[dirtybob]

I have to agree with Yinnie here. Japan may seem like the perfect place for you, but remember that people everywhere are just people. For every soft and cute aspect, like Hello Kitty, there is a dark side.

I read a while back about a Nihongin who asked an American woman to his place to have a private English lesson. If I remember correctly they found her dead in his bathroom days later.

Your enthusiasm is great, but dial it down a bit and research a little more before you jump in with both feet. I too would like to live and work in Japan. So, i have been reading all I can about it, both the good and the bad. Also, like me you might want to plan a semi-long stay there just to get the feel for the place.

People here and on other boards/blogs have said over and over that working Japan as an English teacher can be done by almost any native English speaker. But trying to find work in another field requires a high knowledge of both written and spoken Japanese.

Just some things to think about.

DB