2 weeks will be past after going back to Japan. The first a few days, I was feeling strange thing like my half part was still in Toronto. But now, I exactly remembered my Japanese life which I used to have and doing well everyday. The first thing which I felt about "Japan" was "humidity". Although recent air temperature is similar to Japanese one in this season, I felt humid air when just got off airplane and I knew I was back to Japan. Nowadays, I had some of reunion with my friends and we had some kind of drinks which I couldn't drink in Toronto, I am going through great days.

As it is hard to know about own mind, I had really wanted to miss Japan since making a decision to go back. But when you just go back, it was going to be no big deal to me... Also when I had Ramen(Japanese style chinese noodles) which I had really missed, it was going to be no big deal... I don't get it lol But there is a big deal thing. It's "Rice with Natto(Japanese beans food)"! I haven't eaten it so much in Toronto. The combination which Japanese rice and Natto made a deep impression to me. Simple menu like Japanese breakfast made me very very happy.

I was fixing my jet rag for a first couple of days and doing to restore my Japanese official living status or Japanese pension etc. I would like to mention what to do recently. I am seeking a job in Japan with mind to go back to Canada and also I am looking for a short term job. I don't think it is fast to get a job even if I am in Japan and I don't want to make a decision in too fast so I am looking for a short term job(1 to 3 months) in the first. Though I am worry if I am ok with an obscure turn of mind like that, there is no choice so I am just doing.

Of course, I have a mind to go back to Canada. In connection to LMO which I already wrote about the thing, actually, my employer called to me a few days ago of my departure and she said "We got a phone call from an officer at visa office. And she told they approved(probably) our LMO application.". But our company doesn't have official LMO paper which is approved as over 2 weeks was passed since the phone call. Also recent budget cut activity of Canadian government has closed visa office at Canada embassy in Japan so it meant you need to take a longer time to get your work permit even if LMO is approved officially so that it seems hard to get back to Canada when you are considering about variety of conditions. I am not sure if the ways works for me which you can apply your work visa at airport immigration when you enter in Canada or once you get in Canada as a visitor then apply inside Canada if you are with LMO. I would like to announce about what I will be at another time when I make a decision.

By the way,  I am thinking about closing update this blog which I has started writing since 2010. Because I am writing with a theme so far, "Work in another country" and If the decision is out to work in Japan, that theme is going to be out. It is not right now. I would like to write about new theme, "Canada and Japan" for a while by output of my decision as there are many things which I felt over again or noticed after going back to Japan on the contrary. For sure, I would like to continue to update as well when I can be back to Canada!

This blog is in trouble to continue but I would like you to keep in touch for a while.

Thank you for reading!

Finally, I am going back to Japan tomorrow!

I had been busy these days since I made a decision to go back end of last month.

Shipping my stuffs, getting some gifts and doing necessary procedures... 

It was just over a year but my stuffs had been much increased. My two of suit cases is really full even though I has shipped over 20kg lol I am wondering if airplane can take it surely??

I am having drinks at home tonight though I was going to have some drinks with friends these days because I was not sure if I can be back. It has been long time to see Japan. So I am really excited. The first, I would love to have ramen, which Japanese style chinese noodle! And also want to drink some Japanese drinks like Shochu with oolong tea or green tea.

Talk to you soon!

The season is likely mixed spring, summer and winter in Toronto. Sometimes it is snowing or cherry blossoms is out or starting patio service... I think that is Toronto. You can be with T-shirt on one day but you need to wear your down jacket or court on another day. Yeah, That is Toronto. Though the summer is great.

Anyway, I hadn't updated this blog. It had been for more 1 month since I updated before. To be busy and no topic to write was not reason why I hadn't updated. I hadn't just updated for a while. Because I wanted to write about my result of LMO for next as I wrote before that I was still waiting for getting it out. But it is still no answer(already past for 4 months from making application) so I decided to write this article as I did made a big decision.

What a big decision is...

I had unexpected you need to take the time for LMO. I had heard you need to take a time but I didn't think it is more 4 months... LMO is document which is required if you want to apply for your work permit. And It is like certification which Canadian company, which want to hire a foreigner, have to get.

In Canada, There are three major processes if a foreigner try to apply for a work permit.

1. Get a Job Offer(From the company which can be a sponsorship to get your work permit)

2. Apply for LMO by the company and get

3. Apply for your work permit and get

To get a work permit has processes above. We are on "2" now. We applied for LMO on last December. It has already past for 4 months. Thought the process time is changed by year or season also your job title, you need to take for up to 3 months recently as it is not still out in my case. After this April, I am getting the response "It will be out for next week" every week and eventually still no out.

I have past for 2 months since I left from company on end of February. As I have expected that it would be for 2 months in maximum at the beginning, it means time over is coming. There are some of reason, contract with home-stay etc, to why I am leaving and I made a decision to leave from Canada on 2nd week of May! But I don't know I won't come back in this time. I have an option to come back if I hear a good new on LMO thing as there is a way to apply for a work permit from Japan even though I got back to Japan because I was waiting for long time and I wanted to stay in Canada for 2 years at least!

In my current feeling, it is half and half of mind which I would like to totally go back to Japan and come back again to Toronto honestly. In this 2 month, I was much thinking why I came to Canada for and what I wanted to do. My mind which I want to work in anther country as IT engineer made me coming to Toronto and fortunately I got a Job with Canadian company moreover I could get a new skill to develop smartphone app so far. And about English, I had had no experience to go abroad to study English like even TOEIC score is around 400 at the beginning. But now though I cannot get it in casual conversation sometimes, I can understand what they are talking and can talk what I want to tell in a little. So I think it is not bad to return to Japanese society in this time and I might not have to stay more 1 year. But as "Continue" is really important to improve everything, I am feeling sad about the thing which I need to stop the life, I was keeping for up to 1 year in Canada, by a matter is out of my control. Especially, I am feeling to be making something going to next like mainly human relations also English level. My mind has mix I did enough! and just beginning!

But I will stop this situation just waiting for. In this time, I will go back to Japan and get back my control to decide, will prepare to return to Japanese society at first. Though I imagine how I will return, I would like to ask to my family, friends or my seniors before getting an answer. To come back to Toronto will be just one of my options on that process if it is a good news.

It might be a little bit negative article but don't worry. It doesn't work to me actually. As I haven't been back to Japan for up to 1 year, my face keeps smiling on these days lol Because I am really looking forward to seeing again my family and friends in Japan and talking about my Canada life. Also some of family and friends got a baby so nice to meet is coming to me. May will be busy for me! To guys who are in Japan, I will tell about more details like official date to back etc later. To guys who is in Canada, let's have some drinks though this time is strange like I might be able to come back! Would love to have domestic beer!!!

Cherry blossom at High Park

Talk to you soon!

Here is AD on TV by TOYOTA in Canada.

Toronto seems to be getting Spring because the temperature is 20 degree over some time recently. Comparing with last year, it is pretty warm so pubs where are at downtown begun to provide patio. I am thinking that cherry blossoms which is at High Park will also come into flower early in this year.

Buds of Cherry Blossoms at High Park

Actually, in this term, it is the season which you should do "Tax Return" which makes your income tax return in Canada. Anybody, had some income in last year, needs to declare. If you are working for Japanese company, you don't need to do by yourself because there is tax return system which is supported to do it by the company. But Canada doesn't. So You need to do it by yourself or hiring accountants. Of course, hiring accountants case is not free. I would like to write down what I did as I was done a few days ago.

-T1 General Package

Getting T1 General Package at post office or tax office. The store which is including post office also has it like Shoppers.

-T4

Documents of your income and tax for last year. Your company would give it to you.

Making T1 which you fill out basing on T4 and Sending by mail. You can use envelop which is included in T1 General Package to send by mail.

February to April

The notification documents will be sent with pay check by mail in 4-6 weeks.(Direct deposit also is provided)

*I thank the Japanese web site I referred to write this down below.

T1 General Package is being left at post office or tax office from late January. I got it at Shoppers which is including post office. And my company gave T4 on late February. Mention to T1, I don't think you can complete it by yourself. Because of many things to calculate... So I used a tax calculation service on web.

T1 General Package at Shoppers

-TurboTax

That is web service which I has used certainly. You need to pay fee if your income is $20,000 over. But I can recommend because it was easy to use. Once you signed up, the information will be taken over for next year.

<Windows>

-StudioTax

Free software for Windows. My friend recommended. That is supporting Windows Vista or Windows 7.

<Mac>

-TaxTron

Free software for Mac. Though I used it at the first, it was hard to use for me...

In these service and software, you can just put your information based on T4 to them. it will make documents which is same format with T1 when you complete to put. Then you need to copy to actual T1 document by your hand. And the refund might be bigger if you declare housing fee, transportation fee or RRSP fee which is Canadian pension. I added transportation fee which is whole of fee for last year to buy metro passes. Then my refund is $900 over! It was bigger than I thought. Anyway, it is there if my calculation is truth... In this connection, if tax officer wants you to prove housing fee or transportation fee, you would need to give receipts.

Although there are anybody who hires accountants, you can do easily if you use those of service or software unless you have another income like managing house. I have done in 2 hours with my friend's advice in spite of first time. By the way, Canadian people can do on just web. When I looked down T1 contents, I thought that we might to have no choice except hiring accountants before improving IT industry. Technical improving is great. I am wondering how it is going on 20 years later?? Don't we use paper anymore??

At last, I would like to say what it is going on for me currently. I wasn't busy and have been just "free" since this March though I haven't write new article. As my visa was changed to Visitor, I am a "Visitor" if I need to say. I had worked till end of February like "Helper". I have been a "Visitor" after that. What I am doing so far...

Just just drinking...

Probably, I was a guy who is the least Japanese 30 years old in Toronto :( Except hanging out with friends, I drunk a bottle of Sake and some bottles of wine in 2 weeks(more addition some of beer). That days were unexpected before even though I am just waiting for LMO thing. That is no good things if I have lost some of the intellectual power that I used to have. And I just started "what I would like to do in this time" little by little currently. Unfortunately, the process time to apply for LMO is taking longer time. So you need to take a time for 3-4 months to be out recently. I am thinking that it will be out by end of March. But I must to make any results which is something to want by being back to office(if it is possible).

By the way, I went over library in this morning to do something with excited mind. But The library was closing :( The strike by library works was just started from today and all of libraries were closing in Toronto. I had never heard strike of library workers... How come it was this time!? A lot of difficulties lie ahead of me!

Talk to you soon!