A lot of big changes will arrive shortly come the beginning of March. First on the list will be slowly moving to a new apartment. No small feat in Japan considering the many costs associated with doing such an act. Moreover a challenge as well due to all the turning off an on of various services, water, gas and so on. But it is something I am truly excited for. It has given me the opportunity to get on the phone and speak Japanese. It has made me as well once again appreciate the wonderful people around me who have helped in making the move. Along the way I've thought a great deal about humility and acting more without ego as well as focusing your mind during stressful situations. All in all, when a boring life is what I truly dread, I couldn't be happier.

Been listening to a lot of stoic thoughts recently and within my recent past have been quite impacted by the book 'Meditations' by Marcus Aurelius. Doing so provided allowed me to put many experiences I have had in Japan into a useful context. But that's not all. Arnold Swarschanager, I noticed, has had some great things to say about the idea of the self-made man. To the point, essentially that no one, not even he himself, is one. I thought that was a useful idea when it comes to establishing your independence in a foreign country. Certainly we should aspire to not overly rely on others but equally true we should allow ourselves a communities contributions to our own well being, so long as we contribute positively to that community. The second half of the podcast will, as usual, be given over to answering subscriber emails. 

I've not uploaded anything new since the 26th of December. That is unusual for me even given that that time was basically a holiday. Returning now as I am to creative endeavors I want to keep you, who listen and support me, informed of what has been going on in my life. The truth, as it is, to my subjective reality, I will speak to. And in all honesty as things have turned out, a quite positive twist has revealed itself as we pass by this bend in the road of my life. One that should prove interesting and quite a goldmine for further reflection, entertainment, and many potential more failures and successes. As I am so fond of saying-my life is anything but boring. And that's how I like it.

What's life without kicking back once in a while and going out drinking. Incredibly sober healthy and productive but let's focus too much on that detail. Recently I wrapped up around five weeks of focused labor and wanted a chance to blow off some steam so I headed in to Tokyo for a date. The date got cancelled but I wasn't gonna let that stop me from having a social night out so once arrived and after imbibing a few whiskies I set out to find my fortune in downtown Tokyo and was not disappointed. The night was eventfully hilarious filled with many first time experiences and much more. Following this drunken tirade the second half of the podcast is given over to the much more grounded discussion harvested from the emails I have received over the last couple weeks. We talk about stage fright and how to overcome it in the classroom as well as touch on what it takes to be an effective leader in the classroom as well. 

Japan's cultural pressures are like none other in the world given it's much different value system. This system has no doubt allowed the country to survive, but survival does not always equate to happiness. Joined by my guest and colleague Dean we discuss this topic and touch on a few very unique challenges that natives of the culture must face and to a lesser degree expats. Not ever to go too dark we follow it up with the bizarre incarnation which is Christmas in Japan. A holiday which owes most of its traditions here to a successful ad campaign.   

Our progress as a species moves forward in nearly every quantifiable way from poverty to education, but this does not mean that our success or failure overall has ever ceased its balancing act on a razor's edge. Where race is concerned certainly we've moved ahead as well but to think we've found some perfect understanding of each other would be naive. Japan as an ancient mono-culture offers a fascinating look into this very difficult topic and serves as the starting point for this week's podcast. To not dive to deep the second portion is given over to discussing how to find housing in Japan as well as significant time spent answering emails. What, for example, is the advice you'd give a family coming to live in Japan and many other questions.

The Japanese, although generally a more diminutive people, can drink like vikings. Schools are a little tamer no doubt than the drinking culture a salary man would see on a daily but they are still fun and different from what I am used to back in North America. We start here in the podcast as I recall some of the funnier and fuzzier moments through the time that I have spent here. Each school is I've attended is very different as well with some partying more or less, and in some cases a specific gender group will go out all the time. The second half of the podcast incorporates something that I intend to do full-time now and that is incorporate more audience involvement in the form of reading the emails that I have received and answering them to the best of my ability, be that humorously or otherwise. Some of the details from the questions this time were: how to deal with lazy and uninterested Japanese teachers and students, could a single mother expect to make a successful move to Japan and support her family, what is the situation for finding a job teaching English if you don't have a degree, and many more. 

Arriving in Japan and all the madness that ensued, the highs, the lows, all of it here on this new episode. I recount the excitement of my process to get to Japan and the first training week of my arrival. As well for good measure we touch on some of the hilariously shady business practices of the shady dispatch company Interac.

This time we continue the adventure of growing up. Due to rugby being introduced to me at a very young age, a size advantage and excellent coaching caught the eye of both private schools in my local area and it would change my life forever.

Life as an expat in Japan is a trip. Learning the culture and language is a never-ending parade of hilarious failures and awkward mistakes. Here on The Interstice I discuss in intimate detail this altogether humbling, never boring, choice of lifestyle.