Assistant Language Teacher, Rcs Japan
After graduating from Jindal School with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Limas signed up with RCS Corporation Japan, a staffing company based in Tokyo that finds English teachers for local schools. The company placed him in a job in Tokyo, where Limas now works as an assistant language teacher. In his role, he shares language skills with his students along with information about American culture and traditions. He credits opportunities to work on start-up business ideas at the Jindal School with expanding his understanding about how businesses work.
What do you enjoy about your current position/profession?
I enjoy experiencing a different culture in a different environment. I’ve always been fascinated with foreign countries and found myself fortunate enough to work in Japan. Perhaps my greatest joy about living in Japan is that I can be surrounded by Japanese animation every day.
How do you see your profession changing in the next five or 10 years?
Japanese education is undergoing a major reform related to English language teaching. It’s increasing the amount of English testing and classes students must take. Japan believes its future is tied to the English language so right now is an excellent time to be a teacher.
What unexpected experience or event has shaped and/or influenced your current professional life?
I actually arrived in Japan one day before the mandated quarantine because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In Japan, that blocked anyone from entering the country. The company I work for was very surprised I had made it into Japan just in time, as the rest of my colleagues were unable to get in. Because the situation had changed so fast, my original working location was changed from the city to a tropical volcano island called Miyakejima. It was the most surreal place I’ve ever seen and was like something out of a fantasy novel.
What is your favorite UT Dallas memory?
My favorite memory was making friends in my last year at UT Dallas. We used to meet up on the weekends to watch anime together on campus. There was lots of pizza involved.
Did a UT Dallas professor inspire you? Who was that and how was that person inspirational?
Dr. Britt Berrett, director of the bachelor’s program in Healthcare Management, inspired me the most. I felt like every day I was learning useful things that I couldn’t learn from anywhere else. I took his healthcare management class in my last semester, and afterwards the pandemic happened, so I consider myself very lucky to have taken that course.
Did you plan to work overseas while you were in college and how did this opportunity materialize?
When I was an undergraduate, I had wanted to work in Japan after graduation. It was probably about two years before graduation that the idea came to me. I applied for the job with RCS Japan while living in the United States and received an offer to move to Japan.
Do you speak Japanese? Is it important to know Japanese to do this job or can you do it without language expertise?
It’s hard for me to say exactly how good my Japanese language skills are. Sometimes I understand and other times I have no idea what’s being said. I learned it by studying in my free time and through talking with those in my daily life. Knowing Japanese is not necessary for my job, however, English is rarely heard in Japan so daily life can be difficult without knowing the language. My students are always eager to chat with me, so using a mix of English and Japanese goes a long way.
What age group of students do you teach and where?
I was on Miyakejima for a few months, an island in the Pacific Ocean south of Yokohama, after which I moved back to the Japanese mainland. If anyone is looking for a tropical escape, Miyakejima is the perfect place. At the end March 2021, I will be moving to Saitama, the prefecture that neighbors Tokyo. I teach at public middle and elementary schools. Beginning in April 2021, I will be working at Ohata Junior High School in Kumagaya, a city northwest of Tokyo in Saitama prefecture.
Did you take any global business classes at Jindal School?
I did take one class, IMS 3310, international business. It certainly did help me get a better understanding of the world and how business works in other nations. We did a project where we studied the economies of other countries. This inspired me to look outside the United States for a career.
What advice do you have for college students hoping to succeed professionally?
I would simply remind college students that it’s all worth it, especially when you receive that diploma. Having a degree from UT Dallas makes me incredibly proud not only for my own success but also the success of others before and after me.
