[stache]

I find it very interesting you made your way to Japan to live and became an adult along the way taking responsibility for yourself. A lot of people could learn a lot from your story.

I have lived in Japan for several years on and off over the years and plan to retire in Japan in the next year or so in Yamagata. Like you I took Japanese in college many years ago, but still need help with the language.

I have traveled all over Japan and love the culture, food and people. I to have been burned helping people over the years, but in my case I was burned by Japanese coming to the states needing assistance. It only takes one or two to make us not want to help, but being the type of man I am I will continue to help here I can.

Thanks for putting yourself out there unlike the English teachers in Tokyo and other cities that expect a hand out because they teach English or come from America. I tend to go off of some of the English teaches who think Japan owes them something.

Again thanks for the offer to help others.

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Now that I have had some time to go back and read most of the posting I can tell you have seen, heard, and been through similar situations as I. The difference is I am married to a Japanese woman and a lot older.

Men say the same things about my Japanese wife that has caused huge conflicts even in my own family. I say this to hammer home the point many white people are very hurtful and don’t care as they somehow believe they are the superior race. My Japanese family has never said or treated me the way my American family or people have.

The things I have heard and been said to me would make most men want to hurt the other person in a bad way. Men can be just as cruel as women if not worse. Even my brother had to ask questions about making love to a Japanese woman. Needless to say we don’t talk much.

In one case here in America a café would not serve my Japanese wife. I went nuts and the cops were called. We were escorted to the Salt Lake City, Utah airport and were told to leave. To this day I still get very upset to see (white) Mormons boys in Japan riding around in white shirts on bicycles spewing their crap. Yes it was a Mormon owned facility that would not serve my Japanese wife.

Even here in San Francisco where we live racism against Japanese is a live and well. My wife is treated differently when she is with me verse when she is alone. I have only had a couple times over the years in Japan had a drunk guys said nasty things to me, but they were drunk and still remembered the war.

I have been asked every story and question in my 32-years of marriage about being married to a Japanese woman. Yes I still get upset and sometimes just go off on people for being so infantile and stupid…

Being married to a Japanese woman takes a different kind of person in many respects. And yes we both work at our marriage to make it happen so far it has worked, but there has been a few rocks in the road we worked out together. No one said it would be easy and to answer the one question I always get; no my wife does not walk behind me.

I will be in Japan for new years this year and wish you all well.

Stache