Nic Lim, a New Zealand author, uprooted his life in New Zealand to become a school teacher in Japan. During his four years there, he weathered a pandemic and dealt with cultural and language barriers. There are three things people interested in moving to Japan should be aware of, he said.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nic Lim , an author from New Zealand who moved to Japan for four years to work as an English teacher. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified his employment history.
In 2019, fresh out of university, I left home in the thick of winter. After a long plane ride, I found myself sweating in the heat of a blazing Japanese summer, en route to what would be my home for the next years. Before I left home in New Zealand, I'd lived in the same house, in the same city, for my entire life.
I won't sugarcoat it: I wanted more opportunities, and to go out into the world and see what it had to offer. I've always loved manga, anime, and other aspects of Japanese culture. And having graduated with a media degree, I felt Japan was the place for me.
So, when I was 21 and fresh out of college, I decided to move. I applied for the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, which brings foreign graduates to Japan to work as assistant English teachers. I was accepted to the program and moved to Koshigaya, a town in the central Saitama Prefecture.
There, I was suddenly exposed to a new culture, a new city, and a new language. H.
