Posted on March 17th, 2010
By Josh
The Japanese people have earned a reputation for themselves of being very hard-working, and perhaps rightly so. Many of them do seem to spend an inordinate amount of time at the office, though whether they are actually working is up for debate. I believe this is why there are so many national holidays in Japan (Around 15). People literally need to be forced to stop working. For most people these official holidays are not enough, though, so there are also many unofficial holidays as well, including those imported from other countries and cultures. One of the joys of being a foreigner in Japan is seeing how the Japanese versions of holidays stack up.
Continue reading A Day to Remember. Twice.
Posted on March 12th, 2010
By Josh
Relocating your life can be a rather harrowing experience, whether it’s to a new country or even just to a new building. This week, for better or for worse, my wife and I experienced the latter. In preparation for our eventual return to the United States, we decided to move to a cheaper place. Housing is normally quite expensive in Japan due to, among other things, a general lack places to put houses. Being married, though, allows us access to a very affordable housing option that would otherwise be unavailable. In Japan, this special accommodation is known as okusan no jikka, or in English: “the in-laws house.”
Continue reading A Moving Experience
