WHAT IS CHUZAI?
CHUZAI is a Japanese word equivalent to “EXPAT” in English.
The definition translates into “living overseas for an extended period of time due to an occupational assignment.”
Currently based in Manila, Philippines.
HOW IT STARTED
Chuzai Living blog was launched in March 2010 to have a creative outlet for myself while I document our family life overseas. It has evolved into more of a place where I collect information to hopefully help other expats. I also hope to show readers how I create home in each city we live in while I introduce amazing finds I encounter throughout our expat journey. This blog hopefully inspires you.
If you would like to know a bit more about the reason why I blog, please visit
Expat Life & Blogging About My Finds.
If you would like to learn a bit more about me, please visit ABOUT KAHO page.
HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS BLOG
There is a drop down menu on the top bar under the blog title. If you bring a cursor on one of them, you will see drop down categories. Simply click on them to access pages with lists of blog posts under the categories.
You may also jump to the categories from this page by clicking on the highlighted words under each categories: EXPAT LIFE, INTERIOR DESIGN, TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE.
EXPAT LIFE
I notice that expats are an amazing source of information for local restaurants, shops, and traveling, but often times their knowledge is not recorded for others to access. Thus, when expats leave, a lot of times the information leaves as well. I wanted to create a space where this treasure information can be accessed by incoming new expats to the city. The City Guide under Expat Life is the section I dedicated to introduce the wonderful places and discoveries that not only expats but also locals and travelers will enjoy in the city.
I have created City Guide in each city we have lived since 2010. Restaurants, shops, touristy sights and hotels that I deem valuable to put on my blog are featured. None of them are sponsored, so you know that they are coming from me. Since I lived in those cities listed below, I was able to feature quality recommendations from other seasoned expats.
DETAILED CITY GUIDE
MANILA PHILIPPINES (2016 – PRESENT)
MUMBAI INDIA (2013 – 2016)
JAKARTA INDONESIA (2010 – 2013)
INTERIOR DESIGN
MY HOME
I have featured homes we have lived in various cities with before and after photos. Since we always have to live in a rental home overseas, I have demonstrated how you can create your own unique space in a furnished rental home.
FAMILY & FRIENDS HOMES
These are features of friends’ and family’s homes. My friends’ homes overseas are rental homes. They are expats themselves and decorated their homes with stylish and unique pieces of furniture as well as decor from the region. They are great source of inspiration.
HOME DESIGN IDEAS & TIPS
My humble design ideas and tips for rental homes.
PARTY DESIGNS
Party designs I have created for various occasions while living overseas.
SEASONAL DECORATION
There is a list of seasonal decoration I have done at different homes.
RESTAURANTS & CAFES
Commercial Interior Design that I found inspiring.
FEATURED
It lists some places where my home was featured.
TRAVEL
We are budget travelers, yet we have a high standard that needs to be met when planning a trip. We have paid for all the accommodations and food. If there is anything that was written for a collaboration, it is noted in the post.
CAMBODIA
INDIA
INDONESIA
JAPAN
MALAYSIA & SINGAPORE
PHILIPPINES
SRI LANKA
TAIWAN
THAILAND
UNITED STATES
VIETNAM
LIFE STYLE
FASHION
Fashion Posts From Jakarta & Mumbai
PARENTING
Unsolicited Parenting Advice
PHOTOGRAPHY
My Experiences As an Amateur Photographer
RECIPES
A Few Recipes I Love
HEALTH & YOGA
Health Advice From Me on Post-Pregnancy Diet & Yoga As A Lifestyle
My blog has enriched my life as a trailing spouse and provided me with some wonderful opportunities to meet lovely people that I would have not met otherwise.
☆All the posts on Chuzai Living are written based on my experiences and with my own photography unless otherwise noted.
CONNECT WITH ME
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
FOR INQUIRIES
chuzailiving [at] gmail [dot] com
I love receiving email messages from my readers.
Please feel free to send me any questions.
It may take some time to write back, but I do my best to reply soon.
*For Any Inquiries By Companies
I may not respond to requests for a free write-up for the purpose of advertisement.
I do not take any request to write a paid content with links.
I also do not offer space for guest posts on my blog for promotional purpose of products as this is my personal blog.
For other inquiries such as collaboration, please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to write back! Thank you!!
Chuzai Livingについて
Chuzai Livingの「ちゅうざい」は、日本語の「駐在」です。
現在、フィリピンはマニラ在住。
海外の新地で子育てをしつつ、自分を探求できる場を求め、また私たち家族の海外生活の記録を残せる場所として、2010年にブログを始めました。その後、ブログでは、好きなファッション、赴任先や旅行先のお気に入りのお店やレストラン、食べ物、海外での子育て、海外生活での発見などを記録する場へと変化して行きました。ブログを書いているからこそ頂いた貴重な経験や、出会いがあり、ブログのお陰で駐在生活をより充実させることがでたと感じます。このブログが皆さんにとって、情報を得たり、インスピレーションを得る場となってくれれば、と願っています。
英語の記事ですが、私がブログを書く理由を書いた記事がありますので、ご興味がありましたらお読み下さい。
My Muse ☆ Expat Life & Blogging About My Finds
私のプロフィールに関しては、こちらに紹介してあります。
金曜日には、できるだけFriday Findsといって、赴任先または旅先で発見したお店やレストランなどをご紹介しています。
☆Chuzai Livingは、私の経験を元に自身で撮影した写真と共に書いています。例外の場合は、追記してあります。
Chuzai Livingのソーシャルネットワーク
フェイスブック ｜ インスタグラム ｜ ツイッター
メール
chuzailiving [at] gmail [dot] com
読者の方からのメールは大歓迎です。お気軽にメールを送って下さい。
お返事には時間がかかるかもしれませんが、お返事いたします。
Kaho-san, I am Noriko in Okinawa. Your blog looks very nice and interesting. I want to spend sometime reading it! Thank you for sharing your blog with me. The pics are so beautiful,too.
Thanks, Noriko san! I’m so glad you visited my blog. I miss Okinawa, especially the people and the gorgeous beaches! I hope you and your family are doing well!
Hi Kaho, your blog is lovely and we certainly have something in common since I also live abroad (In China). Look forward to follow your adventures! xo Mariella
i am very jealous that you get to live in different places!! that is pretty much what i want to do, too, but just can’t right now. 🙂
i love your posts about your trip to vietnam. i’m glad to know that your family enjoyed vacationing there! your posts make me so nostalgic for the country. thank you!!
Kaho….I just adore your blog and writing style.
Your older girl is so pretty and your younger one is a cutie patootie! They must make you life so much fun.
Since I just stumbled upon you when searching for blogs on Ho Chi Minh, I am gad I have a lot of material to catch up on (am planing to slowly read all your old posts). I’m especially loving your travel and fashion shoots.
Hello,
I just had a question about your website, chuzaliving.wordpress.com , and found it fun and interesting! If you could e-mail me back, I would love to talk with you.
Thank you for your time.
so nice to have met you today Kahori!
your blog’s awesome!!! see you soon, 🙂
Caro
Hi,
I would like to invite you to join my Global Expat group pages on Linkedin and facebook. We are dedicated to assisting the expat family in their years abroad as well as the trailing spouse (STARS) in maintaining a career. Also, check out our website, http://www.global-expats.com
Please feel free to post links to your blog in our groups and increase your audience.
Best regards,
Quenby
Oh, I see… I was wondering what chuzai meant… now I know!
http://www.journeyofawoman.wordpress.com
Hi there,
I stumbled upon your website accidentally. My husband is also in the same field and will be posted in Jakarta next year. I’m myself is an Indonesian so it’s good to be back. You have a nice website, I do enjoy reading it.
Thanks! We’ll still be here next year, so maybe we can meet after you arrive!
Hai kaho… im ike mom of 2 kids, im indonesian and live in jakarta…
Nice to meet you and nice to know you from your blog…
I kind a like your blog… coz i love interior design as well…
And from your beautiful clipping picture, tough you must love photograph also ya… 🙂
Do you also learn to speak bahasa indonesia while you’re here 😉
will be happy to know you more…
😉
ike, jakarta
Hi Kaho, it seems that u have managed to bring many spouse of working husband being posted to various part of the world together….My husband will be officially posted to Jakarta for work, but we are already here while waiting for the official move. . It will be nice to be able to meet up with some of u to a coffee session..loved reading your blogs..i was a little pessimistic about living in Jakarta, but after reading your blog & also some of our personal experience locating some nice places, i hope it can & still will change me from pessimistic to optimistic…hope to hear from u …
Thanks for the comment! It is hard to move overseas for spouse’s work because it might not be of your choice. I’m a happy camper as this is what I have always dreamed of, but it’s much easier for me than for some other people because I’m Japanese and I’m close to home. I lived in Africa and it was much harder because of the proximity to home and the life style being very different from what I’m used to and the availability of resource, etc, but I managed to make my life fun and interesting there. I’m doing great here because I love a city life, but if you’re not, it’s a whole another story. Whether you have a child or not makes a difference, too. Having very young children (one is not so young any more), this post to me is a bonus because we can afford a full time help. Coming from the States where childcare is crazy expensive (believe it or not, it is more than Japan), I am thankful for being here.
Virtual Blogger Award!
http://sisterearthorganics.wordpress.com/2012/03/04/versatile-blogger-award-thanks/
Thanks, Savvy Sister!!
Your blog is just amazing!!! Well done <3 & Keep it up 😉
You’re very nice. I enjoyed my visit at your blog, too! Thank you for stopping by!!!
Your Welcome 😉
Hi dearie, Congratulations I have nominated you for the “Versatile Blogger Award”
Thank you so much, Travel Culture Food!!! I’m honored.
Your welcome, you deserve it!! <3 😉
great blog! I’m following! would definitely enrich my knowledge as a fashion blogger 🙂
Thank you so much for the compliment! You made me smile!
Great Blog! I have moved to Jakarta recently and was having a hard time finding things. And today when I started reading your blog felt so much better – cause a lot of the things that I was wondering where to find is all here – documented so well.
fantastic stuff..shall keep following u online.
Yay!! Thanks for the sweet comment! You made my day! When I receive comment like yours, it make me feel so happy to be blogging. Thank you!!!
Hi Kaho, I just found your blog today and yes, it’s very nice! Indeed. I am from Jakarta but I don’t live there now. By visiting your blog I can update myself with some nice interesting places, which I can visit next time I come around. Thanks! 🙂
Thanks! I appreciate that you took your time to leave me a comment. Jakarta is such a big city that things change quickly. I’m sure you feel that every time you visit, something new has popped up open.
konnichiwaa 😀
this is my first time stumbling into a Japanese who lives in Indonesia 😀
I really like your blog, and having a nice time reading it hehe
nice to meet you 😀
/chelle
Thanks! First time? I’m honored, but there are a lot of them hiding all over the city. 🙂 Thanks for your time to read my blog!
yess, first time 😀 and I’m glad that my first is very amazing 😀 hehe
Thanks!! I appreciate your kind words!
Hi Kaho, lovely to blog “meet” you. I’m in New Delhi and one of my neighbors here Liza found my blog and told me I should take a look at yours. It’s so lovely! Really, this is just beautiful, the photography and the features. So glad to have found this. Where are you all headed next?
Thanks, Dani!! That’s so nice of you to write me such a sweet comment! I’m going to be in the country you live in from this summer, but in a different city. We’re moving to Mumbai!! We’re very excited! I’m going over to your blog now! 😀
Hi Kaho, Thanks so much for reading my essay on Expats Blog (via The Seoul of Cyprus). I would love to connect with you about your experiences in India and sharing creative ideas. I have a new blog called http://www.hometownbetty.com. You have an amazing eye on fashion, use of colors. If you have time, let me know if we can collaborate on some stuff. =)
I will come visit you at Hometown Betty. Thanks! Yes, collaboration sounds like fun!
Hello Kaho,
Thanks for your comment on my blog.
What a lovely blog you have! I really enjoyed reading your posts and I will definitely come back to visit soon.
You are so lucky to move every two years, that is my dream 🙂
Thank you for visiting my blog and your sweet comment! I hope your dream will come true some day!
Hi Kaho,
Your blog is really inspiring, especially about the interior design and decorating stuff. Me like it! You are so creative. Also nice to know that you like living In Jakarta – Indonesia, my home town. Can’t wait for another story of your family and your creative idea
Thank you so much for your kind words! Yes, I loved living in Jakarta!
amazing blog
Thank you, winnymarch!!
i like ur blog anyway
Thank you again!!
Thank you again!
Hi Kaho san,
Hajimemashite. My name is Yuki and I live in California. I found your blog last night and I can’t stop clicking on all the beautiful pictures and reading your entries. I admire you for taking the time for what you love to do while raising three young children, and you do everything so stunningly. My kids are 3 and 0 years old, and I struggle to find my own time, let alone the time to clean the house! I will be visiting your blog a lot and wanted to say hi. Thank you for sharing your life.
Yuki san, thank you so much for your kind words!! How cool you live in Cali! I lived in California two different times as a child and in college. I must say that I do get a lot of help from my helpers in Mumbai which is one of the biggest perks we get living in a developing country and hardship post like in India. I have lived both in Japan and the U.S. with my older two kids when they were a toddler and baby and it’s much harder to find the free time in Japan or in the U.S. when kids are that small. Thank you for visiting my blog and taking time to leave me a comment.
Kaho-san, my name is Kiki and I live in Jakarta Selatan. I really really love your blog. Probably we could be friends? よろしくお願いします。ありがとうございます。
Thank you for your kind words! Nice to ‘meet’ you! よろしくお願いします。
Dear Kaho, it’s been a long time time since your last article wednesday wall to wall on May 28, 2014. Where have you been? I really miss your blog … Please come back soon! 🙂
Hui, thank you so much for your sweet comment! I hope to start writing again in the near future. I’ve been traveling and visiting homes with my family, so I simply have not had the time to face my computer and write. Your comment was very encouraging and made me happy!
Hi, your blog is interesting! 🙂
Thank you!! I appreciate your stopping by and leaving me a comment!
Your writing has a way of evoking emotions and sparking curiosity in your readers.
Thank you for your kind words.