So I just got back from my nightly midnight snack run to the 7-11 across the street…and you won’t believe who was working behind the counter. A tall, gangly, pony-tail- wearing, white dude. Yeah, seriously. A live, breathing foreigner working at my convenience store! This is totally bizarro for a couple of reasons. 1. I… Read More Something Really Weird Just Happened to Me…
Teaching English in Japan is a challenge. I think that one of the greatest hurdles to overcome as a new teacher here, is coming to terms with the fact that English class isn’t about learning English. If it were, teaching would be lot easier. English class is first and foremost about having fun. It’s… Read More ESL Teaching Tips: How to Discipline Problem Students
I’ve been reading a lot of about “groupism” and “the follow the leader syndrome” in Japan and it’s all sort of mind -boggling. I was reading, for example, that this ice cream company in Tokyo actually hired people to form lines in front of their stores. And even though it was in the middle of… Read More Follow the Crowd
My dear Japan, You are one Hell of a crazy country…and I love you for it. You provide a never-ending supply of funny photo opportunities and for that alone, I’m eternally grateful. I hope that you continue to rock your unselfconsciously tacky, cheeseball style, because it’s inspiring. Really. Happy Thanksgiving! Love from your biggest fan,… Read More Today I Give Thanks to Japan…
Two months ago, a mentally-unstable man that I met on the train in Saitama, took one look at me and announced in a loud, prophetic voice: “You are too young to be in Japan.” Once I got over the shock of being addressed in this manner (in English!) I laughed it off, saying “Buddy, I’m… Read More She’s a Super Freak
Have you ever just been going through the motions of your boring, every day life and all of a sudden you stop dead in your tracks and have this incredible epiphany? That’s been happening to me a lot lately. Living abroad will do that to you. I think it’s because you end up spending a… Read More What I Learned While Eating a Sea Cucumber
I tend to treat my private lessons with my Japanese teacher like therapy sessions. I’ll tell her about how one of my students is abusing me. I’ll show her the bite marks and the bruises and share horror stories involving chalk dust thrown in my eyes and markers hurled at my head. And then I’ll… Read More Teacher Barbie
I’m often the token American in a group of friends, which means I frequently field questions about the inner thoughts and motivations of the “typical American”. This is tough because one, I’m not a typical American, (the fact that I’m writing this from Japan is proof of that) and two, I don’t know what… Read More Are Americans ‘Bad Friends’?
Living in Japan is a really lonely experience. I have a lot of acquaintances here, but few people I can call close friends. This is true of my life in America too, though. I’ve spent so much time abroad that I’ve collected friends like I’ve collected postcards; found and then immediately forgotten. I’m a regular… Read More People I Will Never Know: Thoughts On Meeting People While Traveling
Well, I put in notice at my job yesterday. Which means that soon I’ll be homeless and jobless. While that’s not exactly unfamiliarity territory in the life and times of Reannon, it’s still a little frightening. Especially considering that the average American teenager’s allowance is greater than the amount in my savings account at the… Read More I Quit My Job…and Other Post-Worthy News