I was talking with an old friend last week who lives in Kyoto. He's been there for about 10 years. Some might call him an expat, though he might take offense to the label as a few others have. I'm not exactly sure why. I'm pretty neutral on the term myself. That's another story however.
We were comparing life here in Japan with back home in America and he said that he was happy enough to live here because things like the troubling side of the Immigration Bill and the lack of the American Government's effectiveness in Iraq and at home just made the idea of living in America unpleasant by comparison.
I had to bite my lip, because I would probably just say something that would just damage our pleasant, but "convenient" friendship. I think part of getting older means developing a pretty "rough lip" - at least in my case.
I don't want to step on toes here. Everyone has very different experiences and reasons for living abroad, whether temporarily or indefinitely. Nor do I mean to reduce someone's reasons for living abroad, because these situations are usually based on very complicated decisions.
I suppose I felt like he gave a poor reason to live here in Japan, but perhaps no better than the one I had for coming here in the first place. I also know that I felt defensive to his remarks as he knows that I'm headed back to America. I'm looking for an opportunity, he's only commenting on the negative media-driven image of America that's fueled by daily internet bytes and an annual two-week trip back home to oblige his family.
I realize that it's part of the "survival package" of living as an expat. And perhaps I even wore that mask myself before my decision to return to America. And perhaps that's a part of exactly why I'm returning to America now with Hyunjoo.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Friday, June 22, 2007
Goodbye
The KIT and KTC staff threw Yasuko, Hyunjoo, and I a farewell party since we'll all be leaving before the next term begins. It was a really cool gathering since both entire-staffs rarely get together.
Click on the pictures to see a larger version of the slideshow.
Click on the pictures to see a larger version of the slideshow.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
The check list...
This is just a rough list of what we gotta remember to take care of on our way outta here.
- selling the car
- reservations for Mt. Fuji
- arrangements for Alicia's visit
- reservations for Lee folks once they leave Kanazawa
- sell / throw out everything we're not packing up
- buy tickets to Seoul
- job hunt!
- Las Vegas vs. Salt Lake City
- garbage runs
- sign out of the apartment
- wire money to America
- shut off utilities
- hike Hakusan
- clean the apartment
- luggage service to the airport
- fly outta here
Saturday, June 09, 2007
Phone home... not!
Oh no! We've been trying to call America this morning and we're getting some kind of error message in Japanese and English from YahooBB (maybe) saying that we don't have (our) number registered to make these kinds of calls. I don't get it. They get paid from my bank account automatically every month. Wassup? Thankfully we're still able to make local calls through our landline and access the internet, but we're gonna have to get this fixed tomorrow.
Funny Bunnies
If you're looking for some giggles and would like to see some movies, very fast! Then, check out these bunnies!
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Warning: Cultural Rant
The more you try to ignore something that bothers you...
It's widely known that it's perfectly polite to loudly slurp your noodles here in Japan. Yakisoba is a favorite, perhaps as common as a peanut butter sandwich in America (at least when I was growing up). They're noodles that are gently fried in a heavy sauce that is perhaps based on soy sauce. It's a strong smell and is often accentuated with pickled ginger, and other garnishes. Now, I love yakisoba when I'm in the mood for it.
Part two of this story is that about 16 teachers share an office about 30 feet by 40 feet. So there's a teacher ever 7.5 x 10 feet in this room. We live with all kinds of intrusions into personal space. It's one of the most difficult daily challenges we have to learn to live with here.
Today, I wanna scream. The slurping and heavy lingering odor of those noodles is about to make me walk over and throw those noodles out the window. I wonder what that Japanese teacher would do?
Thankfully, in the time it took for me to red-line and then script out this poorly written narrative, the offender has finished his noodles that prove to be the "gift-that-keeps-on-givin'". In another hour or so, the smell should dissipate.
It's widely known that it's perfectly polite to loudly slurp your noodles here in Japan. Yakisoba is a favorite, perhaps as common as a peanut butter sandwich in America (at least when I was growing up). They're noodles that are gently fried in a heavy sauce that is perhaps based on soy sauce. It's a strong smell and is often accentuated with pickled ginger, and other garnishes. Now, I love yakisoba when I'm in the mood for it.
Part two of this story is that about 16 teachers share an office about 30 feet by 40 feet. So there's a teacher ever 7.5 x 10 feet in this room. We live with all kinds of intrusions into personal space. It's one of the most difficult daily challenges we have to learn to live with here.
Today, I wanna scream. The slurping and heavy lingering odor of those noodles is about to make me walk over and throw those noodles out the window. I wonder what that Japanese teacher would do?
Thankfully, in the time it took for me to red-line and then script out this poorly written narrative, the offender has finished his noodles that prove to be the "gift-that-keeps-on-givin'". In another hour or so, the smell should dissipate.
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