When I first moved to Japan, I was told that sumimasen (excuse me)was the most important word in the Japanese language, but I think douzo (do what makes you feel comfortable; go ahead; after you; and other such phrases) is much more important for daily life in Nagoya. For expats who want to engage and…
As I’m sure everyone is aware, Japan is a chain of islands, many of them tropical. What some people may not be aware of is that this means in the summer it is extremely humid and hot. Many people arrive in Japan during the summer, and those experiencing their first summer in Nagoya always have…
Living with chronic depression just plain sucks. That’s a fact, but you can live. I have found that accepting that being depressed is not your fault and that there may not be any reason other than your body’s chemistry to explain it goes a long way toward getting to a place where you can be…