Today, I answered my mobile and got someone on the other end saying "Thanks for your interest, but, no, sorry." No, it isnt about romance! I'm really used to jobs phoning me up now after interviews and saying "No..., sorry". I can no longer count how many interviews I've been to this year alone and how many rejections I've had. Rejections are something I expect now. Which is why I'm giving job-hunting a miss for a bit. Whats the point in taking time off work to go to an interview for a job that your not going to get? Might as well take the time off for more fun purposes!!
But, today's phone call was different. It was fun a very posh man with a very British accent.
**Put on your best posh voice**
"Oh hello there, I was wondering if I could possibly speak to Karen." It was from a guy named Hugh, from the Japanese Embassy. They had recieved my letter requesting another Working Holiday Visa. "I'm terribly sorry, but you can only obtain this visa once a lifetime I'm afraid." A rejection. Great. He went on to say all the various other visas I could get - Student, Tourist, Working... I lost interest, I wanted a no-strings attached free-and-easy Working Holiday Visa. (Can I be re-born? Would that count? (!))
After the call it was strange. I felt oddly relieved. Maybe it was cos I knew for sure. Maybe it was because I knew what I had to do now. Maybe it was because it was a bad idea in the first place. Maybe its because I can finally get on with my life now. Maybe its because I'm a Londoner.. (oops... got carried away >_< )
I have 3 options available to me now.
I could study for 3 years and get a degree that would allow me to work in Japan... but... I dont see the point. The risks are too high. After 3 years of 'playing the Designer', in the real world, finding a job would still be hard because its experience that counts, not degrees. And even if I have a degree, I could go to Japan and hate being a teacher as I did before. Therefore, my time studying would be meaningless - not helping me in any country.
I could go to Japan to study Japanese for 1 to 2 years. This would mean me having to save a serious amount of money in England. I'm talking 10's of 1000's. Its still an option, but a pretty distant one.
Or, I could go to Japan on a tourist visa for 3 months. During those 3 months, I could search frantically for jobs. Lots of jobs will ask for visas and degrees. Both of which I dont have. Maybe I will find a job that would be willing to sponsor me with my art background and my shiny TESOL qualification. Maybe not. I can extend my visa a couple of times, maybe staying there a year. With no job guarantee I'll need a fair bit of money behind me. Could be just another year of fun. Or a year of worries. Or, a year living with the homeless in Yoyogi Park.
My options arent good.
I'm not willing or ready to do a degree in a field I have lost heart in to get a job in Japan that I dont really like.
Guess I'm fucked.
3 件のコメント:
dont lose heart karen!
are you completely sure there is nothing you want to study at university?
also the study visa seems like a good option, while studying you can have a part time job at the same time? then you should maybe be able to find someone to sponsor you for a visa in that time (i guess it depends on what japanese level qualification you get, do companies sponsor people with good japanese but no degree? im not sure)
other than that, find a rich japanese man and get married :D
nick
Hi Karen, I've just started reading your blog recently (I found it while looking for information on ダーリンは外国人 :D), and I can totally understand your situation. I'm looking for ways to get back to Japan for anything longer than a short holiday.
I'm coming to the end of my degree in CS and I'm trying to find the best way to get out there too.
You said you taught English out there and hated it? Why was that?
I think to get to Japan, you should try to think what you can do which will make you stand out from other potential employees. You're fluent in English, and you have design skills, it seems. So try to find a company that is really looking for people like that. Like a Japanese design company that is trying to expand overseas or something.
I'm sure you've already thought of all this, but there's my input, anyway :)
My current hope is to finish my CS degree and do a year-long intensive Japanese course in Japan somewhere (名古屋 maybe). I'm torn between doing a 3-year or 4-year degree though. I want to get out there ASAP as my gf is living out there, but I don't know how easy it will be to get a job with just a Bachelor's degree...
Anyway, I hope you find a way to get back out there. If you do, tell us all :D
- Ben
Nick - "other than that, find a rich japanese man and get married :D" -- haha, find me one, will you? ^^
Ben - Have you read any of the Darling ha gaikookujin books? I love them :-) (...only read 2 though...!)
"So try to find a company that is really looking for people like that. Like a Japanese design company that is trying to expand overseas or something." -- yeah, thats hard though, as to be a graphic designer in Japan I need experience in designing in Japanese. Theres a possibility I could work in a foriegn company or even for a Japanese company, designing in English, but seeing as I'm not a designer (an artworker) thats next to impossible. As well as that, with no degree my chances are dim. On top of that, I dont have a ton of experience either... >_<
Good luck with your degree and have fun in Japan - as you've a girlfriend there I take it you've been before?
Thanks for your comments :-) Read my newest post to see I've changed my mind (again...) partly due to your comments, partly due to some phone calls, partly due to reading random newspapers on the tube, partly due to my brain saying - if I dont do a degree - what is there to look forward to? Crappy contract job that expires in December...
(could be another post tomorrow saying something completely different. See, the excitement of my website is never-ending!!)
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