Halifax, Nova Scotia. I've been in Japan for about 10 years now. And I'm married for 4 years and I got a little daughter

Well when I finished University, I didn't know what I was gonna do with my life like most people.

I was studying English, I just got an English degree. And then I was walking down the hall

I saw a poster for Japan, come to Japan. And I saw the interviews for Nova and I went

I didn't know anyone in Japan, I didn't know anything about Japan

I mean I did look into Australia

But you hadn't been a fan of manga or anime?

No which is strange because I look like a big nerd

And when I came everyone thought, my first coworkers at Nova were like "oh you must love this manga"...

I don't know who Akira is...

A lot of you don't know Nova kind of went bust, a lot of teachers were stranded...

I was good friends with my manager and she said we gotta get out, it's going under. And I couldn't believe it.

So she warned you it was going under?

And I was lucky I got out before it went under. After that was elementary school

ALT?

Yah, ALT.

But you didn't like ALT?

No

Why?

There wasn't anything to do. I just sat around the teachers room and there was maybe two lessons a day and I had to get a stamp from the principal at 4:30

And I only taught for about 40 minutes some days...

And you were there the whole day

Yah and it was before iPhones

And then I taught at an Indian International

In Japan, you worked at an Indian school?

It was like a daycare, I didn't know what I was getting into.

So it was all Indian kids?

Yah

So did they speak English or Japanese or Hindi?

All three

And you ever see those guys with the push, you know baskets of babies, what are they called...

Like a big cart of babies? Like a shopping cart of babies?

Have you seen it?

I think I've seen it.

I used to be that guy

You were the shopping cart baby guy?

It looked like I stole 20 Indian kids

Yah, well I'm still here. I've been doing it for 6.5 years

My Nova apartment was right beside this famous foreigner gaijin, it was called The Tent.

It was literally a tent between a building and that's where people used to go and hang out and so I met all my friends quickly

I met a nice group of friend. Basically it was a big pick up bar.

So a pick up tent

The bar was closing and I was walking out drunk and she was walking in drunk to get one more drink but they wouldn't let her in.

So we went for one more drink together and we've still been drinking together ever since.

Very romantic. Does your wife speak English?

A little bit. She did a home stay in Australia.

When you first met would you speak in Japanese at all?

When we first met she used to carry those old dictionaries.

The electronic dictionaries.

She would pop it open

Does she want you to learn Japanese or is she ok with you speaking just English?

Well now that we have the girl, I'm off the hook.

So in May, she'll turn 5.

Does she speak both languages?

Yah

I speak in one ear and my wife speaks in the other ear

It's good. They live in the building right next to us. And I see them in the grocery store. The mom's nice and shy and her fathers really quiet

When I moved in with my now wife, she lied and said I was her roommate for like a year.

So they didn't know you were dating.

And it was a shock to her father when I said I wanted to marry her.

Oh so you asked her father's permission?

Yah and he left the room and he came back with a necktie and threw it at me.

He said I had to dress up for the situation.

Ahh...

Because it's very formal so you have to dress up

You have to wear a tie and ask formally.

I was just drinking a shochu...Can I marry this one?

And actually it turned out he was joking with me.

Ok. I thought it was like a symbol of get the hell out of my daughter's life, here's a tie, get a job.

A two.

So you've been in Japan for 8 years?

It just hit 10 years.

And is there a reason why you don't want to study Japanese, or you don't need it or it's too difficult?

I think I should have started off the bat but I would only speak English at the conversation school and then I would go drinking with English people at the English bar.

Going to amazing onsen, hot springs place and soaking in hot water

Oh, bureaucracy. I hate wasting paper and fax machines.

Paperwork. And Japan still has fax machines

And just going to the bank and I tried to cash a Canadian check and it took like 2 hours.

What's your favorite Japanese food?

Ramen, I guess.

Is there any Japanese food you don't like?

Everyone always says it but Natto.

Do you see yourself living here your whole life?

I do have this little Australian dream but I'm maybe getting permenant residence and I don't mind staying around forever.

What's your favorite Japanese musician?

Ulfuls.

Favorite Japanese movie?

The old one. You know the old Kurosawa movie 7 samurai.

What's your favorite Japanese tv show or drama?

Airport, why did you come to Japan.

Do you have a Japanese manga or anime that you like?

Akira. And of course Ghost in the Shell

What's your favorite Japanese word?

Mendokusai.

Does your wife say that to you a lot?

Yah

Last question. Advice to people who are thinking about not just coming to Japan but living in Japan

Don't be scared to ask for advice because most Japanese people will help you.

I've had Japanese business men be late for work over showing me where my new bank is. Stuff like that

Don't worry be happy

There you go. Words of wisdom, don't worry be happy.

So there you go. Thanks for watching. Don't forget to thumbs up if you liked this video and share.

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