How I came to Japan by mistake
Topic: Me
I studied Chinese not Japanese in grad school and when I graduated I landed a post in Shanghai Teachers College to teach linguistics. This is in the dark ages, 1983, when it was unheard of for a Lao Wai to be doing this. Nevertheless, I had a valid job contract with cash advance, assistant professorship slot, a rare ?Western" apartment and a paid R/T airfare with a short stopover in Tokyo to do couple lectures and to collect my work visa from the Chinese pseudo-Embassy in south Roppongi.
To make a long story short, I waited for my Chinese work visa one week, two weeks, three weeks*?. On the third week, Seiko-Epson asked me why I was still waiting and offered me twice my US wages. I smiled. Japan Inc. slapped me on my back and declared me their ?computer expert.? I?ve been here ?by mistake? ever since.



*It turns out that back in the early 80s, a ?parasite of society? like me (gimp) was not eligible for a Chinese work visa but nobody at the pseudo-Embassy was brave enough to tell me that to my face.


That's why I'm cadillacin' nowadayz! 8)