Aird, Langus -
Thanks for all the input - see, I really do need people to give me some decent idea of what it'll be like there. I forgot to mention to you all that I'm in the science area, and anyone who's anyone in scientific academia NEEDS to know good English to publish in respectable journals. Therefore, work will probably be largely conducted in English. I only need to know enough Japanese to survive there, what level would that be? I only know basic hiragana/katakana and a few kanji now, but I certainly intend to improve that.
My connections in Japan - I have a friend there, and I am a member of a church which has establishments in Japan, so I can rely on the members there for support if I am left clueless on how to shop, lol. As for work, I would organise it before I get there by sending emails. I'm not dumb enough to fly off without having someplace to work first.
12hours sounds like a lot.. But I'm willing to do it for a few years if neccessary. I hear not all places are like that, though... you guys might just be referring to company-based work hours, I think. I'll have to figure it out if it's the same in a university.
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Originally Posted by Langus
Japanese offices CAN be racist or sexist but many of them are not. I've never encountered any problems. Probably the worst thing you can do is come in with the attitude of "I am important. I have value because of my degree therefore you should all respect me!"
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Erm, I didn't mean I'd stomp on everyone as soon as I step off the plane. -- I meant that comment as in, I want to go there to actually work and learn, not to be looked down on as someone's lackey just because I'm female and should be married off at home like a good housewife. So I was asking about the attitudes there, which you seem to think are good. I'm banking on the hopes that the science industry there should have enough international workers to realise that not all people in the world think like that.
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Keep in mind though that saying something like "Well in America we..." won't get you far. You:re not in Kansas anymore.
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.. I'm not American. And I can perfectly agree with your sentiment there, Americans who say that annoy me to death, thinking that everyone in the world should agree with them just because America is the centre of the world.