Being A Broad

Are you a foreign woman living in Japan?  If so, you might be interested in this.

Have you ever heard of Being A Broad?  When I was first planning to come to Japan, a friend recommended a book to me:

http://www.being-a-broad.com/index.php/bab/the_book

I bought the book, but when it came to moving to Japan I just couldn’t fit it in my suitcase and I had to leave it at home.  I knew it contained a wealth of information about how to survive as a foreign woman in Japan, but I hadn’t even had time to read it properly before I left England.

Luckily for me, Being A Broad has a website.  And not only does it have a website, it has a forum full of living, breathing women just waiting to share their ideas and tips, and help you to survive in Japan.  There are some fantastic women on the forum, and I’m always surprised by how much everyone is willing to share and help one another.  Even if no one can offer an answer to your problem or query, the women there always seem willing to offer some words of encouragement.  It really does have a community spirit.

And life doesn’t stop on the web.  Many of these women enjoy regular meet-ups in their towns, or attend social/cultural events together.  A lot of the activity happens in Tokyo, but there are also reps organising events officially in Okinawa, Shonan, Tsukuba and Shizuoka and many women organising local meet-ups in other areas too.  In fact, I met up with a couple of ladies in Nagoya just a few weeks ago, and we had a lovely lunch and a beer under the TV Tower in Nagoya, while watching some entertainment.

Also, this week, Caroline Pover, Being A Broad’s founder, visited Nagoya to meet its ‘warm people’ (her words ) and give a publishing seminar.  The seminar attracted a number of local ‘broads’ (and one bloke), and we all had a lovely time, enjoying dinner, drinks and chats after the seminar, too.

As well as the book and the forum, there’s also a magazine.  The magazine is one of the most intelligent (and yet readable!) English publications I have read since I came to Japan, and every month I find I just can’t put it down.

So, if you’re a foreign woman reading this and hearing about Being A Broad for the first time, get yourself over to the forum pronto and join us!  And don’t forget to say ‘hello’ in the intros section!

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