I've been teaching English in Tokyo six years now, and seldom have I seen anything like this in print. Lots of people trade these kinds of tales informally in conversation, but I they don't usually write them down. I'm a member of ESL Loop, the CUNY TESL Listserves, and so on, so I'm always reading postings from prospective teachers that would like some good information about what life would be like for them if they came to Tokyo. When I surfed across this page, I immediately wanted to link to it -- for the benefit of any of those people who want to find out what teaching English in Japan can be like. At first, I couldn't find the author's email anywhere on the site to ask him if that would be ok. As you'll see, if you go there, his site doesn't identify him by name --at least that I could find on my first visit -- and doesn't give any references for feedback until the end of chapter 13. Turns out his name is Mark Thomas, and the rest of the contact information is there, too -- you can order his book from that spot as well. Since I was really pleased and impressed with the candid look at English teachers' situation here Mr. Thomas had accomplished in his piece, I jumped the gun and hooked up to his page anyway. Hope he doesn't mind. This material is what some more conservative teacher-types out there might objectionable, so please don't peep if you don't want to be exposed to some of the authentically seamy unpinnings of the English business in Japan (and elsewhere, I'm sure). Having said that, I'd like to congradulate the writer for having a lot of truthful experiences to relate -- all, in my opinion, chock full of the essential coloring of English teachers' lives here.

'DAZE' IS HERE