Anna Matsushita

  The morning sky was heavy with grey clouds, the kind that pressed low over the city and whispered of snow yet to fall. It was one of those bitter January days when the air seemed to nip at your skin even through the thickest coat. As I drew back the curtains, the faintest blush of sunrise struggled to light the horizon, promising little comfort. It was 1986, the heart of the Showa era back in Japan, but here in London, the year had dawned with the same bleak winter mornings the city was known for. I forced myself out of my warm bed, the comfort of the covers reluctantly traded for the routine of getting ready. Breakfast was quick, a silent ritual shared with my mother before I gathered my essentials: a pencil case, a small notebook, my wallet, and the lunch my mother had lovingly packed. "Off I go," I called as I slipped on my thick, black coat, its padding a small defence against the cold. "Take care," my mother replied. I nodded, stepping out into the frosty air...

  The alarm was ringing. Time to get up. As I pulled back the curtains, the sunlight spilled into the room, dazzling my eyes. Today was Girls’ Day—or at least, that’s what we secretly called it among ourselves. It was just a little in-joke for us girls in the same year. This term, the last lesson every Friday for us 4th form (equivalent to the first year of high school) was PE. Surprisingly, for such a small school, we actually had two options for PE activities. Thanks to Mark and Joseph, our school bus drivers who also happened to have PE teaching qualifications, we could choose between two groups: one went to the nearby park to play football, while the other did whatever sport was available in a hired gym for the day. I’d tried the football class once. Big mistake. Not knowing the rules, I ended up committing foul after foul and getting scolded for it. I quickly decided football wasn’t for me. Besides, being the only girl playing among the boys was exhausting—keeping up with thei...

  This is a story of a Japanese girl who was totally obsessed with Ameirca, based on my real experience of encountering many people at a University in Tokyo back in  90's.. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I never lose. No way, no how. That’s just not me. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve been obsessed with America. Like, OBSESSED. Back in the Showa era, around 1970's, Japan was flooded with all this American stuff—TV shows, movies, music. You name it. And let’s be real: America is just... wow. It’s the best at everything. Biggest, strongest, richest. The land of freedom and opportunity. Where else has THAT much influence on the whole world? Nowhere. America’s the kind of country everyone looks up to. The kind of country people dream about. The kind of country that someone as amazing as me deserves to be in. Someday, I’ll live there. I’ll talk just like them. I’ll fit right in, like I was born f...