The Downsides to Moving Abroad.

Have you ever dreamed of packing up your life and starting over some place foreign and amazing? For me it was a life long dream to move to Japan. At the end of 2019 I applied for a job that would make my dream come true and when I got the offer I was on cloud nine. In January, my husband, fur baby and I board the plane for our new home. We have now lived in Japan for almost 6 months and for the most part (other than the inconvenience of COVID-19) life has been wonderful but it isn’t all sunshine and butterflies. I never thought about the downsides that would come with living abroad.

I am extremely close to my family and I didn’t realize how hard it would be to be away from them. Thankful we live in a technology filled world and video chatting is a great way to stay connected but it isn’t the same. It makes me sad to miss all of them and the moments we share together. I miss hugs from loved ones, dinner and laughter, coffee and breakfast with the besties and so much more.

The language barrier can make you feel isolated and alone at times. Although we are working hard to learn the language; it will be a long time before we become fluent. It is hard to go out and struggle to communicate simple things with the general public. Sometimes you just want to tell someone to have a nice day or that you appreciate there help.

Being in a new and foreign place can also make basic daily life tasks more challenging; such as not being able to read basic packaging in the store. I needed chicken stock and it took 3 people and about 5 minutes to be able to communicate what I was looking for at the local grocery store. There was also the time I bought fried rice only to find out it was curry fried rice and my poor husband hates the smell of curry. I think it took 2 days for to get the smell completely out of the kitchen.

Another downside is not having things that you are used to finding comfort in. Whether that be your favorite foods, products or experiences. A lot of these, you can find ways to work around. Care packages from family and friends, learning to prepare a dish similar to one served at your favorite Resturant, and ordering things online really does bring the world to your finger tips. However; it is never quite the same. We recently got a package from a good friend with a bag of our favorite chips, Tim’s Cascade Salt and Vinegar, we were so excited over this. It really is the simple things in life.

There is also the aspect of standing out because you are different. Both my husband and I have tattoos, piercings and gaged ears; all of which are not common to see here. We have definitely seen some staring at us while out and about. Sometimes they’re looks of curiosity and sometimes they are looks of non-approval. The other side is there are places we aren’t allowed, such as onsens and public bath houses. Some times you are allowed to enter but you are required to cover your tattoos.

All in all, I don’t regret taking this amazing opportunity. We are very blessed to have this experience so young in life. These are just things I never thought about prior to making the decision. Most of what you read online talks about all the good about moving abroad. If you are considering taking the leap of faith and following your dreams, just make sure you don’t let the downsides consume you and these are things you can live with.

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