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Can't help but think of age milestones on birthdays. As things stand, I always introduce myself in conversation lessons by having students guess my age, and last week the subject of how old you have to be to exercise certain rights/privileges came up. From my memories growing up in Wisconsin...
16 - Driver's License
18 - Age of Majority, Voting (All Elections)
21 - Alcohol
25 - Reduced auto insurance rates, car rentals without co-signer
In Japan the golden age is 20, where the 18 and 21 year-old privileges are lumped into one. What happens after this though?
My roommate, who is just a scant month and half older, says he still feels like when he was 19. I certainly can't say that for myself (though having his care-free nature would be nice from time to time.) I've had too many experiences; both good and bad.
I'll still introduce myself to new students same as before, as I am still not embarrassed by age. But I have to say this year is truly a first in that the birthday is kind of pointless, except for the whole date recognition thing. Hiroshima I will ignore too, but for other reasons.
Still, hopefully there will be many more to come in the future. Lucky I've made it this far! |
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Typhoon #4 is coming straight at us, making a beeline throughout Honshu after having fun with Okinawa. Come to think of it, this is the first typhoon I've experienced in my 2+ years in Japan. While no one is surprised at the occurrence (this is the rainy season, after all), this sucker is a strong one. Not Andrew/Katrina-strong, but still pretty strong.
Normally I wouldn't care, but some part-time work I signed up for tomorrow might be canceled because of this, especially if the train service is down.
Now I know some people are thinking: "Paul, for the love of Cid...it's a holiday! Take it!" True, but with this particular work I don't get paid if the event is canceled. And the pay is enough where I would be annoyed. Not to mention getting up on an early Sunday morning waiting for a call for work or a last-minute cancellation (and this event looks like at this point it will be canceled, but they refuse to confirm until tomorrow *sigh*.) I guess it's like snow days back in North America.
At least then I enjoyed the snow days. Can't say I'm enjoying the ramifications of this typhoon. Pffftt.Current Mood:  annoyed |
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Jul. 5th, 2007 @ 01:28 am
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It is a belated post, but a happy Independence Day to everyone back in the States. I don't miss the symbolism of the holiday, but I do miss the holiday (and the related picnics/barbecues/fireworks/holiday time off and such) a lot. Come to think of it, this is the 4th 4th of July I've missed since being in Japan. The price of being an expat, I suppose.
Anyways, hope everyone is doing well. For those who *might* be interested, I did pick up Pokemon Diamond at the request of Kamikaze and a few coworkers. I don't see myself playing much, but I do have the game regardless. Will tell you my friend code once I figure out how to get the thing working!
Happy 4th everyone. |
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May. 31st, 2007 @ 02:22 pm
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Hello, world!
Andy wrote about his experiences in Japan recently, so I felt it was only appropriate to follow suit on my LJ account...dormant for almost a year. Scary.
Quite a lot has changed since my last post. For starters, I decided to re-contract for a *third* year with my company. Despite encouragement to quit and look for another English teaching position, the fact is that salaries are dropping in other jobs and my current schedule is quite easy. This doesn't mean that I'm content with doing this job until (insert time here), but until my Japanese ability increases to the point where I can pass 2-kyuu of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test, my options are limited for advancement.
Also, I've been dating a girl for the last nine months, and things have gone well enough where she might go back to the States with me during this year's Winter Vacation should the opportunity arise. I also met her parents recently, which at least seemed to go well. This is a complete reversal from the situation I was having a year ago. I've noticed that the real, real *REAL* long-term residents live here because of a significant other, so when students ask me why I've lived in Japan for over two years, that's why.
My financial situation is a little better where I should be a position to pay off my student loans completely come the end of this year. Either that or save up the money for other things (whatever that may be). I got in a *LOT* of travel last year, and I still do quite a bit every now and then. But I don't see myself doing as much travel this year, it turns out I've seen more of Japan than many of my students. And they've lived here all their lives!
Since I've passed the two-year mark, simply walking back into my old life in the States won't exactly work. Not that I wanted to do exactly what I was doing before, but that's besides the point ^_^ I remember running into a Capcom employee at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show, and he had mentioned off-hand that jumping in to the gaming industry here as a foreigner (preferably as a translator or some such position) requires elite language skills. As in 1-kyuu level. Translation: really, really high. It's something to think about, although the goals I set for myself before I came to Japan still stand. Should all go well, I should finish the big two by year's end.
1. Pass 2-kyuu of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test
2. Pay off or be in a position to pay off student loans entirely.
After that, I'll have to revise my plans as to why I came here. But for now, things are going well. I still fall victim to my old habit of comparing myself to other people (recently in regards to my Japanese ability), but I should still tell myself that things are certainly better than they were.
That last sentence I've repeated so many times on LJ, but the mantra seems to have worked for the last 5 years (my account hits that anniversary in October...has it been that long?!?), so no reason to break pattern just yet.
Best wishes to everyone who I've lost contact with, especially the RPGamer crew that I see around every now and the but never get around to keeping in contact with. Hope everyone (present, past, disgruntled, alumni, etc. included!) is doing well. |
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People you know one day can turn on you and become either hostile or an enemy the next. Why, I have no idea, but it just seems to happen.
I don't think I'll ever get used to it, but I'm at least aware it happens though. Not fun.Current Mood:  confused |
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Back in Milwaukee, there is a column in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel called Snapshots, in which a person from around the area is profiled in a usually sappy matter. I'm never a fan of such journalism, as it tends to be far too sentimental at times, sometimes embarassingly so. While my opinion of said column probably won't change (I do read the online version now and again), this article came up not too long ago...
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=420616
Much thanks to one of my friends there for providing the link. Not only is the subject matter amusing, the way it was written was absolutely fabulous. I must admit I got a cheap laugh out of it, but how can one make a story about a retired pimp a readable subject? Crocker Stephenson did, and while I'll usually ignore his column, I give him two thumbs up from him for this one. |
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While the rest of Japan was being smart and enjoying the Spring Solstice holiday, I was insane and volunteered to work in Ise judging a speech competition. The overtime pay (and transportation reimbursement for limited express trains, nice!) was worth it, though it was painful to listen to an "English" teacher say "PLOGLAM NUMBER ..." for an hour straight to introduce her students. I know, I shouldn't have expectations for complete mastery of a foreign language in a foreign country, but for a teacher to use such atrocious katakana pronounciation was pretty ridiculous, and even more so when her 8-year old students sounded fluent in comparison. Nevertheless, most of the kids did pretty well. I would have been so nervous at that age to speak in front of 200 people, in a foreign language no less!
However, today was a day off, so I dweebed out on Final Fantasy XII, released in Japan last Thursday. A couple of thoughts fifteen hours into the game...
( Still no spoilers, but out of the way if you're really that worried. )
On other related news, how the f$%# somebody can beat this game within a couple of days and take video of the final boss battle is beyond me. I know, I know, it's more than doable, but for those of us who actually have to work in our spare time, I'm still amazed that it can be done.Current Mood:  drained |
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This comment was just...amusing from one of the school directors I worked with. I've been riding the bullet train to work on Saturdays to Hamamatsu (by personal choice, Shinkansen on the company dime is pretty cool), and I was given the standard questions that any new teacher gets upon arrival in a school. Do you like Japan? Can you eat natto? Why did you come to Japan? Do you like it here?
And so on. My reply to that was a question to the school director as to why she was so interested in working in the eikaiwa business, and she mentioned it was because she admired foreigners in general. To paraphrase: "You're cooler than us! You're taller, and your culture is better too." Whatever. After living here for a while, there are some things about the States that I do miss, but not all of it is "cooler" by any means. Perhaps better than certain aspects of Japanese culture, but not ALL of it.
My standardized answer to why I came to Japan was my admiration for its combination of high technology and old culture. It's not a lie, but it's not the entire truth either. The *real* reason for my initial interest in Japan is similar to that of most people on my LJ friends' list, I'd imagine. It's the video games, or some derivative from that subculture.
However, I learned very quickly after my first visit here that the "otaku" (a word with very, very negative connotations here) are viewed with disdain at best by many people. Just for the heck of it, I decided to ask what the staff thought was the most popular Japanese export abroad. When I mentioned that recently it had been things such as video games and animation, they were aghast.
The "otaku" are experiencing a little of a reprieve here, thanks in no small part to a movie/TV series called Densha Otoko ("Train Man"), and the realization of some people that said industry is one of the most popular abroad. Never mind the fact that many people view the world of anime/gaming/etc. with such disgust, but...it's the Japanese public's loss for not realizing how many foreigners have their first introductions to the country through that medium.
I ask everyone here...if it weren't for the gaming/anime angle from Japan, would you have even had an interest in the country in the first place? I wouldn't have. I won't say that to most of my students, despite my incredible dislike of tatemae, but it's the truth.
There are many other reasons I enjoy the country now, and despite my complaints (more often recently, I confess, but they come in waves), I have absolutely no regrets for coming here. As for some people realizing that it was the "otaku" subculture that has opened the eyes of other foreigners to experience Japan for what it really is, one can dream. We'll see.
Hanami in three weeks or so. I can't wait. |
Meme courtesy of ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=92.1) foxworth and others
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Feb. 7th, 2006 @ 12:23 pm
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| Code | |
Source | |
Location |
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| ORD | FAA | Chicago [Chicago O'Hare Intl], IL, US |
| LAX | FAA | Los Angeles [Intl], CA, US |
| NRT | DAFIF | Tokyo (Narita) [New Tokyo Intl], Honshu, JP |
| MKE | FAA | Milwaukee [General Mitchell Intl], WI, US |
| PBI | FAA | West Palm Beach [Palm Beach Intl], FL, US |
| YYZ | DAFIF | Toronto [Lester B. Pearson Intl], ON, CA |
| HNL | FAA | Honolulu [Intl], HI, US |
| DTW | FAA | Detroit [Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport], MI, US |
| NGO | DAFIF | Nagoya (Tokoname) [Centrair (Central Japan Intl)], Honshu, JP |
| MSP | FAA | Minneapolis [Minneapolis-St Paul Intl (Wold-Chamberlain)], MN, US |
| DEN | FAA | Denver [Intl], CO, US |
| TPA | FAA | Tampa [Intl], FL, US |
| SFO | FAA | San Francisco [Intl], CA, US |
Total Miles Flown: 46568 |
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You know things are a rush when a 10:45 a.m. flight back to Japan is preceded by last-minute packing, especially with the knowledge that I might not be back this time next year. Fortunately, the largest suitcase full of Christmas gifts for family and friends is now empty, and that should help. Also, there were a few things that I simply didn't use, and that will help as well.
That being said, this was the fastest Winter Vacation ever...period. A good time was had, and it provided that necessary perspective on living in Japan. Honestly, it feels like a dream looking back - "reverse culture shock" really was a non-issue this time around. Even so, I'm looking forward to going home (meaning, for now...Nagoya.) For everyone I got a chance to say hello to, it was great seeing you...and for those of you I couldn't stop by, my apologies. Now, off to to go pack. |
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