[DonovanVC]

Since we have some experienced travelers here, I thought this would be a good place to get some advice.

I am in my last year of law school out here in Chicago. Last semester will be from January to May and I am seriously considering studying abroad.

My three goals are to 1) have a new experience 2) meet/bang hot chicks 3) network to possibly get a job abroad [doesn't have to be in law, I am also looking at consulting, business etc.]

I have a few options:

1) Tokyo, Japan

Pros: I have already lived in Japan for one year teaching English, so I know the country well (lived in Osaka).

I also know the language decently, having studied it for 3 years and going back to JP would really get my skills polished again.

I also know the girls well, having had a GF when I lived there and several other hookups/dates,etc.

Finally, going to Tokyo would allow me to network and possibly get a job there after graduation. I heard the market is terrible there right now, for lawyers, businessmen, consultants, etc. Its not very promising according to my contacts.

Cons: There isn't really much "new" here for me. I seriously did everything one could do in a year when I lived there last time.

Also, I like Japanese girls alot, but they are not nearly my favorite. Its not as "easy" to hook up as people make it out to be. With average girls yes, but its honestly easier to get a hottie in the USA than in Japan due to a variety of factors such as language, subculture, culture, etc.

Also, the economy seems horrible out in Japan, so job opportunities seem sort of bare and my Japanese isn't good enough to work in a company - yet.

2) Gdansk, Poland or Copenhagen, Denmark or Zurich, Switzerland

Pros:

I have been to Switzerland only of the above three. So this would be a "new" experience. I have been to most of western europe and stayed in Germany/Austria for 2 months last summer.

I heard girls are amazing in all of these places.

I am of South Asian background so I would be rare as hell too, which could work well.

Cons:

Weather will suck.

Also, don't think there are many economic opportunities for an American in any of these places, as most people speak English in these places and the economies don't seem super dynamic.

3) Hamburg, Germany or Hong Kong

Pros:

These are actually my first choices, since I really like Germany. Haven't been to HK but heard many good things about it.

I actually like girls in Germany, since its the center of Europe you get all kinds of girls. And their decently easy to game siince you can usually use English. Plus I got the minority background working for me.

I heard HK's economy is pretty good right now and its got that Chinese connection.

Cons:

My school can't promise me either of the above programs, since Hamburg they only do in the Fall usually and HK might not be available anymore.

4) Stay in Chicago

This seems like a lame choice. But I got a huge social network out here. Also, it will be easier for me to get any job if I stay here since I can network easier.

I am looking into consulting since it offers travel options for work. So staying in Chicago might be my best ticket to travel for the future if I can get a flexible job.

But the US economy is so bad that I might not get shit for awhile either. That danger is real.

I'm not a HUGE fan of American girls but I do like the variety.

The weather will suck January-May though.

-

If anyone has advice that would be great. Thanks

[gringoed]

Anything but option 4. I think any of the abroad options will be great when you make the most of it.

[Dash Global]

all those options are great besides 4. id choose the one with the best women/location (in ur opinion)

[Vacancier Permanent]

I was for a while in your exact same situation more or less: on my way to law school then to spend a year attending law in university in Brasil as that's where I would have wanted to focus my law career (between North America and Brasil) but I have decided to put on hold any law aspirations of mine to pursue my dreams of being a successful location independent biz owner. Anyways, what I'd do if I were in that position, is to go spend some time in a country where you are interested in not only spending more time in the future but also where you could make some solid professional contacts that could lead to opportunities. So in your case, since you've been to Japan, speak some japanese and you're looking to get a gig there, I'd go spend a few months there to nurture and solidify the existing contacts and hopefully make/be introduced to others who could be of benefit to you professionally. All this while having a grand time with the local chicks.

[DonovanVC]

Thanks for the advice. I've decided to pretty much drop option # 4 (stay in Chicago).

Really lookin now between Japan and Copenhagen.

Japan, for the professional aspect, Copenhagen - for the awesomeness aspect.

[rumguzzler]

If you come Jan-May, the weather in CPH will be crappy - by May, it will just start getting nice. If you do decide on CPH, stay till July. You will love it. Copenhagen is expensive as shit, but it's a great place - reasonably cosmopolitan, loads of great parties (the large-scale student bars are the best), but at the same time it's small enough to have a healthy feel to it.

I've heard great things about Tokyo could be good, and you stand a good chance of learning a decent amount of Japanese, from what I hear.

[DonovanVC]

(10-09-2010 08:32 AM)rumguzzler Wrote:  

If you come Jan-May, the weather in CPH will be crappy - by May, it will just start getting nice. If you do decide on CPH, stay till July. You will love it. Copenhagen is expensive as shit, but it's a great place - reasonably cosmopolitan, loads of great parties (the large-scale student bars are the best), but at the same time it's small enough to have a healthy feel to it.

I've heard great things about Tokyo could be good, and you stand a good chance of learning a decent amount of Japanese, from what I hear.

Hey RG, thanks for the response. I see you have first hand experience regarding Copenhagen.

If I go in the winter, will it still be fun? I will def. try to stay until July, even if I come as early as January. Will there still be a decent crowd at the clubs, etc?

The fact is, Chicago (where I live), is WAY colder. I looked up the temperature comparisons, and Chicago is still 10 degrees colder and windier. So I guess anything is an improvement for me.

Tokyo's winter is pretty mild in comparison...but I keep thinking about hot Danish girls. I already did the Japanese girl thing...but I could get my language skills really sharp in 4 months there.

Tough choices.

[rumguzzler]

I live here.

Yes, I am positive you will have a good time - it will be hard to network, because Danish social groups are closed to outsiders 99% of the time, so international students often form their own groups. That being said, being aggressive (in a good way) ought to get you local friends, and finding a part-time job waitering, bartending or bar-backing will help you network with local Danes. Be persistent.

Denmark is 55 degrees north, so winters are dark, summers equally light. The period Jan-Feb is the dreariest, the weather is usually cold and wet with occassional snow, nothin like Chicago, I imagine.

Because it is dark, Danes spend a lot of time inside (especially weekdays), which is why we have the proportionally largest number of Facebook users. There are things to do and see around here (tourist attractions), so for an international student, you could stay busy for a while.

Party-wise you have the nightclub options, which are good (some places have scores of beautiful girls), but it is expensive. You can solve that problem by warming up at your crib, which is what most people do. There are dozens of bars all over with fun crowds. The alternative are the student parties, best on Thursdays and Fridays. This is where loads of young attractive people come. CPH has something like 50,000 students, slight majority girls, so it's a no-brainer. The Law faculty, the Business School, and the Health Science faculty have the best parties and prices are very competitive. You just have to show up early to get in, because they close to people who don't study there fairly early.

The hardest part is meeting new people, especially locals. Danish social groups are closed, most people have their own group of friends they've known since high school, and it stays that way. As a rule, Danes are boring, introverted people by most standards, but once you get to know them, they're actually good fun - so making that jump from stranger to good friend will be your biggest challenge. If you are charming and fun even when a little inebriated, you'll definitely get laid. Many girls here are very sexually liberated and just need a good excuse NOT to fuck you (which most men usually provide, thus never getting laid).

So... as far as the social scene goes, great opportunities with great challenges. If you are outgoing, cool guy, I am sure you can make some local friends, and that is what would make going to CPH better than staying at home or going somewhere else. You could meet internationals anywhere, so if I picked a place to go, my goal would be to make local friendships.

When it comes to summer you have Roskilde (a must do for visitors), comfortable weather, and lots of light. People flock by the masses to public parks and the water, the girls unveil the summer dresses and whip out the large sunglasses, so everyone seems a whole lot more attractive. And in my experience, getting laid becomes that much easier. There are loads of great street parties with great music and people are just ready to get rowdy after 6 months of darkness and shit-weather.

You will not learn any Danish except how to say "cheers".

[OGNorCal707]

I am interested in teaching English in Japan sometime in the next few years and I have some quick questions for you. How was your overall experience, was it fun, would you recommend it to others? How did you go about finding the teaching job, did you do the JET program, another company, or find a job directly on your own? How was teaching/working there? I hear that Japan is very expensive, and while teaching jobs pay "decently", were you able to save any money or break even, or did you end up spending a bunch? I've always heard that Japanese girls were easy, but that they are really horny for white American guys, do you feel like being South Asian didn't help your cause, and do you think you would have done better if you were white? Also, how was the talent in Osaka, would you have better options in other cities, is there a certain city that is known for beautiful women (e.g. LA or Miami, here in the U.S.)... Any advice or answers to these questions would be greatly appreciated. As far as your situations goes, all I can say is that I thought Switzerland was the shit, although I'm sure it's really expensive.

[DonovanVC]

(10-09-2010 02:10 PM)rumguzzler Wrote:  

You will not learn any Danish except how to say "cheers".

lol, that is a great way to end it, and prolly true as hell.

Thanks for the great breakdown though. That should be noted as a data sheet by Roosh.

Copenhagen sounds fun as hell. The girls seem so hot.

I've pretty much decided on Japan by now, since career/language-wise, it just seems like the better fit. But Denmark is still messin with my mind.

[DonovanVC]

(10-09-2010 02:37 PM)OGNorCal707 Wrote:  

I am interested in teaching English in Japan sometime in the next few years and I have some quick questions for you. How was your overall experience, was it fun, would you recommend it to others? How did you go about finding the teaching job, did you do the JET program, another company, or find a job directly on your own? How was teaching/working there? I hear that Japan is very expensive, and while teaching jobs pay "decently", were you able to save any money or break even, or did you end up spending a bunch? I've always heard that Japanese girls were easy, but that they are really horny for white American guys, do you feel like being South Asian didn't help your cause, and do you think you would have done better if you were white? Also, how was the talent in Osaka, would you have better options in other cities, is there a certain city that is known for beautiful women (e.g. LA or Miami, here in the U.S.)... Any advice or answers to these questions would be greatly appreciated. As far as your situations goes, all I can say is that I thought Switzerland was the shit, although I'm sure it's really expensive.

thanks for hijacking my thread.

lol jp.

I am always happy tell someone about Japan since it is my favorite place, and I am likely going to end up back there.

1) My overall experience was awesome. I was there 13 months in Osaka, which is like the Chicago of Japan. Everyday was an adventure. If you like really clean, organized countries, where everything works like it should, then Japan is awesome. I had a shitload of friends (western people) and eventually put together a cool all-japanese crew too (took a lot of work though).

2) I was lucky enough (or unlucky) to work for a HUGE English teaching company called Nova, that had skools in every freakin corner of the country. Thus I was able to request them to put me in Osaka. However, thirteen months after I had worked there, they were taken down by the goverment for some shady business practices and are now reduced in branch number.

If you want to live in a big city, almost certainly go through a big school (AEON, ECC, Berlitz). These places can suck to work as you have to teach like 5-8 lessons a day, and are basically paid to put on a smile and be nice to Japanese people struggling to learn English. (they get embarrassed and offended easily).

They all have websites so you can go through there. Also check out gaijinpot.com.

I would not recommend JET - they always put people in villages. You would be lucky to fuck even one girl doing that, and would probably have to like do a favor for the head of the village in exchange.

3) Japan is expensive. I still saved money though I only made 12-15 bucks an hour and worked 30 hours a week or so.

Just don't go drinking everyday like all the expats and travelers and teachers do.

I walked home with 7000 bucks after 13 months living there.

Partying is expensive (covers can be up to 25-30 bucks at clubs).

But you can eat delicious lunches for 4-5 bucks a day. Food is generally a good deal.

4) Girls. When I came to Japan, I had little interest in Asian girls. I prefer Hispanic girls and European White chicks. However, you will start to like the girls here since there are very few non-asian girls in Japan. Plus, they all dress REALLY well, and are super clean and polite. They take good care of themselves and I prolly had some yellow fever after just a few months.

Japanese girls DONT love American/Western guys. Some do, but most really don't give a shit. Thats a big misconception. The hottest chicks, the dimepieces, the ganguro/gyaru girls - almost are ALWAYS with japanese or other asian guys.

There are of course, a decent amount of girls that do like Western guys. Often clubbing is divided into "Japanese clubs" and "foreigner clubs/bars" (often owned by a foreigner). The latter is where most Japanese girls go to hook up with Western and other non-Japanese guys. You will immediately notice that the girls in this group are much less cute than the girls the tightest Japanese guys are getting. However, there are still a lot of good ones to get.

Most of those girls that like Western guys are interested in learning English. Basically, they want to speak English with you and you get to bang them. If you make a serious effort to speak Japanese, you can definitely get hotter girls as a lot of girls just arent good at english, even if they want to be.

I got my hottest dates out there after learning some Japanese.

I found banging a girl to be either 1) very fast or 2) very drawn out. There was never anything in the middle (like 5 dates). I was fingering a girl on a ferris wheel the first date. Another girl I banged second time I saw her.

But my GF out there, it took me like 6 dates.

As for being South Asian and dealing with the girls there - I never felt like white guys got more love. That never crossed my mind once. Many girls there love black guys. I saw many black dudes killin it out there. Most girls were more interested in the fact that I was american rather than the fact I had light brown skin.

The most important thing is having style. Style/fashion is big out there. A guy who dresses like Lenny Kravitz will likely get more ass than a guy who dresses in Levi's and a solid plain T.

The only negative about Japan is that its a bit "tapped out". Dudes have been going there for decades and slaying girls. You can make more money in Korea teaching (I hear people save about 10k after a year of working).

Taiwan has more young people. I went there and girls were DYING to meet Western guys. There is way less competition too. The money isn't so good there though.

[Vacancier Permanent]

DonovanC,
Thanks for sharing your experiences in Japan. Funny you mention Nova, I almost almost signed up with them in June of 2007 but luckily or unfortunately, they went down a couple of months later and my plans to go teach in Japan fell through. But I have always been fascinated by Japan and I'll eventually get there in the next 12 months.
Also funny that you mention Taiwan being a place where local girls are "dying to meet western guys" as I have been hearing quite the opposite from a couple of expats I know who lived there. Very interested to see different experiences/perspectives in a given environment.

[Luckystar]

Donovan,

I m in a similiar situation deciding on an exchange for my program. My choices are Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Berlin, Prague, Warsaw, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore.

I ve ruled out the Asian cities and narrowed it down to Stockholm or Copenhagen. Berlin and Prague sometimes peak my interest. But I m leaning towards taking on a 3-4 month Scandinavian experience.

[OGNorCal707]

Donovan,

Thanks for the low down on Japan, I know I hit you with a bunch of questions, so I do appreciate you taking the time to answer them. Yeah Japan is hella hyped by dudes here in the U.S., I have heard countless stories about how horny the girls are for white American guys, but I always thought it was way over-exaggerated. That said I have heard that it's fun, there's a good party scene, unique culture, and the girls aren't exactly "difficult", so it is a place on my radar.

It's also good that I get the truth about the JET program, everyone seems to say they are the best to go through, but I have heard most of their placement sites are in the countryside, and God knows I don't want to be in bum fuck no where, with no party scene and slutty girls to pound. I guess whenever I get my head out of my ass, and break-free of this "emerald tri-angle", I'll probably have teaching English in Japan as one of my top options. I wonder if you need a TESL certificate to get employment as an English teacher through as a private company (I don't think you need it w/ JET), also if you can get any other employment on the side, I'd probably try to find some kind of side hustle.

[rumguzzler]

LuckyStar - when you be dropping by?

[Luckystar]

I put in my request for winter, so let's see what happens.

[DonovanVC]

(10-13-2010 08:26 PM)OGNorCal707 Wrote:  

Donovan,

Thanks for the low down on Japan, I know I hit you with a bunch of questions, so I do appreciate you taking the time to answer them. Yeah Japan is hella hyped by dudes here in the U.S., I have heard countless stories about how horny the girls are for white American guys, but I always thought it was way over-exaggerated. That said I have heard that it's fun, there's a good party scene, unique culture, and the girls aren't exactly "difficult", so it is a place on my radar.

It's also good that I get the truth about the JET program, everyone seems to say they are the best to go through, but I have heard most of their placement sites are in the countryside, and God knows I don't want to be in bum fuck no where, with no party scene and slutty girls to pound. I guess whenever I get my head out of my ass, and break-free of this "emerald tri-angle", I'll probably have teaching English in Japan as one of my top options. I wonder if you need a TESL certificate to get employment as an English teacher through as a private company (I don't think you need it w/ JET), also if you can get any other employment on the side, I'd probably try to find some kind of side hustle.

no prob. u dont need any qualifications in English teaching to work for a private company in japan. Just a bachelors degree and u r good to go.