There's nothing wrong with the dream to live in Japan. After all, it's just human nature to see our neighbors lawn as being greener as ours.

I'm sure that there are many Japanese forums where the opposite occurs. Young Japanese teens dreaming about life in the west. Willing to work labour intensive jobs just to have the opportunity to eat a foot long hot dog during a live MLB game. Or to fire a MAC-10 at a firing range or to drive a Corvette Z06 around the Grand Canyon.

All one has to do is look at what is happening IN Japan over the recent years........ right at home they are tending to aggressively chase Western values. Every time I return... I see more and more Western influence.

Yes... the grass is always greener.........

best,

....................john

Finally people realise.

What does scare me is if they become a society built on pessimism like the UK,like the US is becoming,like Singapore to an extent...And if you disagree it's because this is a pessimistic society. I was even accused of never having been there when I stated the fact that Japan is a society that do not like to talk about anything too heavy.

All the people that live to 100 and more,they get there by enjoying life[and of course being active etc]. The Japanese still live the longest.

They probably won't,I'm sure an entire country's people's traits won't change that easily.

Oh god, I nearly died laughing!

Even so, it's still only what's shown on TV. Doing it in real life is a lot different, and a lot harder.

.... Real life is different from Street View, not the best reason to think you'll love the country. :S
Sorry but I think SHAD0W's logic may apply here...

When you have fantasies about the country, it's really easy to say 'I'll do those hours without a complaint!' But actually doing something like that isn't that easy, especially coming from somewhere like the UK. In a monotonous job like English teaching, which can become boring easily despite what you believe, an hour can seem like 3, and so on.

Of course I'm in no position to say how far your stamina can go, but it's just what I highly believe from countless people sharing true experiences.

i got to admit, when people ask me why i study japanese, i tell them because i like their fighting games, like sf,, and the anime.

i like to think i kno about the culture after studying it, but i could be completely wrong. either way, i kno that its pretty much the imported stuff that got my attention.

i kno there's plenty of things concerning day to day life that i both know nothing about, nor may like at all.

i also note that the ingroup mentality of the japanese social unit, may make it difficult to become part of a group. especially if you dont know the language.

I believe in trying before you move. If I ever intend to move somewhere I like to visit many times and knowing is face before I make a serious decision. I visited my college very many times before making a move. I don't think you're a hater. I think you're just logical in this sense.

*plooka plooka*

i thing too bear in mind is that japan is a first world country with massive influences from overshores just like all the other first world nations.

what this means is that i do not know how to use chopsticks, but japan has all sorts of foreign chopstickless food, which i can eat if i don't like noodles/rice.

with increasingly connected relations it seems many countries have all the same comforts as each other if you want them.

I appreciate everyone's feedback, no matter how negative. I am still going ahead with my plan, I've had it with the UK pi**ing me off. You want an otaku, weaboo and Japanophile in one. Ta-da. So all your negative criticism will, while appreciated, be ignored :)

wots wrong with the uk in particular btw?

i'd like to go to japan, but i dnt know if i cud handle not being surrounded by mass kokujin

edit i meant hakujin