Celia Part 1
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Celia Part 1

  Did I mean to kill her? No. Of course not. Am I sad she’s dead? Not really. I didn’t like her, she’d done nothing but make me miserable and/or angry, but she wasn’t a particularly big part of my life. Honestly, I think me killing her is the most important interaction we ever had….

The Best Laid Plans: HAJET Book Club Does Neverwhere
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The Best Laid Plans: HAJET Book Club Does Neverwhere

  At the most recent book club, which took place on December 13th, we covered Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman. A relatively short novel (at least for bibliophiles), coming in at a little under 400 pages, it nevertheless succeeds in painting a Wonderland-esque parallel reality that is rather dark and well-fleshed out. In addition, it is essentially…

The Cheapskate’s Guide to Japanese Travel
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The Cheapskate’s Guide to Japanese Travel

  When travelling in Japan as a tourist, getting around is easy. The rail pass makes travel a breeze and the tourist tracks are clear and well-travelled. However, it is once you become a resident that you realize that travelling within Japan is a lot more convoluted and expensive that it originally seemed, especially if…

“Let’s have a hot bath together, go on, it’ll be fun!”
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“Let’s have a hot bath together, go on, it’ll be fun!”

 Onsen: a short history.   暇つぶし(ひまつぶし)is a Japanese word whose meaning, as a JET, is probably extremely familiar to you by now. It literally translates to “crushed time,” and is the Japanese equivalent of our “killing time.” In my case, killing time at work usually involves drinking copious amounts of coffee that comes in wee…

WATN: Louie Bertenshaw
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WATN: Louie Bertenshaw

    Herzlichen Glückwunsch aus Österreich (or Austria)! I am writing you from what I’ve dubbed the Beverly Hills of Austria– a community far too wealthy for me to be living in, as evidenced by students riding to school in BMWs and Hummers. I am still effectively an ALT, just entirely self-sufficient this time as…

Plight of the Penguins: Should I Stay or Should I Go
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Plight of the Penguins: Should I Stay or Should I Go

  I’ve just signed my reappointment papers. Well, by the time this is published, it won’t be “just,” but you get the idea: I’ve made my mind up: I’m staying for another year. If a woman were to get knocked up right now, she could carry the baby to full term, birth it, realistically travel…

善哉 Zenzai: Japanese Red Bean Soup
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善哉 Zenzai: Japanese Red Bean Soup

    It’s the year of the Monkey and in celebration here is something sweet to eat!   Zenzai is a dessert that can be enjoyed year round and, of course, in winter it is served hot. In some parts of Japan, zenzai or oshiruko お汁粉 (the more watery version of zenzai) is served as…