Cyrus Yongbanthom
- Cyrus Yongbanthom moved from Kentucky to Japan.
- He loves the culture and noticed a few key differences.
- Yongbanthom misses foods like mashed potatoes, gravy, and steak, but is happy with his move.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Cyrus Yongbanthom, a 27-year-old assistant language teacher who moved from Kentucky to Japan. It has been edited for length and clarity.
My mom was in the military, so we moved around a lot — it's hard to say where I'm from exactly. But Kentucky is where I spent most of my time growing up and even as a young adult.
Then, when I became old enough, my best friend and I got a little apartment together where we lived for four years and worked as full-time substitute teachers.