Tuesday 9 November 2010

アルバイト?

アルバイト?(Part time job)

My topic for this week's blog is about Part Time Job in Japan. 
3 months has past since I arrived in Japan and started my new journey.
Living in Seminar House 4, I was given the great opportunity to meet many people, both foreigners and local Japanese and have come to be close friends with some.

The picture below is a Japanese friend who also studies in Kansai Gaidai University.
She, like many other Japanese students, work part time to earn a little extra, for living expenses.
Through a short interview with her, I found out that most Japanese Students, and almost 90% of her classmates does part time jobs.

 According to her and several other friends that I've asked, working part time has become part and partial of their lifes ever since High School. People in Japan try to earn the extra money for many reasons, such as paying their house rent, extra expenses and for rainy days..etc. Many people I've come across in Kansai Gaidai University works part time, even the Exchange Students. 

I am curious as why a student should work when they are suppose to focus on their studies instead. Why is everything in Japan so expensive that students here seem to survive off working several part time jobs? In Malaysia, students only work part time during the semester break. Never or rarely will you come across any student who works part time for reasons such as paying their house rent or to earn some pocket money. It is as though it has become a norm to work Part Time to support oneself in Japan. 
( I don't know how it's like in other parts of the world )



My friend, although she receives financial aid to support her education through the Japan Government, she mentioned it is still not adequate and some students
 To me, this situation is kind of sad. After we graduate, we will have to dedicate a few decades of our lives into working, but now we can't even enjoy life, studying and participating in more activities?
I'm not saying working Part Time is definitely a bad thing but I personally do not favour the idea.
Maybe The Japan Government should try and help these students by setting up more funds to support their tertiary educations. After all, this young children of the nations are going to be the Future Leaders.

3 comments:

  1. I had to work when I was in college and so I take it to be a normal thing. I, too, would like to know about the situation in different countries.

    I like your photos here - the first is a very nice portrait. I would like to hear more specifics about your friend's job. Does she work at an izakaya?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yes, she does work at an Izakaya.
    But I wish not to discuss about that.
    My purpose in writing this blog is to raise the question
    'Why Make Education so Expensive for The People'
    Are we really making the people smarter by sending them to College or are we just making the people behind the administration office Richer?

    ReplyDelete