When you move somewhere new, whether across the country or across the world, it’s easy to feel untethered. You’re navigating unfamiliar streets, customs, and rhythms. And while it’s tempting to stay in your comfort zone, I’ve learned that the real magic happens when you step out and connect locally.

This weekend, I was invited to join the JCCNC gold sponsor table at Tabemasho, a vibrant celebration of Japanese culture held in San Francisco.

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A few weeks ago, I became a U.S. citizen.

It was a moment I had prepared for practically through forms, interviews, waiting; but not emotionally. Standing in a room with others from all over the world, raising our hands to take the oath, I felt something shift. A quiet wave of emotion rose up, catching me off guard. I thought of Flanders, where I was born. I thought of Japan, where I lived for many years. And I thought of the long, winding path that led me to this moment in California.

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Growing up in Belgium, I’ve always considered myself reasonably eco-conscious. We separate our recyclables, compost when we can, and try to avoid single-use plastics. But nothing prepared me for the level of recycling discipline I encountered in Kamakura.

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Last week, I boarded the Amtrak Zephyr with my husband for a journey that felt like stepping into a slow-moving novel. From Denver, Colorado to San Francisco, we watched the Rockies rise and fall, the desert stretch endlessly, and the Sierra Nevada roll past our window like a living painting. It was epic, not just in distance, but in depth.

As someone who spent years riding Japan’s trains, from the sleek Shinkansen to the sleepy Enoden, I couldn’t help but draw parallels.

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As September begins, Japan quietly shifts into a season of reflection. The air grows cooler, the cicadas fade, and the moon begins to take center stage. This is the time of Tsukimi, the traditional Japanese moon-viewing festival that honors the beauty of the autumn moon and invites us to pause, appreciate, and reconnect.

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Last week, I had the extraordinary privilege of sharing a quiet cup of coffee with Glen S. Fukushima. To say I was honored would be an understatement. Here is a man whose resume reads like a blueprint for global impact: former Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Japan and China, two-term president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and vice chairman of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. Yet, despite his towering achievements, Glen made time for someone like me. That gesture alone speaks volumes.

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A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Ryo Hagiwara of the Shizuoka Shimbun for a special episode of the Living Well podcast, where we explored the evolving landscape of wellbeing in Japan, particularly through the lens of youth, mindfulness, and the shifting tides of work culture. Our conversation was part of the broader Shizuoka Well-being initiative, a forward-thinking movement that aims to position Shizuoka as the happiest prefecture in Japan.

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On August 6, 2025, the gentle sound of bells rang through Memorial Park in Cupertino as the community gathered for the annual Bell Ringing for World Peace ceremony.

Organized by the Cupertino-Toyokawa Sister Cities program and the City of Cupertino, the event marked eighty years of peace between Japan and the United States.

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