20 Years in LA: 5 Mindset Shifts After Moving from Japan

Things I Noticed After Moving to the United States (Los Angeles)

It’s hard to believe, but it has already been 20 years since I moved to the United States.

Because the rules and environment in LA are so different, my mindset has shifted in several ways compared with when I lived in Japan.

I’d like to share some of those insights with you today.

In this follow-up article, I’ll cover points 6 through 10 from the second half.
If you’re interested, be sure to read the previous post as well.

Moving from Japan to the U.S.: 5 Ways My Mindset Changed

I also discuss today’s content on YouTube!

The videos embedded in this article are narrated in Japanese, but English subtitles are available.

Lifestyle Changes I Noticed After Moving to the United States

This time, I’ll discuss the following five points.

6. Stopped getting angry over every little thing

7. Began carefully reading contracts before signing

8. Shifted from researching companies to researching people

9. My sense of travel distance changed

10. Stopped using the mailbox

6. Stopped getting angry over every little thing

After moving to the United States, so many unpredictable things kept happening that I stopped getting angry at each one.

Because unexpected events occur so frequently, I was initially thrown off, but every time I got angry at each incident, I realized I was just wasting energy.

When living abroad, things that would be unimaginable in Japan happen daily, and if you let each one make you angry, you’ll never see the end of it.

As a result, I’ve become unfazed by minor issues and can keep myself much more calm.

7. Began Carefully Reading Contracts Before Signing

The next shift came in how I view contracts since moving to the United States.

In the U.S., the prevailing mindset is that the contract is everything, so I always read every clause to protect myself.

When I was in Japan, I often signed contracts without overthinking, trusting the other party.

But in the United States, the concept of “normal” doesn’t necessarily apply, so you could end up signing something unexpected.

Signing Without Understanding the Content Can Lead to Unexpected Trouble

Even a single contract can cause unforeseen problems later if you don’t fully grasp its terms, so it’s absolutely essential to review everything in advance.

Since coming to the United States, I make sure to understand a contract thoroughly before signing it.

Doing so protects my rights and greatly reduces the risk of being drawn into an unfavorable agreement.

8. Shifted from Company Searches to People Searches

After moving to the United States, the way I gather information changed as well.

When I was in Japan, if I wanted to buy something or learn about something, commercials, ads, or a company’s name would naturally come to mind, and I’d look up that company’s products or services.

However, since coming to the U.S., I’ve moved more toward “people searches.”

Check with a “pro” when you need information

For example, when I want to buy a computer or learn more about insurance, instead of looking at ads, I now first ask friends or people who specialize in the field for advice.

Even if my acquaintances aren’t directly involved, I tap into my network and ask, “Can you introduce someone who really knows about this?”

I suspect this change is influenced by the nature of the United States and its community-based, “village mindset.”

Asking Trusted People Reduces the Chance of Being Scammed

In the United States, people from many different cultures and languages come together, so relying solely on your own knowledge carries a real risk of being deceived.

Especially when there’s a language barrier, you might agree to a contract without fully understanding its details.

That’s why one key way to protect yourself is to seek advice from people you trust.

In other words, give more weight to the words of those with firsthand experience or experts than to advertisements.

By doing so, you can greatly reduce the risk of being taken advantage of.

9. My Sense of Distance Changed

Since I started living in the United States, my sense of distance has fundamentally shifted.

Because the U.S. is so vast, driving with a Japanese frame of reference often makes you realize—after the fact—just how far you’ve gone.

For example, covering 100 miles (about 160 kilometers) is an everyday occurrence here. On the freeway, you can drive at 80 mph (about 130 km/h), so you can cover that distance in roughly an hour and a half.

Back in Japan, I almost never traveled that far.

A 100-mile (about 160-kilometer) drive isn’t that tough

In Japan, even if you take the expressway, driving the same 100 miles takes more than two hours, and once you factor in traffic lights and local roads, you need even more time.

In the U.S., a trip you can leave for in the morning and return from at night is fairly normal; in Japan, the same distance would turn into an all-day excursion.

Granted, this assumes there’s no heavy traffic, but a 100-mile drive in the U.S. doesn’t feel like the long journey it does in Japan.

I think America’s car-centric culture, wider roads, and higher speed limits are what create such a big difference.

10. Stopped Using the Mailbox

This was quite a shock, but after a certain incident I stopped using public mailboxes.

In Japan, I used mailboxes as a matter of course, but this experience showed me that you really do have to look out for yourself.

Mail Sometimes Doesn’t Even Arrive Properly

Since moving to the U.S., I’ve had several instances where mail—especially important documents or checks—never reached its destination.

Back in Japan I rarely had any trouble with postal deliveries, so this is definitely a big difference.

A Check Was Stolen From a Mailbox!

Even worse, the most shocking incident was when a check I dropped in a mailbox to pay my electric bill was stolen and fraudulently used.

The case escalated to a police matter and turned into a major ordeal.

Basically, someone used something like a fishing line to pull mail out of the box and steal anything that looked valuable.

After fishing it out, the thief forged the check to make it payable to themselves and cashed it.

Hand-deliver important items for shipping

Since experiencing incidents like this, I can no longer trust public mailboxes.

Nowadays, I take my mail directly to the post office and hand it over in person.

In Japan, dropping something into a mailbox is routine, and you never worry about it not being delivered.

This really reminded me that I’m in a foreign country and made me re-examine what I consider “normal.”

Life abroad challenges your old common sense—but you learn a lot, too

What do you think? Summing everything up, I realize there are many differences from daily life in Japan.

The mailbox incident was especially shocking, so I’d say Japan wins for ease of living and safety.

Even so, new experiences bring new discoveries, which makes life enjoyable.

I hope this is helpful!