“Whenever people ask me if my life in Japan is tough, I tell them it is when you don’t have money. But compared to when I was growing up in Nepal, life here is cushy. We didn’t have water, electricity or gas on the mountain where we lived, and I used to walk for twoContinue reading Twist of Fate
“Being Japanese and Malaysian Indian is what makes me who I am. Before, I used to think I’m just Japanese and it just so happens that I am half Malaysian. For a long time, I knew nothing about Malaysian Indian culture. Now, being Malaysian Indian is a stronger part of my identity, even though IContinue reading The Odd One Out
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “It’s perfectly okay to be single. As women, we are supposed to marry, maybe have a kid and manage the office as well as the house. But that comes later on, why do you want to waste these precious years cribbing over someone or something which you didn’t have much control over anyway. JustContinue reading Single Ladies
“I had difficulties finding a job in the beginning and I knew it would be tough for me to fit in a Japanese working environment. One problem being my nose piercing. At my first job, my superiors didn’t appreciate me working in customer service with a nose piercing. So I had to go through ridiculousContinue reading Foodie Tours
“My dad always used to say, ‘Be competent in whatever you do, don’t worry about the result, be it marks, money or whatever’. I sincerely believe that curiosity is maybe the best thing which can happen to a person. I used to be a very inquisitive kid from 5 to 15. I regret losing thatContinue reading Inquisitive Disposition
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “When I moved to Tokyo two years ago, it took some adjusting. It was the first time to move far away from family and close friends, and I also got out of a relationship. I kept telling myself that I’m fine, but really, I just avoided having time alone. I told myself that theContinue reading Spare Capacity
“My first time abroad, I got robbed. I was doing an internship in France when I decided to go to Pamplona to see Spain’s bull run. Coming from India, I’m always careful with my wallet, but just not that day. I instantly regretted it after a thief used a blade to slash open my pocketContinue reading Pay it Forward
“It’s kind of strange that a Greek guy came to Japan thanks to Japan-Sweden relations. I was studying in a Swedish university and somehow by stroke of luck, we got a chance to visit Japan and we liked the place. We applied for a job here, and to be honest, the company had never interviewedContinue reading Cacophony of Chatter
“I was heartbroken and a bit bored of my finance job in London so I decided to do some soul-searching while exploring the world for a couple of months. I found myself in South East Asia then Japan. A week before leaving, I met an Indonesian girl at a bar after she noticed I hadContinue reading Same Love
“When my husband got a job offer in Japan, I was working in advertising as a designer and account manager in Mexico. It was super cool that he found a great job at good company, doing what he loves. But while I supported the decision to move here, what about me? What am I supposedContinue reading Staying True to Yourself
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “I’m a very shy person. I’m so self-conscious. In my head I always think, `Oh I shouldn’t have said that,’ or `what if this person doesn’t like me?’ But now with Muay Thai, I feel like I can accomplish anything. I have focus when I step into the ring. I stop worrying about whoContinue reading Muay Thai
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** Being pregnant three times in Japan, I felt a lot of societal pressure. It’s not unusual to have to quit your job and take time to prepare to become a mother, so that your central focus can be your child. In New Zealand, where I’m from, you can be pregnant, give birth, have yourContinue reading Great Expectations
