And in many ways, I'm still there! As I continue to write books inspired by my experiences, I continue to revisit the people, conversations, discoveries, and moments that made those six months so extraordinary. More than an exhibition. It was a classroom. Across my 40 visits: I learned about rich maritime traditions in countries I had always associated with deserts, like Kuwait and the UAE. I discovered how Japan's centuries-old connection with Portugal lives on in Japanese

Thanks to John Chen for having me on his Engaging Virtual Meetings Podcast (again) to talk about "Osaka Expo Adventures, Volume 1 A-M". It's always a fun time with John - the wizard of making online events engaging and fun! This was a great opportunity to share more about what went into writing the book and doing a speed round of questions from John about the Expo. Thanks for watching!

At the heart of "Osaka Expo Adventures A–Z" are two curious Japanese students, Miki and Ichiro. Through their eyes, the Osaka Expo becomes more than a global event — it becomes a classroom, a learning laboratory, and a doorway to the world. As they visit pavilions, ask questions, try new words, and meet people from different cultures, readers are invited to join them on an English-learning adventure filled with discovery, confidence-building, and connection — one letter at a