Something · To · Write · Home · About

Well I started this blog 2 month ago, just before I left Singapore. My intentions for starting this were premised on my then desire to keep in touch with friends and family despite being a 7 hour flight and another timezone away. But then I got here and I started finding this solitude sort of nice and not having internet at home became sort of an excuse not to communicate with anyone back home, and I didn't mind. I loved my job, the kids I taught, my new friends, and lifestyle and I felt a sort of fulfillment that I hadn't felt in so long. There was even a moment a while back where I was in yet another welcome party and I had this really strong feeling that the coming year was going to be one of the most enjoyable my life had to offer. I've had some pretty awesome moments here. One of my best was driving down an old street in Kakunodate with Eiko, my Japanese mother, and introducing her to R.E.M. (Probably the funniest moments so far was when one of my kids, Hiroki, had this sticker on his pencil box which read "Super Bitch". Seeing this sticker, which found hilarious since no self respecting straight boy would ever call himself bitch--'son-of-a gun', 'bastard', even 'motherfucker' if the situation call for it, but not 'Bitch'. So I asked him if he knew what 'Bitch' meant. All this while he thought that 'Bitch' was 'Beach' so he went on about how he loves 'bitches' and 'bitch volleyball'. So I finally had to explain to him that bitch was 'Mesuinu', basically female dog and that it had rather negative connotations, which basically half the class, which had gathered around by then, thought was hilarious.)

Anyway getting back to my point, I was pretty happy being by myself out here, cut off from everyone back home. It's almost like I'm having a real, proper break from my life out here. Which I guess I really needed. Everything back home was getting too much. The history, the drinking and senseless clubbing, the random dating, the city and it's hot dust. But it's now time to start writing this damn thing so the people I love back home know what's going on.