Q: Of course, fresh ingredients are important anytime you're cooking, but with fish, it's especially important. You can disguise some three-day old chicken pretty easily, but it's much tougher to disguise some cod that's been sitting around for three days. In order to cook the best fish of your live, you'll want to get cozy with your fishmonger. The best trick to getting the freshest fish available is to simply ask. Go up to the fishmonger manning the fish in your local grocery store and ask them what's fresh today. This will sometimes require being flexible about the kind of fish you cook, but it's for the better. Fresh fish almost invariably tastes better than old fish, whether it's salmon, mackerel, tuna, or swordfish the list goes on. The freshest fish will smell of the sea (briny) but not fishy; the gills should be bright and moist; the meat firm and springy; and the scales should not be dull or flake off easily. The secret to cooking fish is knowing the temperature at which they're finished cooking. In order to do this, you'll want to use a food thermometer until you get the hang of things and can tell whether your fish is done by touching or merely looking at it. Most fish are perfectly cooked when they reach an internal temperature of 120 - 145F (~49 - 63C). Ever heard of sushi? Or how about ceviche? These are two fish dishes that are not cooked at all. Unlike undercooked poultry, which carries the risk of salmonella, fish are okay to eat undercooked or even raw. Although raw or undercooked fish can contain parasites, the incidence rate of serious health concerns is serially overstated. You should feel very safe eating undercooked fish. Some fish are better raw (or undercooked)! Fish like tuna are often given a light sear on both sides before removing from the heat and serving. Tuna tartar, famously, isn't cooked at all. Fish come in three basic varieties, each of which tends to be cooked in a different way and contains different nutritional properties. Knowing your way around the basic varieties will help you become a better cook: White fish cod, plaice, sole, hake and haddock, among others. These fish have translucent skin that turns an opalescent white when being cooked. Usually battered and deep fried, they form the basis of the classic English fish and chips. Oily fish salmon, trout, kipper and sardines, among others. Oily fish are oilier than other varieties, but contain good oils (omega 3 fatty acids). They are often grilled, baked, or steamed. Shellfish shrimp, scallops, mussels, and oysters, among others. Shellfish are categorized either as "crustaceans" (shrimp) or "mollusks" (oysters). Commonly bottom feeders, shellfish are harder to digest than either white or oily fish. There are tons of different marinades that you can experiment with when cooking fish soy sauce and honey works great on salmon, while olive oil and lemon work nice on whitefish. But ultimately, great fish like great meat tastes exquisite when you let the taste of the actual fish, and not the marinade, take over. Dry off your fish before cooking, whatever method of cooking you decide to use. Especially important for frying or pan-frying, excess moisture will cool down hot oil. Try to pat down fish fillets or steaks with a dry paper towel before cooking for best results. before cooking. For best results, of course, you'll want to use fresh fish. But let's face it fresh fish is expensive, a luxury that not all of us can afford. Frozen fish is a nice alternative, but you'll want to thaw your fish for a day in the refrigerator before cooking for best results. Oh, and remember to pat it down to remove excess moisture before cooking! You can bake frozen fish, for example, but you'll want to double the normal cooking time from your recipe. Cooking frozen fish is very tricky however, and shouldn't be done as a rule of thumb if you can afford it.
A: Source the freshest fish available. Get familiar with your thermometer. Know that it's okay to undercook most fish. Know the three basic kinds of fish. Experiment with marinades, but know that most fish taste wonderful with just salt and pepper. Cook with your fish as dry as possible. Thaw your fish

Q: Bring only the bare necessities. You can buy things in Japan when you arrive or have your family send them to you later. Your apartment will be small and the training center will be small too. Just bring suits, casual clothes, and things for hygiene. Maybe a book for studying Japanese. Go with your trainer and new group to your training center. You may receive training there for a while. Get friendly with your fellow trainees. You'll receive a few days of training. Do not take it lightly. It can be fun, but it's long. You will receive homework and assignments. They will help you learn how to do your job for the next year. Do not skip them. Do everything meticulously. It is possible to get kicked out of training and never sent to your branch school. Again, if you don't take training seriously, the company can send you back home.
A: Pack everything and get on your plane. Meet your fellow trainees at the airport. After the training, go to your branch school, meet your new co-workers and students, and enjoy your new life as an English teacher in Japan!

Q: Watercolors will give your design a muted, cloudy image, while acrylic paint will produce richer, more vibrant colors. If you want a more precise design that's easier to control, use acrylic paint. If you like more abstract and blended designs, use watercolors. The way that these paints act on canvas or paper is similar to how they will react on your sand dollar. If you've painted with these mediums before, use your past experience to determine what kind of paint to use. You need water to clean off your brush when switching colors. You'll also need to use water to mix and apply watercolor paint. When the water starts to get a murky brown or gray, empty the cup in your sink and refill it with fresh water. If you're using paint from a tube, you'll need a wooden, paper, or plastic palette to mix your paints. Unscrew the cap from the paint and slowly squeeze the bottom of the tube over your palette. Squeeze 1-2 drops of paint for every color that you want to use. You only need 1-2 drops of paint when starting off. Softly drawing an outline will help give you an idea of what kind of design you want before you start painting. After you're done creating the outline, you can fill in your drawing with different colors. Make sure that the end of your brush is fully saturated. You'll need a decent amount of water to activate watercolor paint and keep acrylic paint from drying out. Take the brush and swirl it around in the paint to transfer it onto your brush. Once your brush is loaded with paint, you can start applying it to the sand dollar. Use small strokes at first to see how the paint reacts to the sand dollar. Follow along with the outline that you drew or follow the natural contours of the sand dollar. If you're using watercolor, you'll have less control over how the paint will react once it makes contact with the sand dollar. Clean your brush in the cup of water before you switch colors or it could make your design look murky and brown. If you want to paint the top and bottom surface of the sand dollar, make sure you let it dry before flipping it over. If you're using acrylic paint, let the paint dry before applying a second coat so that the colors don't blend together. Sit the sand dollar out for 3-4 hours and let it fully dry. Touch the surface of the sand dollar to make sure that the paint has dried before handling it or you may smudge the paint.
A:
Decide whether to use watercolor or acrylic paint. Fill a cup up with water and sit it next to your workstation. Squeeze the paint onto a palette if you're using tubed paint. Create a design on the sand dollar with a pencil. Dip your brush in water. Dip your brush into the paint. Apply paint to the sand dollar with small strokes. Let the sand dollar dry.