I’m not quite there yet, but with the arrival of a check on Monday, I should have a $0.00 balance on a credit card I’ve been holding for five years. The conclusion to my entry on travel and debt. Transportation I don’t own a car, nor do I have any desire to buy one...
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I’m embarrassed to admit I’ve been thinking about returning to Japan as an English teacher. And while I consider a pros and cons list the sign of a mind too confused and weak to truly appreciate his situation (should be able to work it out in his head), I couldn’t help but turn my...
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My friend Eddie called my all-in with a Queen Five. Hands still shaking with the rush that can only come from gambling, I confidently showed my Ace Seven, giving me two pairs to his queen high. He didn’t even seem to realize he was at a disadvantage. Victory would have been mine… if he...
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A lot of readers send me emails asking which country I think is better, Japan or Korea? Although I encourage questions, I have to say I’m a bit annoyed at the broadness of asking for such advice. How am I supposed to know which country is best for you? I could go on and...
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Five months since my return to the US, and I find myself in somewhat of a holding pattern. It’s not as though I haven’t been up to anything – I recently had the chance to speak of my experiences volunteering in Japan at a Hosteling International event – but, for the most part, I...
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What can one person do? When he’s faced with something of this magnitude… The international media has practically forgotten about Japan. Remember that potentially dangerous nuclear situation over at Fukushima that no one could shut up about last year? Well, the reactors are still very much damaged, and the fuel rods did melt down....
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This is a subject I’ve been shying away from for some time. Frankly, even my immediate family doesn’t know the full extent of my finances. I’ve also been afraid of hearing feedback like, “How could you be so stupid, spending money like that?” True enough, but everything seems simpler in retrospect. Let’s start at...
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Control your gestures. Keep your hands at your sides. The Japanese find big arm movements threatening. Speak slowly. Keep your voice calm and even… It may be difficult to do. The Japanese can be irritating. You’ll probably find them irritating tonight. Handle it as best you can. But whatever happens, don’t lose your temper…...
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Why do white people always ask this? They have this obsession with heritage: “I’m part this! I’m part that!” Who gives a shit? One of the advantages of being back in the US is the ability to blend into the crowd. As a white, brown-haired, green-eyed, 20-something man with no physical abnormalities, I can...
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Full disclosure: I am receiving a stipend for writing this blog entry. Not on the topic itself, but just for using one of the links you see below. However, it is still an interesting subject, one I have wanted to put out to the blogging community for a while. When I first started my...
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