After talking with many of my students over the last few months, I've learned a little bit more about the Japanese school and work culture. Get excited. :)
The majority of the Japanese high schools have regulations that restrict their students from having a part-time job while attending school. The only exception is if one of their parents has passed away and they have to help support the family. Otherwise, there are very few high school students that have jobs. They are expected to focus solely on their studies. Quite honestly, after being here and seeing their daily routines, even if they wanted to, they wouldn't have a time for a part-time job. After school, they usually attend a cram school, and then after that many students will go to an English school. There are some days they are attending 3 different schools. I don't know how they do it....and maybe that's why when they finally get to my class and I ask them how they're doing....they respond...."I'm sleepy." :)
Some of you may have already heard the rumors that the Japanese people work like crazy. I would like to clarify that. The rumors are true.
The Japanese professionals here DO work like CRAZY. They have vacation days to use, but guess what? They don't use them. Although they have the "choice"and the "free will" to take vacation, they really don't have that choice. One of my students admitted that this is one of the negative parts of the Japanese culture.
Although they have the vacation days, there is ABSOLUTELY no way they will use them.
When I asked my student what would happen if he used his vacation days, he laughed as though that would obviously never happen....but then said, NOTHING would happen. He wouldn't get fired and he would still have his job. But there's no way that he would ever take vacation because that's just the culture. If you take off of work, it makes it seem like something else is more important than your job (Ummm.....Am I missing something here?)
This is one of the reasons the Japanese government has actually made it mandatory for people to take off of work. With certain companies, they have set vacation days, so everyone has off on the same day. It's also one reason why Japan has a lot of public holidays... it forces people to take off of work.
My Japanese friend used to work in an office in Tokyo, and she explained that she wasn't allowed to leave the office until the boss left. And yes, this is an actual rule. About 2 nights a week for a year, she said she would finish her work, and would have to sit there for an extra 2-3 hours until her boss left the office! Sometimes he was even there for personal reasons. Let's just say I'm sure as hek glad I'm not working in that office!!!
Exciting stuff hey? :)
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