Should I Live in Japan?

I once worked with a young woman who was absolutely miserable here and she tarnished the reputation of all foreigners in our area. She claimed she was a non-conformist and walked to her own tune. She kept rabbits inside the living room of her rental house because she didn't believe in cages for animals. She ate at school whenever she was hungry, instead of at the lunch hour; she refused to change her shoes because of her arches; she arrived at work when she was able to wake up.

There is nothing wrong with her beliefs or lifestyle and I hope she found a farm to live on, but she was in the wrong place to be that stubborn and opinionated. Her refusal to comply with the rules led to a huge commotion at the city hall. It's been ten years and they still talk about how awful she was and how reluctant they are to hire another foreigner, just in case we are all like that. One bad apple spoils the barrel.

If I had met her before she boarded the plane, I would have advised her to find some other adventure. You need to come here with a willingness to participate and comply with the local traditions; an openness to let go of some of your own beliefs and explore those of others.

You are, whether you want to be or not, an ambassador of your country.

If you answer yes to any of the following questions, it raises a red flag as to whether or not you will even enjoy being in Japan, let alone feeling welcomed here. I don't want to turn anyone away, but I have seen too many unhappy souls to not share a word of caution. Be honest with yourself. There are always other opportunities.

• Are you strongly opinionated, to the point where you are unhappy unless you get your way?
• Do you have strict dietary restrictions?
• Do you dislike trying new foods, have an aversion to fishy smells or vegetables?
• Do you have many piercings, visible tatooes or dress habits that make you stand out from the crowd?
• Do you hate people telling you what to do and how to do it? Do you resent authority?
• Do you have any severe health problems that could impair your ability to live and work independently? Do you have any addictions?
• Do you argue when confronted?
• Are there certain products, foods, comforts that you must have in order to feel happy?
• Are you coming to Japan because your life sucks at home and you want to get away?

If you said "yes", it doesn't mean an end to your dreams! It means you should really think it through, how you will address the issue in Japan and what options you can give yourself. For example, if the school says to remove your earrings, are you OK with that?