Category: Uncategorized

In 2013, I left academia to pursue my dream of living in Japan. I haven’t looked back since; I have never been nostalgic and I do not regret my decision at all. Sporadically, I talk to an ex-colleague, so I do hear about things going on in my old scientific community, albeit with much delay sometimes.

For example, only last weekend I heard “news” about a certain professor. I knew that he had died back in 2014, but I didn’t think much of it then – after all, sometimes people just die. However, now I know that he had killed himself, and I am truly shocked.

He was one of the big names in the community, in his early 60s, hence, close to retirement. Although he appeared a bit shy, he always had a smile on his face, and he was warm and welcoming towards everybody who approached him, whether another big name or a brand new PhD student.

I will always remember his encouragement right before my very first talk at my very first conference – and we had just met that moment. To me, he was one of the kindest souls in the community. Unfortunately, they always seem the most tormented ones as well…

I’m back! I had wonderful two weeks of travelling in Europe. I went to see friends in Germany (and delivered the yukata – my friend liked my choice very much, thank goodness) and I spent a weekend in Berlin. It was my first time sightseeing there and it is an amazing city indeed. I also visited a number of old friends in Austria, and I have to say that while I had a great time altogether, I am also quite exhausted. I would be best to take a few days off now, thankfully yesterday was a holiday.

Of course, I also stocked up on Austrian goodies, mostly sweets, chocolate, and alcohol. My friends will get Mozartkugeln (of course) and special Austrian liqueur produced in my hometown. I hope they like it – Japanese alcohol is much weaker than the stuff we make in Austria.

Unfortunately, my shopping spree led to some unpleasantries on my way back. For the first time ever I travelled with two checked suitcases instead of one – and the smaller suitcase was promptly lost at Beijing airport, where I had to change planes… Thankfully, things were solved quickly and I received it this morning already. Interestingly, customs did not check the other suitcase as all – I should have bought cheese and sausages after all…

Over Golden Week and in the days after I finally had time to finish my inventory list. During unpacking, I counted and listed everything I own with the exception of consumables. Whenever something new enters my home now, I update the list. For a single woman it’s not too bad I think, but there are certainly some rather interesting things that I forgot I had ever packed… Let’s have a look:

Altogether, I own more than 3000 items, large and small. The top five categories are:

Clothing (538 items)
Kitchen utensils (432 items)
Books (378 items – and counting)
Jewelry (162 items)
CDs (91 items)

This must be the first time in my adult life that I own more clothes than books; but this is somewhat understandable since I gave away at least two-thirds of my library (and yes, I am still grieving…). I honestly did not know that I had that many kitchen utensils (including cutlery, dishes, etc.) because I don’t really cook that much. However, I definitely need my 41 tea spoons: I eat a lot of yoghurt and Nutella (bread really is optional here), so they are greatly valued. Running out of tea spoons is a sure sign that I need to do the dishes.

Taking a somewhat closer look at all the piles of things I own, I have a wide range of stuff from the normal to the somewhat interesting. For a woman I don’t think that 21 pairs of shoes are excessive, especially since they include everything from my 10-cm emergency high heels, to a pair of rain boots, and several pairs of flip-flops. 80 t-shirts only sounds a lot really, but there are also some with sentimental value I will never wear again, for example the one that says “I wü wieda ham…”, which is a bit complicated to explain.

Things where I should not have brought quite that many are summer pyjamas: 11 are definitely overkill in a country where even summer nights are above 30 degrees. And although girls like variety, I do not change my wallet every month… 24 cloth shopping bags and 85 clothes hangers will only come handy if I ever open my own shop; and why on earth I have 12 pairs of black pantyhose when I wear one at most once a year is beyond me.

And let’s not talk about the cowhide, shall we? I’m glad I brought the toy car that goes with it though. But that’s another complicated story…

Last Sunday saw the latest edition of Austrian Presidential Elections. They happen every 6 years, and since the incumbent was not allowed another term of office, we needed somebody new. In fact, last Sunday was only the run-off ballot between the two candidates who gained the most votes four weeks ago, in the first ballot with six candidates.

What was left over were the right-wing candidate and the one supported by the green party; and the elections could not have been any more exciting. On Sunday, the projection of the votes stood at 50 : 50 percent, and it took the whole Monday to count the absentee ballots (among them mine) to come to the final result of 49,65 : 50,35 percent, a difference of ony 31.026 votes (more than 4.8 million Austrians voted).

Austria now has – as the first country in Europe – a president with a green, left-wing background and I am quite relieved about that. While it never happened in Japan (yet), I have been asked about all the “Nazis” in Austria before… Anyway, I think I will call it a night early today, since I didn’t sleep much the last two nights because I was waiting for the results. Last night alone, I spent a whole hour watching somebody walking up and down before cameras while he was waiting for the Austrian Minister of the Interior to announce the final results. I obviously don’t have anything better to do…

I have an upset stomach. It doesn’t happen very often here in Japan, but still I must have caught some bug. I stayed in bed all day (except for some rather hurried trips to the toilet), but it feels like I am getting better now. It’s really no fun being sick, especially when your apartment is freezing… At least, there is only one more month of winter ahead.

Just before the end of last year, on December 28th, 2015, the Japanese government has issued an apology to the Korean comfort women of WWII:

“Prime Minister Abe expresses anew his most sincere apologies and remorse to all the women who underwent immeasurable and painful experiences and suffered incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women.”

The words are accompanied by the payment of 1 billion YEN to a Korean fund meant to support the less than 50 surviving victims. In return, the Korean government will consider the issue as “finally and irrevocably solved”, and will refrain from criticising Japan any further about this.

I’m not sure where I stand on this issue. On one hand, this apology (the last one of a number of similar official apologies, by the way), does not seem very sincere, given that in Japan many people don’t see the problem behind the whole issue. Also, the sum appears rather symbolic to me, and its payment reeks more of hush money than an acknowledgement of guilt or at least responsibility.

On the other hand, I understand the desire to put an end to things and to start with a clean slate. I do not apologise for whatever happened in Austria during WWII either. And I don’t get it why the holocaust is used by the Israeli government to exempt them from criticism for their treatment of the Palestinians.

So, I am obviously on the fence with this issue. Maybe a gesture like this is all that’s needed to move on? Once again, I am glad I’m not a politician…

Happy Holidays to everyone!
I hope you’ll have a nice time, regardless of your plans.

Once again, my plans are to visit a friend over the weekend. I will post again next week.

It’s Christmas season and although many people are stressed out buying presents and sending greeting cards, it is generally considered the time to be nice to each other. I mean, isn’t that the reason for all the presents and the cards and stuff?

I found this video of a “social experiment” last weekend, and although it made me cry, I thought I’d share it with you.

When was the last time somebody said this to you?
Doesn’t that mean we should say it more often?

You’re beautiful!