First Time for Everything - The Bait

"The Bait" - First Intrigue

"Some people hide more than others, and it does intrigue me."
Tori Amos


For more posts similar to this one, see The Series of Firsts

Most people that come to Japan to teach English were interested in Japan, for some reason other than teaching English, long before deciding to move there. The reason is probably buried in the subconscious, and never even realized. But, I guarantee that it’s there. 

I call it "The Bait." 

For me, I had business dealings with Japanese people for a few years, and I remember trying to read the kanji written in the translated technical manuals we had on file. I used to stare at it for longer than normal with such fascination. Of course in hindsight, I realize now that I was actually being tempted by the lure a bit at that point, but whatever -- that was the original bait for me -- being interested in how to read kanji.

So, what exactly gets people interested in living and teaching English in Japan? What is the first seed planted in someone's head that finally sprouts and causes one's interest to grow? 

Of course it's different for everyone, but here are some common manifestations of "The Bait":

• A simple yearning to live abroad (anywhere abroad for a lot of people)
• An interest in Japanese manga comics/anime (more on these people in a later post)
• Japanese food/cuisine (just can't get enough of that sushi!)
• Cultural interests (castles, history, customs, etc.) 
• Language (maybe they took a class in high school or at university)
• Robots (it's true)
• The Fever (if you have the fever, you know what I'm talking about!) 
• Discussions with friends or relatives that have live or visited Japan.

There are countless explanations as to how people are influenced to move to Japan. There is always one thing or a combination of things that initially get the gears to crank over far enough to bring people to the next step - "the hook."

As I wrote in my in my introduction page, for me it was a combination of cultural differences and language curiosity that eventually pushed me to take the next step.

"First they see the bait, then they take a bite, then they feel.......the hook."

Do you have a question about Japan or a topic that you are interested in that you haven't found on this blog? If so, please tell me about it in a comment. I will get a post up about it as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!!