Allow me to introduce myself...

 

My name is Mark Pickard (ピカード マーク). I am an American. I grew up in Honolulu, Hawaii. However, I have been living in Okinawa, Japan since the year 2000. I am a permanent resident of Japan (日本の永住者).

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I created this website for me to keep in touch with my family and friends and to introduce myself to the rest of the global online community.  After all, we are all neighbors on the World Wide Web (WWW), so we may as well get to know each other a little bit better. Hopefully, a better world will eventually evolve as we all gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for one another.

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​​I am happily married. My lovely wife's name is Izumi Pickard. She is a Japanese national, so we have an international marriage (国際結婚). We have two wonderful children. Nothing is more important to me than my family. We also have some pets including a dog named Sara, a cat named Caramel, and some fish. I love animals. Learn more on my "About Me" page here.

 

I work full-time at a vocational school here in Okinawa, Japan. The name of the school is Senmon Gakkou LIFE Jr. College (). At LIFE Jr. College I am an English language teacher and the English department chief as well. Find out more on my "English Language Teacher" page here.

 

Besides teaching the English language and foreign cultures I am also the Study Abroad Coordinator at LIFE Jr. College. Find out more on my "Study Abroad Coordinator" page here.

 

Additionally, I am very busy with Public Relations and Marketing including website design and social media marketing. Plus, I am a homeroom teacher (academic counselor) and also help in planning school activities and annual events. 

 

LIFE Jr. College is an accredited, two-year, post-secondary, academic institution. LIFE Jr. College specializes in foreign languages and cultures, business and computers, plus tourism and hospitality. Please visit the official LIFE Jr. College website (Japanese) here: https://life.ac.jp

専門学校ライフジュニアカレッジ

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Since I was a teenager I have been in love with guitars. I love playing guitars primarily electric bass guitars. I also love repairing and restoring guitars, and modifying and customizing them too. In essence, guitars are my hobby.

 

Plus, I am on a sort of mission to save as many broken and neglected guitars as possible and to find new homes for them. I hope to make used guitars more affordable to new and beginner guitar players especially young people and to everyone else!

 

I believe that the world needs more music and that means it needs more musicians. Plus, guitars are simply cool. Learn to play the guitar and be cool. The world needs you! "Make More Music!" is my motto. Learn more on my "Mark's Basses and Guitars" page here. 

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As my life continues to develop so will this website.  Please check back occasionally to see what's going on with me and mine. Please check my Blog for regular updates here. 

 

Enjoy yourself while you are here, and all the best to you and yours. Love, peace and happiness to you! Take care!