I'm home sick.
I've had a great week... One of the best cultural experi(ences/ments) ever. When I was coming to Japan, I spoke to a lot of people about it. The response from those who had made the journey was resounding. It's "simply a superior place" and coming back will result in "reverse culture shock".
It's true that there are some INCREDIBLE things about Japan. It's incredibly clean. The cultural awareness and memory - not to mention the sheer history that boast castles older than our country - are again INCREDIBLE. The biggest thing that I love is that people here take their jobs seriously - whether they're the cleaner or the president, they do it to the fullest. This results in incredible service from McDonalds to the airport. No throwing your food on the tray, no attitude and no dashing your suitcases to bruck up your dishes that you bought from some farmers in a square in a small village in the South of France (which Trini says THAT?? lol - I'm not acting like I'm boujie, I'm acting like I'm rich lmao).
Their work ethic is fantastic - and I respect it, as I try to hold myself to an extremely high standard. The Japanese culture is also VERY polite. My boy Damian joked that in a culture that says "sorry" all the time, a guy who bumped me while walking down the street, walked a few steps and must have thought to himself "what's wrong with me - I just bumped someone and didn't say sorry" and is at home tormented and rolling in bed right now... The transit system makes the London Underground and New York look like Toronto (and as D pointed out, I'll cringe from now on when David Miller says the words "world class" and "transit system" in the same sensence from here on in. From the touchpad to avoid a static charge before you press the elevator button, to the abilty to courier your luggage ahead to the airport, to the ability to pay for a plane ticket at the convenience store, or the fact that there is just SO much individuality in the STYLE here - the Japanese just get it.
There are COUNTLESS innovations and things here that just make SENSE - but home?
Home is like the drunk uncle in your family. You love it same way. That's Toronto. It smells a little by the DVP approaching downtown - not to mention the ridiculous traffic on that parking lot. The food spots NEVER get your order right, and the server is giving you attitude because her aspiration is to be [insert place or job here] and she's working [insert place here] - at the people's work. (Not to mention that she's on facebook and her cell while you're standing up watching her in the Roger's video for 9 minutes just thinking, I wonder if I'll get charged if I throw my shoe at her like Bush). Then there's our cultural mix. As I type this email, Nunu just facebook messaged me that "You need to win a Stylus award for hardest working promoter - no other promoter takes the time to connect with his patrons - maybe bryan brock but he doesn't throw nearly as many parties as you do throughout the year like you do. You are Shumacher of toronto parties... twitter that! BHAHNG BHAHNG!!!!". This illustrates my point (and I'm gonna google Shumacher when I finish this email - but my point, apart from stroking myself with his compliment (lol) is this... Nowhere - NOWHERE in the world would I know Noorez Rhemtulla, a first generation, Toronto born and raised, Ismaili Muslim, Indo East African from Tanzania, Vanessa Wu, Laura Magnoli, Marvin Damian, and Punji - and be able to call each of them and ask them to take me to their city of the world for lunch, dinner and conversation - within my own city. Now, the reality of it all is that we NEVER do this, but when I was walking around Tokyo, saying I want to try all the amazing things that they have to offer, I was thinking, I'm sure some of the people here have NEVER gone to Osaka, Kobe, seen all many of the countless "Unesco World Heritage Sites", watched a Sumo match or visited Rupoongi Hills, like many of us haven't gone to Casa Loma, the Bata Shoe museum or even the CN tower. You know I've never seen a Blue Jays game?
(By the way, I think the Bhahng Bhahng is somehow ethnic too lol).
My point is that it was a great trip - and more than anything, as my boy pointed out, is that the Japanese are FEARLESS, and that? - that lesson - and the feeling that ANYTHING is possible here, is the lesson that Japan gives me. Put on purple with brown, cheetah print, stripes and polka dots (you have to see it to believe it) and wear it like you mean it... lol... All jokes aside thought, when I put the "anything is possible" thing alongside the "necessity is the mother of invention" appreciation that I got from Cuba and the renewed graititude for being blessed to have been born and raised in Toronto and the opportunities that that has afforded me, I start to create a vivid picture.
I implore you to - and I'm not on some high and mighty, because until recently, I had zero inclination to vacation - but I implore you to save - $20 a week... $80 a month... $960 a year, and check your facebook... Connect with a friend who lives somewhere else - and ask them if you can come stay by them. Chances are the answer will be yes - especially if they're abroad teaching etc as they're lonely (not saying my friend is lonely and ting and ting), but they love the company (and the English conversation that has kept us out until last train for the last 2 nights). Sometimes these things don't cost as much as we think. I just researched and found out that hotel, air, and accomodation for Egypt is like $1500 for 7 days... Not that I'm going anytime soon, but there are cruises for like $500 sometimes.
Anyway, I'm rambling... you get my point.
For the last leg of my stay, I'm in Tokyo and as you read this, I'll soon be on route home. And be it ever so humble, there's no place like Toronto. I digress... so I'm walking thru the streets of Tokyo - back streets, main streets and I find myself gravitating to certain stores... Then I realize, I'm staying in these stores longer than the others. Why? They have OUR and I say our, as I feel that, at least for me personally, MUSIC - and the culture of music, is a part of MY culture and nationality as well... So, I'm in these stores and I'm singing away - WE'RE singing away - myself, Amanda and Damien (who we picked up along the way lol) - 2 expatriates and a foreigner - walking past a store - 'BEFORE YOU WALK OUT MY LIIIIIIIIIIIIFE - oh eh yeah', or rapping all the words to "Going back to Cali" so that everyone can know we KNOW the lyrics lol.
I'm on my way home. Friday is Soul Kitchen where the BEST Soul and R&B from Ryan Leslie to Marvin Gaye to Taral Hicks to Brandy to Soul 4 Real to Jennifer Hudson to Bilal to Raphael Saadiq (did I mention this was in my top 5 concert experiences of all time?) to Luther to Sunshine Anderson to... You name it - if it's got SOUL, it's in the Kitchen - and I even miss Jester [pause]. Kid Kut and Jason Chambers will be in the building finishing the 3 dimensional puzzle (they have 3 dimensional heart and body part puzzles here where you can construct the heart - they get it).
Saturday is re:connect, and I can't lie - I can't. I can't do it anymore. Sigh. Here goes. TORONTO IS IN OLD SCHOOL HE-LL. I said it. Nearly 10 years ago we created this party called Amnesia because certain music NEVER got played. 10 years later, and there's a need for a party that plays music from now. Desperately. This is not that party - but this Saturday, I'm implementing a virtually no old school (well - some new jack lol) - ACTUALLY, THERE'S NO RULES. This Saturday, we'll show you why JASON CHAMBERS is one of the best DJs in the city, and make me continue to wonder why it's a secret. You're going to get (Chambers are you listening?) old and new soca, 2 reggae sets, some old school, some house and a BUNCH of hits...
And and I've just decided something about re:connect...
Stay tuned to your email and facebook overnight on Friday - if you get it at work, you'd better add a friend's or a personal email address at http://amnesia.ca/mail.html
The following Saturday is GroovEssentials - and I'm dying for a soca fix as well...
As I said, Toronto's like a buffet - and there's tons of variety (no jokes about how I like to eat lol)...
As I said, Toronto's like a buffet - and there's tons of variety (no jokes about how I like to eat lol)...
I leave you with the last sets of photos from Japan (Deer Summer is my favorite), and I'll upload the other video blogs in my final email of the week.
Japan: Day 3 - Culture and Style
Japan: Day 3 - Style ah style and style cyah poil...
Japan: Day 4 - Living my life like it's GOLDEN
Japan: Day 5 - Deer Summer
Japan: Day 5 - Part 2
Japan: Day 5 - Part 3
and just in case you missed the others...
Japan: Day 1 Photos:
Japan: Day 2 Photos: Part 1
Japan: Day 2 Photos: Part 2
and my 2 videoblogs thus far..
Thanks for listening, as usual always... Next email from the Vancity on route to HOME SWEET HOME.
See you this weekend. Love and respect.
I
Yours sincerely,
IAN ANDRE ESPINET
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