Omakase: My Sushi Go 55 Experience
"We're just watching you; this is better than Survivor." The two men and single woman sitting at the end of the bar to my right had a point, I thought. After all, I had eaten many strange things in my line of travel work - semi-poisonous blowfish, octopus with mayonnaise and fried batter, the smelly durian of Thailand - but had yet to encounter one of the true tests for ...
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The Pressure to Hear English
I take being surrounded by English speakers for granted. I imagine I'd feel completely liberated in one way if I were to return to Japan and begin my life with the Japanese people, but, in a far more accurate way, I'm slowly forgetting what it's like to be in the language minority (never mind my white face; that's a talk for another time). "Shibuya in Action", digika Of course I had ...
Read moreMedical Exams in Japan
I'm a little nervous as I sit waiting for the sensei. Did I come to the right office? I even forgot to slip on the lobby slippers once I had removed my street shoes – more out of the thought that they didn't have slippers my size. The setting is the same, regardless of the country: posters warning “This could happen to you!” or “Take care of ...
Read moreGaijin Ura Hanzai Magazine Incident
Is it any wonder that some Japanese people fear the foreign presence in Japan? I've seen my share of hospitality, normality, stares of awe, and some of disregard, but never have I quite encountered those of hatred as I've seen online in recent days. Family Mart, a popular convenience store in Japan, has stocked a rather shocking book on its magazine rack. Let's look at the facts:January ...
Read moreAdoption in Japan
I've run kilometers on end. I work out regularly. I can hold my own in a fight. Adrenaline and I are close friends.And yet, I recently found myself beyond my natural limits, all in response to the saddened look on a six-year-old girl's face. Pushed to the point of exhaustion and tired from lifting her up with enthusiasm, shouting like a crazy man, and making her ...
Read moreAbout Once A Traveler
Once a traveler, always a traveler... hear my stories from around the world.
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