Shane was one of the first people to register at JapanSoc, and has been active in the community ever since. Some of the many articles she’s submitted come from her own blog, A Typical Life. This is a site she started in November of last year, but Shane has been working hard to fill it with meaningful content, mostly related to Japan, as that is where she will be spending the better part of the next two years.
Bringing memories of Japan to her blog
It won’t be Shane’s first trip to Japan as she was here in 1994. You can read her Memories of Japan, including articles on the language barrier, eating out, and taking the train.
Getting ready for a return to Japan
Now, she’s gearing up for Japan again, and has written a Top Ten list of things she’s most excited about including sumo, 100 Yen shops, art and culture, crafts such as ikebana (flower arrangement), and baseball (as a Brit, I will never understand this!).
Comparing Japan 2008 to Japan 1994
I am looking forward to reading A Typical Life once Shane gets herself set up here. She’s already packing so it won’t be long now, and it will be very interesting to hear if Japan of 2008 lives up to her memories from the early ’90s. Shane has promised some exciting things for her blog, and I will be following along, anxious to hear her stories of fingerprinting at immigration and the demise of 100 yen shops in the wake of China’s bustling economy. 
The paint is still wet on JapanSoc, but I’ve managed to get another new website online. This time, I’ve picked the little covered topic of oshibori origami, or what I like to call oshiborigami. I’m talking about making animals, food and other exotic items from those wet hand towels you’re given in Japanese restaurants. 
