AhztheCat <greatbig@dummy.com> wrote in message news:<Xns94D7788A9C33Egreatbigdummycom@130.81.64.196>...
> imouttahere@mac.com (Heywood Mogroot) wrote in
> news:dd5de929.0404260013.38a6e185@posting.google.com:
> > one)].
> > 
> > Geos is one of a handful nationwide schools (Nova, Aeon are two
> > others, unless things have changed since I left). Working for the
> > nationwide schools can be a good experience, but it really depends on
> > the manager(s).
> > There are good schedules and bad schedules, and believe me you want
> > the GOOD schedules.
> > 
>  
> > 
> > Good luck. I think now's a good time to go to Japan, the recession's
> > gotta end some day, and things are really turning shit here in the
> > states. If Bush is re-selected I'll probably be seeing you in January
> >:)
> 
> Yeah, I have the same feeling about the impending election...not good...
> 
> As for the work week, etc...I worked retail in downtown Philadelphia for 
> two years (chisel shill and cheat) averaging 9 1/2 hour days and some 
> awful management, then worked for a court reporting firm (hurry up and 
> wait, lie lie lie flatter bullshit lie)

Sounds like you're going to do well at Geos :) Now that students can
back out of their contracts, I've read that Geos pushes its own study
materials, and teachers get a cut of the action...

> with even WORSE management, so 
> even if it is bad, I kinda think I have survived worse...

That sounds about right. Geos has a pretty good rep for honoring their
end of the commitment, at least financially, so they're probably the
best of the national schools to get hired on to (believe me, that's
not saying much).

Plus as I said getting your own place set up is a BITCH in Japan (in
the Tokyo area expect to pay twice as much as Geos for about the same
quality, unless you a) speak Japanese well enough to deal with a
fudo-san (real estate agent) directly, and b) have enough cash on hand
to pay the key and/or security deposits, which usually add up to at
least 2 month's rent (for crappy apartments like the one you'll be
getting from Geos) all the way up to 4 or 5 months for the more tony
places.

Things out in the sticks tend to be a lot more swingable, but rents
and bullshit is directly proportional to the desirability of the
apartment.

> and if not...yeek.  At least I'll be out of reach of the United States of Texas 
> truth and patriotism squads. Yee Haw.

Japan was great. From 1992 - 1995 (until the web came) I was dimly
cognizant about events in the states. . . the Trade Center bombing,
Waco, whatever happened in 1994 and 1995, where all just headlines I'd
see in the English language paper, nothing more. It's nice dropping
out of western society for a year or three.

oh, I suppose I can recommend one more item for you: an iPod. You
*will* be riding trains (don't think Nagano has a subway system, but
all Japanese cities like Nagano have good train coverage out into the
sticks)