Outside the Comfort Zone

I moved back to Japan two months ago to take on a new opportunity at 日产 . I lived here in 2017-2018 and it was a life-changing experience for me, so I was excited to come back. I had also previously done a foreign service assignment in Amsterdam, Netherlands so living abroad is not new to me, but each time is unique. People have been asking for me to share a peak behind the curtain on what it’s like to pick up your life to move across the world but also some lessons I’ve been learning along the way so here we go...

Let me start with moving. It’s a lot. Like any home move there is endless coordination of logistics to complete paperwork, organize, pack up all your things, etc. But, when you add in immigration processes, then it can become much more complex. You need what’s called a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) which classifies you as uniquely qualified to perform a particular role and are sponsored by a local employer (in my case Nissan). Once you have a COE, then you can apply for a work Visa which allows you to work in the country. Once you have a work Visa, then you can get a Resident’s Card. Once you have a Resident’s Card, then you are officially a resident which means you can open a bank account, get a driver’s license, pay taxes (yay!), etc. I won’t go into the boring details about what happened to me, but these steps have become much more complicated coming out of COVID restrictions and have kept me up at night over the last few months.

From a learning standpoint, working in another country is an incredible experience. You are an employee but ultimately, you’re a guest in another country. Working culture, especially in Japan, is very different than the rest of the world and how you adapt to that is important. Language, verbal and non-verbal communication, meeting structure, time management, stakeholder management, socialization, etc are all completely different. And being a female leader in a male-dominated country and industry carries an additional set of cultural dynamics. There are times when you want to resist or explain/force a different way because you think it’s better from your experience. That’s when you must remind yourself that you are in another culture that isn’t your own and you need to be open-minded, gain trust, and adapt. What made you successful in the US or elsewhere is not going to work the same way in a market like Japan. So, you must develop a new set of influencing and get-stuff-done skills that will work in that culture.

Lastly, from a personal standpoint moving abroad is exciting but exhausting because of the language and cultural barriers. You spend a lot of mental energy trying to figure out how to communicate effectively, get around, try new things, etc. There are times when I feel like I’ve accomplished something big when I figure out normal stuff like how to use the washing machine or turn off a light! Taking care of your physical and mental health is key. Having a partner and support system are important both in your new country and back home. These people are the ones you talk to and share the cool experiences, vent about the stuff that goes wrong, and help bridge the connection between your old life and your new life. Fortunately, my husband has also done two foreign service assignments including Japan so we both understand what to expect. We’ve been trying to give ourselves a lot of grace to allow the learning process to happen and be there for each other when successes, challenges, culture shock, etc happen. It's been a thrilling experience to be in Japan together as a couple this time.?