Today’s topic will be on getting settled and living in Japan as a foreigner. There’s a lot of differences between coming to Japan on vacation versus actually living here. There are also a lot of differences between study abroad and working in Japan.
I think some immediate culture shocks for those living in western countries might be:
*sorting trash
*walking on the left in Tokyo
*no eating or drinking while walking
*taking off shoes in dressing rooms
*not that many trash cans outside
*no many places to sit
*walking everywhere (not good for wheelchairs)
*so many trains and buses (Shinjuku Station is very confusing at first)
Plus there’s a lot of unspoken rules for everything.
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But living here is a whole new set of issues. I lived abroad in Tokyo as a student, but working here is very different.
Living Here:
Similarities:
*national health insurance (shakai hoken)
*residence card (zairyu card)
*living situation (dorm or school apartment)
*visa
*fax or mail documents
*local tap cards for buses
*lots of heat tech (if you live where it snows cause it’s so cold)
Differences
*bank account
*phone contract plan (plus calling depending on your company)
*pension
*apartment set-up
*paying utility bills at the コンビニ
*specific biking or driving rules
*working in an all Japanese environment (there’s a ton of rules and certain ways to do everything)
*use the printing machine at the コンビニ
And so on….
Depending on your city, how much you can understand Japanese or they can speak English, the language barrier is a very real issue. And when it comes to legal things, it can be even tougher.
Depending on your school or company, they will do a lot of hand-holding and helping you out OR they may NOT. It really depends on your own personal situation. These are just some things to keep in mind.
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