Like a million, million other ex-Nova teachers, I am going to mention its imminent demise on the internet.

Poor Nova. It was a company that stood out for pure evil even amongst other English teaching schools. Which isn't easy to do, you know. I say that having worked at a place in Australia that specialised in monthly contracts and holding over pay for two months. Work that one out if you can. Anyway, Nova. Impressive in its dedication to screwing over absolutely everyone who became involved with it. Instructors, overcharged for accomodation and endlessly jerked around in schedules and transfers. Students, gulled into paying upfront in bulk when they had no idea what was coming. Which was generally a series of shitty English lessons delivered by hungover/insane/self-obsessed sadsacks running from their problems back home. Or at least, when they had me for a teacher they did. Even the staff, exploited and unionless for all practical purposes, working too hard and under too much pressure for shit pay. You have to respect the company on a visceral level, the same way you kind of have to grudgingly give it up with that one guy who hits on every woman in the bar. That is, not much, and with a solid overtone of disgust.

I feel bad for everyone. The only bright spot is the moderate hilarity which is going to ensue from the addicts and corporate suckholes as they try to cling to just a little bit more of that Nova goodness. Here's a tip: if you made AT, there was something actually wrong with you. Sorry.

And as a thousand gormless, self-deluded ("Hey, maybe I AM cool, after all! Thanks, Japan!") ex-teachers come stumbling back into the country, at least I'll have someone to drink with and listen to my stories.

Still. Vale, right?