The sumimasen of silence

Cultural difference is the longest distance in the world, and the biggest gap between any individual.

Junko san, a dear dear dear friend of mine has recently posted a short article on her blog, blaming an aspect of life in Tokyo, the cosmos-huge mega-metropolitan human agglomeration she recently lost herself in...

Being a mixture of western and oriental culture, Junko san seems to suffer from the "indifference syndrome" that most people in Tokyo as well as the rest of the world is victim of.

Sumimasen, sorry in Japanese, is widely employed and might be the most used word in Japan. Whenever one would like to do something in the presence of others, "sumimasen" is said in order to let people know. At this moment, a reply from the people we are addressing this word is mostly expected, no matter it be a smile, nod or just friendly eye contact.

However, indifference is ruining it all. There is in general no reply at all, and the "sumimasen" is just unheard.

The fencer in the Indigenous Defense Fighter (IDF)

Accidents happen all the time in Taiwan's armed forces, all the time. But never have I ever thought that such misfortune could happen to a fencer friend I used to fence with.

I was speechless when I saw his picture on the front page of the evening newspaper in a 7-11, reporting on the disappearance of a twin seater Taiwanese-made Indigenous Defense Fighter of which he was the pilot. The aircraft disappeared at large of Penghu Islands on a duty about dropping bomb.

I felt sad... extremely sad, le cœur gros et la gorge serrée, but tearless.

Few days later, the air force officially announced his death. Short obituaries of him and his co-pilot could be read on online news, which allowed me to know him a little more.

Ever since I became a journalist reporting mainly on Taiwan's military issues, I never stopped blaming such accidents in the armed forces that are mainly due to low readiness and low spirit and inflexible regulations. Few efforts and microscopic improvements have been done since... 

"No comments" that's the only thing military spokesmen say to cover the ugliness behind everything they feel virgin-shy to let know, although they were taught to be courageous and fearless when fighting the enemy.

I think that I will never see him again during fencing competitions. He fenced well.

Jobless

I have been jobless since the first day of this month. The job that I have been doing for exactly two years forced me to quit because of unwise administrational regulations.

I wasn't happy to leave my French colleagues who also liked me, but I am not sad either to get my own real life back... Oh yes! Getting up late, stay up all night reading or plurking, make a lazy coffee at 10:30 a.m. and some oolong tea at 14:30. Everything you can imagine that a completely free individual can do.

It seems like the student in myself suddenly woke up at the dawn of a long vacation, heading for adventure. As soon as I started to take vacations, and of course having my free life, the only thing that I had in mind wasn't to talk to family or meeting up with friends (which of course came later), but to go back to my alma mater and join the fencing team I belonged to since my second year of university.

Two to three times practice is indeed a bit tiring, but to see novice fencers practice and make awkward moves, like I did before, is very amusing. It reminds me of the time I spent with this team, practicing and going to competitions.

I also enjoy coaching. Teaching is already great when students are incapable of doing what you ask them... so it should be even greater when they manage to achieve what I ask them to.

This is pretty much about the free time in my jobless life... like a student.