Interviewing for JET in the next week or two? Then this is for you! Having been on both sides of the table as an applicant and an interviewer for the JET Program, I wanted to give some insider tips. I was a nervous wreck before I interviewed at the Japan Consulate in Boston four years… Continue reading 7 Last Minute Tips to Help You Prepare For The JET Interview
5th Anniversary of My Lifestyle Change
I can't believe it's been five years since I did my first (and only) three-day juice cleanse to jump start what I affectionately named my "Lifestyle Change." For me, getting healthy was never about dieting--because all diets end. And my decision to start eating healthy and exercising wasn't a new years resolution--because I never actually… Continue reading 5th Anniversary of My Lifestyle Change
Visiting Southern Iceland in October
With less than 24 hours left in October, I figured now is a good time to venture back to my Icelandic adventures from last year and write about what it's like to travel around Iceland in October. My friend Megan and I spent 7 days and 6 nights traveling around Southern Iceland in a camper… Continue reading Visiting Southern Iceland in October
Turning 30 Abroad in Barcelona
I had been talking about going to Spain for my 30th birthday for over a year, and I'm proud to say that I actually did! My birthday was on Saturday this year, so how could I not celebrate this milestone somewhere amazing? My sister and I could only spend a long weekend in Spain (she's… Continue reading Turning 30 Abroad in Barcelona
30 Things I Did Before I Turned 30
I remember when I was 27, I saw a book on sale called something like "30 Things Every Woman Should Do Before She Turns 30." I got a sinking feeling in my stomach, worried I had only 3 years left to do whatever I hadn't done that was on that list. Needless to say, I… Continue reading 30 Things I Did Before I Turned 30
Better Late Than Never (4th Anniversary)
Well, it's been almost a year to the day since my last blog post. I'm very behind on my travel writing, but more importantly...I haven't written anything about the fourth anniversary of my "Lifestyle Change." For shame! And so it goes. Since 2013, I've kept up with writing a blog around New Years commemorating what… Continue reading Better Late Than Never (4th Anniversary)
Hawaii Pt 2: Hiking Kauai and Other Adventures
On Friday morning, we hopped into the car bright and early when all the radio shows were playing the catchy end of the week song: "It's Aloha Friday! No work 'til Monday!" A great way to jump start our hiking adventures on Kauai. Any Aloha... Kauai Hike #1: Hanakapiai Falls Trail We hiked 8 miles… Continue reading Hawaii Pt 2: Hiking Kauai and Other Adventures
Part 1: I Went to Hawaii and I Didn’t Get Leid…
...but I still had an awesome time! Going to Hawaii was my first big vacation since being back from Japan...and actually my longest vacation yet. Since I was gone for two whole weeks, I'm going to break my adventures up into several parts. We packed in so much hiking and eating into two weeks that… Continue reading Part 1: I Went to Hawaii and I Didn’t Get Leid…
A Snapshot of My Life as an ESOL Teacher in Boston
I played my own version of Concentrate with an intermediate ESOL class I was subbing Monday night-- 16 words somewhat related to the incoming blizzard. Afterwards, I asked the students to write a story in the past tense with the verbs and nouns on the board. I didn't have the chance to assess their writing… Continue reading A Snapshot of My Life as an ESOL Teacher in Boston
A Message to Japan Becca
Hello from the other side of the world. How have you been? ひさしぶり! I took for granted how good I had it during "Office Days" when I was on JET. All the teachers were off administering tests to the students on giant pieces of paper, and my only role for the week was to mark a few… Continue reading A Message to Japan Becca
The Becca Jar 