A Magnificent Exchange (Subara Shii Kokusai Koryu) - Reviewed by Kornelia Longoria for Reader Views (11/06)

Raised in Chicago, Stephanie and her son Christopher were accustomed to the everyday American lifestyle. They lived in a heterogenous neighborhood, Christopher attended traditional American schools and they ate typical American food. However, Stephanie, who had gained some teaching experience, decided not to settle down in a cozy and comfortable routine, so  without much hesitation she accepted the offer to move to Japan for a year to teach English as a foreign language. And within a few months she made all the necessary arrangements and with high hopes and even higher optimism, she took her young son by the hand and left her very comfortable, very familiar environment for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. A Magnificent Exchange is a very captivating account of the two years that followed. 

She is welcomed in Japan with incredible warmth and hospitality and before long adapts to the new culture. However, she and her son do experience some shock at first. Her son is enrolled in first grade in a Japanese school, and without knowing the language he soon becomes overwhelmed and discouraged. But once they overcome the challenges they eventually adapt and come to enjoy their very exciting year in Japan.

Stephanie Allen-Adams' book is not only an engrossing memoir but also a great resource about Japan, Japanese lifestyle and customs. What's more, it is written in a very positive spirit. I found it to be quite motivating. In fact, after I read it, I felt like packing my bags and going to Japan myself. I admired the author's sense of adventure and bravery. It's not easy to leave everything and board a plane for the unknown, especially with a young child in tow.  I really enjoyed the vivid descriptions of Japanese food, customs and the educational system. At the end of the book, the reader can find a little bonus and a tool to expand the knowledge of Japanese--a few pages of some Japanese vocabulary and phrases as well as pronunciation guide. I think A Magnificent Exchange is an excellent tool to help expand the horizons. It also confirms the well-known truth that if you realy want something, no obstacle can stop you from achieving your goal.