pakdoktergolfblog: On My Way to Tokyo again....

At around this time, 3 years ago, pakdokter accompanied Rastam, on his trip to take up employment in Tokyo. Pakdokter's partner was then still working with the government agency and was too busy to take time off to come along on the trip.

On reflection, honestly, pakdokter must admit that pakdokter was quite anxious for Rastam. Pakdokter was worried whether Rastam would be able to settle down in Japan and would be able to deal with the demands of working with a Japanese company and living alone in a completely new and strange environment. Perhaps this was more a reflection of pakdokter's own anxiety about living away from the family. As a child pakdokter had great difficulty adjusting to leaving home and living in a boarding school. The ' homesickness' was horrible. Pakdokter had a chance to go to a university in Seattle, Washington State, the USA, after high school, but pakdokter chickened-out! And pakdokter chose to study medicine at home despite a grade good enough for a place in overseas universities because pakdokter was anxious about being away from the family.....

Pakdokter could sense that Rastam was probably equally anxious about his 'Japan adventure', and pakdokter was glad to accompany him and to see him settle down in Tokyo.

Pakdokter can still clearly remember arriving in Tokyo that early autumn morning , taking the train from Narita to Shinjuku. Getting out of the Shinjuku train station, looking back, would have been a nightmare, if pakdokter was alone. Rastam's proficiency in Japanese came in very handy.....

And true to Japanese tradition of honouring an appointment, Okazakisan, Rastam's employer was at the South exit of the Shinjuku station, waiting for us as he had promised!

Pakdokter could only spend 2 nights in Tokyo due to pakdokter's own work commitment. During that short time pakdokter followed Rastam and Okazakisan, to his office and later to look at a few studio apartments around Nakano for Rastam to stay. The apartment ( if it can be called an aprtment by Malaysian standard) was a tiny en-suite room with a little kitchenette in a corner. It was rented empty for around RM2000 a month!

Pakdokter had to leave Rastam to organise his 'hole' and was 'quick-minded' enough to give him pakdokter's phone which had 3G capabilities. One needs 3G phones for use in Japan. If pakdokter had not left the phone to Rastam, we would not have been able to keep in touch as it took a few weeks before he could install his internet service at home.

Pakdokter was really anxious and worried to leave Rastam behind in Tokyo and when pakdokter called up upon reaching home in Malaysia, Rastam confessed to pakdokter that he suddenly realised how alone and lonely he was to be there.

Imagine pakdokter's feelings, pakdokter's own 'neurosis' playing out its ugly face! And what did pakdokter do? Pakdokter bought a ticket to Tokyo and went back there 2 weeks later and spent a whole week with him.

By then Rastam had settled down to work. His work-hours were long and we could only meet up for dinner after his work which usually would be at around 8 pm in the evening. And during the weekend Rastam and pakdokter went around Tokyo to view the colours of autumn which was just coming out in the gardens of the Imperial Palace.

3 years down the road, Rastam has really settled down in Japan. He has lost his job 3 months ago due to the economic recession and has been surviving on 'unemployment insurance' as well as his savings. He has applied for many many jobs and has to date received almost 80 rejections. Yet he is still determined to find work in Tokyo as his work visa is still valid for another year.

As pakdokter makes this trip to Tokyo to be with him ( since he is free most of the time now), pakdokter is reminded of what it was like 3 years ago and pakdokter must admit that pakdokter can say ( as pakdokter's caddy, Mohan, will say to pakdokter every time pakdokter makes a good golf shot) to Rastam that " I am really proud of you!, son...". You are really made of sterner stuff than pakdokter imagined......

Pakdokter cannot imagine having the same strength and capacity to do what you have done the past 3 years...