Projects
Ask Caroline
With the first book released in summer 2010 on the iPad, iPhone, and in print, “Ask Caroline” is a series of Japanese books based on questions posed by real Japanese women. Caroline writes about life, friendship, culture, love, sex, work, marriage, kids… all those things that occupy modern women’s private thoughts and girlie chats! Each book in the series has an accompanying English edition for female language tutors looking for some unique material for those private Japanese students who want to learn a little bit of language, a little bit of culture, and a lot of attitude! Follow CaroNeeSan to read her Japanese tweets for the readers of the “Ask Caroline” series or find out more here.
International Schools
Caroline’s network of more than 200 international schools throughout Japan has led to her second book, the “Guide to International Schools in Japan,” and a monthly publication, “Japan School News,” helping parents throughout the world make such an important decision as they consider educational options within Japan. Popular with Japanese parents as well as the international community, a Japanese edition of the schools guidebook is currently being produced by the Alexandra Press team.
Consultations
Using a wide range of experiences, a vast network of resources, and a talent for helping people make the most of their lives, Caroline provides one-to-one individualised consulting services for foreign women in Japan, authors, publishers, small business owners, and parents sending their children to international schools. FIND OUT MORE
Speeches & Seminars
Caroline has given speeches and seminars throughout Japan and the UK, to a wide variety of audiences and on a diverse range of topics such as thriving in Japan, entrepreneurship, publishing, and networking and business skills. Entertaining and informative, her informal style is a hit with children and adults alike. FIND OUT MORE
Alexandra Press
Alexandra Press is Caroline’s publishing house (named after her mother) established in 2001 under which to publish her Being A Broad book. Alexandra Press has also published “Tokyo Pub Crawler”, the ACCJ’s 13th edition of “Living in Japan”, Tokyo English Life Line’s “TELL Me About Tokyo”, Tokyo American Club’s Women’s Group’s “Tokyo Here & How”, and Caroline’s “Guide to International Schools in Japan”. Caroline is available to support those interested in getting published and especially in self-publishing.
Being A Broad
Being A Broad is a support and information network for foreign women living in Japan, and founded by Caroline in 1997. BAB holds events such as brunches, wine tastings, yoga classes, and professional seminars. There is a very active discussion board here, with about 1300 users and thousands of posts on a wide variety of topics. BAB also has its own online articles; and a number-one bestselling book—Being A Broad in Japan: Everything a Western woman needs to survive and thrive—written by Caroline, released in 2001, and currently in its fifth printing.
Writing
Aside from her own books—Being A Broad in Japan, Guide to International Schools in Japan, and the Ask Caroline series, Caroline Pover has written for a wide variety of publications. She is an occasional contributor to her own magazine, Being A Broad, writing on a variety of topics including travel and careers. She wrote a column (“A Broad Perspective”) in Weekender magazine for two years before she became the owner of the publication in 2004, and was a popular columnist for The Japan Times Shukan ST publication. Caroline’s ST columns are frequently reprinted in a variety of language education resources.
Stroke Memoir
Following her strokes and heart surgery in 2007, Caroline began a memoir of her experiences coping with brain damage while on a 15-month struggle with doctors in Japan who believed she was mentally ill. Her final resort took her to Canada, where she would meet the doctor who saved her life. With the desire that this book may help anyone who has ever suffered from cognitive damage or seen a loved one suffer, and possibly raise awareness of the devastating effects that a stroke can have, Caroline’s story provides a lot of hope, and more than a little humour… Find out more about Caroline’s stroke here.
Weekender
“Weekender” magazine was founded in 1970 by Corky Alexander, and published by him until he passed away in 2002, having been the first free publication (in any language!) in Japan, and a valuable part of the history of the foreign community in Japan for over thirty years. In 2004, Corky’s family and the existing staff asked Caroline to take over the business, which was struggling and about to fold. Sad at the thought that something that had been an important part of the international community and created by someone she admired very much could disappear, she took it on. Caroline revamped the magazine while still maintaining a respect for its history, and created a profitable business, which she sold in 2008 to focus on other projects in a quieter work environment.