I don’t really feel safe discussing this with the people in my life as they’re either going to take it as a joke or accuse me of being a weeb. So I’m looking for an objective view.
I’m a caucasian Canadian Male (28) and I just came back from a month trip in Japan. While I did enjoy all the tourism amenities of where I was staying, I came to appreciate a few things I don’t see in my country. Japan is very clean, people are polite, and despite a lower average wage Japan is affordable.
I’m pretty sure I have seasonal affective disorder as the Canadian winters are very difficult for me. I’ve lived in multiple provinces and it doesn’t get better. Furthermore, since finishing university and struggling to find perminant work I’ve become a bit disillusioned with North America’s hustle culture. I make a high wage and have been for almost 2 years and yet I cannot afford my own place as rent would be almost 2/3rds of my pay. It feels like the American Dream which is very much present in Canada doesn’t exist anymore. I’ve gotten 2 post secondary credentials and have been working professionally in my field for 6 years almost and am no closer to my own place or independence that’s promised to me if I just stayed in school and climbed the corporate ladder.
I find I crave a slower pace of life and a warmer climate, that’s where Okinawa comes in. I stayed there for two weeks and I liked the slower vibe against the other cities I stayed in on mainland Japan. Furthermore my work experience is in the tourism industry and so is my BA which seems to fit Okinawa as a tourism economy.
I’m aware the Yen is weak against the CAD and that wages in Okinawa are lower but I am okay with a lower wage if it means I can afford rent, a good meal, and some hobbies. I am aware that Japan is not a utopia and has its own issues, but I’m tired of my cold expensive life in Canada.
My plan would be to first learn N5 Japanese locally then apply for a working holiday visa and make the move while continuing my learning via Kumon’s class for foreigners. Once I’ve landed a place to live and perfected N5, I’d enrol in ICLC language school to achieve N2 language fluency and get assistance landing a tourism job.
I understand that I’d likely make 60% less money than I do now but if I’m going to be a rent slave forever and never own a house then why not rent somewhere that the sun shines and has walkable cities at low cost with a job market that actually is applicable to my education? I feel like people used to flee the old world in hopes of a better life and I kinda feel that way about North America presently.
I get that i’m shooting in the dark here but any comments help. Thank you.
by theCECHA-01