Quick Letter from Other Side of the Earth

Before I finally left from my be loved State of Oregon, I always concerned myself about that there are no places to fit in myself anymore in Japanese culture. Since I spent my time in Japan for only 3 days, I have hard time figuring out myself why this country won't be able to change politically by just observing stupid NEWS on TV with full of bull-shit arguments with commentary guys on "absolute zero nuclear power plant in Japan", "introduction of new Ospray air craft in Okinawa U.S. base", "Over reaction to territorial issues of southern islands between Japan and China",  "social security tax problem in Japan", "increasing unemployment to young age working people", "these people aren't competitively searching jobs anymore", "the level of Japanese comprehension of written Japanese declined", "the world largest debt county" and many more. When I landed on Tokyo Japan around 9:30 pm, I entered Japanese style bar generally called "Izakaya" for quick bites before taking off to next destination. Generally speaking, "Izakaya" in Tokyo is such small space crammed in too many people. I assure you, 95% of people are talking about their complains about their company and his/her lazy supervisors. They were letting out their negative emotion at the bar, which aren't unusual for U.S., but they tend to talk same or similar negative topics for long periods of time. It makes me tiring by watching these people and TV, reading crappy newspaper, and listening to any media just being so negative, anti-optimistic. Sadly this environment creates abandoned hope that most of Japanese citizens feel pretty same way for these circumstances won't be changed forever. This is absolutely worst situation that Japanese are facing. I felt nobody knows how to save this country. No body wants to initiate the improvement. It is sad. 

(At Tokyo Station 11:00 pm. This city never sleeps)

I personally believe that Japanese tend to be proud themselves being under stressful circumstance at company or working condition. I guess they do not have much time in private time due to working long period of time with low efficiency. There are no typical 9 to 6 job. It is more like 9 to 10 without any over hour payment. They need to find themselves better stress management strategies. I often talk to old friends who I have not seen since high school asked me two questions. "What are you doing now?" and "What will you be doing next?" 

I usually answer to these questions this way. "I quit my job at the end of June and having my time off for recharging myself as a vacation.", and "I don't really know the future and everything up in the air, but I hope to be making money for what I love to do for rest of my life. " 

My friends usually asked me with concerned face "Are you o.k. with that?" 

"Yes, I am very happy for what I have my time right now, very refreshing in stress free circumstance, but I will find a job for living soon or later for sure. At that point, I hope to be the job I love to spend my time and effort." 

Of course I have many concerns in my head, but thinking about these concerns and risks aren't take me anywhere. I like myself be able to run long distance in healthy body. I love about drinking good crafted beers. I would like to start my own business for either crafted beer retailer or microbrewer. I can be different than typical Japanese. It is o.k. to be different. But I need to learn how to persuade people with conservative, skeptic, and rather being traditional mind settings to accept new thing. This country is becoming the big fish in small pond or so called "Galapagos island syndrome Japan" to be left out from the rest of the world. However, I am not saying that it is not bad things to be respectful to keep in traditional Japanese culture. This country needs to open up slightly more to infuse with outside of Japanese culture to become new aged Japan, so we can be little more positive mind setting to moving forward.  Stop complaining about the past. I believe we need to take a small step right now. 

After 14 years away from Japan, this is my reverse culture shock experiencing right now.

Love, all.