The days have become an endless series of goodbyes. Classes are finally over so there are gifts, hugs, and obligatory promises to come and visit. There was a Sayonara Sale for coworkers, a goodbye in Kyoto with the friends from training, and an early hanami with my soon to be ex-bookclub. Even though it was still far too […]
Living Overseas
School’s Out, Let’s Shout …
… and so ends my teaching career. I have waited for this day since January of 2007. A year. It was just supposed to be for a year. Just a year and then I’d get back to real life, back to the career I hoped would come clear during my self-imposed exile from the New […]
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Let Me Ask You Something
… and another thing I wanna know is why the heck I asked the man at the cafe where the “honorable” toilet was. What, am I Amish and amazed by the concept of flushing? And I want to know why, when the unification of Japan was mentioned in relation to the building of Osaka Castle, […]
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Goodbye, Work
(written Sunday, March 22 but not transcribed until today) Sean’s dojo has him tied up with other Sayonara parties and events his last weekend in Japan and I, too, am occupied those days. My soon-to-be ex-bookclub and I have arranged a hanami for next Sunday and I imagine myself in Kyoto next Saturday; stalking geishas […]
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Your 272-Word Mini Japanese Culture Lesson
In the realm of Japanese music, there is obviously nothing is more riveting than J-Pops, but please consider some key players in Japan’s traditional music: The shakuhachi: a wooden, end-blown flute that is – as its name helpfully denotes – 1.8 feet long. Traditionally used by Zen Buddhist monks in blowing meditation; more recently popular […]
One Box, One Body
Found: the Eucharist in Japan. In the Weight Loss section of your friendly local pharmacy. Obviously.
Total Salvation
The invitations for the aforementioned Housecooling Sayonara Sale have been sent, the ryokan for the Snow Monkey Onsen in Nagano is booked and the “To Do” checklist has been drawn up. Today’s mission: Donate Unwanted Clothes to the Salvation Army. I tried to do this before, a couple of months ago. I crammed a suitcase […]
Sticky Mess
I came to Japan with just two suitcases. Over the past two years, my belongings have multiplied like wet Mogwai. Isn’t that just the way? It’s time to start finding new homes for the things I’ve accumulated in my time here. While I was smart enough not to go hog wild and buy each and […]
Days Like Sakura
As our time dwindles, we’re rushing to do the things we’d have done if we’d been in Japan on vacation but never did because we live here full-time. It’s a beautiful day outside? That’s nice – I’m tired and I’ve got to go to the dry cleaner. The list of “Never Done”s is long and […]
Petals Falling on Still Water
It is, of course, forbidden to take a camera into an onsen. But had I been allowed, these are the images I would have snapped: The ghostly steam rising up off of the hot, jagged rocks The lacy white cherry blossom petals dotting the slender boughs, blocking out the brilliant blue sky The wet stamp […]