Personal update (plus cute stuff!)

Hi folks! I just thought I’d check in with a personal update as I haven’t been online quite as much recently. As most of you will know, I came back from Japan in April, and have been living in Bognor Regis since then. It was never my intention to stay in Bognor long, but it … Continue reading →

The Stress Free Guide to Leaving Japan

Leaving Japan was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. Luckily, I had a little help… I was asked to review Laura Pepper’s e-book The Stress Free Guide to Leaving Japan for the wonderful Being A Broad magazine. The review has just been publishing in Being A Broad’s new online magazine … Continue reading →

Reunited…

About two months ago nine boxes containing almost all of my worldly belongings were collected from my apartment in Hamamatsu. Today, finally, I have been reunited with my stuff! 😀 I used a shipping company called Shipmates and I feel happy to say that I would recommend them. Their service was fast and efficient, and … Continue reading →

Everybody’s talkin’ at me…

The title of this post comes from the song “Everybody’s Talkin’” which was recorded by, among others, Harry Nilsson. The lyrics have been in my head since I got back to the UK: Everybody’s talking at me I don’t hear a word they’re saying Only the echoes of my mind People stopping staring I can’t … Continue reading →

Daily snapshots (9/9): Leaving on a jet plane

All my bags are packed I’m ready to go… Cause I’m leavin’ on a jet plane Don’t know when I’ll be back again Oh babe, I hate to go… 日本、またね！I’ll be back as soon as I can… In the meantime, don’t worry Readers! I have a lot of adventures to write up and this blog … Continue reading →

Last day…

It’s my last day at my job today. This year in Hamamatsu has gone by so fast. It feels like just yesterday that I was getting excited about moving here from Nagoya. And when I think that I’ve been in Japan for three years – well that seems hard to believe too. My students have … Continue reading →

Another suitcase in another hall…

It’s moving day today – time to move out of my home of the last year and into a hotel. For the next eleven nights I will be living in a selection of Toyoko Inn hotels. I quite like being in a hotel actually, because I don’t have to do any cooking or cleaning. 😉 … Continue reading →

Love Letter to Japan…

Love Letter to Japan by The Bird and The Bee From the west to the east, I have flown to be near you I have come all this way to be close, to be here with you And now, all my heart I will lay down precisely at your feet My beloved, oh my sweet, … Continue reading →

It’s nothing to do with the earthquake!

Talk about bad timing. This week at school we started announcing my imminent departure. Naturally students are surprised and, as I suspected would happen, I have already been asked a few times: “Are you leaving because of the earthquake???” So I’d just like to clear this up: No. I am not leaving because of the … Continue reading →

Moving update

My shipment of boxes was due to be collected today, but I was doubting that it would all go according to plan after the recent disaster in Japan. Of course, I would have understood my plans having to change but naturally I didn’t want to have to re-plan everything I had already planned so carefully. … Continue reading →