My name is Sam Johnson. I'm a citizen of New Zealand, but I live in Tokyo. I came here two years ago from Auckland. In Japan, there were many opportunities for New Zealanders to teach English and business. I have a business degree from the University of Auckland. I teach English for international business at a large Japanese university in Tokyo. I really like my job. My students work hard. I usually teach 20 hours a week. I also plan lessons and grade tests. I don't work during the summer. I usually go back to New Zealand to visit my family in Auckland. I also like to travel in Asia. I went to Thailand last year.
There were many problems for me in Japan at first. I was always lonely because my family and friends were in New Zealand. The Japanese language was hard for me. The winters here are cold and cloudy. In my first year here, there was a lot of snow. In Auckland, the winters are cool, not cold. Also, Tokyo is always crowded. The population of Tokyo is about 13 million people. There are just too many people. I don't like to take the trains in Tokyo in the summer. They're very hot!
After two years, I have several close Japanese friends. I also know many people in my neighborhood. The people in the local markets are very friendly. Now I feel welcome. I can speak Japanese fairly well, but my listening is still weak. I can read some signs in train stations and menus in restaurants. I still don't like Japanese winters and summers, but spring and fall are beautiful. I travel all over Japan. I often go to Kyoto, the old capital. I have one really close Japanese friend. His name is Aki. He is a lawyer for a big company. We go hiking in the mountains on weekends. He is helping me to read and understand Japanese. I feel much better about living in Japan now. I want to live here for a long time.