Five Major Challenges That I Faced As An Expat In Japan - TSD Life in Tokyo
Monday 11 October 2021
Hey everyone!
It's been a long time since I shared anything on this blog, and it has a lot to do with what was going on in my personal life as I was visiting India for about 6 months due to medical treatment.
However, I am finally back in Japan and I have decided to document my life and experiences here under a new series 'TSD Life in Tokyo'. And while I was thinking about what could be the first topic I write upon, the challenges that I faced when I first moved to Japan seemed to be a good starting point.
I moved to Japan with my husband almost 2 years ago, out of which I wasn't here for the most part of this year. It certainly didn't help that we moved here right before the pandemic hit the world, which though didn't impact our move, but impacted our lives here in many ways - especially since we spent a lot of time indoors and didn't get a chance to travel within Japan a lot.
But well, traveling domestically isn't one of the first challenges that you might face if you are new in Japan. Even though Japan is a fascinating country with unmissable tourist attractions and natural beauty, you may across a lot of culture shocks and unpredictable situations that will make settling down in this country a little difficult.
While I could spend probably a day talking about the challenges I faced when I first came to Japan, here are five major challenges that I think you might also face when you first move to Japan :
- Language Barrier
But about Tokyo I always had this impression that being one of the biggest cosmopolitan cities of the world, it'll definitely have a majority of English-speaking population - well, I was so wrong.
During our first month in Tokyo, we stayed in a hotel suite and roamed only around our hotel in Roppongi which is a popular tourist destination among foreigners. Therefore, we didn't find any difficulty while shopping or going to restaurants as most of these places had one or two English-speaking staff.
If you are also planning a move to Japan, I strongly recommend learning Japanese through these free language apps and take physical classes once you are here, so that you can overcome this language barrier. Also, always keep Google translate handy whenever you go out shopping or running errands.
- Tiny living space
But I was quite surprised about how small the rooms were as compared to the spacious houses and apartments we were used to seeing and staying back in India.
These apartments can vary in size from as small as 25 sq.m. to upwards of 100 sq.m(which would be crazily priced). But finding an apartment that has modern interiors, is located in an expat-friendly area, and is not exorbitantly priced could be a tough task to achieve. That's not all, the initial fees involved in booking an apartment can actually burn a hole in your pockets as this would typically include Reservation Fee + Deposit + Key Money + Service fee (and not to forget a lot of paperwork).
- Opening a bank account
If this wasn't all, some banks also have a requirement of having completed at least 6 months of stay in Japan before one's application. And since I wasn't working full-time, I had to wait for six months to be finally able to open a bank account with Sony Bank which is one of the few foreigner-friendly banks in Japan.
- Finding work opportunities
What I wasn't prepared for was that finding a job or even part-time work opportunities are going to be really difficult here, especially considering I had zero Japanese language skills. While there are a lot of open positions here for roles such as English teachers and Engineers that don't require Japanese knowledge, most of the other jobs have a major requirement for native/near-native Japanese skills.
Since most of my work experience revolved around Content & Social media, I couldn't apply for any positions as I had no knowledge of the local culture or language. This made my first few months here really difficult as I often felt lost and dejected, and didn't know which step to take ahead in my career.
When I finally gained some motivation, I decided to pursue freelance writing, and successfully landed writing gigs with websites like Tokyo Weekender, Tokyo Night Owl, and more. While I am glad that my blogging journey and work experience helped me find these opportunities, I would still recommend that you look for a suitable job or at least research the job market before your move, so you don't feel lost and puzzled once you have moved here.
- Making friends
Finding friends in a foreign land, where you don't even speak the local language is a daunting task. It took me a long while to get used to the fact that I didn't have my friends or colleagues (who made me feel the most comfortable) around me anymore.
Since I felt too shy to approach any locals fearing that I wouldn't be able to communicate with them, I reached out to a few expat groups on Facebook so that I could connect with like-minded people. But I think making friends is easier when you are a child, as once you are a grown-up you need people that share the same vibe and don't disturb your inner peace.
It took me about a year to find a few people whom I could trust, but they are definitely the closest people I have in my life now and I am glad I found them along the way.
So, if you are also facing a tough time making friends in this country, I would say just give it some time - join a club or group of your liking and you'll definitely meet like-minded people sooner or later.
Till then, make sure you are still in touch with your old friends. After all, if Covid has taught us one thing - it is that distance doesn't matter when it comes to healthy and strong friendships, and how important it is to maintain them.
Love,
Nitika
Innisfree & Estée Lauder Lucky Bag Unboxing | Fukubukuro 2021 | 福袋2021 |...
Wednesday 18 August 2021
Dressing up like a millionaire is not a difficult task. People spend huge amounts trying to look like rich people, but you don’t have to do much. You can stay simple, neat, and clean and carry yourself well. That is how you will also look rich. The millionaires are not only about the brands, expensive clothes, high-end shoes, or expensive jewelry. They are above all these things. They focus on intellect. They focus on how you carry yourself, how healthy you are, and how well-mannered you are. These are some of the basics which will look better and above the rest. The best part is that you don’t have to be a millionaire to look like one.
So to dress like a millionaire, you will have to check out the following tips!
1) Wear Cufflinks
Whenever you wear a suit, always make sure to wear cufflinks. This settles the very slight difference present between a well-dressed and average-dressed man. Make sure never to wear French cuffs without cufflinks. Also, match the buckle of your belt with the cufflinks to give it a proper finish.
2) Statement Bag
You can invest in a statement bag or a briefcase if you want to make an impression and dress like a millionaire. The briefcase and professional-looking bags give an impression of a working brain behind the operation. The Prada handbags have taken inspiration from these briefcases to give women that professional feel.
3) Bespoke suits
The custom-made suits make you look more like a millionaire, but these custom suits do not have to cost you a kidney. You can very well enjoy the rich look by getting a decent suit for yourself. Do try not to look like a regular business person but a millionaire one. Opt for stores that offer good quality fabric and suits at affordable prices. If you wish to spend huge amounts on a suit, then Steve Cohen is your man!
4) Tidy and Shaved
Keeping yourself tidy and shaved at times is one of the very basic rules. You might have never seen a millionaire with a shabby look or out-grown facial hair. The expert says that the CEOs and millionaires normally have a clean shave or well-groomed facial hair. This gives a neat and clean look. You should also follow this!
5) Smell Good
You can never look like a millionaire if you stink. On the other hand, millionaires are always bound to smell good. By the way, it does make sense that rich people will look and smell good no matter what. You should also use fragrances that are concentrated and last longer. One of the best and long-lasting perfumes is Aventus by Creed. Millionaires often use that!
6) Grey is the new black!
The millionaires now prefer wearing grey instead of black. Grey is the new black that millionaires love these days. Ensure that it is not a pale or flashy grey; it should be simply attractive and appealing. Also, the waistcoat must match the suit!
7) The Watch
The best thing you can invest in is the classical watch. This is what you would do for yourself. The millionaires always have a watch in their hand as time matters to them the most. For them, time is money, and they just can’t lose it. You have many options to invest in, such as Breitling, Hublot, Gucci, or Burberry. These brands are highly expensive and they might be difficult to purchase until or unless you have great funds or huge investments, or you might have won an online lottery at Lottoland and received enough funds to buy an expensive watch. It will surely be an investment for the future.
8) Casual Clothing
Casual clothing will not make you look sloppy at all. The millionaires also wear casual clothes over the weekend or on vacations as nobody would want to wear a suit every day. To look like a millionaire, you can wear casual clothes such as jeans and a polo shirt rather than a tank top and shorts.
9) Groomed Nails
A well-groomed person is one of the basic norms of society. If you wish to look like a millionaire, you must always have well-groomed nails and clean hands and feet. Dirty or long nails always give a bad impression. So you should at times be neat and clean whether you want to be a millionaire or not. It is the basic rule for every single person.
10) Sunglasses
A pair of designer sunglasses will be a win-win situation for you. If you want to look like a millionaire, then you must invest in a pair of sunglasses. They make you look rich, and you make a great statement.
Kate Spade Japan Lucky Bag (Fukubukuro 2021) worth 170,000yen - Unboxing and Review
Monday 18 January 2021 Tokyo, Japan
Hope you're having a great start to 2021.
However, I am hoping that this year would be a lot better and decided to finally start writing again on the blog. While I do have a lot of content to share about my life in Japan and my fashion diaries; I decided to start with this blog where I am going to talk about one of my recent purchases which also happens to be a popular New Year tradition in Japan.
I am talking about 'Fukubukuro' or lucky bags that are available in the first week of January every year in Japan. Lucky bags are surprise bags that are offered by many supermarkets, brands, and department stores in Japan and consist of mostly last-season goods at amazing discounts.
I talk more about lucky bags and how this tradition started in my post for Tokyo Weekender that you can check here.
So, this year I purchased three lucky bags - the first being from the designer brand Kate Spade.
Here are some pictures, an unboxing video, and more details about the Kate Spade lucky bag 2021 :
The lucky bags were finally shipped on the 31st of December and I finally received mine a few days back.
Here are the contents of the lucky bag that I purchased :
While the items didn't have their original tags present, they did come with the original dust covers (except for the crossbody bag) and care tags. I was pleased to find the bags in amazing condition and excellent quality, as I had often heard that the brands tend to give away old or unwanted stock in these lucky bags. But the contents I received were in perfect condition, and a couple of bags are from the latest collection and are still being sold on their website.
However, I think this was a great way to pick some new bags from the brand without having to spend a huge amount. And since you can't see the contents of the lucky bag beforehand, it's actually fun to try your luck and wait to see if you've grabbed some nice items.
What do you think about this new year trend? Did you also purchase a Lucky bag this new year?
Let me know in the comments below!
Love
Nitika
Hope you all are keeping safe and at home during this pandemic.
While I shared the complete experience on the #TokyoChallenge blog, I thought of sharing few pictures and how I came up with this outfit, with my lovely readers all as well.
Its beautiful sleeves can be worn poncho or sleeveless style, and can be styled in more ways than one.
I decided to style this beautiful dress with a tiered black skirt from ZARA that adds volume to the look and added a waist belt to cinch the waist.
Kimono Dress, mini Beret : Keiko Tagai Skirt : Zara Heels : Charles & Keith Belt : Flea market, Mumbai Hand fan : from a store in China |
Also, my hand fan that I had bought from China came in really handy (and finally been put to use) to add another Geisha element to this look.
Ending the post with this beautiful quote by Arthur Golden :
If this post has reached you, then I am really grateful that I still have a few of you who enjoy reading blog posts. I know it's been quite some time since I last published a post here, to be precise - six months.
A lot has changed in mine, in-fact even in our lives since then (well thanks to COVID), so as I took = my own sweet time to get settled into the new phase of life, I realised it was finally time to let you all know what I've been upto since my last post.
Well, to rewind - you all know I got married back in 2018, and had been living in Mumbai with my husband. I had also started working with Tiktok and I was really enjoying my work and life there. But, as I thought that I was finally in the best phase of my life, we had a major life decision to make - "to move abroad".
My husband got an amazing work opportunity back in December last year, and I had to make this decision - get ready to start our lives together in a big new city, or I stay back in Mumbai, probably move to a smaller apartment and wait a few months, find another work opportunity and then join my husband.
But well, we had less than a month to decide, and honestly I was going through so many emotions and thoughts - what if I don't get my visa later and I am unable to join my husband ; what if I don't enjoy living in Mumbai and feel miserable about my decision. I discussed it with my hubby, friends and family, and eventually I decided the right thing to do at the moment was to move abroad.
So, here I am, writing this post from my new home in Tokyo, where I moved back in February. Those who follow me on Instagram, might have seen my updates about looking for a house, moving in finally and well ofcourse what I have been doing to keep myself busy since we are all maintaining social distancing.
But if you haven't seen any of those updates, I am just going to share a few pictures of what it's been like living in Tokyo past few months :
I have been mostly keeping myself busy by doing home workouts and most days I just go out for a ride on my bicycle near my apartment building as it has a lovely stream passing by which makes for a perfect route for a jog or bike rides.
I was lucky enough to have experienced my first sakura season in Japan, which is literally the best time to be in Japan. Usually people enjoy sakura season by having Hanami, which is basically a picnic event to enjoy the blossoms. But since the entire nation is currently in the state of emergency, we decided to skip it for this year and just enjoyed walks around the sakura trees near our house and also visited the famous Meguro river to experience the stunning cherry blossoms.
Apart from going on with my daily life here, I have tried to adjust to the new routine - which is basically being at home all the time - by indulging in cooking, reading, self care and well Netflix. I am avoiding going out at the moment, except for grocery shopping and my bike rides while maintaining social distancing.
I can't tell you guys how many times I opened my laptop to publish new content or share my pictures from Tokyo with you all, but I just never got around to finishing the posts. It's only because I have been struggling to this new life, where even though I am in a beautiful city - I feel like I don't belong here, since I don't know the local language, don't know anyone around and also I miss my old life.
So, if you're also struggling with your life at the moment, or you have had setbacks - trust me, you are not alone in this. Everyone goes through tough times in their lives, but definitely you can come out way stronger and better. And that's why I finally gathered some strength to write this blog post and share with you all about my life and that even thought this might not be my time, I know that things will start shaping up soon and I have realised the best way to feel better is to pen down my thoughts, like I used to do earlier.
You can follow me on Instagram, where I am definitely more active than on the blog, but I promise I have a lot of content planned up for the blog and I can't wait to share the same with you all.
Love
Nitika
Jumpstart your Fitness Goals with Hannspree Smartwatch : Fashion Meets Technology
Friday 29 November 2019
Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member, you can avail a 10% off on the watch between Nov 29 to Dec 2.
Click here to know more : http://bit.ly/HannswNitika !
Nitika
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