Q1. Where did you move to and when?

I moved from Bangkok to a small town in Japan's Ibaraki prefecture in July 2015.

Q2. How long did you work in Thailand?

I lived and worked in Thailand for exactly three years. Prior to that, I lived and worked in northeast China for two and a half years.

Q3. What was your main reason for moving?

It was simply time to move on and experience a new country. Nothing against Thailand really, but that initial excitement of living in the country had already long faded away, and I was also growing tired of all things Thai. I was having the exact same feelings towards Thailand earlier this year as the ones that I had towards China way back in early 2012.

Q4. What are the advantages of working where you are now compared to Thailand?

I make exactly twice the salary here in Ibaraki than I did back in Bangkok. I pay into a pension system, as well as a national healthcare system. Things at school generally run quite smooth, and everything I need to know is usually quite clear. My school provides me with a car to get around, making this the first time I've ever had a vehicle in Asia. My school also supposedly subsidizes part of my apartment cost, a practice that's virtually unheard of back in Bangkok. I can easily save around 40% of my paycheck here in Ibaraki, as it's a semi-rural part of Japan. There's not much temptation to spend here unlike in flashy Bangkok.

Q5. What do you miss about life in Thailand?

I may make twice as much here in Japan, but I have to work two to three times more than I did in Thailand. The work is exhausting. I got about four months paid vacation a year at my school in Bangkok, whereas I only get one month here. I taught 16 classes a week in Bangkok, but I teach 32 here (exactly double). I honestly think I'd rather have the extra time off than the extra money.

As for non-work related life, I miss the excitement of Bangkok. It's easy to forget while you're already there, but Bangkok really is a fun and exciting city. Even more fun than I had in second-tier city China. Bangkok is hectic, sure, but boring it is not. As crazy as it may sound, I miss riding my bike all around Bangkok. It's not a bike friendly city at all, but my life in Bangkok drastically improved after buying a bike.

I also miss the room for error that's generally found in developing countries like Thailand and China. Here in Japan, the people seem to expect everything to go smoothly and as planned, so life feels somewhat robotic in this regard. There also seems to be an extreme "better safe than sorry" mindset where I'm living, which makes the place and people kind of dull.

I also miss the photo opportunities to be had in Bangkok. I love photography, and I've traveled to many places in Asia, so I can firmly say that Bangkok is a great place for street photography. Obviously, It's just not the same here in small town Japan. To be blunt, I also miss the dating/sexual opportunities in Bangkok. Bangkok really is a great place to be a young bachelor. Here in Ibaraki, it's all married soccer moms, factory workers, and old folks. Local single women are scarce (I'm sure Tokyo must be quite different though).

And finally, I miss my favorite restaurants from Bangkok - the Saturday night vegetarian buffet at May Kaidee, Sunrise Tacos on Silom and Sukhumwit, Beirut Lebanese at Sala Daeng, the Tuesday night Mexican buffet at Bourbon Street, the Saturday lunch Mexican buffet at Señor Pico, and so on. I also really miss Thai sweets. Lots of good eats - both local and foreign - in Bangkok.

Q6. Would you advise a new teacher to seek work in Thailand or where you are now?

I think it's too early for me to make a judgement call on my current school and locale, but I have a question to ask reader's out there who might be considering Thailand and Japan: is your goal to have a fun and exciting experience or to make some money and live a quiet life? If your goal is the former, by all means go to Bangkok, but if your goal is the latter, then by all means come here to Ibaraki. The dynamics of the two places are totally different - apples and oranges.

Q7. Any plans to return to Thailand one day?

Of course. I'm not anti-Thailand now that I'm not living there any more. I left China for Bangkok back in 2012, but I've revisited China countless times since my departure there. Bangkok is like a second (or maybe third) home to me now, as I'm so familiar with the city and had countless experiences there. I didn't make many Thai friends while living there, but I would still definitely like to revisit in the future. I already miss the place a lot, and of course I'll never forget it.

Q8. Anything else you'd like to add?

It may sound cliche, but there's no perfect country to live and/or work in this world. Every place is gonna have its advantages and disadvantages. Your own individual personality, where you're currently at in life, your own personal tastes, and your travel experience are what you should use as a guide to decide where you want to live/work. For example, where I'm at here in Japan might be boring as sin to a young, extroverted twenty-something Western bachelor, but it could be just what the doctor ordered for a middle-aged, introverted married Western guy.

Do your research, consider who you are as an individual and where you're at in life, travel to the places your considering to work/live, make a decision, and then take the plunge. Online reviews usually don't tell the whole story. Experiencing a place for yourself is always more valuable than reading second hand reports.