#stefaniemuses

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How Many Towels Does One Person Need? (A Hotel Adventure)

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…

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It's noon, sunny. I'm sitting under a cherry blossom tree watching the petals fall around me and blanket green grass. A woman stands by the nearby riverside, singing enka. You'd be hard-pressed to get more Kyoto than this.

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Tape recorder, debate partner, or something in between?

Tape recorder, debate partner, or something in between?

Happy October, everyone! I hope the weather is to your liking– it certainly is to mine. I’m having all the hot tea, all the time. It’s lovely. Anyway, so, teaching! Particularly in ESL/EFL. I’ve taught a wide range of ages since I started, from toddlers up to senior citizens. Every student has their own expectations from their teacher, be it the bare minimum, or something exceeding the usual…

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A year of conscious feedback

A year of conscious feedback

Something I’ve struggled with for ages is the concept of giving feedback to people about their products and services. I’m not sure why; laziness is very likely one part of it. But in the past when I bought things from big-name websites I’d delete their survey emails unread. When at a restaurant I’d be at a loss as to what to put on the questionnaires they passed out. But something’s changed.…

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Walking race: blonde foreigner VS hapless Sagawa deliveryman

Walking race: blonde foreigner VS hapless Sagawa deliveryman

Who else out there is a fast walker? I wouldn’t call myself speedy Gonzales by any means, but I do tend to wind around the multitudes of people in downtown Kyoto, rather than matching their (glacial) pace. The main streets of Kyoto aren’t all that busy before ten AM, mostly thanks to the department stores not yet being open. It’s a great time to wander around, check out the cafes, and get a feel…

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It’s been a bit since I wrote a proper blog post, but I’m going to have one up shortly all about a super long train ride in a couple of hours! :D

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Japan is open as of today

Japan is open as of today

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. (more…)

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Return of Japanglish fashion

Return of Japanglish fashion

Japanglish shirts in 2022. You know, it’s been a while since I found something that sparked so much joy. (more…)

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