My name's James, I'm a
22 year old Computer Science graduate from Somerset
and I've just packed in my job as a software programmer in Stockport and traded it in for a one way ticket to Tokyo! I speak essentially no Japanese whatsoever and don't really have a huge idea of what to expect when I arrive... that said though, I have a work visa, enough yen in my wallet to last me a few weeks and a blind overriding self confidence that somehow, in some way, everything will work out awesome.

This blog will be a record of my experiences - good, bad, weird (from what i've read so far there'll be plenty of that) and wonderful. I'll be updating as often as I can with plenty of videos & photos and welcome any comments you'd like to leave.

That's the plan anyway.

One month to go now until the final part of that and with my first 'real' job resigned from (if anyone's going on a leaving do any time soon - lucky voice ftw, seriously) my swanky mancunian flat left behind and my ace neighbours babysitting the larger items of furniture I couldn't bring myself to chuck / sell; I'm now back in sunny Somerset visiting family before I leave. If all goes to plan almost the entire clan should be arriving across the time I'm here. It'll be odd to say bye but I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone again.

With the majority of my debts paid off now (woo!) the only major thing left to organise is the search through tiny cupboards disguised as apartments online to find myself somewhere to live upon arrival. I'll be sure to post up some pics once I've sorted a place for definite.

In other news: after two rather nerve wracking interviews and about 20 hrs on Megabuses to London...


I have my visa sorted :D Been told I look like a Japanese pirate in the photo, while for others apparently I look like a terrorist. Not phased though, since either way its still a massive improvement on the 'ben from eastenders' passport photo of shame...

The list of things to do before the trip to Heathrow has now become eerily short and the reality of what I'm about to do still hasn't quite sunk in, but then to be fair, it probably won't until I'm sat on the plane :P

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