(Untitled)

[elenuial]

The rhythm of life for someone living abroad is just so different. I have to be much more mindful of my energy and how I'm spending it, because it is so much more finite as a resource. It's not that I have less of it, but it just takes more effort to do most anything outside of my house, despite having adequate language abilities. Even so, I

Comments

[zapf]

So first of all, I really appreciate you posting this. I've been wondering how you've been doing out there and it's good to hear that you have things going on now.

Also, I totally get this feeling. One day, I look at what I'm doing and see nothing. The next I look back and wonder where all those things came from. It's totally normal and keeping yourself busy is a good thing.

But really, the reason I needed to comment on this post is your first line. "The Rhythm of Life" is a song from Sweet Charity (which isn't a very good musical) and it's a song my sister used to sing to me when I was little. youtube link It really threw me when you weren't talking about the song. I just needed to share that. I'm not even sure why.

[elenuial]

Yay! This year it's a struggle for me to determine whether to stay another year or not. I hear from the periphery stuff that my friends back home are doing, and that lonesome sense that time is passing by and people are drifting further and further away from what I know. I worry that the group that was once so supportive and important will have changed beyond recognition by the time I return.

But, well, we'll just have to see, in the end.

Thank you for sharing! :)

[asakiyume]

Wow, congratulations on getting your license over there, and congratulations too on the Japanese proficiency test, and good job managing the politics, work,and socializing well!

... are you *in* Okinawa?

Also, are you over there indefinitely?

[elenuial]

Yes, I'm living in Okinawa. It's a wonderful place! I am probably not over here forever. My contract can't be renewed past 5 years. I don't know how long I plan to do this, though.

[asakiyume]

Wow, that's so cool that you're living in Okinawa--that really is a different place, more liminal, and I bet learning about Okinawan culture is *awesome*. If I were to go there, I'd want to do it like you are: with time to settle down and really get to know the place, time to go deep and not see just what's on top.

[elenuial]

I think it definitely helps to be living near family. The liminality is easy to see on the surface, but really slippery and hard to grasp. Even so, as a half, I live in the liminal space between liminality. There's not a lot of conversations being had about people like me, despite being pretty common.