Lea is a writer and translator living in Tokyo, Japan. This American woman talks about moving to Japan, the complicated behavior of the Japanese, the memoir she wrote about her past experiences as a bar hostess in Tokyo, and a few other aspects of expat life in the Land of the Rising Sun.	Lea

-Where were you born?
Los Angeles, California, USA, but I was raised just outside of New York City.

-In which country and city are you living now?
Tokyo, Japan

-Are you living alone or with your family?
I live with my fiancé.

-How long have you been living in Japan?
Five years, although it was on and off for a little while in the middle.

-What is your age?
I’m 26.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Japan?
I started studying Japanese in high school, but it is an immensely challenging language and by the time I graduated college I knew that there was no other way to become fluent in the language but to live here.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
It was easier at first, when I came over with a teaching contract. If you have a full time teaching job, then the company will typically do most of the necessary paperwork for you, and all you have to do by yourself is take the files down to the immigration office and get your passport stamped with a 1 year visa. Now that I freelance, however, renewing my visa each year is very, very difficult. I have to personally collect and put together a great deal of paperwork.

-Was it difficult for you to get medical insurance before you went there or when you first arrived?
National health insurance basically comes with the visa. It is pretty reasonable (on a sliding scale) and co-pay is 30%.

-How do you make your living in Japan? Do you have any type of income generated?
I came over as a children’s English teacher in Yokohama, where I spent my first year in Japan living with a homestay family. I felt stifled by the many rules and eventually to Tokyo and working on the hostess bar circuit for a while. This was certainly more exciting, but I ended up in over my head and drinking way too much. I have since quit both hostessing and drinking to work as both a translator and a writer.

The jobs I have now are the result of the connections I’ve made in Tokyo over the years, but some great places to look for beginners are: gaijinpot.com, jobsinjapan.com and ohayosensei.com.

-Do you speak Japanese and do you think it's important to speak the local language?
Of course Japanese is important. Foreigners can always get their own intentions across with hand gestures, but to learn the intentions and opinions of the people living here as well, the language is important.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
In Japan, I miss pizza and my dogs. When I go back to the states, I miss karaoke.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
I have written a memoir about my life in Japan called BAR FLOWER: My Decadently Destructive Days and Nights as a Tokyo Nightclub Hostess. It will be published by St. Martin’s Press in April 2008. My agent is currently shopping the film rights at www.martinliterarymanagement.com

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
Tokyo rent is comparable to that in New York City.

-What is the cost of living in Japan?
Expensive, but the salaries are higher as well. It is entirely possible to save money here while living on a starting teacher’s salary.

-What do you think about the Japanese?
The Japanese are complicated. They will all act similarly on the outside, but their individual intentions and personalities vary immensely. Because this is largely a racially homogenous society, Japan is still in the infantile stages of accepting diversity.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Japan?
Living here, I am sure to learn something new every day. On the negative side, the coffee is very bad.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Japan?
It’s a challenge, but definitely a rewarding one if you’re up for it.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Japan?
My blog: www.geisha-interrupted.typepad.com