If you start humming ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,’ most Japanese junior high school student’s eyes will light up, because they know the Japanese version: “Makka na ohana no tonakaisan wa itsu mo minna no waraimono. ” (The English translation of their first line: “The reindeer with the bright red nose, always a laughing-stock to everyone.”) …
My one year anniversary of arriving to Japan has just passed, and I have a lot to be grateful for. I have a job, a car, a bike, an active social life, and a surprisingly big apartment, which I especially appreciate because it’s the first time I’ve a kitchen entirely my own. In the past few years, I’ve started to love …
Summer in Japan is cicadas. Summer in Japan is humidity, festivals, and fireworks. I’m in my apartment now, typing away, while outside I can hear the festivities of a neighborhood’s barbecue. Normally, I might be tempted to go outside and introduce myself. However, my lack of Japanese has been hindering my interactions with the locals. …
Where Is Amber? 