Why don't locals take the default option? What is it about us that we a predisposed to not rate where we are from? I could be making this up, and it is entirely anecdotal, but I find the same thing in Japan as in New Zealand, where we just think the place we grew up …

Locals and the Default Option Read More »

When I was an ALT in Shonai town, I used to play the system in a bit of a sneaky way, but it was the only way I could get my ideas across. Basically, and thankfully, I worked at two junior high schools, and it took me a while to realise this, but I started …

Playing the System Read More »

With ownership comes opportunity. If you own something, you own the rights to what it makes. With ownership comes responsibility. If you own something, you are responsible. With ownership, if you complain, you better do something about it. Without ownership, if you complain, you can't do anything about it. If you don't own anything, you …

Ownership Read More »

Not being able to talk fast enough for the current pace of conversation, and not being able to elucidate yourself, besides the obvious frustration of not having your opinion heard, can be a bit of a struggle for second language learners. But, as with everything, there is a silver lining. And although that silver lining …

The Advantages of not Being Able to Talk Read More »

A few years back I was invited to speak at an event in Sakata called Moshieno University (Moshieno is the word for interesting in Shonai dialect). At the Q&A session at the end, I had a very good question, which was: how were you able to extend your network so much while in Japan? Now, …

Build Your Network and Influence: Networking in Japan Read More »

Japan is covered in weird English in the strangest of places too. T-shirts are the obvious one, but also shop names and signs are plastered with the oddest of expressions that it truly makes you wonder where they came from. One of my personal favourites is from near where I live, where there is a …

What to think about strange English Read More »

Here I am sitting on a bus heading for Hamilton, New Zealand, with a group of about 30 Japanese students. For all of them I imagine it’s their first time to this country, and yet they’re all asleep! Look outside at the beautiful scenery, Huntly’s pretty nice at this time of year. But I guess …

Sometimes you just can’t take the culture out of someone. Read More »