The Even Greater Tokyo Region

I feel it is my duty to at least report back after my trip to China, that I did not get stabbed. I repeat, I did NOT get stabbed. In that sense, it was a very successful holiday. I have much to write about (don't I always?), however, it somehow doesn't belong on Ruben In Japanland. (although many people don't know the difference... Have we been over this before.) So anyways, I will at some stage give a proper account of the comedy of errors that was Ruben In Mainland (China) .

For the meanwhile, I am back in Japan, in my capacity as a teacher. Well, technically, my job is classified as an "ALT". This stands for "Assistant Language Teacher". This makes more sense to me, as I am not a real teacher. Other teachers are usually quick to point out this fact as well, (despite the fact we get paid the same amount). I think the abbreviation "ALT" is so appropriate.

You are most likely reading this on a computer. Take a look at your keyboard. You see the ALT key? He's just sitting there, not really doing anything.. How often do you use him? Maybe sometimes for a shortcut, although the amount of shortcuts you know that uses the ALT key is very limited. Shortcuts: that's all he really does. It's sometimes convenient when you are too lazy to move the mouse pointer around. Usually though, it's a key that you often push on accident and wonder what the hell just happened. It's more an inconvenience than anything. else. Even still, the ALT key is heavily over-represented. There are in fact 2 ALT keys. It is clear that the ALT key's usefulness cannot justify its keyboard space. The only reason for it being there could be "aesthetic considerations". It's all symmetrically placed either side of the spacebar. On my keyboard they are even in a different colour. Despite the obvious obsoleteness, the feeling is a keyboard would be incomplete without the ALT.

(In case this went completely over your head, I school is the keyboard, and I am the ALT.)

The reason I mention all of this, is because I finally caved to the pressure and re-signed (not resigned) for a 2nd year. This was a very difficult decision, mostly because of the location of my town. Well, to be more accurate, it's more the lack of people located in my town. However, I don't know if I will ever get another job as easy as an ALT, or whether I will ever get another job at all. What probably influenced my decision the most, was materialism. Things things, glorious things.

Embassy

I had a big problem in my life in Tonami. My apartment, apart from being too cheap, was also too big.. It was tough. I finally decided that I needed to resolve both of these problems. This culminated in the creation of a new bar in town. A bar which doesn't require a 10 minute walk in the freezing cold or snow. A bar where alcohol is as cheap as you can buy at the liquor shops! A bar where you can drink beer from proper beer mugs! A bar where you don't have to pay to sit down! Where you can play darts with a real dartboard and dangerous steel tipped darts! Where anything Japanese is forbidden. Welcome to Embassy.

It was a great project to keep me sane in the impending doom of another 1 1/2 years in Tonami. Now it's complete, it makes the idea easier to cope with. It really does feel like a place I can escape my existence; where I can truly relax. Sometimes, I get too relaxed. When you find yourself falling asleep at a bar, you know you have a problem. Unless that bar is in your own apartment! Although, that could be an even stronger indication of a problem.

Either way, I'm here to stay for a second year. Despite my cyniclism, things are definitely looking up. It's all about hitting the right keys.