E.T. in Japan

Well, I'm here and I'm fine. The flight was not as comfortable as last time, but it was okay.

But, talk about your lack of diversity. I'm loving it here, but you know sometimes you just want to be around someone else like you right?!?

I know many of us, are accustom to being the only African or Brown skin colored person in a setting, be it a classroom, an office or what have you. But, imagine being the only Negro in an entire city. Imagine the shock and happiness that overcame me when I saw a white man in a city an hour away from where I live. I was overjoyed.

It was so funny to me inside because of how I feel about the "Caucasian presence" in and throughout all of American society. But I smiled at this stranger, as he smiled back. A friend. A brother in a strange land. Someone like me, an Alien.

I had to go register for my Alien cards, the other day, at the local City Hall, it was quite the treat to see and realize I didn't understand any of the signs. I'm so happy I wasn't alone on this trip. :-0

I laughed at myself: It hit me, "I'm now the foreigner. I'm the alien everyone's looking at like: "You're not from around here are you?"

But, it's exciting. I smile quite often and laugh at the realizations that become aware to me daily. Things I thought and the way I felt about issues in America are somewhat obsolete here. It's almost refreshing.

When I was first introduced to my new office, I noticed a giant E.T. doll sitting on the highest shelf in one room. I looked at E.T. and said, "Dude, you're not alone anymore."

Later this week, I found out just how true this statement is. A little girl, about two years old, was in the same room with her mother one day while waiting on her older brother to get out of class. When she saw E.T. sitting on the shelf, the little one kept screaming, "Sobo, sobo!"

Translated to English, it means "Grandma, Grandma." I couldn't do anything but laugh. But, I was also strangely comforted by the fact that if E.T. had found someone he could relate too. Somehow, I will too.

Peace



© Robyn K. Mizelle, September 2007.