So instead I'll write out a post :)
This past weekend I had the pleasure of participating in a Murder Mystery game with about ten other people. I was given a character profile, I dressed in costume and played the part to try and figure out who the killer was while not getting caught red handed with my own scandals. It was loads of fun!!!
I was Madam MeMe Wannabe married to the host of the evening Don Wannabe. My story was that I had been brought up in brothels only to move my way up the ranks to own my own string of them. I'm a classy businesswoman who treats her woman and clients well. The evening began with my husband and I holding a grand opening party for our new Speakeasy club (right?)
Don and I were doing the bookkeeping for "Big Jim" the head of the fo-mafia in Chicago. This everyone knew. But what was a secret was that his estate was worth about $4,000,000 until we skimmed a little bit off the top. After that, it was only worth about $40,000. But no one needed to know...until he was murdered and he left his daughter, mother and new wife the inheritance.
But I'm not gonna tell who dun it ;)
NEXT
There's an article I'd like to discuss that I'd seriously like to share with the world at large.
As of today the Japanese government has put into effect new policies for entering the country if you are not a Japanese citizen. It used to be that if you held a visa and a re-entry permit (which I do) then you could just go through customs in Japan as if you were actually Japanese. (pretty nice) Now however, they have a new system where all foreigners must be finger printed and photographed.
Ok, whatever. To me this only means that it'll take longer to go through customs. I didn't think much of it until I read this article.
Please note before you read this article, there's some information you might want to know about the NOVA group.
See, NOVA was the biggest English conversation school in Japan. It was known for being cheap on all sides. It wasn't a good school for students to go to or foreigners to work at. It was just an easy way for the Japanese to practice English and it was an easy way for foreigners to get to Japan.
Well, about a month ago NOVA finally went bankrupt. It was a bad company all around. Thousands of foreigners were without a job for a couple of days later another company snatched it up. Basically, everyone saw it coming.
NOW, you may read this article ;)
And these are my questions because I seriously think I'm missing something here:
1. Is there something that is "restrictive" about photographing and finger printing every foreigner that goes to Japan? How will this keep people from entering the country? How will this deter people from living here?
2. Does this man think that if a few foreigners leave Japan that the need to be able to speak and understand English will just magically disappear?
3. This man makes it sound like he wants to close off the borders of Japan! How does finger printing and photographing people do that?!?!??! Doesn't the US do the same thing?!!? I don't see that stopping anyone! I just see it making you late to get to your connecting flight!
4. Does this man SERIOUSLY think that foreigners had ANYTHING to do with NOVA's collapse? NOVA is known for it's by the books, telling you exactly what to say and when to say it kind of teaching program. It was fail proof. The easiest no brainer job ever. Just read from the card.
And the felling I'm left with is something I've gotten used to since coming to Japan; the sense that I'm missing something important.
Ya wanna know what I bet it is, this "high ranking official" is probably just a nobody pulling opinions out of his ass. Either that, or there's finally some hard evidence that the Japanese are as self centered, bigoted and "wanting to stay unique as only an Island Nation can provide" as the stereotype says.
PLUS!!! Rumor has it that the birth rate is soooooo bad that the Japanese government is thinking of changing some immigration laws to bring in more foreigners into the workforce! But that's another can of worms that I won't go into. Every gaijin girl has her own opinion about Japanese men. ;)
Other than that, it's gotten significantly colder here. Which makes me hungrier than ever which is so NOT cool! I don't want to gain absolutely ANY winter weight!!
