Hello!
I am coming out of the shadows to ask a few questions regarding my situation.
I am young Frenchman currently residing in France and am looking into teaching jobs in Japan, may it be as a short-term or long-term plan.
To add context, I have a Master's degree in English teaching and am certified C2 level on the CEFRL, meaning that I could be considered fairly bilingual. I taught a fair amount during my degree. I would say that it may be worth about 1/2 years of experience.
I also got certified through the national exam (CAPES) last year to teach in France, but had to turn down the job due to some health issues that have now been solved. Alongside my health, the master's had me burnt-out, so I did not feel capable to hold that position given my mental state at the time. This meant that I lost the certification and would have to take the exam again to be able to teach in public schools.
I speak very (very) ((very)) basic Japanese, but not enough to actually hold simple conversations (it is a work in progress but will take time).
For the past 8 months or so, I've been doing a voluntary civil service, going into different schools to help students decide which diplomas to go for, to help them with their homework and to overall support them in their schooling.
This has revitalized my desire to teach, although I strongly desire a change of air, and Japan is a country that I've made some research on and whose culture I appreciate quite a lot.
From what I've read, Eikawas seem to be a no-go for most people, and I may be overqualified for the job. Dispatch companies may seem slightly more favorable but again, from what I've read on this sub it is more of a coin-flip than anything.
I looked into international schools but those seem very selective (understandably so) and I do not think that my 1/2 years of experience in teaching are enough to get in as the competition is tough.
The JET program is not an option for me either as I do not reside in an English-speaking country.
So this brings the question: is there any option for me other than Eikawas that would allow me to live fairly comfortably (I do not seek luxury, simply money to have food on my plate and travel a bit here and there) without crushing my mental health to smithereens?
Other question, would international schools be actually within reach if I were to acquire a few years of experience back here in France?
Thank you in advance!
by Didymoon