I live in Japan!

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by kanedova

You were talking about Free Japanese classes. Do you know where to get more information about that? I will be staying in Wakayama at my nearly 80 year old Grandma's place. I have about $18,000 so saving as much money as possible is crucial. I might even need to find a part-time job, whilst there. Since I own the Japanese Passport, i won't encounter any Visa problems.

You can almost always find free classes by asking at your local city office, and by looking through English language area publications. I`m not particularly familiar with the Wakayama area, so I can`t give you any other advice about exact groups though.

You can also often find a lot with a simple net search.

[samurai007]

Originally Posted by kanedova

thx samurai, i will definitly have a look at that.

Also, WIXAS holds Japanese classes and promotes cultural exchanges (check out their Activities page):

http://wixas.or.jp/ewixas/eindex.htm

[SamuraiAlchemistNinja]

Ah, your story sounds familar, only a little worse and better at the same time. The end goal is completed anyway (日本). I have lots of friends in 日本 but ya know pictures and such don't work when it's the place that you want to go, ne? I'm not in 日本...yet. Only a matter of time. Congrats to you and tell us more about it! Ooh put up more pics please!!

Oh and nice link, samurai007-san!

[kiomi21]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

Well, as far as a life story goes... My mom was a total piece of crap - selfish and certainly didn`t care about me. She was one of those women who dates a bunch of guys, milks them for everything they`re worth, and then dumps them. She was NEVER at home, and wouldn`t *let* me go to school as she "wanted to go out that day" and needed me to watch my brother and sister. It was an almost everyday event. Life really REALLY sucked.

I took a short summer Japanese course at a local university (with money from my grandparents, while secretly staying in a friend`s dorm room for the length of the course - my mother would NEVER have paid for anything for me.) when I was 15 and I found it really easy. I also got along really well with the teachers and exchange students who would volunteer for the class. I`m a fairly shy and polite person, so I guess I just "fit in". That pretty much started my dream to go to Japan - It seemed like somewhere that I could be me and find happiness.

When I was 16 I graduated from high school (I took HS classes from 6th grade and did summer school in HS for two years) - and got a job. I explained the home situation to my boss and they would give me a second fake pay slip each month so that my mother would only be able to demand all of that money. (Like half?) I secretly saved the rest.

I had originally planned to stay with a friend in Osaka, but his mother became seriously ill and we had to cancel it... Another friend I had made online offered to ask their mother (In Aichi) if she would be willing to put someone up for a few months - she agreed and I jumped on the chance. I turned in the life insurance policy on me, combined the money with what I`d saved, and bought a ticket just before I turned 17. At the time it was like $1800... I saved up all the money I made in the 3 months before I left, and had around $600. $500 to pay for room and board, and $100 to spend. That was it. I stayed in Japan for 3 months the first time, went home for a few months and repeated (Although the second time I stayed with friends I made the first trip...) and, well, before I knew it, here I am. :P

I`ve been pretty broad with the descriptions, so if there are any details you want to know ask away.

ok,so u just met someone online and asked to live with them? ...
not getting any ideas or anything. lol.i sapek some japanese,i found harajuku pics on photobucket and loved it ive been dressing like it ever since...(even to school!!) did you marry a japanese guy? .... o.o?......kewl

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by kiomi21

ok,so u just met someone online and asked to live with them? ...
not getting any ideas or anything. lol.i sapek some japanese,i found harajuku pics on photobucket and loved it ive been dressing like it ever since...(even to school!!) did you marry a japanese guy? .... o.o?......kewl

It wasn`t exactly a case of just randomly meeting someone online and asking to stay with them. I had been talking with her for months and months prior to any talk of staying with her family. When my original plan fell through, she offered to ask her mother - her mother agreed, and plans were made. I never actually asked anyone.

Harajuku does not equal 99.9% of Japan.

And yes, I married a Japanese guy.

[SSJup81]

Nyororin, wow...you've been through so much! I can't imagine doing what you did at such a young age. Here you were, 17 years old, going across the world, and here I am, nearly 27, and I've never had the opportunity to live away from my parents (mainly because I could never afford to). I'm hoping that changes next year. I really hope to get into JET, save up money, and then have something for when I come back home and then get a place of my own.

How old are you now, btw? I know you have a three year old, right, or is your child older? How did you meet your husband anyway?

[kiomi21]

Originally Posted by Nyororin

It wasn`t exactly a case of just randomly meeting someone online and asking to stay with them. I had been talking with her for months and months prior to any talk of staying with her family. When my original plan fell through, she offered to ask her mother - her mother agreed, and plans were made. I never actually asked anyone.

Harajuku does not equal 99.9% of Japan.

And yes, I married a Japanese guy.

......japanese guys r hott.....
im only 13 now tho... TT.TT :'(

do you have kids?
how old are they?
&&last how old r u now?

[Nyororin]

Originally Posted by kiomi21

do you have kids?
how old are they?
&&last how old r u now?

I have a 3 year old son. He`ll be 4 in June.

I`m 27 now.

[Henbaka]

Hello, I'm new to this forum. Seems like a nice place though!

I created another tread about finding a place to live in Tokyo, but I did'nt really introduce myself. Anyways, I'm a 22 years old guy from Sweden. I've almost studied 3 years at university-level and in September im going to Japan (Tokyo) for an exchange year at Waseda U.

Oh, and I've lived in Saitama (Kita-Koshigaya) for four months back in 2005 whilst studying some japanese. I feel really rusty now though, but I hope to brush that up ASAP and also try hard to learn alot of japanese in the coming year.

Anyways I just wanted to share my happiness really quick, have fun all travelers!

[hcsurfer25]

Dear Nyororin,

Alot I have noticed, has changed since I was in Japan last, about 1986. Long story short, family is american, dad was in airforce, I was born in the Philippennes. Traveled to japan on mini vacations. Loved it there!

Currently in the Navy. Once I get out, I plan on moving back to Japan. Somewhere near the coastline. Cause I am a surfer.

Going to Japan probally on a work visa. Either working as a teacher, or my prior proffession before I enlisted, an electrician.

More than likely going to end up in an apartment, probally partake in the bath houses. Is it true, that people with tattoo's can not go into certain bath houses or other places like the oceandome and such because the Japanese think your mafia or something? I ask this, cause when the command I was with, met with some of the japanese military, they asked me if I was yakuza? Cause of my half sleeve tattoo's. I kinda laughed! My tats are all anime, FLCL to be exact. Told them no... I just like anime, that's all. Our guide told us the tattoo thing. I don't know if it implied to the "American" hang outs, or places in general?

We where in Tokyo in '07 on deployment, went to a couple of hotsprings and heard that rumor....? Didn't have problems to the one we went too... but just wondering?

Also, once I get out of the military, they will not pay for my moving exspenses to japan? Do you recommend any companies for moving vehicles, furniture e.t.c....? Or do you recomend bringing very little cause of the smallness of the apartments? If this has already been asked, I apologize. I would greatly appreciate the info though! Thankyou!

You are one couragious person in what you have accomplished! Moving to japan on your own, and achieving what you have now. I bow to you, you are awesome!!!!! Good luck to you in the future, and maybe I might come across you sometime next year when I go again, or when I move to japan for good in 3 years?