Collected moments
Stories of becoming, belonging, and finding home between two countries.
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Having lived in Japan for more than a decade and being married to an American citizen, I have had the opportunity to experience and observe the stark contrast in language, expression, individuality, and uniformity as distinctive characteristics of both countries. In Japan, people are taught to follow the rules without question, maintain 平和 (heiwa)—peace—through conformity, and […]
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In the USA, most homes have large trash bins that people roll out to the curb on collection day. The garbage truck uses a mechanical arm to grab the bin, lift it, empty it, and place it back—all in just a few seconds. No one even has to get out of the truck! In Japan, […]
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After I handed the lady the copies she asked me to make that very day, I couldn’t help but think that I could have simply done them later and submitted them during my second interview. But again, I reminded myself that they had their procedures, and I just needed to get it done. After that, […]
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Even now, I keep thinking about what I wrote on that test paper. Was it enough? Did I pass? Or did I fail again? I honestly don’t know. When I finished the test, the lady collected my papers and told me that they wouldn’t be checking my answers or telling me the results. The test […]
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The timer started. I had exactly 20 minutes. The first section required me to read a passage aloud. After that, I had to convert hiragana into katakana and katakana into hiragana. This time, I felt much more confident. For the past year, I had practiced writing katakana over and over again. I must have written […]
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The elderly gentleman led me to one of the small rooms in the middle. He took his seat and motioned for me to sit across from him. A glass barrier separated us. Today’s appointment was for the 受付—the formal acceptance and review of my naturalization application. I placed my bag on the empty chair beside me […]
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Today, Wednesday, July 29, 2026, was my second attempt at becoming Japanese. I was scheduled to go to the Legal Affairs Bureau in Fukuoka City at 1:00 in the afternoon. Because of the modified train schedule caused by yesterday’s earthquake, I decided to take the bus instead. I didn’t want to risk missing my appointment. […]
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1. Teachers in Japan do not have a permanent school assignment. They change schools. They can only teach in one school for three to four years the longest. They have to move to another…
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What to give/receive In the Philippines, Valentine’s is more on flowers – roses as the main star. With matching teddy bears and chocolates on the side. And love letters too. In Japan, it’s mainly…
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1. Japanese Sense of Nationalism First of all, I observed that Japanese people are very nationalistic. They love everything about their country and they are very proud to be Japanese. I am sure I…
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