“I’m a bit of a control freak. But for someone who needs to plan everything, I just went with the flow when I came to Japan. I was considering two options after finishing university back home in Spain: unpaid internships that may lead to an actual position or go abroad and learn languages. I remember thinkingContinue reading Stick to Your Guns
“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
“I’m half-Japanese, half-American and I still get frustrated by the same questions from people, who may have intended it in a nice way, but is touching upon this microaggression. Just the other day, my Japanese grandmother’s sisters and their friend who’s literally known me since the day I was born, said, ‘Oh you’re so gaijinContinue reading Homogeneous Culture
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “I like telling women’s stories and I think Japan is a very interesting place for that because the feminist movement is not as progressive as other countries. I come from a fairly liberal country in terms of women’s rights (although we’ve got issues as well, like all countries do). In New Zealand, we’ve justContinue reading Feminism in Japan
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “I grew up in post-communist Romania, which is so different from when my parents were growing up in the 80s. It was a tough time. They’d get about two hours of television per day, with one hour dedicated to propaganda. Even though people had money, they couldn’t buy anything because there was literally nothingContinue reading Passion and Patience
**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
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “When he got a job offer in Japan, I must admit I wasn’t so crazy about the idea. Sure, we were looking for a change and to go overseas. But seeing how Japanese people are shown as workaholics in the news, I was reluctant to move here. We thought their strict work culture wouldContinue reading Starting a Family
**日本語訳は下をご覧ください** “When my father died of lung cancer, I realized I needed to do something with my life. He dedicated his entire life to his family and left nothing for himself. My mom once told me he didn’t buy clothes for himself for years, so his kids could have a good education. Thanks to himContinue reading Live Life With No Regrets
**日本語訳は下の方ご覧ください** “I’m half-Swiss, half-Bolivian, and my first contact with Japan was when I was working in the fashion industry in Hong Kong. My boss, who was Japanese, introduced me to high-end denim products that just blew my mind. It was the kind of quality and craftsmanship people pay top dollar for. He also showed meContinue reading Two Faces of Fashion
**日本語訳は下にあります** “I’m from a small town in Austria, half an hour from Vienna. So Tokyo is a very new experience for me. It’s crowded but people respect each other. And their level of trust is amazing. My friend lost her wallet while we were out shopping but we got it back. We went to theContinue reading Halloween Cosplay
**日本語訳は下にあります** “This is where my story starts. It’s Saigon 1975 and there were huge events happening. In America, there were many people protesting the war in Vietnam. For the Vietnamese like my mother and father, they were trying to find any way to find a better life. So my dad decided the only way toContinue reading Setting Sail From a Safe Harbor
**日本語訳は下にあります** “The decisions in my life that I don’t regret are the ones I didn’t really have to make. They were just obvious, like following my instincts. Coming to Japan is one example. I was traveling around Japan after graduating from university in France. When I got back from holiday, Paris, the city I loveContinue reading Just Another Way
