Greetings to you both! I'm an American that have been living and working here for the past 2 1/2 years. I'm in Kyoto Prefecture (rural area) but I do visit Tokyo when I can. I came across your video on Kuro Obi world when you and Tracey were having a taste of Goju Ryu. I'm a Bujinkan practitioner myself after 5 years of Okinawan Karate (Goshin Ryu) and on and off training in Jeet Kune Do and Kali for a bit. I struggle with the language but learning ゆっくり. I came to Japan with zero Nihongo 2 years and a few months later; I can read, write and speak a bit. Everyone's coming to Japan story is different. I look forward to more video blogs and enjoy the stay our mutually shared adopted land.
Thank you for the honest and informative answers! Those are the answers I always look forward whenever a J-vlogger (idk if that's a term haha) make a Q&A question and then people ask them about living cost and job hunting etc, usually we'll be left with ambiguous answers like "it depends" and yadda yadda, but you guys are really open, it helps a lot!
Thank you so much for your support and comment! We are so glad to be helpful! Sometime we talk too much, so we're so glad it wasn't too long of a video lol ;) Much love! - Thomas & Tracey
I heard that Japan is looking to hire a TON of caregivers, nurses and nurse practitioners in the coming years to help with the aging population. It's an industry where there's going to be a lot of demand moving forward. Lot's or recruiting going on right now.
You guys made me feel really good about my American RN credential! I don't really work as a nurse anymore--I'm a manager for a medical device company (although I still do pacemaker and defibrillator cases). I'm also on the local fire department and life squad, so I never really wander too far from my medical roots. This video had a great deal of interesting information. The Japanese guy who works for me actually might be heading back to Tokyo in a few months as we're launching a new product there soon and he's the only expert on this new device that speaks both English and Japanese fluently. He's also a Japanese citizen (they don't allow dual citizenship) so there won't be a visa problem. Take care, guys. We watch your videos almost every day. My kids aren't as interested as we are--if you played more Pokémon (they loved the go kart episode) or Minecraft in each video they'd watch them more ;-)
Just discovered your channel, so inspired by the two of you. I live in Calgary and my teenage son wants to be a registered nurse, he's only in grade 11. I showed him your vlog, he thinks you both are so cool and great role models. Also we thought of you two when we were at our favourite pho place..pho thanh. We are so happy for the two of you. Thanks for allowing us to share your experiences. 😍😘🤗
Thank you so much for this video - it’s super helpful, and you guys were so sweet to list all the questions and times in the info box! Love your channel so much 💕
Wow you guys are so happy and awesome. You live such happy and fulfilling lives. Watching your videos encourages me on my journey to a great life. Thanks for the videos!
Thank you so much for your support and the kind words, Josh!! We also get the motivation from wonderful people like you so thank you for the encouragement as well!! Much love! - Thomas & Tracey
This was an amazingly insightful Q&A! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences, as well as taking us along with you during your journey in life! Sending lots of love~ :)
Thank you so much for your support and comment, Jessica!! We are so happy to be helpful in the slightest ways. Lots of love back to you ;)! Cheers to lots more adventures together! - Thomas & Tracey
Great video...and really very interesting !! With your attitudes and way of thinking, I can tell that...you both have a bright future here in the Tokyo. 頑張ってください！！
i'm born in taiwan as well and moved to vancouver when i was one, so happy to see youtubers with roots similar to mine! so glad i've found your channel!
Hi Yijen! Thank you so much for your support and for leaving us a comment! It's so amazing to have the opportunity to be connected to so many people like us here on UA-cam. Much love and cheers to more adventures together!! - Thomas & Tracey
This is a great introduction to you guys! I stumbled upon your vlog for your trip to Kawagoe and it looks amazing! I’m planning my Japan trip next year and so far, your videos really helped me in getting to know Japan better. Although I understand you are no longer staying in Japan, I appreciate and thank you for sharing your experiences regardless! You guys are awesome! Keep doing what you are doing! :)
Wow you guys are 24/25?! I mean no offence at all but you guys are so mature i thought you were a little older. I applaud your bravery, migrating at such a young age. Go T&T!! &T!
I think it was a really good idea to stay and get work experience as RN's then going to live in another country. You'll always have that experience to fall back on once you return home, or wherever you go. The knowledge also is fresh in your minds.
Gimmeabreakman is a youtuber whose plan was to move to Japan after college and teach English for one year. That was 25 years ago and he is still there. He just fell in love with the country and the people. Good luck!
I don't usually see long Vlogs, but I found yours very interesting. All couples stories are interesting and yours are. I am visiting Japan next spring and trying to get all tips needed for my trip to be sucessfull. Great vlog !!
Thank you so much for making this Q&A video. I have definitely learned a lot about both of you. Those were some very great answers and tips, especially when Thomas mentioned you only live once in life and should not hold any regrets. And I really like what Tracey said about remembering what your goals was and the reason why you want to come to Japan when you're going through difficulties. I recently got laid off from work cuz my work contract ended and have been thinking about moving to Japan as I have always loved traveling there. I do have some savings saved up but what got me most worried was finding a job there as I don't have a bachelor's degree but now I feel like there's still hope left and I can maybe make my dreams come true. Thank again for sharing your knowledge and experiences! =)
Thank you so much for your wonderful support and for taking your time to write us such a long and thoughtful message!! We are so grateful for the encouragement and motivation you've given us, and we hope that we can encourage each other through this life adventure together!! There are definitely a lot of opportunities here waiting for you, so please don't be timid! Sending you lots of love and support back!! - Thomas & Tracey
Aww thank you for the kind reply and encouragement. I hope I can make this dream come true too. I'm researching a bit from those websites you've mentioned in the video and doing some budget as well. Hopefully I can make this happen in a year of time from now. =)
Hi Thomas and Tracey, I just found your channel! You have such positive outlooks, it's fun to learn more about you guys! I'm also from Calgary and I'll be travelling to Japan next year ^^. I can't wait to see how your channel and life grows in Japan!
Wow! much love to YYC! Thank you so much for your support and the wonderful comment. We are so excited for your adventure in Japan next year!! Cheers and stay warm in Calgary! - Thomas & Tracey
I've been waiting to get to the Q&A because I've been watching and wanting to ask questions but I figured you guys would answer it here~ Trying my best to catch up!
Thanks Thomas and Tracy - very informative and I think most of it apply to moving countries in general. So I believe it helped me defuse, or at least get a clear picture in regards to some of my concerns ahead of moving (it probably won't be Japan though).
Hi guys! I've been enjoying your vlogs and went back in time and found this the other day. I'm an APN (nurse practitioner) in the US. I've been thinking about moving to Japan someday since childhood pretty much (you'd think I would have picked a more transferable career eh), so obviously have researched the crap out of how to be a nurse/ APN in Japan (sorry a lot of these won't apply directly for canadian/non US nurses). So, unless someone enlightens me otherwise, these are my conclusions. If you are a US trained nurse/ US citizen your "best bet" if you want to use your degree to its fullest is working for the US Military Hospitals in Japan. This isn't easy though, they usually prefer to hire family members of already deployed military, or you need to be military yourself. On a rare occasion they'll post a public job with relocation, probably when they are desperate. You can get regular job postings by signing up through usajobs.gov Another best bet would be Japanese fluency (as you said ) even medical terms, etc, and getting licensed. There are VERY few nurse practitioners, and what my friends in nursing in Japan tell me is a RN/BSN level nurse in the US can do much more than a nurse in Japan. The APN role is still being developed. If you want to work in an international clinic- GREAT! I'm sure they'd love someone fluent bilingually; but you cannot do this only speaking english fluently. You will need to communicate with other providers and be certified in japan so you will have to be fluent enough to sit for an exam in Japanese. I also looked into school nursing (International schools), as my friend in Taiwan teaches at one and their school nurse doesn't know a lick of mandarin. From what I've found though even in Japan, they want their nurses to have a good command of the Japanese language (maybe not fluent though, so for me this is a distant possibility if I work hard at improving my speaking). I'm not sure about the certification (i.e. do you need to take Japanese boards). I've also been in contact with the foreign nurses association (this may not be the official name but too lazy to look it up) in Japan. The assoc. president suggested working for a nursing school perhaps, as a lecturer...... some of them do have lectures in English. I doubt this would be enough for a job but maybe as a visiting lecturer? I may be forgetting something but I think that's it! If I move, I'll probably do something similar to what you guys did and pursue a different career. I'm almost 10 years into my APN career so maybe that's enough :) My husband was thinking of being an Uber driver?!? haha. Anyway sorry for the long reply but thought some of your viewers/fellow nurses might be interested in my extensive research ;P If anyone knows anything else, please let me know~ yoroshiku onegaishimasu! (.__.)v
Thank you for sharing your insight of Japan. This would help a little into my journey to "finding my way to Japan" - as I currently feel is almost impossible considering my background.... Being a South African citizen and with the our currency terrible as is - feels I need to rob a bank before being able to come to my 'home away from home'.
Thank you so much for your continuous support! Yay amazing! (& Happy belated birthday ;) haha!) Definitely live your dreams, an "oops" is always better than a "what if?" ! - Thomas & Tracey
Support is so important. You two are so lucky to find a likeminded SO with the same dreams, passion, and motivations. Best of luck and thank you for sharing your adventures!! Also high five with the Canon G7X Mark II + Joby gorilla pod. Both are super convenient 🙌🙌
Thank you so much for your support and the wonderful comment! Yes, we are definitely lucky to have found each other! ;) Cheers to many more adventures together!! - Thomas & Tracey
I am so glad I found your channel. You guys give my boyfriend and I so much hope as we would like to do the same thing as you both did, move to Japan together hopefully in the near future! Keep up the great content, supporting you guys till the end
Thank you so much for your kind words, Connie! It is so nice to hear from others with the same interest as us. Wish you guys all the best and cheers for more adventures together ;) Much love! - Thomas & Tracey
What a lovely q&a! It's nice learn more about you. It's also very reassuring to know that it's okay to stuggle a little when you first arrive, and that it doesn't mean you can't succeed at the end. I'm even more motivated and convinced that i'll be able to find a flat and a job there too ^^ Take care, xx
Thank you so much for your continuous support!! We love seeing your comments all the time, it really motivates us! We wish you the best of luck! Much Love! - Thomas & Tracey
Hey Tracey and Thomas! So happy to find your channel. I'm from Calgary too! Thanks for introducing me to work holiday visa...Found out Canadians can go to over 30 countries on work holiday! I'm inspired to live in a different country every year haha. Do you guys have any future travel plans or other countries you might want to live in?
Thank you for sharing your stories! I was surprised a couple of things though,(I thought you're Korean haha)So ..please continue to uploading wonderful videos:)
Thank you so much for your support and the kind words! We can be anything you guys want us to be ;) Whatever is relatable is best haha! Cheers to more adventures together!! - Thomas & Tracey
You guys are such a cute couple! I'd love to hear more about the working holiday visa details from you guys. It's one thing to look up the application details but it's another to hear the experience from someone who's gone through the process. Cheers from a fellow Canadian!
Hi, Thomas and Tracey! Please do share on the cost of living in Japan. I'm moving to next year since my husband is already based there. I'm still looking for a job in Tokyo too (in the IT field) so your inputs would really help me a lot. More blessings to you guys!☺️
Thank you so much for your support and comment, April! We will try to do one (but sorry in advance in might have to wait till next year 2017 :( as our schedules are quite busy for the rest of this year..) ! Wow, that's super exciting! Hope we can help in some ways! Cheers for now ;)!! - Thomas & Tracey
Hi guys Ive just started watching your videos, which is quite interesting. Id never knew that your both nurses couple, me and my husband are also nurses, and we also love japan.most specially my husband. Definitely ill keep on watching your videos 😁, were planning to go for vacation in Japan.
Wow that's amazing!! Thank you so much for your support and for taking your time to leave us a comment! We are so grateful to be helpful to you in planning your trip to Japan. You guys will definitely enjoy it! So nice to have more nurses join us on the adventure together ;) Much love! - Thomas & Tracey
I am so glad I discovered you guys when you began your channel. Can't wait to one day look back in your videos and kind of go through these adventures with you guys 😃
Thank you so much for your support and comment!! Although we are not experts in VISAs, we will definitely try our best! Thank you for the motivation. Best of luck meanwhile!! - Thomas & Tracey
Wow I just found you guys by chance, and im already hooked! :) It seems we have so much in common, cause I'm from Edmonton finishing my RN degree right now! And I also have plans to move to Japan, but I'm curious about how you guys went about to get your visas. :)
Thank you so much for your support, Krystal! Yay another nurse! ;) We came via the Working Holiday Visa. The application is accessible online if you just google "Embassy of Japan in Canada - Working Holiday Visa". Print the pdf files and complete them, write a page of short essay explaining why you want to come live in Japan, bring all the documents required, and visit your local Japanese Embassy! It's super easy! Hope this helps & good luck in everything! - Thomas & Tracey
same! even I lived in Japan for like 5 years, before I start schooling, now that I am graduating in college, I just already remember the basics. hahaha. tho I'm learning again nihonggo, because we will go there this March to work. haha!
Wow, like most others, I would guess Tracey to be Japanese descendant (would have guess Korean if you were living in Korean instead of Japan). Among other attributes, your mannerism is of that of a Japanese girl! Lots of surprises here. Thanks for the videos.
This is so random but can Tracey do a tutorial on her skincare routine/makeup? Her skin is so clear and inquiring minds would like to know how to achieve that lol :D
nice to know you guys, such an inspiration to me. @ Thomas ; You are very lucky man. Not every girl will support you like Tracey :) p.s. couldn't agree more, women are puzzles .
Thank you so much for your support and the kind words! Your comment is so encouraging for us! We are both extremely lucky to have each other! Cannot agree more ;) - Thomas & Tracey
I'm from Taiwan too!! You guys remind me of me and my boyfriend lol he was raised in Chicago doesn't speak Chinese anymore since he got adopted from Taiwan :/ anyways, nice to get to know you both!
Wow that's so cool! Thomas can imitate all kinds of accents really well, except for Chinese! He always speak in the weird way when he tries to speak Chinese haha! - Thomas & Tracey
Hi Yen! Thank you so much for your support! Much love for our fellow nurses ;D Best of luck in school, & thank you so much for watching us! - Thomas & Tracey
Tracey~ 不知道你看不看得懂中文～我也是臺灣人很喜歡你們的videos 我也一樣從小到大vancouver /taiwan 兩頭跑～ 4月也要搬去東京！ hope you guys are having a wonderful time there and keep up the good work!!
Ive been gathering information regarding pursuing a career in Japan. Im trying to convince my family to grant me my wish because I wanna do something different from how they live their lives so yeah but is it worth pursuing it in Japan?
Hi Jeff! Japan is definitely one of a kind. The beautiful country and it's culture, traditions, history, and futuristic modernizations are enough reasons for one to fall in love with Japan. However, in regards to pursuing a career here in Japan.. we unfortunately don't have enough experience to give good advices.. One thing to know though, Japanese work style is often very strict and by the book (Like many Asian countries in general). Many of our Japanese friends dislike their lifestyle here in Tokyo because of the same reason. It's more of a place for vacation, than for work. But I guess it also depends on what kind of career you are looking at! Gaijinpot.com would be a great site for you to look into, with many experts to ask. Hope this will help a bit! Thank you for your support and comment. Best of luck!! - Thomas & Tracey
A tip for anyone that needs a housing for cheap in Tokyo, look for guest or share houses. You can still have a private room but have multiple housemates and get very cheap rent. I paid about $400 USD a month for rent and utilities to be in the Ota ward. That said be sure to do your research as share houses can be dirty, I was lucky enough to live with people who were fairly clean but I have read horror stories.
Hi Rose! Thank you for stopping by and for leaving us a comment! We don't want to get too political here so we decided to just trace our heritage down the original roots (grandparents and great-grandparents)- which is China :P! Cheers! - Thomas & Tracey
You're the most welcome!! Thank you so much for your support and comment! Haha, we can definitely be whatever you guys want us to be! Most we can relate to everyone in different ways ;)! Cheers! - Thomas & Tracey
how were you able to move to japan without the proper paperwork? unless you have a bachelors degree. since you both are from canada, so spouse visa isn't the option.
Thank you so much for stopping by and for leaving us a comment! We moved to Japan with a Working Holiday Visa, which is offered to Canadian citizens under 30 years of age (many other countries have this option too!). The process was fairly simple and you can find lots of info online by searching "working holiday visa in Japan". Hope this helps!! - Thomas & Tracey
Great Q&A guys! oh, btw...GO FLAMES GO...lol Iv'e been here 10 years and love Japan very much. You said you dont need a Bachelors degree to come to Japan, correct.... but in order to get a working visa to work here you do need a degree for visa sponsorship....did i miss you guys saying that? sorry. Either way, great channel, enjoy your vlogs
Hi Drew!! Thank you so much for the extra tip! and wow, 10 years? That is amazing! Just checked out many of your videos and they are amazing! Subscribed for more! Cheers - Thomas & Tracey
I heard that even if you are RN's in Canada, you will have to re-take another licensure exam. There are two types of nurse licenses in Japan, one is pretty much "Assistant of a RN" and the other is proper "Registered Nurse". With your skillset im sure you can pass the test, but then again all the terms will be in Japanese. Though given you pass, you will be financially do better for sure.
Wow thank you so much for all the info!! We will for sure look into if we do consider being RNs in Japan. So great to have your support. Happy New Year!! - Thomas & Tracey
Guys is it so hard to find an apartment in Tokyo? I'm planning to study in Tokyo once I'm done with highschool. Is there any website that can give us some tips for renting a house in Tokyo and finding a partime job? Please help me.
Hi Gastper! Try looking on Gaijinpot.com! It's a huge online community for foreigners in Japan or planning to come to Japan. There's many articles on life in Japan, Career/Job finder, and even an apartment finder on there! Hope this helps and good luck to you! - Thomas & Tracey
omg you guys are registered nurses?!?!?! I have experience in med/surg and in the OR. and i've always wanted to live in Japan! too bad i live in the US. if you don't mind sending me the link where you found the info about working holiday visas, i'd love to know!!! oh and i'd still love to know about nursing licenses if it can work it Japan, i'll be following! and i didn't know that you can teach english without knowing japanese!
Hi Rubie! Sorry for the delayed reply! Christmas and New Year has been super busy! For the working holiday visa info, check out: www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/canada_e/Visa/working_holiday.html We're sure that with the skills and experiences you have, you will be able to find many opportunities!! Wish you all the best!! - Thomas & Tracey
Thomas & Tracey awww thank you guys! I truly appreciate it!!! My husband and I are actually planning a vacation to Japan in October. So I can't wait to see all your adventures and recommended foodie places to eat! 😋
Thanks so much Thomas & Tracey for being so kind to share with us. Wishing you all the best!
just had a sudden flu interrupt my studying for finals. now that my big exam is done, i'm glad i can come back to watching these vlogs!!
interesting👍 you guys are amazing couple 💕
Thank you so much for your kind words, Aisha!! Much love from us! - Thomas & Tracey
Greetings to you both! I'm an American that have been living and working here for the past 2 1/2 years. I'm in Kyoto Prefecture (rural area) but I do visit Tokyo when I can. I came across your video on Kuro Obi world when you and Tracey were having a taste of Goju Ryu. I'm a Bujinkan practitioner myself after 5 years of Okinawan Karate (Goshin Ryu) and on and off training in Jeet Kune Do and Kali for a bit. I struggle with the language but learning ゆっくり. I came to Japan with zero Nihongo 2 years and a few months later; I can read, write and speak a bit. Everyone's coming to Japan story is different. I look forward to more video blogs and enjoy the stay our mutually shared adopted land.
Thank you for the honest and informative answers! Those are the answers I always look forward whenever a J-vlogger (idk if that's a term haha) make a Q&A question and then people ask them about living cost and job hunting etc, usually we'll be left with ambiguous answers like "it depends" and yadda yadda, but you guys are really open, it helps a lot!
Thank you so much for your support and comment! We are so glad to be helpful! Sometime we talk too much, so we're so glad it wasn't too long of a video lol ;) Much love! - Thomas & Tracey
I heard that Japan is looking to hire a TON of caregivers, nurses and nurse practitioners in the coming years to help with the aging population. It's an industry where there's going to be a lot of demand moving forward. Lot's or recruiting going on right now.
stvsueoka1 hi i have done agecare nursing in australia
I feel thrilled every time I see something new from u guys! Thank u kids! Have fun, enjoy life. We love u too!
Thank you so much for bring such a big smile to our faces!! Cheers for more adventures together!! - Thomas & Tracey
You guys made me feel really good about my American RN credential! I don't really work as a nurse anymore--I'm a manager for a medical device company (although I still do pacemaker and defibrillator cases). I'm also on the local fire department and life squad, so I never really wander too far from my medical roots.
This video had a great deal of interesting information. The Japanese guy who works for me actually might be heading back to Tokyo in a few months as we're launching a new product there soon and he's the only expert on this new device that speaks both English and Japanese fluently. He's also a Japanese citizen (they don't allow dual citizenship) so there won't be a visa problem.
Take care, guys. We watch your videos almost every day. My kids aren't as interested as we are--if you played more Pokémon (they loved the go kart episode) or Minecraft in each video they'd watch them more ;-)
Just discovered your channel, so inspired by the two of you. I live in Calgary and my teenage son wants to be a registered nurse, he's only in grade 11. I showed him your vlog, he thinks you both are so cool and great role models. Also we thought of you two when we were at our favourite pho place..pho thanh. We are so happy for the two of you. Thanks for allowing us to share your experiences. 😍😘🤗
Thank you so much for this video - it’s super helpful, and you guys were so sweet to list all the questions and times in the info box! Love your channel so much 💕
Thank you so much for your support, Norae!! We are so grateful for your love! So glad we can help in any way ;) Much love! - Thomas & Tracey
Wow you guys are so happy and awesome. You live such happy and fulfilling lives. Watching your videos encourages me on my journey to a great life. Thanks for the videos!
Thank you so much for your support and the kind words, Josh!! We also get the motivation from wonderful people like you so thank you for the encouragement as well!! Much love! - Thomas & Tracey
This was an amazingly insightful Q&A! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experiences, as well as taking us along with you during your journey in life! Sending lots of love~ :)
Thank you so much for your support and comment, Jessica!! We are so happy to be helpful in the slightest ways. Lots of love back to you ;)! Cheers to lots more adventures together! - Thomas & Tracey
Great video...and really very interesting !! With your attitudes and way of thinking, I can tell that...you both have a bright future here in the Tokyo. 頑張ってください！！
Thank you so much for your kind words and support!! It's truly encouraging!! Cheers to more adventures together!! 頑張ります！ - Thomas & Tracey
Glad to have found this channel, my wife and I watch you guys on a regular basis and you have inspired us to move to Japan as well! :)
Hi James! Thank you so much for your kind words!! We definitely support your goal to move, you two will be warmly welcomed here!! - Thomas & Tracey
i'm born in taiwan as well and moved to vancouver when i was one, so happy to see youtubers with roots similar to mine! so glad i've found your channel!
Hi Yijen! Thank you so much for your support and for leaving us a comment! It's so amazing to have the opportunity to be connected to so many people like us here on UA-cam. Much love and cheers to more adventures together!! - Thomas & Tracey
Thank you for taking the time to do a Q&A! It was really insightful :)
Thank you so much for your continuous support, Maple!! So happy to see your comment all the time! - Thomas & Tracey
This is a great introduction to you guys! I stumbled upon your vlog for your trip to Kawagoe and it looks amazing! I’m planning my Japan trip next year and so far, your videos really helped me in getting to know Japan better. Although I understand you are no longer staying in Japan, I appreciate and thank you for sharing your experiences regardless! You guys are awesome! Keep doing what you are doing! :)
You guys are such a cute friendly couple.. great Q&A!
Thank you so much for your continuous support, Aleen! Always happy to see your comments! :D - Thomas & Tracey
Wow you guys are 24/25?! I mean no offence at all but you guys are so mature i thought you were a little older. I applaud your bravery, migrating at such a young age. Go T&T!! &T!
Dont't worry, no offence taken! ;) Thank you so much for your continuous support and the many compliments!! - Thomas & Tracey
I think it was a really good idea to stay and get work experience as RN's then going to live in another country. You'll always have that experience to fall back on once you return home, or wherever you go. The knowledge also is fresh in your minds.
Gimmeabreakman is a youtuber whose plan was to move to Japan after college and teach English for one year. That was 25 years ago and he is still there. He just fell in love with the country and the people. Good luck!
I don't usually see long Vlogs, but I found yours very interesting. All couples stories are interesting and yours are. I am visiting Japan next spring and trying to get all tips needed for my trip to be sucessfull. Great vlog !!
Thank you so much for making this Q&A video. I have definitely learned a lot about both of you. Those were some very great answers and tips, especially when Thomas mentioned you only live once in life and should not hold any regrets. And I really like what Tracey said about remembering what your goals was and the reason why you want to come to Japan when you're going through difficulties. I recently got laid off from work cuz my work contract ended and have been thinking about moving to Japan as I have always loved traveling there. I do have some savings saved up but what got me most worried was finding a job there as I don't have a bachelor's degree but now I feel like there's still hope left and I can maybe make my dreams come true. Thank again for sharing your knowledge and experiences! =)
Thank you so much for your wonderful support and for taking your time to write us such a long and thoughtful message!! We are so grateful for the encouragement and motivation you've given us, and we hope that we can encourage each other through this life adventure together!! There are definitely a lot of opportunities here waiting for you, so please don't be timid! Sending you lots of love and support back!! - Thomas & Tracey
Aww thank you for the kind reply and encouragement. I hope I can make this dream come true too. I'm researching a bit from those websites you've mentioned in the video and doing some budget as well. Hopefully I can make this happen in a year of time from now. =)
You have all our support if you need! Wish you the best of luck in 2017 ;)!! - Thomas & Tracey
Nice to know more about you guys. You guys are really cool and I'm enjoying your journey and most of all your positive spirit.
Thank you so much for your continuous support!! Cheers to many more adventures together! - Thomas & Tracey
Hi Thomas and Tracey, I just found your channel! You have such positive outlooks, it's fun to learn more about you guys! I'm also from Calgary and I'll be travelling to Japan next year ^^. I can't wait to see how your channel and life grows in Japan!
Wow! much love to YYC! Thank you so much for your support and the wonderful comment. We are so excited for your adventure in Japan next year!! Cheers and stay warm in Calgary! - Thomas & Tracey
New subscriber here! This was a really nice informative video and you two are so friendly! I'll definitely be tuning in to your new videos ! :):)
Thank you so much for your support, Freya!! We hope we can provide more videos that you'll enjoy! - Thomas & Tracey
I've been waiting to get to the Q&A because I've been watching and wanting to ask questions but I figured you guys would answer it here~ Trying my best to catch up!
Thanks Thomas and Tracy - very informative and I think most of it apply to moving countries in general. So I believe it helped me defuse, or at least get a clear picture in regards to some of my concerns ahead of moving (it probably won't be Japan though).
This video was so interesting , informative! I'm so happy I subscribed to you guys 💕💕
VERY INFORMATIVE! THANK YOU AND HAVE A BLESSED CHRISTMAS!!
Hi guys! I've been enjoying your vlogs and went back in time and found this the other day. I'm an APN (nurse practitioner) in the US. I've been thinking about moving to Japan someday since childhood pretty much (you'd think I would have picked a more transferable career eh), so obviously have researched the crap out of how to be a nurse/ APN in Japan (sorry a lot of these won't apply directly for canadian/non US nurses). So, unless someone enlightens me otherwise, these are my conclusions.
If you are a US trained nurse/ US citizen your "best bet" if you want to use your degree to its fullest is working for the US Military Hospitals in Japan. This isn't easy though, they usually prefer to hire family members of already deployed military, or you need to be military yourself. On a rare occasion they'll post a public job with relocation, probably when they are desperate. You can get regular job postings by signing up through usajobs.gov
Another best bet would be Japanese fluency (as you said ) even medical terms, etc, and getting licensed. There are VERY few nurse practitioners, and what my friends in nursing in Japan tell me is a RN/BSN level nurse in the US can do much more than a nurse in Japan. The APN role is still being developed.
If you want to work in an international clinic- GREAT! I'm sure they'd love someone fluent bilingually; but you cannot do this only speaking english fluently. You will need to communicate with other providers and be certified in japan so you will have to be fluent enough to sit for an exam in Japanese.
I also looked into school nursing (International schools), as my friend in Taiwan teaches at one and their school nurse doesn't know a lick of mandarin. From what I've found though even in Japan, they want their nurses to have a good command of the Japanese language (maybe not fluent though, so for me this is a distant possibility if I work hard at improving my speaking). I'm not sure about the certification (i.e. do you need to take Japanese boards).
I've also been in contact with the foreign nurses association (this may not be the official name but too lazy to look it up) in Japan. The assoc. president suggested working for a nursing school perhaps, as a lecturer...... some of them do have lectures in English. I doubt this would be enough for a job but maybe as a visiting lecturer?
I may be forgetting something but I think that's it! If I move, I'll probably do something similar to what you guys did and pursue a different career. I'm almost 10 years into my APN career so maybe that's enough :) My husband was thinking of being an Uber driver?!? haha. Anyway sorry for the long reply but thought some of your viewers/fellow nurses might be interested in my extensive research ;P
If anyone knows anything else, please let me know~
yoroshiku onegaishimasu! (.__.)v
Thank you for sharing your insight of Japan. This would help a little into my journey to "finding my way to Japan" - as I currently feel is almost impossible considering my background.... Being a South African citizen and with the our currency terrible as is - feels I need to rob a bank before being able to come to my 'home away from home'.
Thanks for the video! It was very interesting. You two are very well spoken 💜 sending love from yyc!
Thank you so much for your kind words!! Stay warm in YYC, sending lots of love back "home"!! - Thomas & Tracey
really helpful insights that you guys provided here! As usual, always a fan of your videos if you remember me, keep it up guys! :D
Thank you so much for your continuous support!! It is truly encouraging! - Thomas & Tracey
So we are not far in our ages, I just turned 21 last October.
Love how you said that just go for you and not regret our decisions.
Thank you so much for your continuous support!
Yay amazing! (& Happy belated birthday ;) haha!) Definitely live your dreams, an "oops" is always better than a "what if?" ! - Thomas & Tracey
Thomas & Tracey thank you for the belated wishes and that advice, took them to heart.
Keep it up
Support is so important. You two are so lucky to find a likeminded SO with the same dreams, passion, and motivations. Best of luck and thank you for sharing your adventures!!
Also high five with the Canon G7X Mark II + Joby gorilla pod. Both are super convenient 🙌🙌
Thank you so much for your support and the wonderful comment! Yes, we are definitely lucky to have found each other! ;) Cheers to many more adventures together!! - Thomas & Tracey
Thank you for your answers and the information! It helped me a lot :)
Thank you so much for your support and kind words! We are so glad to be helpful! - Thomas & Tracey
I am so glad I found your channel. You guys give my boyfriend and I so much hope as we would like to do the same thing as you both did, move to Japan together hopefully in the near future! Keep up the great content, supporting you guys till the end
Thank you so much for your kind words, Connie! It is so nice to hear from others with the same interest as us. Wish you guys all the best and cheers for more adventures together ;) Much love! - Thomas & Tracey
Ahh, You guys are amazing! I love you guys!! 😭 - much love(:
Thank you for always putting a huge smile on our faces with your lovely comments, Shierra!! - Thomas & Tracey
Wow I'm so happy to see vloggers from Alberta closer to grande prairie lol. Love your vlogs so far keep it up.
Thank you so much for your support, Lacy! - Thomas & Tracey
What a lovely q&a! It's nice learn more about you. It's also very reassuring to know that it's okay to stuggle a little when you first arrive, and that it doesn't mean you can't succeed at the end. I'm even more motivated and convinced that i'll be able to find a flat and a job there too ^^
Take care, xx
Thank you so much for your continuous support!! We love seeing your comments all the time, it really motivates us! We wish you the best of luck! Much Love! - Thomas & Tracey
Hey Tracey and Thomas! So happy to find your channel. I'm from Calgary too! Thanks for introducing me to work holiday visa...Found out Canadians can go to over 30 countries on work holiday! I'm inspired to live in a different country every year haha. Do you guys have any future travel plans or other countries you might want to live in?
Thank you for sharing your stories! I was surprised a couple of things though,(I thought you're Korean haha)So ..please continue to uploading wonderful videos:)
Thank you so much for your support and the kind words! We can be anything you guys want us to be ;) Whatever is relatable is best haha! Cheers to more adventures together!! - Thomas & Tracey
You guys are so brave!! Definitely a great risk you've taken together. Best of luck to you guys in the future, wherever the wind takes you :)
love you two! great videos
Thank you so much for your support and comment! Lots of love back to you! - Thomas & Tracey
You guys are such a cute couple! I'd love to hear more about the working holiday visa details from you guys. It's one thing to look up the application details but it's another to hear the experience from someone who's gone through the process. Cheers from a fellow Canadian!
Good video and Q&A. Thorough and helpful.
Thank you so much for your support and comment, Mark! - Thomas & Tracey
Hi, Thomas and Tracey! Please do share on the cost of living in Japan. I'm moving to next year since my husband is already based there. I'm still looking for a job in Tokyo too (in the IT field) so your inputs would really help me a lot. More blessings to you guys!☺️
Thank you so much for your support and comment, April! We will try to do one (but sorry in advance in might have to wait till next year 2017 :( as our schedules are quite busy for the rest of this year..) ! Wow, that's super exciting! Hope we can help in some ways! Cheers for now ;)!! - Thomas & Tracey
Thks for sharing this insightful Q&A..so many great tips n gud positive attitude...luv it...
So fun to learn more about you guys!
We would love to see your Q&A video some day, Yu!! Hope you're doing well! - Thomas & Tracey
Hi guys Ive just started watching your videos, which is quite interesting. Id never knew that your both nurses couple, me and my husband are also nurses, and we also love japan.most specially my husband. Definitely ill keep on watching your videos 😁, were planning to go for vacation in Japan.
Wow that's amazing!! Thank you so much for your support and for taking your time to leave us a comment! We are so grateful to be helpful to you in planning your trip to Japan. You guys will definitely enjoy it! So nice to have more nurses join us on the adventure together ;) Much love! - Thomas & Tracey
Love your accent! We went to Canada last year and cannot wait to go again sometime.
Great video guys! Yes yes please come visit us in the UK sometime!! :)
Thank you so much for your continuous support, Tommy!! Yes, we will ;) you can count on that! Cheers! - Thomas & Tracey
I am so glad I discovered you guys when you began your channel. Can't wait to one day look back in your videos and kind of go through these adventures with you guys 😃
By the way, I would love to see another video talking more about visa. I'm currently in China and would love to start preparing for Japan
Thank you so much for your support and comment!! Although we are not experts in VISAs, we will definitely try our best! Thank you for the motivation. Best of luck meanwhile!! - Thomas & Tracey
Wow I just found you guys by chance, and im already hooked! :) It seems we have so much in common, cause I'm from Edmonton finishing my RN degree right now! And I also have plans to move to Japan, but I'm curious about how you guys went about to get your visas. :)
Thank you so much for your support, Krystal! Yay another nurse! ;) We came via the Working Holiday Visa. The application is accessible online if you just google "Embassy of Japan in Canada - Working Holiday Visa". Print the pdf files and complete them, write a page of short essay explaining why you want to come live in Japan, bring all the documents required, and visit your local Japanese Embassy! It's super easy! Hope this helps & good luck in everything! - Thomas & Tracey
same! even I lived in Japan for like 5 years, before I start schooling, now that I am graduating in college, I just already remember the basics. hahaha. tho I'm learning again nihonggo, because we will go there this March to work. haha!
Thank you both !
New to family! Enjoy the vlog so much. Hope you guys always be blessed. Love toraaa
Thank you so much for your kind words! We are so happy to have you join us on our adventures here! ;) - Thomas & Tracey
Wow, I didn't even know that about your mom Tracey! I just remember her being very kind and beautiful (I know where you get it from) ^^
Wow, like most others, I would guess Tracey to be Japanese descendant (would have guess Korean if you were living in Korean instead of Japan). Among other attributes, your mannerism is of that of a Japanese girl! Lots of surprises here. Thanks for the videos.
im from calgary also!! so cool to see youtubers from my city.
Wow! YYC Love! Hope you're keeping warm in the -30 weather! - Thomas & Tracey
This is so random but can Tracey do a tutorial on her skincare routine/makeup? Her skin is so clear and inquiring minds would like to know how to achieve that lol :D
She says she'll try! however, it is nothing special so please don't look forward to it too much lol - Thomas & Tracey
Love watching your videos Thomas and Tracey :D
Thank you so much for your support, Fevie!! Much love! - Thomas & Tracey
I feel like sitting down and listening to my parents nag me on why should I move to Japan haha love you guys
Great video! :)
Thank you, Eifal! - Thomas & Tracey
I'm so happy you have settled into Japan ☺️ You're pretty much experts 😉 Hoping you guys continue to stay happy and healthy 💖
Thank you so much, Nikka! Much love to you! - Thomas & Tracey
nice to know you guys, such an inspiration to me.
@ Thomas ; You are very lucky man. Not every girl will support you like Tracey :)
p.s. couldn't agree more, women are puzzles .
Thank you so much for your support and the kind words! Your comment is so encouraging for us! We are both extremely lucky to have each other! Cannot agree more ;) - Thomas & Tracey
can you guys please do a video on how the working holiday visa works please? and more on how extending it works?
Thank you so much for your support and comment! We will definitely try to accomplish that in the very near future!! - Thomas & Tracey
I can't wait to see your karate!!
I'm from Taiwan too!! You guys remind me of me and my boyfriend lol he was raised in Chicago doesn't speak Chinese anymore since he got adopted from Taiwan :/ anyways, nice to get to know you both!
Wow that's so cool! Thomas can imitate all kinds of accents really well, except for Chinese! He always speak in the weird way when he tries to speak Chinese haha! - Thomas & Tracey
omg, Im a fellow nursing student. i love watching your vlogs in between study breaks.
Hi Yen! Thank you so much for your support! Much love for our fellow nurses ;D Best of luck in school, & thank you so much for watching us! - Thomas & Tracey
Oh my god !! My birthday is also the 3rd of January ! :D and I'm exactly one year younger than Thomas
Birthday buddies!! YAY! - Thomas & Tracey
Tracey~ 不知道你看不看得懂中文～我也是臺灣人很喜歡你們的videos
我也一樣從小到大vancouver /taiwan 兩頭跑～ 4月也要搬去東京！
hope you guys are having a wonderful time there and keep up the good work!!
Hi Shan Love! 看得懂唷 ;D 謝謝你的支持!! Wow, that's amazing! Please do say hi to us if you see us in Tokyo! :D Thank you for the love!! - Thomas & Tracey
loved it thanks so much
enjoy Japan! good luck! fm a Japanese.
Thank you so much for your support, Yamashita-san! - Thomas & Tracey
Ive been gathering information regarding pursuing a career in Japan. Im trying to convince my family to grant me my wish because I wanna do something different from how they live their lives so yeah but is it worth pursuing it in Japan?
Hi Jeff! Japan is definitely one of a kind. The beautiful country and it's culture, traditions, history, and futuristic modernizations are enough reasons for one to fall in love with Japan. However, in regards to pursuing a career here in Japan.. we unfortunately don't have enough experience to give good advices.. One thing to know though, Japanese work style is often very strict and by the book (Like many Asian countries in general). Many of our Japanese friends dislike their lifestyle here in Tokyo because of the same reason. It's more of a place for vacation, than for work. But I guess it also depends on what kind of career you are looking at! Gaijinpot.com would be a great site for you to look into, with many experts to ask. Hope this will help a bit! Thank you for your support and comment. Best of luck!! - Thomas & Tracey
A tip for anyone that needs a housing for cheap in Tokyo, look for guest or share houses. You can still have a private room but have multiple housemates and get very cheap rent. I paid about $400 USD a month for rent and utilities to be in the Ota ward. That said be sure to do your research as share houses can be dirty, I was lucky enough to live with people who were fairly clean but I have read horror stories.
Thank you so much for taking you time to add this for us!! We're sure many will be grateful to find this info!! - Thomas & Tracey
why did Tracey call herself Chinese Canadian instead of Taiwanese Canadian if she was born in Taiwan tho? just curious and no offense
Hi Rose! Thank you for stopping by and for leaving us a comment! We don't want to get too political here so we decided to just trace our heritage down the original roots (grandparents and great-grandparents)- which is China :P! Cheers! - Thomas & Tracey
Thomas & Tracey hi thanks! I was just curious and didn't mean to be political either :P please keep making great videos!
You have beautiful skin Tracey!
Thank you so much for your kind words!! Much love! - Thomas & Tracey
Thank you for doing the Q&A video. and By the way I thought Tracey was Japanese and Thomas maybe Philippino lol
You're the most welcome!! Thank you so much for your support and comment! Haha, we can definitely be whatever you guys want us to be! Most we can relate to everyone in different ways ;)! Cheers! - Thomas & Tracey
I tought Tracey was thai and Thomas japanese 😅
Thank you so much for your support and comment! haha, we can be anything you guys want us to be ;)! - Thomas & Tracey
Thomas and Tracey come to London !!
That's our goal!! ;) - Thomas & Tracey
appreciate the wisdom guys
Thank you so much for your support and comment! We are so glad you enjoyed it!! - Thomas & Tracey
how were you able to move to japan without the proper paperwork?
unless you have a bachelors degree.
since you both are from canada, so spouse visa isn't the option.
Thank you so much for stopping by and for leaving us a comment! We moved to Japan with a Working Holiday Visa, which is offered to Canadian citizens under 30 years of age (many other countries have this option too!). The process was fairly simple and you can find lots of info online by searching "working holiday visa in Japan". Hope this helps!! - Thomas & Tracey
Great Q&A guys! oh, btw...GO FLAMES GO...lol Iv'e been here 10 years and love Japan very much. You said you dont need a Bachelors degree to come to Japan, correct.... but in order to get a working visa to work here you do need a degree for visa sponsorship....did i miss you guys saying that? sorry. Either way, great channel, enjoy your vlogs
Hi Drew!! Thank you so much for the extra tip! and wow, 10 years? That is amazing! Just checked out many of your videos and they are amazing! Subscribed for more! Cheers - Thomas & Tracey
Thomas & Tracey thank you so much! What area are you guys living? Maybe one day we could film together? Keep it real guys!
All places you go on vacation are great! But living there is different ....
Tracy really looks like 杨谨华！
Thank you so much for the compliment! She's a beautiful actress! - Thomas & Tracey
so cute!
Thank you so much for your kind words! - Thomas & Tracey
me and thomas have the same birthday omg
I'm from morocco and i love u guys keep going 😍❤❤
Yay Alberta pride!
Yay! Sending lots of love from Tokyo! - Thomas & Tracey
Awesome !!! CBT 👧&👨CBC 🙂😀😃
This guy is lucky
and there's me thinking that you two we're japanese Canadian lol, I was just going by that you both know fluent japanese
Happy Birthday! My birthday is on the 20th! Hahaha.
I heard that even if you are RN's in Canada, you will have to re-take another licensure exam. There are two types of nurse licenses in Japan, one is pretty much "Assistant of a RN" and the other is proper "Registered Nurse". With your skillset im sure you can pass the test, but then again all the terms will be in Japanese. Though given you pass, you will be financially do better for sure.
Wow thank you so much for all the info!! We will for sure look into if we do consider being RNs in Japan. So great to have your support. Happy New Year!! - Thomas & Tracey
Great Q&A! Let's be friends (please)
Our pleasure!! ;) Thank you so much for your support! - Thomas & Tracey
Guys is it so hard to find an apartment in Tokyo? I'm planning to study in Tokyo once I'm done with highschool. Is there any website that can give us some tips for renting a house in Tokyo and finding a partime job? Please help me.
Hi Gastper! Try looking on Gaijinpot.com! It's a huge online community for foreigners in Japan or planning to come to Japan. There's many articles on life in Japan, Career/Job finder, and even an apartment finder on there! Hope this helps and good luck to you! - Thomas & Tracey
🇯🇵🇯🇵🇯🇵👘👘👘👘👘👘💐💐💐💐💐Both of you are lovely, good luck n enjoy🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
omg you guys are registered nurses?!?!?! I have experience in med/surg and in the OR. and i've always wanted to live in Japan! too bad i live in the US. if you don't mind sending me the link where you found the info about working holiday visas, i'd love to know!!! oh and i'd still love to know about nursing licenses if it can work it Japan, i'll be following! and i didn't know that you can teach english without knowing japanese!
Hi Rubie! Sorry for the delayed reply! Christmas and New Year has been super busy! For the working holiday visa info, check out: www.ca.emb-japan.go.jp/canada_e/Visa/working_holiday.html
We're sure that with the skills and experiences you have, you will be able to find many opportunities!! Wish you all the best!! - Thomas & Tracey
Thomas & Tracey awww thank you guys! I truly appreciate it!!! My husband and I are actually planning a vacation to Japan in October. So I can't wait to see all your adventures and recommended foodie places to eat! 😋
hi mate what about australia,