Love, Mama Lin

In response to my first blog post (which you can read here ) I received many comments about how my son and I live in Japan. “Why did you move there?” “I am so jealous!” “I wish I lived in Japan…” 1.) The move was work-related and partly for my son’s education. The company opened a new branch in Tokyo, and as one of the few existing employees that could speak business level Japanese, I offered to go. Despite my complaints, I do work well with my new boss, and the head of the company recognises that fact. I also think getting a wider perspective of the world will help my son broaden his horizons. In England, where we used to live, he spent a lot of time alone in his room reading books and studying. Since he can not read Japanese for the most part, he is now forced to open up, even if just a little. The selection of English books in the bookshops here is limited and mostly fictional, which my son has little interest in. Ordering books from abroad takes money, of which I still have cont...

My son has no appreciation for anything. I deigned to make *Japanese* food like the accepting and multicultural person that I am. Not only does he not care that I made effort to embrace *his* heritage, he also barely ate any of it. His mind was evidently elsewhere. I understand that it is difficult for him, we just moved to a different country where they speak a language he cannot read (he is fluent in speaking though he refuses to learn to write) and his *father* is no longer around, but I am trying my best and I wish he would show some appreciation. It was mainly his decision to move to Japan, after all. But Teriyaki Tofu with Udon noodles turned out very well. I think I used a little too much ginger but Noll did not complain. I might add sesame seeds next time. Purely for the aesthetic. But then I could upload pictures and share the recipe too. I could borrow my boss’s camera. We have a few at work and as I have the inventory list, no one would know. Especially, since one was r...