Derrick's "Complicated"

So… how’s Japan? It’s complicated, really complicated, and it’s complicated on more than one level, so you know it’s extra complicated. First of all they have many different numbering systems, for example lets say I want two hot dogs, two packets of catsup, two cans of pop, two straws, two paper plates, and two chopsticks; there are probably six different ways to say the word “two” in that sentence… someone prease help me. I guess we do the same thing in English… well sort of… ok not really.

Second of all, the alphabet… English has only one set of 26 characters, Dutch is the same, French is also the same, Greek has 24, and Spanish has 29. Japanese on the other hand has three different alphabets; two sets have 46 characters each, and the third has… well no one seems to know an exact number, somewhere around five thousand characters, so I guess you could say that it’s complicated.

Thirdly, there’s the paperwork, lots and lots of paperwork which is never in English and usually includes all three alphabets. Sometimes it even feels like I have to do paperwork just to use the restroom or to sit down at my desk.

Fourthly, everything here is complicated.

Through all of what I’ve said thus far I’m not saying that the last six months here in Japan have been a big mistake, far from it. The last six months have really been a blessing from God, one that I would not be willing to trade. The people here are so kind, hospitable, hard-working, funny, and complicated. I really do love it here. I guess I should say that we love it here even if it is really complicated.

~Written by Derrick Thomas Logwood~