I moved to Japan in 2008. I hadn't found a job at home in the US, and I decided to have an adventure instead. I worked at a big-name eikaiwa and couldn't stand it, but realized I like working with kids. I teach at an international preschool/kindergarten now, and most of the time I like it a lot.

I haven't a clue how long I want to stay in Japan anymore - originally this was a one year side trip. Eventually I want to go home, but I haven't decided when exactly eventually is.

I graduated with the intention of working in Forensic Science. Lately though, I've been exploring routes to a teaching license in the US. My family has an awful lot of teachers, so it certainly wouldn't be a surprise.

I'm going to say I'm really interested in photography. I started to take an interest in it around the time I graduated college, on a cruise in the Caribbean. I get some really fantastic shots sometimes, and other times I just can't quite capture what I want to see. I'm working on that!

Japan has really sharpened my interest in taking photographs that are more than simple snapshots. I don't quite have a grasp on why this photo worked out better than that one, but I generally know when I've taken a photograph I'm proud of. A recent favorite (from March '12) is here: http://imgur.com/vLalr

I get a lot of compliments on my eyes and smile.

Books: Harry Potter, Young Wizards Series by Diane Duane, The Immortals Series by Tamora Pierce, The Black Jewels Series by Anne Bishop, Young Sherlock Holmes Series by Andrew Lane, and the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan.

Movies: Mary Poppins, most Disney animated films (roughly Little Mermaid through Mulan), My Neighbor Totoro, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Harry Potter, 10 Things I Hate About You, and probably Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Shows: Sherlock is certainly the top of this list, as is Doctor Who. At one point in time, I really liked CSI - but I haven't kept up with it. Same thing for Law & Order: SVU. I also adore My Little Pony: FiM, and Scooby Doo.

Music: I absolutely love Morning Musume. It's a Japanese pop group that was very popular around 2000, but is still producing music. Now that I'm in Japan, I often go to their concert tours and other shows/events. To a lesser extent I also like groups related to theirs like S/mileage and Buono!. I know that music isn't for everyone though, and outside of that I really enjoyed a lot of the covers that Glee did, and I like some country music.

Food: Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken and broccoli. Second to that, I really enjoy a good chicken curry with nan. If we're looking at Japan-specific dishes... I might have to say shabu-shabu.

These days, probably at home relaxing. The start of the school year has been wearing me out!

If I'm not at home, chances are I'm out shopping or grabbing something in a cafe - either with a friend, or not. My day to have fun is more Saturday or Sunday - and those days vary. I might be on a day trip into Kyoto to visit a temple, or I might be headed to a concert. It all depends.