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I used the search function but couldn't really find anything.
What would life be in Tokyo for a white family of 4, 2 kids 8 and 6?
I haven't done any research online, just wanted to ask if there are any out there that could share any input.
TIA
I haven't lived there but have visited a lot - maybe 10 times in the past 5 years and I'd move there in a heartbeat. We have friends from Switzerland who moved there with their teenagers and they are really happy. Obviously language is an issue but you just immerse yourself in a language school.
If you are moving with a company they should have a re-location agent to help you esp with apartments as lots go Japanese don't like to rent to Gaijin/foreigner. Google gaijin and pot ( not sure If I can post a link to another forum ??) and you will find a mountain of information.
I used the search function but couldn't really find anything.
What would life be in Tokyo for a white family of 4, 2 kids 8 and 6?
I haven't done any research online, just wanted to ask if there are any out there that could share any input.
TIA
As a high paid professional, you'll likely enjoy it. Enough foreigners there that you could live in a bubble if you wished. Well organized city, a lot happening. I think psychologically the hardest part is worrying about the safety of your food and if anything worse may happen in Fukushima. The problem is on-going. Tokyo is close enough to be affected, though not severely of course.
As a non-university English teacher, I think it'd be quite hard to support your family as the cost of living is quite high. I think you and your wife would need to be passionate about the country not to get bummed out after the first year or so as you'll likely be scraping by and there isn't a whole lot of room for advancement from the entry level teaching (unless you have a master's or Phd).
I used the search function but couldn't really find anything.
What would life be in Tokyo for a white family of 4, 2 kids 8 and 6?
I haven't done any research online, just wanted to ask if there are any out there that could share any input.
TIA
I live in Osaka with a wife and kid.
What would life be like for a (white, or other American) family in Tokyo? Pretty cool.
Hopefully, you're like a ton of (I'm assuming) American people who is working in Tokyo as part of a company or being transferred.
I think it would be quite a bit harder, if you're just 'escaping' from the U.S. with no job prospects in mind. But if you're company is sending you, it'll be great.
It would be a intra-company transfer with a European based IT company and current position is senior engineering, potentially a management position over there.
I have read some horror stories about how "outsiders" are treated.
It would be a intra-company transfer with a European based IT company and current position is senior engineering, potentially a management position over there.
I have read some horror stories about how "outsiders" are treated.
It would be a intra-company transfer with a European based IT company and current position is senior engineering, potentially a management position over there.
I have read some horror stories about how "outsiders" are treated.
It's a homogeneous country and people will treat you differently, usually younger women (<40) are friendlier, when there's direct interaction, otherwise you blend in with the bazallion people around. Trouble occurs when you you're in an area where there aren't many foreigners and perhaps more older people. This could be a local sushi shop at a local station or a hot spring far from the city. Most of the time people ignore each other and you, and are usually friendly to foreigners when there's a reason for interaction. If you dress conservative/professional, you'll blend in more unless you're hanging out in Shibuya and Harajuku.
Also, companies have a lot of power over customers there, so be careful about contracts, make sure you really like something before you buy it (really difficult to return), etc.
I have a friend who worked as a English teacher in Japan. Her general impression was that being a temporary resident in Japan is great, people are nice and friendly and really curious about your culture. It's only when you as a foreigner plant permanent roots will you encounter problems.
Also, keep in mind, there are a TON of expats in Japan, who've lived here for a long time, and don't seem to have any problems.
I'd be one of them.
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