Craig-686 On Falling Lives; Embracing Dark Times, And Yummy Instant Soup In Japan!
By: Craig Hoffman
Tags: Japanesefood, Unemployment, Expat Life, Japan, Blog

Craig note- It’s not been the best start to 2020 for us or for most folks in Japan. But, one must press on in life!

Too, we enjoyed a nice lunch in the park today. And, we have eaten a variety of instant soup mixes! This week’s special was broccoli soup!

Shameless New Book Plug

Cover Photo- Shane Rounce@shanerounce

If you do have a good job lead for please check out this tweet:

I’m looking for a new job. I suppose in English teaching. Somewhere between Kobe and Himeji. I have experience from the munchkins to advance level adults. If you know something off the radar, I’d appreciate a DM if not a RT would be sweet. People depend on me, you know… pic.twitter.com/uujeJ4boKv - Craig Hoffman (@CraigHoffman11) January 23, 2020

Got a Question for the Grey, Grizzled, And Gaijin Mailbag? Send it to: @craighoffman11 on Twitter!

I have to tell you since the start of the new decade my life has been a mess. There was a scary failed EKG in January. And, I figured:

Two days later, my company called me into a meeting. And, I got:

And, I was out of a job.

I spent the next two months of this year working hard until I could use the last of my vacation time to kick back and relax.

And, I did so from today.

I also figured I would easily find a job. But, a funny little thing happened. The coronavirus took over Japan. It has not do so in great numbers of cases (at this point), but it has in terms of dominating the news, not to mention my employment.

My once promising job search has been flushed it right down the toilet. Worse, it torpedoed the little part time work that I did find. Poof! It’s gone. And, I am a month away from heading to the local unemployment office. But:

There are a number of foreigners who are feeling the financial pinch of being underpaid or worse not paid at all. It’s astonishing.

Even in the “good” times, folks aren’t raking in the yen in Japan, foreigner or not. Now, many hardworking people wonder, “Am I going to get paid?” For some that’s:

Too, workers are eating up their savings as they seek out childcare. The schools throughout most of Japan are closed for weeks. It’s left parents screwed, especially single mothers.

Actually, I am a little happy to be free at the moment. Things aren’t so terrible that I cannot get outside and live my life. And, this is the most time off I have ever had with my wife and those I care about in my life.

It’s been great to prioritize my life for once. While I loved working, and I certainly would much rather be doing so, I realize that if the worst happens, and someone is taken from me (or me from them), I’ll be most grateful for this “free” time in my life.

Too, one assumes their must be a bottom to these dark times in my life and in Japan in general. 2020 is supposed to be a great year for Japan!

The Olympics are set to showcase this great country. Too, there was going to be ample opportunity for everyone to make an extra yen or two over the next year. But, that looks less and less likely as the days grow closer to the big event.

Still, there’s still time for this year to turn around, at least, I hope so. But, in the here and now, I sure feel like I’m:

Grey, Grizzled, And Gaijin

Got a Question for the Grey, Grizzled, And Gaijin Mailbag? Send it to:@craighoffman11 on Twitter!