I just got a job in Tokyo

Working at the University of Tokyo as a research fellow

My girlfriend also got a position in Japan, working at TMU (Tokyo Metropolitan Uni).

I can't wait to start - it's been a lifelong dream!

We'll probably live somewhere like Komae or Choufu as it's roughly half-way between.

Anyone live around there?

 

224,878 according to Wikipedia.
Source.

 

I wish you good luck - hope things will develop as you expected.

 

I lived in choufu about 3 years ago but that was choufu in shimonoseki

Congratulations mate. I hope you have fun!!

 

its hard to find a job for the strangers?

 

If you don't mind me asking, what exactly is your occupation? Is this a fully-Japanese position?

<-lol'd.

 

:clap:

 

You got a university gig - thats good. Most foreigners are not provided work visas as it takes away a job from a local....

 

Congratulations :clap:

My sympathies.





















;-)

 

very jealous, i would love to just visit, let alone live there

 

Actually most jobs that foreigners do aren't jobs meant for locals. The only ones I can think of are in convenient stores & fast food chains, and foreigners working there is a relatively new concept.


As for the OP, I'm curious to hear your stance on the university system (especially Todai) after being there a year.

 

Thanks for (most of) the comments guys

I meant, does anyone from the forum live in Choufu, or nearby you cheeky git.

I got a fellowship at Todai (tokyo uni) pending the successful completion of my Ph.D next month.

I'll be doing research into global warming (essentially). I wrote a proposal and obtained money through a joint UK-JP grant system, so there was no job to apply for as such. That's why it's a fellowship position and technically not 'just' a job

After being in the UK university system since 2002, I am looking forward to see how Japan compares. I've been to Handai before, in 2008 (I think I joined the site whilst there?), and loved it.

 

It's probably a lot different a the post-grade & research levels. Japan is usually lambasted for their education system, from basically preschool on. I'm one of the ones doing the lambasting usually, from what little I know of it. I personally was only in a language specialty school for a semester (and taught business English) but one of my teachers was a proper professor (although a Kiwi) at Sophia and he didn't have a whole lot of good to say about it either.

 

I lived in Tachikawa, sick place, near central to everything


Now......... if living in Yokohama, Sakuragi cho area, A DREAM!

 

If by everything if you mean the entire country, yes. Things in the metropolitan area? Hmmm....

 

From everything I've read the university system in Japan is not kind to foreigners.

 

Well, I won't be in the "University system" per se as I am not going there as a student. I have made a research proposal and I have been given the research grant to carry out this research. I'll join a research group. In 2008 I stayed in Japan for a couple of months at $B:eBg(B [Osaka Uni] and thoroughly enjoyed my brief time there, though it was not on an official capacity I was technically a research student.

Either way, I've got the job and if I didn't get the position then I would have to be looking for much shitter jobs or unemployment in the UK. This is win-win IMO.

I'll let people know all about my experiences at the Uni if they wish to know more. I go in January 2011, if I've not said already.

I don't doubt it.

I'll be at the "staff" level at a group focussed on global climate change research. By all accounts I have heard that the head of my new research group is a very nice person - from people I currently work with that have met him. Even my current boss said "he's one of the good guys" (i.e. not a twat).

Who knows. It might be shit. At least I will get paid. At least I will be able to buy a fuck-tonne of Dreamcast crap and bring it back with me if nothing else.

 

That is a worthy task itself. There is no finer thing then seeking the holy relics of Sega and its begotten child, Dreamcast.

 

Last time I was in Japan, I posted all my clothes back by surface mail (or some kind of cheap sea-mail) which took about 3 months to land in the UK

This was because I rammed by suitcase full of DC stuff... 2 arcade sticks, LE games, SEGAGAGA Boxset etc... loads!