I have said farewells 10 co-workers, and have introduced myself to countless new ones. I have taught about 100 students and about 1000 90 minute lessons.
My sister has gotten married, my father is planning his third wedding, my mother has taken in new pets, Sanami started a new job and I have become an uncle. It's amazing the things that can happen in just one year.
Today, I have started a new year by eating at Soup Stock Tokyo for the first time.
つづく
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"Life comes at you fast."
I don't know who first said this, but once you start thinking about it then it is too late. Your time has already come and gone, and you'll always wonder why things came to be.
Next month I will be celebrating my 3rd birthday in Japan. I first came to Japan in April, 2005, for my university studies, and once again in October 2007 to find work. As I stand on the train typing this, it sure doesn't feel like over 2 years has pasted. I now believe our brain's most essential functions is to forget the average and boring.
I am not saying my life here has been boring, but more that it has become average for me. Recently, it seems that most days go by quickly. Almost too quickly sometimes. Perhaps my life has become too average and time has flown by.
I say "average" but I should place a disclaimer. at least average in my frame of mind and life experience. However, from a world perspective my life is actually very privileged: I have an education, an easy job I like, good health, clean water to drink, etc. Many others share my level of privilege, but can still find things to complain about. Ironically, this has become my complaint.
I know it sounds a bit hypocritical, but I feel truly annoyed. There is a man I work with, who has made his fair share of mistakes in love and money. He knows that with his lack of skills and experience his best possible job is his current one. Although he is financially tied to Japan, i.e. trapped, he's actually very happy living in Japan. However, he loves to complain about Japanese people.
With the same precision as a surgeon, this man takes every bad person, bad experience and conflicting cultural view under a microscopic, or perhaps monoscopic, view to give support to his negative stereotypes. In his mind one smelly old man means, "old Japanese men smell bad" in his opinion. A shy or perhaps scared lady makes him think, "Japanese people are rude and racist." He conforms his experience to his preset stereotypes. I wish he was more open minded, but he never will be. He's already in his forties, past the stage of mindset change.
I hope I never become so narrow minded. Our lives are very special, and complaining about our differences is not as wonderful as celebrating everyone's uniqueness.
つづく
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