Hi Everyone,

My name is Sasha and I moved to Tokyo last week.  I am originally from Russia, but lived in the US most of my life.  A few years ago, while in grad school, I met my now husband, who is Japanese and who was studying in the US at the time.  Two months ago I finally finished grad school and moved to Tokyo to join my husband.  My Japanese skills are in the very beginner stages and it is a bit overwhelming not to be able to read signs and understand what people are saying.  However, I like Japan a lot and am looking forward to building a life here.  I’m grateful for resources such as this board in helping to navigate in a new culture!

Hi Sasha san,

Welcome to Japan!
Wow, you just came in the last week!!!
I really hope you will enjoy Japan. I think you will make a lot of friends here.

The beginning can be a bit overwhelming especially you do not know the language they are talking or can not read the signs on the street.
You will get used to it as the time passes.

What kind of graduate school did you go?
What was your major? I am actually thinking to go to a graduate school in the next year.

Where did you live in the US?

Have a nice day!

Oprah/Mariko

Welcome to Japan! Eventually you will pick things up and fit in—-at least a little bit! For know enjoy the newness of living here and spend time with your hubby! If you need help, you can ask here—lots of the ladies are resourceful!

Thanks for the welcome!
Oprah-I got a phd in Genetics.  I studied embryology in fish.  What subject are you thinking of studying?
In the US I lived on the east coast:  Delaware, New Hampshire and Massachusetts.  I went to grad school in Boston.

We are totally one and the same!
I also have a Russian background, grew up in the States, and have a J-boyfriend!

Just thought it was interesting.

Hi Sasha,

Wow, you are a scientist!

I am intending to do Islamic Studies. My approach is going to be more sociological and anthropological to Islam, Islamic cultures and societies.

Hello Sasha and Dai-chan

I’m originally from Moscow. I’m 39 now-left Russia for NZ when I was 19, and later came to Japan. NZ citizen in Japan since 1997. Going through very stressful divorce of 2.5yrs
with NZ husband who I spent 17 years with.

As of last year I write lyrics/poetry in Russian amongst other languages.  Since I can’t type fast in Russian, all my Russian lyrics are hand-written so I can only share them as photos of my hand-writing, or type with Latin.  It would probably take me 1 hr just to type 5 lines.  I’ve aso made some films in Russian-on You Tube.

Here is one of my lyrics piece-sorry for Latin letters.  Written in New York Sept 2009, inspired by the World Trade Center 9/11

*DERMATOLOGIYA NASHEI JIZNI* (MAN IN THE MIRROR continued)

CHTO SLUCHILOS S NASHEI KOJEI
S NASHEI VNESHNOSTYU NEGOJEI

MI HOTIM POD MAZYU SKRIT
NASHU GRYAZ, POMOI I STID

PERED ZERKALOM MI MAJEM
A VNUTRI VED VSYO GNIET
I SEBE PRAVDI NE SKAJEM
CHTO NUJEN VNUTRENNII PODHOD
***
For Michael Jackson+ New York

I research HEAL THE WORLD. From medicine side effects, junk food ingredients, chemical fertilisers, tobacco, alcohol, concrete etc.- systems thinking inter-disciplinary research.  Keio University professor offered to fund my PhD but I don’t believe in PhD any more.  I know what’s bad, it’s just the issue of how to stop people doing bad.  But that is not PhD material.  For PhD I’d need to prove to academics why a can of Coke is poisonous to children, and they would probably want me to quote many other academic for something which is common sense.

The recent university course I took end of las year was CREATIVE PROCESS (performance, writing, film making). I wanted to becme a screenplay writer and turn my HIStory 9/11 lyrics (about 4 pages A4 in English) into a screenplay to give to a famous film director.  But I changed my mind and now make films myself, all free and no hassle dealing with proposals.  I focus on results of HEAL THE WORLD-not on the process of film making.

Vsego dobrogo (all the best)

Oprah - 29 July 2010 03:03 PM

I am intending to do Islamic Studies.

Oprah
It really bothers me to observe many countries putting blame on Islam for their own local crimes.  Kind of a sick trend.  What do you think?

Sasha, have you studied fish for fish industry or another purpose?  I stopped eating fish in March 2010.  Before then I used to go to spinning sushi 4 times per week as I was a real fan of raw fish.  They have amazing big fish in aquarium tanks at Chitose airport in Hokkaido.  Not sure if fish want to be there or not but they are amazing.  Children spend lots of time looking at them.

mediatinker - 22 July 2010 01:48 PM

On the positive side of illiteracy and incomprehension, you can ignore the signs and advertising and it is easy to tune out people’s boring conversations in restaurants and other public places! Enjoy it while it lasts.

And welcome to Japan.

Thanks Kristen.  You are right, I am kind of happy I can’t understand the multitude of repetitive announcements that seem to be everywhere. 

Dai-chan, 
thanks for posting!  Where are you living in Japan?  Are you in touch with the russian community in Japan (if there is such a thing)?  I would love to find some buckwheat (grechka).  Where did you live in the US?

Natalia,
I am also from Moscow originally   It has changed a lot since I’ve left almost 20 years ago.  I’ve never been to NZ, but I really want to go there one day.
Thanks for sharing your poem.  I agree there are a lot of chemicals we get exposed to unnecessarily in food, cleaning products, cosmetics…
Are you eating an all vegetarian diet?  I was a vegetarian for two years, but found that I could not get enough protein and had some health problems, so I started eating fish and chicken again.  I find that in Japan the concept of vegetarianism is poorly understood.  There are a lot of vegetable dished here, but it’s hard to know if they contain animal products.  I like to cook, because I like to know exactly what goes into the food I eat.

Oprah,
Your interest in Islamic studies in interesting.  Are you planning to attending graduate school in Japan or US (or some other country)?