# Moving a young family to Japan



## Sonarbloke

Hello,

There's a possibility that my wife and our three kids (nearly four year old and two year old twins) will be moving from the UK to Nagoya in the coming months. I've found a lot written about settling overseas, Japan and elsewhere, but very little about moving a young family such a long way and to a place that I guess has the potential to feel very alien.

Does anyone have experience of this sort of move with preschoolers generally, or particularly with twins? It would be nice to have some understanding how steep the learning curve is in respect of language, people, city life, etc.

Thanks in advance!


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## myrrh

Sonarbloke said:


> Hello,
> 
> There's a possibility that my wife and our three kids (nearly four year old and two year old twins) will be moving from the UK to Nagoya in the coming months. I've found a lot written about settling overseas, Japan and elsewhere, but very little about moving a young family such a long way and to a place that I guess has the potential to feel very alien.
> 
> Does anyone have experience of this sort of move with preschoolers generally, or particularly with twins? It would be nice to have some understanding how steep the learning curve is in respect of language, people, city life, etc.
> 
> Thanks in advance!


I've done this. Those ages are perfect for making the transition. If I were you, I would enroll the oldest in a preschool immediately upon arrival, then enroll the twins as well once they're old enough to go. At that young age, kids mostly don't care about such things as race or nationality. Moreover, picking up the language is a (comparative) breeze. Your kids will have a blast. Even elementary school here is usually fun for the kids. The horror stories one occasionally hears--including testing "hell" and problems with bullying and such--occur mainly in junior and senior high. 

That said, as parents, you'll find the change challenging at times. Among many other things, please look forward to greatly differing expectations regarding parental participation in both the educational process and in the various school events...including "cleaning day."


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