Being a foreigner in any place is an eye-opening experience. In fact I recommend that everyone who has a chance to go to a foreign country take it, because it will greatly increase your perspective. Having a narrow perspective on life is a great inhibitor to really seeing any kind of growth — whether personal or as a community.
But one of the great struggles in living as a foreigner anywhere is schooling. Do you educate your children in your native culture & system or do you educate them in local systems? This of course depends on a whole lot of factors, such as where you see your self ending up in the future. When the kids get old enough to make their own decisions, their desires will modify the best route to take.
But the decision isn’t always clear, and knowing exactly what is best for your family can be a constant struggle. In Japan (specifically the Tokyo area), where there are a number of options available, the decision can be mind-bending at times. It’s the focus of this Life in Japan episode.
It was very interesting reading through the myriad of comments on this video, because there is no clear consensus, whether among the Japanese or the foreigners! If anything clear came from it, it’s that you have to decide where you want to end up in life, and then plan your education accordingly. Doing what is best for your family is so important.