**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** We always wanted to make a podcast and where we can take advantage of the international environment of our university.We wanted to create a platform for people to come together and talk about Japan from an international perspective. That’s basically what we want Bento Bureau to be. Everything is done by students who areContinue reading Bento Bureau
An Overseas Opportunity
**日本語訳は下の方ご覧ください** “I’ve been thinking about working in Japan after finishing my studies. After all, I’m already here and know the customs well enough, so I might as well try my luck. And besides, there’s not much work related to my field (biochemistry) back home in Peru anyway. That’s why I came to Japan to doContinue reading An Overseas Opportunity
All Revved Up
“It blows my mind that I get to fly on other people’s dimes to travel the world, taking pictures, filming and driving cars. I was a rocket scientist at NASA before but knew I wasn’t designed to be an engineer. Just too much routine tasks and lots of red tape in corporate America. I keptContinue reading All Revved Up
Estranged Nikkei
“I grew up in a predominantly Mexican and Italian neighborhood with a lot of immigrant workers. I was one of the only Asians, so growing up everyone saw me as Japanese. To other people Japanese was my identity and I represented Japan. I was frustrated that despite being seen as Japanese I couldn’t speak theContinue reading Estranged Nikkei
Shape Your World
“I used to be an accountant so there’s a voice telling me to take calculated risks. But Japan is really the safest place in the world. I try to convey that. People don’t believe that it could actually be that safe. You have nothing to fear, except perhaps, if you hate certain types of food.Continue reading Shape Your World
It Ain’t Easy
“It’s not easy living in Japan as a foreigner. If you can’t speak Japanese then your options can be limited. You may find it hard to rent an apartment. If you’re not a native English speaker then you’re instantly not eligible to apply for the bulk of jobs readily available to foreigners, which is EnglishContinue reading It Ain’t Easy
Time Out Tokyo
Time Out Tokyo recently blogged about Tokyo Interlopers. Check out Tokyo Interlopers, a local version of ‘Humans of New York’ Meet Tac, 15-year-plus resident of Japan and the founder of Tokyo Interlopers, a project focused on telling the stories of Tokyo’s non-Japanese residents. Think ‘Humans of New York’ (HONY) meets Tokyo meets foreigners, with slightlyContinue reading Time Out Tokyo
Testing the Waters
“The bizarre thing about me being in Japan is that I keep coming back here even though I associate it with a few unpleasant moments in my life. It was never Japan’s fault, but bad things kept happening back in Europe while I was here. 2015 was not a great year for me. More thanContinue reading Testing the Waters
Jobs in Japan
“If you’re a foreigner in Japan and you’ve got qualifications then there’s an incredible amount of opportunities out there for you, especially in Tokyo. It’s easy to get jobs right now with any kind of IT skill. “I came to Japan in 2005 and taught English for a few years till I realized I wasContinue reading Jobs in Japan
Uncharted Territory
When Yena decided to venture into terra incognita and learn English in the Philippines at the tender age of 11, it wasn’t without some trepidation. “It was my mom’s suggestion,” she says, attributing the boom in studying abroad to the inexorable force of globalization. Although it felt a bit sudden, she recalls thinking “it wasContinue reading Uncharted Territory