>>44377Honestly, my continued residence here is done purely out of stubbornness and pride.
Logically I know it's not where I should be, but I've done and given up so much to be here and get gud at the language and customs that going back now feels like a waste.
Pros are simply that it's safe, homogeneous, and easy to navigate physically. Life is stable, no upheavalor anything like that, and the employee protection laws are strong as hell and will keep you employed, even if you don't deserve it. It's stable, though in my case I'm the unstable element and just have to hold it together.
Cons are… harder to list. A lot of it is little things that add up, and for fellow wizzies they would likely mostly be insurmountable (language, social skills, general life and job skills, etc.) being of massive importance. Stigmatization and ostracization from our own native societies makes life for our types more difficult than need be, so imagine it x100. I'm isolated, and there is next to no support. Only reason I'm still standing despite it all is because I was born under a lucky star and am an idiot savant in my field (language, art and design). Most people like the ones on this website wouldn't last a year due to how crushing the adjustment period is. I've known gaijin who were otherwise healthy completely spiral into addiction and psychosis their first couple years and never recover.
I do plan to stay indefinitely, mostly because like I said, I'm stubborn and prideful. I feel like… at some point, it has to pay off. My hard work and sacrifice can't be for nothing. There HAS to be something at the end of it. I don't know what I'm looking for in all honesty however.
Not sure about the ESL stuff. Like I said, lucky star and an idiot savant, I managed to skip that grind and work in a more specialized field. I don't even use English very much, just some interpreter stuff for my company occasionally.
You say you have no degree, which means… basically you can't even get a CoE or Working visa. Unless you're from like Vietnam or SEA and get a technical intern or specialized worker visa you've got to be a college grad or have 10 years in a single field of work experience.
Sorry, it's strict, but them's the rules.