Reassigned Overseas at 57. Honestly, I Did Not Want to Go Again

Why I Came Back to Mexico at 57

To be honest, I did not actively want this overseas assignment.

In fact, it was the opposite.

I felt that I had already experienced enough of life overseas.

I had lived in China.

I had lived in Mexico.

I knew both the excitement and the hardships of working abroad.

So when I first heard about this assignment, I could not help but feel, at least to some extent,

“Again?”

Life in Japan Was Enjoyable

After returning to Japan, my life there was fulfilling.

I could communicate freely in my own language.

If I wanted to see someone, I could simply contact them and meet.

I had old friends.

I had familiar restaurants and places.

Hospitals, banks, and government offices were all easy to deal with.

Living in Japan was far more comfortable than I had expected.

And the older I became, the more valuable that comfort felt.

Work was also easier in terms of relationships.

I already knew the people around me.

I knew who to consult when I had a problem.

If I wanted to see someone, I could meet them.

There was no need to build new relationships from scratch.

That kind of environment was more comfortable than I had imagined.

That is why, when I heard about being assigned overseas again, my feelings were complicated.

An Overseas Assignment Means Starting from Zero

An overseas assignment is completely different.

You have to find a place to live.

You have to open a bank account.

You have to get a driver’s license.

You have to arrange a mobile phone contract.

Just building the foundation for daily life takes time.

On top of that, human relationships also start from zero.

Of course, there are new encounters.

But building relationships takes time.

When I was young, that was part of the fun.

Going to an unfamiliar place felt like an adventure.

But at 57, it feels a little different.

Rather than making new friends, I had begun to feel that spending time with the friends I already had was more precious.

My Wife’s Reaction Was: “I Can’t Believe It”

Another major factor in this decision was my wife.

During my previous assignment in Mexico, we lived there together.

This time, however, the situation was different.

She is working full-time in Japan.

Her life is already based there.

So this time, I decided to go alone.

When I told her about the assignment, she was shocked.

For a while, she could not say anything.

And the first words that came out were:

“I can’t believe it.”

I felt the same way.

I never imagined that I would be assigned overseas again in my late fifties.

I think she also felt anxious about staying in Japan by herself.

I was worried too.

However, through our previous life in Mexico and the years we spent afterward in Japan, my wife had become much more accustomed to Japanese society.

In the end, after talking it through together, we decided that I would go to Mexico alone.

Still, I Came Back to Mexico

Even so, I came back to Mexico.

Of course, it was a company assignment.

But honestly, it was not something I had actively hoped for.

My life in Japan was fulfilling, and at my age, I did have concerns about jumping into a new environment again.

Still, in the end, I decided to accept the assignment.

As a company employee, I felt that working where I was needed was also part of the job.

I also felt that if my long experience of working overseas could be of any use, I wanted to make the most of it.

When I was younger, an overseas assignment was an opportunity for career growth.

But now, it feels a little different.

Rather than gaining new experiences for myself, perhaps this is the stage of life where I pass on what I have experienced to the next generation.

Remembering Familiar Names

Since coming back to Mexico, I have found myself thinking more often about my days in China.

The people I worked with in Foshan.

Zhou.

Ms. Gu.

Mr. Hou.

That was more than 15 years ago.

When I visited Shanghai last year, I met Zhou again.

He treated me to a wonderful meal.

He used to be one of my subordinates, but now he has become a successful businessman.

That also made me wonder what has happened to the former subordinates I became close to during my previous assignment in Mexico.

I have heard that some of them have already left the company.

Maybe I should get in touch with them again.

Recently, I have started thinking about such things.

What an Overseas Assignment Gives You

An overseas assignment is hard.

Even setting up daily life is difficult.

The language is different.

The culture is different.

Life in Japan is overwhelmingly easier.

Even so, when I look back, what remains in my memory is not only the results of work.

It is the faces of the people I worked with.

The colleagues I met in China.

The colleagues I met during my previous assignment in Mexico.

Some of them are still in touch with me even now.

That is a great asset in my life.

I am sure this assignment will be the same.

When I look back on it several years from now, what I remember may not be the factory numbers, but the people I met.

765 days until retirement.

This may be my last overseas assignment in life.

I think I will try to enjoy it a little more.