'So why am I leaving?'

[Captain Japan]

'So why am I leaving?'
From the TimesOnline Blog of Richard Lloyd Parry

An old friend of mine, Laura Holland, recently left Japan after fifteen years as a student, journalist, editor, publisher, and promoter of Sailor Moon, the cartoon schoolgirl with the disturbingly shapely hips. At her sayonara party, instead of the conventional speech of valediction she handed out a written statement. It will ring true with anyone who has ever asked themselves the crucial question, 'Have I been in Japan too long?' With Laura's permission I reproduce it here, lightly bowdlerised and glossed for readers unfamiliar with Japan, Japanese and the world of the gaijin (foreigner in Japan).

So why am I leaving?

Imagine a nice comfy armchair. You know you should go jogging, but it's cold and wet outside. The armchair is Japan. The cold wet jog is England....more...

[GomiGirl]

That is kinda cool - kinda sums up the FG experience... dammit now that we have this do we need FG anymore???




KIDDING!!

[Captain Japan]

That is kinda cool - kinda sums up the FG experience... dammit now that we have this do we need FG anymore??? KIDDING!!

I tend to think this lady just needed to get out more. The things she won't miss seem to be hopelessly cliche. The butter smell, air golf, etc. She says she doesn't like Amy Chavez but most of that list appears to be cribbed direct from her columns.

[dimwit]

[ichigo partygirl]

I seems most of the reason she give for leaving are my reasons for staying. Laziness is what I hope to inspire future minds with (not that they really need my help). Those unconditional relationships sound great when you are visiting people once a year, less so when you see people these everyday. Respect and responsiblity sound great if stress is what you enjoy, as far as being an old trout not getting laid, for guys it is less of a problem, but still it is inevitable wherever you take up residence.

Yeah i have to agree. As much as i missed people i realised that on the most part my relationships with my family go much better when we keep in contact but only see each other every so often........ I think she might be wearing rose-tinted glasses about going home.

[Catoneinutica]

Yeah i have to agree. As much as i missed people i realised that on the most part my relationships with my family go much better when we keep in contact but only see each other every so often........ I think she might be wearing rose-tinted glasses about going home.

Gotta second that: I've never gotten along so well with my family since I moved here and confine my visits to the Old Country to once in the summer and once in the winter. Absence, fonder hearts, etc.

Having said that, living in Japan does indeed giving me a nagging feeling of being "out of the loop," and I worry that if I had to go back to the states to live, I'd feel like a big, fat, slovenly housecat being thrown out onto the streets to survive. I wonder if I'd last long.

On a final note, Parry has a great blog and is a great guy.

[Jack]

I seems most of the reason she give for leaving are my reasons for staying. Laziness is what I hope to inspire future minds with (not that they really need my help). Those unconditional relationships sound great when you are visiting people once a year, less so when you see people these everyday. Respect and responsiblity sound great if stress is what you enjoy, as far as being an old trout not getting laid, for guys it is less of a problem, but still it is inevitable wherever you take up residence.

She was "more respect". Typical fucking white chick. Try respecting others first before demanding more respect. Only about them. Me, Myself and I. Thank God I don't have to put up with that crap all day long. I say good ridence to her.