Teaching English in Japan

Note: This post is from 2003–2004. If you’re looking for current information about Nova, you’re in the wrong place.

The opportunity to teach English in Japan seemed like a great experience. I had always wanted to go to Japan. I initially came into contact with Nova through my university and held onto the information for years, always thinking I should send them my resume. After spending a few months working 60-plus hours a week for an internet startup, I applied for a job with Nova. After jumping through some hoops of interviewing and paperwork, I was hired and given a confirmation date to go to Japan.

I quit my job in January and traveled through Central America for two months. I sold everything I owned in the United States and came to Japan with a computer, a surfboard, and some clothes. I consider myself a pretty well-traveled guy — I’ve backpacked through the US, driven a car from San Diego (my hometown) to Costa Rica, and moved to Hawaii with virtually no money and not knowing a soul. But nothing compared to the culture shock of Japan. Everything seemed surreal when I first arrived — maybe it was because I hadn’t slept in two days, or maybe it was just me — but I was so glad to be greeted by Nova staff at the airport.

Arrival and Housing

After being greeted at the airport, the other teachers and I were taken by various trains to our apartments. I was slated to live near Yokohama in a town called Hiratsuka, which can best be described as a suburb of Yokohama. Living there reminded me of living in any other American suburb, except everyone was Japanese and I couldn’t read the menu at my local restaurant. My apartment was nice, especially considering I’d just returned from Central America, where I’d been living out of a van or a tent — so I was really happy to be provided with a decent-sized, furnished, clean room. The apartment also came with a shared TV, cookware, and cleaning supplies (vacuum, brooms, mops, etc.), so I was glad not to have to buy that stuff myself.

Money

I came to Japan with about $1,000 US. That turned out to be plenty to get me through my first month until my first paycheck. I also took the advance Nova offered but didn’t end up spending it. That said, I lived pretty lean that first month — I cooked most of my meals at home, and aside from a few purchases like a cell phone and a gym membership, I didn’t splurge much. I know plenty of teachers who weren’t able to hang onto their advance the way I did. If you like clubbing and drinking, Japan will break your wallet quickly — bars and clubs cost serious money, and there are Nova teachers who’ve been here well over a year and are still living paycheck to paycheck because they spend it all going out every month.

The Textbook Problem

One of my biggest gripes with Nova’s teaching methods was the textbook. It was published in the early 1980s and designed for Mexican nationals immigrating to the US — yet it’s the book we’re required to teach from. Nova does allow some flexibility if you skip the book, but doing so raises the odds of a student complaining. That’s where my boredom set in: I didn’t want complaints, so I’d usually work the book into every lesson at least a little, except for Man-to-Man lessons, where I’d let the student choose what they wanted to do. I’ll be the first to admit I’m not a great teacher, but this complaint is a common one among Nova teachers generally.

The Housing Markup

Another gripe I have with Nova is that they take advantage of new teachers by overcharging them on housing. In my apartment, split between three roommates, we paid a total of ¥216,000. The apartment directly above us, with the exact same floor plan, paid ¥156,000. I understand Nova provides a furnished room, but I’d think a company of Nova’s size — which surely gets great deals on rent given the sheer volume of units they lease — could at least charge us the going rate as a show of appreciation to its employees. Heck, if they even gave us a modest discount, it might actually build company loyalty and cut down on turnover. Getting overcharged on housing is a resentment shared by most teachers I know.

Moving On

I worked for Nova for five months. I was going to try to make it to six so I could qualify for paid holiday, but I just couldn’t push through. I was tired of wearing slacks and a tie, tired of the factory-line feel of the way they run English teaching, and most of all, tired of not being able to openly form friendships with students I saw every day without having to lie about it. So I started looking for a new job, landed a part-time teaching position, and picked up a bunch of private students. Now I make the same amount of money in three days a week that I used to make in five with Nova. The extra free time has let me do other things in Japan, like enroll in Japanese language school, study aikido, and actually build friendships with some of the people I teach.

Looking Back

In hindsight, the Nova experience wasn’t bad. It helped me pay down some debt, gave me a working visa, and helped me find decent housing. That said, Nova is still a corporate machine, and I’ve always had trouble working for large corporations. I’ve since found there’s much more rewarding teaching work out there in Japan. For anyone reading this and wondering whether to come to Japan and work for Nova — I’d say take the job. Everyone’s experience is different, and yours could be nothing like mine. Who knows, you might end up the next 10-year Nova veteran.