Katayama Susumu, my college friend came over a weekend ago and spent a few more hours with me yesterday. We had always gotten along fine, but it was very much a Japanese kind of relationship, ie. courteous, polite, but never deep enough to call for help without feeling a tinge of embarrassment.
I guess his visit changed it a little, when I freely opened my house and introduced him to some of my friends here, and when we went around the country. He especially liked the hawker food, satay, fruit juice, our local desserts, chicken rice, etc. And he had never stopped telling me how nice my country is: good food, low cost of living, ability to take leave easily, beautiful environment (apart from the heat), people who can go a level deeper in friendship, etc
I have never taken such things for granted, but they had never impacted me hard enough, for me to treasure them more. I could have told him that Tokyo was much more wonderful: higher pay, ability to travel within the country, better public transport system, four seasons, the real fashion, civic-minded society, etc
I was recently asked again if I'd still rush off to Japan when my bond ends. Apart from saying in jest that I can never leave the civil service now that my forte is about writing briefs and taking minutes, I can't say either way, whether I'd go or stay. Perhaps, I just don't dare to give a definite answer right now.
But one thing is for sure, no matter where I am 5 years from now, I should be comfortable enough to give thanks for the place that I am in.
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