I'm a student, graduating in May. I've lived at home all my life since my school's in my city.
However, it's really starting to get annoying.
Granted I'm a bit immature and that I'm the baby of the family i understand why they're a bit over protective.

I said I'm thinking of going solo on a trip to Japan after graduated. and they freaked. (including my older sis). Said I was going to get kidnapped or something Well i don't speak Japanese.. but I'm sure I can get by with English (?)
It's just the best time for me right now.... I'm into Asian stuff and I'll never get the time to go ever again.. also i want to see if i can be independent for a while. It'll just be a nice change....

Arg....


How do you guys overcome this over protectiveness?

Well my parents aren't over protective but I don't know if they'd let me go to Japan either if I had the opportunity. Who knows maybe they would. But I live at home too since I'm in college and not working and my school is just like ten min's away on a decent traffic day so it's very convent and all. Sometimes my mother though still acts like I'm a teenager telling me to do this and that and it's like "ooookkkkaaayyyy" ya know? At least my dad doesn't do that. If he did I'd go nuts.

why dont you go with a reputable tour group? and tell them you'll be with those people the whole time? it might assuage your family's fears :]

i dont know about you, but it's really hard to get around japan with only english. i'd suggest going with a group where at least one is somewhat familiar with the language [and it helps to know customs too]. otherwise, you'd spend the majority of your trip trying to figure out what the heck people are telling you.

I don't think you can get around with just English like watcher said. And it's going to cost a grip.

How to overcome it?

Either:

a. Sit them down and talk them through it, assure them you are mature.
b. Rebel.

^ or you can just do whatever you want, and face consequences.... like an adult should do

I agree. If you do not want to be treated like a teenager, you need to make decisions and accept consequences like an adult. You can't have the best of both worlds.

I don't really think your family is being overprotective in this case. Any parent would be worried if their kid were to go off to another country alone, where they don't even speak the language or know anyone. Also, it sounds like you don't really have a definite plan or have done much research on the trip, which is also why they might be worried.

A friend of mine was in Japan for a month for work and yea... not many people speak English at all. I agree with everyone else's suggestions-- go with a tour group. If you travel alone it's going to be pretty lonely and stressful trying to communicate, not to mention you could possibly pull some cultural faux pas without even knowing it.

If you have a concrete plan, then I think that will ease your family's fears. As an adult, of course you can do what you want, but if you care about your family (as they care about you and worry about your safety), you should respect their opinions. But yea. Go to Japan. Have fun, but be safe and think everything through.

Just go. Buy a Lonely Planet Japan guide and consider getting a J-Rail pass for part of the time you'll be there. If you go when it's not peak season it's very easy to make friends and get great travel advice at youth hostels. If your family doesn't trust you to travel independently at age 22, they won't at 25 or 28 either, so you may as well start sometime. Don't go with a Korean tour group, whatever you do - you'll just get herded around way to much and not see as much of Japan as you could otherwise. You might want to consider a Kontiki tour for part of you time over there and independent travel for the rest.

My mother was worried shitless when I took off to Europe for a summer when I was 22. Turned out it was the best thing I could have done. If your mother thinks it's better to sit around the saftey of her community then she can do so.

I believe its always better to have a travel companion when traveling to unfamiliar places. At least you will always have somebody to fall back on when anything happens (e.g. when you are sick or injured) and your parents will not be that worried about your safety. After all, its rather fun to venture overseas with a close buddy!

Show them your responsible and not a child anymore.

My mom started treating me differently after I was talking to my uncle about the US economy and my future this past week. She was like wow my baby's grown up now. I want you to move out this year...