Archive for January, 2008
Post #19 of “The Japan-related Web” guest-blogging-series on Rising Sun of Nihon
On January 24, 2008 in #The Japan-related Web Debate, Announcements
| If you are just joining us, this month Bill from Rising Sun Of Nihon has invited me to use his blog as a platform where we can all come together and discuss the Japan-related web! Here is today’s snippet. |
Today we will look at something plain and simple you can do that is truly powerful… assisting others.
Click here to read the full and join the discussion
Time for a chat
On January 24, 2008 in #The Japan-related Web Debate, Suggestions Please
How is everyone?
There is a lot going on (with the Japan-related web series, interviews, and projects).
JapanSoc is steaming along and it looks like J-bloggers are having fun with it. There is a lot going on.
I just want to take a minute to sit back and ask you guys what you think about all of the activity and see how you are doing.
Let me know what you like/dislike about the Japan-related web series (don’t worry you won’t hurt my feelings 
) .
Hopefully the ideas and discussion will continue even after the last post.
So, anyway, chat with me. What’s on your mind?
Post #18 of “The Japan-related Web” guest-blogging-series on Rising Sun of Nihon
On January 23, 2008 in #The Japan-related Web Debate, Announcements
| If you are just joining us, this month Bill from Rising Sun Of Nihon has invited me to use his blog as a platform where we can all come together and discuss the Japan-related web! Here is today’s snippet. |
Today we’re looking at joint-projects and how they benefit everyone:
Two heads are better than one. (In Japan, it’s three heads…)
When two sites share their unique resources to make one new better resource everyone wins…
Click here to read the full and join the discussion
“Remember, this is Japan” - an intervew with South Of Reality
On January 23, 2008 in Interviews
Today we’re back again with South Of Reality. Yesterday he gave us his opinions on Nova and ESL. Now let’s hear a little bit about his site and some advice he has for anyone interested in living in Japan.
DailyJ: What is the mission/vision of your site? What is your site all about?
SouthOfReality: Mainly for networking purposes. It just kind of evolved into a blog/information site. It’s just about living in Japan. Not much advice. Just various ramblings mixed in with information I wish I’d had when I first came to Japan.
DailyJ: Tell us more about that (”information I wish I’d had when I first came to Japan”). What kind of information do you focus on?
SouthOfReality: Things that could impact a person’s lifestyle, for example. Many foreigners have no knowledge about health insurance requirements in this country. Eikaiwa companies, as well as others, never inform their foreign staff that national health insurance enrollment is mandatory for those residing in Japan for a year or more. Some companies, like NOVA, make (made?) money off their foreign teachers by selling them insurance from one of their partner companies. Some foreigners, who were unaware of the mandatory public health insurance enrollment requirement have been required to make back payments for all of the time they were in Japan and not enrolled in the system.
DailyJ: If there was only one piece advice you could give to someone interested in living in Japan, what would it be?
SouthOfReality: Remember, this is Japan. There’s a different work ethic here… Lot’s of things are different. Be willing to adapt. And, leave your preconceptions at home.
DailyJ: If there is anything else you want to say, feel free.
SouthOfReality: よろしくお願いします。
Thank you SouthOfReality for the interview! I hope all of you enjoyed it too. Be sure to check out his site and say hello.
And to all a good day,
DailyJ
Post #17 of “The Japan-related Web” guest-blogging-series on Rising Sun of Nihon
On January 22, 2008 in #The Japan-related Web Debate, Announcements
| If you are just joining us, this month Bill from Rising Sun Of Nihon has invited me to use his blog as a platform where we can all come together and discuss the Japan-related web! Here is today’s snippet. |
In today’s post we are talking about commenting as a form of collaboration:
Personally I love comments, all comments (the good, the bad and the ugly). They make a blog look active, they provide feedback, and they help build the conversation…
Click here to read the full and join the discussion
What South Of Reality has to say about ESL and Nova - an exclusive interview
On January 22, 2008 in Interviews
Smug little bunny.
Today were back with South Of Reality hearing his opinion on English teaching in Japan. If you’ve had your head in the sand and have not heard about the Nova debacle, this post ought to “enlighten” (translated disgust) you.
DailyJ: Can you tell us a bit more about your experiences with Eikaiwa?
SouthOfReality: I have several years of eikaiwa experience and have worked for two of the big-4 schools. The non-NOVA experience was thousand times better than the NOVA one.
DailyJ: Any comment on the NOVA blow up?
SouthOfReality: NOVA has to be the lowest of the big-4 eikaiwa schools. It was a shit system when I was there and I doubt that things were improved there after I left. The practice of signing students up for 3-year contracts and spending all that money right away to keep expanding was foolish and Nozomu Sahashi should f***ing burn for his part in driving that company into the dirt.
DailyJ: What advice would you give to someone living in their home country who wants to become an ESL teacher?
SouthOfReality: If that person was considering eikaiwa work, I’d tell them to browse the big Japan forums, like the one at Gaijin Pot. Dave’s ESL Cafe is good, too. Eikaiwa is a business and employees are required to work as hard as necessary to bring in the bread. This may include 6 - 8 lessons per day, assisting with sales, product recommendations, student counselings… It’s not a walk in the park. On the other hand, it’s not rocket science and the work can be mind-numbing. But, anyone who’s outgoing and likes people in general will do alright in eikaiwa.
ALT work was different. I spent half of my time just hanging out with kids during club activities or chatting with Japanese teachers. It was a great experience. I’m glad I got a chance to see what life is really like in Japanese public schools. I’d recommend ALT work to those who are interested in becoming real, certified teachers.
Join us again tomorrow when we will chat with SouthOfReality about why he started his site and how it can help you. (Click here to subscribe via RSS)
Have a great day
DailyJ
Connections On The J-web
On January 21, 2008 in Community building, DailyJ Mission, On the J-web
The last time I did a “connections” post was December 5th, so this is much over due.
It’s time to talk a look at what some of the past DailyJ interviewees have been up to and see if we can find connections. I just mentioned on The Japan-related Web series how connections may become opportunities for webmasters to collaborate. I don’t know if these connections will lead to that, but at least I hope they are fun.
Here we go:
#1
Jamaipanese has vowed that he will “tame the beast that is the Japanese language”
RisingSunOfNihon might be of some help with his new Japanese language posts
Thomas from NihonHacks.com recommends AllJapaneseAllTheTime, and I agree.
#2
Meme-tagging between JapanNewbie and RockingInHakata
#3
KeepingPaceInJpan and Waikiki2Yanai talk dentists
KeepingPaceInJapan’s post mentions a service called Access Dental Counseling which would be a perfect tip for NihonHacks to cover!By the way, Turner from KeepingPaceInJapan is going in for surgery so why not take a moment to give him an encouraging comment?
Post #16 of “The Japan-related Web” guest-blogging-series on Rising Sun of Nihon
On January 21, 2008 in #The Japan-related Web Debate, Announcements
| If you are just joining us, this month Bill from Rising Sun Of Nihon has invited me to use his blog as a platform where we can all come together and discuss the Japan-related web! Here is today’s snippet. |
In today’s post I list some concrete ways we can help one another:
… in concrete terms, what does it mean to work together, to collaborate?
After much brainstorming here are five forms of collaboration for us to consider…
Click here to read the full and join the discussion
A blogger with too much time on his hands? - an exclusive interview with South of Reality
On January 20, 2008 in Interviews
Hi All. Today I have a treat for you, South of Reality has given DailyJ an interview.
DailyJ: What motivated you to start South of Reality?
SouthOfReality:Too much time on my hands.
I wish I had that problem! 
Then I could contact more bloggers
DailyJ: Tell me more about your site. Why it excites you. What you love about it. Don’t hold back from telling us your story.
SouthOfReality: Well, it’s a chance for me to share information about Japan with other foreigners, who are either living in Japan or would like to come. I have made some friends through my site and have been able to offer others help. A lot of what I post seems to point out the negative goings on in Japan, but for me it’s a kind of therapy. I mean, I love the place; Don’t get me wrong. It’s just that when you live somewhere for awhile and you call it home, you tend to want to bitch about what happens in your own backyard because it significantly affects your existence. It’s hard for me to bring this stuff up with my Japanese friends because they either get defensive or just plain offended. And, when I’m out with my fellow ex-pats, we want to have a good time, not bitch about the shit that pisses us off.
DailyJ: What posts/content are your favourites?
Hard to say. I’d like to start posting more positive stuff, though.
DailyJ: Actually I kind of like the negative news stories (maybe I have a morbid curiosity). Part of me likes the focus on violent crimes committed by Japanese. I guess that is a reaction to the old “gaijin hanzai” magazine (I’m fairly certain that violence is Japan is mainly Japanese).
SouthOfReality: Supposedly, MacArthur called Japan a nation of 13-year olds. When watching TV here or chatting with people, I’m often surprised by the naivete. I know that I don’t know everything, but Christ! It’s unbelievable how shallow so many people I’ve met here are. I don’t know if it’s cultural or what, but I almost feel sorry for them when I consider how much paranoia and fear of the unknown they have to live with. Why they have to live with it is something I’m still trying to figure out. I guess it has a lot to do with the homogeneity of the people here.
This is just the first post, but I want to go ahead and thank SouthOfReality now for this interview. Drawing you out with questions and then listening to your answers (which have been really interesting) has been fun. And you were patient with me despite the delay, thanks for that!
I hope all of you liked the interview too. Be sure to click here and check out South Of Reality. And then stay tuned (subscribe via RSS) to hear what SouthOfReality has to say about Eikaiwa.
Next time
On DailyJ
Japanopedia explained - post #1: background on the project
On January 20, 2008 in Announcements, Community building, Future of the J-web, Japanopedia, Suggestions Please
I have been wanting for some time to talk about this project here with you on DailyJ.
This is a project that is very dear to my heart. I consider it a gift to the Japan-related web.
It is a wikipedia-like site that is not owned by any one person or site, but owned by everyone.
When the idea of a wikipedia-like site was first suggested to me I went out and started a wiki on wikia.com called The Nipponster Japan Project and I wrote this post about it: Stone soup and the Nipponster Japan Project.
I think that post is still a great analogy for the project, but since I cannot and do not want to take credit for this project I asked the wikia staff to change the name to Japanopedia.
For ease of use, you can access it at Japanopedia.org, which redirects to the wikia.com URL jproject.wikia.com.
So,
Now it is your wiki. You can use this site for any Japan-related project. You want to work together with others to compile a list of XYZ? Go right ahead.
I will be involved in Japanopedia (and if you want my help with any project I am happy to help). But I don’t control Japanopedia, the community does.
I’ll post more explaining this project, how it works, how it is community owned, what types of projects would work well on it, etc.
As always I would love to hear your feedback, so let me know what you think!
