Aloha Ed!
It is nice to hear about your adventures in Asia. As for myself I have been living here for over seven years now. In the 90's I used to come to Japan and SE Asia to lecture at different universities about global modeling, international relations, distance learning, the Internet and to a lessor degree activism. Moreover one of my degrees focused on Japanese society with a specialization in the role of modern Japanese women. ( On a side note: you would not believe the types of looks I used to get from people, especially ladies, when I would tell them I was working on a degree studying Japanese women.
) Additionally I also came here for military purposes many years ago.
Regarding what I'm doing here now, I'm the sole owner of a very small business consulting, executive & personal training company and currently I am working on a business plan for a second business with nearly a dozen investors of which I will retain 51% ownership. In short the business which will be a combination of a bar, restaurant, coffee shop, and tea house will serve as a principle social networking hub for entrepreneurial and professional females in the Kawasaki area. The iconography and general theme will be based on the Lilith myth for obvious reasons.
On the topic of language sadly enough I do not speak it at all. This has really helped my marriage to be sure.
Personally speaking I simply don't have the time or interest for that matter to study it. The reason my interest is not high is mainly because I'm dyslexic and typing and reading in English is hard enough but to learn kanji and to try to memorize each one in eight different ways - forget. I may do so one day but right now I'm to busy and frankly it is far more economically efficient for me to hire a translator then for me to spend the time learning it.
