My Post-Japan Story
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- Written by Jonathan
My name is Jonathan Twinamasiko. I went to Japan on the MEXT scholarship in 2010. After a year at the Tokyo Japanese Language Education Center, I moved to Fukuoka. I spent 3 years at the National Institute of Technology, Ariake College where I attained an Associate of Engineering majoring in Architecture. I transferred to Toyohashi University of Technology where I completed my Bachelor of Engineering majoring in Architecture. After my studies I worked as an English teacher for two years before I drew the curtain on my time in Japan.
My time in Japan was great. I have so many memories that I will always cherish. Most importantly, I had achieved my purpose; attaining a world-class education in architecture. After nine years however, I felt it was time to come back home. East, West, home is best! And so I returned... then oops!
Letter to My Future Bride
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- Written by Jonathan
Dear (insert name),
Today is the 2nd of February 2023 and I just got back from work. I'm seated in the living room, if we may call it that, of my tiny apartment, lights dimmed as I get into my evening ritual that I call decompressing. As always, countless thoughts streaming through my mind, memories and dreams, all mashed together like a déjà vu. Many leaving my eyes teary as my heart swells with gratitude, but others leaving me smiling to myself in the dark like a psychopath. Then I pause and dwell on this one pleasant thought… YOU.
I know, as you read this, you're probably getting confused. Surely something is not adding up. Because on the day of writing this, the reality is one of these two scenarios. Either we had not yet met so I didn't even have a face to put on the character of "my future wife". Or, if we had already met I did not know at the time that you would be my wife. I suspect you think that smiling to that thought either way very well makes me look like a psychopath.
Well, well, indulge me for a second. There might be an alternative explanation other than psychopath.
Mental Time Travel
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- Written by Jonathan
The human brain is fascinating. Well, just about everything about the human body is. But being the 'geek' that I am, the brain is perhaps the one that I find most interesting. I can't understand how anyone can think that such complex systems all started from one random big bang. Anyway, that's not what I'm here for today.
It is the brain's system of cataloging memories that I was thinking about. How you remember things you don't want to, but can't remember those you want to. At one point you try to remember something and you can't, then other times memories just show up.
I've heard it said that smell and sound are the strongest memory triggers. You're there going on with your life, and a tiny little smell, like a time machine carries you to a different time and place. Or it's a sound, and BAM… you're a time traveler.
Come Back Home
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- Written by Jonathan
Back in college, I used to live in a tiny dorm room. No bathroom, no kitchen and thin walls which meant not much privacy. I had to walk downstairs to take a shower, and my neighbor knew when I was on the phone speaking 'that language'. It wasn't my ideal living situation, but at my budget, that's the best I could get.
At the end of the day, liked to say "I'm going home". One day a friend laughed at me, reminding me I only stayed in a room, and a small one at that. "That is not a home" he said. To him, such a place isn't worthy of being called "home". It has to be a house to be called home. Or at least, an apartment. What I had was just a room.
My Big Black Dog
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- Written by Jonathan
"My Big Black Dog". Sounds like the title of an essay a primary school kid would write about his pet for his English homework.
I grew up in Uganda in the 90s, and we really didn't know what a pet was. Some friends and neighbors had dogs, cats, but I don't remember ever hearing anyone describe them as “a pet”.
My memories of dogs mostly consist of chained ones fiercely barking at me. I can still see some of those dogs' faces, looking at me through the kennel door like I was a juicy steak. You didn't want to be outdoors after dark, because most of those dogs would be unleashed from the chains and out of the kennels.
When I came to Japan, I got to know what a "pet" was. I saw people walking their dogs, people carrying cats in baskets/boxes, I saw clothed dogs, I saw pet barber shops. In the super markets I saw long aisles of pet food, saw fat dogs that I was thinking to myself, I could beat this one in a foot race.
