Aloha from Nippon

[mercury_b]

Aloha all,

Ive been reading HawaiiThreads for awhile now, but just decided to sign up. I was born and raised in NY (which has a worse reputation than I think it deserves), went to college in PA (very close to where the Amish drive their horse and buggies around town), and moved to Japan about a year after graduation.

I love traveling, cultural immersion, thought provoking books and conversations, meeting new people, and new experiences.

Ive been living in Japan for almost 5 years now teaching English to Japanese junior high school kids. I love my job. Ive never felt more passionate about work before, but I think its time to move on. I really want to be an English teacher (for English speakers) at the Secondary school level.

My (Japanese) wife and I have been planning to come to Hawaii for about 2 years now, and finally everything is in motion! Ill arrive in Oahu a week from tomorrow. My wife is coming a little bit later. Were planning to have a second wedding ceremony in Hawaii very soon after we get set up.

Im going to start a two year teacher licensure program at the University of Phoenix. If there are any teachers on this board, or if anyone knows anything about University of Phoenix or if anyone has any advice at all theyd like to give, Id love to hear from you!

Barry

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Aloha from Nippon

Welcome Merc! Just curious. You're going to UP for 2 years. What are you going to be doing for money........Aaaaaaahahaha, I know. Eh you buggah. You wen marry one rich Japanee girl, l'dat. Hoooohooooooo! Just hacking on ya.

Which UP campus? Where're ya gonna live? Where do you want to teach? Think you can get our kids to learn when to turn off the pidgin and speak proper english...if they know how?

[mercury_b]

Re: Aloha from Nippon

Welcome Merc! Just curious. You're going to UP for 2 years. What are you going to be doing for money........Aaaaaaahahaha, I know. Eh you buggah. You wen marry one rich Japanee girl, l'dat. Hoooohooooooo! Just hacking on ya.

Which UP campus? Where're ya gonna live? Where do you want to teach? Think you can get our kids to learn when to turn off the pidgin and speak proper english...if they know how?

Hey Eye,

Thanks for the welcome and reply. Ahhh, marry the rich girl, should have thought of that before. Now its too late. Too bad for us, we are both very binbo.

Weve been planning for a couple years to come to Hawaii, and weve saved up a bit. UP is the only night school teacher course on Oahu, so I can work during the daytime. I think we have enough to tie us over until I find a job.

I have an apartment pretty close to Waikiki. UP has 5 campuses on Oahu. Im supposed to go to the one in Milalani. It looks pretty far on the map, but my school counselor says its not so far. What do you think?

Everyone seems to agree, the best thing is to be flexible when you come, so Im gonna be flexible about where I teach. I dont know what Ill do about Pidgin, but in Japan I just hit them over the head with the notebook until they stop speaking Japanese. Its a good teaching method, gets them to remember. Maybe itll work in Hawaii too. ;-)

[Da Rolling Eye]

Re: Aloha from Nippon

Thanks for the welcome and reply. Ahhh, marry the rich girl, should have thought of that before. Now its too late. Too bad for us, we are both very binbo.

Then it was for luuuuuv. Da bes kine.

I have an apartment pretty close to Waikiki. UP has 5 campuses on Oahu. Im supposed to go to the one in Milalani. It looks pretty far on the map, but my school counselor says its not so far. What do you think?

Evening classes in Mililani. Town Center or the Tech Park? Can make a difference since it's different off ramps. You can still get to both from either, but you'll just have to drive a little further. At least at the Town Center, there are places to eat. No luck at the Tech Park unless that campus has a snack shop. From almost to Waikiki to Mililani, expect up to a 45 minute drive with no traffic tie ups. If there's a problem on the freeway, expect another 15 minutes minimum. Just leave early and hang out. <LOL>

I dont know what Ill do about Pidgin, but in Japan I just hit them over the head with the notebook until they stop speaking Japanese. Its a good teaching method, gets them to remember. Maybe itll work in Hawaii too.

A lot of parents would love you , but that'll just get you fired, though.
Others are right about being flexible. Take what's given, do what you gotta do for a few years to get the experience and work the system from there. I used to work for the feds. Basically the same thing.

[pzarquon]

Re: Aloha from Nippon

Welcome to HawaiiThreads, and congratulations on heading into your island adventure.

I have an apartment pretty close to Waikiki. UP has 5 campuses on Oahu. Im supposed to go to the one in Milalani. It looks pretty far on the map, but my school counselor says its not so far. What do you think?

I'm pretty sure most locals will tell you that Waikiki and Mililani are far apart. Of course, a 20+ mile commute might be nothing to someone used to moving between cities on the mainland on a daily basis, but in Honolulu, it's considered a haul.

You're saying your classes in Mililani are night classes? Night as in 8 p.m., or as in 5 p.m.? Because if you're going to attempt to head Ewa with everyone else on this island as sun sets, you'll be sitting in your car for an hour.

Any reason why you picked Waikiki to live? Depending on your "day job" and your wife's, perhaps it's a great fit. Especially if you want the hustle and bustle and attractions and beaches and... But if that's not important to you, and if you think you might be traveling to Central Oahu regularly, perhaps something a bit further west might work better (and be a little cheaper)?

[Linkmeister]

Re: Aloha from Nippon

It was a long time ago, but I used to drive from downtown to Schofield (near Mililani, merc) at 5:30pm for a 7:00pm class. It was doable. The worst of it was that it was summertime, and that sunshine in my eyes all the way west and north made me sleepy (and then the class started: Business Law!).

[mercury_b]

Re: Aloha from Nippon

Sorry I took so long to reply. Just 48 hours left until I get there! Ive been packing up like crazy here Five years worth of stuff to throw away or ship, plus all my wifes stuff.

Just kiddin about the notebooks. When we`re talking about my students, if they have notebooks out at all, and theyre not using `em to make origami while I teach, I call it a good class.

Thanks for all the advice about the commute. I have a much better idea now. I should have said that Ill be taking The Aloha State`s famous transportation system, The Bus. I think my counselor said the campus is in town center. Putting together everything you told me, I`m guessing itll be about one and a half or two hours by bus?

In Japan, it took about 20 minutes on train plus about 20 minutes on foot to go to school. I commuted to New York City for about a year, that took three hours!! That was terrible! Especially when they asked us to stay late at the office. I was crazy then. I dont want to have a two hour trip, but I think I can do it, better than three anyway.

I got the apartment before I found out where I was going to school. Everyone says its so much trouble to find an apartment on Oahu, so we werent too fussy. I was afraid we`d have to camp on the beach because thered be no apartment. That would be ok for me, but my wife didnt agree. I want to be close to Honolulu because maybe its the easiest place to find a day job. If theres work and an apartment in Milalani, then we`ll move there. I already agreed to the 6 month lease though.

Im going to be as flexible as I can. Takes time to learn the system before we can make it work for us, thats true here in Japan too. I think Im a little slower than most though ;-) We`ll just have to curb the spending for awhile and do the best we can. But if worse comes to worse we have a little bit of savings to carry us for a little while .

Whadya do for the feds Eye? Just curious.