michael lambe

Talking with Tony Dani on Messenger yesterday I heard the sad news that Lado International College of Japan is no more. Apparently people turned up for work and the place was closed. The creditors have moved in and (hearsay has it) the company president has done a runner (allegedly). People aren’t sure if they will get their final salary or not but it doesn’t look good. It’s a great shame because a lot of people had been there for years and some of them have families. It’s also a shame because (although we all complained while we were there) Lado was actually a very good school. They had good materials, a good teacher-training method, they generally hired sound people and the school had a good and friendly atmosphere going on. They made their teachers happy with a decent wage, reasonable schedules etc… The theory was this would be reflected in the working performance. And it worked. Happy teachers made happy students. However, Lado was a small school focussed on quality and inevitably it has been crushed by faceless corporate giants like Nova. I worked there for almost 4 years myself and have many happy memories of the place and am still in touch with the various friends I made there.

Imagine! No more Lado Christmas party! No more Lado teacher’s band! Daniel Moran will have to get a proper job! It is truly the end of an era.

All things must pass. (sigh)

Here’s another spooky thing. Every place I have ever worked at ceases to exist some time after I leave. Until now, Lado was the happy exception to the rule. Kyoto Berlitz… beware.