Enrich Your Career, Teach in Japan!

My son worked for Interact for three years and it was the absolute worst experience for our entire family. He lived impoverished the entire time. The salary was too low to make ends meet. We constantly had to send him money to cover his basic living expenses. They forced him to move to another city and pay for it out of his own pocket..and only PARTIALLY reimbursed him. Where was he supposed to find the additional money to move? He was supposed to have health insurance but had to pay out of pocket all the time and there was always an excuse why he couldn't get his full amount repaid. He rented a car with insurance. Once again, all repairs had to be paid out of pocket, nothing EVER was covered by the insurance that he was paying for. When he eventually found another job and quit. They stuck him with a car repair bill for damage that he had never seen before. The cost was almost $1000 while only paying him less than $200 for his final salary - you guessed it, quoting all sorts of charges and reasons why he couldn't' get his full pay. That money came more than a month after leaving the company. He had to cite Article 23 of Japanese Labor Laws and threaten legal action before he even got a response from payroll. This company has caused my son and our family so much stress. It is not worth it. They are wolves in sheep's clothing. Nothing they say is true. What a huge disappointment.

I worked for three other companies in Japan, and this was by far the best. I had ample training, a decent commute, and good support. It was the best experience as far as getting to actually be immersed in the culture, and I would have stayed longer if other circumstances hadn't prevented it.

Teaching in Japan was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life! I actually found Interac after applying for a few other positions and realizing they wouldn't be a good fit for me personally. I'm glad I went with Interac and wouldn't trade any of my time there. I worked for the Nagoya branch and had positive experiences with the staff, enjoyed the area, and loved the schools I was placed in. I think if you come to Japan with the right mindset, are open to new experiences, and don't get caught up in what you think it will be like then you'll enjoy your time over there. A lot of people complain about the salary, but you have to remember that you'll be in more suburban/rural areas, so your salary goes a lot farther than if you were in Tokyo. And speaking of Tokyo, it's an anomaly compared to the rest of Japan. If you are truly interested in experiencing Japanese culture, learning the language, and seeing what real daily life is like, then Tokyo is not where you want to be. Don't get too caught up on where you'll be, instead look forward to all the wonderful local things you'll encounter!