Japan!!
The magic of being back after five years a way is just not sinking in after48 hours no sleep. I don’t know why I thought a 2 am flight was going to be a good idea. I arrived at the airport at 9 to have a drink with a homeless acquaintance I met traveling who happens to live at the airport. I tired to tell him about our community, that it would help him find allies and overcome his loneliness in a foreign city but he kept changing the topic. Oh well. You can force it on anyone.
Some K-pop stars were getting on a flight too, there were 20 police holding hands and forming a circle around the stars as 100 rabid teenage girls tried to catch a picture. It’s moments like these where I feel justified for the common assessment that society is absolutely batshit insane.
Anyway, 12 hours later and I’ve hopped on the local train which takes a full two hours to arrive to my destination, rather than the 30 minute train. Oh, what was I thinking...? I want to take in this scenery but I’m just too tired.
Perhaps it’s because I haven’t arrived in Tokyo yet, but I notice one huge distinction from five years ago. Eye contact is a thing now. I distinctly remember how little eye contact was commonplace when I used to live here. Now every JR staff looks you in the eyes and smiles. The AI is gaining consciousness! Also on the train I noticed a local woman eating, something which was pretty uncommon before. I saw a young nice looking guy with a tattoo, something which is far more taboo in japan than elsewhere.
It appears what my Tokyo based Osaka friend (who I am on my way to visit) said was true. Thanks to negligence displayed after the earthquake and the anti-nuclear movement which most people were supportive of, whether vocal or not, something very subtle has changed. This change has continued since the prime minister has started pushing to rebuild the military. To complicate things further, the influx of tourism to every corner of the country has people feeling complicated. There are those who must be happy to see a push towards internationalization but at the same time some people must see how empty this form of internationalization is, it’s a whole lot like selling your own body.
According to this friend, who is one of the only friends I have here who acknowledges his own quirkiness (the common practice in Japan if you are strange is to insist that you are just a typical Japanese), this change in attitude is not at all noticeable in the attitude towards words, but that is due in part to the fact that more companies are respecting laws about overtime.
It’s amazing to see how much such tiny changes (which I’m not even sure really exist are just my one friends faulty assessment) have really changed the way it feels to be on the subway. Maybe I’m the one one who has changed and that’s all it is. I’ve seen enough to look at things with a new set of eyes.
Life is so wacky. I can’t believe I’m back here. I can’t believe I am still able to write this after the little sleep I had last night. :-)
Glad you landed safely!! Hope this place will give you much more fresh ideas and muse you needed!
I always have ideas! I just need concentration, and that is getting better and better and better and better.
Good on you! Once you're awake, you can't go back. Have a blast in Japan.
Change is inevitable as they say. Unfortunately it isn't always good or favourable.
Generally internationalization should be a good thing for communities, even though it forces them to step out of their shadow
I think there can be a different kind of internationalization. Up until now it has been all determined by corporate expansion, where the interests are not necessarily aligned in the long term. I think that us regular people need to create a new kind of internationalization where we create new open cultures that draw from the best of the old cultures without competing with them. People that go to a new country and find a local community that they fit in well with and bring what they have to teach as they learn.
Wow!! I can't imagine the stress in your head. Traveling itself is a tiring thing and adding sleep deprivation to that is a recipe for a grumpy day.. catch some sleep, regain strength the scenary ain't going anywhere... And so it the society. ;-)
No stress! hahah, just tired, and I slept well last night so I'm ok! Hope you are well too!
Welcome back man!
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So good to be back, I will see you soon!
Welcome back to Japan @whatamidoing. I've been away from Steemit so haven't read your most recent posts. I know it's something you've wanted for a long time though so I'm very happy for you. 😍
Yes, 6 years to be exact...so good to be back :-D And glad you are back!
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"Welcome back in Japan!" I wanted to say and then 'Big in Japan' came to mind.
Japan has definitely changed in the last three and a half decades ;>)
I have a weakness for this kind of music! Can't wait for my record player and records to arrive in Portugal, probably in a day or two. I actually got this single :>)
Source
Awesome that you actually went for it. Enjoy the new beginning!