Moving to Japan at 50: A Year Later – Was It the Right Choice?

I’ve wanted to live in Japan for a number years but there never seemed to be a good time. I am thinking, next year or later, I will sign up for an English teacher program in a high school. I can talk a year or two leave of absence from my current teaching position.

Happy birthday month! The new camera looks great! I have the pocket 3 as well and it’s such a good camera! You inspire me to record more of my life experiences so I hope to record my experience while I’m here in Italy!

🎉🎉🎉Happy Birthday 🎁 I really enjoyed this video, you’re so brave and had a wonderful life experience over the last year. Millie is a sweetheart ❤️ The new camera is amazing, clear and stable footage.👍🙏

Glad to see you are enjoying so many things. A video about differences of life/work/money in japan and australia?

Happy birthday and I think the footage quality is great! Definitely a great camera for vlogging! 🎉

The new camera is making clear, crisp shots. But it should right? Old tech vs new tech. Keep up the lovely videos!

The camera is GREAT! The stabilization alone was wort it.

I enjoy watching your videos, I lived in Yokohama area back in the mid 80’s. I’m so glad I took a chance to step out of my comfort zone. It was scary at first but I have wonderful memories now of the friends I made, abilities I learned. Now retired living in Texas. Better to try and take a chance, than never trying. No regrets latter in life. 👍

Awesome camera. Everything looks so crisp. Happy birthday 🎂. Enjoying cruising Japan atm.

Love this channel. Thanks for the constant uploads. Really enjoying it.

Happy Birthday, Chani!

🎉happy birthday ❤. Life is journey 😊 your video inspire me I decide move to Japan 🇯🇵 now in Tokyo

Thanks for sharing your experience with us!

Your channel is very helpful

Happy Birthday, and the new camera footage is great and you are such an inspiration to me, given me hope that I can do the same in a few more years 🎉🎉

New camera has great clarity, depth of field & great colour. Loving your updates Chani, big cuddle to Millie❤❤

"If the path to what you want seems too easy then you’re on the wrong path” — Monkey D. Luffy

As the saying goes the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. Yes moving may not solve all your problems but it is a new start with a new perspective. Great camera footage and thank you for the insight.

Happy birthday! The new camera looks amazing btw. Great job!

ビッグニュース楽しみ😄😄にしてます。

Beautiful footage with that new camera you bought! ☺️

The footage from the new camera looks clear and very stable Chani.👍🏻 Am currently in Japan, and as I drive around and pass akiyas, I think of u and your videos. U are so brave, and I dream of doing likewise one day. 😅 Cheers to ur 1st yr anniversary of living in Japan & happy birthday too! 🥂🎉

Loved this, congrats on one year in Japan! The pocket 3 footage is great to see, I've been interested in one!

Loving your Wakayama videos. We will be doing a driving holiday in Wakayama later in the year. I'm now looking at the Osmo Pocket 3 for our travels (they should sponsor you🙂)

I’m getting great energy from your life.even though I’m an older than you.I wish I could talk with you someday.

Happy birthday, Chani! What a journey you've had, be proud.

The footage from the new camera is excellent. It is so crisp and sharp and good colour.

You’re 51 but you have the same vibe as some people that are 28. Did you have the same vibe at 28? I know people that have 2 sons are pretty chill but your vibe might’ve been the same before you had your sons. You have my respect for making your move at 50 and your boys would be proud. Wow you were a Japanese teacher in Australia for over 20 years? Are you also working as a Japanese teacher in Japan? I want to live in Japan too. Happy birthday! Hope you have a great second year and I’ve subscribed to you as a gift to you

Happy Birthday to you Chani! Yes life is a journey, very true. The video is great and we are waiting for the good news then next week !!=))) Hello from France

What model was the dead gopro? Got a 12 but not that pleased.. the sony cx3000 spmething or dji look so much nicer

I love your videos and with each new one I feel a bit closer to you and your experiences. I often find myself becoming emotional when I am watching because of how vulnerable you choose to be in sharing your journey and how relatable some of your feelings are. I’ve wanted to move to Japan since early childhood and that desire only deepened as I grew older. Japanese culture and entertainment shaped a lot of who I am as an adult and in ways raised me. However, as years have gone by I’ve felt that my dream of moving to Japan was going to remain exactly that, a dream. It seemed infeasible and out of reach.

Recently I was awarded an incredible opportunity to return to college free of charge, and in the process of preparing for that adventure I found your videos and they’ve helped me realize that my dream can become reality, if only I reach out to grab it instead of allowing fear to prevent me from moving forward. I’m getting a minor in Japanese as part of my education to help me on this journey and I wanted to thank you for your videos and for helping me to see how a bit of courage and changing your perspective, even if just a little, can make all the difference in reaching your goals. Now, like some of my anime/manga heroes, I’m going to push forward no matter how daunting the task.

Good luck to you and Milly!! ❤

Happy birthday Chani. We both share a July birthday! 🤩 Thank you for doing the research on the replacement camera - saves me a lot of time as I'll probably buy one for my road trips. Take care in the heat.

The new camera was a great purchase, quality is super nice.

I've stopped believing the idea of being forever stuck in a rut. Life is defined by the law of Inertia - once you set things in motion, you stay in motion. Might be a bumpy ride, but you're moving forward. And that's always better than staying in place. Thank you for showing us that law in action and greatest success with all you do.

Happy Birthday!!

New camera footage is fantastic!

Not saying you’re a grandma, but my grandma always named her cars Betsy. It’s just funny to me now looking back. 😅❤

Happy birthday, Chani!! I enjoy your channel so much, greetings from Rio 😘

i rarely comment ... who am i say what is what? ... so just my 2 cents worth

its not just a change in environment per se ...

its more of the place is a an alignment of who you are, the values and beliefs you hold ..

i like that the cost of living is bearable, one might need to save for a while, nothing wrong it that ..

property-asset inflation/investment in other places, to me is just wrong ...

we want to live, have a good life ... not just work and work, earn & earn to buy a place to stay ...

when one can afford to buy things, its definitely less stressful ...

youth crime, stabbings, gangs etc ... is something unheard of growing up .. but almost every second story is about crime & violence ...

society has not been able to retain (not soley a japanese trait) the sense of "we are all in it together" ... why would i want to steal & vandalise?

i know japan is not perfect, but its one country i am seriously looking at ... and i only speak english

some places just give this "sense of ease" ... and that is good enough for me 🙂

i enjoy your channel ...
.

You can't expect to the same thing and get a different result, I made a similar change and moved to Thailand because worse case scenario you move back 😂 moving to Japan next year 🤞 let's go

Thank you Chani for sharing your insights experiences in your journey. New camera looks so cool!
🤍🎧🪩

WOW! What great looking footage off the new cam! As a photographer/videographer Im jealous of your shots! Also, congrats on a YEAR in Japan! I'm looking forward to seeing more

Omg i have dji pocket 2 loved it used it when i was in hawaii. Gopro was overheating too only used it for the drive. im cancer too. I too wanted to buy abandoned house one day. Used to study in Japanese language institution in 2004 in takaba. I used korean & japanese in hawaii. Fell in love with 😅the islands there. Kanbare!

I’m writing this comment from Kanazawa. Firstly I knew Japan had a decent summer but I wasn’t expecting tropical monsoon. Tokyo felt like Brisbane in January and Kanazawa seems like I’m in Cairns. Next is the full cultural experience and I’m glad I learnt some Japanese phrases. I’ve traveled to several countries in SE Asia, Europe and US but Japan has been the most immersive cultural experience. Something else has drawn me to Japan and here I’m seeing it first hand. It’s the frugal and minimalist way they live. I think we can learn something from them.

Happy Birthday from another July baby! Your new camera footage is great! Clearer and crisper picture! Thankyou again for sharing your adventure!

夜景の綺麗なこと。新しいカメラの効果でしょうか。あなたの前向きな姿勢は一つのお手本です。

Happy Birthday!

I am so thankful to have found your channel. I was 49 this year and planning a long term hiatus in Japan when my last kid finished college in a couple years. I am not more than certain it's going to be amazing.