WHY I MOVED TO JAPAN | My Story

[@wanderlustalley]

let me know if anyone has any questions! ❤

[@luke-guitarist]

You are super cute Alley!

[@andresgcruzlectora3704]

Hi alley. I just left Japan. It was awesome. Do you still have that Japan to do list? I want to come back and want to know want to plan for next. Thank you.

[@efrainsaucedo3134]

By any chance, do you know Nick Nightingale?

[@benh5774]

you were destined to be there, fate and you made it happened

[@randall6890]

Take it on faith, we need to meet. ❤

[@jtrav2025]

I hope you are so proud of yourself. I wish I would have done something like that when I was young but I was a chicken - and there were fewer opportunities when I was young too. My daughter is getting ready to do a semester abroad in Japan and I am so excited for her - and proud she is far braver than I was at her age.

[@stevenponte6655]

Such an interesting story. I never really had the travel lust either. Then one day in my late 20s I traveled with a friend to Nepal and it stirred something inside of me. Now 15 years later I am a seasoned traveler. I have been to over 50 countries. btw even for me the first night I arrived in Tokyo I was completely blown away!!

[@wanderlustalley]

As soon as you give it a go, you’re whole world changes 🤗

[@JonMasters]

Love your content @wanderlustalley - moving to the US was the best thing I personally ever did, and it’s fun to look back so many years later and realize how big a leap it is to drop everything and just do it

[@markcorson3752]

I hope you inspire others to be bold and see the world. Your story reminds me of what it felt like to leave home in San Francisco and head off to a three year army posting in Germany in 1983.

[@captainnemo6723]

Enjoying your Japan explanations!

[@RichardThompson-bm5ws]

Your channel is really good. I don't know why it came up on my youtube. Maybe because I'm interested in ships. I watched your recent one on how you've monetized. Really exciting. Good for you - and good for the rest of us to see hard work paying off.

[@brianchen3093]

Beautiful smile!! You bring happiness to this world.

[@le-daniel]

Growing up in SoCal, spent all last year cruising on Royal Caribbean, Magic Key/AP holder, headed to Tokyo next week (will be going to Sea and Disneyland ofc), and had my first backpacking trip in Thailand (sorry to hear the group trip might be cancelled). It seems like I've always been on the customer side of your journey!! Proud of you taking such awesome leaps of faith, building your passions into a career, being a role model for Americans traveling abroad, and having such a knack for taking up new skills - I see those photography and editing skills 🙌. You got another subscriber, keep it up!

[@wanderlustalley]

We are kindred spirited 🤗 thank you so much for your kind words! So thankful for all these amazing opportunities & the support of people such as yourself 💕

[@segawashusaku9632]

Really happy to see somebody loving my country like you! 😍 and hope you'll be back in Japan soon ;))

[@francispeltonen3772]

❤ You are such a happy positive person. Beautiful smile. You are definitely live in your life

[@nataliarlira]

What a lovely and fantastic experience you lived 🥰 I’ve been to Japan 3 times just for tourism hehe I can imagine how nice it must have been to live there! Thank for sharing a bit of this with us ❤️

[@Ditto9003]

Wow!! This sounds like an awesome experience!! Thanks for sharing!! New subscriber!!! 😎👏👏👏👏💯

[@kelliannesafarik6714]

We have so much in common! I love hearing your story I can just relate on so many levels. And if I ever get to go back to Japan, I'm gonna need that list of travel locations!!! ❤️

[@wanderlustalley]

Yes girl, I’ll definitely get you that list! I’d love to hear some of those similarities 🙏💕

[@ebreton3742]

your adventure sounds amazing! hope you do more video about your journey, like the day to day thing to think of, place to visit, place you lived :)

[@wanderlustalley]

Thank you 😊🙏 I’ll definitely make more videos about it!

[@DrummerMatMan]

Great informative video and answering all those questions. Hopefully you will be back in Tokyo to continue your contract and take on new adventures!

[@wanderlustalley]

Thanks, Mat! 💕 Excited to see what life has in store for me!

[@theneverlandpixel]

Awww. You were in Soundsational Parade! Nice! I miss it.

[@wanderlustalley]

I was! I loved that parade 😍

[@theneverlandpixel]

@@wanderlustalley Yas! Me too. My favorite of them all. Hehe

[@jungwhat]

lol your dad's face when you told them the news. 😂

[@内野結衣]

I didn’t know Teppanyaki is familiar to you 😂I’m so happy Japan got an important place!! Waiting for you coming back soon:)) nice video💓 love you!

[@wanderlustalley]

I always eat Teppanyaki 👏🏼 but growing up my order was VERY basic. I hope I can come back soon too💕

[@allygarska]

Greetings! Long story short, my occupation allows me to work just about anywhere & I've always wanted to experience Japan while I'm young & able. I just don't know how to go about it and began getting realistic about my move as of early May. I've narrowed it down to Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto but I'm open to other cities. I'm a young professional in my 20s & I'm just trying to gather as much information so I can take the appropriate steps to make this move possible by the end of the year God willing. Also, what's the current state in the country? As far as C-19 goes. Any feedback would be highly appreciated! Tysm for reading up to here! Hope to hear from somebody out there.

[@ocha-wan-2ndchannel631]

I’m 🇯🇵 and living in 🇺🇸 since I was 17. I can see your great personality and totally understand everyone loves you in Japan. お疲れ様です❣️

[@wanderlustalley]

You’re so sweet 💕 ありがとうございます🙏

[@osamukurosawa6404]

@@wanderlustalley インスタの方もいつもエンジョイさせてもらってます！

[@ronbeaubien]

I've lived in Japan for more than 30 years. I worked in a Japanese restaurant in the U.S. for two years during university. I've never eaten teppanyaki (鉄板焼き) in Japan. It just is not common nor popular. You are much more likely to find teppanyaki in a "Japanese" restaurant in the United States than you are in Japan, to be honest. In that way, it is Japanese pretty much in name only, despite supposedly being first created in Japan by Shigeji Fujioka of the Japanese restaurant chain Misono. Off the top of my head, the only restaurant that comes to mind that serves teppanyaki here in Japan is Benihana (紅花), the Japanese-influenced American restaurant chain based in Florida, at their Roppongi branch in Tokyo.

[@wanderlustalley]

So true. I’ve never even see teppanyaki in japan 😂

[@ronbeaubien]

@@wanderlustalley Yeah, it is kind of ironic, isn't it? 😂😂🤣

[@ronbeaubien]

@@wanderlustalley Actually, I've got a funny story to tell. During a visit back to the U.S., my parents took my wife, son, and I to a teppanyaki restaurant. There is this black chef putting on quite the show, cutting up things, tossing the unneeded shrimp tails up into a dish in his hat, juggling salt-and-pepper shakers, turning onion rings into a mini-flaming volcano, you know... the works! I turned to my wife, who like my son was just staring in disbelief and openmouthed, and I said: "You see! This is real Japanese food. Why can't you cook like this?!" 😂😂🤣

[@IntelligentAtheism]

Awww. So cute. 😊

[@wanderlustalley]

Thank you 🙏☺️

[@kaysworld1]

I am moving to Japan in 2022 if you wouldn't mind can I get in touch with you for some advice/ pointers or just a friend. Kay xx

[@tomastatar7563]

Are Japanese people open-minded when it comes to interacting and speaking with foreigners in public places/bar/restaurant or did you have the feeling of being left out a bit?

[@wanderlustalley]

Hi! I think it definitely depends on where you are what kind of people you’re around because everyone is different. If anything, the language barrier/cultural differences is what makes those interactions more challenging sometimes (in Japan it’s not as normal to strike conversation with a stranger), but I’ve definitely made a lot of Japanese friends in public places before!

[@user-bk1qw7gz8i]

@@wanderlustalley Are white people got white privilege in japan like in the US ?????????????????

[@wanderlustalley]

@@user-bk1qw7gz8i I think this also is a very individual experience and it depends on who you meet and encounter. As a general foreigner I’m part of the minority and definitely stick out. Some people could get excited to see foreigners but some people don’t have the best image of us

[@MattJP2024]

可愛い💕 日本を好きになってくれて、ありがとう😊 まだ日本に住んでるのかな？

[@りんりん-w8y]

おうえんしてます!!!

[@raytherrien2851]

Your eyes are blue on your 19th pic but now they are brown?

[@wanderlustalley]

I used blue contacts to be cast as blue eyed characters :)

[@gigo5726]

日本のサルがあなたがまた日本に来るのを待ってますよ～。

[@りんりん-w8y]

誰か日本語字幕つけて欲しい、、、🥺

[@JeffreyStockard]

So you are a college dropout who thinks she is an entertainer.

[@wanderlustalley]

no, i have my bachelors degree☺️ while i was working in Japan full time (with my ✨entertainment visa✨) I was also a full time university student. Have a nice day 🫶

[@JeffreyStockard]

@@wanderlustalley a degree from an accredited US University? You know you graduated, put on the cap & gown and attended a graduation ceremony at the US college/university? I mean it sounds like you’re claiming to have graduated from a school in Japan.

[@wanderlustalley]

@@JeffreyStockard I continued at the same university I was at before but did it remotely in Japan! I didn’t have an in person graduation though cuz of Covid 😅

[@JeffreyStockard]

@@wanderlustalley oh that’s right…..the scholarly endeavor of “Dance”.

[@wanderlustalley]

@@JeffreyStockard my degree is in teaching 😂

[@OniMishima]

As a native New Yorker from New England and of Japanese heritage, a few key notes; Since you’re from the West coast, especially SoCal. Just don’t bring your western, left leaning politics to Japan. You can kinda get away with it in Eastern Japan since Tokyo is pretty liberal but, western Japan is pretty traditional. You’ll get a pass for being a young foreigner w/ a pretty face. But I hope you’re continuing to improve your Japanese if you plan on coming back and staying longer than your previous contracts. Anyway, best of luck.

[@wanderlustalley]

Hi there! I can’t really tell if your tone is accusatory or precautionary, but as a guest of another country I don’t think foreigners should ever impose their ways on natives/is never something I personally would do. This video primarily touches on my experience upon first moving but since being there I’ve learned to read, write, and speak Japanese conversationally! I think if you’re the guest of another country then it’s important to show as much respect as possible.