lived in Japan years ago, and worked as an ESL teacher. Now I'm considering moving back. I'm wondering how the job market would be for a woman in her fifties, wanting to teach ESL again.


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## annamartha

I lived there several years ago. I remember being asked my age when I called schools about work. There seemed to be older people working there, but most of them had been there for a long time. A couple told me that they didn't think they would be able to find jobs if they were coming in now.


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## mpearce

easylife said:


> I lived in Japan years ago, and worked as an ESL teacher. Now I'm considering moving back. I'm wondering how the job market would be for a woman in her fifties, wanting to teach ESL again.


Hi Easylife - I have been living in Japan for over 15 years now. I have been teaching English all that time. You can find work, it really depends on what kind of teaching you want to do though. Are you looking to work in the public schools, as a JET, or private. I personally don't teach that much now as I have found a better way to make a good income here and abroad. I have my own business now and I am always looking for people to partner with. If you have interest please email and we can talk about it. My email is: [email protected]

Michael Pearce


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## easylife

Well, that was a well-disguised piece of spam, wasn't it?


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## mpearce

easylife said:


> Well, that was a well-disguised piece of spam, wasn't it?


Actually it is not spam other wise I would have put my company and all the details. It is an honest offer. If you want more information on teaching I will give that as well. As I said earlier if you are interested in teaching it depends on what you want to do. If you let me know I can give you some ideas. Otherwise no big deal.

Michael


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## easylife

My apologies. I just see so many of those "I just stayed in the best hotel in ..." type things that I react negatively to any post from someone new to a forum who starts out recommending sites.


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## mpearce

Not a problem. I understand completely. I hate how I get pulled into instant messages for this or that.


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## easylife

You mentioned the JET program, which is for relatively new college graduates, so I guess I wasn't clear. Can someone in their middle fifties find work as an ESL teacher? I know that people who have been there a long time usually can stay employed, but what about someone who is just arriving?


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## mpearce

I don't think the JET program is just for college grads. But yes you can get work. You would have to just come over and apply. One thing that would work in your favor is that you are older so you would have more respect in that area. Right now schools are hurting for teachers because now they are teaching from sixth grade on. So they don't have enough teachers for that. So you could probaby get picked up by one of the companies that holds the school contracts not just some little English school. Another option is working with pre-school kids. i have done that for years. They are always looking for women mainly and especally older women.


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## easylife

Thank you, that's encouraging. I don't really like working with small children. I loved the students at my old school, but it went out of business. They were mostly adults.


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## synthia

Moving back or even visiting is frequently disappointing. If you do this, try to remember that it won't be the same and think of it as a new adventure.


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## easylife

Someone else warned me about that. They suggested that I move to a different part of the country so I would have fewer expectations.

I do remember moving back to the US, which I had built up in my mind as a perfect place. It was very difficult for me.


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## synthia

Yes, there is a real tendency to idealize your home. You also adjust in ways you haven't really noticed. Of course this happens even when you move to a different part of the US. I remember a friend in DC being furious at the service at a Boston Market, because she didn't think the servers were moving fast enough. I was adapted to a small-city Florida pace, and had been thinking the servers looked awfully rushed.


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## easylife

Now that I've been away, I've probably idealized Japan, too.


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## japanfan

You can idealize any place that you haven't been to in a while. I just move around and don't expect anything special anywhere, and enjoy each place.


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## april

I moved back to the same area in Japan and wasn't disappointed. I was only away for 18 months though and it was clear in my mind what I did and didn't like about Japan. I also had some friends there already. I was very disappointed about my old dojo though, and I ended up quitting it. This was the place I had missed most when away from Japan.


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