From the English to the Japanese countryside.

Every month I write a little article for the local Asahi newspaper. It's a really good way to explain more about 'real English life' and dispel some of the stereotypes that some people have (eg people all drink tea and walk around with umbrellas under their arm!) Here's this month's entry:

I have been in Japan for nearly 18 months now. However, even now, I encounter many things which are different from England – whether it is something at school, the supermarket or a restaurant. There are so many things that are different from Japan that it is impossible to mention them all here!

However, here is a list of 5 things that I miss about England (excluding friends and family):

Roast beef and Yorkshire Pudding: This is a traditional English dish consisting of a nice big piece of roasted beef, vegetables and a special pancake (Yorkshire pudding). It is cooked in a big oven for about 4 hours and then covered in gravy. We usually eat it on Sundays. Oishiii!!!!!

Understanding what everyone is saying!! It is a very humbling experience when you cannot understand what people are saying to you, and cannot articulate your thoughts accurately when having a conversation with someone. In England, I am no longer the foreigner and everyone speaks my language.

English countryside: My parents live in the Southwest of England. Down there nearly all the fields are full of sheep and cows. A walk out in the open on a Sunday afternoon is one of the most refreshing things. It’s beautiful! If you ever come to England please go there.

Eating European style: In Europe we enjoy eating outside, especially when the weather is fine. There is nothing like eating and drinking on a cool summers’ evening down by the sea.

Shopping in Brighton: For the first 8-9 months I had a great difficulty in understanding what anything was! I can now read hiragana and katakana completely and I have learnt over two hundred kanji characters. However I still have difficulty reading what a product is. Sometimes I just have to guess! So I miss the ‘hassle-free’ element of shopping back home.

But this winter holiday I am not going back to England, as there is still so much more of the world which I would like to see. Instead, I am going to Sri Lanka to met up with my family and girlfriend who are traveling from England. More next month…