I'm 25 and watch the lwif videos with my 6 year old daughter. We are from a small town in Texas and have never seen big cities like Tokyo. This is why your videos are so cool.
For about half a year I've been thinking about the LWIF channel. How it came about, what we're doing now, and what to do next. Well, last month I sat down and started to write down my thoughts and it turned out to be over 10,000 words. I started dividing it up the content into videos and have recorded the first three, although there will probably be six or maybe a little bit more in the series. Here's the first one, which is about how Life Where I'm From came about. It's a bit long and probably not terribly interesting for those who aren't thinking about making videos themselves. I thought recording the first three videos as audio only would be easier, as I had written so many words. However, once I recorded and edited it all, I found out (duh!) that there were no visuals and that really bugged me. So I spent a whole bunch of time adding text and videos, which made it not that much easier than simply recording myself. Anyways, that's why you don't see me in front of the camera for the majority of the video. I also had fun trying to pronounce the "g" part of "ing". Guys, I talked to my mum, and I have no idea why I don't pronounce my g's. It's probably because I'm a lazy talker.
+Life Where I'm From X I think simple list of verbs would be a nice one, there's too many 3 minute videos that are too short out there on youtube that i wish there was like a video that was 30 minutes long and just went through the list or maybe making it more inspiring by filming outside and matching the video to the verbs.
Love your kids and your videos. I am a 71 year old grandmother and love watching and sharing them with my young granddaughter. Her favorite was about Japanese schools. Saludos from Puerto Rico 🌴🌴🌴🌞🌴🌴🌴
Greg, one of my favorite moments in any LWIF video is when Aiko greets the audience with, "Hello World...." To me it symbolizes that, despite any cultural differences, we have an underlying curiosity and inherent desire to learn about others. Was that intro carefully planned or was it Aiko's natural speaking style?
+madhavyu The intro is one of the only things that was planned out. She will usually word the subject introduction, but the "Hello World, where I'm from" part is something that I asked her to do. The "Thanks for watching, see you next time, bye!" is her words. Everything is her style. She will sometimes watch something again and redo it, but I don't really get her to say something in a certain way or do a certain action.
It was obvious in the first video you had professional camera skills, but I didn't realize how much production experience you had. And I hear ya on professional vs hobby. As a professional IT/computer scientist, I can go overboard pretty quickly on something that should take 10 minutes :)
I am glad that you did what you did. And I am happy that you do what you want =) Because you do it with love and enthusiasm. That means it comes right form your heart. Further, I love your style of shooting, telling and your editing. 'Life where I'm from' and the X-version is exciting and fun to watch. When it comes to bedtime, the last thing I watch is one of your videos. Not because I would get sleepy, but because they are miles away from crap to watch right before sleep. The people get educated and special for me: I get calmed down. I am (in?) all agog with curiosity for new material/videos Ich bin gespannt auf neues Material / neue Videos. Beste Grüße aus Deutschland. Best regards from Germany John
Your point about "content trumps production" is so incredibly true. Some vloggers on youtube upped their production quality so much that I began to feel like I couldn't relate with the videos anymore and it just wasn't entertaining anymore. Your videos are so personable and I love your channel's video style (both this channel and LWIF). Keep it up! You and your daughter are so talented! :D
+A Jay I think it's a really hard balance. While I do have an idea of the type of things we may want to shoot when we start out filming, I don't worry too much if an idea doesn't work out. Also, I mostly just ask Aiko questions, instead of trying to get her to repeat things. Probably the only video where she did have specific things to say was the bathroom video. I may ask her to try and say something again after she answers a questions, but not that much. Most of the fun stuff that happens is because the kids are just doing and saying whatever they like to do. If I asked the kids to read some script, it wouldn't be fun to make, and I don't think it would translate very well in the final product (unless my kids were very good at acting, which they aren't).
+Life Where I'm From X Thanks for the response, it's nice to hear the perspective on the side of a content creator. As a viewer (and having never made a video myself) I can just say that what you're doing with the channel is really entertaining :D
Your kids are incredibly cute and enjoyable to watch (I think Shin reminds me a lot of myself when I was a kid) but I would say you succeeded in the main draw, "The Content" I just found your channels recently and kind of splurged on watching all that I can, and I really find that the quality of content of your vids tend to be a cut above other JVloggers. Not that the others are bad... I've already watched most of their channels several times over.... but while their channels tend to be about "interesting" information, yours tend to be about "essential" information. I've been trying to get to Japan for a bit now, not for an experience or holiday so much, but to help what way I can in helping smaller towns learn English. (I've been tutoring English online through language exchange apps for about 3 years now, and seriously would love to do it for a living) but it's so rare to find as detailed information about day to day lives, houses, stores, etc as what you provide. Your camera angles are professional, your dialogue is fun, and most importantly, the topics you choose and details you put into it are so on point! So honestly... thank you for all your hard work. It is helpful, encouraging, AND fun! I hope you keep it up for a long time to come!
Fascinating "Behind the Scenes" look at your work. I've greatly enjoyed Life Where I'm From as well at the videos you have posted so far in Life Where I'm From X. Your creative process is very interesting. I'm glad that you showed us video, photographs, audio and words to give us a detailed look at the many "pieces" of the final product. Your natural warmth and good sense of humor are so much fun to see in your work. Looking forward to the rest of this particular series!
+Mr Doodlebox Yeah, I really admire her. She's one of the reasons that I can deal with the pressure of uploading on a weekly basis. She's not always been the most consistent uploader, but you know she's not going to put out stuff that's not good, so it's always worth waiting. I try to be like that.
I love these "behind the scenes" vidoes, thanks for making and posting them!! I've learned so much about the world through TH-cam and about Japan (stuff you don't learn from travel guides) that will be useful when I visit!
Great and informative as always. Nice to know how everything got started! I found you out from the bathroom video that went viral. I of course had to share it as well, to show all my friends how much better Japanese bathrooms are!
I love your videos. I miss living in Japan and it is nice to see how things are now. I lived there from 1977 to 1981 (high school but DOD). Also you have a nice family. It is nice that you are able to spend time with them. It is great to do things with them. Good show my friend. Keep up the good work and spend time with the kids while you can.
Hey Greg, I am Geography teacher from England in the U.K. but I was very lucky to visit Japan last year; So i love watching your videos as they are super interesting. My boyfriend pointed out your channel to me and I have been Binge watching it for the last week as I am on my easter break and it's safe to say I am slightly addicted. Your videos are fab as they remind me of My time in Japan, your kids are so smart and intelligent and I love seeing what other people's lives are like. Would it be possible for you to creat a video talking about the Japanese education system? Looking forward to future videos. Thanks for creating such entertaining videos 😃 xx
I don't recall how I initially stubbled upon your first channel, LWIF, but it has been a pleasant and entertaining surprise! It's great to know your background, Greg. I appreciate the thoughtfulness of your videos more, now knowing part of your back story. Thank you! Have you considered doing collaborations with other family vloggers living in other parts of the world? Perhaps that's another way to extend LWIF to include other countries - or even other cities.
+AM M I am definitely open to collaborations, especially if they're in areas that we're not used to seeing English channels from (India, Africa, Middle East). I even hate to say Africa and Middle East, since that's lumping a whole bunch of countries together. But that just goes to show how little I know about those areas and I would love to know more. I'm assuming most families that would be willing to collaborate are in the US, commonwealth, or EU. It'd be good to get that perspective, but since most viewers are from those areas, it wouldn't be as unique or enlightening as getting videos from countries other than those.
I really like your videos and I can feel the essence of everyday life in Japan. They are simple in scripts but has a lot of soul. Thanks. Anna from São Paulo- Brazil.
Greg, you came at it from a professional point of view and experience and kinda had to deconstruct, sounds like. Similar to what my husband and I went through learning how to play competitive table tennis. I had no experience with any ball sport, so through coach-training, I picked up good form very quickly. My husband, on the other hand, had been a "garage" ping pong player, and a very good one. But he had a hard time breaking years of habits to learn the "correct" way to play the sport. Starting from scratch is sometimes best! I've seen those well-shot videos with beautiful lighting and backgrounds and graphics, that go nowhere because the content is boring or the vlogger is him or herself boring or has an annoying voice. I think your channel with your children has a lot of charm, as well as information - that's why I subscribed. Good luck formulating this one!
Hello,Greg! Nice to finally find out what this channell is about.I found this channell about a week ago and i have binge watching it since:) At start I found it funny,I thaught ,it was Your daughters school project,but,as the videos came and came, i stopped to think about it like that, and I just enjoy every single video there has been yet. Keep up the good work and good luck!!
Now that you mention it, it's pretty amazing that Nat has been doing the same kind of videos, for this many years, never changing, never doing brand deals, but she's as entertaining as ever.
I love LWIF! I made a guess that you guys were from Raincouver too 😂 it would be great if you guys could come back and do an event some time in the future!
Really interesting and inspiring. I think it's really lovely when people open up and share their stories, and I think it's what makes them stand out ☺️
Hi Greg! I really enjoy your videos, and wanted to say thanks for making these, they're very interesting. Personally, I wouldn't mind watching a couple of ads if it meant I was supporting your channel even a little bit more.
while your friend may not have been able to the Canadian perspective Aiko and you have inspired me to start up my own blog about life in Vancouver. You know if my channel name didn`t make that obvious enough. I love learning new things about Japan from both LWIF and LWIFX. This cultural exchange that you`ve started is amazing.
I love your videos, i have been following "Life where I am from" since the beginning, and hearing your story today was very interesting. Your voice is very easy to listen to. Keep 'em coming! ( Btw, I am a 51 year old mother from Norway, my youngest is a 11 year old girl :) )
Greg, these videos from Aiko-chan's perspective are not just adorable, but gives non-Japanese viewers a great perspective on daily life in Japan. How did you meet your wife, and why isn't she in your videos (other than her hands)? Is she camera-shy LOL? I've always wanted to try living in Japan but assumed I would have to be a student (a bit old for that), or marry a Japanese man. Please keep producing, these are amazing bits!
Aw... I loved watching baby Aiko eating gim. (11:42 ) Pls consider making a montage video of your babies growing up in to the cuties we love today. 😸 💕 Thank you for making consistently great TH-cam videos for us. 🤗
Hi Greg, I honestly love your videos with the kids, and I enjoyed this one too but I expected it to be a video where you expanded a bit more on who you are, where you were born, your ancestors, how you met your wife, things like that. Could you please do a video like that? 😁
I really liked this video, especially because we get to know how it all started. Obviously I'm an adult and I agree that most of your audience are teenagers and adults. Life where I'm from was such a genius idea. A lot of people can't travel but really want to learn what other parts of the world are like. These videos are entertaining but educational at the same time. Great job Greg! Continue the awesome work your doing. I do have a question What type of advice can you give a new comer into the TH-cam world?
+nanamommy4life I think the first thing is that you simply need to create. Shoot, edit, and then watch your videos. If you get bored watching your own videos that means you need to edit more and (maybe shoot differently). I always do a final watch through of my edited video, and if I can sit through it without touching to edit it, than for me it's usually ready to release. I had a lot of worries wrapped up into releasing videos, as I didn't want people to associate my play videos with my professional ones, so i was a bit wary about releasing personal videos. So I can't really give any advice on what to release and what not to. But I guess what I'm trying to say, is that you can simply do practice videos before you actually starting putting things out in the public. Once you do though, you'll find that you'll get some feedback that'll give you some ideas on how to improve the videos in the future.
Really interesting to hear where the concept came from, thank you. I really like that it gives a slightly different view compared to other J-vloggers and still manages to be educational and entertaining for children and adults. I like that you emphasise the importance of quality content and it is definitely one of the reasons I subscribed to your channels when there are so many others to choose from. I hope you do manage to work out how to showcase other countries because the comparison would be interesting and it was such a great idea. In any case, just keep doing as you do and I'll definitely keep watching!
Excellent! I Sub and watch videos for their relevant content, whether that be information, entertainment or in the case of your channel curiosity. You have piqued my interest with a unique perspective and given me a glimpse of the underbelly of Japan, its unique culture and how your family deals with it. I find it very refreshing how you take common subjects and come at them from an uncommon viewpoint. You have enthralled your audience with washing dishes, doing laundry, eating lunch and recycling!! Congratulations!
+Life Where I'm From X I think the topics are great because they reassure us that everyday things in Japan aren't quite so daunting as one might assume. I think my earliest awareness that visiting Japan might be a daunting experience was from hearing the typical stories of frustration people have about working out how to use a toilet. The thought of a difficult experience with an everyday item we all take for granted can be very disconcerting. Enough to make someone decide to vacation elsewhere, even. And if something so mundane as a toilet is so hard, one starts to wonder what else is difficult that we haven't even thought of! So I think series like yours and those of your contemporaries, breaking down how even the simplest things are done in Japan, go a long way to reassure us that, once you see how it all works, it's really not so hard. These videos are the answer to our phobias. I'm looking forward to visiting Japan now, once I have a basic grasp of the language, which I think will make the trip all the more enjoyable. Thanks, and keep doing what you do!
+554466551 Ah, I never thought about it in that way. Great to know. Yep, things are different, which is fascinating, but nothing that should stop anyone from visiting :-)
The vlog brothers talk really quickly because they want to keep you entertained, so that you have to watch it again, and so that you dont skip the video!
I love your channel cause of the kids. Your daughter reminds me of a granddaughter i have in California but have not seen in 7 years. They are the same ethnic background and look similar. I like what your doing and i would love to visit Japan someday too.
it's my first time to watch LWIF X glad to meet you aiko's dada! i'm happy my daughter saw your channel on youtube when she was curious about what japan kids like. pls continue to upload videos they are all really interesting. maybe next time you and aiko can do something like what school is like in japan. hehehe well yeah that's it i just want to say you guys are so awesome! and I agree Natalie Tran is so funny many many relatable insights about things.
Yeah I do love the idea of having multiple perspectives from people all over the world. But Canada and Japan would be cool to see too. Its always interesting to see how other cultures do things.
Really enjoyed this background lessons! ^_^ I've enjoyed watching LWIF for so many months now and so it's really great to get a personal history lesson A^_^
I'm really looking forward to the video about going viral. For me, I think it would be amazing (because it's a big success) and scary at the same time (because what comes after that?).
Great video. So you're a Sony guy. I started with still photography, but have used YT and Vimeo for just a platform too when they first started (diff channels, for hobby and also for work). I was always behind the camera (still am) since I am ugly and have ugly voice..so I don't host this silly hobby channel of mine haha ;P Love your videos tho. The first I saw was the ramen one a couple months ago. Spectacular. The subway video is super good too. You're a genius in production. Can't wait for more
Hey, great video. It's very useful. Could you please make a video about software & hardware you use. What a beginner could/should use. The technical stuff!!
Hii! I'm so thankful for this video, it's amazing how you explain your experience. I'm interested in starting to make videos but I'm always thinking in the amount of time that could take and you are really helpful for that :3 I started viewing LWIF because a viral site showing your bathroom video and I was so happy to see the perspective of a cute little girl living in Japan! Your work is amazing :3 Sorry if I'm not so great in English, it isn't my mother tongue, I'm from Chile, so I speak spanish, but I really like what you are doing :3
I really like your content and having a channel that is family friendly while making content that has cultural substance to it. I think it's a great lesson in empathy, communication and social structure that we all can learn from. I do admit, I really like the more "adult" topics you started covering, namely homelessness and elder care. would you feel comfortable doing a video about police? since each country has its own culture between the public and police interactions, it would be good to understand what that is like in a country that is very homogenous and different than hetreogenus countries like Canada, usa etc. could you talk about immigration and your experience? how is free speech and/or public assembly compared to the west (I know social conformity and honor are a different cultural value that japan esteems) have you thought about meeting up with simon and martina to compare notes on your experiences being Canadian in japan? just some ideas for now. love your channel and it's great to see the kids growing up as well as the channel evolving.
Hi. I'm an adult who does like your videos. You have a great voice for public speaking. a couple questions: What is your heritage? How did you meet your wife, what does she do?
I guess I'm one of those adults who watches to see what life in Japan is like. Similar enough to be recognizable, different enough to bewilder and with endlessly fascinating illuminating comparisons. Plus your children are young enough to lend it a sense of discovery that adults might not have. Don't get me wrong, it would still be interesting with adults, but we. well some of us, lose a little enthusiasm as we age.
I love your idea and I wish I could create some videos about life in Italy with my four kids... But our big huge problem would be the language! My kids can't speak fluently english! :)
Found your LWIF channel only a week ago and I just kept browsing through all the videos. Perhaps can do a video on Japanese snacks and how many of them actually taste as nice as it looks on the package! Also, my professor once told me that being a lecturer in university doesn't mean he could earn enough money to raise both his kids in private school. I am interested in knowing - how affordable is it to live in Japan?
+whitebabyhappysad I can see how he couldn't afford to have both kids in private school. Public schools are free though (although you have to buy some things like uniforms and such). I will cover affordability in a future video :-)
I knew your face and sound look familiar 7:04 I paid for your course on Accounting on 2013. Great quality content back there, one of the best investment I've made. I wish you'd create more video tutorials like those.
I didn't do them and I don't see the credit showing up, so I have no clue. But I'm glad they're good. Must have taken a long time. Thanks to whoever did them!
I really enjoyed seeing your perspective in Japan. Although my family is American, we Love Japanese culture and TH-cam. I have a 3 and a 6 Year old who want to make videos as well. If you are still looking for kids perspectives abroad, let me know...It might be interesting to give it a shot. Too bad we couldn't just post video responses, remember those? Anyway thank you for providing a good creative role model for us to follow!
+chynagrl88 Oh, those are actually posted. They really are the first videos that you'll find on the LWIF channel. What I did was to make them, but not post them right away. I must have sat on some for about 3-4 months or so. Besides making sure I could make the videos, I was also trying to figure out a style that I could replicate. For example, I wasn't originally planning on putting music on any videos, because choosing music can add a few hours of work (I might listen to 100 songs before I find one that fits, and then you have to edit to match the music). Adding music also adds something (a feeling, a mood), while simultaneously taking away things as well (little background noises, little pieces of conversation). In the end I decided to go with music for most things, but you can see on some videos (like the candy one), I didn't always do music.
Could you talk about Aiko and Shin in the next part of this video? Like about what its like for Aiko to move from Canada to Japan? What was it like for a Asian kid to live in Canada? And also about how you and your wife met? :)
I really enjoyed this video, Greg! Good to know your background!
+That Japanese Man Yuta Thanks!
I'm 25 and watch the lwif videos with my 6 year old daughter. We are from a small town in Texas and have never seen big cities like Tokyo. This is why your videos are so cool.
For about half a year I've been thinking about the LWIF channel. How it came about, what we're doing now, and what to do next. Well, last month I sat down and started to write down my thoughts and it turned out to be over 10,000 words. I started dividing it up the content into videos and have recorded the first three, although there will probably be six or maybe a little bit more in the series. Here's the first one, which is about how Life Where I'm From came about. It's a bit long and probably not terribly interesting for those who aren't thinking about making videos themselves.
I thought recording the first three videos as audio only would be easier, as I had written so many words. However, once I recorded and edited it all, I found out (duh!) that there were no visuals and that really bugged me. So I spent a whole bunch of time adding text and videos, which made it not that much easier than simply recording myself. Anyways, that's why you don't see me in front of the camera for the majority of the video.
I also had fun trying to pronounce the "g" part of "ing". Guys, I talked to my mum, and I have no idea why I don't pronounce my g's. It's probably because I'm a lazy talker.
+Life Where I'm From X I think simple list of verbs would be a nice one, there's too many 3 minute videos that are too short out there on youtube that i wish there was like a video that was 30 minutes long and just went through the list or maybe making it more inspiring by filming outside and matching the video to the verbs.
+World Aviation HD List of verbs?
Life Where I'm From X speaking through a list of japanese verbs for people learning it.
+World Aviation HD Ah, okay, gotchya.
+Life Where I'm From X My Family loves your channel and family lol :)
Love your kids and your videos. I am a 71 year old grandmother and love watching and sharing them with my young granddaughter. Her favorite was about Japanese schools. Saludos from Puerto Rico 🌴🌴🌴🌞🌴🌴🌴
Greg, one of my favorite moments in any LWIF video is when Aiko greets the audience with, "Hello World...." To me it symbolizes that, despite any cultural differences, we have an underlying curiosity and inherent desire to learn about others. Was that intro carefully planned or was it Aiko's natural speaking style?
+madhavyu The intro is one of the only things that was planned out. She will usually word the subject introduction, but the "Hello World, where I'm from" part is something that I asked her to do. The "Thanks for watching, see you next time, bye!" is her words. Everything is her style. She will sometimes watch something again and redo it, but I don't really get her to say something in a certain way or do a certain action.
It's so cool that you are open about all this and share your experience. Also, I really like your videos. Keep up the good work!
Community Channel! I've followed her for about 8 years now. I LOVE her!!!
It was obvious in the first video you had professional camera skills, but I didn't realize how much production experience you had. And I hear ya on professional vs hobby. As a professional IT/computer scientist, I can go overboard pretty quickly on something that should take 10 minutes :)
I am glad that you did what you did.
And I am happy that you do what you want =)
Because you do it with love and enthusiasm.
That means it comes right form your heart.
Further, I love your style of shooting, telling and your editing.
'Life where I'm from' and the X-version is exciting and fun to watch.
When it comes to bedtime, the last thing I watch is one of your videos.
Not because I would get sleepy, but because they are miles away from crap to watch right before sleep.
The people get educated and special for me: I get calmed down.
I am (in?) all agog with curiosity for new material/videos
Ich bin gespannt auf neues Material / neue Videos.
Beste Grüße aus Deutschland.
Best regards from Germany
John
really appreciate the amount of work you put in. simply amazing
Aiko just stole all of our hearts! She's so precious
Tiny Aiko!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you have such a soothing voice, very clear and easy to understand! :) as always, i enjoy the video!
I'm watching this for the second time today. Looking forward to the next. Thanks a bundle!
Your point about "content trumps production" is so incredibly true. Some vloggers on youtube upped their production quality so much that I began to feel like I couldn't relate with the videos anymore and it just wasn't entertaining anymore. Your videos are so personable and I love your channel's video style (both this channel and LWIF). Keep it up! You and your daughter are so talented! :D
+A Jay I think it's a really hard balance. While I do have an idea of the type of things we may want to shoot when we start out filming, I don't worry too much if an idea doesn't work out. Also, I mostly just ask Aiko questions, instead of trying to get her to repeat things. Probably the only video where she did have specific things to say was the bathroom video. I may ask her to try and say something again after she answers a questions, but not that much. Most of the fun stuff that happens is because the kids are just doing and saying whatever they like to do. If I asked the kids to read some script, it wouldn't be fun to make, and I don't think it would translate very well in the final product (unless my kids were very good at acting, which they aren't).
+Life Where I'm From X Thanks for the response, it's nice to hear the perspective on the side of a content creator. As a viewer (and having never made a video myself) I can just say that what you're doing with the channel is really entertaining :D
Your kids are incredibly cute and enjoyable to watch (I think Shin reminds me a lot of myself when I was a kid) but I would say you succeeded in the main draw, "The Content"
I just found your channels recently and kind of splurged on watching all that I can, and I really find that the quality of content of your vids tend to be a cut above other JVloggers. Not that the others are bad... I've already watched most of their channels several times over.... but while their channels tend to be about "interesting" information, yours tend to be about "essential" information.
I've been trying to get to Japan for a bit now, not for an experience or holiday so much, but to help what way I can in helping smaller towns learn English. (I've been tutoring English online through language exchange apps for about 3 years now, and seriously would love to do it for a living) but it's so rare to find as detailed information about day to day lives, houses, stores, etc as what you provide. Your camera angles are professional, your dialogue is fun, and most importantly, the topics you choose and details you put into it are so on point!
So honestly... thank you for all your hard work. It is helpful, encouraging, AND fun! I hope you keep it up for a long time to come!
Thanks for the kind words!
CommunityChannel!! I've been watching her videos since 2006. Can't be it has been a decade!
Very motivating video! I need to be more creative!
I see why your videos are so good now, you have many, many years of experience!
+K&S TV (Japan ・Culture ・Fun) Thanks!
Fascinating "Behind the Scenes" look at your work. I've greatly enjoyed Life Where I'm From as well at the videos you have posted so far in Life Where I'm From X. Your creative process is very interesting. I'm glad that you showed us video, photographs, audio and words to give us a detailed look at the many "pieces" of the final product. Your natural warmth and good sense of humor are so much fun to see in your work. Looking forward to the rest of this particular series!
+Debbie Davis Thanks!
I love communitychannel so much! Nat deserves so much more recognition! As do you and both of your channels :D Keep up the awesome work!
+Mr Doodlebox Yeah, I really admire her. She's one of the reasons that I can deal with the pressure of uploading on a weekly basis. She's not always been the most consistent uploader, but you know she's not going to put out stuff that's not good, so it's always worth waiting. I try to be like that.
I love these "behind the scenes" vidoes, thanks for making and posting them!! I've learned so much about the world through TH-cam and about Japan (stuff you don't learn from travel guides) that will be useful when I visit!
Thanks for all your hard work with these videos. I've been watching your Life Where I'm From series for a long time.
Great and informative as always. Nice to know how everything got started! I found you out from the bathroom video that went viral. I of course had to share it as well, to show all my friends how much better Japanese bathrooms are!
I love your videos. I miss living in Japan and it is nice to see how things are now. I lived there from 1977 to 1981 (high school but DOD). Also you have a nice family. It is nice that you are able to spend time with them. It is great to do things with them. Good show my friend. Keep up the good work and spend time with the kids while you can.
Hey Greg, I am Geography teacher from England in the U.K. but I was very lucky to visit Japan last year; So i love watching your videos as they are super interesting. My boyfriend pointed out your channel to me and I have been Binge watching it for the last week as I am on my easter break and it's safe to say I am slightly addicted.
Your videos are fab as they remind me of My time in Japan, your kids are so smart and intelligent and I love seeing what other people's lives are like.
Would it be possible for you to creat a video talking about the Japanese education system? Looking forward to future videos. Thanks for creating such entertaining videos 😃 xx
I don't recall how I initially stubbled upon your first channel, LWIF, but it has been a pleasant and entertaining surprise! It's great to know your background, Greg. I appreciate the thoughtfulness of your videos more, now knowing part of your back story. Thank you!
Have you considered doing collaborations with other family vloggers living in other parts of the world? Perhaps that's another way to extend LWIF to include other countries - or even other cities.
+AM M I am definitely open to collaborations, especially if they're in areas that we're not used to seeing English channels from (India, Africa, Middle East). I even hate to say Africa and Middle East, since that's lumping a whole bunch of countries together. But that just goes to show how little I know about those areas and I would love to know more. I'm assuming most families that would be willing to collaborate are in the US, commonwealth, or EU. It'd be good to get that perspective, but since most viewers are from those areas, it wouldn't be as unique or enlightening as getting videos from countries other than those.
I really like your videos and I can feel the essence of everyday life in Japan. They are simple in scripts but has a lot of soul. Thanks. Anna from São Paulo- Brazil.
Greg, you came at it from a professional point of view and experience and kinda had to deconstruct, sounds like. Similar to what my husband and I went through learning how to play competitive table tennis. I had no experience with any ball sport, so through coach-training, I picked up good form very quickly. My husband, on the other hand, had been a "garage" ping pong player, and a very good one. But he had a hard time breaking years of habits to learn the "correct" way to play the sport. Starting from scratch is sometimes best! I've seen those well-shot videos with beautiful lighting and backgrounds and graphics, that go nowhere because the content is boring or the vlogger is him or herself boring or has an annoying voice. I think your channel with your children has a lot of charm, as well as information - that's why I subscribed. Good luck formulating this one!
+G. Dub Thanks for the ping pong playing perspective :-)
Hello,Greg! Nice to finally find out what this channell is about.I found this channell about a week ago and i have binge watching it since:) At start I found it funny,I thaught ,it was Your daughters school project,but,as the videos came and came, i stopped to think about it like that, and I just enjoy every single video there has been yet. Keep up the good work and good luck!!
Now that you mention it, it's pretty amazing that Nat has been doing the same kind of videos, for this many years, never changing, never doing brand deals, but she's as entertaining as ever.
I love LWIF! I made a guess that you guys were from Raincouver too 😂 it would be great if you guys could come back and do an event some time in the future!
Need to see that rap video. Love your content. And it's surprisingly accessible to big kids too! The Ramen mini-doco was excellent too!
Yes!!!!! A community channel fan!!!!!!! I love when a favourite youtuber is a fan of another one of my faves!!!
Really interesting and inspiring. I think it's really lovely when people open up and share their stories, and I think it's what makes them stand out ☺️
Thanks Greg. You have a great channel here, I really enjoy your videos with Aiko and your more "Adult", "Life where I'm from X" channel
Hi Greg! I really enjoy your videos, and wanted to say thanks for making these, they're very interesting.
Personally, I wouldn't mind watching a couple of ads if it meant I was supporting your channel even a little bit more.
while your friend may not have been able to the Canadian perspective Aiko and you have inspired me to start up my own blog about life in Vancouver. You know if my channel name didn`t make that obvious enough. I love learning new things about Japan from both LWIF and LWIFX. This cultural exchange that you`ve started is amazing.
+Life Where I'm From In Vancouver Haha, cool!
I love your videos, i have been following "Life where I am from" since the beginning, and hearing your story today was very interesting. Your voice is very easy to listen to. Keep 'em coming! ( Btw, I am a 51 year old mother from Norway, my youngest is a 11 year old girl :) )
That was really inspiring in terms of doing what you like and experimenting with stuff. Waiting for Part 2! Please upload really soon!
+Treget Letterwood Should be up next week :-)
Gambate Greg! Keep up the unique content! Can't wait for you to do more documentary style videos about Japanese lifestyle as a foreigner.
Greg, these videos from Aiko-chan's perspective are not just adorable, but gives non-Japanese viewers a great perspective on daily life in Japan. How did you meet your wife, and why isn't she in your videos (other than her hands)? Is she camera-shy LOL? I've always wanted to try living in Japan but assumed I would have to be a student (a bit old for that), or marry a Japanese man. Please keep producing, these are amazing bits!
So about that rap video......
Yes please make more! This was so helpful and motivating to me you have no idea. As always, thank you for your hard work :D
Aw... I loved watching baby Aiko eating gim. (11:42 ) Pls consider making a montage video of your babies growing up in to the cuties we love today. 😸 💕
Thank you for making consistently great TH-cam videos for us. 🤗
Hi Greg, I honestly love your videos with the kids, and I enjoyed this one too but I expected it to be a video where you expanded a bit more on who you are, where you were born, your ancestors, how you met your wife, things like that. Could you please do a video like that? 😁
Thank you for the awesome perspective
I really liked this video, especially because we get to know how it all started. Obviously I'm an adult and I agree that most of your audience are teenagers and adults. Life where I'm from was such a genius idea. A lot of people can't travel but really want to learn what other parts of the world are like. These videos are entertaining but educational at the same time. Great job Greg! Continue the awesome work your doing. I do have a question What type of advice can you give a new comer into the TH-cam world?
+nanamommy4life I think the first thing is that you simply need to create. Shoot, edit, and then watch your videos. If you get bored watching your own videos that means you need to edit more and (maybe shoot differently). I always do a final watch through of my edited video, and if I can sit through it without touching to edit it, than for me it's usually ready to release.
I had a lot of worries wrapped up into releasing videos, as I didn't want people to associate my play videos with my professional ones, so i was a bit wary about releasing personal videos. So I can't really give any advice on what to release and what not to. But I guess what I'm trying to say, is that you can simply do practice videos before you actually starting putting things out in the public. Once you do though, you'll find that you'll get some feedback that'll give you some ideas on how to improve the videos in the future.
Really interesting to hear where the concept came from, thank you. I really like that it gives a slightly different view compared to other J-vloggers and still manages to be educational and entertaining for children and adults. I like that you emphasise the importance of quality content and it is definitely one of the reasons I subscribed to your channels when there are so many others to choose from. I hope you do manage to work out how to showcase other countries because the comparison would be interesting and it was such a great idea. In any case, just keep doing as you do and I'll definitely keep watching!
+Bunny Chan Thanks
Thank you so much for all your videos and is nice to know your brackground :) I'll be waiting for the enxt one :P
I love listening to your voice, and love hearing what you have to teach us.
TH-cam is such a great place, to be able to experience stuffs from another's perspective.
Excellent!
I Sub and watch videos for their relevant content, whether that be information, entertainment or in the case of your channel curiosity. You have piqued my interest with a unique perspective and given me a glimpse of the underbelly of Japan, its unique culture and how your family deals with it.
I find it very refreshing how you take common subjects and come at them from an uncommon viewpoint. You have enthralled your audience with washing dishes, doing laundry, eating lunch and recycling!! Congratulations!
+KE4VVF Thanks. I kind of can't believe that so many people watch videos about mundane stuff like laundry and washing dishes.
+Life Where I'm From X I think the topics are great because they reassure us that everyday things in Japan aren't quite so daunting as one might assume. I think my earliest awareness that visiting Japan might be a daunting experience was from hearing the typical stories of frustration people have about working out how to use a toilet. The thought of a difficult experience with an everyday item we all take for granted can be very disconcerting. Enough to make someone decide to vacation elsewhere, even. And if something so mundane as a toilet is so hard, one starts to wonder what else is difficult that we haven't even thought of! So I think series like yours and those of your contemporaries, breaking down how even the simplest things are done in Japan, go a long way to reassure us that, once you see how it all works, it's really not so hard. These videos are the answer to our phobias. I'm looking forward to visiting Japan now, once I have a basic grasp of the language, which I think will make the trip all the more enjoyable. Thanks, and keep doing what you do!
+554466551 Ah, I never thought about it in that way. Great to know. Yep, things are different, which is fascinating, but nothing that should stop anyone from visiting :-)
Thanks for putting up this channel! I enjoy watching all your videos. Keep it up! Hugs and kisses for Aiko!
Hello from your home town! I always enjoy your LWIF videos.
Very loving family
Aiko is wonderful
Many kisses to aiko
She is a gem
Very positive
Yep I'm 13 years old and I love these videos!
That's an interesting story. Nice to know a bit of your backstory. Thanks for sharing.
I love watch your videos and my mom start today follow you. So keep going, you're a unique family and a unique idea for a channel.
thanks for sharing this video and for also sharing your love of communitychannel!!
The vlog brothers talk really quickly because they want to keep you entertained, so that you have to watch it again, and so that you dont skip the video!
I love your channel cause of the kids. Your daughter reminds me of a granddaughter i have in California but have not seen in 7 years. They are the same ethnic background and look similar. I like what your doing and i would love to visit Japan someday too.
it's my first time to watch LWIF X glad to meet you aiko's dada! i'm happy my daughter saw your channel on youtube when she was curious about what japan kids like. pls continue to upload videos they are all really interesting. maybe next time you and aiko can do something like what school is like in japan. hehehe well yeah that's it i just want to say you guys are so awesome! and I agree Natalie Tran is so funny many many relatable insights about things.
Yeah I do love the idea of having multiple perspectives from people all over the world. But Canada and Japan would be cool to see too. Its always interesting to see how other cultures do things.
That was really interesting. Didn't expect so much preperation!
awesome video! so informative. cant wait to see the other parts!👍🙌👌
Really enjoyed this background lessons! ^_^ I've enjoyed watching LWIF for so many months now and so it's really great to get a personal history lesson A^_^
Oh my god! I love your videos and I am big fan of community channel and Wong fu toooooooo!
I'm really looking forward to the video about going viral. For me, I think it would be amazing (because it's a big success) and scary at the same time (because what comes after that?).
+sdcr It should be out in a week or so :-)
Great video. So you're a Sony guy. I started with still photography, but have used YT and Vimeo for just a platform too when they first started (diff channels, for hobby and also for work).
I was always behind the camera (still am) since I am ugly and have ugly voice..so I don't host this silly hobby channel of mine haha ;P
Love your videos tho. The first I saw was the ramen one a couple months ago. Spectacular. The subway video is super good too. You're a genius in production. Can't wait for more
Hey, great video. It's very useful. Could you please make a video about software & hardware you use. What a beginner could/should use. The technical stuff!!
Communitychannel is my favorite youtuber!
No wonder that I've seen u before this. Keep up the good work!
yay a vancouver boy! I recognized most of those backgrounds from your old projects lol
Can you speak fluent japanese like the kids and your wife? Also, are you a japanese citizen or living resident?
maybe a bit late, but he says in his videos, that he has his difficulties learning the language and he often speaks english with his kids
Hii! I'm so thankful for this video, it's amazing how you explain your experience. I'm interested in starting to make videos but I'm always thinking in the amount of time that could take and you are really helpful for that :3
I started viewing LWIF because a viral site showing your bathroom video and I was so happy to see the perspective of a cute little girl living in Japan! Your work is amazing :3
Sorry if I'm not so great in English, it isn't my mother tongue, I'm from Chile, so I speak spanish, but I really like what you are doing :3
+Susana Osses Your English is great! Videos do take time ;-), but they're fun to make.
とっても面白かったです！ちっちゃいアイコちゃん可愛い！続き楽しみにしてますねー！
Yaaaas Vlogbrothers!! Are you a Nerdfighter, Greg?
Thank you for making this video, I'm starting my own channel. This was very helpful :)
Yay, community channel and Wongfu!!!!!!
I really like your content and having a channel that is family friendly while making content that has cultural substance to it. I think it's a great lesson in empathy, communication and social structure that we all can learn from.
I do admit, I really like the more "adult" topics you started covering, namely homelessness and elder care. would you feel comfortable doing a video about police? since each country has its own culture between the public and police interactions, it would be good to understand what that is like in a country that is very homogenous and different than hetreogenus countries like Canada, usa etc. could you talk about immigration and your experience? how is free speech and/or public assembly compared to the west (I know social conformity and honor are a different cultural value that japan esteems) have you thought about meeting up with simon and martina to compare notes on your experiences being Canadian in japan?
just some ideas for now. love your channel and it's great to see the kids growing up as well as the channel evolving.
Hi. I'm an adult who does like your videos. You have a great voice for public speaking. a couple questions: What is your heritage?
How did you meet your wife, what does she do?
I would love to see videos of life from other countries. I love your video, very entertaining and educational.
Great video good to know what it took for you to get started I just got inspired thank you.
I guess I'm one of those adults who watches to see what life in Japan is like. Similar enough to be recognizable, different enough to bewilder and with endlessly fascinating illuminating comparisons. Plus your children are young enough to lend it a sense of discovery that adults might not have. Don't get me wrong, it would still be interesting with adults, but we. well some of us, lose a little enthusiasm as we age.
thanks for the effort and the great videos!
I love your idea and I wish I could create some videos about life in Italy with my four kids... But our big huge problem would be the language! My kids can't speak fluently english! :)
Awesome. Great info.
Thanks for the insight
Woah i enjoyed this entire video thoroughly. In a completely unrelated subject: A fellow Jamie Oliver fan!
Looking forward to the other parts :)
+Ryan Teo Haha, I actually really like his documentary series of videos.
Please do more videos on life where I'm from
Found your LWIF channel only a week ago and I just kept browsing through all the videos. Perhaps can do a video on Japanese snacks and how many of them actually taste as nice as it looks on the package!
Also, my professor once told me that being a lecturer in university doesn't mean he could earn enough money to raise both his kids in private school. I am interested in knowing - how affordable is it to live in Japan?
+whitebabyhappysad I can see how he couldn't afford to have both kids in private school. Public schools are free though (although you have to buy some things like uniforms and such). I will cover affordability in a future video :-)
I would love to see your old videos pre-lwif days. Link please!
I knew your face and sound look familiar 7:04
I paid for your course on Accounting on 2013.
Great quality content back there, one of the best investment I've made. I wish you'd create more video tutorials like those.
Yay! LWIF was born on my birthday ❤️
fantastic Spanish subtitles. Great job! About how long did it take to do them?
I didn't do them and I don't see the credit showing up, so I have no clue. But I'm glad they're good. Must have taken a long time. Thanks to whoever did them!
I really enjoyed seeing your perspective in Japan. Although my family is American, we Love Japanese culture and TH-cam. I have a 3 and a 6 Year old who want to make videos as well. If you are still looking for kids perspectives abroad, let me know...It might be interesting to give it a shot. Too bad we couldn't just post video responses, remember those? Anyway thank you for providing a good creative role model for us to follow!
hello i am just wondering what is the software you are using in making and editing video :D thank you
Can you post some of your earlier work (the first 5 episodes before you started LWIF)? Would love to see them thanks!
+chynagrl88 Oh, those are actually posted. They really are the first videos that you'll find on the LWIF channel. What I did was to make them, but not post them right away. I must have sat on some for about 3-4 months or so. Besides making sure I could make the videos, I was also trying to figure out a style that I could replicate. For example, I wasn't originally planning on putting music on any videos, because choosing music can add a few hours of work (I might listen to 100 songs before I find one that fits, and then you have to edit to match the music). Adding music also adds something (a feeling, a mood), while simultaneously taking away things as well (little background noises, little pieces of conversation). In the end I decided to go with music for most things, but you can see on some videos (like the candy one), I didn't always do music.
Could you talk about Aiko and Shin in the next part of this video? Like about what its like for Aiko to move from Canada to Japan? What was it like for a Asian kid to live in Canada?
And also about how you and your wife met? :)
I'm a Canadian living in Korea with my Korean husband and kids. We could always provide the Korean content/perspective.