Japan

It's been too friggin long...since my last post! And this is a real luxury for me to take time to write this...

My excuse - well, I have 3 jobs, working hard to make things happen, and at the same time, the world evolves and keep moving with or with me. Here's a list of things that happened to me and around me.

- Experiencing the struggle of an organizational and cultural change at work. Now that I have studied all of that, I now understand why there are millions of books written and will be written on it. It's just one of those things that is much easier to talk about in theory.

- Being a first-time consultant. Giving my opinions and "expertise" of my knowledge in distance learning and how it can implemented in a blending learning TESOL program.

- Working for a for-profit but totally cool, laid back, alternative long distance phone company - bigredwire.com. And be given total trust based on my professional background, my early performance, to eventually more responsibilities and $$.

- To be teaching again and working with students, especially the Hispanics in the SB community. It's very satisfying to know that you are making a difference to the lives of your students every day and to know that they are coming to class every night after work to better themselves. If they don't have an excuse to not come to class, neither do I!

- To be so lucky for having 3 jobs in an economy where many people don't even have 1. I am reminding this to myself everyday because it can all go away very fast.

- Getting to know San Francisco inside out during my week of vacation there in May.

- Death of Farrah Fawett - a lesson learned of her courage.

- Death of Michael Jackson - I had no idea it would affect me so much but after all, he is THE western celebrity I knew growing up in Hong Kong. My parents even got us tickets to see him in concert when he was going to come to HK but alas, he cancelled it because of the whole child molestation fiasco. Nevertheless, I completely agree that MJ has given his childhood, his talents, his music, his love to perform to us that I want to give him the same respect as the people I knew that have passed on. MJ, your music will continue to inspire me with love, dedication, and suffering.

- Last but not least, my pursue of Japan. For me, things always happen when I am least expected so I have taken a step back in waiting for AEON to give me a placement. Of course, I got this unexpected phone call soon after my adjusted attitude and then a couple weeks later, an offer to work in Fukuoka. Yesterday, I have given them my verbal acceptance of the offer and next week, I will sign a contract of a 1-year commitment to live and work in Japan. I don't have time to talk about my feelings and what will happen now but while I was reviewing some information before I accepted the offer, I came upon the personal essay I wrote for the application back in January. It really sums up how I still feel about going to Japan. It is a lifelong dream and a new chapter from a long story since childhood. Here's my personal essay and my acceptance speech to AEON.

Why I want to live and work in Japan
by Tiffani P. Chan

My story with Japan has been a long one, starting at the tender age of 7. One of my few early childhood memories is of Mrs. Uchida, our neighbor inviting me over for tea every week to play with her son, Hiro. I don’t remember much about talking to Mrs. Uchida or playing with Hiro but I do remember the tatami floors, the Ikebana that were uniquely and beautifully arranged, the colorful sweets and cakes, the smell of soy from Mrs. Uchida’s cooking, and the sound of Japanese from the TV or the stereo. It was a world far different from my apartment or any of my friends’, but I remembered feeling like I belonged there and I could understand everything around me, including the conversations between Mrs. Uchida and Hiro in Japanese.

Perhaps my father knew this so when I was 10, he took our family for a vacation to Japan. It was my first visit to Tokyo and in hindsight, it was the awakening of my lifelong fascination of the Japanese culture. Later in college, I naturally signed up for courses about Japan in art history, films, and language. When I had the opportunity to visit Japan again at the age of 20, I made a decision to return one day to do more than just exploration but to immerse myself in the culture. Life caught up with me after college. With student loans mounting, I secured a job at an organization that nurtured me with diverse opportunities. Personally, I found happiness and endured setbacks in different forms and circumstances. For the past 7-8 years, I lived as a citizen of America and a member of my community. I worked, I loved, I made friends, I volunteered, I paid my bills. But I felt something was missing.

If 2008 was marked as the beginning of change in history, it was also for me. One day while I was writing my Master’s thesis at a coffee shop, I bumped into an old friend who informed me he was leaving to teach with AEON in Tokyo. The news was serendipitous. I have been contemplating the next phase of my career and I was not sure what that was. Still, I was not convinced teaching was something that I wanted to do everyday so soon after I finished my Master’s degree, I completed a certificate program in TESOL and during the practicum, I fell in love with the creativity of teaching and daily interactions with students. After many years as an education administrator, I found an enormous sense of satisfaction from the direct results in the classroom as compared to sitting behind a desk working in front of a computer. It also affirmed my career choice as an educator and renewed my passion for education, especially in making learning a life skill for all ages.

I want to live and work in Japan because I am seeking a work abroad experience in a country that has developed a multi-faceted environment that can utilize my background in business, education, and intercultural communications to help students develop knowledge that is interesting for learning, as well as skills that are practical and competitive in the global, flattened world of today. Finally, this has been my lifelong dream and I am ready to make it into a reality. I am very excited at the opportunity AEON can provide into making this dream comes true for me. Thank you very much for your consideration.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi Mark

I really appreciate you for giving me sometime to think about the offer. I used the past few days to review all the information I have from the interview and the email you sent. I did some research about Fukoaka and Kyushu. Fukuoka seems like a very nice city and I think it is a wonderful alternative to Tokyo. I was also able to talk to my friends and my family, and I didn’t know this but my parents have been to Fukuoka and they had very fond memories of that city. Anyway, all of them are very excited and supportive of me if I do work in Japan. So, having said that, I am happy about the placement in Fukuoka and I am delighted to accept the offer.

Thank you very much for all that you do. And again, I really appreciate you for keeping in touch with me the past 6 months.

#6 六 (roku): Grace in Small Things - San Francisco

I have been to San Francisco numerous of times since I was 5, when I first visited the US. After immigrating to the Bay Area with the family in 1996, day trips were frequent but we would often go to the same places - Chinatown to eat, Pier 39, Union Square, maybe a drive along the El Presidio. I would look forward to every trip to the city even though they were short and I would get so excited as I entered the city on the 101 and saw the skyscrapers.

Almost half a year ago, my sister accepted a job with Barclays Bank International in the city and after enduring a tedious 3 hours round trip commute to work 5 days a week, she finally moved to the city 3 weeks ago!! I am super proud and excited for her but I am equally excited for myself because that means I can visit the city more often. So...I planned my vacation to roam around the city like a local but also do all the touristy stuff that I never got to do from the short day trips.

Here's what I love from my vacation:

1. The embrace of diversity - cultures, food, languages, education, economy, class, taste, style, music etc.
2. San Franciscans - the people are kind, relaxed, smart, interesting, open-minded
3. Golden Gate Park
4. Wide range of cuisines in wide range of prices.
5. The St. Regis

Find me on Yelp...under SBFoodie for my reviews on the places I went...

Preserving life and beauty at the Taj Mahal

After some routine garden maintenance after work today, I had a flashback of a small incident at the Taj Mahal. Though it was only 7 or 8 am in the morning, there were already lots of people at the site. I was walking towards the tomb, along side the reflecting pond and tentatively listening to my guide about the history. Then all of a sudden, my guide put his arms in front of me, his hand almost touching my chest and motioned me to stop. I wasn't paying much attention and walked another step but somehow, the guide, without touching me, stopped me from putting another foot down and said "look", his eyes looking at what's beneath my foot. When I looked down, I was surprised to find a beautiful, colorful butterfly with intricute patterns 2 inches from me stepping on it. I immediate realized what bad omen it could have been if I have stepped on it at the Taj Mahal and thanked the guide profusely for saving me from such misfortune. We continued walking without making a big deal but later that day, I realized that it was something magical - the subtlety of beauty and life being preserved conscientiously, as it happened to me, in a very small way, at such an appropriate place - the Taj Mahal.

Me, happy at the Taj...

Sleeping with the Khandelwals

A letter I wrote to my friends while I was in India....which we talk and laugh about till this day.

****************************************************************************************************************************

Dear friends,

We finally got some downtime for a few hours. Nevertheless, we will be meeting the Rotary Distract Governor tonight for a formal dinner at 9pm. Yes, they eat very late here. The big dinner typically starts with lots of yummy appetizers like tomato soup. kabobs, tandori meat and fish that melts in your mouth, little fried stuff (potatoes, cauliflowers), whiskey (they love it here), and maybe beers. The appetizers are accompanied with a lot of socializing and then you eat the main course, which is usually curry, rice, naan etc. at around 10:30-11pm. Typically, the dinner is served in buffet style and everyone eats sitting around the living room or standing up. I have only seen them use the dining table for breakfast. After the meal, there are always dessert, whether it is breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And if your plate is empty, they will keep filling it up. I have pigged out a little on the first few days but I am definitely suffering today. Since it's buffet style, I scope very little of everything and leave some on my plate so there is less pressure to eat more. My stomach did very well the first few days but unfortunately, I had to pop a few pills this afternoon to deal with indigestion and bowel movements. I am not really looking forward to having that big dinner tonight. I can't believe I am saying this but I wouldn't mind fasting for a couple of days.

The reason we are eating so much is because the people are so hospitable here. A couple of days ago, we arrived at the city of Rampur at around 8pm. We had a Rotary meeting with the local club and then we had the dinner with them. Soon after the dinner was over, I was bused away by my host. They were mostly speaking in Hindi or whatever Indian dialect so I didn't know what was going on. They put me in a car, took my luggage and was quickly driven off. All off a sudden, I was by myself and my host (an older Indian couple) asked if it's okay to drive around a little. They drove for about 5 minutes, we saw a wedding celebration on the street and that was it. As I entered the host's home, the wife showed me around the house, showed me where I will sleep, the bathroom, and then she said she'll sleep with me on the same bed. I was already a little devastated from being separated from other team members and now, I am told I am sleeping with a stranger. Needless to say, I didn't sleep well that night and that partly has to do with that wedding party outside which lasted until 1am and started again at 6am. I finally had to get up to go to the bathroom at 7pm and my host mother brought me tea and cookies to eat in bed. I decided this would be a good time to sip tea and write my journal in bed until my host mother and father hopped in bed with me and covered themselves with the same blanket I was covered in. What could be an extremely weird and intimidating situation actually made me feel like they treated me as one of their daughters (their daughters were grown up and are now living in the city). After this little incident, my host mother took me for an early morning walk around their posh neighborhood. Then I showered (remind me to tell you about the Indian shower) and had breakfast. My host father already had breakfast but he joined me at the table anyway. It was a very nice experience and even though it was shocking at first, I really got what I wanted to come here for - which is to learn about the culture of the people and to experience the life of an India person.

So far, we have visited so many places that I felt like I have been away for more than 2 weeks. The schedule is very hectic and they are a lot of road traveling, which are some very rough and bumpy roads. Luckily, we will be staying here in Bareilly for a few days. Today, we visited a rattan furniture shop, an embroidery business that exports to the US and Canada, and an eye hospital which helped thousands of poor villagers get free eye treatment. The hospital visit was so humbling and it really made me want to do more humanitarian work because I feel so fortunate to be Americans and we really do have it good with our freedom, lifestyle, social support, wealth etc. Though India is changing so much and so fast, the class difference here will take another 10-20 years to improve, poverty level will continue to rise, and corruption in government will likely still be a big part of how things are being run here. However, Indian people are one of the most flexible people in the world and if they want something done, they have all many hands and they can make things happen quite quickly. The hardest is that they will need to juggle which is the most important to take care of first and there are still so many socio-economic problems at large such as polio, healthcare, illiteracy etc.

It has been a very tiring trip but it has also been so exciting that my adrenaline is constantly running high. I have requested to visit a university and an orphanage (for you my dear Camilla), and I know we will be visiting many other industries since this is an industrial region of the country. Anyway, I hope to write more soon and hope this is not the last time I get to find some down time. This has really been an experience of a lifetime and I cannot wait to tell you all the exciting and wonderful things I have seen and done.

I will try to post a photo album up soon.

Namaste,

tiff

************************************************************************************************************************************

Mr. and Mrs. Khandelwal, the host family in front of their home at Rampur. Yes, that is the woman whom I shared the bed with. :)

A quote from Mark Twain

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe barbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover
- Mark Twain

This is one of my favorite quotes of all time and a philopshy I live by, especially in the recent development of my life. Since I completed my MA last April, I am slowly spiraling in a rut. I lost direction in my life and things are happening very slow for me - very different from my MA days. Sometimes, I feel very unhappy but since I am such an optimistic and positive person, I carry a happy-go-lucky attitude and keep trodding along, hoping my efforts will come thru and my dream will turn to reality - to see the world...not just to visit but to learn and live the life and culture of that country.

After my MA, the first thing I wanted to fix was my job. It was the source of my biggest misery. I used to love my job but so many things have changed - my boss, my responsibilities, my learning curve that I feel very unchallenged. Plus I've been on it for just about 4 years now so it's quite overdued from moving on (I have only planned on doing it for 2 years but then I needed some stability while I was doing my MA). I had one interview at UCSB for a Public Events Manager. It would've been a promotion and something I know I'll be good at. The interview went well but apparently, I didn't have the breath and depth of the person they hired. That was a real set back for me because I thought I found the perfect match and I wanted that job so badly. So I went on job hunting hiatus for a while until I realized that I really should fulfil my long-time dream of working abroad. However, I couldn't decided where - China, Middle East (good $$$), Japan, Spain, France, England?

In December, I saw an ad on Craigslist for teaching in Japan with AEON. Just a month or so earlier, an old acquaintance (friend of a friend, a boy (well, man) I kissed once! ha ha!) sent me an email about his work in Japan and is working for the same company. Whether this is a coincidence or not, it was serendipitous to me and I took it as a sign. I started to recognize that my love for Japan goes beyond sushi and that I have a long-time fascination with that country and its culture since like 7 or 8! So, I applied, went on a couple of rounds of interviews, and was offered a job. However, they couldn't place me because they didn't have any opening for the month I wanted to leave so I have been waiting. And waiting until now. With this bad economy, things have really slowed down and the recruiters told me they just don't have anything for now.

In the last month, I applied for one other job in Japan with no luck. Then my old boss suggested that I send my resume to his contact in China. I haven't done it yet because everytime I am in China, I would say to myself that it's only vacation and I will go home eventually. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy learning about China (I did major in Asian Studies with an emphasis in China) but I don't have the same love for it as I do for Japan. But maybe my destiny is telling me to go there.

Anyway, reading the quote from Mark Twain today told me I shouldn't give up and to keep trying to pursue my dream. Plus writing this blog is a bit of therapy for me after I hear more disappointing news about Japan.

Oh well, TGIF!

#5 五: Grace in Small Things - Sundays

1. Sleeping in...until 11am
2. Being lazy for hours after getting out of bed
3. Spontaneous fun - went kayaking by myself!
4. A long shower or bath with time to shave, scrub, deep conditioning
5. Time to cook something that takes a really long time...like slow roast pork.

By the way, I have a new blog...The Home Chef Diary. Check it out!

The Man in Uniform

On my way to my car after work today, I saw a police officer talking to an attractive, young, slim, well-dressed female. I can't tell if they are boyfriend and girlfriend but standing next to each other, they look like a hot, good-looking couple. But then I wondered if I will think the same if the officer is not in his uniform but some plain clothes. And what if he's not well-dressed? What if he got no style in fashion? Will I still think they look like a good-looking couple? Will the hot factor just disappear without his uniform? If you meet a handsome man in uniform and then you see him without the uniform with the worst clothes, will you still think he's hot? Will you still want to pursue him?

Lucky me, I met my man without uniform and thank Goodness he can dress.
I thought I have something more to say about this but I guess I don't. Oh well, I am posting this anyway.