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Insisting on a way of life completely at odds with where you live can be stressful. I'm kind of curious how he ended up deciding to live in Japan. I know woul

by xiaoma 17y ago

Insisting on a way of life completely at odds with where you live can be stressful. I'm kind of curious how he ended up deciding to live in Japan. I know wouldn't if I were a strict vegetarian, tee-totaling, non-conformist who didn't like anime, didn't like rigid company culture and couldn't even tolerate the existence of smoking sections at restaurants. It's almost as if he's drawn to frustration.

rjurney 17y ago
In my experience, the way it works is - at first everything in the foreign culture is great. Its all novel, the language and culture, and every idiosyncrasy is fascinating and every difference is a new challenge. In time you adapt, and then things seem normal again and you enjoy participating according to the rules of the new society. Once you're 'over it' though, you come to realize just how much work you're putting in just to function. It becomes extremely tiresome just getting by, and many little things irritate you. It sounds like he's in this final stage. It sounds like its time to come home.
- xiaoma 17y ago
  I agree that a trip home might be a good idea in his case. There is another possible step for someone living abroad, though-- adaptation. It doesn't have to be any harder than it was at home. People can change. It's possible to adjust to one's surroundings on a deeper level, in a way such that daily life is no longer a struggle. I say this having the majority of my adult life living in a country far from where I grew up.
- GFischer 17y ago
  And what if you're tired and irritated... of your home country? I'm in my own mini-crisis myself, and I don't know what to do (emigrating is a bit drastic, but I'm considering it).
  - techiferous 17y ago
    Start your own micronation! :)
    - ramchip 17y ago
      "We're wheat-profitable!"
  - rjurney 17y ago
    Then you will have more energy to adapt to your new country. But if you fail to adapt, the cycle may still apply ;)
jcl 17y ago
I figure he must really, really like video games.

by xiaoma 17y ago

rjurney 17y ago

In my experience, the way it works is - at first everything in the foreign culture is great. Its all novel, the language and culture, and every idiosyncrasy is fascinating and every difference is a new challenge. In time you adapt, and then things seem normal again and you enjoy participating according to the rules of the new society. Once you're 'over it' though, you come to realize just how much work you're putting in just to function. It becomes extremely tiresome just getting by, and many little things irritate you. It sounds like he's in this final stage. It sounds like its time to come home.

xiaoma 17y ago
I agree that a trip home might be a good idea in his case. There is another possible step for someone living abroad, though-- adaptation. It doesn't have to be any harder than it was at home. People can change. It's possible to adjust to one's surroundings on a deeper level, in a way such that daily life is no longer a struggle. I say this having the majority of my adult life living in a country far from where I grew up.
GFischer 17y ago
And what if you're tired and irritated... of your home country? I'm in my own mini-crisis myself, and I don't know what to do (emigrating is a bit drastic, but I'm considering it).
- techiferous 17y ago
  Start your own micronation! :)
  - ramchip 17y ago
    "We're wheat-profitable!"
- rjurney 17y ago
  Then you will have more energy to adapt to your new country. But if you fail to adapt, the cycle may still apply ;)

jcl 17y ago

I figure he must really, really like video games.