Yeah, that`s right. Its Christmas bonus time again here in the employee-friendly land of Japan. Since the moment I stepped into the tiny teacher`s room at my beautiful mountian school, the buzz of excited teachers murmuring about their long awaited pay stubs, proof of their directly-deposited Christmas cash, has been filling the air with anticipation. Small talk about the weather has been put on the back burner, for the moment atleast.
Suprisingly, the moment the slated stubs arrived, the cheerful chatter instantly transformed into a grumbling mumble. It seems this years bonus has left something to be desired. They say its less than last year, but I havent quite figured that out yet because the amount of the bonus is always twice the size of their monthly salary. Therefore, their bonus can not decrease unless their salary does. I know, I know. Japan is in some kind of "recession". I cant imagine what was like back in the heyday of the 80`s. I`ve seen more Luis Vuitton, Gucci, and Prada products on high school girls in 2 years in Japan than I saw in my whole life in the US!
Suprisingly, the moment the slated stubs arrived, the cheerful chatter instantly transformed into a grumbling mumble. It seems this years bonus has left something to be desired. They say its less than last year, but I havent quite figured that out yet because the amount of the bonus is always twice the size of their monthly salary. Therefore, their bonus can not decrease unless their salary does. I know, I know. Japan is in some kind of "recession". I cant imagine what was like back in the heyday of the 80`s. I`ve seen more Luis Vuitton, Gucci, and Prada products on high school girls in 2 years in Japan than I saw in my whole life in the US!
But I digress. The point of this all is that JETs do not recieve this bonus, because in the words of my Kocho Sensei (Principal), " You get paid too much already. "
3 comments:
I think I'd feel too accept a Christmas bonus, your kocho's right.
I still haven't been to Kyoto yet. I should give you a ring when I decide to go. I'm sure you'd be a good guide.
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I think I'd feel too guilt to accept...
For the love: guilty.
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