Susan has been living and loving the Japanese life for more than 30 years now. She first came to Tokyo as a Rotary Exchange Student, learning Japanese traditional arts, such as tea ceremony, flower arrangement, and nihonbuyo dance. After completing a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) majoring in Japanese language/culture and journalism at the University of Queensland in her native Australia, she returned "home" to Japan on a MEXT Government Scholarship, where she received her Master of Arts in Mass Media Studies from Tokai University. After graduation, she worked in central Tokyo as an education counsellor, and then as an in-house translator/translation instructor, before becoming a freelance translator. Her lived experience and diverse translation work have given her intimate insights into Japanese society, perspectives, education, history, and culture, especially food, customs, heritage, and pop culture. One of her favorite things to do is go exploring around different neighborhoods on foot. Curious by nature, she enjoys meeting new people and hopes that by sharing her knowledge and experience with visitors from overseas she can help "demystify" Japan and contribute to a better understanding and appreciation of things Japanese.