Anybody take a form of Kendo?

[alptraum]

Anybody practice Kendo(AKA art of the sword?) I've been thinking about it for a while and just wondered what all it entailed since it seems alot of the schools are also Akido schools too. I've been practicing Ninjitsu(art of the ninja and samarai) but when it comes down to it, I just really wanna fight with swords!!!

 

[Garand Man]

Hi Alptraum

I took Kendo when I was teaching English in Japan. I am a shodan. If you practiced martial arts before,it's kida of the same proper form,timing and knowing the techniques. If you want ask me some spefic questions and I'll try to give you the answers as best I can. Best advice is to find a very traditional Japanese person who does Kendo. You will learn much fomr them. Talk to later.

Garand Man

 

[alptraum]

You tought English in Japan?!!! I too am thinking of doing this via the JET program at my university. What did you think of it? What city did you teach in? Was it a good experience? What age were the kids you tought? Are Americans pretty easily accepted where you were?

 

[Garand Man]

I taught with the JET Program. Yes it was a great experience. I would suggest you at least try to get into JET. you can make alot of easy money and friends. I did this back in 94-95.
I was on the island of Kyushu near Fukuoka. That island is great. I taought in small town about forty minutets by from Fukuoka. The city I lived was Yame. I was the only foreigner there. Yes they like Americans very much. The women especially. I taught high school kids. Do not teach middle school. I heard night mares about those schools.

The best and most traditional martial artists live there.

 

[alptraum]

Yeah, I am seriously looking into JET. Did you go through a university or through a private company like Berlitz and the like?

Did you have to know any Japanese? Through my university it is not required, but I have basic Japanese skills.

So do you really teach Japanese in JET or do you just assist a real teacher? I've looked on a number of JET internet sites but they never really seem to say which way.

Since you were in a small town instead of say Tokyo, was life much different there from here? I've heard some "horror" stories of people going over to teach english and they get there and find out the washing machine is manual in every sense imaginable, and to get heat they have to relight the pilot light everytime. I'm sure these are probably made up(This is Japan afterall, not Ethiopia) but just wondering nonetheless.

Do you think teaching in a small town would be better than say, near Tokyo? Were you able to request a certain city or school type?

So just how friendly are the Japanese women to American men anyhow? I think Asian women are the BOMB, since I went to college all I've dated is Asians for a number of reasons(all very honorable), so that to me is a big perk to going over there but I'd hate to get over there and then find out none of them would date/marry us gajiins(foreigners)!!

Thanks for the info!!

Know any good JET information web sites?

 

[Garand Man]

Sorry to get back to so late. I have been really busy.

I went through my university. I think that is thebest way. Contact the nearest Japanese Consulate about the JET Program. You ahve to fill out an application and write an essay.

What you heard about Japan is wite about wasing machines and such. It seems that Japan is very modern in some way but in other ways the rest of society has not caught up with the other. It is he most adavnced third world country in the World. That is a running joke with people who have lived there. For eample my heater was just a kerosene heater. That was it. And it does get cold there.

Yes you do teach the childern directly and with a teacher jointly. It is basically up to the school. I would try to go for it. You can make alot of money,have a great time and it is only one year. Remeber you can always come back.
The Japanese are very accepting of Americans. The women really do like us alot. You will see. You done't have to know any Japanese jsut have a desire and an open mind to go to Japan.

If you go to smaller town you will see more of the traditional Japan and you will learn more. You don't want to hang around other Americans all the time. Not a good idea. But sometimes you need to. You can request a school town or an area you want to teach in. Le

Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[alptraum]

Since you were in a smaller town, was not knowing Japanese at any point become a problem, or do most people even in the smaller cities know English to a decent level? I took a year of Japanese in high school and a semester in college so far, so I know a little bit but hoping to learn more in the year and a half that I have before I would be eligable to go on JET. That's my excuse for watching alot of anime too

 

[Garand Man]

It won't be a problem not knowing any Japanese i a small town. I majored in Japanese but in my town they spoke in a diferent dialect. If you know the basic you will be fine. you will learn more Japanese in a small town. I'm going on vacation today so I will be back Sunday the 8th. Talk to you later.

 

[alptraum]

Wow, thanks for all the info!!!

Just out of curiosity, just how 'small' was the city you lived in? My definition of small maybe different from yours is why I'm asking. Since you've been over there, what are some good small or medium sized cities to consider teaching English in? Though I've studied Japanese and Asian culture, my knowledge of the cities is limited to the large ones, Tokyo, Sapporo, Osaka,
Kyoto, etc.

Was living in Japan as expensive as alot of people want you think it is?

How did you find out about the Kendo sensei you learned from? Did you start Kendo when you were over there or were you previously involved in Kendo?

 

[Garand Man]

I'm back

Some great cities in Japan are Fukuoka on the island of Kyushu. It is the largest city on Kyushu. My first choice. I was really impressed with Nagasaki. The prettiest in Japan. Hiroshima is great also. Nagoya is another city. I lived in that one the last time I was there. Osaka is a great city is you like a really big one.
The city I lived in before was only about 40,000. To me that is big but by Japanese standards it is very small.

Japan is very expensive to live in. I took Kendo from the Kendo club in my high school. The y have all sorts of clubs you can join. They really encourage it. They even karate and kyudo classes.

Let me know if you any other questions.