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Hokkaido Hillary: May 2008
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Tuesday, May 27, 2008. I just finished reading the cover story. Of this week's New York Times Sunday Magazine. If you are too lazy to click on the link provided then I will sum up the article as this: An established New York City blogger suffers an internal meltdown due to overexposure and scrutiny in the public eye and stops blogging. But somehow I was left feeling like the character who is scrutinized by an entire suburban community in Little Children. The title of my blog is Hokkaido Hillary. So I wan...
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Hokkaido Hillary: November 2007
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Thursday, November 15, 2007. Note: Today was the first big snow (雪) in Iwamizawa. I imagine there is lots more to come! Posted by Hillary R. Sunday, November 11, 2007. On Monday I went into work as usual. Because every Monday I spend the day sitting at my computerless desk at the Sorachi Board of Education, reading books, writing letters, and attemping to study Japanese. But this Monday was special. We lined up about 40 across on each side of the road and began waving our flags at incoming traffic. S...
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Hokkaido Hillary: July 2007
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Monday, July 30, 2007. Donutsu Ga Suki Desu Ne! But let me back track a bit. I left New York on July 23rd and spent 5 days in Los Angeles searching for Perez Hilton in every Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf I could get my hands on! However, I could not find the gourd of a gossip anywhere! I did manage to see Haylie Duff walking down Robertson, and Sharon Stone hop into a Mercedes with no make-up on, wearing a trench coat in 90 degree weather. Hmm. Ah, the plane. JAL is pretty sweet! 10 hours and 40 minutes later...
hokkaidohillary.blogspot.com
Hokkaido Hillary: Culture Shock
http://hokkaidohillary.blogspot.com/2007/12/culture-shock.html
Saturday, December 1, 2007. I woke up this morning and the little cartoon ghost that bounces around my cell phone screen was wearing a Santa Claus hat and sleeping under a Christmas tree. I cannot believe that it is already December 1st and I have been in Japan for 3 months and 3 days! But amidst the bad, there is a whole lot of good. I had a fabulous time in Tokyo. Dog attire is mandatory for a day out at Venus Fort. Here is a short video I took of one of the dogs in Venus Fort. I went to a super-hip-ye...
hokkaidohillary.blogspot.com
Hokkaido Hillary: March 2008
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Friday, March 28, 2008. From what I could gather, most people seem to respond to the news with pure nonchalance. Some seem ecstatic for the change. My supervisor is moving 4 hours away from his wife and children and referred to going back to "single life". He said this with a smile on his face. This week has been devoted to honoring those who are changing jobs. Last night was the ultra-fancy soubetsu-kai. The chairs at our dinner tables were even upholstered in white lace. All in all the evening was plea...
hokkaidohillary.blogspot.com
Hokkaido Hillary: Sayonara Blog World
http://hokkaidohillary.blogspot.com/2008/05/sayonara-blog-world.html
Tuesday, May 27, 2008. I just finished reading the cover story. Of this week's New York Times Sunday Magazine. If you are too lazy to click on the link provided then I will sum up the article as this: An established New York City blogger suffers an internal meltdown due to overexposure and scrutiny in the public eye and stops blogging. But somehow I was left feeling like the character who is scrutinized by an entire suburban community in Little Children. The title of my blog is Hokkaido Hillary. So I wan...
hokkaidohillary.blogspot.com
Hokkaido Hillary: December 2007
http://hokkaidohillary.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.html
Wednesday, December 26, 2007. Merry Kurisumasu (クリスマス). Today it is Christmas in America but it is already the day after Christmas in Japan. And, furthermore, it is really the day after the day after this country's customary Christmas festivities. As my friend Emma later informed me, all of these people were in line to buy FRIED CHICKEN. And several food establishments that do not normally sell fried chicken, were putting it on display for eager buyers that day! But contradictory to the above statement, ...
hokkaidohillary.blogspot.com
Hokkaido Hillary: September 2007
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Thursday, September 27, 2007. Christmas Cake and Christmas Burgers. This notion returned a week later when I headed to my dry cleaners to get a pair of pants mended. I had prepped myself with vocabulary words related to "holes in pants" and "Are you also a tailor? As I waited she asked me tons of questions in Japanese, including "How old are you? I told her I was 25 and she said "Are you in Japan alone? However, I think better than describing my adventures in Hakodate, it is best to just visit my Flickr.
hokkaidohillary.blogspot.com
Hokkaido Hillary: August 2007
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Thursday, August 23, 2007. The majority of the Sapporo orientation focused on presentations revolving around the understanding and the acceptance of differences between Japanese and Western cultures and how to integrate internationalization into the local communities. Within these lectures, were a handful of caveats about how we, as foreigners, are indoubtedly going to be perceived, and how to go about not stepping on any toes, while still remaining true to ourselves in this foreign place. Too strong for...