My alarm clock goes off at 5:55 a.m. I don’t necessarily get out of bed then, but it is important for me to see this number first thing in the morning. Five is pronounced as “go” in Japanese. I want to start my day by seeing my clock say “Go! Go! Go!”. Japanese are superstitious … More Just a number, nonetheless it’s a number
Over the last twenty-five years, I’ve seen many changes in the U.S. Changes in what people think is normal or good or should be. For a Japanese, whose home country takes a long time for any changes to occur, this has been quite remarkable. I know that as in physics, some of the changes may … More In defense of analogue life
Twenty-five years ago, I flew over the Pacific Ocean and crossed an invisible border. When I landed on the U.S. soil, I became a person who couldn’t speak. That was a fundamental shift from being a person who couldn’t speak in English. That inability, which had been a fraction of my being since it didn’t … More Am I special?
I’ve lived in the U.S. for almost a quarter of a century, but still find it hard to fully adjust to the rhythm of American life. Time glides smoothly through the first half of the year; spring and early summer make me cheerful and confident. Then, the school year ends by late June, and a … More Happy New Year!
“Please ask me any questions you may have.” I reminded my client, although I had already told him several times over the phone interview. Today’s client was a Japanese executive who moved to the U.S. for work several months ago. “Any question is really Okay?” He looked as if he was assessing my words. I … More A cultural speculation on why Americans are … plump
When my daughter was in preschool, teachers said at various times, “Your daughter is very independent.” At first this sounded positive. After hearing this a few times though, I started to wonder. So, the next time I heard it, I decided to ask. “Does that mean that she’s not listening to you?” “Oh, no no! … More Positive reframing
It took three messages from angels for me to read one book. I visited my son’s English class for a book review presentation, where fourth graders were dressed like a person from a biography and told the story from that person’s point of view. I saw an Einstein, a Helen Keller and a Frederick Douglass. … More Unbroken to broken, and a new hope
When I first came to the U.S. in 1992, many people asked me “Are you Christian?” My husband’s friends would look at our wedding picture with me in a white dress, and assume that I was Christian. “No, I’m not. It was simply the cheapest way to get married.” My frank response startled them. So, … More Life and harmony and a missing part
I was in a car with two women, who also work in the intercultural field. One of them said, “Our clients are all surprised by the size of Americans.” Newcomers to the U.S. encounter overweight people everywhere they go; therefore, they assume it is cultural. She then described her view of the root cause, “Obesity … More You don’t know what it’s like
The sun was already down; the days get much shorter in September. I walked through a soccer field to go to another field in the back. Boys were scattered around the field, but as I walk closer, they gathered into a tight circle. I thought the practice was already over, but I heard the head … More A lukewarm soccer mom