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Now my parents have gone back to old Blighty and Reiko started her new job today, it has been left to me to find employment in this fair and pleasant land or be forced to take a plane home on the 26th June when my visa expires.

Looking at the calendar this is only two and a half months away. In that time I need to find enough work to be able to get my working holiday visa (valid only for one year only and only issued once) changed to a proper working visa. This necessitates around 35 hours of work a week. I have been thinking of changing it to a student visa and studying Japanese here. That will still allow me to work for 28 hours and learn a beautiful language. But lessons can be expensive.

So I have been scouring the local English speaking magazines for adverts today. (Incidentally my blog may be listed in next month`s issue of one of the magazines here.) I even bought a red marker pen to circle ads I liked. I saw one ad today that asked for English teachers at a small school on five days, I called them, got an interview and managed to garner the Friday 4-9 slot. All within three hours! That`s five hours a week down, thirty to go. I put the success down to the fake Hermes tie brought back to me by Reiko`s friend working in China which has got me past the interview stage both times I have worn it.

Teaching English in Japan requires no teaching qualifications. You only need a degree (for the visa requirement) and you get on average 2500 yen or 12 quid or 25 dollars an hour. This makes them highly prized and there is a lot of competition for the jobs. I blame my lack of work on smiley, easy-going and happy Americans taking my jobs (instead of the true causes - my laziness and general incompetence.) Please forgive me my American cousins, I need a scapegoat - It worked for Hitler.