I don’t know if you’ve heard, but there is a movement happening in Japan right now to get dads more involved in their families’ lives. It’s called the “Ikumen” movement. “Ikumen” is a combination of two Japanese words: ikuji (育児), meaning “childcare,” and ikemen(イケメン), meaning “handsome or gorgeous man.” The whole premise of the movement is that dads should: Take paternity leave to help their … Continue reading What is an Ikumen?
When I decided to go to Japan for the first time, I was nervous!Questions kept circling around in my head. I couldn’t shake them: What is Japan really like? What do the Japanese people like to talk about? How can I become friends with Japanese people? What if I make a big fool of myself? I loved Japan. I loved everyone I had ever met from … Continue reading What do the Japanese think of Americans?
As I stepped off the plane with my fellow volunteers, we looked around at the foreign scene in front of us. Screens saying, “Welcome.” Others saying, “Youkoso!” Was I really in Japan? I was. And no amount of language training had prepared me for the barriers I would face in the weeks to come. I struggled to grasp even a drop of the fire hydrant … Continue reading 8 Tips for the First Week of Student Teaching
Onward! Japanward! 