>>1038146A couple of questions, to anyone willing and in a position to answer:
Do you people feel isolated a lot? Are there good possibilities for you to create a little western bubble that you can return to if you feel like it?
I'm not saying to keep away from the Japanese culture, I just mean it as a kind of retreat option if it gets too much from time to time.
I'm at a crossroads in my life, have quite some possibilities to go from here. Stay in my own country, go abroad. Just as a rough idea, age 30, bachelor degree sinologist, aborted master degree china business.
I'm not much of a career man, I more want to do what's fun. But here are 2 major concerns I have about the prospect of going to Japan becoming a teacher.
1) Worry about isolation. I'm an outgoing introvert. I can be very social, and did crazy stuff too, reasonably good looking, blah blah. But I have very introvert phases too. I know I'd definitely need a western social bubble that I could retreat to at times.
I have issues with anxiety-depression, and I have researched the poor mental health care situation in Japan fairly well, also the thing that you don't 'bother' other people with your problems in their cuture.. This is nothing I want to take lightly. Heard of people with similar problems who still live happy lives over there though.
Is it at times a very solitary live, and do you deal well with it? This part-question is more out of curiosity, very subjective.
Then 2). Do you ever worry about longterm prospects of your job security? Are you confident enough in your teaching lifestyle to really consider staying there permanently?
I could see myself being over there for, like, 2 years. And I'd really want this to be part of my life. But would you think there are ways to sell this kind of activity well in your curriculum vitae for future job activities back in your home countries? I'm from Germany, and have some family as social security net, but nothing I'd want to strain too much -cont
