Deer Self(ie), I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your recent successes. To name a few, you are travelling parts of Japan you had never even heard of until your move here just less than four months ago. You are embracing the culture and studying the language. You challenge and ask…
Author: Lorrie
Oi, “sweet as a nut, sweet like Tropicana”
Another weekend away exploring our beautiful prefecture! This weekend took us to the rural delights of Yashiro Island where the tangerines were in season and “sweet as a nut, sweet like Tropicana”. On our arrival we had a delicious curry in a very happening café (most of the residents on the island are over 65,…
“I know in the future that women will not only break through the infamous glass ceiling, but we will grind it to sand and sprinkle the glitter all over the haters”.
As my loved ones woke on Wednesday morning to a changed world, in Japan we had be watching the US presidential election unfold during the working day. I now live in a country where women often play a traditional role and society is generally more conservative and conformist than the UK. But on Wednesday my…
When Nature Calls
Japan may-well have a population of 128 million but be only 1.56 times the size of the UK, but wow, does it have nature! Countries of the world could learn a thing or two about keeping your streets and rivers clean and allowing nature to take flourish. Due to the landscape of Japan, the mountains…
Growing to Love Our New Home
When we arrived in Shimonoseki, there was no doubt its rural charm was a little shocking to us. We had been used to a life of city living: cafes and bars galore; six buses an hour; an extensive tram system; and hundreds of restaurants at our door step. In Shimonoseki, we didn’t seem to have…
Our Japanese Ghost Story…
Happy Halloween! Dan and I celebrated the, in no way British, holiday in Tokuyama. A lovely city with bars aplenty! However, for this blog we are going to focus on our Japanese ghost stories. Twice we have found ourselves in rather creepy, very old, empty historical buildings that we are certain must be haunted by…
I was Skitting with Joy!
Recently I had the pleasure of watching my students take part in a skit (roleplay!). When I came up with the idea, I felt a little like a mad scientist. Getting my quiet and seemingly terrified academic students to conduct a mini play in English, seemed like an experiment destined to go terribly wrong…I can…
The Beat Cafe
Dan and I have found our little piece of paradise on our local beach. The beach itself has an interesting history as it used to be a blue flag beach that was very popular with families (it has sandy shores, clear water and a calm tide). Then a few years ago there was a boat spillage…
Reflections on Captivity in Paradise
During our Okinawan holiday we visited the very famous Okinawan Churaumi aquarium. This has been on my list for some time, and I was giddy with the anticipation of what wonders it would reveal. The whale sharks were immense. Powerful and dominating the visit for most people. I found them wonderful to watch and extremely…
Beautiful Okinawa in Pictures
A wonderful week in a beautiful place, captured in pictures!