Hope you all enjoyed today’s video! Check out Lydia’s channel here😁 ru-vid.com Don’t know how to turn on captions on RU-vid? read this www.businessinsider.com/how-to-turn-on-subtitles-on-youtube?amp
Ghib!!! How did you manage to find all these wonderful people to be in your videos?! I have soooooo many 共通点 with Lydia! I work in the same type of school as Lydia's husband here in Okinawa and also first came to Japan on the JET program! Would love to be able to meet up with her if I ever go to Tokyo! Anyways, great video again! お疲れさまでした~
I have so many things to say about this clip (like how irritating it was to see me touching my newly-cut hair so much and how I managed to mask my absolute fear of pigeons quite well) but most of all, thank you for having me, Ghib-san! It was a pleasure to meet you in person (you are exactly the same person as you are in your videos and it was very heartening to experience that relief) and I enjoyed the interview greatly. この動画について言いたいことが沢山あるけれど(「切ったばっかりとはいえ髪触りすぎだろ」や「人前であまり狼狽えずハトに対しての極度の恐怖心に我ながら上手く隠せたな、私偉い」等々)、まず出演(?遊んでばかりいたが)させていただいてありがとうございました!リアルでお会いできて光栄でした(ジブさんは動画のままで、裏表がなくてホッとしました!)。インタビューもすごく楽しかったです。 To all the people here who are deigning to read this babble, thank you so much and I hope you enjoyed the video as well. My experience has to be something like one in a million; I definitely lucked out. I said it in Japanese at the end of the video but I think I got really lucky. I also got to meet really amazing people who took great care of me. What isn't contained within said luck is probably (a) my pre-existing Japanese ability at the time, (b) my entry into the country via the JET Programme and (c) my love of teaching English to people who don't speak it as a first language. Not saying that if you don't have these three things you won't be able to enjoy your time as an English teacher in Japan, but I hope it's obvious that luck + the marriage of these three factors has led to me having a comparatively easy time blending into Japanese society whilst still being able to make a living doing something I'm trained for, and good at. 見てくださった方々にも感謝の気持ちをお伝えさせてください。これだけ順調に新天地に渡って、馴染んで、暮らし続けられたのは、動画の末尾でも言っていたが自分は運が良かっただけです。本当に周りに恵まれて、今まで出会った全ての方のお陰です。自分が成し遂げたのは、①日本語の習得、②JET Programme経由の入国に③非英語ネイティブに英語のプロとして英語を教えること(且つそれに対する培った能力&愛情)だけです。来日する英語教師はこの3つの条件が揃わなければ日本という地に絶対に馴染めないというわけではありませんが、私の場合は幸運の上で条件が揃ったので比較的に日本人社会に溶け込めました。 拙文ではございますが、ここまでお読みいただきありがとうございました。 I feel certain pressure now that I see in Ghib-san's description box that I'm (re-)starting RU-vid, so here's hoping I will one day (soon) get my channel (which was active between 2015 and 2018) up and running (again). lol. 概要欄にジブさんが私のRU-vidを始めることに触れてくださったのですが、いつ始めるのかまだ決まっていません。2015~2018年の間に活動したので厳密にいうと「再スタート」になります。いつか発信できたらいいですね。(まるで他人事w) Have a great day! では、今日も良い一日になりますように! Edit: I've scanned the comments and it's lovely to hear all of your thoughts! Sorry I can't write everyone back but thank you so much. I will do my best to have all of you live vicariously through me T_T 追伸:皆さんのコメント、拝読いたします!沢山のご感想をいただき、嬉しいです。本当にありがとうございます!m( )m
@@missplainjane3905 Hi! I'll try my best to answer. 1) Definitely! 2) Japan is a country that I chose to make my home so technically I have to rate it a 10. It just fits me. It's not possible to group all the different things that make up Japan and give it an overall rating because each thing will earn their own score. Not sure if this is a satisfactory answer, hope you understand! 3) At the risk of stereotyping all Japanese people, I'd say they're civic-minded while still managing to mind their own business. 4) Convenient, safe and fun.
Some Japanese leave the great country of Japan to immigrate to Singapore. Some Singaporeans leave a great country of Singapore to immigrate to Japan. I'm glad we live in this world where we are able to do what we want, and live where we want.
But yalah, Japanese ppl move her to SG because of better opportunities and less stress life and Singapore ppl move to Japan for better lifestyle and the fact that Singapore is small and crowded which drives up housing cost. So since Japan have bigger homes for the same price, provided that the home is in the countryside, might as well just move there.
@@shinkaitan5664 when someone comment is so neutral and u found an opportunity to bring sg down. Congrats!!!! Keep it up. Make sg collapse. It doesn't deserve to even have such a good gov, 1st world country in SEA, strongest currency in SEA, and don't deserve to be on the world stage. So small and no natural resources and full of complain king and Queen and Karen.
I have been living in Adelaide for 8+ years and come back to Singapore. I really find myself more stress here compare to Adelaide. Like a lot. Recently went travelling to UK and thinking of moving there, but I daisuki Japan the most. My fav country, however I don't think I can survive there as language is one. second is the work life there, third will be my age at 40 years old this year. I am stuck in Singapore i guess.
@@missplainjane3905 1)Yes their technology are very advance the only problem is paying with a phone! if you are not using iphone or japan develop phone you will have a hard time with contactless payment. 2) i will rate 8/10 3) they are all very friendly and accepting of foreigners who have a deep understanding of their culture they might seem cold to some foreigner but i think they do want to communicate but don't know how to do so and they are shy so they just avoid. (at least for people in tokyo) i think people from osaka might be more easy to talk to. 4) this is what i experience from my class mate. They are mentally strong , even though they gone through alot of hardship and met people who are terrible they are still able to stand back up and give out kindness.
Home is where the heart is. If your heart is in Japan, there is nothing wrong calling it your home. Wish the best for Lydia, just dont lose the Singlish!! HAHAHA
Her determination to live in Japan from such a young age (and keeping the motivation) is inspiring! It’s unfortunate that there’s discrimination in Japan (I’ve had it like Ghib, even though I’m Japanese) and I hope more ppl in Japan can look at things from a bigger perspective.
Great video. Perfect timing to spot 'suddenly sound so Singaporean'. When she said so cheap 😂😂😂😂😂 and full credit to her loving husband who moved with her. He da man. For moving along with her passion and instinct and determination.
12th year Arashi fan here too!!! 🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️ 😆 Lydia is like the opposite of Ghib. Kinda sad that she no longer considers singapore her home but I understand. So cool that she transited from Japanese accented English to “proper English” and Singaporean accented English.
I don't think Gibb like to live Singapore because he always like to ask Japanese tourist sensitive question about Singapore and when you say It was Singapore for Gibb and Japan for her have no like on your commant
@@thedarkside162 Japan's growth was intentionally halted after the Plaza Accord. As a result, Japanese salaries stopped rising at all. He despaired of such a society. Then he went on a trip and fell in love with Singapore. But he is not the kind of person who makes money work for him. I think that is his good point. That's why he has a folksy side that likes Singapore hawkers. It's boring if everyone is a celebrity. I think he's valuable.
Originally Lydia spoke in a neutral english accent, which was ok, but that switch at 15:50 to Singlish, she suddenly sounds so familiar and heart warming!
Lydia really had a great decision in life being able to move to Japan. Congrats! Lol she's still a true blue singaporean in heart! Stay true to yourself and enjoy your stay! Hopefully I can move there and see you guys there too!
That's very interesting. Not many Singaporeans have that kind of determination to forsake their lives in Singapore to live in a different country for that long. Just like Ghib. Of all the reasons that started Lydia's move, Arashi and Sailor Moon! Wishing her all the best in Japan.
Happy for Lydia! But as a Singaporean also living in Japan for 10+ years, I’ve concluded that Singapore is the place to raise a family. (unfortunately?) Living in Japan is not a bed of roses. Stagnant wages, high taxes, terrible pension system, insufficient support (no confinement nanny, no helper, lack of childcare services) and plenty of other factors making child raising inconducive. Envious of singles and married couples who can live their dreams at their own pace. Japan is a beautiful country with beautiful people, but marred by rigid traditions and inefficient bureaucracy. Living in Japan (for the long term) is definitely not for the unprepared or faint of heart.
Np! My parent introduced me to your channel last year, and I’ve been watching since. Interesting content and perspectives that I can relate to from both standpoints of Singapore & Japan. Keep up the great work! Would be great to meet you in person if you ever come to Fukuoka (where I live).
@@K_mich88 it’s a progressive system, a 55% rate probably applies for people who are very rich and pass down lots of money/assets to their offspring. If your assets are below a threshold it’s zero, and above that threshold it starts from 10% if I remember correctly.
@@missplainjane3905 Not sure if trolling but you deleted your comments & asked obvious questions that you can research easily by yourself. If you’re really interested, pls check more detailed vlogs on RU-vid.
me too.. i dont really miss singapore after living here for 4 years.. yes u can cook the food here and there are restaurant that cater to singapore taste.. and yes i hate sg weather
Good for you. Not for me, I need my mee siam, laksa, char kueh tiao, bak kut teh, and more. Not to mention the bureaucracy there. Now I love visiting Japan, but staying there? Nah
I can’t stand Japan cold weather & not safe country as it’s so prone to earthquakes. So no thanks. I prefer to only just visiting for leisure than to live there.
Lydia-san is living my dreams, haha. I was obsessed with SPEED and learnt Japanese, later fell into Johnnys too (am Arashian also), though I only achieved JLPT N2, failed N1 under a few marks. I've had thoughts of moving to Japan too, but my mum can't cope and won't support me lol. So happy to see people like Lydia-san able to live her dreams. うらやましいです!頑張ってください~ お母さんと話したことがあるけど、なんか受けてくれないので、そういう夢を実行するのが難しいwww 私たちの分まで、enjoy the life!
@@zul.travels can't believe how i memorized the entire song w/o knowing in Japanese that time! still one of the legendary girlband ;-; yeah, she lives our dream for many of us!
@@missplainjane3905 Thank you for your questions! Sure, I am happy to share. 1) Both yes and no. There is a constant drive for innovation yet at the same time bureaucracy is still red-tape heavy and mindsets are quite fixed with considerable resistance to change, though it is slowly evolving. 2) Culture: 9 - deep history and heritage everywhere. Particularly in Hokkaido, there's finally national recognition for the indigenous Ainu people & culture which was initially suppressed. Technology: 8 - Definitely advanced (e.g. Shinkansen) but there's also sticklers for tradition (fax machine lol). Architecture: 8 - I feel there is a good mix and balance of both traditional and modern architecture. Food/local products:10 - I am a foodie and Japan is simply paradise - the freshness and quality of produce, seasonality, farmers/fishermen/artisans who take pride in their craft; I may be biased for Hokkaido when I say it has the best seafood in the country (period) and very good rice, dairy, fruits & vegetables. Scenery/Landscape: 9 - Stunning, beautiful nature that changes with the seasons. Standard of living/quality of life: 7 - I personally feel there is a better standard & higher quality of life here in Japan vis-à-vis Singapore. Re: cost of living; depending on where you live, housing and transport (e.g. I could buy a second hand car for as cheap as just one month's salary) can be affordable, though this certainly varies. The welfare system (pension, healthcare, etc) is well developed and comprehensive. Negatives are considerably high taxes & inflation, stagnant wages. 3) Japanese are extremely polite and civic-minded. Generally, very hospitable & welcoming. They are also driven with a strong work ethic and strive for perfection. 4) Probably cliché and overused, but Japan to me is about "omotenashi" [おもてなし] - the sense of total hospitality - and "ichi-go-ichi-e" [一期一会] - a philosophy often attributed to the great tea master Sen no Rikyu and best encapsulated in the traditional tea ceremony or 茶道; treasuring each and every encounter, never to be repeated in the same way, ever again.
It's really refreshing to hear about opportunities outside of Singapore. I really loved this sharing session. I would love to work abroad too. Thank you for this
Was wondering where did I see her before and when I finally look at her picture with her parents, no doubt that she was my senior in YCSS in Singapore. Good to see that she's doing fine !
Lydia is cool! I'm not great at learning new languages, but my husband is... I really think it's a sign of intelligence. Now that I'm in Singapore, I found this video really interesting and insightful about why anyone would want to leave Singapore.
I'm the complete opposite - studied uni here and in my 2nd year of working and I really can't see myself living here for the rest of my life lol. She brought her Singaporean husband here to Japan but I shall try and get my Japanese boyfriend to go back to Singapore together hahaha.
@@GhibOjisan don't have to be haha i think i'm just not suited for the country that's all, i'm very homesick and i miss my friends and family! But yeah, my current company really is very stressful so a big part is from that too...
save lots of money from now, at least half a million or more and then move back to japan again. japan will be more enjoyable to live in if you have a strong financial back up.
Living in Japan may be great, but working in Japan, especially in a big Japanese company may be a huge cultural shock for Singaporean. The strict top-down approach, the give-your-all or go home work ethic and the drinking after work...
I have a couple of questions for Lydia. As a Christian living in Japan, where Japanese is not her first language, does she think and pray in Japanese? Does she attend a Japanese service in church?
Depends on the generation.. I was also born in the 80s like Lydia. Our generation are more familiar with J-wave. We watched J-dramas and listened to J-pop/J-rock and idolises actresses like Ryoko Hirosue, Kyoko Fukada, Nanako Matsushima and Misaki Ito. I feel that the Japanese celebrities of that time were all naturally good looking and much better than the Koreans today. For me, I still think Japan is better. 😄
I would also think that because she's living in Gunma, a lot of things are probably way cheaper than living within metropolitan areas like Tokyo and Osaka, specifically rent and the amount of living space you'll get.
I definitely won't fit into Japan society well, I can't speak or understand Japanese enough to survive an earthquake warning. Lucky for her and her husband everything just fell into place nicely for them when they came to Japan.
Since she loves Japan so much why not apply for PR or citizenship. She is proficient in Japanese speaks fluent English and ha ha Superb Singlish. Mandarin?
My wife and I will be moving to Japan end of this month too! And I see alot of similarity of Lydia's and Randy's life to me and my wife. Hope we will have a chance to speak and meet Lydia face to face some day.
hi.i have been living in yonezawa in yamagata city for the last 40years and it is my home now.i love singapore,proud to be a singaporean and am so blessed to have the best of both worlds.japan is a beautiful country and so is my country.if u love nature and the simple way of life,u would love the rural areas like yonezawa who is 2hrs away from tokyo by shinkansen
Not too sure about mega cities, But staying in Sapporo and hang all around Hkd for my masters, 1.5 years may pale in comparison to most. All I can say is, Japan is fantastic but it does have some issues regarding those already mentioned. Especially if you have kids. You're gonna put them through a pressure cooker, Not that Singapore is of much difference, but it's worse in Japan. If you're just looking for a great time, go for it!
That's the first time I hear someone said they miss the humidity. Personally, I never appreciated the heat and humidity in South east Asia. But I love the weather in Japan, I'm always so happy there.
hmm if I don't recall wrongly, one of the big things ghib didn't like about japan was office work culture? which isn't something that lydia would face as an english teacher, I think...
I agreed. I worked in Japanese companies before and I really dont like their office culture. Although I enjoyed holiday in Japan but their office culture is totally different
I used to work for a Japanese MNC. I recall I had so much trouble with silly paperwork eg, I used font size 12 instead of Font size 11 for a form and got complained via email, which was cc-ed to the entire division in Singapore and Japan! I mean, come on...
Price, waiting period for BTO, 5 year minimum occupancy period, issues with renting out (disputes, maintenance, handling tax) would be primary problems. I'm kinda at the same spot now where I look at a 35k 3dk house in the outskirts of Osaka compared to a 350k 3rm HDB in a non-mature estate. Is it worth it for me as a single to wait till 35 when there is an opportunity for me to grab a house or even land (yes foreigners can buy land in Japan) in Japan now
I’m learning Japanese now in hopes to move to Japan in future too. However I have some Japanese friends move to Singapore and main reason is Japan has earthquake and a big one is expected to strike even Tokyo in near or mid future. I have never experienced earthquake before living almost all my life in Singapore but I think it’s negligible (maybe just shake a few minutes) compared to having a full-on life in Tokyo? This is a question for Singaporeans living in Tokyo. Appreciate your views please 🙏
Racism happens in every country and Japan is not as bad as in the west or africa because most Japanese are not aggressive and they won't attack you physically.
Can tell that she genuinely loves Japan by learning the language properly and adapting to the culture just like how some Japanese love Singapore. She’s very natural unlike the “weebs” who are like kinda cringey when they say they love Japan while speaking in anime language and misappropriating the culture.
Racism exists everywhere. Japan is a homogeneous society, but they are not confrontational and intrusive to people not their own. Rather, foreigner should knowledge there are differences, learn to adapt to their culture and learn and speak Japanese like Lydia. It is very mild compared to other forms of racism in other countries that lead to offensive violent behaviors.
Yup, they just glare at me in the trains and cover their mask with their hands, then change train carriages to escape from me, or run away from me on the street. I'm Singaporean Chinese with JLPT N1. Of course this is way better than being shot to death in America.
I do speak Japanese to and frequent trips to japan. Indeed we feel the slight racism over there but it has got better as the world becomes more intertwined with the internet. But what I really don’t like is the silent racism. I would rather people speak up so I can react to it.
@@boujeefoodie2635 Chinese look quite different from Japanese. Also, the Japanese are unable to differentiate between HKers/Taiwanese/PRC/Macau/Singaporean or Malaysian Chinese. I heard from a Taiwanese acquaintance he was stopped by the cops before for a “routine check”. Also, a Japanese acquaintance told me that all non-Japanese Asians will automatically be assumed to be a mainland Chinese and treated accordingly. But actually nowadays there are a lot more Southeast Asian foreigners like Vietnamese, Filipino, etc, because mainland Chinese tend to choose Western countries for studies/work/emigration and also due to lockdowns like in Shanghai and lack of tourists from China. But the Japanese still tend to cling to old prejudices. Japanese have a very unique fashion and look they always sport, so if you try really really hard to imitate their clothes and hairstyle and mannerisms/habits, you might fly under the radar. It’s happening less to me nowadays but you really have to put in some effort and get used to life here over the years. Acclimatise and try to assimilate as best you can. It’s definitely no Singapore where any Tom, Dick or Harry can waltz in and be themselves without needing to integrate or meld in.
@@kageyamareijikun I see, I can usually tell the Japanese apart in Singapore from their clothes and mannerism but I thought in Japan, it's easier to blend in the crowd in terms of appearance for a fair-skinned east asian looking person wearing the same fashion (herd mentality) that's why I'm quite surprised. I haven't encountered racism in Japan but I have seen westerners facing it like the infamous "gaijin seat" in the train so I know there's definitely racism or xenophobia in Japan but maybe not the violent kind.