Last week, I visited my study abroad alma mater, the Japan Center for Michigan Universities, to talk and answer questions about the JET Program, reverse culture shock, and life “after Japan.” (I’m just glad I made it through the whole thing without once using the JET cliche, “Every situation is different.”) No recording of the… Continue reading

Last month I was invited to give a speech at the “Japanese Language Speech Gathering” in Yatsushiro. I was told to speak on something lighthearted, so I took the occasion to talk about what I anticipated would be an entertaining topic for the audience of mostly older, rural Japanese folks: a Buzzfeed-style list of the the “10 Things That… Continue reading