So Kallun asked me a question; "So I'm curious - why the interest in Japan? Have you lived here before?" and instead of fitting a long-winded answer into that tiny comment box, I've decided to address this in its own post, because I'm sure some of the other people I'm stalking stalking might be curious as well ;)

My interest in Japan stems from two sources; 1) My interest in Sociology, and 2) My great-grandfather.

I've always been fascinated by other cultures. Even down to the way people in northern California act as opposed to those down here in southern California. Why are people different? What makes them that way? How do different people react to this, this, and that? What do they eat? How do they live? See where I'm going with this? I'm an unapologetic social voyeur. The reason my current target is Japan has to do with my great-grandfather. He was Japanese (he passed away in 1996), but he knew absolutely nothing about his heritage. He was Nisei, born in Pomona, CA. His parents came to the US from Hiroshima, intent on completely starting over; raising their children as Americans, where they would have endless opportunities.

My great-grandfather ended up serving in the US military's 442nd Infantry while his family sat in an Internment camp, waiting for the war to be over.

But apart from that... my great-grandfather really knew very little about Japan, but since he was my great-grandfather, I was interested in him. I'd ask him questions when I was little: "Why do Japanese people eat raw fish?" "I don't know. I don't understand why anyone would want to eat raw fish when there's perfectly good fire available." "Grandpa? Can you teach me Japanese?" "I can teach you how to count to ten. That's all I know to do." "Grandpa? Why do you eat rice with every meal?" "Colleen, eat your breakfast."

He was very quiet. He watched and listened, so I regret to say that I didn't ever get to know him very well, and it's always bothered me, so I feel a bit of a yearning toward Japan, I suppose, to learn about the place my great-grandfather came from. To learn about it for him and for me.

I've never lived there before. I've never even been there before. I don't think I ever will visit. I have this thing about not visiting a country unless I know the language. It just seems rude and pretentious to me. But who knows, right? We never really know where we'll end up at the end of the day.