Hey Lola,
Just wanted to say Hi!
This thread is very helpful.
I love the realism people are willing to share.
I have to give a gentle nudge to people who consider living off the land, have you ever tried farming?
It's back breaking work.
If you're moving to "live off the land" and you aren't an experienced farmer you would hate actual farm work.
If you were a farmer most of it would be a whole new foreign thing anyway (except the hard work and even with that American farming employs a lot of labor saving technology that may not be available or affordable in JA).
Whether I would go through with moving to JA is up in the air.
I found the honest, ex-pat, sentiments sobering but not unexpected having spent my entire career working in an environment outside of my native culture.
I think I'm fairly well grounded in the reality of assimilation/non-assimilation (as some have stated things that seem fine on the surface in all likelihood can and generally do lack viable roots).
One thing I would add is lots of times a place seems like heaven on vacation simply because you're on vacation - you don't have to get up at six AM, you can get hung over and recover at leisure, etc.
I'm a pensioner now and if I am judicious with my spending work is not an issue I will have to contend with unless my native land goes completely off the rails.
While it may seem petty to some my big concern is my cat.
If I recall correctly (and I understand the concerns relating to keeping the island rabies free) the laws about bringing pets to the island are ironclad (you can't do it).
Has there been any change in the rules?
Anybody have any good news on the pet front?
For what its worth I've considered Denmark too, but too cold (might as well stay in Frostbite Falls).
Thanks for the caring invested in all the previous info!
