As of October 11, 2022, Japan is finally, finally allowing individual tourists back into the country, and I am breathing a huge sigh of relief.
Continue reading “Japan is open as of today”
Tag: stefaniemuses
Return of Japanglish fashion
You know, it’s been a while since I found something that sparked so much joy.
Continue reading “Return of Japanglish fashion”A very belated hello to 2022.
Also, hello to people who pop in to check out this blog! How’s it going? I know it’s been awfully quiet over here since the start of NaNoWriMo, but December happened in a blink.
Wait, January is already over?
Two blinks.
…It’s almost March?
Three blinks.
Anyway. How has everyone been? I know it’s been quite a while since the New Year Holidays, but did you enjoy yours? Are you staying warm? Healthy?
Let’s just both grab a hot beverage of our choice and then we can talk about how my past couple of months have been, as well as what I hope to achieve with this blog in the upcoming months.
Continue reading “A very belated hello to 2022.”
You all right over there?
I’m going to talk about the past year and a half, so if you’re not interested in something that is related to current events, you might want to skip this post.
Continue reading “You all right over there?”
How Many Towels Does One Person Need? (A Hotel Adventure)
Like most people, I haven’t been in a hotel in about two years (the photo you see is from 3+ years prior). But necessity pushed me into the unenviable position of having to book a hotel room for a few days during the height of travel season. The necessity? My air conditioner breaking.
That’s another story.
My stay in the hotel has reminded me of a lot of things. What it feels like to use facilities that aren’t your own. How nice it is to have someone else doing the cleaning for you. The awkwardness of timing yourself so that you don’t have to share an elevator with anybody else. That sort of thing.
And, of course, the cleaning wars with the housekeeping staff.
Continue reading “How Many Towels Does One Person Need? (A Hotel Adventure)”
Summer and all that entails
I’ve walked the Kamogawa so many times now that every little change there catches my attention. There are regular birds that I spot in their normal places, and new families (ducklings!) that I realize are new with delight. I witness the building of the dining balconies every year as restaurants prepare for hot summer nights… and their removal when everyone wants to withdraw from the cold. There are pet owners that I look forward to spotting, some with animals that made me do a double-take the first time I saw them.
The other day, for the first time, I saw a snake in the river.
Continue reading “Summer and all that entails”
Less nose-gazing (hana-mi), more flower-gaping (hanami)
Today was a beautiful one, with a high of 20 degrees Celsius. Walking along the street, I saw a parent and child coming up the opposite way. The child was blowing big, fat bubbles into the air, and the wind kept sweeping them back the way the child had come. Unfortunate for the child, but I got to enjoy the fruit of their labors–walking surrounded by bubbles that caught the afternoon light, reflecting the cherry blossoms in full bloom.
Continue reading “Less nose-gazing (hana-mi), more flower-gaping (hanami)”It’s finally almost 2019!
Hello, all! I’m here with my report from under the kotatsu. It’s chilly outside, I’ve got hot tea and mikan in arms’ reach, and in less than 24 hours we will be in the new year. Can you believe it? I don’t know about you, but I’m very excited about that!
2019 will be the Year of the Pig. According to a friend of a friend, this is a great time to take the plunge on something Big you’ve been planning on for a while, be it a relationship, moving, changing jobs, or whatever else might be going on with you.
So for today, I will reflect on what made 2018 great, and what I hope to achieve in 2019.
Won’t you join me?
Workarounds that work for you- travel
“So, what are you doing for vacation this time?” my coworker asks.
“I’m going abroad.” I frown. “Ugh, I still need to pack.”
“Don’t we all. Where you flying out of? Itami? KIX?”
“Narita,” I say offhandedly.
The look on my coworker’s face each time is priceless.
The rise of “My Choco”
Around this time last year, I brought up the idea of “being romantic to yourself.” Back then, I had two or three students that told me (amidst giggles hidden behind a hand) that they’d gone to the department store and bought $100 chocolates… all for themselves! What scandal; what deliciousness! I’d thought it was a cool idea, and didn’t give it a lot more thought.
Stefanie, What?! 