Life as it is... living in Japan

Earlier this year, I read an article about long term unemployment and self-confidence which hit a little too close to home. After reading the article, I wrote down how I was feeling, but didn’t share it at the time. For better or for worse, I am not someone who likes to admit when I don’t have it all together. I tend to share my experiences later, when I have all the answers. I don’t know if I have all the answers yet, but I do feel like I have made a little progress this year, despite everything that is going on in the world. So, here it is, my job search journey post Japan. When I returned from Japan at the end of 2018, I began searching for part time work, albeit sometimes not wholeheartedly, to keep myself afloat financially while I pursue a Master’s degree at University. I had some success with informal jobs, tutoring English to international students and more recently teaching yoga, but it has been a constant struggle to earn enough to cover my basic living expenses. When COVID

As the world falls into economic depression, strangled by the terrifying grip of the coronavirus, I am reminded once again of a huge cultural difference between Australia and Japan. It is predicted that almost 2 million Australians will lose their job in the coming weeks, bringing the unemployment rate to an unprecedented 15%. As I drive past the long lines outside of Centrelink, the social welfare office, and read post after post on social media about friends and acquaintances losing their jobs, I just can’t help but wonder if the scale of this issue can be attributed to culture. How quick bosses are to fire employees who have worked for them for years and years when the going gets tough. Do we really value profit so much that we don’t consider the profound effect that firing an employee will have on their livelihood? Is there really no other way? When I was living and working in Japan, there were numerous aspects of Japanese work culture that annoyed me. One of these was the va