Hi, my name is Taliyana and I’m from London in England. My grandparents came from Russia, so my name is not a typical English name!. I came to Japan in August
last year, because my boyfriend moved to Japan to start a new job. I am 41 and have a 22 year old son, who is now living and working in London. I have had a variety of careers since I left school, including, sales assistant, waitress, croupier in a casino, stable lass in a flat horseracing stables (I used to ride and train the young racehorses), PA medical secretary to consultants in London Hospitals, and English teacher..!. I decided to go back to University when I was 29 and study for a History degree at the School of Oriental and African studies (University of London). It was a wonderful experience, because there were students from all over the world studying there. I majored in History (with reference to Africa). Before I came to Japan, I lived in Nepal on and off for nearly 6 years. Nepal is a small country bordering India and China, which is the home of the Himalayas and Mt Everest. I worked on a volunteer basis for a Child Sponsorship Charity there, and I also taught English to Nepalese children in a Montessori Kindergarten Class. I really enjoy traveling and experiencing different cultures and ways of life, and my time so far in Japan has been very interesting and fun. Japan has a lot of festivals which are colourful and lively, and I especially enjoyed going to the Samba Carnival in Asakusa a few weeks ago.　I used to live in Azabu Juban, Tokyo, which was very convenient for shopping in Shinjuku and Shibuya. I am currently living in Asakusa. Because I have been working full time since I arrived in Japan, I haven’t had the chance to see the main tourist sights, like Kyoto, Mt Fuji, or the Buddha at Kamakura. But I hope to see more of Japan in the New Year. My hobbies include Horseriding, Swimming, traveling and socializing. I hope I can contribute to improving your English skills… see you soon.