Customer interview

I would recommend it to newcomers to not live far away from thingsyou can still feel the connections with the city even if you don’t speak the language. Nadia's Story -- I'm most grateful in TokyoLiving in a Japanese apartment was challenging in the beginning; Nadia, a Pakistani teacher at a university in Tokyo, said. You have to learn how to make everything fit in tiny spaces. It was shocking for me to know the size of typical Japanese apartments. I tried to choose the furniture that fit and wouldn’t occupy too much space in the room. Everything is much smaller than apartments in other countries where I have been, but I’m very happy with my current place now.I decided on it without viewingHere is what I have gone through before I settled down in my cozy apartment. First, I started to search online for apartments in Japan. I wrote emails to many agencies, but only SmileHome wrote me back. I talked with Sadie about the apartment that she recommended over Skype once, and I decided on it without viewing in person. While some may consider it a risky move, I had this instinct that I could trust this agent. And I was very happy with the result. Sadie was extremely responsible, honest, thoughtful and helpful to me, especially also considering that we met each other for the first time.  I was working in a big intenatinal organization as a reseracher at that time and it was also a plus. I always trusted that they will support me if anything went wrong.What impresses me the most is safetySpeaking about life in Japan, what impresses me the most is safety. I have lived in several cities in the world. Living in this apartment and city has been the safest experience in my life. I had some scary experiences in the past where I was in other countries, but nothing of the sort happened since I moved to Japan. I think it’s the one of the things that I am most grateful for in Tokyo. Love the environment and energy of the areaI’m happy with my current apartment. In my opinion, especially for women, to have a welcoming and home is very important. Not only the apartment but the neighborhood and environment also matter. I live close to Omotesando station, which is considered among the fashionable parts of the city. Sadie helped me pick this place as it was close to my previous workplace. I love the environment and energy of the area. Since houses are built on back streets, it is very peaceful and not noisy at all although I live in the center. I would recommend it to newcomers to not live far away from things so you can still feel the connections with the city even if you don’t speak the language. The neighborhood is a bit more international as well. Of course, you have to compromise with your requirement of minimum size of your room. However, I think it worth considering living the place like mine due to the reason just described.Importance of respect to different cultures and peopleThe only thing that I think I should have done before I came to Japan is learning Japanese language. Since English is considered an international language, foreigners may expect that English may be widely spoken. However, I found that people hesitate to speak in English, especially so in daily life. I think learning the local language is showing respect to different cultures and people. I am taking Japanese lessons now and wish I would improve my Japanese more so that I can pay more attention to things happening around me.