Foreigners In Japan

Japanese Animation, A True Art Form

April 30, 2012
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Japanese Animation, A True Art Form

I went to see a full-length feature anime yesterday. The name of this movie was ももへの手紙 (Momo heno Tegami or A Letter to Momo). For those of you who don’t know the story (I’ll try not to spoil everything) Momo heno Tegami is the story of a young girl who loses her father and finds this incomplete letter he had written to her. Momo and her mother move to a new town, where Momo also make three, very strange, unlikely, new “friends.” Initially, the commercials were what got me interested in going to see the film. The film just looked intriguing, funny, and semi-strange…what more could you want out of a movie . Honestly...

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Homesickness Movie Clip Post

April 11, 2012
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Homesickness Movie Clip Post

Okay, I admit it…I’ve been using again :_( . Last night…(Donald bites his lower lip in shame)…I was on YouTube again and I browsed…a lot. LOL! My YouTube binges are usually triggered by something. Today’s post isn’t really related to anything Japanese. Well, maybe a little bit if you’re a homesick foreigner living abroad, needing a homesickness solution. YouTube is pretty awesome because it has such a large collection of different clips and moves. When I need something to inspire me, I usually head to YouTube and it’s so easy to find something inspirational. If I can’t find something that suits me, I usually just check out something Bruce Lee-related (he’s always been pretty...

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A Japan Guy Review: My First Year Teaching As An ALT In Japan (Part 1)

March 29, 2012
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A Japan Guy Review: My First Year Teaching As An ALT In Japan (Part 1)

It’s official, I have signed on for an additional year as an ALT. I will have a chance to teach many of the same great students that I had last year, and work with many of the same teachers, too. In many respects, it’s wonderful news. The first year I think was a chance to get my bearing and see what teaching/working for another company was like. So I want to give you my honest to goodness review of what it was like to work with Interac as an ALT for the very first time. I am currently working for the company, but I’m still going to give as honest a review as I...

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My Five Biggest Japan Gripes

February 16, 2012
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My Five Biggest Japan Gripes

Ah Japan…the Land of the Rising Sun, home of some of the most beautiful temples & shrines you will ever see, and a hot spot for all things tech. So, I’ll admit. I love living in Japan. I could probably write a mile-long list of the reasons I think it’s so wonderful, but today, I don’t want to focus on that. Let’s look at the flip-side of that. Here are three of my biggest gripes about living and teaching in Japan: 1. Japanese Apartments & Elementary School Doors are not Tall-People Friendly GADONG!! “Sh*t!” That’s the sound of me hitting my head against the fume hood of my stove for the umpteenth time, and...

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Things to Keep in Mind Before Choosing Your Japanese Apartment

February 10, 2012
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Things to Keep in Mind Before Choosing Your Japanese Apartment

This is my first full winter in my second Japanese apartment and I must say I am a little disappointed. Since moving in, I’ve noticed several things that make me believe that my previous apartment was the better place to live overall: insulation, heating and air-conditioning, circuitry, and repair response times. When I moved into my new apartment, winter was already well underway. I had a chance to do the walk-through but I didn’t notice any real issues. I went into the apartment with my jacket on so, things seemed to be okay. The things that struck me most, were the things I wanted: more space, and bigger windows. This apartment had just those...

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What Happens if You’re Late Paying Your Taxes in Japan?

January 25, 2012
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What Happens if You’re Late Paying Your Taxes in Japan?

This is short post that I meant to put up last year, but since my taxes are broken into payments, I think it’s still relevant. When you live in Japan, so many of the things you see and do will be different from back home. However, some things don’t change. If you’re earning income here in Japan, you will have to pay taxes on it. Some companies are better than others at deducting it for you, which really makes things easier. But if you’re at a job that doesn’t you’ve got to handle the taxes on your own. Please check out the previous post I did on Japanese taxes. For me, coming from a...

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Japanese Electricity Bill Blues (JEBB)

January 13, 2012
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Japanese Electricity Bill Blues (JEBB)

Dum dee dum dum dum. Donald gets home from work, it was a standard, nothing too surprising, no major issues at school that he couldn’t handle. He opens the his mailbox to find a couple of bills inside. “No worries, just one of those costs to take care of I guess.” Crinkle, crinkle, rip. Donald opens the envelope from TEPCO. His eyes scan quickly to the right side of the bill to see the amount due. His glance comes to a dead stop, his eyes widen, his brow furrows, and sweat begins to bead on his brow. Being that it’s the thick of winter, the sweat probably isn’t coming from any heat source, but...

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OH MY GOSH! The Cutest Little Japanese First Graders!

January 9, 2012
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OH MY GOSH! The Cutest Little Japanese First Graders!

This is just a little side post, but I had the cutest thing happen to me today. I had just finished doing one of the animal lessons with one of my first grade classes, and all of my students seemed really upbeat after class was done. I could tell the students enjoyed class, because the as soon as I said “See you next time!,” about six of the boys darted for the door, blocking the exit. They stood with their little arms crossed, Macho Japanese First Grader Style. It was almost like they were saying “You ain’t going nowhere, Donaldo Sensei.” I thought it was really cute. It made me feel good. I really...

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Teaching in Japan Troubleshooting: Eek Think Fast!

November 16, 2011
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Teaching in Japan Troubleshooting: Eek Think Fast!

If you teach in a Japanese public school, that time will invariably come when you have to teach a lesson at the spur of the moment. “Why would you have to teach an English lesson at the spur of the moment?” you ask. As an ALT you have your schedule given to you every week by your dispatch company, right? Well, it really depends on the company you work for. I have no doubt that some companies are going to be better than others at providing you with your weekly schedule. I must say that I haven’t had a problem with that at Interac, not as of late anyway. Initially I wasn’t getting my...

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How To Use A Japanese Rice Cooker

October 13, 2011
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How To Use A Japanese Rice Cooker

Rice in Japan/Asia is as popular and as ubiquitous as bread is in to America. Odds are if you’re going to be living in Japan, you’re going to be eating more rice than you were accustomed to in the United States or your respective country. Rice is great because it’s incredibly easy to make, and I really think Asia has the best rice there is. I know that sounds weird, because rice is essentially tasteless. Once you’ve eaten enough of it, you start to notice subtle differences in the rice you eat. Rice goes great with A LOT of things. Miso soup, shabu shabu (which is like a Japanese stew), unagi, or just about...

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