Want to share your JET experience with the world but don’t want just any old Blogger blog? Wide Island View Webmaster Joshua Zimmerman shows us just how easy it is to set up your very own slick-looking custom blog with a custom domain name. The best part? It only costs ¥1,000 to get started. This helpful little guide will have you up and running within an hour, minimal computer skills required.

The iPhone is a popular keitai choice for foreigners in Japan (and everywhere), and there are many apps that you can find in Apple’s App Store that will help you out during your stay here. All of these apps can be downloaded using your current iTunes account – you don’t have to go to the Japanese iTunes App Store to download these! Prices, where applicable, are shown in U.S. dollars.

With winter vacation right around the corner, many an ALT are spending their time trying to figure out what to pack in order to survive in the harsh world of international travel. If you’re like me, you’re probably going to pack quite a few fun-filled, and expensive, gadgets. But wait! Think carefully about traveling with your gadgets. There are a lot of questions to consider. What to buy? What to pack? What not to pack! Oh the humanity! Relax. Take some tips from a well-traveled gadget geek and put your mind at ease.

When I first received my contracting organization’s welcome letter I emailed my supervisor a link to my online blog. After all, I have been blogging about Japan and Japanese culture for over four years, and although I consider myself a hobbyist, I thought my employers should know a little bit about my love and passion for Japan. My advisor still checks my blog updates regularly and lets me know his opinion. My students are aware that half the images I take of them will probably end up on my blog. It is still my right to express myself and my feelings as I share my life quite openly for others, but it’s also my responsibility not to injure anyone else’s feelings in the process.