Finding your place in Japan, particularly as a foreigner, may seem like a daunting task for some of us. Eri Ochiai and Heather Dobbin of Tokyo-based coding camp, Code Chrysalis share their stories on what it took to get where they are in Japan today.

Eri Ochiai grew up in the US and Canada before she came back to her home country, Japan, to attend university. In Japanese, there is a specific term used to describe a person like Eri: 'Kikokushijou'. Similar to many foreigners who pursue work in Japan, Eri decided not to go through the Japanes job-hunting process and instead opted to go abroad again. Fast-forward to the present and she's now back in Japan working in the tech scene and helps graduates who are intimated by the job hunting process in Japan. 

Heather Dobbin left Atlanta Georgia for a life in South Korea in 2010. There, she managed an English teaching program for 3 years and while she loved the experience of being abroad and teaching, she opted to move to Japan to pursue other opportunities beyond English teaching. She found her true calling in Japan - helping people realize and achieve their true potential. She is now working as a certified life coach in Japan and went on to found her own startup: Ikigaime. 

To our audience, we know a lot of you have tried to pursue a career in Japan and after spending a couple of years there, instead opted not to. We hope this discussion can give you some guidance and insight into what you need to do to find your place in Japan.

Check out Code Chrysalis: codechysalis.io

Check out IkigaiMe: ikigai.me

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