Living and Working Abroad: a guide for wannabe expats
April 7th, 2008 Posted in Japan, Personal, TravelLet’s face it- your home country, no matter where you’re from, it’s not gonna change much. Sure, you’ll meet different people, try your hand at a few different jobs, live in a few different cites, and most likely, you’ll travel around and see some of the sites. And if that’s all you do, it’ll be a great life- no doubts there.
But you know what? There’s a lot else out there. Now I’m not the most experienced expatriate- I’ve only lived in one other country, and the majority of my time was spent there- in fact, I only visited one other country during my entire time abroad… But if you’ve ever thought that you wanna try something else, or that it would be fun to get out and do something like that, don’t hesitate- just do it!
A couple of disclaimers though. It’s difficult. It’s not like moving to a different city- there’s a lot more to get used to than a different road map- it’s likely you’ll have to come to grips with a new language, very different customs, and importantly- the local cuisine. I have known quite a few expats who had a lot of trouble adjusting to the diet alone. In fact, I would think one of the most important things to consider is the food. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach- well, I would say the same is true for most people.
Think about it: your favourite food is possibly not readily available, the foodstuff that IS readily available may not resemble anything you’ve seen before, and while it sometimes may look like something you enjoy, it often turns out to be something quite different indeed… You may find that as a result of this, you might become dependant on one type of food- but I don’t recommend this option, try to branch out… Alternatively, you may find you need to become a little more handy in the kitchen- possibly something you may not have previously enjoyed. And this is just in regards to food…
What I’m trying to point out is that there is a lot more to consider than just the language barrier in regards to culture shock- it’s the little things, the things you hardly think of, that will bite you in the end. But if you have an open mind, and are willing to try something- or at east dip in your toes- you’ll find you have the time of your life.
The first thing to consider is… why do you want to go? Seems pretty obvious, but you would be surprised how many people move to another country and find themselves over their head. OK, so it doesn’t happen to a hell of a lot of people, but it does happen. On more than one occasion, I heard of people leaving only a day or two after disembarking! I mean, how f***ing stupid?! Not even long enough for a holiday- try to see some of the country at least! At one time it affected me directly, as the new teacher scheduled to my school didn’t turn up… And it was up to me to sort it out… In hindsight, it wasn’t such a major problem… At the time, it sucked a fair amount of ass. So just keep that in mind.
It’s also important to consider what you’ll be leaving behind. Sure, you’ll miss your family, friends, pets, etc., but don’t forget- you might find it difficult to find your favourite magazine, and you certainly wont be watching the latest episode of <insert your favourite show here>. You may even find- like myself and countless other large foreigners who spent some time in Japan- that it’s hard to find shoes in your size. Like I said, it’s the little things. And it’s these things that can piss you off IMMENSELY. Enough to make you wanna go back home. But don’t. Stay a little while longer.
Thirdly- what do you want to achieve? Personally, I didn’t consider this. Well… I did, but I didn’t think it through. Let me explain… The main reason I went to Japan was to “find myself”. Honest to Peter. I was a confused young dude… I felt directionless, unloved (I know I wasn’t, but hey, I said I was young!), and fairly useless- I didn’t know what I wanted from myself, and I didn’t know what I could offer, so I left on a journey to find, well… my great and personal dream. Sounds pretty wanky, but a bit of that is good for the soul. And sure- I found it! And then some! But my biggest (and possibly only) regret in regard to my time spent abroad lies in the fact that I didn’t consider my education, nor my experience. Five years abroad, and I’m back in an entry-level job… a 30-year-old man with a Science degree, performing menial tasks amongst a group of late teens (as well as a good few others in a similar position, to be honest)… Sigh… Did I mention I’m yet to repay the government for my education? Guess I missed that part.
And one last thing (well, OK, this isn’t a definitive guide to living overseas, but for all intents and purposes…), one that is closely related to the previous topic- it’s important to know where you’re going in relation to what you wanna get out of it. If you wanna just have a bit of fun in a different environment, I’m sure anywhere is pretty good for you. If your looking to cut loose- move to a city. Luckily for me, I made the wrong choice. In reality, if what I REALLY intended to do was truly as wanky as stated before, then the city was not the right place to be… If I really wanted to do some soul searching, get spiritual… whatever, then the mountains would have done that for me… Nicely. I did get out to the mountains (see photo), and LOVED it- but I couldn’t have lived there… So while I did want to find myself… I really just wanted to find out if I would be the same person if I put myself in a different situation. And I was… So there. But there were those that had a different experience indeed. “Yes! We ARE all different!”
Hence… it’s important to consider many things when going to live and work overseas. Yes- life WILL be a party for at LEAST 6 months- almost guaranteed (disclaimer: your experience may differ). Yes- there will be a LOT of opportunities to try things that you CAN’T do back home. Also- it’s likely that you can get away with stupid things you wouldn’t do back home, just based on the fact that you are a foreigner (but don’t be one of those guys… please don’t be one of those guys.. Or gals, for that matter). But there ARE other things to consider… Lots, in reality… I have only scratched the surface.
That said- it was THE best decision (hands down) that I have made in my life. Like I said earlier- I found myself (turns out I was hiding at the bottom of a bottle in Tokyo, had to drinkquite a few bottles to find out which one… oh, the times I had… the times). I learned a great deal about myself, people in general, and the world. And I came away a better man- and a married one at that. I also came away a bigger man, so be careful with the food, drink, and partying.
You’re gonna be alone- alone in a world without anything you know- and you’re gonna love it. Trust me.
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