Thread: What's it like?
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samurai007 (Offline)
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Posts: 890
Join Date: Oct 2007
01-11-2008, 06:59 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyororin View Post
It`s normal here. It`s not amazing, exciting, or "really cool". You do the same normal stuff you`d do anywhere else. You still have to make a living, eat, etc. Coming to Japan doesn`t drastically change your life. If you`re depressed and angsty in your life elsewhere, Japan isn`t the remedy. (Sorry, but that seems to be the reason 90% of the people on here want to live here.) In fact, it can make things worse as you`d have more pressure.

I am quite happy and content living here. I wouldn`t want to live anywhere else. That doesn`t, however, mean my life is a happy roller coaster of excitement and joy.
Well, in some respects you're right, but at least for me, living in Japan for 2 years was a life-changing experience. Experiencing life in a very different culture can expand your horizons, give you new insights and perspectives, and allow you to experience a great many things you never would have back home. You're right, it's not a cure-all, there can be times of great pressure, frustration, anxiety, homesickness, and boredom, just like life anywhere on the planet. But (depending where you're from and how much effort and thought you invest in your time there), Japan can be an incredible experience that you remember and cherish for the rest of your life. I mean, I've been back in the US for 10 years now, and here I am still talking about Japan on a Japan Forum, reading manga daily, and craving a big pile of kara'age or a bowl of zosui...


JET Program, 1996-98, Wakayama-ken, Hashimoto-shi

Link to pictures from my time in Japan
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