in article 4219E12C.1000807@hotmail.com, Declan Murphy at
declan_murphy@hotmail.com wrote on 2/21/05 10:25 PM:

> Ryan Ginstrom wrote:
> 
>> But those people generally become even more bitter than English teachers.
> 
> I don't believe it is possible to be more bitter than an English
> teacher. Doesn't "Charisma Man" make it down to Okinawa?

I think it has to do with doing a job that one isn't interested in, mainly
to be in Japan. It does seem to be the easiest way to get to live here.

Most of the ex-pats that I have met in the Chubu area are somehow involved
in teaching English, either as JETS, or and kaiwa instructors, or college
professors. There are a few of us lawyers here, definitely less than ten.
(There are a LOT more in the kantou region.) There are also business men,
and some information technology types, but the vast majority are somehow
related to teaching English.

Many of the people are overqualified for what they are allowed to do in
their job, and the conditions apparently are pretty bad, and they appear to
be considered fungible property by their employers, and it doesn't
particularly pay well.

All that doesn't sound so bad at first, but after a while some become
disillusioned, realizing that they are in an area of employment that they
really don't like, that they hate their bosses, and that they can't afford
the lifestyle they would want. This becomes a bigger problem after they have
been here a while, are married with kids, and have trouble making ends meet.

On the other hand, some others in the teaching English game love their job,
are paid well (or own their own businesses), and enjoy their life in Japan.