Shaykitteh's World of Books

It is common for foreigners to travel to Asian countries, Japan among them, to teach English, either in your standard schools or in alternative schools that provide language skills to students of all ages. Typically, these teachers are young and single, fresh from college with a degree, and interested in experiencing a different culture. They wander in, stay for their agreed upon time, and then breeze back out again. I've read a number of memoirs from teachers such as these, and I even though a few personally who taught for a time in Japan and Korea.

Jill Rutherford, author of Cherry Blossoms, Sushi and Takarazuka: Seven Years in Japan is not your normal English teacher, and this is not your normal memoir. In fact, she didn't even start out wanting to go to Japan, and she certainly wasn't young. Jill was actually a normal British women, middle-aged, who happened to watch a documentary on Takarazuka, falling in love with the theatrics and acting style. Visiting Japan to watch the company, she soon fell in love with the country as well... And so begins her tale.

I really enjoyed this memoir, as it gave a slightly different perspective to the Japanese experience. Here is a woman who has a life, but uproots herself because of a love for the theater. We're able to watch her stumble though getting an apartment, going through the visa process when her tourist visa expires, making friends, and starting her own business. She's not trying to figure out who she is, but instead she's trying to figure out how to best understand and live in a completely foreign country. She's not shy about explaining how and why she messes up something and, interspersed with the stories of her life and experiences, she provides excellent observations regarding how Japan views gender roles in these more modern times. This book is a great mix of history and culture, while also showing the humor - and occasionally tragedy - in the world around her.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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