Christina Bell « GaijinPot Blog Network: Japan’s best blogs

Christina Bell's Posts

First Impressions: August 31st, 2009By Christina Bell; When my parents visited Japan a few summers ago, we spent two weeks taking in every major attraction in Tokyo. We made the complete rounds, from Harajuku to Asakusa. In addition to the usual observations about the many startling differences in culture, one statement was repeatedly uttered by my jetlagged, overheated mother. She would stop » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

Mongolian Elvis: August 24th, 2009By Christina Bell; My friend L has this worm, which hitched a ride from Mongolia somewhere in her belly, making her violently ill. Due to a lack of experience with Mongolian worms, her United States doctor had some trouble figuring out what the problem was, which means she has gone several weeks without a diagnosis, much less proper » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

In-Flight Madness: June 2nd, 2009By Christina Bell; We are now reaching the end of the American school schedule, which means that, in the next few weeks, hundreds of expat families will pack up their toddlers and board planes bound for summer vacation destinations. They will also carry with them enough gear to open a daycare center, in the hope that something, anything, » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

Sex, Lies, and Reproduction: May 19th, 2009By Christina Bell; As a teacher, I live and work under the assumption that we never stop learning. All knowledge is worthwhile. Even knowledge that seems irrelevant to our current situation is still input that adds to the general mental database. And, of course, the most valuable learning is that which further shines a light into one’s own » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

The Izakaya Menu: April 16th, 2009By Christina Bell; photo credit: securecat After repeated trips to our local izakaya, my husband and I realized that we consumed exactly the same meal every time we ate there. We had learned from friends how to order yakiudon, yakitori, tofu, and big-size nama biru. It was great until one night when one of us noticed some really » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

Confessions of a Stage Mom: April 8th, 2009By Christina Bell; Today, I finished my day at work, ran out the door to grab my son, Max, and pulled him by the arm to the car so that we could make it to the train station in time to get him downtown for a modeling job. He’s been modeling in Tokyo for three years, so we’ve » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

The Mexican Place in Nishi-Ogikubo: March 24th, 2009By Christina Bell; Have you ever noticed that when you ask people about their experience at a Mexican restaurant in Tokyo, they never give an answer that mentions the food? The conversation goes something like this. Q: “How was dinner at that Mexican restaurant?” A: “They had mariachis!” Or A: “Margaritas were really strong.” El Quixico, in Nishi Ogikubo, falls into second category. » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

Mystery Sticks: March 18th, 2009By Christina Bell; photo credit: sakura_chihaya+ We all have our favorite Tokyo haunts. A lot of us learned about them through friends or colleagues and discovered that these places provide great food in an environment that is expat friendly. While I don’t recommend relying exclusively on these places that fall within a comfort zone, there is always that » Continue Reading; CommentsComments

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