We’re 2 months into the year 2020 and it already seems like this year will be a year of some major changes. Extremely exciting but also terrifying and nerve wracking.

The last couple of months of 2019 were super stressful.

My original plan for when I found my current job was always to stay here for a max of 2 years and then hopefully moving on to a different job in Japan. And if I weren’t able to find a new job by the time my current job’s contract ends, I’d move back to Canada.

I didn’t want to give myself a back door.

So it was either to secure a job by March or start packing.

I started job hunting in September 2019. In the beginning it was just to see what kind of jobs would be available and matched my skills and criteria as it was a little too early to start looking if I wanted to fulfill my contract.

I registered with a few different recruiting companies and websites.

Did copious amounts of research on Japanese job hunting culture, interviews, the language, etc. Bought a proper “recruit (job hunting) suit”. Hand wrote 10s of Japanese resumes.

I applied to probably close to 150 jobs and only heard back from a handful.

When the number of jobs that I had applied to reached 130, I was probably at or close to the peak of my stress. I started trying to come up with contingency plans in the worst case scenario that I wasn’t able to find a job and the end of my contract was coming.

I went back home for the winter holidays. Because I was so stressed due to the uncertainty of my job situation in Japan, that I’d found myself actually trying to imagine what it’d be like if I were to move back. In the end, I knew that (at least right now) I’d still wanted to stay in Japan for longer so I needed to sort shit out fast.

When I came back from the holidays , I once again reached out to the higher ups to see what they might be able to offer me at my current job (I didn’t want to work another year in my current position) and at the same time continuing to apply to jobs and doing interviews.

It was then that I’d applied to the company that I’ll be starting at in a couple months after I finish my current contract.

The feeling of relief that washed over me when I received notice that I got the job is indescribable. This weight that I had been carrying around on my shoulders and my heart just lifted.

I’m so so so excited for my new job. The potential career expansion possibilities. I’ll get to put my language skills to use. I didn’t really have a specific career choice that I was looking at when I first started job hunting because I wasn’t sure what I would be able to do with my limited work experience specific to Japan, but if I were, this would be close to a dream job for me.

Now, I’m working on tying up the loose ends at my current job, paperwork, passing on my work, etc. Outside of work, I need to clean and pack to get ready to move. I’ve found a new (and better) apartment but still working on acquiring all the necessary furniture and appliances.

I’m so poor.

Especially with all the tours coming up…

I’d also like to somehow fit in time to prep for my new job somewhere but…

Anyways, if anyone actually read to the end.

Thank you /hugs