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Articles Tagged ‘Japan’

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Back to Japan?

Tuesday, April 4th, 2006

This week has been a constant shuffle from the internet cafe, to the next sightseeing spot, to the train station (free internet in Hong Kong). Why? Because I’m stuck in Hong Kong. Not really a bad place to be stuck, but not particularly a cheap place to be stuck either. My Chinese visa is expired, I don’t want to keep traveling on to Shanghai as I previously planned, and I want to go back to Japan. I’m waiting on a solid job offer so I can secure my ticket back to Tokyo. If it doesn’t materialize soon I’m going to bite the bullet and get my visa. I’ll have to shed some excess baggage accumulated in Zhuhai if I’m going to continue, even though I’ve had enough traveling for the time being. I want to go back to Japan for another year but the clock’s ticking. If I don’t get an ALT job this week, I probably won’t get one at all.

A brilliant end to a new beginning

Monday, February 6th, 2006

The last week of my life in Japan had to be the best I can remember. Keep in mind this is coming from a guy who moves around a lot. In the times I’ve departed in the past there was some sense of longing to stay or not knowing why I was going to the next. This time I don’t have these feelings. I’m going to see “the rest”. The week was hectic and busy, bittersweet and sad, but it was the ultimate ending to my amazing 16 months in Nippon.I’ve always moved around a lot. In the states I change my locale at least every 6 months while rafting. Farewell parties are old hat. And now I’ve turned the well packed car into the perfectly packed backpack. I’ve been packing it again and again, day after day, making my girlfriend sadder with each perfect placement. What will Thailand and China have in store? I hope mostly freedom. It has been 16 months of sedentary teaching, the longest stretch of my adult life. I allowed me to know a foreign place at a deeper level, to learn the language. But now the problem is I want to spend that kind of time everywhere. I want a lifetime everywhere.

Born in a “barn”

Monday, January 23rd, 2006
I'm two weeks from my departure from Japan, and I'm joyfully reminiscing on the great times I've had here. I'm so happy to say that despite having experienced my fair share of "cultural feux pais" and "societal differences," ... [Continue reading this entry]

Learning Thai in Japanese

Monday, January 16th, 2006
I've read all the message boards about Thailand, learned about earplugs, dyed skin, and the tip to pick up a little Thai before you go. Luckily, in my Japanese kanji class there is a Thai guy. I jumped ... [Continue reading this entry]

The status of Japanese-American diplomacy

Wednesday, January 11th, 2006
I speak and she nods; she speaks and I do the same. These nods and subtle gestures allude to understanding, but underneath we're both holding on barely by fingernails. Nods say, "I understand", "I've got it," "wakarimashita," ... [Continue reading this entry]

Something fishy

Wednesday, January 11th, 2006
Japan is one of the safest, if not the safest, country around. I've literally never felt threatened in any way here…until Tsukiji fish market made it on my itinerary. I finally woke up early enough on a ... [Continue reading this entry]

Am I lost in the world yet?

Wednesday, January 11th, 2006
Well here I sit, having lived in Asia for approximately 15 months in the sleepy seaside town of Hitachi(yes, like the TVs), and I feel like my real Asian adventure is truly about to start. Japan has been an amazing ... [Continue reading this entry]

Vend me something to eat

Tuesday, May 24th, 2005
Japan is the land of vending machines. There are approximately 5 million unvandalized machines throughout Japan just waiting to thank you for your next purchase. Sounds convenient, I suppose, and it is if you’re thirsty or need a cigarette. If ... [Continue reading this entry]

Riding the pulse

Tuesday, March 29th, 2005
Step inside the living room, the bedroom, and the kitchen if you promise to be discreet or ravenous but nothing in between. Welcome to the classroom and the library where the study lights never dim. Stroll into the live house, ... [Continue reading this entry]

Japanese drugs are great

Tuesday, March 15th, 2005
I got really sick this week. The flu finally caught up with me after dodging it for about six years. It sucked, as having the flu always does, but gave me a glimpse at the way Japan does medicine. It ... [Continue reading this entry]