From One Backpack to 30: My transition from travelling Southeast Asia to Teaching in Japan

I believe I had a unique start to my journey as an ALT. I moved to Japan immediately after travelling Southeast Asia for 6 months. So, with a rucksack on my back, a Japanese visa acquired in Vietnam, and formal work clothes packed, I readied myself to start work.

While I was traveling, the inevitable questions of the future often came up. Whenever I shared my plan to move to Japan, people were genuinely surprised. It felt like everyone was either traveling around Asia or heading to Australia—so why was my plan so unexpected? Perhaps it was against the norm, but for me, it was a long-held dream. Everyone was so supportive and interested and I have not forgotten those reactions. They push me through on days that the distance from my family feels a little further, or the language barrier presents itself especially intensely. I did it, I made my dream a reality!

I can’t pinpoint the moment I decided I wanted to live and work in Japan, but I do remember around the time I went to university I felt, what I can only describe as, a gut feeling that I should live in Japan. I often flirted with the idea of studying abroad as part of my degree because I love travelling but, it didn’t feel like the right fit for me, I wanted something different. As graduation was looming and the constant stress inducing questions of ‘What’s next?’ came from all angles, I decided it was time to travel- classic. However, before I could go and ‘find myself’, I had to find a job, so I became an English teacher. That job was a catalyst for my applying to teach in Japan. Initially, I imagined staying in Japan for just three months—one full year felt like a huge commitment. But after exploring my options, I realized that at least a year in Japan was exactly what I wanted. I also wanted to backpack through Southeast Asia, and what better time to do it than before moving to Japan?

I had already booked the start of my trip for October, so naturally, the March start date was perfect for me, I just needed to apply for the job! One of the reasons I went with Interac was their flexibility in application dates. Even though I wanted to start in March 2025, I was able to apply for the job a year prior. After successfully completing the interview process, and much celebrating, reality set in that I would need to be incredibly organised to ensure everything would run smoothly.

My main priority and cause of worry was collecting my working visa. This must be done in person, usually in your country of residence, and requires a Certificate of Eligibility (CofE), which is typically provided by the company one to two months before departure. Since I didn’t know which country I’d be in at that time, I was understandably worried. Thankfully, I was in regular contact with Interac, who helped me understand the process thoroughly. Many emails were sent to a myriad of Asian embassies, and I found out that I could collect my visa at the British embassy in either Vietnam or Thailand, as these both allowed citizens of Britain- this was fantastic news! I collected my visa in Vietnam and the process was incredibly efficient- after providing my documents, I received my Japanese working visa in less than a week. Another document I needed to acquire in England, and pre-travelling was my IDP (international drivers permit). This turned out to be the easiest part! I collected my IDP from a PayPoint at a local corner shop in England and was able to choose the date it started, meaning I could choose March 2025 even though it was October 2024. This stayed safely in my backpack whilst I was travelling!

Admin and documents aside, my other logistical concern was how I would transition the contents of my backpack into the contents of an apartment. This was a fun process! In Vietnam, whilst I was waiting for my Visa, I was able to donate a lot of my travelling clothes and went shopping for work clothes. As an ALT, I needed to wear formal work attire; blazer, suit trousers, and shirts- a far cry from sandals, swimwear, and linen trousers, but incredibly easy to obtain and budget friendly. In terms of hardware for my apartment, I bought everything after arriving in Japan. Daiso, amazon, and second-hand stores became my best friends. In addition, other ALT’s who were moving out passed on a lot of their items, which was hugely helpful. I highly recommend considering these options upon arrival rather than trying to pack everything in advance.

With logistics and admin completed, the final hurdle was the mental transition from traveling to working and living in a new country. For me, this was surprisingly smooth. After six months of sharing rooms and bathrooms in hostels, I was more than ready to have my own space in a Leo Palace apartment. In addition, I believe the culture shock was less intense because I had already spent time in several Asian countries, grappled time zones, navigated language barriers, and met lots of wonderful people. Initial training helped me prepare for my new work environment and gave me the opportunity to build meaningful connections with fellow ALTs. Combined with the valuable insights I gained from previous teaching experience and traveling through Southeast Asia, I arrived at my first school feeling confident, well-prepared, and excited to begin.