I finally have what I want.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:21 am

5 months ago today, I left the United States for Japan. For the majority of that time, I supported myself as a private tutor. It was a good time, except that I had to leave the country every three months in order to sidestep Japanese immigration laws. In February, I finally took a full-time teaching job with a Junior Highschool. With the job comes more money (which is nice) and greater security. As of today, I have a Visa that will allow me to stay in Japan indefinitely, provided I have it renewed after 1, 3, and 5 years. I also have my own apartment that is an easy commute from the junior highschool where I teach.

Woo.

If you ever have the time and inclination, visit Japan. After 5 months, it's still as great as I had hoped it would be. I can not even imagine how fantastic it would seem to someone who is only visiting for a short while.

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:41 am

I am currently saving up money which will be spent on a trip to Japan

It's quite expensive, but I think I'll have enough money sometime next summer.

Aaron Hong · Post by **Aaron Hong** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:35 am

That's good to know. You be sure to take care of yourself and everything.

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:28 am

Well done Smooth! Sounds great!

Stormwolf · Post by **Stormwolf** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 6:38 pm

Great news, now I have a place to crash should I ever go to Japan

sprunkner · Post by **sprunkner** » Thu Mar 22, 2007 10:19 pm

Good one, Smooth.

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:23 pm

So, not doubting you or anything, but what exactly IS so fantastic about Japan?

Post by **Denyer** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 9:42 pm

Nice going dude. Walk with talk.

Professor Smooth · Post by **Professor Smooth** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 5:55 am

Shanti418 wrote:So, not doubting you or anything, but what exactly IS so fantastic about Japan?

I hate to sound cliche, but... It`s the little things. It is, for the most part, incrediblyl clean. You do not see trash everywhere. In fact, I rarely see trash ANYwhere. People are almost all polite. You can walk through a busy area and not be elbowed by everyone coming the opposite direction. Little stuff like that.

I have never felt as safe. In the US, there are somewhere in the area of 12,000 murders per year. In Japan...it fluctuates, but I`m told it is usually under 50. Less crime, and violence in general.

A near complete lack of Jesus is nice. I especially enjoy that the Jesus situation is flipped. If you are one of those people that believes that the Earth is 6,000 years old, the Dinosaurs either never existed or were on Noah`s arc, etc, YOU are the weirdo.

Oh, and my hobbies are not looked at with barely withheld contempt. If I want to shop at Toys R Us, buy a stack of comic books, or peruse the adult section of an establishment, I know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that the cashier will be nothing less than polite. No "aren't you too old to be buying toys?"

My job is bloody fantastic! I get to teach junior high school English. And when I am not in class, usually about 5 hours per day, I can just hang out, surf the net, read, study, or do whatever the hell I please. The job pays me roughly 8 times as much as I pay for rent, so money is not a big concern.

I can't say I miss the United States. I don't. I miss certain people. There was a month or so where I would have killed somebody for a Chalupa, but it is getting easier. I have at least one friend who wants to do the same thing, so I am looking at getting him a job with my company.