time for a rant

I might end up in detention and be deported before my contract expires given that my company sent me the wrong application form to extend my work visa, which expires every 3 years on the 13th of January, like in two days time. (Change of their company name has complicated the process somewhat and it's not really their fault and I still love them for being so good to me over the years)

The first thing I did when I arrived in Japan at the airport was have a bidet in the toilet that wasn't supposed to work, I mean, why do 'Disabled' toilets work?

Okay, it's my fault for not visiting the immigration office sooner rather than later, but it's usually a simple process, if, that is, you have the correct forms, which I didn't have, having the 'Instructor' one, instead of 'Specialist in Wines and LSD', which meant that they couldn't process anything today.

What a wasted trip.
$7 spent on Train 1 listening to The Masked Salaryman deep throating his snot and cracking his knuckles.

Then $3 spent sitting next to a Nigerian guy on Train 2 and discovering that true Africans in Japan are still ashamed of where they come from and will try their hardest to dilute their origins.

This has always been the case, which is sad because one shouldn't be ashamed of coming from
continental Africa, and I am sure they are not, but living in a country where African Americans are looked up to like Demi-Gods, and African Africans are regarded with suspicion, has sadly affected true Africans sense of national pride when living in Japan.

Here's the conversation I had with Nigerian Guy.

Me: I see this is your stop, too.
NG: Yes
Me: And as I don't think you are heading to the 'keiba-jo' (horse track) can I be your friend and follow you to the immigration office because I have forgotten where it is.
NG: Sure. You live near here?
Me: Blah blah blah
Me: Where are you from?
NG: Nigeria BUT my mother is French, she's French, I was born in France, my mother is French.
Me: Um, okay. So does your dad live in Nigeria or France?
NG: No, no, absolutely not, he doesn't live in Nigeria, he lives in the UK
Me: I'm sorry to hear that

I was so wanting to ask him about Nigeria and whatnot but I think he would have found my genuine interest in his country a bit strange given the usual response by people in this country.

During my Good Years in Japan, when I wasn't fcked up over love, when I was merely a chick having the time of my life, working a  really easy job with no major responsibilities, with 13 weeks paid vacation a year, and a smile on my face each and every day, I met many Africans in the clubs I'd eventually get thrown out of.

I had friends who liked dating black men, Japanese friends, and it would be so funny to hear the guys tell huge fibs about where they were from because the Japanese aren't adept at distinguishing different accents and lilts.
I remember this one guy, he was from 'New York' and was a 'basketball player', which was absolute bullshit because he had a really thick African accent, which African Americans don't have, unless they've just stepped off the plane.

Anyway, in the immigration office things were going well until a member of staff noticed that my papers didn't match the 'visa status' printed in my passport.
It's now a mad rush to get the new papers sent to me by tomorrow morning and then it's two train journeys back to the office I go.

It was horrible being on a rush hour train.
I praise the Lord that I have only had to commute like cattle for the first 4 years of my life in Japan.
The rest of the time I have been able to walk or cycle to my schools.
I don't know how people do it.
It's so horrible.
It's so inhumane.
And Japanese people should learn how to blow their noses and not deep throat snot.
Sigh. I wish I was happy so I could post some pics.
What I will have to do is take some photos of Japan. I'll take my camera to the immigration office tomorrow.