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In 2024, Lexi Smith, 24, was working as a trainer in Atlanta, Georgia, when she determined she was prepared for a change of surroundings.
Smith started exploring the potential for educating English overseas and labored with Xplore Asia, a corporation that assists people in acquiring their TEFL (Instructing English as a International Language) certification to work and research overseas.
“I wasn’t fairly loving the varsity system from having an overbearing administration that did not admire me to having a tough time residing on my wage,” Smith tells CNBC Make It. “Once I came upon that I may educate overseas for a a lot simpler life and the flexibility to see extra tradition, I needed to bounce on it.”
Smith pays $238 a month for her one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo.
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Smith obtained her TEFL certification and taught English as a overseas language within the U.S. for a bit whereas Xplore Asia labored to search out her an employer overseas.
Ultimately, Smith landed a educating place at an eikaiwa, a non-public language faculty targeted on conversational English, within the Chiba Prefecture of Japan and moved in March of this 12 months.
The Chiba Prefecture is situated on Japan’s japanese Pacific coast to the east of Tokyo. It’s a couple of four-hour drive from the nation’s capital metropolis.
“Dwelling within the countryside of the Chiba Prefecture is kind of completely different than Tokyo. Issues are lots cheaper out right here. The tradition is extra respectful, and what you see if you go searching is rice fields,” Smith says.
In lieu of an oven, Smith’s kitchen has a mini grill.
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One of many perks of Smith’s job was that her employer was in a position to safe her an condo earlier than she even obtained to Japan. It is a one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo with a balcony and a walk-in closet that rents for 35,000 yen or $238 a month. The condo can also be inside strolling distance of the varsity the place Smith teaches.
Smith admits she was nervous about shifting to the countryside, having grown up in a metropolis like Atlanta, nevertheless it was a a lot simpler transition than she anticipated.
“I actually did transfer right here on my own with out understanding the language or anybody right here. My household is aware of that I am a little bit of a wild baby, and I need to see the world. I am a free spirit, in order that they accepted it,” Smith says. “They had been just a little bit nervous for me, however after just about assembly my boss and seeing how effectively ready I used to be, they weren’t that involved anymore.”
One among Smith’s favourite design options of her condo is her walk-in closet.
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Smith’s employment contract consists of her employer protecting the prices of some bills, like key cash —a one-time, non-refundable fee given to the owner when renting an condo or home. Smith additionally did not should put down a safety deposit, which is normally the case within the U.S. Her employer additionally pays for her fireplace insurance coverage.
The condo additionally got here with a conveyable washer in her lavatory, and he or she makes use of the balcony to dry her garments. One of many distinctive features of the condo is that it got here with an emergency bag containing gadgets, like a security helmet, wanted in case of occasions like a tsunami, fireplace or earthquake.
A few of Smith’s different month-to-month bills embody water, fuel, electrical energy, medical insurance, and groceries, which whole roughly $376 a month.
Smith’s condo additionally has a balcony.
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Although Smith is having fun with her time in Japan, she already is aware of she’s going to transfer again to Atlanta on the finish of her one-year contract.
“There’s a large a part of me that does need to keep longer than a 12 months in Japan, however there’s a lot of the world to see. As a lot as I like Japan, I am unable to wait to additionally broaden myself to see the remainder of the world as effectively,” Smith says.
“I miss my household. We’re actually close-knit, so it is laborious being 7,000 miles away from them, but additionally being a Southern lady, I miss my soul meals a lot. Japan’s meals is nice, however there’s nothing like a great collard inexperienced on the finish of the day.”
Smith nonetheless is not certain what she’ll do when she strikes again to the U.S., however is contemplating pursuing a graduate diploma or a return to educating.
“I am not fairly certain what the long run holds for me, however I am excited to take no matter path it has,” she says.
Smith’s condo got here with an emergency package in case of tsunamis, earthquakes and fires.
Naotomo Umewaka for CNBC Make It
A method that Smith is ensuring she will get essentially the most out of her expertise residing in Japan is by documenting her journey on social media, which is she began doing three months after relocating.
“I made a decision to begin sharing my expertise as a result of individuals do not know what common life is like. I really feel that Tokyo will get a whole lot of viewership, however all of Japan is not Tokyo. Lots of us dwell within the countryside and dwell common lives, and I needed to share that with the world. Lots of people are fascinated about leaving the States and I needed to share my perspective on it too,” Smith says.
Since she began sharing her life in Japan on TikTok, Smith says the reception has been constructive.
“Lots of people who dwell in Japan do see themselves in me. They really feel like I’m sharing the genuine Japanese expertise and meaning lots to me that I can create that visibility the place it may not in any other case exist,” she says.
“And for different individuals who seem like me, [they can] additionally really feel empowered that they’ll do it too. I really feel that understanding extra in regards to the place that you are going and seeing different individuals doing it will possibly take a number of the concern out of doing that transfer.”
Conversions from Japanese yen to USD had been finished utilizing the OANDA conversion fee of 147 Japanese yen to $1 USD on August 30, 2025. All quantities are rounded to the closest greenback.
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