Summer in the city has taken on an idyllic quality, despite the oppressive Tokyo heat and humidity. My weekdays are mostly spent alone, seeking shelter in my apartment, writing and reading and picking up bits of work here and there, with the usual running of errands and such. The weekends have morphed into lingering, sun-drenched days spent with friends enjoying delicious things in interesting locations around the city. And then of course, every 28 days, I drag myself back to Hello Work for my usual appointment so that I can keep receiving unemployment.
The end is in sight though. The 120 days are counting down, and as of next month, I will be employed again, something I’m actually looking forward to. Too much idleness isn’t a good look for me, but at the same time I’m trying to enjoy these last days. Who knows when I’ll ever get paid to be unemployed again?
The third installment in my series on filing for unemployment in Japan was recently published over on Japan Forward. For more than you’d ever want to know about the constant fun that is Japanese bureaucracy, please have a read!
Happy (Future) Travels,
Mo
A Stranger In Paradise 
Sounds as if Japan (unemployment benefits) and the summer have been treating you well. Your weekends sound wonderful. Congrats on being employed again!
Alison
Thanks Alison! All things considered, it’s been a pretty good summer. I’m much happier being unemployed here than elsewhere!
[…] Despite what some may think, moving to Japan isn’t all anime and sushi. Sure, living abroad has its fair share of excitement, travel and discovery, but it also has its fair share of mundane admin. Readers of this blog may be already aware of the many blunders I’ve committed along the way, including getting my drivers license, moving to a new apartment, and receiving unemployment benefits. […]