Practice before you go
I’m not sure if this is true of all four eikaiwa (feel free to comment and tell me otherwise), but the one I’ll be working for has offered a chance to practice conversation classes here in Australia before I leave. My students will be Japanese exchange students here for a two-week homestay and I’m very, very nervous.
The eikaiwa classes are conducted in much the same way as they would be in Japan. It’s not compulsory but I think it’s a great way to prepare yourself, and to get an idea of what will happen before it happens.
A nice bonus is that they pay a small amount of cash per session to cover travelling expenses to the practice classes.
If the company you’ll be working for offers such practice classes, take up the offer. If not, ask them why they don’t, hehe. Another option is to talk to your local university or college - see if they have any Japanese exchange students and volunteer to do some practice eikaiwa classes with them. They might return the favour and offer practice Japanese classes.
Will post on how my practice classes went after they happen.
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