Today I want to discuss a personal topic that has plagued my mind for many months after I moved to Japan, and that is my number 1 regret moving there. But first let me dive into the reasons why I lived in Japan for 1 year.
BiiBiiBeauty Japan…
I moved to Japan for the soul reason to achieve my bucket list dream. I had no plan to live in Japan beyond 1 year. My reason for doing this move was because it was my childhood dream as it was for many others as well. After I previously lived in South Korea for two years to be with my boyfriend, I realized how easy it was to live in different countries as a Canadian. So after many emotional decisions, I made the move to Japan alone. Of course I already had a couple friends there who I previously had met in Korea, so I was fortunate to not be alone upon arrival.
And so I begun my life dream of living 1 year in Tokyo Japan.
Why I Regret Living in Japan
Of course, I have many many many great memories and experiences made from my time in Japan, however there is 1 thing that ruined the experience for me, and that was choosing to film my life there. For me, I originally chose to film my life in Japan so I could look back on all the amazing memories, from the good days to the bad days, so I can remember what it was like to live there and share my experiences with my family and friends back home who always watched my videos.
However to my shock, deciding to share these experiences somehow dragged me deep into a world of internet slander, defamation of character and hate speech…
From what was supposed to be a diary of my life for my future self, family and whoever was interested, to suddenly become an onslaught of hate, and defamation of my personal given name online, has gradually begun to ruin my life to this day even after leaving Japan.
It honestly makes me sick to my stomach…
Before living overseas, I was able to enjoy social media peacefully, but ever since I lived in Japan my life changed in both a good and hugely negative way. Why? I couldn’t tell you to be honest.
Unfortunately in this world, not everyone will like you as a person, but because I lived in Japan, certain people decided to publicly slander and defame my given name online. Which in my eyes is wrong and now it will forever negatively effect my future career opportunities and much more.
Why is this happening to me? Because I lived in Japan and shared a look into my life…
My biggest regret in my life to this day is living in Japan, because the internet decided to slander me because of that choice, people online thought they had a right to slander those who decided to share with them a look into life in Japan. For what reason do they have a right to slander ones given name online?
Do these people not realize they are ruining the careers of those they so freely slander? And for what reasons do they slander for? Jealousy?
Turning Jealousy Into Something Greater
Not everyone will like me in this world, and that is normal. But jealousy and anger because other people are living a lifestyle you want to lead should not result in slander. Remember Youtubers and bloggers are normal people, we do not have security and lawyers to protect us like celebrities do. When you slander and defame our given names online, you take away our future, our careers, our chances to make a living & life. When we go to interviews for jobs and those employers decide to search our names, only to find a mass amount of online slander… what do you think will happen? We wont get the job.
And for what reason do we deserve to have our futures taken away from us? Because some people online felt enraged and jealous because we worked hard to live in a highly desired country? In my eyes, those actions are wrong and unjust.
I too once was jealous of bloggers who lived in Japan, but you know what I did? I worked hard, I studied, I saved and I created a path for myself that would allow me to one day achieve my goal to live in Japan. It took me all the way to the age of 24 to finally be able to make that dream come true. And guess what? It wasn’t easy, it was a long process and I worked hard for it.
I turned my jealousy of bloggers living in Japan into Inspiration. I felt jealousy, rage, and envy towards the bloggers that were living my dreams, but I turned those negative emotions into inspiration to drive me forward. I thought “wow, if they can do that then I can do that too!”.
I did not slander their names online out of jealousy and envy. I worked hard to be like them and only a few years later, I too finally was able to make my dream of living in japan a reality.
It makes me so extremely sad that my future has been compromised because of people turning jealousy and envy into online slander. It’s okay if you don’t like me, maybe I don’t like you either, but I will not slander somebodies given name online just because of something so small. I will not take away someone’s future because of dislike, jealousy and envy.
What makes me even more sad is that this post will make no difference. My life and those of others who shared their life in Japan is forever changed, my future is forever compromised because of small minded people deciding I do not deserve to have a future. All because I lived in Japan, shared my life and they did not like me…
6 Comments
Mery
May 13, 2017 at 7:57 ami’m so sorry to hear that! people are so mean, they don’t care of other lives… it’s like a joke!… it must be happened something serious to write this post, if so, i’m so sorry 🙁
but remember, there are haters and there are fans! you’re an inspiration for other people too, i followed your japan days and now i’m here in japan inspired by your vlogs (i follow you in your australian days vlog too ahah)!
a virtual hug from italy <3 ..ehm japan! (sorry for my english)
Unknown Reader
May 13, 2017 at 8:38 amYou have to understand that this is a risk you took when you share your life in the internet. I know this will be hard to do, but it is best if you just ignore people who hate you and just focus on people who actually care for you. Giving attention to these people not only will destroy you, but they will also retaliate and make the problem even worse. I hope everything is going to go well moving forward.
Joanna
May 14, 2017 at 12:08 amOttoke!! I can’t believe people would do something so cruel and mean to you. 🙁 I hope you can get through this. I hope it’s not forever ruined. You shouldn’t deserve this kind of treatment.
Kathryn Mesiti
May 14, 2017 at 3:24 amI’m so sorry that happened to you Bii! It’s extremely unfair, unjust and undeserved. You have so much courage, drive and determination, you inspire me to actually do the things I want to do, rather than sit at home dreaming about what it would be like to do them (I thank you so much for that!).
In my experience not many people make their dreams come true at 24, not many people have the courage to pack up and move to the other side of the world and even fewer have the confidence to share their lives on line – yet you’ve done all of that and in a very entertaining, informative and genuine way. You should be so proud of everything you’ve achieved ?
Melissa Sternenberg
May 16, 2017 at 4:28 pmThank you for sharing this very personal insight into your experience. I too lived in Japan from 2005-2008, though I maintained a fairly private life there, not sharing my experiences on Youtube or anything of the like.
Additionally, it seems that the climate of YouTube and “Japanese fans” have changed a lot. Bitterness seems to be the norm and it’s encouraged to spread that bitterness because it comes off as “righteous.” It’s an unfortunate and even a disgusting development and I’m sorry that you’ve been the recipient of such undeserved vitriol.
This is my first time stumbling across your blog, and I wanted to offer words of encouragement to you. I too experienced a fair deal of adversity, though it was in my offline life, rather than my online life. As the years pass since my time in Japan, the negative does fade away quite a bit and you only remember the positive, and I am certain it will be the same for you too in time.
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Melissa Sternenberg
May 16, 2017 at 4:28 pmThe haters will get nowhere, because they aren’t productive and innovative like you are. It’s true that this post will likely not change the dark and ugly hearts of those who troll you, but it is my hope that your supporters and fans will take the opportunity to come out of the woodwork and encourage you, and your heart will warm and brighten as a result.
I know it’s easy to say this, but please don’t let the haters get to you. The best way to stick it to ’em is to live your life with great happiness, have all the fun you can manage, work hard and find success (which, though you may not feel it, you absolutely have!), and let them just stew in their own bitterness.
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