Time in Tokyo — 4 months. I arrived to Nagoya, spend some time in Saitama and then settled to Tokyo. I was crying out of excitement on the airplane, it felt so unreal that my Japan dream was finally coming true! Now it just feels like my reality. I blended right in!
Places lived — Calgary, Tokyo
Profession — I dream of opening up the first ever Japanese host club of Canada! Art of conversation is dying. We need to create new real life social channels. I would love to challenge people to converse with strangers over coffee or wine.
Passion — Anime and art. I’ve been into anime ever since I laid my eyes on Sailor Moon for the first time. In comparison to the dry realism of the American cartoons anime is expressive, playful and full of wild twists you would never expect. My favourites include Tokyo Ghoul and Vampire Night. I also admire the over the top artistic self-expression of the Japanese subcultures like the Harajuku girls and the Gyaru! I find the idea of creating a character through your make up and just going through daily life both brilliant and exhilarating.
The Good — I find Japanese men super charming. They’ve got those aesthetic features and that witty yet innocent flirt. They don’t have to be all aggressive about it. They carry themselves cool and charismatic. The family values and traditions are well respected in Japan.
The Bad — In some ways Canada feels more liberated. If you hurt your foot in public there you will shout to high heavens, as in here in Japan people tend to keep it more silent and suppressed. They would actually excuse themselves instead of swearing the world. I’m new here so sometimes I still feel a bit behind the language barrier. I already know four other languages so I’m very confident about learning Japanese too. Until then communication is all about creativity!
Tip — Visit Akihabara Electric Town in Tokyo to experience the maid cafes and host clubs, otaku people, anime and video game shops. Another good spot is Osu District in Nagoya where the annual World Cosplay Summit is held.
If you are still waiting to get to Japan, meanwhile go for free english dubbed / subbed anime online:
http://www.animefreak.tv