Clayton teaches English in a place called Saga in Japan. He gives some advice on things like why speaking the local language can be helpful, his opinions about the Japanese, and what NOT to do in Japan if you're planning to go there.	Clayton

March 07 2007

-Where were you born?
Logan, Utah, USA

-In which country and city are you living now?
Tara-cho, Saga, Japan

-Are you living alone or with your family?
Alone

-How long have you been living in Japan?
About a year and a half

-What is your age?
26

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Japan? 
Back in University, I was in the language college and I saw a poster for the Jet Programme. It put the idea in my head that I could live abroad and get paid for it to boot.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
Not at all, the programme helps you figure things out.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
Not really, it came with my gaijin card.

-How do you make your living in Japan? Do you have any type of income generated?
I looked up the Jet Programme on the web and applied. The job pays decently (about 30,000 U.S. dollars a year).

-Do you speak Japanese and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
Language is not really necessary. You can learn everyday shopping-speak and skate by on the rest if you need to. It may be important to pay attention to relationships between higher and lower people on the social ladder.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Honestly, I am pretty good about just settling for phone calls. For recreation, I go to the mountains, hike around, and see what shrines I can find.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
Maybe a bike ride across Eurasia.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I pay about a hundred bucks a month to rent a hovel. I imagine a small apartment is about 600 dollars American.

-What is the cost of living in Japan?
Food, gas, transportation, fines, etc. are all very high, but somehow I manage to save a lot of money.

-What do you think about the Japanese?
They are very polite in their actions and unconsciously very racist in their speech. They give preferential treatment on a personal level, and near harassment on a public level.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Japan?
Positive: Beauty. Feeling famous. People giving you gifts. 
Negative: a closed, racist culture.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Japan?
Don’t do drugs here.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Japan?
I write at The Hopeless Romantic and His Adventures in Japan, and keep lots of useful links there.

I vlog at www.youtube.com/profile?user=claytonian.

An important site for immigrants to Japan is Debito.org.