Originally from merry old England, Simon is now teaching English in Osaka, Japan. It wasn't easy at first, but he's now enjoying the experience of living in another country. Especially if it's a place that has terrific food -- like Osaka, which is also known as the "Gourmet's City."	Simon

July 30 2006

-Where were you born?
Poole, England

-Are you living alone or with your family?
I live with my family: my wife, my newborn baby Isabelle, and my mother-in-law.

-In which country and city are you living now?
I live in Osaka, Japan.

-How long have you been living there?
I've been living here for two years.

-What is your age?
I'm 26 years old.

-When did you come up with the idea of living in Japan?
I decided to come to Japan as my wife's English visa was running out and I wanted to stay with her. I was also in a job that I didn't enjoy and as I had already lived in France and Germany, the idea of going out into the world again really appealed to me.

-Was it hard to get a visa or a working permit?
I came to Japan on a Working Holiday Visa, which means you are allowed to do most jobs in Japan in order to pay for your travel. It was relatively easy to get and is recommended as a foot in the door approach to Japan.

-How do you make your living in Japan?
I teach English with a company that has contracts with local kindergartens, an elementary school and runs its own English schools. The previous job I got after searching for four long months.

I definitely underestimated how long it would take to get a job. Places in Japan look for teachers with experience and having none it took me a while to find a company willing (desperate enough) to take me on. Once I had the experience on my resume, finding subsequent jobs has been much easier. I can recommend GaijinPot.com although the best place to look is local magazines targeted at Westerners: Kansai Time Out, Kansai Scene, Kansai Flea Market for the Kansai area of Japan.

-Do you speak Japanese and do you think it's important to speak the local language?

I have a command of basic Japanese although for two years in Japan, it's not as good as it could be. It's enough to survive, definitely. I do suffer the daily dilemma of having to work out whether the liquid in the bottle is soda or bleach.

Japan has really embraced English into its society, which means that you can go up to anyone under the age of 70 in Japanese society from a homeless man to an executive and be able to have a pretty decent conversation with them. Could you say the same thing about yourself and Spanish? Or French?

If you don't speak the local language, however, you are eternally forced to the bottom rung of the ladder, unable to communicate and function even at a most basic level, so it's very important to learn the local language wherever you are.

-Do you miss home and family sometimes?
I do miss England a lot, especially my family and friends, grassy open fields and Branston Pickle. The Internet has been excellent in combating homesickness. I can do free video calls home thanks to Skype, which has been a godsend with the newborn baby, and I check BBC News a lot to keep up with the times back home.

-Do you have other plans for the future?
My future plans aren't very concrete. I know I don't want to teach English for the rest of my life but I'm enjoying the experience of living in a foreign country. I recently got a spouse visa valid for three years so we shall see.

-What about housing, have you bought, or are you renting a home? How much do you pay for it?
I am fortunate enough to live with my mother-in-law who I get on well with. We pay rent to her but it is cheaper than renting privately.

-What is the cost of living in Japan?
The cost of living is quite low. Tax from my salary comes to around five percent which means I get to keep the bulk of it. Food is cheap but beer is more expensive than back home. Go for whiskey. Osaka is supposed to be one of the most expensive cities in the world but like anywhere, it's how you go about living and eating. You can eat well and cheaply in Osaka easily.

-What do you think about the Japanese and how do they treat foreigners?
In a big city like Osaka, we’re pretty much left alone. There are many of us and there's nothing very exciting or odd about us.

-What are the positive and negative aspects of living in Japan?
A positive aspect is definitely the food. It's delicious. The Japanese and especially Osakans are crazy about food and there are so many varieties. I've been here for two years and today was the first time I ate shabu shabu. I eat many types of Japanese food but there are so many things out there. I guess I'll never eat everything there is..

A negative aspect would be the lack of heating in houses in the winter and the intense heat and humidity in the summer. It takes some getting used to.

-Do you have any tips for our readers about living in Japan?
Come with an open mind and don’t be afraid to try new things. Bypass the McDonald's, for example, and go into the local shop nearby. It'll be far tastier and your life will be richer for having tried something different.

-Do you have any favorite Web sites or blogs about Japan?

Undercover in Japan - My blog

An Englishman in Osaka - An Englishman. In Osaka.

Tokyo Times - Weird News from Tokyo

Mutant Frog - Opinion on Japan