In which I am ranty like no one's business.

[akujunkan]

What did the ALTs in my city do today? Went to the beach. What did I do today? Sat at a desk for 10 hours and twiddled my fingers. What have the ALTs in my city done for the past three weeks? (Hint: going to work? Not high on the list.) What have I done? Gone to work five days a week, where I sat at a desk for ten hours a day, twiddling my fingers.

Today I find out that I'm going to be spending the majority of my time...you guessed it...teaching English. That's what they're currently in the process of switching my job description to. And here I was thinking it was my job to translate and interpret because they already had ALTs for the English-teaching bit. Except the ALTs here only need to go to work for about 2-3 hours a day, when they feel like it.

So I ask you, what is the benefit of taking a $2,000/year pay cut, sacrificing my holiday leave and another $1,000 fighting to get a drivers licence from the racist fucks at the licencing bureau (~$80+ an attempt), and financing my own move to a city about 1/8 the size of the bumblefuck town where I previously lived...to do the exact same job I was doing before?

Of course, this is self-pitying bitterness (happens to us all) because I'm going to be doing an ALT's job whereas if I was an actual ALT in this city I'd be paid to go to the beach or sit at home and read books.

But the honeymoon period is definitely over. At least I like my coworkers here better than in The Oaks.

Comments

[sara-tanaquil.livejournal.com]

Oh no! That really sucks. :-( I hope things turn out better than they're looking right now.

Man, what's a job contract for if they can just change your entire function without warning? Japan (and the whole JET system) sounds messed up sometimes.

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

The thing to remember is that the JET Programme itself is just a headhunter. Once it's placed people in jobs, it has no power to intervene on their behalf, or even set job perameters.

My woes come from the clause in my contract that states I'm to translate, interpret, and 'assist in international understanding instruction.' In other words, 'teaching English.' Last year they actually hired a full time employee to take over most of the functions the CIR had previously handled - namely, translation and interpretation in order to free my job up for said instruction.

Which I find rather underhanded. If they want a Japanese-speaking ALT, that's fine, but make it clear from the outset.

Thanks for the commiseration, though. It does help;)

[shoebucket.livejournal.com]

:-( I'm sorry hon...

You could always come back to the States! ;-)

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

I know, but the problem in the States is that no one speaks Japanese there.

Course, that's not quantifiably different from what's going on here...what kinda job can you hook me up with;)

[firesign10.livejournal.com]

That's terrible! What happened?? Can they just change the whole thing on you like that? Have you any recourse for complaint or resolution? If anything deserved a rant, that sure does.... >:-0 It's like they hired you under false pretenses! AARGHH! I'm so mad for you!!!

[akujunkan.livejournal.com]

:::hugs::: Thanks a million. The problem is that there are some very vague clauses in my contract which can be interpreted as 'Thou wilt teach English,' and there's nothing I can do about it. Apparently, most CIRs outside of the main urban centers get stuck with the same deal as me. I'm just crappy about it because were I an ALT in name as well, I'd have a lot of free time on my hands to have fun (not to mention the fact that it means I'm excluded from a large part of the ALT social network by virtue of being at work), so I'm sour. But thanks for the righteous indignation on my behalf>;)

[metal-dog5.livejournal.com]

::hugs:: That's horribly underhanded of them.