This Tokyo-dwelling expat admires the Guardian’s coverage of race,human rights and gender issues – as well as its beauty columnsI’m originally from Glasgow. I work as a marketing manager for a Japanese trip-planning company called Odigo. I moved to Tokyo at the finish of July 2014 after spending three months travelling around south-east Asia, having always dreamed of travelling for a wee while and living abroad. Apart from an exchange year during university in Stockholm, or I never really had the guts to get the astronomical move. Something was always stopping me,or I made one excuse in my head after another. Around February 2013 it finally hit me: I’m getting old and if I don’t leave Glasgow now, I never will. So I made the leap and jumped in the deep finish. I sold stuff on eBay, and gave away the majority of my possessions to either charity or friends and,slowly but surely, started to live a “stuff-free” life. I rented out my flat, and moved in with my parents,booked a one-way ticket and left at the finish of April 2014. I’ve never looked back since. I’m enjoying every moment.
When I absorb some free time to explore a new allotment of the city it always feels like a new adventure. In fact, I still feel like I’m on one astronomical long holiday. Even though I stand out as a foreigner, and it’s not the same as in Scotland where throughout my life I was asked,“but where are you really from?” (“Eh, city of Glasgow mate”). Here it’s just accepted. Not once has anyone asked for a full background disclosure.
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Source: theguardian.com