After months of procrastination, I tried something different this morning

Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Turkish, French, Italian and Norwegian

How expectations and confidence can shape learning

What happens when an adult tries to learn a language the natural way?

Everything feels different now, and I’m not sure I like it

Navigating disagreement, values and relationships in 2026

日曜日にほぼ5年ぶりにイギリスに行きます。 かつては好きなものを食べたり、好きな場所に行ったりできるのが楽しみで仕方ありませんでしたが、今回は特にそう思っていません。逆に、日本の料理などが食べられなくてちょっと残念だなと思います。そう考えると、すっかり日本に馴染んだんだなと思います。 不安もあります。 向こうにいる間に、病院に行かないといけなかったら、どうしよう？　 道路で変な男の人に話しか...

Trusting that you’re improving when you can’t see it every day

Reflections on belonging after twenty-four years in Japan

What I wish I had known 24 years ago

Preparing for an overland journey across Asia

An honest look at language, life, and long-term residency

And how to pass N1 — the highest level of the JLPT

Improving when you’re advanced is perhaps the biggest hurdle of all

A Glimpse into the World of Japanese ‘Baito’

投稿について / Guidelines For Contributing

Why I write in Japanese

The reality of starting over in a new place

The importance of trusting your own voice and instincts

What makes the beginning so hard and how to keep going

Connection isn’t something others owe you. It’s something you learn to build.

Getting my first “baito” in Japan

Life in the Japanese Countryside

Simple, practical ideas to keep students engaged

Anxiety won’t quite settle

Daily life is interspersed with moments that make you chuckle

Why you can understand every word and still be confused

Driving the length of the country

Moving 2000km north in Japan

Choosing a property to rent in northern Japan

But I’m still trying to believe we’ll get through it

Life in the Japanese Countryside

YouTube video by Ever North

A quiet decision, years in the making

Learn vocabulary in context

YouTube video by ANNnewsCH

Living long-term in a language that isn’t yours

YouTube video by Ever North

YouTube video by Ever North

YouTube video by Ever North

Ten and a half weeks before a life-changing move north

At the edge of the unknown

The practical benefits of Japanese orderliness

The fine line between accountability and pressure

The climate agenda keeps being hijacked, over and over again

Just another morning in rural Japan

From the strange to the everyday

Lessons from 23 years in Japan and a lifetime of language learning