(As of October 3, 2001)
Hi from Tokyo!
You probably have heard too many personal opinions about the terrorist attack in US, but I will say it anyway since it has affected me inside. First of all, I would like to pay condolence to those individuals who lost lives and to those who lost their loved ones. I was near Washington DC for a conference when the attack occured. As a result, I was not able to leave there for a few days. It was a minor inconvenience compared to what some had to go through, though. It deeply saddens me to know that so many innocent lives were lost, and I am very concerned about the prospect of a war, where more innocent lives can be lost.
Since the event made my trip for the conference a little longer than planned and I was not in a mood to travel immediately, I postponed my trip to Japan to see my mom for a week. (She has lymphoma, a form of cancer.) I saw her last Friday (September 28). I was comforted to see that she was taking the chemotherapy well, and she is already feeling better. It was also good to talk to the doctor who is in charge of her treatment. I cannot deny my concern for possible recurrence, but it seems to be going as well as it can for now.
It feels strange to be back in Tokyo. One thing I especially noticed this time is that many people look tired and unhealthy. For example, when I ride a commuter train, most people are falling asleep on the seat. They don't seem to get enough sleep in the busy lifestyle in the city. I also noticed the difficulty of access to outdoor recreation and entertainment. Seeing them made me realize how lucky I am, living and working in the environment where I have more freedom and flexibility, and being able to do outdoor activities with ease.
I have been traveling a lot lately, and my co-worker had pointed me out that I had been spending more time away from home last month. It will be good to be back in San Francisco for a while when I return on Thursday, Oct. 4.
Love,
Koji
Praises, comments, suggestions to [email protected].