I'm not sure if male primary teachers have an advantage over their female counterparts per se, but my school definitely values maintaining a healthy gender balance. We currently have almost a 50/50 ratio in every grade in our primary school. However, all the incoming teachers for next year are females, and that tells me that gender is not the determining factor when it comes to employment.

This is just my perception, but male primary teachers are treated like unicorns in the US though. Especially African American teachers in lower grades are highly sought after in my district (a large, urban district) because there are not many.

Congratulations on your new job!

1. Deodorants: It's been a year since I was back in Japan, but a store called Don Quixote has literally everything at a discounted price. They have a lot of imported products like deodorants, cosmetics, etc. A lot of Japanese people use deodorants in the form of spray instead of a roll-on or stick kind, but I saw regular American deodorant sticks at Don Quixote. I wouldn't buy any toiletries at a convenient store (Lawson, Seven Eleven, Family Mart, etc) because they are usually overpriced. You can also go to a drug store like Matsumoto Kiyoshi to get stuff pretty cheap. HAC Drug is fine, but I think their pricing is not the best in my opinion.

2. Shoes: If you wear U.S. size 8, you might have a hard time finding shoes that fit you. I wear Size 8, and it's usually the largest size available. There are stores specializing in larger sized shoes like Ginza Diana, but you'll have to find where they are located.

3. Clothes: Again, if you wear larger than Size 8, you may have a hard time finding clothes. I wear medium in the States, but I can only fit into sizes L or XL in Japan.

4. Underwear: I remember reading about limited bra sizes in Japan, but that's not necessarily true. They do have cup sizes up to G and even larger. You would have to go to a department store or a special lingerie store (Wacoal, Triumph, etc) to get larger sizes, but they are available.

5. There are IKEAs in Japan where you can buy affordable furniture. Be sure to check out a chain called Nitori, which is basically the Japanese version of IKEA. They have a variety of items including kitchen utensils, bedding, etc.

6. Electronics: If you are from the States, you should be able to use everything you are using in Japan. Computers and tablets definitely cost less in the States.

Thank you everyone for your input. I think I'll give it a few more days to see if my advisor will respond. It hasn't been a week since I accepted the offer.

I am really torn about what to do... Apparently, this school does not issue any contract until they have received all required documents, including physical copies of passport photos, medical exam certificates, etc.. Is this normal?

I think this school is a well-established school, but I'm getting a little worried...

If you are with Search, please help me out... When are you supposed to click on that button that says, "I am no longer available"? I've accepted a position from a school to which I applied through Search, but I'm not sure now is the right time to deactivate my account.

I am asking this question because I have not received an official contract from the school yet... I've sent in my signed letter of intent and am in the process of submitting all required documents. I am a little confused because my Search advisor has stopped responding to my emails, and I really don't know what to do. Should I just leave my profile be until I hear from my advisor, or at least until I receive my contract?

Your input will be most appreciated!

@kellysensei,

Maybe I am not in the same boat as you per se, but I do have a spouse who is not a teacher. I've always had the dream of teaching overseas, but this has been MY dream, not my husband's. It took me over 3 years to convince him to move abroad with me, and we've been saving up just so he wouldn't have to work right away while overseas. To me, being able to teach internationally is wonderful enough... I would never ever ask my husband to go back to school and become a certified teacher because that's not what he wants to do with his life. My husband has made it very clear from the get-go that he wouldn't mind living abroad, but he was not the least bit interested in teaching. Maybe your situation is a little different because you have kids... But in any relationship, I just don't know if it's wise to push your dream onto somebody else. If your husband does end up teaching, it should be done because he genuinely wants to do so.

We all know that teaching is a special profession. It wouldn't be good for your husband or his future students if they had to be taught by someone who doesn't even have passion for what he does. I'm just saying.

With that said, you will find a position in Japan or elsewhere if you are truly competent in what you do! I thought I would never ever secure a position at an international school (having no international school experience with a non-teaching spouse), but I was bombarded with offers even before the job fair. I'm telling you that it is possible. Just believe in yourself and continue to work on your craft. You'll find the right fit for you and your family.

I don't know which agency you are with, but I was told that there is no penalty if you are canceling your fair attendance as a result of securing a position.