Real Life Story
Sorry, I’m not American: Postcards from a Trinidadian Teaching in Japan
Not all ALTs come from the Big Five countries.
By Suzanne Bhagan 8 min read
Of Rice and Men: Questions You Never Thought to Ask about Harvesting Japan’s Meal Staple
One writer went around pestering people to find out exactly how much rice could be harvested from a field that measured one tatami mat in size. Here's what he found.
The World’s Oldest Hotel: What It’s Like to Stay at Japan’s Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan
This historic mountain retreat in Yamanashi is over 1,300 years old and has been run by the same family for 52 generations.
The Only Gaijin in the Village: Comfortably Numb
In May 2016 my wife and I moved to rural Japan. I am the only foreigner in the village.
The Only Gaijin the Village: New Year’s Day
In May 2016 my wife and I moved to rural Japan. I am the only foreigner in the village.
The Smartest Answer Isn’t Always the Best One: 5 Tips for ALT Interviews
It's that time again for English teachers in Japan: meeting with new companies, schools and boards of education to secure a new contract. These five tips can help.
The Only Gaijin in the Village: Paint it Black
In May 2016 my wife and I moved to rural Japan. I am the only foreigner in the village.
The Only Gaijin in the Village: Happy When it Rains
In May 2016, my wife and I moved to rural Japan. I am the only foreigner in the village.
The Only Gaijin in the Village: Wuthering Heights
In May 2016, my wife and I moved to rural Japan. I am the only foreigner in the village.
Invisible Gaijin: Postcards from a Non-Japanese Japanese Person Living in Japan
It's a complex question to answer: As an American of Japanese decent, in America, I'm "Japanese," but in Japan — who am I?
The Only Gaijin in the Village: Look into a Glass Onion
The latest chapter! "Women can be stupid, too — don’t get me wrong. I’m an equal opportunities misanthropist — it’s just that men: we do it so well. At full force."
Fighting Stereotypes at School as an Asian ALT
Coming to Japan as an Asian ALT was as eye opening for the students as it was for this writer in Niigata Prefecture.
