First Year Anniversary

Boy how time flies. I can not believe that it has been a year since I landed on Japanese soil. When I first learned about the job here, it was surreal, no way did I ever imagine that such an opportunity could come my way. When I received the offer and accepted, I had to sit down because again, I could not believe it.

When I finally arrived, it was surreal and that remained for several months. A year into my bless filled journey, it is now real. It actually feels like home. As I sit in my Japanese apartment, away from the world outside, it really seems as if I'm in any city in the U.S. It is not until I step outside that I am reminded that I'm in Japan. Driving down the road on the left side of the street, getting into the car on the right side, the buildings and signs with Japanese words, faces that don't look like me, constant reminders that I'm in Japan.

To my surprise, it took me longer than I imagined to become homesick. It wasn't until the 6 month of my journey that I had a longing for home. That yearning didn't last long but 5 months later, the longing returned. I'm happy to say that I will return for a visit to Chicago (November 17-21) and Cleveland in November (Nov 21-Dec 2).

Upon my arrival, my job was probably the biggest challenge. What a learning curb. I would have to say that it is the most challenging job that I have ever had. A good challenge. In my 6 month, I finally felt more confident and competent. It is funny to hear folks describe me when I first came. One person said I looked like a deer in headlights, another didn't think I would last. Boy did I prove them wrong. My constant prayer early on was "God, I know you didn't bring me all the way here to fail, give me the strength to succeed". Working at UMUC has been my "next level opportunity" for sure. I have so much responsibility. Overseeing an entire region is a lot to take on. It has also allowed me to take advantage of returning to graduate school, for FREE. Once I am finished, I hope to begin learning the language of the land.


The things or people that made my stay here less lonely and more like home are my sorority sisters, yes Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is here. We actually have a chapter in Okinawa, Tokyo and Korea. We are everywhere, I say with pride. Having our brother fraternity has been good too. Hanging out with them has been good. The military has been a lifesaver. Of course, my purpose for being here starts with them. UMUC provides undergraduate education to the military personnel. Although I work for the University, I'm contracted by the Dept. of Defense, which gives me SOFA (Status of Forces Agreement) status, access to all the military bases. Why this is such a privilege is because Americans are everywhere so I get a semblance of home. I can shop at an American commissary for my groceries. I love Asian food but I don't want to eat it everyday. I can go to American movies on base and shop at the BX tax free. Entertainment, mostly free, is available on most of the bases. I've had my share of concerts,my last one was Erykah Badu, comedians, spoken word poetry and wine fests.

I know if I didn't have access to the military bases, I don't think I could stay here long. Not being able to speak the language would be difficult, eating the food everyday would be a challenge and lastly, getting to know the locals would be tough. I live among Japanese people but don't interact much with them. Not by choice, but mostly because of the language and culture barrier. I do thankfully have the opportunity to interact with the locals through work, our staff and professors.

Being in Asia has been great. It allows me to travel and see this part of the world. I have been to Tokyo and Korea. In September, I will be heading to Hong Kong with friends and Korea again for work and play. I hope to take another trip during the Christmas holiday. Australia, Mt. Fuji and Singapore are on my list of places to visit. What a wonderful opportunity to see this side of the world. The cultural events and food have been wonderful. Asian cuisine is my favorite so I get to explore a lot of different kinds of Asian foods while here.

Everyone asks me how long do I plan to be here and my answer is pretty much the same before I arrived, 2-3 years. Truthfully, I really have no idea. What I do know is that I don't want to return with the job market as is. I can't imagine coming home to unemployment so when I do return, it will be to a job. I'm asked too, where will I return. Although I still have my home in Cleveland and my great friends, the thought of returning to bone chilling weather just doesn't sit well with me. Where I will end up and when, only God knows. I leave it in His hands. He has ordered my path and I will continue to let him lead me.

One Year Anniversary


Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.