Leaving Japan

Is it weird that I’ve started scanning Ryanair and Easyjet for budget flights in October? This stems from my having less than five months left in Japan and needing something to look forward to after my return. But it still feels a bit early. Japan is an amazing place, but I’m facing up to the fact that I do have to leave soon. Coming to Japan was never likely to be a long term lifestyle change. The intention was always to stay for one year and to then return to the UK. But at the back of my mind, I knew that there was an opportunity to stay longer if that’s what I wanted.

I have a home and a long-term job to return to. But I’ve been reminded from others, just how frightening it is to not have any firm idea about what you are going to do with your life. There are a lot of JETs who really don’t know what they want to do after the programme and their position is not dissimilar to my own and that of my friends in the years immediately following university. But it’s actually worse for them than it was for us. I graduated at a time where there was generally work of some form available if you wanted it. Now, graduates are really gonna struggle to find any meaningful employment. There’s no growth in Britain, little economic stimulus and a high cost of living. It’s no wonder so many people are trying to stay in Japan for as long as possible.

But I will be returning and it’s tough to think that less than a week after I touch down at Heathrow, I will be back in my old job, continuing as if nothing has happened. There will be a day or two of “Hey Ben, how was it all” and then I won’t be able to talk about it too much, for fear of being a bore. I will be sitting at a desk in Westminster, trying to see what tangible gains I’ve made from living in Japan for a year. I know that I have benefitted greatly from my time here, but it will be tough to go back to the routine which in some ways motivated me to come to Japan in the first place.

I’m looking forward to seeing my friends. I’m excited that I will finally get to meet my godson and 2 new nephews. I also can’t wait to be reunited with my cat Daisy, even though I feel really bad for my friend who has been looking over her for the past year and will be understandably upset at having to give her up. And of course I’m looking forward to cohabiting once again. I also get weird urges to go to the book market on the South Bank.

I know I’m making the right decision. The amount of idle time on JET means that it’s not, on the whole, a satisfying job for me. I feel like I’m lazy, even though there are long periods where there is nothing I can do other than sit at my desk studying. And there are things in the UK that I want to do. But the lifestyle will be tough to leave behind. Living in a pleasant city, travelling every other weekend, friendly co-JETs, a welcoming local population and an intriguing culture. Who wouldn’t want that?

I know I’ve made the right decision and I certainly don’t want to be a JET after July. But it will be tough to leave.

This picture of Brett Anderson has nothing to do with the above article.