Hi! Thank you so much for visiting Kristen Abroad! My name is Kristen (if that weren’t overly apparent by the blog title) but I go by K as well. Kristen is surprisingly difficult to pronounce in the Japanese tongue (some of my friends call me ten-ten so any combo of my ACTUAL name, I’m good with. Don’t get me started on people calling me “Kirsty” :P). Here’s the background about Kristen Abroad!
Where I've Been
I’ve been living in Japan since the beginning of 2014 and love every minute of it. It is also a great jumping spot for the rest of the world. A 7-hour flight to Singapore is much better than 17+ hours! That’s my longest flight, no, it’s not particularly fun. Though I’ve been a LOT of places (30+ countries, 4 continents, to be exact), Japan is where I love the most and is my focus here.
About Kristen Abroad?
Kristen Abroad is focused on all things Japan, something I know a lot about but can also give a different perspective having been to many other countries of the world. I pride myself on being able to show you some of the more “obscure” places while I’m at it. As I like to say, Japan is more than just Tokyo and Kyoto!
With that, I also like to touch on things I wish I’d known before moving to Japan and provide travel tips as well.
I am ever trying to become fluent in Japanese (and still keeping up with other languages! We’re so hindered in the States that language learning isn’t as prominent) and like to share my wealth there where I can How about starting with some self-learning of if you are in the Yokosuka Area, some great conversation classes?
27 Random Facts about Me (depending on how you count it and in no particular order)
Well, I’ll split them up a little bit to make it easier :).
Fitness Related
- I love my fitness watch, a Garmin Fenix 5S. Walking your recommended 10K steps a day is SUPER easy when you live in Japan.
Disclosure: Kristenabroad.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and other affiliate programs. For some links to products or services in this article, I may earn a small commission by you using my link. The price for you is not affected.
- I’ve played soccer, basketball, field hockey, and rugby; I’ve competed in gymnastics and ice skating; I played flute in marching band; I raced slalom and GS downhill skiing in college as #1 girl for two years; I’ve performed ballet, jazz, tap and lyrical; love yoga and pilates; surf, kayak, snorkel, sail, SUP, swim. Martial arts, I want to do but can’t decide on which one. I like being active…
- I’ve run 9 marathons (Tokyo by far has the best crowd support, Disney is the most fun) and more than 20
half marathons (and plenty of 5K and 10K). My best marathon time is 4:18. Half is 1:53. BQ is on my life goals list. - I also have a goal to break a 20 min 5K, I have a long way to go!
- I’ve climbed Mt Fuji
- I want to do one of those giant canyon swings, apparently, the only bucket list type thing I put in this list! DONE!!!
Self Related
- I had appendicitis (or that time I almost died)
- I’m very accident-prone, AP is a nickname one of my coworkers gave me, for example:
- fell in a hole at work resulting in two surgeries and multiple years of physical therapy on my shoulder
- sprained my wrist by having a door opened into it
- slammed into a tunnel wall on my bicycle
- I’m the oldest of 4 siblings
- I skipped third grade
- Instruments I’ve played are flute and piano, I keep attempting to learn the guitar
- My BS is in Ocean Engineering
- My eyes change colors
- I have tattoos, they are all nautical related
- Our national anthem always gives me chills
- I love taking pics and posting to Instagram (want
tips for your Instagram?) - I have another blog all about wine, beer and travel revolving around the same, Bon Vivant Wayfarer.
Proud Otaku
- I’m a
train ninja (I regularly make trains right on time without knowing the schedule) - I’ve been obsessed with Sailor Moon since 1995
- I taught myself HTML in Middle School. My first website? About Sailor Moon ;). (Website development is SO much easier now!)
- I’m not afraid to show my Otaku. I’ve watched well over 100 series of anime.
Favorites and Randoms
- Coheed and Cambria is my favorite band.
- My first concert was The Beach Boys when I was in 2nd grade
- My favorite colors are pink and green
- The more Japanese I learn, the more trouble I have remembering English.
- My dream is to live on a yacht.
- My favorite flower is orchids….all of them.
- I don’t have a favorite season, they all have their pluses and minuses.
- Living near water is a must for me.
- I LOVE creating content for Kristen Abroad
Feel Free to Contact Me
Feel free to contact me: kristen@kristenabroad.com or leave a comment below, I make it a point to respond to all comments! Be sure to add me on social media as well!
Woah! I’m really enjoying the template/theme of this site.
It’s simple, yet effective. A lot of times
it’s tough to get that “perfect balance” between user friendliness and
visual appearance. I must say you have done a excellent job with this.
In addition, the blog loads super quick for me on Chrome. Superb Blog!
Interesting read. I don’t really get the opportunity to travel but I always like hearing about other cultures.
Thanks for the compliment, Amy! I’ll keep the cultural differences coming ;). Hope you enjoy!
I loved getting to see your updated about me! Lots of fun and beat details to get to know you a little better. Orchids are my favorite too! I am partial to big beautiful white phalaenopsis orchids though. I love races too, however I love obstacle/mud runs. Keep it up!
Thanks Shauna :). I’ve done a few mud runs on base and one Spartan run. They are fun but I always get finicky about ruining my good running shoes lol. I’m impressed you can name which one you like best for Orchids, I’m not as good with the names!
Hah, don’t be too impressed they are the most common orchids we have around where I live. The other one’s I couldn’t name if I tried. But my husband is into them as well and we have a book on all of the different varieties. [Thank goodness for photos!] I feel ya about not wanting to ruin good running shoes, as with mud runs they get trashed. Luckily if you wash them off as soon as you are done running and throw them throw them in the washer when you get home they come out looking almost new again. I still have yet to do Spartan, but I have done the Savage Race.
I’m scared to use my Japanese washing machine on my shoes lol. It’s a two in one…I’m sure there’s a way to make it just do dry function but it’s finicky lol. For instance, it will give random error codes on weight… *I THINK*. At least I’m assuming that’s what its for because I remove some things (and its never that full to begin with) and it gets happy again. I can read Japanese and I still have issues LOL.
Hii kristen, I have checked full blog, awesome content and beautiful pictures, really appreciating and noticed about you never visit India till. So what about India? I think, best way to travel India is to with Palace on Wheels luxury train, must visit. I love this train. Love from India. 🙂
Thank You
Hii kristen, I have checked full blog, awesome content and beautiful pictures, really appreciating and noticed about you never visit India till. So what about India? I think, best way to travel India is to with Palace on Wheels luxury train, must visit. I love this train. Love from India. 🙂
Thank You
Hello Rashmi! I haven’t been to India yet but it’s definitely on the list! I haven’t heard about this luxury train but I’m very curious now. I’ll definitely look into it!
Hello Kristen! Check out on my website to know about Palace On Wheels luxury train. Plan your trip for India. 🙂
India is definitely on my bucket list! Thanks for letting me know about this opportunity.
Wow! An excellent read and good to get to know you a little more about you than just on Twitter! I know I should have looked more on your blog and read more of your blogs, but I have been busy myself creating videos. As well as figuring out directions where I need to go. Can’t wait to read more from you and get to know you better. 🙂 Still jealous that you live in a country I admire and adore on multiple levels lol.
I feel you on being busy creating your own! So much to do, all the time! I’ve been trying for a serious revamp the past couple of days, I hope you’ll like it.