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“I never saw myself as an adult in my own country. I always thought I’d be living abroad because I just didn’t feel like I belong here. I was away for college in the states but had to return due to visa issues. And when I did, everything had changed. People think it’s easy. TheyContinue reading
“My father was screaming at me on the phone a few weeks ago. He said, ‘Get back home to Egypt! I don’t want to see you in a body bag or coffin.’ So I told him I’d be safer in Japan even if I got infected with the coronavirus. Medical treatment is better. Plus I’mContinue reading
“I was born with a disability. I don’t have part of my leg because of a malformation below the knee. It’s like an amputation. So growing up, my parents would always push me to challenge myself. They wanted me to live an active life. If I wanted something, I had to go pick it upContinue reading
“I’m not in the best place in my life right now. I would say I’m blessed, but I don’t feel the best. And now I’ve decided to leave and go back home to Taiwan, partly because of the virus. I came to Japan on a working holiday visa because of my boyfriend, who lives hereContinue reading
“I was babysitting for an American couple when the outbreak happened, and it turned into a two-week, all-expense-paid trip for me. They were based in Shanghai but in Tokyo on holiday. So the lockdown in Shanghai forced them to stay two more weeks and work remotely, while I showed their kids around town. One ofContinue reading
“I had a kidney transplant so I take meds that weaken my immune system, which makes me worried sick about the ongoing pandemic. And I usually take precautions, like wearing gloves, but today I forgot them. That’s what happens when you work so hard. I practically have no social life in Japan. My fellow IndianContinue reading
“I was born and raised in Tokyo. I’ve never been outside Japan and I don’t think I ever will because look at me, I can’t even speak English properly. Plus it’s just too scary abroad. It’s safer here. Also, I prefer to stay put. You know I’ve been doing this electronics store clerk job forContinue reading
“Am I afraid of coronavirus? Hell yeah. I make it a point to wear a mask on crowded trains. Am I gonna let that stop me from serving kebab? Hell no. We’re always open for business, come rain or shine. People still gotta eat after all. Although I realize I’ve been working so much sinceContinue reading
Happy International Women’s Day! 今日は国際女性デー！ To celebrate, here are some of our top posts from women in the last year 🥰❤️ #IWD #IWD2020 #EachforEqual
“I’m from Lithuania and he’s from Nepal. We met while studying in Japan. We never thought we’d stick around after graduating from university, let alone start a family in our adopted country. It’s kinda weird raising what people these days call ‘third culture kids’. Our eldest attends Japanese school and it can get tricky sometimes.Continue reading
“After a year of courting her, I finally got her to say yes to being more than friends two days ago. We’re now officially ‘boyfriend-girlfriend’. Although I’m just visiting Japan while she lives here. So it sucks but we’ll be physically apart when I go back home to the Philippines. It’s going to be aContinue reading
“Sometimes it’s tough being a single mom, especially when you’re abroad. I came here to be with this guy I was in a long-distance relationship with. I left everything behind, my whole life in Jakarta, to find work in a foreign country and live with him. But after six months, we decided to part waysContinue reading
***日本語は下記をご覧下さい ***“My parents were never home when I was a child. They were always doing volunteer work. Mom spent a third of her life in Nepal and dad was all over the place as a researcher, while someone else looked after me. Because of that, I hated how volunteers were good at helping other people,Continue reading
“We’re shooting a TV commercial today. I’m supposed to get punched in the face so I’m not so excited about that. In the past, I used to get cooler roles, like an oil tycoon from the Middle East. They say I look oil rich with my mustache. I don’t do this full-time. Today just happensContinue reading
“I lost my best friend to brain cancer eight years ago. It was one of the toughest periods of my life. Because of that, I shifted from being an economics major to studying biotechnology. Unlike other cancers, it’s extremely difficult to treat brain tumor with chemotherapy because our brain is protected by the blood brainContinue reading
“I must have done five internships in total before getting hired by my company now. I sent dozens of cover letters and resumes to lots of different hiring managers, telling them, ‘Hey, I’m a foreigner and I can only speak conversational Japanese. But I’m willing to work for free for up to six months.’ MyContinue reading
“I wish I could wear a mask because I’m worried about coronavirus. But I can’t since people won’t hear me when I warn them of incoming traffic. The SSS on my arm patch stands for Safety, Security, and Service and I make sure pedestrians pass by smoothly. I can’t do my job if my mouthContinue reading
“I used to get called ‘dark’ or ‘dirty’ and it would bother me a lot. It made me shut myself inside the house, away from people. You see, my father’s Japanese but my mother is Malaysian, so I look this way. Growing up, sometimes random people would say, ‘She’s a foreigner!’ even though I canContinue reading
“What’s it like to be a new dad? It’s like a whirlwind. It just hits you out of nowhere. I’m really happy and excited. Every little thing she does makes us go, ‘Whoa, that’s something new!’ She’s already six months now, and it’s nice to watch her grow and be able to do all theseContinue reading
“When I was young, I spent a lot of time traveling alone and I loved it. Now that I’ve gotten older, I’ve grown tired of it. From a Western perspective, you hear people say, ‘Traveling alone is good. You discover yourself.’ I totally agree. But it also gets boring and lonely. I realized this whenContinue reading
