I need advice for my 16 year old son

Thanks mfedley for the extra info :)

kurofune - you have made me smile. My son is extremely interested in Japan,(and has been for a few years now)- the country, the language, the people, the culture, the buildings, the food and drink - I could go on! So, I know that if he does decide to go in the future, that he will do his utmost to fit in.

This advice might seem a bit random but as someone teaching in a language school here, I have found that my part-time work as a waitress throughout my university years and after has helped me enormously.

People skills are just so priceless for both coping in a new environment and teaching English. It's also a work environment where you kind of have to roll with what happens and goes wrong - another invaluable skill. There are many illogical, inefficient or subjectively difficult/wrong aspects of working here, and being able to just get on with it is very helpful.

It sounds unrelated, but I highly recommend working in a restaurant or cafe as a part-time job while completing the necessary courses. Many of the skills are transferable and also the hours/tips can be very helpful!

Good luck to him! And I second kurofune - while some of the posts before have some elements of truth to them, take them with a grain of salt! Where there is a will, there is a way, and it sounds like he has a lot of will.

kurofune has some good points. It really depends on the individual and people from overseas are not uncommon here anymore - even in rural areas.

A possible plan for him might be:

(1) Learn some basic Japanese (conversational and Hiragana alphabet)
(2) Complete a university degree + some part time work (a great suggestion)
(3) Potentially apply for the JET program

Do note that I now know 5+ international teachers who started their teaching career through the JET program and then ended up becoming teachers as a result by going back to university.

Hi Gabrielle,

@Mfedley, I hope you didn't think I was trying to say something against you when I was talking about non-JET English teachers and I am very sorry, I didn't mean that at all. What I did mean is usually when people refer to foreigners who are English teachers in Japan (outside of JET) they are foreigners who don't really know a lot of Japanese, but want to be in Japan, have no teaching experience, and generally go to Japan with a company like Nova, Geos or whatever the other current big language schools are. That is not the same thing as being hired specifically because you have teaching experience, like in your situation. There is nothing wrong with the former and I know many people who've gone to Japan that way, but their experiences are going to be quite different than someone who is a JET or someone who is hired for their specific teaching experience.

I want to stress, I am not trying to discourage you or your son, but I do think Japanese skills are just so helpful. I also agree with @Paris about needing to just roll with things, that's a skill useable everywhere.

Overall, the JETs I know who went to Japan knowing some Japanese aka could at least pass the JLPT 4 before going to Japan and then worked on their Japanese to improve it further have been the most successful and the most happy. One former JET my age, went back to University here post JET and is now a married professor in Kangawa-ken. He's very happy in Japan and exactly where he wants to be. Nearly all the people I know in Japan have found friends. My friend who was working for Geos or its ilk and who just left Osaka was in an English Language Book Club of foreigners who got together at least once a month. My married professor friend, my former CIR friend working in Tokyo, and my former ALT friend in Osaka all have Japanese friends that they do things with.

However, unless you have strong Japanese skills there are definite limitations in job advancement. And while a job teaching English with Geos for 280,000 yen a year might sound great in your early 20's, it's not as great in your early 30's or 40's or 50's. And I think that is really the problem with Japan as a foreigner. Unless you are fluent and lucky, there can be huge limits on career advancement and pay. My friend who was working at a private high school was making a decent salary, but there was no career advancement or anywhere for her career to go, which is why she moved to translation. If you're just going for 3-5 years it's not a huge deal. If you are going there and want to stay permanently, get as fluent as possible now.

Good luck, if he wants this, he can do it!

Thanks everyone - some great advice and info off you all - it really is appreciated.