So last night after looking at this site for a bit, making a couple of groups, figuring things out a little, I also did an entry in my regular blog, and then one for my English school, and then of course checked Facebook for any updates. On the latter I found that a Venezuelan man whom I had taught ESL to in university had posted pics of that school year. I then went back to the CHSS site to check out if a question had been answered before I went to bed and my wife asked me what I was doing.
That’s when it kind of hit me. Where am I? I was in Japan being asked by my Korean wife in Japanese what I was doing while looking at a highschool site and also scanned pictures of myself and some Peruvians at Queen’s in Kingston from a Venezuelan. Every once in a while in these situations I just sit there and marvel at how much it is we actually touch others around the world, and how they touch you, and that life is a funny thing sometimes.
This is an odd segue-way into a self introduction, but there you have it.
Where am I, indeed?
My name is Richard Smith and I graduated CHSS in 1995 after completing OACs, something you new kids are probably happy not to deal with, but I thought they were great. I then went to Queen’s Univesity in Kingston (Chagheill!!) in the Con. Ed. program for five years, graduating with both a BA.H and B.Ed. During my second to last year in Kingston I got a job with the ESL school at the university, teaching students via conversational classes, taking them out for activities, etc. Through that job I met and began dating a young Japanese woman and through her and other Asian friends I decided that I wanted to come and live in Asia.
And that I did, and here I am. I have been living in Japan for nearly 10 years, and while I am way beyond the ‘honeymoon’ phase of being here, when I post something like this I can still say that I love it. It has so much to offer, and is so wonderful. Sadly, and what you don’t (and don’t NEED to) see , is that it’s not a very friendly place for foreigners who want to live here long term, and possibly permanently. Both my wife and I are foreigners and on top of the added stress about job security we have to live with the fact that if the job goes, so do we — from the country. No job, no visa.
That aside I work here teaching ESL to both children and adults alike, and I can’t say which is better in all honesty, though I think I’m happier when I see the kids smile and make progress. I got married last year to a young lady from Pusan (Busan), South Korea, who was studying Japanese in the city I live, under the same private teacher. Yes, at Starbucks. Our teacher introduced us and we hit it off from there. We got married a few months later in a very un-ceremonial way by simply signing documents, but this winter we are having a ceremony in Pusan (you’re welcome to join!!).
I’ve had heaps of wild adventures around Asia, from Japan to Korea, Cambodia to Viet Nam, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, China… you name it. The question now becomes, what’s next?
A Maiko poses at Arashiyama in fall
Richard Donahue Smith