As the title may have suggested already, I'm contemplating pursuing a teaching career in Japan.
Some background information:
- 27 y/o female
- born and raised in the Netherlands (aka non-native speaker)
- Bachelor of Arts in TESOL (International English Program at a Thai university)
- TOEIC score: 960 (C1-level)
- 2 TEFL/TESOL certificates
- Only taught English in Thailand (5 years of experience) (K-12)
- Teaching license from Thailand
- Current role: Nursery Homeroom Teacher at an International school (Cambridge EYFS curriculum)
My main concern would be:
How easy is it to find a decent-paying teaching job in Japan as a non-native speaker? (not sure if it makes a difference, but my accent is pretty neutral, closer to Canadian)
I've been reading a lot about ALT positions, and as I've been a homeroom teacher for some time now, I'd like to know how difficult or easy it would be to acquire a similar position in Japan.
My main reason for considering Japan is (don't get me wrong, I genuinely love Thailand, and I know I'd miss it so much), I'd like more accessibility to nature. Yes, in Thailand, nature is everywhere, but it's not easy to find decent trails, parks, or even a forest to peacefully walk in. As someone who comes from the Netherlands, I'm slowly starting to miss my peaceful and quiet nature walks. I also appreciate how clean Japan is. And as someone who has a small dog, I miss having places where I can take her for a walk peacefully, without having to worry about street dogs, motorbikes, or whether she's even allowed to walk there or not.
Please, do give me your unfiltered and honest opinion on the prospects and reality of acquiring a job in Japan. I'd like to advance my career and get to a point where I can actually start saving money. Thailand is extremely difficult in terms of employee benefits, and the yearly salary increase, bonus, and pension are mostly non-existent (unless you're working at a top-tier international school, which unfortunately ONLY hires UK/US/NZ/AUS nationals).
by searchinglola