Hi everyone, I'm moving from the UK to Japan in 2 weeks! I'll be living in Japan for a year doing my PhD research. I have done a lot of prep but I have a feeling I've forgotten something, so I was wondering if the community could check if I have forgotten anything/provide some moral support – I've never lived abroad before, so it's very nerve-wracking!
Things I've done:
– Visa – just need to pick it up from the embassy this week
– Housing – staying in a sharehouse
– Flights
– Brushing up on Japanese skills
(edit: I also already have a Suica!)
Things I know to do when I get there:
– Residence card, registering @ city office
– Health insurance
– Getting a Japanese phone number
– Visiting my university
Things I'm unsure about:
– Bank account – is it worth opening a Japanese bank account for a 1 year stay? (edit: I am not allowed to work because of my visa, my UK scholarship is paid into my UK account which has no conversion/ATM fees, and my sharehouse allows international payments so that's why I'm not sure it's worth it)
– Whether there is anything I've missed
Thanks if you can help – definitely got the 2 week scaries 🥲
by stellwyn