Paul Blay wrote:

> "Hallvard Tangeraas" wrote and I slightly rearranged ...
>> English schools a lot I feel (and have been told by others) that my 
>> language skills are just as good as a native speaker.
> 
> Well you _write_ better than half the native speakers in this
> newsgroup - probably including me. 

Thanks :-)


>> Having visited Japan and liked it a lot I've given thought to the idea 
>> of staying there for a year or two (and who knows what next). Speaking 
>> to other gajins along the way I've understood that the easiest way to 
>> get work is to apply for an English teaching position when you don't 
>> speak any Japanese.
> 
> I'm not sure what else you could do without speaking _any_ Japanese.

If I get really serious about moving over to Japan I'd want to learn 
Japanese as well. I guess living in another country without knowing at 
least a bit of the language keeps you pretty much out in the cold.

Is it hard to learn enough Japanese to get by? I mean, the usual 
situations like shopping for groceries, buying a ticket, picking up the 
phone etc. Not a philosophical discussion mind you!


>> I've been trying to find out more about this, but it looks like it's all 
>> geared towards *native* English speaking people in their twenties, and 
>> I'm neither: I'm from Norway and in my late 30s

> Hmm, I don't have any direct experience but I would guess that 
> certification would be a good idea.  However I think you should be able to 
> take some sort of test without having to actually do a course given that 
> you already can speak English.

Too true. I have found a test that I can take, but it's pretty 
expensive. Attending an English course at the university would probably 
be cheaper. Besides, even though I learnt English the "natural" way, 
simply by growing up with it, going to English schools while living 
abroad, I had problems actually *explaining* why for example I should 
use "is" instead of "are" and so on. I just knew, but couldn't explain why.
I'm afraid that when tested I might run into the same scenario. I 
believe I know enough English to be seen upon as a native English 
speaker, but I guess that isn't enough when I'm not English, American, 
Australian etc. (oh, almost forgot New Zealand -no offence to you Kiwis 
reading this ;-)


>> Does anyone know if it would be possible at all for me to get a job like 
>> that, with my background and age?
> 
> I came across a site somewhere in Japanese aimed at Japanese 
> speakers wanting to teach English ... if they can do it I'm sure you 
> /should/ be able to.  

Cool! Do you happen to have the URL to that site (if it's all in 
Japanese it won't help much though)?
What did it instruct Japanese people to do?


>> I'm also considering an introductory course in Japanese at the 
>> university, although I have no idea how hard this is. It's a two 
>> semester (one year) course.
> 
> I personally would view it as a waste to go to Japanese for "a year or 
> two" without attempting to learn / use Japanese.

I guess you're right.
Assuming I do take a basic Japanese course, what kind of jobs could I be 
getting in Japan?

I was thinking that I could probably quite easily get a job *here*, 
guiding Japanese tourists around, but that really doesn't help much when 
I want to go to Japan ;-)
Still, after I've been to Japan, such a job would keep my language 
skills up to date.

It's all about supply and demand I guess: if you have a skill that few 
others have you're in. If you have skills that everybody else has you 
have to compete with loads and loads of people.
That's why teaching English at some level would be nice.
I've never had any teaching jobs, but I'm good with people, patient, 
understanding and I hear that I explain things very well.

Heck.... this is starting to sound like a resume!!! I'm just thinking 
out loud really, looking into every possibility ;-)
Is there any demand for English teaching classes at people's homes, or 
companies? I have a feeling I'd like that better than compulsory English 
for high-school students.


> I'm a lousy example though because I've learnt a lot of Japanese
> without attempting to go to Japan. ;-)

Hehe.... did you/do you have plans for going to Japan some time? Is that 
why you taught yourself Japanese?
Did you attend classes, or study it yourself?

-- 
Hallvard