I was referring to LQA - Living Quarters Allowance. It's what the
government is willing to pay for rent and utilities. You don't get to
pocket any of it as salary, unfortunately. I was just curious - for
anyone out there in mainland Japan - if the LQA up there is enough to
cover a nice, spacious, new house like it does in Okinawa. I'm not
talking a palace or anything, but something in the neighborhood of 3
beds, 2 baths and 1500+ square feet.

On 9/22/09, pollock wrote:
> Was the pay worth the move? My salary is 42,000 a year.
>
> On 9/21/09, Mainland Curious wrote:
>> Hey Alaskan - glad to hear you are enjoying Japan so far. I'm
>> down in Okinawa, but am thinking about requesting a transfer to
>> a mainland school in the future. I'm curious as to what your
>> impressions are about off base housing. Okinawa gets close to
>> $20K more per year in LQA than Misawa, and we are able to rent
>> sparkling new - spacious by American standards - houses with
>> yards and often ocean views. What kind of place would you be
>> able to rent with your LQA up there? I expect I'd lose the
>> ocean views and a little bit of the spaciousness, but can you
>> afford a new house with room for a king-sized bed, oversized
>> Levitz sofa, and a couple kids with their toys?
>>
>> As far as maxing out your 90 days in billeting, there could be
>> worse things. I look back fondly on my 5 weeks in a hotel,
>> eating out every night on my TQSA. You won't get that again
>> unless you transfer somewhere - and in my case it was worth the
>> wait to get my dream home. I understand it's rough living out
>> of suitcases though. Hang in there - once you do get into a
>> place you will incur some pretty massive expenses (at least
>> that's the case in Okinawa - about 3 months rent up front), and
>> the reimbursement can be slow. Sometime in the 2nd year you'll
>> finally catch up with all your debt and life will start to feel
>> better.
>>
>> On 9/21/09, Alaskan wrote:
>>> On 9/20/09, Sugasmile wrote:
>>>> New Hires...How's it going?
>>> So far it's been a dream job. Small class sizes, nice
>>> students, all the equipment I would want to teach with, a kind
>>> principal, hardworking and helpful faculty that do care about
>>> their classes, WONDERFUL tech support for computer stuff I
>>> want to do...my only criticism would probably be that a good
>>> chunk of the staff is more cynical about professional
>>> development than I am. I have plenty to learn. Expect to
>>> take extra duty contracts as a noob.
>>>
>>> I haven't ridden a bike in many years but I am loving my new
>>> $100 Japanese mommy style bike with a basket and built in
>>> lock. Wonderful weather and now my son and I can get to most
>>> offbase restaurants for dinner and it's quick to tool around
>>> the base now. I am supposed to pick up the used car I bought
>>> this Friday. Japan has the best used cars I have ever seen.
>>> No luck finding the offbase Japanese style house of my dreams
>>> yet. Pickings are VERY scarce. I think I'm going to be in
>>> billeting for close to my full 90 days if I hold out for the
>>> dream.
>>>
>>> I bought an unknown bright purple figlike fruit and an unknown
>>> warty zucchini with huge seeds to eat and a pepper plant that
>>> has tiny multicolored spicy peppers yellow and orange and red
>>> and purple called Namba...it looks like a miniature gumdrop
>>> tree from a Candyland game.
>>>
>>> I got to go to a local festival a couple weekends ago and see
>>> men hoist and balance a huge sail of lanterns into the air
>>> weighing 100 lbs and balance it in the breeze and switch
>>> positions and lifters...brightly dressed well-rehearsed
>>> musicians and dancers...
>>>
>>> Life is good
>>>
>>> Alaskan

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