Enkai wa takai!

[Ode to a Grasshopper]

Hi there, I'm just an aspiring JET sneaking in here quietly to ask a quick question about enkais.

AFAIK, when you participate at an enkai the overall bill is split evenly for everyone - what about someone like me who doesn't drink at all and thus wouldn't be consuming as much of the bill as everyone else? Would one still be expected to shell out the yen?

Thanks in advance and sorry for moving a little off-topic.

This has been sort-of answered in the thread already I think, but the short version is a bit of ESID (depends on the type of enkai) with your one-word answer being Probably.
Most enkais I've been to have been set price all-you-can-drink for a set time frame, so the price more or less includes the booze.

[Antonath]

Hi there, I'm just an aspiring JET sneaking in here quietly to ask a quick question about enkais.

AFAIK, when you participate at an enkai the overall bill is split evenly for everyone - what about someone like me who doesn't drink at all and thus wouldn't be consuming as much of the bill as everyone else? Would one still be expected to shell out the yen?

Thanks in advance and sorry for moving a little off-topic.

At an enkai, usually everyone will pay the same, whether they drink or not, or eat very little, or etc.

When a bunch of people are just out drinking, it will depend on the people, whether someone's arrived half way through, the social "status" of the various drinkers... For example, if I'm out drinking with my city's other ALTs and/or Japanese friends, we'll just split the bill. If we end up drinking with someone's boss, or the bar's owner, or one of the local "big-wigs", we may end up only paying a token amount, or even drinking for free. Not drinking alcohol is about the only thing that will not affect what you pay.

[GunmaBrentPA]

Very true that not drinking alcohol might not factor into how much you end up paying when the check comes. The enkai flat fee has already been covered. As for casual parties, it can depend on the plan chosen. If it is an all you can drink plan it generally isn't possible (or at least discouraged) for one person to opt out. When there isn't a plan and just drink as you go it really depends on who you are with and what you are drinking. Alcohol might be more expensive in Japan, but so are softdrinks. An average beer might cost about 500 yen but an un-refillable softdrink can cost 350 yen and be half the size.

Yadda yadda summation:
Beer and cola doesn't have that much of a price difference so unless you are drinking water don't expect a discount and even if you are it's better to be prepared to split the bill. At official all-you-can-drink-parties it is almost unheard of to get a discount for no alcohol so enjoy all the cola, orange drink and oolong tea you can chug.

[ShuyaMancini]

Just adding from my experience...

All of the enkais that I have been to have been a flat cost whether or not you are drinking. I have only been to two where I did not drink. Both times I got a partial refund the next week at work from the party planner. It may have been because I did not drink or it could have been our bill was less than expected and everyone got something back. It could just be a coincidence that both times I got the refund were when I did not drink.

However, I would say that it doesn't matter if you drink or not. It would more than likely be the same price for everyone.

Enkais can be kind of expensive (especially if you go to the second party, or third party....), but they are a good way to talk to people you don't normally get to and have a fun time.

[hawkharness]

Thanks everyone for the excellent responses! ^^ I'll leave you all back to your conversation. Thanks again~

[nicklar]

The problem I had at my base school was that we would put money into a pot every month but then there still seemed to be a large amount to pay each time we went out. When I brought this up with my supervisor it did get a little testy because the money in the pot went into lots of other things too like newspapers for the staffroom (which were all in Japanese of course). Sometimes we all paid up to 10,000 for an enkai but the food would be quite average. Nonetheless I went to as many as possible to be sociable and had a lot of fun at most of them. I did skive off with excuses on occasions though.

[mountainboy]

[quote="Nausicaablue"]Is it just me or are there other JETs out there who can't afford to go to enkai? I went to the first one at my base school for around 4000 but since then the price has gone up to at least 7000 yen each time. [quote]

Sorry, but how much of a stinge must you be if you cant afford 7000 yen maybe a couple of times a year? If you`re that worried about how it will affect your work relations, then just pay and go to the enkai. Don`t be so ケッチ!

[KIKKI.K]

Is it just me or are there other JETs out there who can't afford to go to enkai? I went to the first one at my base school for around 4000 but since then the price has gone up to at least 7000 yen each time.

Sorry, but how much of a stinge must you be if you cant afford 7000 yen maybe a couple of times a year? If you`re that worried about how it will affect your work relations, then just pay and go to the enkai. Don`t be so ケッチ!

not everyone is in the same position financially as you, some of us like to try to pay off our student loans/ other financial obligations as soon as possible. if you feel differently to other JETs, at least please don't be insulting.

[Kittens]

I have to agree with Nausicaablue. Enkai are pretty darn expensive -- my last one in December was over 1万 for just mediocre food and beer/wine/sake. For us married JETs, it's another added expense to think about. We buy twice the food, use more utilities (my husband doesn't just sit at home with no electricity or heat during the day), and in many cases pay for this on one JET income. It isn't fair to judge someone on their choices when you don't know their living situation and monthly cost of living.

I also feel a bit guilty about enkai because I work at so many schools. Usually both my JHS ask me to attend theirs, so I try to rotate and be fair about it. I'm already feeling the pressure of attending some this month, which I'm still on the fence about.

[Nausicaablue]

Thanks Meru, I was starting to feel a bit ganged up on there with all the negative comments. You hit the nail on the head - about judging and about being a married JET. This program really is ESID and it's difficult to know how things will work out financially ahead of time. For all you people with tons of money and/or mad budgeting skills, good for you - now go have fun at your enkai and stop calling me kechi!

[Anigi]

I wish the dependent/spouse thing was more straight forward and simple as it seems to others, but it is not. I have a friend in Hokkaido who is supporting her husband, he is on a dependent visa so he is not allowed to work. He can apply for a permission to work, but that still only allows for part time work and further more he doesn't speak Japanese, he is learning though and, from what I hear, very active in the community. He also can not, as far as I know, get a working visa because he does not have a university degree *insert gasps here* Hey what can I say, in Canada you don't need a university degree to prove you are competent at a job or career, though they are nice to have.

I guess the point of my story is, just because your SO is in Japan with you, it doesn't automatically mean that they can work. I have heard some people told me "Oh your husband can work under the table tutoring" but quite frankly I am not the type to enjoy altercations with the government and pulling the "Gaijin Card" makes us all look bad.

my two cents

[Phillippa_MiePA]

Also, it is quite possible there are JETs with children to support. It's not impossible that there are single mothers or fathers somewhere, however rare that may be...