Hi there, thanks for dropping by! My name’s Mook and I’m from…well, that’s a bit of a can of worms. Let me explain: I was born in Thailand, raised in the States, went to high school in Indonesia, but in between all that, my home base was, courtesy of the Japanese side of my family, Japan. So I suppose you can say that I’m simultaneously from nowhere and everywhere?
I grew up as a “third culture kid”. If you hadn’t heard of that term before, it applies to individuals who grew up in cultures outside their parents’ cultures or their nationality’s culture. As an adult, it makes me a sort of chameleon in the sense that I can feel at home in any country. Growing up having to adjust and meld into different cultures will do that to you. All that to say, it made moving Japan a little less daunting and the prospect of reconnecting with a part of my cultural identity all the more appealing.
Just to give you a few more random tidbits about me: I’m a huge foodie, a half-decent painter, and a self-professed animal lover. For the foodie part, I’m pretty adventurous with food. There’s nothing I won’t try at least once. Something I definitely won’t be trying a second time though, is snake blood in Bali. Take my word for it, the novelty of it fades in two seconds but the aftertaste clings to your mouth for hours. Japan, though, is a pretty safe country in terms of food adventure. 3 years in and I haven’t come across something I didn’t like. In terms of painting, my mom’s a professional artist so I grew up with art supplies strewn around house. I learned just by watching her do her thing. I think I’ve picked up a few tips and maybe I’m an alright painter. You tell me! As for the little furry friends, I’ve always had pets around the house growing up. I was in a bit of a shock though at how expensive they are in Japan. Some puppies will easily cost you upwards of 400,000yen! Not to be deterred, I eventually welcomed a little Holland Lop rabbit into the family and she’s been the biggest factor in making Japan feel like home for me.
Thanks for taking the time to read a little bit about my Instructor Journey! Check back in soon for some more of my takes on Japan.
About the author:
Hi, I’m Mook. I’m from Thailand and I’ve been working with Gaba since the beginning of 2019. I love painting, cafe hopping, and discovering new food to try. Japan definitely has no shortage of that and of course, our Gaba clients love giving us new recommendations to try out. They’re just as eager to share about their culture as we are to experience it! And despite the fact that my Japanese is mediocre at best, living here is pretty much a breeze~