How to Get "Certificate to Engage in Other Activities Other than that Permitted under the Status of Residency Previously Granted."

The name of the certificate is seriously long. I had to look it up on the net again just in case I miss a word. But anyway, this "Certificate to Engage in ...." is a permission from the Japanese government for foreigners who would like to do some other work not included in the scope of their visa. For foreign students, this certificate is necessary if you're planning to do some part-time work. For those who have working visas, this certificate is needed if the type of work you're planning to do some other work.

Certificate to Engage in Other Activities Other than that Permitted Under the Status of Residency Previously Granted

I had to apply for this long-named certificate because I only have an instructor visa. I can only teach students from elementary to high school. Thankfully, a company hired me to do some part-time work as a Business English instructor. This required me to obtain this certificate. Only private English classes can exempt you from getting this.

Applying for this certificate is not really difficult but it takes time. It took me almost a month before this certificate was granted. I think it would have been faster if I knew the documents needed. But anyway here's how to get one:

1. Go to the nearest regional immigration office in your area. Look for visa-related section. Ask for a form you have to fill out. In Hamamatsu, the regional office is a few minutes away from the station. It is just before the office of the Board of Education.

2. To speed the process, make sure you have permission from your visa sponsor. In my case, I had to request for a work certificate indicating my official work days and times. Also, request a work certificate or work contract from the company you're planning to work with. The other company I worked with gave me a document stating the work days and times. The immigration needed to these to make that whatever additional work you'll have won't be in conflict with your visa sponsor.

3. The immigration also asked me to submit salary slips for the last three months. Perhaps they want to know if having a part time job is necessary based on my salary.

4. After almost a month of waiting, I got a post from the immigration asking me to come the office on a certain day. Bring your passport and the immigration notice. Make sure to come 2 to 3 hours before closing time. If granted, it takes time to include the certificate in the passport. I arrived at 2:00 pm and left the office at around 5 pm. I just waited while the immigration officer did something with my passport.

I learned that you can actually download an application form for the Certificate to Engage.... then just post it to the immigration office. Also, the immigration office is gracious enough to correspond to applicants who lack documents. They don't decide just because you have no documents to show. In my case, they sent me a letter requesting for the work certificate and salary slips when I fail to bring them when I applied.

Also the certificate is not really a "certificate." It's more like an additional attachment in you passport.

So good luck in your application. Hope this helps.  :)

My First Onsen Experience

It took me sometime before I finally agreed to go with my aunt in an onsen. Onsen is the Japanese word for hot spring. Most onsens are public baths. Since it's a bathing place, people are naked as a newborn babe. I'm not comfortable being naked especially with Japanese women who have flawlessly fair skin. I just agreed to my aunt after she drove me to my new place. It was a four-hour drive and she was complaining of tired muscles, joints, ligaments, and every part and crevice of her body.

onsen at Bentenjima
photo credit: http://www.gamagorich.com/kts_en/to/pool.html

Even during the drive to the onsen, I was still hesitant. I keep telling my aunt that I would just wait for her no matter how long. I am still not ready to bare in public. She wouldn't budge and emotionally blackmailed me by pretending to agree but stayed silently sulking. I don't want to be an ungrateful wench so I finally, finally entered the onsen.

(More on Hamamatsu Hot Spring, here.)

If I were a guy, the women's onsen is a sight to behold. Slender and lithe bodies, flabby and plump ones; white and pink skins, wrinkled and smooth ones. Women of all ages and sizes comfortably roamed naked in the onsen. All of them are Japanese with their fair and flawless skins.  My aunt and I stand out in the midst of these lily-white bodies. I have never felt so insecure in my life. Why wouldn't I when even the old ladies have better-looking skins than I do.

As I shed my clothes, I kept an eye to the other people. I want to make sure no one's ogling. Ironically, I am actually the one who's doing that. I covertly looked at them. I wouldn't be surprised if somebody will scream "Pervert!" I tried my best not to look but it takes some effort. Besides, I am looking because I can't believe how women's body can be the same but yet totally different. I was actually fascinated without any hint of malice. No wonder artists do not get tired of immortalizing women's naked or semi-naked bodies in various art forms.

A funny scene also happened in the dressing area. Some Japanese women are laughing because a small girl was looking curiously at a young boy's body. Maybe she's thinking what is that tiny little thing dangling between the boy's legs.

I would have run the short distance between the dressing area to the bathing area if not for the danger of wet floors. As soon as I opened the doors to the bathing area, I could already feel the relaxing benefits of the water. I took a quick cold shower and dipped myself immediately in the hot pool. It felt initially scalding hot. It takes a few minutes for the body to adjust and when it does, the experience was zen. It was so relaxing I stopped looking at other women and just close my eyes.

After about 20 minutes, I complained to my aunt that I feel short of breath and my head feels heavy. It was the effect of the hot water. I should have gotten out every 10 to 15 minutes, pour some cold water then dip myself again. I did what she said including shampoo my hair for a lot of times, soap and scrub my body until my skin was red all over. There was a shampoo and soap bar that offers various hair and body products. I must tried half of it!

After more than an hour, my aunt got tired to bathing and decided to go home. I was so serenely happy that I went with her. I feel relaxed. I experience a very "Japanese thing." And next time, I know I won't stare anymore.

Being "On Time " in Japan

Everything and everyone in Japan seems to be almost always on time. Trains and buses come and go on time. People arrive on time whether it's a business meeting or social call. Offices open and banks close on time. Everything is a clockwork.

photo credit: http://www.etsy.com/listing/110834872/geisha-girl-japanese-design-oriental-cd

For the past months, here are some interesting things I have learned about Japanese punctuality. 

1. To be on time means to be present 5-10 minutes earlier.

This is the first thing I have learned when I arrived in Japan. You can't simply be virtually on time. You have to be at your workplace 5 to 10 minutes BEFORE the time. A Japanese friend told me that maybe Japanese are like this so the actual work, meeting or whatever can start on time. I'm not sure if her explanation has basis or just an opinion but I think there's some truth to what she said. Personally, I feel more psychologically ready to work or to have a meeting when I am already in the place a few minutes before the actual time. These few minutes seem to give me some breathing and warming up time. 

2. Unless it's a life and death situation, there is no excuse for tardiness. 

Traffic is not an excuse for being late. Household chores and other tasks are also unacceptable. Only severe conditions in winter is valid for being late. Whatever the excuse is, if you're late-you're late. One of my superiors explained that this is how with Japanese because they think that things happen everyday. It's up to the person how he will cope up with it- including how he'll arrive at work on time. 

3. Be sincerely sorry. 

So when you're late, just say sorry. No need to make excuses or even explain lengthily. Your boss or people affected with your tardiness do not need to understand you. They do not need to know the ins and outs of your tardiness. You just have to hope that they'll sincerely forgive you. 

4. You can't get away with habitual tardiness. 

In the Philippines, employees who are chronically tardy can get warnings, written reprimands and suspension. 

Unless you're really a bad employee, your superiors can overlook your habitual tardiness. In Japan, to be habitually tardy means to be untrustworthy and irresponsible. Therefore, if you're habitually late don't expect to keep your job. This is what exactly happened to a girl in my company. She's late almost two times a week, always says sorry with the principal always telling her it was okay. Then after two months, she was fired. 

5. Be on time even in social gatherings such as house warming parties, social visits, etc. 

In some countries, being on time can mean differently when applied in social gatherings such as house parties. In Japan, punctuality is still observed even in house parties and invitational social visits. It is a sign of rudeness when you turn in late as a guest. As one of the mys students said, being late for a social event means you did not give due importance to the person who invited you. Being late is treated as a personal matter. 

Universally, people may agree that punctuality is important but a lot of countries still struggle with it. Here in Japan, you don't only agree that it is important. You have to show how important it is so you can also be treated with importance.