As a UK expat who has been living in Japan, Emily, an artist who also teaches English, has many experiences and stories to share. Read about the relationships she makes with the Japanese, her plans for her artistic career, and why being a gaijin (foreigner) is good for her sometimes.	Emily

-Where were you born?
Edinburgh, Scotland - but have lived in London for most of my life.

-In which country and city are you living now?
I’m in Takatsuki which is between Kyoto and Osaka in Japan.

-Are you living alone or with your family?
On my tod as we say back home (alone).

-How long have you been living in Japan?
Coming up for ten months.

-What is your age?
41.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Japan?
I first became interested in Japan when I was in primary school in Scotland. I persuaded my teacher to introduce us to the country in a class project, which she did. As the years went on, I became interested in other aspects of Japan - martial arts, arts and crafts, the language - but I didn’t think I’d ever go because I’d heard it was so expensive.

More recently I had a hankering to leave London. I looked into getting a qualification in English language teaching, which I did through International House in London (the Cambridge CELTA). I knew that ELT would be the route here, but I also came with the decision to see how Japan could influence my creative work.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
No, because the company I work for arranged it. If I want to stay longer though - and I do - it may be harder as I would like to arrange my own working visa.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
Nope, ditto. Although the insurance the company takes out/doesn’t cover dental needs or pre-existing conditions.

-How do you make your living in Japan? Do you have any type of income generated?
I’m an English teacher in a conversation school, one of the so-called Big Four. It’s a good way to come here and the company I work for is pretty good at looking after us in terms of accommodation and health care, etc. I applied online after I’d finished my CELTA in London and was invited to a big group interview where I had to demo a lesson. In turn I was invited to a smaller one-to-one interview and then hired. But it should be easy enough to find work here if you have a TEFL qualification - they’re always hunting for native speakers in Japan.

Ideally though, I would like to earn my career teaching both art and English as my degree is in Art and Design (I’m a stained glass artist). I think that there’s scope for it here and am currently investigating. Art as a career is, unfortunately, less promoted as a career choice than it is in the U.K., which isn’t saying a great deal. I’d also like to promote my own work. I have an exhibition in two weeks which will look great on my CV. In a way the fact that I’m a ‘gaijin’ might make a difference to being semi-successful here. I’m already a novelty!

-Do you speak Japanese and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
You should definitely learn the lingo as much as possible. You probably won’t get the chance to put it into practice until you’re here, but it’ll be a start. I knew zilch when I came here, but as I learn languages quickly I was okay. I have Japanese friends who help me and I invested in a grammar book or two. The locals will love you for making an effort and will tell you that your Japanese is great, even if it isn’t. Of course, work hours being what they are, it’s hard to actually concentrate on learning, and the language is probably a complete contrast to any you’ve ever learnt. As for written Japanese, well… it’s all Greek to me!

In terms of local customs and ways, blowing your nose in public is a big no while slurping your noodles isn’t. Personally, I see blowing your nose as a physical need when you have a cold, but I do try to make it as unobtrusive as possible. That’s because someone slurping their noodles in London would make me retch - I should be sensitive here. Eating in the street is also considered rude by older people.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
Yes. I miss London, its multi-culturalism and acceptance, plus the simplicity of going into Marks and Spencer to buy a couple of vegetarian salads. That’s been a problem here - I’ve been a vegetarian since the age of 14 and I’m not going to give up now. Plus I miss being able to get art supplies and to make enquiries in my own language.

There are some young children in my family and I miss them most of all. As for my friends, they’ve all settled into lives of their own and I’ve made lots of new ones here. If anything friends are more attentive here because we’re all in one big gaijin boat. I stay in touch through Skype. It’s a bit hit-and-miss, but it’s cheap. All my younger siblings seem to be on Facebook, so I can check up on their antics!

My free-time is filled with painting mainly and I consider that career-related. I don’t have much time for clubbing any more (been there got the T-shirt, etc.). I’ve got some good Japanese friends; I meet them at yoga and spend time with them gallivanting around. I’m also a voracious writer.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
Absolutely. I’m not sure how long I’ll stay here, but I’d like to branch out if I do and it seems a bit crazy to come this far and go back too soon. I’d like to continue promoting myself as an artist and finish writing a novel. I’d like to visit the southern hemisphere and see different stars. I love Italy, speak Italian and have lots of friends there, so that’s a safe bet. I also want to visit Iceland and Israel.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I rent an apartment which is subsidised by the company I work for, but the full price is around Y70000 (about £350 sterling or US$700). It has a loft to sleep in, a tiny bathroom and toilet, a hallway and a lounge. Personally, I’m happy with it. Admittedly, it would be cramped for two people and the kitchen is on the petite side, but you adapt.

-What is the cost of living in Japan?
I believed that it would be expensive, but every Brit I’ve met here has said it’s on a par with the U.K. Some things are even cheaper - eating out isn’t so bad (apart from it’s an ordeal for a veggie!). That said, many folk tell me that the U.K. is expensive, so it’s all relative. I think the main reason someone might find it pricey here is more to do with not being used to the cost. As the months have gone by I’ve found I can live on less money. It’s all swings and roundabouts.

-What do you think about the Japanese?
Sometimes you can feel like a performing gaijin seal, but at other times people will go out of their way to help you. I was once struggling with buying a shinkansen (bullet train) ticket at the station when a woman came over and offered to help me (she’d spent four years in the US and her English was excellent). Things like that are very heart-warming and make you feel less isolated. My Japanese friends also do some amazing things without my even asking - when I was skint I told my friend I wish I could afford a ticket to see a band I like. A few days later she called to say she had it for me!

Working in a Japanese environment can be frustrating though, not less if you’re not the corporate type to begin with. This is where your differences will appear most acute. There are people that you meet in this situation with whom at other times you might be perfectly good friends with, but at work you may often feel impatient. The Japanese can be shy about bending rules, even when they can see it’s a good idea and to their advantage.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Japan?
My biggest negative has been food-related - vegetarians are almost unknown, despite Japan’s Buddhists. Many’s been the time I’ve ordered a vegetarian curry, being careful to state in Japanese that I don’t eat meat or fish, only for it to come back with chicken or ham. It drives me nuts! But then you discover places like Koyasan, which is a little place near Osaka that has countless Buddhists temples where you can stay overnight and have a lovely relaxing time. And pig out on shojin ryori - vegetarian food!

Your students/colleagues/new friends will go out of their way for you when you’re new in town as well and take you to places which are off the beaten track. Although I’m not a ‘career teacher’ I can see how much they respect them here, which is refreshing.

There’s more sexism here and you’ll find more men with retrograde attitudes than you will back home. It’s quite normal here for a career woman here to quit when she gets married; I’ve yet to meet a British guy under 40 who would be happy about supporting a perfectly capable woman unless there were kids to look after. A lot of younger men are different, but they tend to be the ones who’ve travelled.

Friendships between men and women seem to be tricky. As someone who has a lot of male friends back home, I’d like to have more here. All my co-workers are women and so is everyone at yoga - I miss guys! I do have a few male friends here who are cool (and either gaijin or a bit bohemian), but the general idea seems to be that if you hang out with someone of the opposite gender who’s Japanese, they will see it as a date.

Weather-wise the winters where I am are pleasantly mild, spring and autumn delightful… and summer an unbearable humid hell!

But how often are you going to get the chance to stay live in Japan? The countryside is amazing! Japan is a very diverse country. You can climb Mount Fuji, go to a snow festival and sunbathe on a tropical beach. It’s great to have the experience of being an outsider as well, even if some of it is unpleasant, because it will help you relate to how ‘outsiders’ back home feel and make you more sympathetic. Japan has a wonderfully healthy craft industries and there’s so much inspiration if you’re an artist. I’m sure I’ll have to get another suitcase for all the paper I buy.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Japan?
If you’re coming here for a long stint like I’ve done, ship as much as you can. It’s cheaper than paying through the nose when you fly out. Be patient - things that seem normal to us may not be great to the Japanese, but try and keep an open mind as much as possible. Obviously some things are universally unacceptable, but try not to get too worked about the little things. It’s okay as well to be firm about things that you really are not happy about.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Japan?
I’d recommend this blog as it’s mine - http://emskaroonie.blogspot.com, and if you’d like to see my glass work it’s at www.firehorseglass.com.

For jobs you can’t beat www.gaijinpot.com.

And keep up to date with www.japantimes.co.jp.

www.japan-zine.com is good for listings.