11/3/11 - two years later.

Right now, I am sitting in my parents' kitchen in North Wales, warming my hands on the radiator and planning my return to Prague, where I currently live. The snow swirling around through the window reminds me of some of the images on screen two years ago today.

I was sitting in the teachers' room at my main junior high school, writing my "About Me" page for this very blog, when the ground started to sway. It didn't feel like an earthquake - it was more like a giant ship swaying back and forth. I glanced up at the secretary and asked "Jishin?" She nodded. A few second year girls cowered on the floor and squealed, one of them holding her arms over the others and shouting "I am desk!" for my benefit, while Mr Ohuchi, the English teacher, yelled "Urusai! (Shut up)" The ground continued to sway, and a siren started to sound. Panic gripped my stomach as my Facebook newsfeed was flooded with messages - "Earthquake!" "OMG, there are cracks in the ground in Tokyo!" "They say a big tsunami is coming!"

At that point, I wasn't sure of where the earthquake was centred. The ground continued to sway, and nobody thought to translate the message on the loudspeaker for the ALT - I caught the words for earthquake and tsunami, though, and knowing that the Hamamatsu was expecting a massive earthquake and was on the coast, I couldn't help but worry. I picked up my phone to text Jeff, my boyfriend, and see if he was OK - but the phones had stopped working.

A New Direction

Hey there!


So, I have decided to finally pursue something that's been important to me for a long time... making the world a better place. Maybe I can't cure any diseases or stop war (yet), but what I know I can do is make people happier by helping them to focus.


What am I talking about? Well, I was always the person who people came to advice. I studied Psychology, volunteered with counselling services and even completed a certification in counselling. My plan had always been to start my own business using these skills in some way, but after taking a weekend taster in Life Coaching, I got a good feeling that this was something I wanted to do.


Don't get me wrong - I love teaching, and I'll still do it to make ends meet! And, of course, I try to incorporate compassion and good listening into my teaching anyway. But I need to help people change and grow, while I experiment with what makes me really happy, too. Japan was an amazing, amazing way for me to learn about myself and the world, become stronger and more open-minded and just really grow. I'll never stop travelling, and will never stop encouraging others to follow their dreams and get out there, too.


You can now find me at Make Life Magic: Blog! and Find your Magic Life Coaching- where I hope to bring useful tips for making life a little bit more awesome. Sometimes it'll be ways to help you manage your time, alleviate stress and relax. Sometimes there'll be tips for starting your own business, and sometimes there'll just be wonderful recipes (because you are what you eat - so eat great things!). As well as asking probing and encouraging questions, as a life coach I will try to load you up with the most useful resources that I can find! 


So, for regular bits of inspiration, advice and magic, head over to my other blog. You can also subscribe to my lovely newsletter - full of even more tips, links to products and websites that you might not know about, and special offers! I'll love you forever if you do. Also, if your own life is in a bit of a spin and you need some direction, don't hesitate to email me - it doesn't matter where you are, as Skype sessions are very effective too!

The Post-Japan Blues...

It's a funny feeling, returning to the "real world" after Japan. I say that because no longer do my days consist of bumping into large anime characters on the street, of underwear vending machines at the bottom of baseball fields, or of smirking at boys in pink trousers and old women reading porn on the bus. When I look back on my time in Japan, and reflect on the things that I miss, they certainly aren't the same things that I expected to miss.

While expecting to crave okonomiyaki and melon soda, I find myself quite apathetic. At a recent Manchester restaurant, Jeff and I were excited to munch on tempura and sip on green tea while using chopsticks and reading hiragana out loud to our nonplussed friends, but overall I find that the relief at having real bread and cheese and pizza and cups of tea back in my life overshadows any pangs I might occasionally feel for silky fresh tofu and squishy, powdered mochi.

Prague vs Hamamatsu: Round 1

Hey there, folks. It's been a long time, but I'm very excited to see that I'm still getting page views and comments.

As you know, I'm not in Japan anymore. It's sad. Sometimes I really, really miss being there so much that I want to cry, and other times I think how glad I am to be away.

Well, here I am in Prague, and while we all might like to pretend we don't compare our hot new lover to our previous one, it's only natural to draw up a little list of similarities and differences in our heads. Right? Well, this is what I've been doing recently with Prague and Hamamatsu, anyway. I would say the Czech Republic vs Japan, but I haven't seen enough of this country to truly decide. So, let's take a look at some of my recent observations...

1 - Restaurants

This...

I'm in Prague...

Hey, everyone. So, as you know, I left Japan. It saddened me to do so, but there we go. However.... this is NOT the end. Firstly, I have a few untold stories and unpublished photos from my days in Japan that I can still upload. I will return again, and I will keep posting other Japan-related things when I can - news stories, observations, little pieces of Japan in other countries. For example, there's a Japanese import store in Prague that I'm interested in visiting.

However, for now - you will notice that I've put a button on the top titled "Prague Blog". Please click it and follow the link to my NEW, shiny blog! Or you can click here - http://thepraguething.wordpress.com ! :)

Things I will (and won't) miss about Japan!

OK, take a deep breath, Gwynnie.... it's time to write that list. And, unlike the "Things I'll miss" post about the U.K. that I wrote before coming to Japan, this time it will actually be easy for me to list three things. Well, more than three... many, many more. Writing this list is admitting to myself that I'm leaving in only three days. My stomach is in knots, there's a lump in my throat that comes back every time I acknowledge this fact. On Facebook, newbies are getting excited about their new journey to Japan, stressing out but mostly anticipating their new adventure... and as they come, I leave, with a melancholy sigh, before turning my eyes to the gorgeous city of architecture, culture and cheap beer that awaits me.

Inspired by the rather marvellous blog 1000 Things About Japan, I have decided to weave in things I WON'T miss about Japan... perhaps in an attempt to ease my sadness, perhaps in an attempt to give a balanced view, perhaps just because I feel like it. Then again, sometimes it's the things that annoy us that we end up missing, in our own perverted, masochistic little ways. I do suspect that a part of me will long to hear shrill calls of "irasshaimaseeeeee" when I enter shops or restaurants. So, here goes....

Ryugashidou - 竜ヶ岩洞 - Cool Caves in Hamamatsu

Are you tired of being drenched in sweat from the simple act of standing still? Is your electricity bill unnaturally high due to the constant pumping of cool air into your apartment? If you're experiencing summer in Japan, this is highly probable. Well, never fear, for I have found a day trip that will keep you cool and let you save that little bit extra on your utilities bill.The Ryugashi Caves - 竜ヶ岩洞 - are located north of Hamamatsu, and are cool in both senses of the word. One Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago, Jeff and I jumped on a bus and headed up there.