Diary of Working in Japan: Preparing for departure

Preparing for departure

February 20^th - March 12^th, 2017

            So, apparently we’re doing this again.  I’ve gotten requests to keep another journal so friends and family can know what’s going on with me as I prepare for another trip to Japan and actually get there and live there. It was good for me to keep a diary of China as well, so I’m also interested in this.

            First off, let’s get disclaimers out of the way.  This is an experience based journal, so no personal data, be it names of companies, employees, or what have you will be mentioned here.  This isn’t meant to shame people or to vent office politics, it’s meant solely to provide an idea of the experience of living overseas.  Also, this will be staggered coming out, with a new entry being updated a week after it’s happened.  The exception will be for April, since I have been without internet for a month, so I am going to be updating several times near the end of April to get people up to speed.

            That out of the way, let me start by recapping how this happened. I’ve been looking through Gaijinpot for months since the start of the new year and near the end of February I got my break.  For job seekers, the secret is to keep plugging away at something, anything, you have proven experience in, as I had about 6 interviews before I got the job offer I accepted. Bear in mind, this was after a year of applying to places stateside with less than 3-4 interviews, though I was working full time during this period.

Anyway, I had interviews via phone, skype, and, rarely, in person.  When I was given the job offer, it was set to start in an unusually short time, because a common cut off for ESL teacher hiring in the spring is the end of March. I was hired to work in Sendai and given until around March 22 to prepare and get ready for departure. The immediate concerns were my current job and my paperwork, so for others planning this, here’s what I did and here’s also advice for you.

When preparing for overseas travel, your company will usually have their own variation of a visa application form you need to fill out with your data and sign, since they’ve filled out their portions already.  It’s also common to need to send over your resume, signed contract, a copy of your passport and either a transcript from your graduating university or a copy of your diploma.  You need to prove you do indeed have a 4 year degree.  Finally, you need two passport style photos with your name written on the back of each.  This is all pretty common stuff, but I was sweating hard to get it in the mail in a timely manner and it led to some hectic days.

            Once the paperwork is off, you might need to prepare introductions or data for yourself for newsletters or websites, but mostly, you need to make sure you’re ready for the big move.  Get your utilities ready to be cut off, your apartment or home needs notice of vacation, and your job needs to be given notice.  Be sure that you don’t keep working longer than you want to, because once you accept a new job position, expect to get less sleep and have more stress due to preparation.  So, make sure you don’t compound that by taking on a heavy workload leading up to departure.  I did and I am regretting it, though I do only have one more day at my current job.

Alright, all that taken care of, you need to pack and make sure all your worldly possessions have a place to be stored. That’s the easy part, but for me, I also need to send contact info to Japan to get a Yakkan Shoumei form for approval of eye medicine I need.  If you need any medicine, you should get the forms ready and send them off well in advance, since while email can be quick, a snail mail Yakkan Shoumei can take up to two weeks to get back to you. They seem to be transitioning to email, but better safe than sorry.

Make sure your taxes are all paid off or you at least have the info you need to pay them before you go.  When I left for China, this was a real cause of concern for me, since I had to scramble to get all this info when 2015 started.  Do yourselves a favor and look into the foreign earned income exclusion if you’re working overseas, since you technically need to file taxes in the US, even if you didn’t work there.  It’s a pain.

Now, all the technical stuff out of the way, let’s get down to touchy feely.  I first described my emotions as a condemned man when I was on my way to Japan in 2011, my first time to the country. In a way, it feels like you are being pulled by an inexorable force beyond your control and you feel a bit scared of what’s coming.  Like the condemned man, once you’re through the doorway, there’s no going back.

While this is really exciting, it’s also a huge change, and change tends to scare people.  You’ll have many nights, like I did, where you hug yourself or just lay awake and think, “What the hell am I doing?” or “Am I ready for this?”  It’s normal, as this is a natural reaction to change and stress.  Your body and mind are a bit resistant at first so you have to power on through it.  Keeping yourself busy will make the transition easier, but do give yourself time to rest and recover as well, since otherwise, you will burn out. Especially if you have a job with no off time and stressful hours, definitely make sure you can catch up on your sleep, because lack of sleep plus emotional turmoil can lead to bad decision making.

When I found out about this trip, everyone wanted a piece of me to say goodbye, wish me well…looking back, it really was like I was a condemned man about to die.  This is natural though, especially with me.  I love Japan, from the culture and media, to the environment and transportation and I got very lucky to be set up with a school in Sendai that will allow me to mostly walk and bike around town in a quaint suburban area, so I’ve been told, with lots of nature, but also modern conveniences.  People don’t know if I’m coming back to the US is what I’m getting at.  So, prepare for the incoming feelings.

I went to see my godmother, who’s one of my favorite people in the world and we had a great little jaunt through Asheville.  We went to an almost authentic Japanese restaurant, got to scout out toy and game stores, (I’m just a big kid at heart,) and spend time with her and her family.  I felt that cling on me as I had to leave.  That feeling of I don’t want to go.  You really have to be careful because those feelings are a natural extension of your love for others and your fear of change.  While natural, you can’t let yourself be tricked.  If you’ve come this far, this is something you want.  Don’t let a moment of emotion make you doubt.

I also took another friend who I met in China to the zoo and it feels a bit strange.  She was so excited to see the animals, especially the elephants.  I convinced her to buy a plush to hug and keep her company because that’s something people separated need.  We hung out a lot, so it’ll be weird having to say goodbye, since she can’t drive and I was her chauffer for a while.

Another friend of mine is heading up to Asheville and wanted us to part ways in good company.  He’s a good fella, recovering from some personal tragedy of his own and he made a good choice, as if I wasn’t going to Japan, I’d seriously consider Asheville.  We had Japanese food, ironically enough, and wished one another well.

The most maudlin of these goodbyes so far has been with my best friend.  She’s…probably the only person who could keep me stateside.  If she asked me to, I would stay here.  The trick, of course, is I know she wouldn’t do that since she wants me to follow my dreams.  We shared some personal effects that others wouldn’t get but that only we could understand the meaning of.  It…meant a lot.  We went for a late night walk in a park and were wacky and silly before the time to return home.  She keeps saying she’s going to cry when I leave…I hope not.  I’ll miss her, but once again, I’m not dead yet.  There’ll be other chances for helloes.  I’ll miss her the most though.  We get each other.

Okay, maudlin done, let’s talk a bit about packing advice.  While Japan does have tailors and stores that can fit most sizes, it’s wise to stock up on work clothes and fresh clothes for the trip.  Patch any holey shirts, pants, or boxers and get replacements for work/formal clothes.  Go with at least 3-4 suit sets or clothing that can be used as a suit, especially if you’re a teacher.  Be prepared for a smaller housing and living situation so don’t overdo it with packing.  Take things to keep you busy, as busy keeps you from worrying, like a computer and any hand held games you want, but don’t take more than two suitcases, that’s my advice.  Do bring comfort items, like plushies you can hug, games from your childhood, and personal effects to make your apartment in Japan a home.  Slippers may be necessary for your work, but even if not, they are intrinsic to Japanese culture, so do get a pair, you’ll be glad you did.

You are allowed to travel with 30 days’ worth of most medicine that doesn’t have certain drugs in them.  Definitely check the Japanese consulate/embassy’s website for more details, but this should be enough to cover you until you land and can find more in a nearby clinic. Aside from the basic tips here, ask your boss if you’ll need anything straight up.  The most common thing you’ll want is 2-3 thousand dollars’ worth of yen to hold you over till your first paycheck.  Yes, moving is expensive and you read right. 2-3 thousand dollars in yen.  Get it changed before you go, as banks have better conversion rates than the changing counters in airports. While you can buy it in most airports, a power converter is also a good idea.  Most laptops and some game/phone chargers have this included as per standard, but if not, get yourself both a three prong converter, just in case you get a house full of two prong electrical outlets, and a power converter, as the power standard in Japan is different from the US and this can cause issues with electronics. Also, free tip, while some video games, like PS3 or PS4 will work in either a Japanese or American game system, movies and DVDs are typically region locked, so don’t bother bringing those with you unless your computer has a disk drive or a usb disk drive.

Back up your computer data before you leave, both on a cloud and on a hard drive.  No sense losing half your life if you can’t find a good computer shop where you’re living overseas.  Also, definitely pack for the season and the location.  Even though it is spring, Sendai is in the northern part of Japan, so I’m bringing warm clothes with me.  Try not to panic.  Whatever you don’t bring with you, you can typically buy in Japan. Computers can be a bit awkward, as they usually come loaded in Japanese, but typically you can change the base language pretty easily.  If you buy a Japanese computer with Windows 10, you might need to fool around a bit to find this, but look for the gear icon to take you to settings, then try to find the pictures of clocks and letters, as this sets you up for time, language, and region.  The second option under region will let you choose your region and language, which is wise to change to where you are from for ease of access.  If you set that language to default, the computer should load with it every time.  Good thing to be aware of in case your computer dies overseas.

Three last bits of advice: Japanese:  You are definitely going to need to know some.  Even if people speak English in Japan, they may not want to speak it, so it’s better if you meet them halfway and learn some basic phrases.  There are many you can learn, but if you want the absolute bare minimum(which I do not recommend, at least try to get the Genki textbook and study up to chapter 4, it will really help), point at something and say, “Sore, kudasai,” which is, “that please,” in English.  “Ikura desuka,” will ask how much something is, which you can again point to.  Give them a piece of paper and a pencil and the store clerk will usually write down a number in yen for you to pay.  Not always, mind you, but usually.  “Nihongo o hanesemasen,” is useful if you are trying to say you don’t speak Japanese and of course, “Otearai ga doko desuka?” is the ever helpful, “Where is the bathroom?”  Trust me, though, learn Japanese before coming over.  Your life will be so much easier.

Second bit of advice: Your company is there for you.  If you are coming to work, they will help you set up your home, utilities, healthcare, get you a phone, and get you a bank card.  Japan is not like China and so long as you have an address, you can have things shipped to you and pay with your Japanese bank card.  That said, Japan is a mostly cash based economy so many shops do not even accept card, so make sure you have cash and ask your company where a nearby ATM you can use is.  Surprisingly, convenience stores have a good supply of ATMs and are often where you pay your utilities or bills.  I got lucky in that I don’t need to pay key money, but one reason you need a ton of money coming to Japan is paying that money to your landlord to get set up.  It can be pretty bloody expensive.

Final piece of advice.  Experiment:  Japan is a country that is generally pretty safe, but do practice due diligence late at night.  That said, try riding the trains and figuring out time tables.  Try different foods from the convenience stores.  Explore your area.  You may find something you love that you didn’t know you needed.  Also, get a bike if you can, as it is cheaper than a train and helps you get around to places near your home.

This is sort of a large dump of information at the start and I’ll be adding more as we get closer to me arriving in Japan.  This is the start of a great new adventure, so come and share it with me.  Let’s see what lies beyond the horizon.

I’ll be updating my blog frequently, so this will be released about a month after I arrive in Japan.

March 13^th, 2017

A small update today.  I finally finished working for my previous company.  My boss told me my visa is on the way and I’m trying to get some information ready for a Yakkan Shoumei, though I admit it might be a bit weird with the timing.  We’ll see.  I have to say, I feel good about leaving my last company.  They paid on time, however the hours were brutal, as to survive I had to work six days a week from basically 5:45am-noon with no vacations for almost a year and a half.  It wears on you, a fact that I am becoming aware of now with my weakening body.  However, I finally feel a bit free and while I do need to work on packing my home up for my trip, I’d say I have a lot more freedom to get more sleep and rest and worry a bit less.

March 21^st, 2017

The best laid plans of mice and men, eh?  I was supposed to be booking my flight today, but a delay in my paperwork has left me waiting.  My entire apartment is empty save for a futon mattress and my packed bags for the trip overseas.  It’s…been stressful preparing for all this.  A word of advice for those looking to work overseas.  Make sure you have the right jurisdiction, because I thought I could go to D.C. for my visa, but instead I have to go to Atlanta.  I had to make several phone calls over many hectic days waiting for my documents to try and sort out different ways to get all this done.  It’s a part of me being a tad neurotic where if there is a way to help or a solution to find, I want to find it.  The easiest, and arguably best, parts of this is when I can finally let go.  It takes some time to put worry aside, but one thing to remember when traveling is that you cannot control everything.  When the mail arrives, when consulates close or where they are, or if you’ll make it to your destination when you originally planned.  Just let go once night falls because since you can’t change it…don’t worry.  Relax and recover from your travails.  I’ve been trying to do that.  My boss and I are both worn a bit thin from trying to get everything figured out, but we’re both dedicated, to me arriving in Sendai and working, so we will persevere.  I saw an episode of Samurai Jack recently which sums up me in a crisis.  I may worry, but as Jack said, “It always looks bad at first, but somehow, I always find a way.”

Tonight, my DnD buddies gave my character a sendoff where I got to be a monster and try to murder them.  It was a good time, though inevitably, I was defeated.  We laughed, we insulted, we trolled.  I’ll miss them.

Not much else to say.  I’m waiting for my paperwork to arrive so I can drive down to Atlanta and put it in the hands of more bureaucrats.  If it arrives Wednesday and I submit it Thursday, I might be lucky enough to have it Saturday,(If I provide them with an envelope with the fastest shipping so they can get it to me the next day) but Monday the 27^th is looking like the day it’ll probably be here.  Just spit balling here, but it seems like the case.  Best case scenario, I book a flight for the 28^th or 29^th and arrive just before April.  It’s not perfect, but what in life is.  We’re still waiting for this magical plan to come together because right now, there’s no telling when I could get everything settled.  For tonight, at least, I’m going to follow my own advice.  I’ll let go and we’ll see how things go tomorrow.  If I can move out on time, get my paperwork on time, etc.

March 22^nd-March 25^th 2017

Lots of details to cover, so let’s move quickly.  I got my paperwork on March 22^nd, so I made the fateful decision to move out.  It was frustrating, stuffing my car full of what was left of my possessions, but I managed to make it fit.  It’s also a bit nerve wracking when you realize your entire month of prep work is there and if someone stole it, you’re out not only a few thousand dollars in cash and possessions, but that to make up for it, you’d have to do some frantic shopping.  But nothing happened.  I said farewell to my landlord, which was a bit sad, and then returned equipment to people I’d borrowed it from before heading out to a birthday dinner with my best friend.  She didn’t cry, but it’s still bittersweet, all the fun times shared with her and her family before realizing I might not be coming back…at least for a few years, if not permanently. My family helped me unpack my car, bless them, when I returned to my parents’ home and then…4 hours of sleep later, I’m heading to Atlanta.

You heard me.  I got about 4 hours of sleep, then set off on the 6 hour drive to Atlanta GA to get my visa.  It was easy at first.  The roads were empty and I had nostalgic music to keep me awake and thinking.  I got breakfast at a Cracker Barrel and arrived in Atlanta…only to be told I don’t have all my paperwork.  Of course.  Sigh.  Thankfully, I am nothing if not prepared.  I had my suit with me, and on, to be professional at the Japanese Consulate and had prepared a backup application for my visa.  A short hop skip to a CVS for a passport photo and I had all the paperwork I needed.  The clerk was very kind and remembered me from when I called previously, as I had tried to make sure I could get my visa processed ASAP.  So, she took my application, I signed it, took my paperwork, and the following day, I had my visa in my hand.  All good.  Sadly, I’d been on the road about eight hours, what with the breakfast break, CVS side trip, and heading over to visit friends who offered to put me up for the night. I said hello to my friends and crashed for about 5 hours.  I got up, had dinner with them, talked for a bit, then went to bed early and slept for another 11 hours.  I’d been behind in sleep, so…this was a nice change.  I got my visa and despite numerous traffic issues, I returned home, triumphant.

This brings me to the last leg of preparation.  There was a fantastic deal to get to Sendai, only about 800 dollars.  Problem.  It had me arriving three days before my boss wanted me.  So, I’ve talked with my boss and booked the early flight and a nearby hotel.  I’ll have time to recover and time to explore the area, Natori, where I’ll be working.  I’m looking forward to it, but the road to get here has been stressful.  Money was always an issue, since I had my savings, but poverty follows you hard. I’ve been determined to do this on my own, without support from my family.  So, here we are. My boss might still request I change my flight date or there may be an act of god to interrupt me, but the flight and hotel are booked.  I just need to repack everything, since I had to unpack to get at my suit, and get the last little details sorted out.

I leave on Monday, March 27^th, at about 8:30pm.  Soon enough, I’ll be home.  In one of the few places I’ve felt truly at peace.  Ready or not, Japan.  Here I come.

March 26^th 2017

Everything is in readiness, however jitters before a trip are pretty common.  I’m still waiting to hear back about my Yakkan Shoumei paperwork.  I might not get it in time, in which case we have to deal with the medicine in a more frustrating manner.  I also watched a movie with my family tonight which was mostly in Japanese.  Let me tell you, nothing will make you second guess your skills in the language or your abilities like seeing a movie where everyone speaks a language you almost understand with such speed that it’s hard to really get a good grasp on.  Confidence being shaken is nothing new to me, however.  It’s something that gets better with time, as you become used to the feeling and are better able to cope.

One thing I find myself worrying about is my skill as a teacher.  I still remember everything from my training and my time in a classroom, but after a vacation of about two weeks with no teaching, one does wonder how they may proceed.  It too is like any anxiety.  Based on our own fears and doubts.  It is nothing more than an illusion.  The small voice in the back of my head questioning me has been an annoyance for well over two decades.  It’s born of all your negative life experiences and aims only to keep you down.  When you realize that all it does it poke you without having any real power to stop you, you can simply turn to the voice, internally, and when it says you can’t, you say, “watch me.”  I’m ready.

The last thing that concerns me is my own writing.  My book.  I’ve been so busy, I haven’t had time for much beyond basic editing. I need to get back into the habit of writing when weekends roll around, or perhaps during some weekdays.  This journal may make that difficult, however I’m going to work on it. I want to share my experience with those it can benefit, as well as write a story all my own.  We’ll see what happens.  Tomorrow is the big day.  Onwards.