Ever North
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helennomura.bsky.social
Ever North
@helennomura.bsky.social
British author & storyteller, living in Japan
What's it like growing up speaking two languages? I asked my English/Japanese bilingual teenagers (16 and 15) a few questions to find out what they think. I also discuss why I believe learning languages is still so relevant today.

#bilingualism #languagelearning

medium.com/language-lab...
What My Bilingual Teenagers Think About Learning Languages
An interview with my teens on why language learning matters
medium.com
November 13, 2025 at 12:07 PM
TV is such a fantastic resource for foreign language students.

Here are my thoughts on how to make it work for you, including how to use subtitles to enhance your learning.

#LanguageLearning #personaldevelopment #learningstrategies #foreignlanguages

medium.com/language-lab...
Can You Really Learn a Language by Watching TV?
How subtitles both help and hold you back
medium.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Ever find yourself torn between feeling grateful for what you have, yet wishing you could breathe a bit easier, financially?

#midlifemusings #moneyworries #life #happiness #MoneyMatters

medium.com/multilingual...
What If I Had A Little More Money?
How the little things we can’t afford shape how we feel
medium.com
November 10, 2025 at 4:56 AM
Ever thought about quitting your job to follow your true passions? What holds you back?

#midlifemusings #life #writing #personaldevelopment #livinginjapan

medium.com/multilingual...
What If I Quit My Job to Become a Full-Time Writer?
Balancing creative dreams and real-life responsibilities
medium.com
November 6, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Midlife Reflection #4 - On forgiving a friend who hurt you.

#forgiveness #midlife #selfawareness #honestquestions #life #friendship

medium.com/multilingual...
What If I Forgave Someone Who Will Never Apologise?
A reflection on forgiveness and letting go
medium.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Today's "What If?" midlife musing is about "Dreaming Big" and not letting others pull us off track.

#dreamingbig #personalgrowth #inspiration #writerslife #innercircle

medium.com/multilingual...
What If I Let Myself Dream Really Big?
A reflection on daring to believe in yourself
medium.com
November 3, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Today's "What if?" midlife musing is about whether, after 23+ years in Japan, I should naturalise or not. A reflection on belonging, identity, and where home truly lies.

#livingabroad #livinginjapan #identity #personalessay #personaldevelopment

medium.com/multilingual...
What If I Changed my Nationality?
A reflection on belonging, identity, and finding home in another country
medium.com
November 2, 2025 at 2:54 AM
I'm writing a little series on Midlife Reflections.
I'm aiming for gentle, positive and thought-provoking.

#personalgrowth #personalessay #MidlifeMagic #identity #selfdevelopment

medium.com/multilingual...
What If I’m Not Who I Thought I was?
A reflection on identity, expectations, and rediscovering your authentic self
medium.com
November 1, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Just posted my latest Japan Story chapter! Hitchhiking on the Oki Islands took a completely unexpected turn. It's still one of my favourite stories to tell.

#japanlife #livinginjapan #hitchhiking #livingabroad #日本の生活

medium.com/stories-for-...
Hitchhiking on the Oki Islands
Life in the Japanese Countryside
medium.com
October 31, 2025 at 6:40 AM
"I started learning Japanese about two months before I came to Japan. More than 23 years later, I’m still learning and discovering new things."

#Japanese #nihongo #learnjapanese #japanlife #日本語

medium.com/language-lab...
Why Japanese Is So Incredibly Difficult, Even for Advanced Learners
What I’ve learned after two decades of living and speaking Japanese every day
medium.com
October 25, 2025 at 10:25 AM
I’m excited to share that I've begun part 2 of my Japan story,
written at B1 level for intermediate English learners.

#easyenglish #studyenglish #B1english #英語学習 #englishstories

medium.com/stories-for-...
The Loneliness of Being Different
Life in the Japanese Countryside
medium.com
October 9, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Ever wonder why we keep putting off the things we really want to do?

#procrastination #fearofsuccess #personalgrowth #writinglife #novelwriting

medium.com/multilingual...
The Fear That’s Stopped Me From Writing My Next Novel
Understanding the real block behind my procrastination
medium.com
October 8, 2025 at 4:40 AM
Learning about Japanese discourse and text structure can significantly enhance your reading and understanding of written Japanese.

#japanese #jlptn1 #learningjapanese #advancedjapanese #readingjapanese #日本語 #nihongo

medium.com/the-japanese...
起承転結で見つける日本語の論理
Exploring the Logic of Japanese Writing
medium.com
October 3, 2025 at 1:45 AM
I'm on the look out for interesting kanji characters I come across in Japan and will be researching, learning and sharing as I go.

#japanese #japaneselearning #learnjapanese #nihongo #kanji #日本語 #漢字

www.instagram.com/p/DOsDzFQkuR...
evernorthjapanese on Instagram: "One of my favourite types of tofu is ごま豆腐 (Goma-dōfu) which is sesame tofu. Well on this pack in the top right corner there's a Kan…"
One of my favourite types of tofu is ごま豆腐 (Goma-dōfu) which is sesame tofu. Well on this pack in the top right corner there's a Kanji (pronounced kudzu, くず) which means 'Kudzu starch'. Kudzu is a type of climbing vine in the pea family. This starch is used for cooking and in traditional medicine and is what gives sesame tofu its soft, pudding-like texture.The interesting thing is that the Kanji character is actually 葛 and the one used on this packet is a variant for certain fonts. That's why I couldn't find 葛󠄀 on my phone keyboard. Look out for 葛󠄀入り or 葛入り when you get sesame tofu. Apparently some cheaper versions use potato starch instead. #japanesefoods #sesametofu #kanji #jlptn1 #日本語 #ごま豆腐 #languagelearning #japaneselanguage
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October 2, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Shifting negatives into positives is a smart approach to many aspects of life, and that's also true for learning languages.

#languagelearning #languages #foreignlanguages #言語学習 #personaldevelopment #mindset

medium.com/language-lab...
How Your Worst Traits Can Make You Better at Languages
Surprising ways impatience, stubbornness, and laziness can boost your language learning
medium.com
September 26, 2025 at 12:48 AM
Oops, I accidentally deleted the wrong post. Here it is again.

This article is about what to learn (or teach) first when starting a new language.

#languagelearning #learnlanguages #learnEnglish #英語学習 #Languagetips #languagedevelopment #言語学習

medium.com/language-lab...
What to Learn First in Any Language
The everyday words and phrases you’ll actually use
medium.com
September 26, 2025 at 12:47 AM
Chapter 25 of my Japan Story, written in easy English.

This chapter is high CEFR level A2, pushing towards B1.

#easyenglish #learnenglish #englishstories #A2English #英語学習 #やさしい英語 #リーディング #lifeinjapan

medium.com/stories-for-...
Climbing Mt. Daisen
Life in the Japanese Countryside
medium.com
September 19, 2025 at 5:21 AM
This is a really informative article about vaccines, written by scientists who are experts in their field. Absolutely worth the read.

medium.com/@jsteier_292...
From Smallpox Scabs to mRNA Shots
Inside the evolving toolbox that’s kept humanity alive
medium.com
September 19, 2025 at 12:22 AM
A language learning article for busy people.

"How can we make the most efficient use of the small amount of time we have, and what can we do that will make a difference?"

#languagelearning #言語学習 #learnlanguages #studytips #外国語

medium.com/language-lab...
How to Learn a Language When You Don’t Have Much Time
Practical language learning tips for busy people
medium.com
September 17, 2025 at 1:34 AM
Chapter 24 of my Japan Story!

This is a funny one. Languages sure are interesting. What sounds good in one language can have a completely different meaning in another!!

#englishlearning #englishstories #easyenglish #英語学習 #やしい英語 #A2English

medium.com/stories-for-...
Getting a Pet
Life in the Japanese Countryside
medium.com
September 12, 2025 at 7:25 AM
My idea for a secret Newsletter reminded me of the joy of writing.

#writerslife #writing #newsletters #joyfulliving #authorlife

medium.com/@HelenNomura...
Why I Decided to Write a Secret Newsletter
The fun of sharing secrets with a tiny, trusted audience
medium.com
September 8, 2025 at 10:33 AM
The “Gohan-ya” — A Japanese local restaurant and drinking hole
Life in the Japanese Countryside
medium.com
September 6, 2025 at 12:27 PM