Japan Survival Guide Point 5 – The Classroom (Part One)

This week on my Japan Survival Guide I am going to approach a topic that is specifically for those aiming to come here and work as an English Teacher. August is fast approaching, and the new JETs all begin in August. You’d have already applied and probably know if you made by now if you …

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World Journeys Podcast Episode 2 [living in Japan]

Today’s podcast continues with our look at living in Japan as a foreigner and today’s guest is the charismatic Dean H. Rueztler, a veteran here in teaching English. Dean talks about his time living in Japan, the things that annoy him about Japan, and the things he loves – especially snow sports. We also talk …

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Japan Survival Guide Point 4 – Food and grocery shopping.

So, you’re coming to live in Japan. You’re going to teach English probably, and you’ll have your own apartment and quite often you’ll be cooking for yourself. What’s that like? What is Japanese food like and what are my choices when I eat out? These are all important questions. Let’s start with self-catering and seamlessly …

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An Evening in Shinagawa

If Shibuya is Tokyo being pretty darned trendy, Shinagawa is Tokyo perhaps getting down to business. Well, my wife told me it was a business district, although to me there seemed to be a few hotels and restaurants there. It features the most impressive, in my opinion, of Tokyo’s stations. There’s a big arched roof …

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World Journeys Podcast Episode One! [living in Japan]

Howdy all! Yes, it has finally arrived! The World Journeys Podcast! I, your humble host, Andrew Boland, will be interviewing and chatting with a number of people this year about travel-related topics, the best of countries, the worst of countries, backpacking, taking a show overseas, the experience of living in another country and so much …

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Fish Markets and Kabuki

I certainly had a busy day yesterday. I visited the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo and took in a single act performance of Kabuki Theatre, then discovered some more of Tokyo’s secrets (that’s for another blog because this one is going to be long enough). My mother-in-law had suggested that I go to the Tsukiji …

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Culture Shock: Part Three – Returning Home.

Today, I am writing about the inevitable reality that almost all travellers face, unless they are travelling professionally that is and when they come home it’s only to say hello, and pack for the next trip. Coming home can be a serious ‘culture’ shock that is not easy to deal with, and I am facing …

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Japan Survival Guide Part 3: Getting around Japan by Rail!

Whether you’re here to live, or here backpacking you are going to have to get from point A to point B somehow. I was considering doing a post all about transport in Japan and including driving, because for many people coming here to live and teach driving is an essential part of the day and …

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