Anna Matsushita

Many years ago, during my stay in the UK, I became aware that pubs offered cidre , known as "cider" in English. However, for reasons I didn’t quite understand, my British acquaintances strongly discouraged me from ordering it. They claimed it was not something young people should drink, that it wouldn’t suit Japanese taste buds, and that Japanese people weren’t accustomed to strong alcohol, which they believed cider to be. Their insistence that "it doesn’t suit Japanese palates" left me puzzled. Despite their claimed familiarity with Japan, they seemed determined to dissuade me from trying cider. Looking back, I wonder if they had a negative experience recommending it to a Japanese person in the past and were simply trying to avoid disappointing me. Several decades later, I finally had the opportunity to savour British-made apple cider. A Tokyo-based restaurant featured about eight varieties of cider on its menu. Remembering my earlier encounter in the UK, I was det...

In June, I published my second novel. The book focus on the changing friendship of women through the course of life.   　 There are times when your friendship is tested when we came across the crossroad in our lives.  was interested in how the life events gouge out the difference of value in life between friends, especially the friendship between women.   The egoism might cause friends leave, even if you think you are doing good for others.   I found that the crossroads in life, such as marriage, pregnancy, meeting your old love, changing jobs, and family’s death, are the times when your friendship are tested,   When you are at the crossroad, what will happen if there are friends who are too egoistic?   A friend who become out of control as a result of bordering problem with others – such as borderline personality disorder. These people could cause mayhem, believing that she is doing good for others.   An old friend who is too ...

  During COVID-19 restriction, I did another project: writing essays on drinks in mainly in Europe, Japan and Caucasus.   As a one engaged in travel industry, I wrote many writings for my job to introduce European drinks, including wines, beers, whiskeys and liqueurs.   The work involves many research on internet as well as trying the drink myself. I felt it important to experience the drink itself, as I was introducing the drinks to potential Japanese travellers abroad – I did not want to sound fake.   This time, I could spend more time researching the backgrounds of each drinks. It was interesting to learn the history of each drinks and passion of those who made the first drink, and success of the business.   The main reason I wrote this subject was that I wanted to carry on researching food and drinks abroad. When I was working at travel company, the work involved many research. I wanted to carry on with that, in order to keep the antenna up a...

 March came. The number of COVID-19 patients now seemed to be under control. Somehow, people seemed to have got used to the situation. One of the thing I noticed during COVID days is that we were not good at keeping social distance. The queue at the supermarket and train station were always packed, not many people seemed to be aware of the rule to keep distance anymore. I reckon it is partly because there is no penalty for rule breaking.  It was difficult to keep distance from the crowd, but you need to go shopping for grocery and take public transport to go to job centre. The number of COVID-19 patients was at one of the lowest in March 2021, with daily about 1,000 patients throughout Japan. Vaccine was gradually on roll out, and essential workers began taking vaccines. All we needed was a blue print when those who are not essential workers can get the jabs. I felt a luck of festivity in this season. We do have celebration of “Doll’s day”, when families with little girls ...

  The state of emergency continued on in Kanto area, Japan. I carried on with my job hunt since I left the travel company in September 2019, due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The winter in Japan is quite cold and gloomy. Since the outbreak of COVID, I reckon many people missed chance to re-unite with their friends and family and longed for the reconnection with them and have some fun together. During a quite frustrating day sending out my resumes to companies, an idea hit me. To organize a book club online. I did this during Christmas period, and many people joined. It was fun to connect with people who only meet on social media, but they posted many photographs of the books they have read. I took the opportunity to organize a reading event, this time the theme was Valentine’s day. I was thinking of reading books of love – whether it is romantic love or love of family, or unconditional towards things you love. Some people showed interest. However, one thing that I found was that the...

  December was approaching, and COVID situation seemed to have eased a bit, with lesser number of patient reported in daily news. However, situation was far from over. There was no vaccine available and we had to live under pressure to keep away from social gathering. As holiday season was approaching, I thought about organizing an event to celebrate Christmas and end of year more than usual. We all knew that we have to skip parties with friends and family for December. Why not organize an online event? I planned Christmas reading event, starting from Advent until Epiphany. The rest was quite quick. I picked up a Christmassy photograph, set schedule, jotted my idea on a social media for book lovers in Japan, and invited my SNS friends to the book club. I was glad to know that there were people who interested in the idea. Some of them were quite excited to read books on Christmas, especially those who have little children that they can read Christmas books with their kids. During ou...

  October flew fast. I sent out my resume practically every day to my job agents. No reply came from companies that I applied I registered more job agents, hoping that it will lead to more opportunities. Some of agent started to suggest few openings, and I sent my resumes. No result either. I couldn’t even get to job interview. Having started using job agents, I realized that their recommended system rely on computer or AI system, which were not exactly accurate for sending me the job position that I wanted. For example, if the see a word “manage (管理)” in my resume, they send loads of managerial job opening, which I have no experience whatsoever. Or, it I write “assistant” on my resume, then they started sending “Assistant IT support” or assistant vice president” jobs. If I wrote “Operation”, they sent out “CAD operation”. None of these matches my job experiences. The more I register job agents, the more I got confused. To relax from these strain, I gave myself a little treats. I p...

  September 2020 was busy period. As I agreed on early retirement, I started look for a job on the internet every day. At the same time, I updated my resume and CV. Due to reduced working days and paid leave, I only went to office half a day each week. While at office, I shared information with my colleagues on what we would be doing next. We were all forty something, or we should call it around fifty in Japanese way. Many of them have been working at the company over 20 years, and we did brain storming for their career, what they did during their term in the past 20 years. I started using a job agent from mid-September. The company recommended the job agency, and one job consultant took me under his wings. He was very modest, experienced person, agreeable and helpful. Adding to the job agent, I also registered several other job agency. It has been several years since last time I changed job, and I was amazed how the job application process has been changed over the years. Last tim...

  There are many poetry and quotes from literature posted on SNS, which express the air surrounded us during Covid days. Followings are memorandum of what I found on SNS, which were circulated as early as March 2020. Very powerful poetry and quotes. WHEN THIS IS OVER “When this is over, may we never again take for granted; A handshake with a stranger, Full shelves at the store, Conversations with neighbors, A crowded theater, Friday night out, The taste of communion, A routine checkup, The school rush each morning, Coffee with a friend, The stadium roaring, Each deep breath! A boring Tuesday. Life itself. When this ends, may we find that we have become more like the people we wanted to be, we were called to be, we hope to be, and may we stay that way — better for each other because of the worst.” Poem by Laura Kelly Fanucci It was the best of times, it was the worst of times , it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of i...