About me
On the Sunny Side of Life
At On My Sunny Side, I celebrate the beauty of life’s little joys, spontaneous adventures, and the thrill of embracing new cultures. My mission is to inspire others to step out of their comfort zones and find happiness in both everyday moments and unexpected encounters.
From My World to Yours
Thank you so much for stopping by!
My name is Valeria, and this is my little sunny corner — a space where I share meaningful and lighthearted moments from both Japan and abroad, glimpses of my daily life, and the things I find inspiring, amusing, or simply useful.
This blog isn’t just about beautiful itineraries or nice places to visit — it’s about a lifestyle filled with meaningful moments and small joys that shape the life we live.
Almost anyone can have fun and feel alive while on vacation or during occasional travels, but keeping that same spirit and mindset in everyday life takes awareness, courage, and a thoughtfully set perspective.
So if that sounds like something that resonates with you, make yourself cozy and welcome to my world. I hope you’ll stick around!
How it started
I was born and raised in a charming Ukrainian city but moved to Japan as a teenager with my parents and little sister. My dad had already been living in Japan for a few years at that time, so I’d say I didn’t have to worry about much — he organized everything for us and personally handled all the official procedures related to moving. Lucky me, hehe 😊
When I first came to Japan, I knew almost nothing about its culture, traditions, or language. All I knew were arigatou and konnichiwa — but hey, everyone starts somewhere, right?
After struggling with learning the alphabets — hiragana and katakana — for a few months, I realized that knowing English wouldn’t get me very far. I had to study the local language seriously. Funny enough, after I made that decision “official” in my head, hiragana and katakana were magically memorized within a few days, for good. That was a huge turning point for me — one that led me to where I am today, writing this text while sitting at a café in the city I love most in all of Japan: Yokohama.
I’ve hit many milestones and created meaningful memories along the way. But that moment years ago, when I decided to take my Japanese studies seriously, marked the beginning of a deeper connection with the country I now call home.