Paul Vickory spent four years living in the rural town of Shimoichi in Nara prefecture while on the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme. During his tenure he oversaw English education at the town’s three elementary schools and associated kindergartens. ONara is an account of his local adventures and blunders across Japan as a whole.

     Born in Oregon and educated in Colorado, Paul has worn a variety of hats, both before and after his time in Japan, including working at a ranch, caring for injured raptors (birds of prey, not dinosaurs), and as a SCUBA dive master at a Cozumel dive shop. He currently works as an RN at a Long Beach hospital.