Japan was experiencing a long period of economic decline, known as the Lost Decade. However, little did we know that it would last for two more decades. In 2003, the gloom that hung over the country seemed never-ending despite efforts to recover from the economic downturn. Despite the economic struggles, I found Japan to be a sophisticated and technologically advanced country when I arrived in 2005 as part of an exchange program to teach English in rural Hiroshima. Having been exposed to Japanese culture since my childhood in Ireland, I found Japan to be a good fit for someone fresh out of college, offering a unique sense of adventure being far away from home.