A Big Step (A 6,572 mile step to be exact)
Image by Jess and Colin via Flickr
My wife and daughter are currently in Japan. I miss them horribly, so I’m not sure how rational these thoughts are, but it doesn’t mean I shouldn’t have them.
I’m fantasizing about quitting my job, moving to Japan, and trying to make a living as a niche blogger. Sure, I’d have to find my niche (using being an American in Japan as a start) and work on my writing skills, but I don’t think the idea is completely “crazy.” My wife and I would reverse roles as the main “breadwinner,” but she has a law degree and could easily eclipse my current salary in a few years, leaving me to spend quality time with our daughter and honing my “craft.”
There are, of course, concerns. While she may be able to make a decent salary, there would be some initial concerns about a change to the quality of our life. The cost of living in Louisville, compared to Japan is going to mean major changes to our lifestyle, but I believe my wife would sacrifice whatever she needed to so she could live in Japan. She’s made it clear to me several times that she’s no fan of living in Kentucky. I would say “hate” would be strong word, but I’ve taken her from Tokyo to San Diego (which she didn’t complain too much about) to Louisville, each time move feeling a “downgrade” to her. I naturally would love to make her happy and get her back to Japan and her family. My family, I believe, has become accustomed to my lack of roots, though I know my mother would likely be heartbroken with our departure. However, it’s either one grandparent or the other that would be heartbroken, so it’s a no win situation in that category.
So, what will it take? Guts. I’m not afraid of the unknown, but I feel that the ultimate responsibility is that our family can be supported, so this would likely involve me remaining here while my wife finds a job, then the subsequent move by me. The toughest part would be dealing with my own ego. I’ve been the selfish one focusing on my career while my wife has taken care of our daughter, remaining at home. I know she has her own dreams and desires that involve a move forward in a career of her own. The thing is, if I could do something like professional blogging, it would be my “dream job,” so why am I so hesitant?
If by chance any professional bloggers are to happen across this post, PLEASE let me know what I’d be up against if I decided to move with this. What can I expect? Am I completely naive?
Update: We’re still looking to make the move at some point way way way down the road.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
On FriendFeed, this post was liked by 0 people and commented on 0 times hide