Chance of a lifetime

Lost in My Bedroom Sweepstakes

The Chance of a lifetime awaits, how will you respond?
So here’s the deal. I was thinking the other day that I would like to travel sometime in the near future; but then it dawned on me that it is really very difficult to get out of this country. It costs a lot of money to travel, plus it is kind of difficult to imagine myself in a foreign land and not being able to speak the language, know the food, etc. So I was thinking that maybe the best way to spend money and not get too bored over my long winter break (January 18th-?, I can’t read the calendar very well yet) was to fly a friend out here. I know that this sounds kind of stupid, or maybe you just think that I can’t do it…but you are wrong. Where there is a will there is a way. The difficult part is finding the person that would like to come and visit me; also someone that has the money to pay for the ticket here and someone that can get the time off to make the trip. So if you are an adventurous person here’s the gist: I’ll pay for three quarters of the cost of the ticket (no first or business class, you have to fly as I did…steerage). I will also be your gijin (foreign) guide around the Kansai area. I am sure that more perks will present themselves as it becomes more apparent that people are going to take me serious. So seriously, lets make it happen. If you are an interested party then please send me an e-mail (dbaxelson@yahoo.com) or leave a comment detailing why I should pick you. It’s not really a contest, but I don’t know whom to ask personally or who could swing it. If you are unsure of dates or anything like that then get a hold of me and we will work it out. Cool? Good. You think about it and we’ll make it happen.

Current Events:
Nothing much is new. The English department held a very nice welcome party for myself as well as another new professor. It was real nice n’ fancy-pants. It was a good experience for me as I really got to know the professor in my department as well as how to act in polite society in Japan. But from this experience came another new understanding of Japanese drinking. Party tip #1 if you are going to hold a Japanese fancy-pants dinner: don’t let a glass become empty. I think that it is perhaps bad luck in this country if one has to hold or be near an empty glass. Also, if you find yourself in Japan and you are asked, “what kind of liquor or drink do you like?” Try and mention only one instead of making a list of what you have had and what you liked. Reason: there was one point in the night when I had a glass of sake, show-chu, beer, and scotch in front of me at once. Wow. I am also pretty sure that this concoction of liquor can also be used in substitution for ex-lax if stuck on a desert island with a well stocked bar…but then again, the after effects may have been linked more with the foods that I ate at the meal; I am not sure whether or not western stomachs can truly handle sashimi (plane raw fish…which was tasty, but still…) within the first month.
But as I said before, and I will stick to it until the end, it was a great party and if any of you Professors read this, let’s do it again sometime…perhaps once a month. Thanks to all and to all a good day.
Ps The deadline for “Lost in my Bedroom” sweepstakes is the day before I leave this country. Sorry, no extensions as I cannot guarantee the accommodations. Peace.