03 September 2008

Kobe

I am in Kobe now using some sort of free Internet cafe. Yoko and Naomi and I had a good day, and they just went back to Yoko's Aunt and Uncle's while I stayed on to have dinner with one of my friends from my Laos trip. You might recall that I turned down a job in Kobe to go to England and I'll tell you what, I'm glad as hell that I didn't come here before I made that decision. Kobe is incredible. A really livable place it seems. I think coming back here after I finish my PhD will still be something I'll consider.

I am feeling bad for Naomi because, as she isn't going to daycare anymore, she doesn't have anyone to play with. Today, she chased down one kid and made him cry, made another boy cry when she went up to his stroller and started touching his feet, and chased a whole family around Uniqlo. Then, to make matters worse, when she found two kids playing in the play area at the shoe store, the little boy yelled out, Gaijin! Look, look a foreigner! Gaijin! and wouldn't shut up.

Still, we're having a relaxing time. Our housing in the UK is looking up a little too, as I have been negotiating online with someone and may get the place we wanted for less that we thought. That would be great, but I'm keeping my hopes about down. Hopefully, England will make me forget Kobe.