Hi, I’m currently studying abroad in Japan and want to live abroad after I graduate as well. I don’t have the finances to tour around the other places, so I’m hoping I can figure out a good place and just move there. I’ll be graduating from one of the best universities in the US, so hopefully I won’t have much difficulty finding a job no matter where I go. I’m originally from the midwest so I want to move where people are kind, easygoing, and I can become close with them. Eager to learn any languages if it’ll help me! And willing to jump any hoops to get the visa I need. I’m considering Japan, Australia, Ireland, UK, Norway, Germany, and France. Or another country if it fits better!
My one concern is having work-life balance and affordable living. I have projects (music/dance) I want to work on in my own time, so I need the time and resources to be able to do that. For example, if I stayed in Japan I would try to work for a foreign company or even stay employed under a US company. Otherwise the life I want wouldn’t be realistically attainable here. I ideally want to live somewhere very clean (like Japan!) with lots of things to do too. My options might already be limited, but I also don’t want to live somewhere super sexist or racist. I’ve heard Australia isn’t good for this. I could also just stay in the US and move back home, the midwest I know is much cheaper and a more viable option too, but I really want to keep exploring and learning more in life. Except for social problems and working hours, I think I would legitimately love everything about life in Japan. But maybe there’s a different country I should move to instead.
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If you really like the safety and public transit, and cleanliness aspects of life in Japan and also enjoy the relative privacy (often referred to by extroverts as loneliness or isolation) then Switzerland could be a very good fit personality and lifestyle wise. There’s also a big Pharma presence that could match your education profile.
But it will be very very difficult to get position as someone with a bachelors degree and no German and no EU or Swiss passport. There are also no big cities so if you are still in love with the Japanese megalopolises it might be a bit early in your life to come to Switzerland.
My one concern is having work-life balance and affordable living
As a Japanese person, I’d say that having a work-life balance in Japan isn’t very common. If I were you, I’d look for only a foreign company located in Japan (a.k.a. 外資系)
I ideally want to live somewhere very clean (like Japan!) with lots of things to do too.
How about Vienna, Austria? I’ve been there several times, and I find the city very very clean. It’s smaller than (let’s say) Tokyo, so it might not offer “lots of things to do”. Still, its international airport is well-connected to the other EU countries, so it’ll be easy to travel around Europe from there.