While baby boomers have their francophiles, more recent Australians have grown up with a different experience. Like many others, I was offered Japanese language and culture classes starting as early as grade 5. A fair chunk of my teenage years were spent with Nintendos, various anime and sushi. My first chance to visit Japan came in 2007 where I got my first big dose of culture shock. Since then I’ve holidayed twice more, once with family and once solo. The itch was never fully scratched, and I knew I wanted to try living there one day.