Complete Archives | Previous | Next

Stranger in a Strange Land Newsletter February, 2004

Stranger in a Strange Land Newsletter February, 2004

Ladies and Gentlemen,
It has been over three weeks since I wrote the last Stranger in a Strange Land Newsletter. I don’t know where to start: so much has happened in the area touristy sites/sights, tastes, and experience as well as in the area of expanding and introspective understanding (where comes at least half the fun of this newsletter, des-ne? [Japanese for ‘isn’t it so?’)

I have seen whale sharks, dolphins and sea otters (safely behind glass, those dangerous beauties...). I’ve seen Tokyo Tower, Osaka Tower, Kobe Tower and even Kyoto Tower (why must the Japanese place a huge phallic symbol in every major city?). I’ve tasted raw blowfish, and blowfish fin in hot sake... Nabe is gnarly. Tako-yaki is terrific. I’ve seen TWO castles and countless shrines and temples. Kyoto is a beautiful city: I desire to reside there. Osaka’s prize possession is ‘Spa World’ where for about 10 dollars/Euros you can go in a pool, down a water slide, and dip into countless types of hot tubs. Sitting in a wooden hot tub in the cold winter air looking up at the moon... is quite nice.

\"What about you Eli? How are you doing? How is the job search going?\" Well, I’m glad you asked that... jerk. No, it hasn’t gone well actually but that isn’t all bad. I’ve realized two things for certain: I don’t even want to work in the city tutoring English freelance as I imagined and that in any case I need to stay longer if I want to get real work and really learn Japanese. So the sad news for people in Boston and people in Japan is: I plan to stay in Japan much longer. Maybe I will come back in April seeing as I have a plane ticket, but of course, then I would need to buy a ticket to come back. We’ll see. I miss you guys back home anyway, mostly. But let’s be honest we didn’t spend all that much time together...

Yesterday I went for a job interview at an English bar in Kobe, I was offered a managerial position but I believe I will just start as bar staff part time at decent wage, which satisfies me very well. I was getting quite worried about monetary logistics.

And I have some cool friends here but only one person I see regularly. It would be very nice to meet some more people. And it is amazing: this is the first country I’ve been to that most people actually don’t speak English. It’s great, but difficult. And this is generally the most foreign country I’ve been. The Japanese are definitely very western but they are also very Japanese. Unlike the feeling that I and others got the first time we went to Germany: it kinda felt like we hadn’t left the US yet. Here in Nihon you’re definitely not in Kansas anymore.

Well, that’s the news from Lake Odawara: where everyone’s polite, the men are well dressed, and all the women have very nice legs.

Take care,
Eli

p.s. here is follow-up from the previous newsletter:
Well, some asked about it, so the lady has of course been around, she always is, but it is difficult to hear her above the din of concrete and anxious people (moi included): Osaka is definitely the most city-like city I have ever lived in or even seen. I definitely want to live in a smaller place, with access to the cities, but closer to trees, lots of trees. Trees are honest. You can’t always be certain with people, sometimes people are, \"Not compassionate, only polite. Not good, but well behaved.\"

I’ve been gaining self-respect because I’ve been trying to surround myself with people who are both good and well behaved. I’ve always been scared of the overly polite but I’ve been guilty of going after those who aren’t very polite to me but I think ultimately are good people and care about me. Politeness does matter. One shouldn’t be rude, even to me! Also, I was making money; I took and take pride in doing that. Last, I was losing self-respect because I wasn’t doing anything that inspired or challenged me while I was back in the US. And still in Japan I’m looking for something that I really care about doing. I want to learn the Japanese language and culture but there’s more I could be doing. I feel like I could be creating something. I don’t know what... Well, I mean if any of you don’t mind and this is totally optional, you could just say something along the lines of: \"Gee, I really hope Eli finds something that works for him. He could be employed at some school or job but he’s trying to employ himself in some strange way in accordance with his heart. It’d be really neat if he could do that.\"

Wow, if you did that, that would be awesome. I mean if you wanted to throw in \"Thank you Creator.\" \"Thy will be done.\" or \"Or I hope he finds some great friends.\" or \"I hope he gets laid lots and lots and lots.\" I mean, whatever you want to add. Wow, that’d be so sweet. Thanks a lot. And thanks a lot anybody for reading this and even e-mailing back. I
might not respond but it always means a lot to me in this Strange Land. Tata...