Comments on: Glass Ceiling

By: Zen

Zen — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:53:55 +0000

Best wishes, wherever your path takes you.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:35:58 +0000

Good luck to you and the family with the move – sounds like you’ve made the decision for the right reasons.

Personally I couldn’t keep the blogging going once I left Japan – it felt like the blog was only about documenting that one period of my life – but I regretted not keeping it going in order to document my reverse culture shock, of which there was plenty. I’m sure between you and Reiko you’ll have no difficulty finding things to write about.

By: quaisi

quaisi — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 13:29:01 +0000

Fortunately Reiko has lived in England for 18 months. It’s how we met. She also lived in China for 5 years. So she’s okay with living abroad although she’s definitely sad about leaving her family.

Hopefully we’ll both get jobs.

By: H

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 07:18:05 +0000

Just found your awesome blog. It’s sad that you’ll stop posting soon about your life in Japan. I love Japan. In the future, I hope to spend some time there.

Will your wife be able to work in UK or she’ll stay home and take care of the baby?

Good Luck!

By: Jon

Jon — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 19:10:50 +0000

My wife came to the U.S. to study English and that is how we met. It is career and earning money for the family that keeps us in the U.S. even though she really does not like it. She misses her family terribly and it has caused some conflict.

Just one of the aspects of an international marriage.

By: smazh

smazh — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 15:24:52 +0000

Hi, I lived in Japan as a student for 7 years before returning to Singapore this year, so I’ve been following your blog with interest. It’ll be tough for both of you I think. Your wife will have to deal with a new environment, and you’ll have reverse culture shock.

But, I think you should do whatever the two of you agree on. There will be difficulties either way, so just follow your decision.

By: Chris M

Chris M — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 11:03:50 +0000

I know it’s a hard decision for you both, but it’ll be good to see you again!

By: Dax

Dax — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 19:57:59 +0000

Do what you gotta do, man. I myself have had to take it on the chin a few times just to make things right for my family. I should warn you though, unless Reiko has been to the UK for extended periods in the past, she is probably going to hate being away.

In our case, my wife lived here for a year and a half before moving here on a marriage visa. She wasn’t here a week before she told me she wanted to go back home because Japan made her happy.

As for the glass ceiling, that was the main reason I didn’t go the other way and emigrate to Japan. My inlaws couldn’t see it, but I knew my options were limited there.

By: Susan

Susan — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:58:53 +0000

I’m sure it was a hard decision to make but I think you’re doing the right thing. At least you’ve spent some wonderful years in Japan which you’ll always remember.

To Jon, the poster above. I think in most cases the wife usually lives in the country of her spouse if he is the main or sole earner.

My husband is Japanese whereas I’m from England and next summer we will be moving to Japan after 4 yrs living in Italy. We couldn’t come up with a compromise because I want to return to the UK and he doesn’t. Basically one of us will be unhappy and it turned out to be me. I’m slowly getting used to the idea of living in Japan and particularly Intl. marriages like ours deciding where to live is one of the main factors which we have to face.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 22:35:43 +0000

Hope everything works out for you. I’ve really liked reading what you write and hope you keep doing so.