Ganbatte Means Go for It! Or. . . how to Become an English Teacher in Japan (Paperback)

by Celeste Heiter (Author) "So you want to teach English in Japan?..." (more)
Key Phrases: work visa, rail pass, Kansai International Airport, Alien Registration, Immigration Office (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Celeste Heiter left her home in California's Napa Valley to teach English in Japan for two years. Now back in California, she says, "Little did I know how profoundly that journey would shape the rest of my life."

In Ganbatte, she takes you step by step on this life-changing adventure. The book is packed with information and advice on getting a job, moving to Japan, succeeding in your new job and environment and enjoying your stay there.

About the Author
Celeste Heiter, writer and graphic artist, spent two years living, working and traveling in Japan. Among her many treasured experiences in this paradoxically modern-yet-mystical culture was the birth of her son Will. Celeste and Will, now 13 years old, live in California's Napa Valley.

Product Details

• Paperback: 158 pages
• Publisher: Global Directions Inc/Things Asian Press (January 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0971594007
• ISBN-13: 978-0971594005
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #353,745 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A thorough and insightful resource, April 18, 2003

By	"zenpen" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

"Ganbatte Means Go For It" is the latest and most up-to-date guidebook for becoming an English teacher in Japan. Concise and user-friendly, with a focus on utilizing the Internet as an indispensable resource, "Ganbatte Means Go For It" leads prospective Japan English teachers through the step-by-step process of researching the current job market from home, setting up interviews with employers, preparing for the journey, getting hired, finding a place to live, getting a work visa, succeeding as a teacher, and even a section on using a computer in Japan. It also includes an invaluable list of survival tips, cultural do's and don'ts, and a lengthy resource appendix. Each section features links to the best and most reliable websites to supplement the information in the text and to help readers make the best use of the Internet in their job quest.

Note however that, in addition to advising readers how to use the Internet to find a job in Japan, the author also relies on the Internet to supplement the text. So be prepared to have your browser open while reading "Ganbatte Means Go For It," and be sure to visit all the suggested links to get the most out of your reading and research.

One feature I found especially helpful was the questionnaire in Chapter 2, "Do You Have What It Takes?" This section is designed to help readers take a thorough personal inventory and assess their skills, assets and personal characteristics to determine whether they're made of the 'right stuff' to embark on an adventure in Japan.

And for a personal touch at the end, author Celeste Heiter recounts several of her favorite experiences in an epilogue called "Vignettes of Japan." Not only are her ten essays entertaining, they offer an enticing glimpse into the rich cultural experience that awaits adventurous English teachers in Japan.

Although it is written in an easy-going, conversational style, every page of "Ganbatte Means Go For It" is packed with useful, first-hand information. One thing I found lacking however, is that although the content is well organized, specific topics within the text can be difficult to locate. This book would have benefitted greatly from an alphabetical index.

"Ganbatte Means Go For It" is a 'must have' for anyone who is serious about seeking employment as an English teacher in Japan. Don't leave home without it!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provocative... literally, December 1, 2007

By	E. Yap - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Have you ever thought about becoming an English teacher in Japan? Do you ever get tired of a friend who has done that and boasts persistently about it and thought, `heck, I could do that!' but find yourself balking at the last minute? Or are you all hyped up but have no idea as how to start your `Asian adventure'?

Whether or not you are thinking of going to Japan or you are already on the way there, this is the book for you.

Ganbatte is a seminal piece of work that incorporates both the author's own narrative that tells her story as well as a guide for you to tell your own.

Just as the title suggests, the Ms Heiter's own story begins with an exuberant devil-may-care decision to hope on the plane to Japan with a prince charming and the book deftly simmers to the nitty-gritty details of settling down in a new culture; culminating in the birth a baby! From staring at an old woman checking her computer accounts with an abacus to ogling naked young men on the streets during a Shinto festival, I appreciate the author giving an eyewitness account of this mysterious land that seems so paradoxical to the western mind.

There is another LonelyPlanet-like aspect to the book; the dos and don'ts of being in Japan, the land of the rising sun.

I find it amusing and impressive that there is even a one-year countdown to take-off as the author suggests which steps to accomplish every month all the way down to the final day. It is idiot-proof; (there is even a paragraph on jet lag.) Seemingly redundant advice such as `don't yawn in public', `offer your seat to the elderly in the train' may seem a bit odd and off-topic, I feel these things cannot be told often enough. And as foreigners in a foreign land, any such faux pas ought to be avoided.

As an English teacher aspirant, should you buy a one-way or a round ticket? How much would you earn as an English teacher? Is there a market for foreign teachers? How is the weather and seasonal changes like in Japan? What sort of clothes should you pack? How do you settle down economically? How to furnish one's apartment? What are sayonara sales?

After reading the book, you are excited but unsure? No problem. In the chapter titled `Do you have what it takes?', there's a 10-question quiz by which you can determine your readiness measured against your score.

Written by a Californian who is now back home but still functioning as an English teacher to Japanese businessmen, I feel this is a passionate work of a lovely memory as well a complete guide for one to enjoy and succeed in taking this momentous, life-changing step.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great for the novice, not too too useful for people who knows Japan, August 29, 2008

By	Deborah Cheng "Kooritsuki of Paranormal Roman... (http://romancenovelsreviews.blogspot.com/) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought this book because I want to, eventually, go and teach English in Japan. I have been to Japan multiple times in the past and needed some extra information on how to find jobs and settle down in the country when I, eventually, move there. I read through this book and found that it's a great book for the novice, who knows nothing at all about Japan, but lacks the useful information for people who have been or knows about the Japanese culture.

The author addressed the culture shock part quite well, talking about how different the culture of Japan is from the United States. I especially like it when she said that you'll have to be prepared to eat whatever that is presented to you without knowing what exactly is the content inside. This is so true, because the Asian culture is just not used to telling you every small ingredient in a dish (or your medication).

However, the book seemed to have focused way too much on the culture shock issue that many important points of how to settle down and such have been missed. For example, the author did talk about finding apartments, provided a list of documents that one should bring when looking at apartments, and the questions one should ask the landlord. But she fails to mention what one should do when they like the apartment. Should they present the landlord with the key money right away? Are there anything that is done differently in the process of securing the apartment in Japan than in the US?

The author did provide a list of websites that could be very useful to the reader in finding more information about the move to Japan on the varies subjects though.

I would recommend this book to the complete novice, who knows nothing whatsoever about Japan and the Japanese culture (although it beats me why one would want to go to a country where they know absolutely nothing about). However, to those who have been exposed to the culture, I'd say, save your money and search for information on the web.