Spent an hour on the phone with a Berlitz friend trying to decide my future - stay or go. At the moment going looks better than staying, but scarier. But then growth and change are always scary, aren't they?
We went for a walk in the warm early summer Tokyo sun, which felt especially nice because it was Monday and a national holiday.
I’ve been listening to my 2 new CD’s: The Bhundu Boys – “The Shed Sessions” a 2 disc set of their first 2 albums, and The Four Brothers – “Makorokoto”. Back on the early 1980’s The Bhundu Boys were at the vanguard of the World Music movement. I remember hearing them on John Peels and Andy Kershaw’s shows and really liking the sound. Then I went to visit Sean Best in Zimbabwe and didn’t actually go to see any music!! What was I thinking? I did see The Four Brothers in Bristol though.
Reading the liner notes to the Bhundu Boys CD brings a lump to my throat thinking about those days. A good time of my life in many ways – I had my own place in Bristol, no responsibilities and no thought of them either. If we left Japan next year and lived in England for the next 20 years I no doubt would feel the same about my Tokyo years. Is that how it will work out? It will work out exactly how I want it to, if I really want it to and I work towards it!
The important thing is not to get stuck in a comfort zone. You have to keep moving forward.
Let’s call the man from Berlitz tomorrow, after we have spoken to David and got my resume ready. The trickiest part, as always, is the details. Do I simply tell K I’m leaving, give her 2 months notice and in the meantime do the Berlitz training.