Lessons of Life

After my last blog, there are some of you that might think I’ve just given up completely. That I’ll just go back to Toronto, with an empty wallet and a broken spirit, and live out my days in lonely misery, pining for the ‘good old days’ when I lived in Tokyo, and everything was a big ball of utopian fun.

Well, rest assured, at the moment I clearly don’t see that happening. I’ve learned so much in the last few years, particularly about budget and change.

Change.

I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is how to cope with change. Most people talk about how they embrace change and how ‘change can be a good thing’, but in reality most people don’t like change. They become attached to certain places or things, and they become upset when things are different.

This isn’t always a bad thing, but in my situation, I have to always be prepared to accept change and I can never truly get ‘too comfortable’.

But change is always what gives me hope. A few years ago, I thought it was impossible for me to move to Tokyo. But then a few years later, my situation changed, and I was able to go.

So now, I’m trying to find a way to get a job in Japan. But if it’s not possible right now, then I have to find a way to change my situation.

Budget.

I thought I had learned how to budget pretty strictly before I got to Tokyo. I had managed to scrounge up enough cash to pay off all my debts and get over here, and have enough money to live quite comfortably for a few months. But these days I am only making a fraction of the money I made in Toronto, and I’m living in what I’m told is one of the most expensive cities in the world (although I personally disagree with that somewhat), yet still I am able to get by.

Even worse than having less income is the fact that my income is incredibly unstable. I live entirely off private students. When students have holidays or have to work late, they cancel. And when they cancel, I don’t get paid. This summer was especially brutal, as holidays and festivals caused many cancellations. Without a careful budget, I’d easily be either on the street or in a big load of debt right now.

I believe that, if I use these two skills effectively, I can find a way to come back to Tokyo, long-term.