A fufilling interpretation

I feel that one of the factors that contribute to a fulfilling interpretation is having enough time to prepare for it, and having the words you prepared coming up in the actual interpretation.

I received news that a school from overseas would come down to my prefecture to look at our horticulture. There was a lot to study as I knew nothing about horticulture – both in Japanese as well as my native English language.

After a week of intensive studying – coupled with many

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Torazakana’s Food Lifestyle

I am a person who eats to live, and not one who lives to eat. Anyone who knows me well enough can tell you that I sometimes grumble about why humans require food to survive.

It has been more than 10 months since I arrived here and started living by myself. When I first came here, my lunch was food from my work canteen, and my dinner was something off the ready-made bento rack from the nearby supermarket most of the time. I gradually grew sick of my dinner bentos after a couple of months and decided to

Falling Sick

My throat started hurting, and then it turned into a cold – with chills, headache, slight pain in joints and a hint of a fever. I couldn’t think straight and felt cold even though the temperature was at 29 degrees. Had to use two hours of 代休 (off in lieu) and leave work at 15:00 to crash into bed – but not before texting BF to help buy me some sandwiches for dinner. At about 17:30, BF came over with not only sandwiches but soba and salad – as well as a hamburg bento set for himself. He also got me this Oral Rehydration Solution that is supposed to taste good when you’re sick but awful when you’re well. It tasted good. Damn.

We watched a couple of

The Habit of Tracking Expenses

I have been tracking my expenses quite successfully for about a year in my home country before coming to Japan. I would diligently key in whatever I have purchased straight after I bought them, or kept receipts to enter them in later. I did all these because I read that a person who is in control of their financial situation has a much better control of their life overall. However, after coming to Japan, I stopped doing this. Reason being I did not

GW4 – Cool Biz has started

It is Golden Week, and I am in my office – for the morning – as I have presentation slides to finish up. In addition, today is the first day of Cool Biz here! It will last until the 31st of October. Cool Biz is a campaign that was initiated by the Ministry of the Environment back in 2005 to save electricity by having everyone dress in an attire more appropriate for summer – instead of the usual neckties and suits, to allow the air conditioner’s temperature to be set at 28 degrees (temperature might vary from office to office). I was surprised to see that polo shirts are allowed here! However, formal wear will of course still be required during formal events.

GW3 – Using a Menstrual Cup

My period came. On the start of Golden Week. At first, I was annoyed – of all days! However, later I realised that there’s no better time than to try out my menstrual cup that I bought from Amazon a few months back.

For those who do not know what a menstrual cup is, it is an alternative to pads and tampons. It is first folded and pinched, then inserted into the vagina. Once inserted, it will often unfold automatically and create a seal against the vaginal walls. However, it is recommended that you twist the cup a little to ensure that it is fully open. Most cups are shaped like a bell with a stem and made of flexible silicone. They collect the menstrual fluid rather than absorbing it and should be emptied once every 6-12 hours (depending on your flow and cup size). It is also reusable for a couple of years – numbers vary according to how you care for it, and the quality of your cup.

I read that it will take some people three months (three periods) to get used to using the cup, so I prepared myself for the worst. It also costs quite an amount of money – especially if you buy it in Japan. I typed in “生理カップ” on Amazon, and most

How to sort and handle trash to prevent bugs in Japan

A big hello to those who are about to step into Japan, the country that has a reputation for crazy trash sorting!

I am here to tell you that you will most likely receive a huge poster or a guidebook in English that explains how to sort the trash, so not to worry! It is different from prefecture to prefecture, and even for places within the prefecture, so it is best to refer to your own guide. Some places are strict, others less so.

Most items can be sorted into burnable and non-burnable waste. They will only be collected on certain days of the week. Food waste, which can be classified under burnable, rot faster in the summer. I suggest that you