I'm leaving this summer. I've been here four years. I have loved where I lived and the people I've met. I'm not going back home but moving to China for a teaching job. I am a teacher who has my certificate and subject area endorsements. I am not happy about leaving all my friends behind along with all the work I put into my Japanese.

However, there are a few reasons that I feel I pretty much have to leave. The biggest being money. When I arrived the exchange rate was 80 to the dollar now it hovers around 120. My salary has remained the same and taxes have gone up. I'm getting killed. If I left my job to find another then in order to get a higher salary I'd pretty much need to take a job that requires working 6 days a week. Even then I would quite possibly not be in a position to receive raises and certainly would not receive a promotion.

I also dislike the feeling of constantly being different. I understand that I am different, but Japanese people tend to focus on the differences between themselves and the outside world rather than similarities. I have several friends who have been here nearly a decade and they are entirely comfortable with this and have done an excellent job assimilating. I'm sure it's something people get used to over time, but I don't think I could and it would be an unneeded and endless source of stress.

The last is beer. I love beer. I love all types of beer, but mostly IPA. I have enjoyed watching Japan's beer market expand in my four years to the point where you can buy aooni (an IPA) in lawson. However, I dislike that it costs $60+ just to buy a case of regular beer. That is simply unreal. It is my biggest living cost by far. This obviously isn't the deciding factor, but I can't help but feel the government is ripping me off everytime I have a drink.