[Sparky777]

Hi all,

My first post here, I have read through some other posts on here and it seems you are a great crowd, thought i would introduce myself and hope to gain advice from anybody who can help.

Pete here, I am a 34 year old male who currently lives in England, i am a UK Citizen and have obtained a BSc Hons in Computer Science at a UK university. My ambition is to live in Japan, I love the culture, the food and just the way of life over there and at 34 i have realised i just hate the way of life over here in the UK. I have worked in IT for 5 years after university and i am really getting no job satisfaction out of it here so want to start making preperations to be able to apply to teach English in Japan firstly, something that has been at the back of my mind for a while and now realise that is what i want to do in life.

I am hoping to go to Japan when I am 37. This gives me three years to learn the language and read and write a little best i can, i am currently spending 1-2 hours per day and hope to be relatively conversant by the time i leave(I do understand that learning Japanese is a lifelong process).
I am saving everything i can also and within the three years i should have around 15 - 20,000 uk pounds(sterling) to make a start out there. This is my goal but it really is a dream at the moment.

I do however have a few questions if anybody can help in any way. Any advice is greatly appreciated to make a start on my preperations.

1 - Would my qualifications be eligible for me to locate other work apart from teaching (i would start of as an english teacher but eventually would like to find IT work in an office environment once i could converse a bit more fluently in the language, or move into being a trainee japanese chef if the possibilities are out there)
2 - Would it be wise first to just move out there and locate work on the three months tourist visa, i should hope to be convesant in everyday japanese speaking or should i apply to be a teacher of english in japan and go from there once accepted.
3 - As a British citizen are we generally liked by the Japanese, or would it be really hard to meet japanese friends at work and in bars, pubs etc?
4- Is my age a hinderance? I will be 37/38 by the time I go to Japan, could this be a problem?

I have made up my mind and this is where i want to go, a new start and a new experience, you only live once right? I have no ties so am in a position to do it if i work hard. I know it will be hard for me but i am seriously committed! Any advice from anybody out there would seriously be of great help.

Thanks,

Sparky