I moved to Japan having never visited. Here are the 7 things I found surprising after living there for 17 years.

• Tom Fay moved from a small village in North Wales to Osaka in 2007 having never visited Japan. 
• What started as a one-year adventure teaching English turned into a 17-year stay. 
• He recommends learning some Japanese language and history and being prepared for a lack of good cheese. 

This as-told-to-essay is based on a conversation with Tom Fay, 40, a British outdoors and travel writer who has lived in Japan since 2007. It's been edited for length and clarity.

I always fancied living in another country, but I didn't have anywhere particular in mind. I am originally from a small village in North Wales. Before arriving in Japan in 2007, I studied medieval history at the University of Manchester.