snowfaire
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Joined: November 2017
Posts: 12
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Post by snowfaire on Nov 15, 2017 10:51:35 GMT -5
Hello. I'm snowfaire and I teach EFL (English as a foreign language) in Japan. I've been here for 2.5 years. It is my first full time job ever, and this is the first time I've lived alone for more than 4 months. It was my dream job at first, and I was pretty darn busy and happy for a while. I was pretty clean for about 3-4 months, but the clutter slowly started accumulating as I got care package after care package from my parents and I spent EVERY Saturday and Sunday and holiday (and some weekdays) immersing myself in the local culture and festivals and working at least 2-3 hours past my scheduled working hours every week, with 7-8 hours+ in September and October.
It was still in stage 1 according to the squalor category chart until the "summer vacation" happened in July, about a year after I started. That is, the STUDENT summer vacation. I felt tired and I needed a summer vacation, but, for the first time in my life, *I* didn't get one! You see, in Japan, the teachers have to come to work and "work" every *** non-weekend summer vacation day the students are off. There's no work to do for most of this time, so you're supposed to "find work to do" or "pretend to work." I WAS being paid ... to pointlessly waste time and keep up appearances. I could read or surf the internet on sites that looked professional and text-heavy (I think I would have gone insane if *all* of my favorite websites and the kindle e-reader were blocked =P), but, if someone asked what I was reading, I'd have to lie (with all the attendant stress/guilt/worry). And trying to actually make lesson plans that would never be used (since I wasn't told about the new curriculum or textbook until a few days before September 1) just to make the Japanese English teachers think I was being productive when they occasionally asked about it....that got old within days. I did try to subtly drop hints that I'd be very happy with an UNPAID (AT HOME!!!) break in July and August to be told by the Japanese teachers who also spoke English that "this is the way it's done in Japan," and more subtle hints to adjust to the culture etc. I complained about this to my parents, to my friends in America, and to the other EFL teachers nearby, and the response from all was the same. To sum it up: "What's wrong with you? You're being paid and you don't have to do any work! You have the best deal ever! Why are you complaining?"
Well, that was just great for my happiness and self-esteem! I started thinking "What's wrong with me? Why aren't I happy with a great situation? Everyone else thinks it's great but me! Why can't I work 40-45 hours a week with only 2-3 weeks vacation a year like every other mature adult without being so depressed I almost wish a car would run over me on my bicycle every Monday morning? How can I survive 35+ more years of working without ever having a *real* summer vacation again and having to work on pointless repetitive *** that I don't learn anything from even MORE than I do now?" However, I hit on a brilliant solution to my problem--if I never EVER cleaned or took out the trash or picked up food and only did laundry once a month or so, I could both a) have more time to do the things I desperately wanted to do that couldn't be done while "work"ing (sleep, video games, tv/movies, reading for pleasure WITHOUT GUILT/WORRY, etc.) and b) purposely make the school a more welcoming/desirable environment than my house in ONE way (it was much cleaner) to decrease the misery and resentment I felt at having to be there. So, I got to squalor stage 4 on purpose. I know that technically this was a bad idea, but I can't completely regret it, because it did achieve my two goals very well.
It crossed my mind a couple of times that I'd get evicted if my landlord, whoever he/she is, ever entered my apartment, but for a while I didn't care, because I was so desperately bored and depressed. If I lost my job due to being evicted due to being squalor stage 4 I thought that would be kind of good, actually, as the job is at least well-paid (in my opinion), so I have savings. I could get out of here and be happy. But the downside of being fired is worrying about whether I'll be able to get recommendations/references or be hired at another job that isn't complete crap. Possibly worse even than that is that I can't bear to disappoint my parents (again), as they finally think that I'm a mature adult!
It's really scary to think that I can be evicted without even a warning that I can understand, since any warnings about eviction would be written in Japanese, which I can't read. (I put all mail in a huge pile except for the ones reading NTT and SoftBank--with the company name written in ENGLISH letters--because I know those are bills.) So I have no way of knowing what my landlord knows, or anything like that....
I am a bit overwhelmed by the mess and by the fact that I can't just call cleaning lady strangers to help me without the involvement of someone I know, probably my boss, to translate. It really, really doesn't help that the stupid garbage disposal place is on the other side of the street and down a bit with a LONG traffic light wait BOTH ways (you have to press a button to cross), so to take out the trash and go back to my apartment takes about 7 minutes minimum. Plus, I don't have a car, so taking 20+ cardboard boxes and 10+ bags full of trash will take a LONG time because I can only carry 2 cardboard boxes/trash bags at once! I did already go from stage 4 to stage 3, but I'm pretty sure stage 3 is still eviction-worthy.
However, I mostly want advice about one thing... I have a mold problem in my bathroom and the smell is overpowering. It affects the whole bathroom, although being Japan, that area is pretty small. It is brown mold. I desperately want to leave the removal until I move out in another 7 or so months, but I'm afraid my health will be affected or that it will affect my neighbor's apartment. My best friend from America said he smelled mold when he visited me last March (I briefly cleaned my apartment from stage 4 squalor down to stage 2 and did clutter-shifting for his visit), but I have a very insensitive nose and didn't smell it myself. Now, even I smell it. It's bad. I didn't even know mold came in brown!
According to Internet research, the affected area is too big for me to remove it myself (both floor and ceiling, 5 foot wide by 5 foot long by 2 foot depth area (x2, floor and ceiling) maybe? hard to estimate the dimensions of my bathroom, but I think that's about right....)
However, if I remove it professionally...I will likely waste my boss's time, since I need him to translate and call the mold removal people. (If they even exist in Japan, but they must, right?) I will likely have to pay twice, now and when I move out, because I didn't even realize there was a problem back when my friend did (since you couldn't see much if any then and I didn't smell it.) And what if they don't work on weekends/after working hours? What if my landlord evicts me for letting mold grow? Also, very important, how clean does my apartment have to be to let the mold removal people in? I don't have time to get it cleaner than squalor stage 2 for a while.
I'm mostly worried about the eviction and the cost, since I have no idea how much it will cost. If it's less than 600,000 yen (about $6,000 USD), which was listed as the max cost of mold removal in a google search (but some things are more expensive in Japan!), I can pay it without that much of a problem, though of course over 50,000 yen or so will be pretty painful. If it's 700,000-2,000,000 yen, I can technically pay, since I have a bit over 2,000,000 yen in my bank account, but of course it would be VERY painful and my parents would be disappointed with me for not saving enough.
Does anyone have any idea if you can be evicted for severe bathroom damage caused by mold caused by living in squalor in Japan or even a ballpark figure of how much it would cost? What should I do?
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Post by hollyhock on Nov 16, 2017 5:30:46 GMT -5
Hi. I have no idea about any of the laws or rules related to Japan, but you do need to look after the mold since it could affect your health, and neglecting it will only allow it to grow more. Mold doesn't normally just happen without some introduction - such as leaving areas too wet, or a leak. Add in poor ventilation, and darkness and it's prime area for mold growth. Is there a window in your bathroom to allow air in? That would at least help it not grow further. But that should be the first thing you attend to, just for your own personal health.
Re getting out garbage - yes it's inconvenient - but it must be done. Try doubling up your efforts and getting 2 trips to the disposal site a day, maybe morning and night. That in itself could make a big difference, with just an additional 15 minutes a day. Once it's gone, you will need to maintain this, but you will have more time for something else.
Here in Canada, and I believe most of the U S, apartments get inspected each year. Do they not do that in Japan? Of course, as you say, even if they notified you of an upcoming inspection, you wouldn't be aware of the message. But you might want to look into the laws related to tenants and landlords.
Good luck to you, and keep posting.
Do you intend to stay in Japan for a long time? You are very fortunate to have this opportunity. My ds has been to Japan on holiday twice and absolutely loved it there.
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Post by oust on Nov 16, 2017 6:40:12 GMT -5
Google translate will put u on the track for a mold and cleaning company. Forget your boss You have the money time to spend it. Also your phone should translate for you. I have a friend in Tokyo. If you cannot manage to find information on trash and cleaning and mold I could ask her. But before make certain that you will go ahead as she works many hours and I would not want to waste her time.
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Post by oust on Nov 16, 2017 6:51:38 GMT -5
Chez vous.
That's the name of the cleaning company. There hire Filipino so you won know boss.speak English 3 hour minimum
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rexd
New Member
Joined: November 2017
Posts: 56
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Post by rexd on Nov 16, 2017 6:59:21 GMT -5
Mold is an extremely common issue in japan. The cold winters, the humidity, coupled with the more common building materials and smallish rooms create a playground for mold. There are lots of japanese products for treating mold - you can find sites online that will list them for you with pictures of the labeling so they're easily identifiable to expats. White vinegar also works well against mold. If it has gone beyond surface treatments, then professionals are available and since mold is such a common problem, they won't bat an eyelash at your mold.
If you don't want to ask your boss to translate for you, you can find translators online on a variety of odd job sites. They might do a simple translation for as little as a few dollars. Look around sites like Fiverr and other service marketplaces to see if you can find japanese translation.
Wow I thought I had a long trip to the dumpster. I second the suggestion of making two trips a day. Maybe on weekends you can do a little more. I know it isn't easy but having recently emerged from squalor I can assure you that your peace of mind will increase tenfold when you're living in a cleaner environment.
Good luck and let us know how things are going.
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Post by phoebepj on Nov 16, 2017 13:04:52 GMT -5
As far as the mold situation, you can start remedying it yourself by spraying bleach on it 2-3 times a day, it will kill it and stop it from spreading. I would start with that so that you can at least try to remedy it yourself until you can get a professional in to remove the remainder of it?
I agree with the others on taking out garbage one thing at a time until you are down to a manageable level... just keep on trucking.. you will get through this!
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Post by hedy on Nov 16, 2017 19:52:03 GMT -5
Hello, Snowfaire. In addition to what others have suggested, you can also try to remove the mold by using copious amounts of teatree oil/wild oregano oil (essential oils). Both are very effective against bacteria, spores and such things. Teatree oil was used for disinfection in hospitals (at least in France) until a few decades ago, and I believe it still is (or was until fairly recently) included in the "survival" packages the Australian army dispenses to its soldiers. You do have to make it your priority because mold in highly neurotoxic. As for the trash/boxes: take two with you every day. In ten/twenty days there will be none left. Or make a night out of it! You will have far less traffic, and it would only take you a total of 70 minutes to dispose of the bin bags. I can certainly empathise with your outrage at being forced to pretend being productive while wasting precious time. You probably won't be staying in Japan forever, so take it as a learning experience. :-) Good luck! Let us know how it goes.
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Post by joyinvirginia on Nov 17, 2017 21:46:20 GMT -5
Welcome! I vote for getting the problem fixed right and despite thet inconvenience of having someone translate, do it! If you want to do something yourself, there are several products in the US that cover and kill mold, maybe something similar is available where you are. KILZ primer is good, I've used it in my home. Also Zinsser and Rust-Oleum both make rust killing primer, that you put on before the paint you want. Hope you can get things fixed up!
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snowfaire
New Member
Joined: November 2017
Posts: 12
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Post by snowfaire on Nov 18, 2017 1:28:12 GMT -5
Hi. I have no idea about any of the laws or rules related to Japan, but you do need to look after the mold since it could affect your health, and neglecting it will only allow it to grow more. Mold doesn't normally just happen without some introduction - such as leaving areas too wet, or a leak. Add in poor ventilation, and darkness and it's prime area for mold growth. Is there a window in your bathroom to allow air in? That would at least help it not grow further. But that should be the first thing you attend to, just for your own personal health. Re getting out garbage - yes it's inconvenient - but it must be done. Try doubling up your efforts and getting 2 trips to the disposal site a day, maybe morning and night. That in itself could make a big difference, with just an additional 15 minutes a day. Once it's gone, you will need to maintain this, but you will have more time for something else. Here in Canada, and I believe most of the U S, apartments get inspected each year. Do they not do that in Japan? Of course, as you say, even if they notified you of an upcoming inspection, you wouldn't be aware of the message. But you might want to look into the laws related to tenants and landlords. Good luck to you, and keep posting. Do you intend to stay in Japan for a long time? You are very fortunate to have this opportunity. My ds has been to Japan on holiday twice and absolutely loved it there. Hi! Thanks for being the first to respond to me =). I was really upset when I wrote this because I had just had to apply for some colleges, so staying up all night to do that since I couldn't take time off work :/. I know how important it is to not just let the garbage sit for weeks so I try to take it out whenever I HAVE to go out, but lately I just haven't been able to drag myself out of bed the extra 2 minutes earlier I need to leave to take the trash on my way to work. Doing it on my way to work saves me a lot of time because I have to cross the street anyway to make the turn that gets me started on my way to work. I have been here 2.5 years, been living in squalor for about 2 and haven't been kicked out yet, so I don't know why I was so worried.... if the landlord wanted to evict me I know he would tell the school so they could tell me because that's how they dealt with other foreign teachers who were creating noise problems in their apartments. Since I have no way to find any wort of mold removal service myself I guess I have to wait until my boss isn't so busy and stressed out to bring it up or talk to another person even though they'll say "it's your boss's job to do this not mine." I could try to clean it myself but I'm terrified of damaging the walls or something, since I can't be completely sure what the Japanese-labeled bottles are. Google translate isn't always accurate....
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snowfaire
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Joined: November 2017
Posts: 12
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Post by snowfaire on Nov 18, 2017 1:36:04 GMT -5
Google translate will put u on the track for a mold and cleaning company. Forget your boss You have the money time to spend it. Also your phone should translate for you. I have a friend in Tokyo. If you cannot manage to find information on trash and cleaning and mold I could ask her. But before make certain that you will go ahead as she works many hours and I would not want to waste her time. " But before make certain that you will go ahead as she works many hours and I would not want to waste her time." yeah, that's one reason why I'm so hesitant to ask any of my Japanese coworkers (ESPECIALLY my boss) for favors :/
Also, since I live in rural Japan several hours away from Tokyo, whatever company she would potentially find might not be here. Tokyo people get a LOT of services we don't get.
When I try to call people in Japanese on my own, even if I have a set phrase to start out with like "I want the mold removed," they'll ask questions I can't understand and they often refuse to talk to me unless I put a Japanese speaker on. I get it, most businesses aren't obligated to provide services to people who don't speak the language and I'm not different than the immigrant who came to America without speaking English. Just because English is a more commonly spoken language than Japanese doesn't excuse my not knowing it in Japan.
Also, if I try to translate an entire webpage using google translate it comes out as gibberish always. I looked up ENGLISH information about mold and it said something about a half bleach solution but idk what that means. I can buy bleach but does half bleach mean mix bleach with water in a 1:1 ratio? or something else...?
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snowfaire
New Member
Joined: November 2017
Posts: 12
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Post by snowfaire on Nov 18, 2017 1:39:00 GMT -5
Hello, Snowfaire. In addition to what others have suggested, you can also try to remove the mold by using copious amounts of teatree oil/wild oregano oil (essential oils). Both are very effective against bacteria, spores and such things. Teatree oil was used for disinfection in hospitals (at least in France) until a few decades ago, and I believe it still is (or was until fairly recently) included in the "survival" packages the Australian army dispenses to its soldiers. You do have to make it your priority because mold in highly neurotoxic. As for the trash/boxes: take two with you every day. In ten/twenty days there will be none left. Or make a night out of it! You will have far less traffic, and it would only take you a total of 70 minutes to dispose of the bin bags. I can certainly empathise with your outrage at being forced to pretend being productive while wasting precious time. You probably won't be staying in Japan forever, so take it as a learning experience. :-) Good luck! Let us know how it goes. I'm so glad others can understand how I feel about the f'ing "deskwarming" <3. I've taken a lot of things as a learning experience here though... I've learned a lot about what I want in a job and I've become a lot braver at dealing with bugs on my own that I would ever have thought possible. I too used to be that girl who'd run away from a fly and have her dad get the fly swatter =D. Now I can just kill them myself or ignore them.
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snowfaire
New Member
Joined: November 2017
Posts: 12
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Post by snowfaire on Nov 18, 2017 1:43:13 GMT -5
Mold is an extremely common issue in japan. The cold winters, the humidity, coupled with the more common building materials and smallish rooms create a playground for mold. There are lots of japanese products for treating mold - you can find sites online that will list them for you with pictures of the labeling so they're easily identifiable to expats. White vinegar also works well against mold. If it has gone beyond surface treatments, then professionals are available and since mold is such a common problem, they won't bat an eyelash at your mold. If you don't want to ask your boss to translate for you, you can find translators online on a variety of odd job sites. They might do a simple translation for as little as a few dollars. Look around sites like Fiverr and other service marketplaces to see if you can find japanese translation. Wow I thought I had a long trip to the dumpster. I second the suggestion of making two trips a day. Maybe on weekends you can do a little more. I know it isn't easy but having recently emerged from squalor I can assure you that your peace of mind will increase tenfold when you're living in a cleaner environment. Good luck and let us know how things are going. The part of mold being a common problem and people not batting an eyelash is a huge relief! TY so much for telling me that; I actually didn't know that. People at work don't usually talk about their housework problems, at least not in English. I know what caused the problem--it was because i never dried the bathroom ever. I didn't know you had to clean up just water in the bathroom because it's not nasty or disgusting it's just water, and I thought water belonged in the bathroom! but apparently if you just leave it wet all the time it makes mold.
Now that I know that, I'll leave the fan on to dry the room. No windows, unfortunately.
Also I would use it as a steam room to clear my sinuses when I had a cold, so I'm sure that made my problem worse...
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snowfaire
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Joined: November 2017
Posts: 12
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Post by snowfaire on Nov 18, 2017 1:44:13 GMT -5
As far as the mold situation, you can start remedying it yourself by spraying bleach on it 2-3 times a day, it will kill it and stop it from spreading. I would start with that so that you can at least try to remedy it yourself until you can get a professional in to remove the remainder of it? I agree with the others on taking out garbage one thing at a time until you are down to a manageable level... just keep on trucking.. you will get through this! so i can just pour bleach straight on it? do i need to cut it with water or anything?
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snowfaire
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Joined: November 2017
Posts: 12
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Post by snowfaire on Nov 18, 2017 1:46:06 GMT -5
I have bleach but idk how much bleach to use or if I should cut it with water or something? If I put too much bleach will it hurt the walls or something?
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Post by papermoon on Nov 18, 2017 1:53:05 GMT -5
No, don't use straight bleach in an enclosed area, or else you'll end up poisoning yourself with toxic fumes. Especially, don't spray bleach (or a bleach solution) because you'll inhale the air-borne mist. Try googling for "safe cleaning mold with bleach" and, if you don't already have one, buy an electric fan. Any enclosed bathroom should have a fan to prevent mold from forming or spreading.
Nonetheless, I'm afraid your situation is so bad that it needs a pro to clean it up. Mold can grow INTO the walls and crevices, so a mere surface treatment won't touch it.
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