Time for Independence!

It was time to say good-bye. From tonight I will be left alone as my precursor has left the city. I have to stand on my own feet now and it's all up to me to make decisions... about the operation of my office... the payments, the management, the accounts, and of course the reporting!
Yes, I'm on my own. But I think I have enough confidence with the staff and that's the most important element! All I need is the motivation to go on and of course I have to be healthy!
Tomorrow, it's a day off in this country... I better use my time wisely!

For a start...

back to the kebab meal!

Troubleshooting

At around 1AM, I got a call from Tokyo and I had to fix some problems with my staff. I have to be prepared for this kind of troubles and emergency will always haunt me as a correspondent. I have to try my best not to get my fingers burned and my senses will always be tested with each coming challenge!

After doing some work for the radio and for the world channel, I couldn't resist taking a nap on the sofa of my office... I'm so sleepy and tired... I hope I could get a day off Friday!

In the afternoon, after I left the hotel I was staying at for five days, I moved into my new room. It's nearly eight times larger than the room I stayed for eight years in Tokyo. Without any household goods from Tokyo which were yet to arrive, I had to somehow live in this grand room, but with all the furniture that was left, I think I could go on for years. I really hope I can get some company, as all this space might make me go crazy and in the winter it would quite be freezing. I think I broke the record of the size of living space I have as the largest one I was living in was the 4LDK room at Awajishima about 11 to 10 years ago, which is probably only a half of my new room. I know it would be tough, but I have to try to enjoy this and be thankful!

I had a small party with my predecessor and his wife at his hotel room. I know it would have been a tough three years here and all I could do was appreciate the great pains he has gone through. And my hope is that I would like to do the best as he has done here and make my successors eager to take my place after a couple of years!


a great view of the city from my residence building

so much space!


you can have Coca Cola anywhere!


the sandwiches are really tasty!


a teriyaki udon!? not bad!


in front of the hotel I was staying in, there was a decorated car... for the newlywed!

Reporting for the first time...

Time to make a report as the Non-Aligned Movement ministral meeting was being held in Tehran. It was the first time for me to see the President of Iran just about 50 centimeters apart.
In the afternoon, I had to rush back to my office to make a report. I had to think real hard to even fill in two minutes with backgrounds and views. I have to admit that I hadn't studied anything about international politics until a year ago, and I have not learned enough about this country except that I've covered the Iranian President visiting Baghdad this March. Starting from zero, I have to go on like an expert. It's gonna be a really tough three years, but I just have to believe in myself!
The report was going to be broadcasted on Wednesday morning. My first report from Tehran. Yes, it's the real beginning!

the Iranian meals today!

rice with eggplants


and the usual kebab meal!

Time to relax...

I did have some work to do today, but not an exciting one. There were no big news either.
It was time for me to relax a little... only a little...

At night, I attended a party held by my predecessor, having some great continental food. It's always enjoyable having chats with people eating and drinking...

a great night in Tehran...


a buffet style restaurant in the roof!


some great Continental food...


too bad it's without alcohol...

From tomorrow I have to change my gear to top speed... I hope I won't crash!

Going through procedures...

It's really a pain in the neck to go through all the procedures. There are many restrictions as a foreigner here, but I wouldn't say my country would be an easier place to live if I were a stranger, so I'll just try my best to bear with it!

the police in charged of cars... a long wait here!

I had some Japanese? food for lunch! I'll try to get more of this soon!

I also went to the Japanese embassy for the first time and also to the national television headquarters. There still many places I have to visit, but I'm already getting fed up! Oh, let's see how comfortable I will be after a month going through all these processes!

I returned to the hotel at around 9PM and I decided to skip dinner as the restaurant was the only choice! I wanted to relax a little and try to get some sleep...

the music I stored in my computer...
I didn't bring any of my CDs as I heard that it was illegal to bring them here and I didn't want to take the risk... but many of the taxi drivers are listening to Western music!

Getting to serious business

I'm finally starting to realize how tough it would be to work here... It's a real challenge that I had faced two years ago when I moved to the Judicial Press Club... But the culture and rule books here are uncomparable to the places where I've been and I'm quite scared that one day I might go mad!


it's not signatures or seals you need here...
it's your finger!


they have burgers! a tasty cheeseburger!

Arrival!

It's all "welcome" at this country where I should really believe I am being greeted rather than being suspicious of everything. Luckily it was a day off in Iran and I didn't have much trouble getting out of the airport. The lines at the passport control area was not too long and I went throught the baggage check twice, but I didn't have to open them up. The traffic to Tehran was not heavy at all and it didn't take an hour to get to my new office.

Running towards the city, it reminded somewhat of Amman of Jordan where people were doing some picnics at the roadside, and of Islamabad of Pakistan with the mountains standing tall behind the capital city. The south side of Tehran even reminded me of downtown areas of American cities like LA and NY.

It was a long day and many things I heard did not excite me... Many tough assignments seem to be waiting for me and all I could do was pray that everything will not go the wrong way. I just have to believe it will not...

Well my new job for the next three years has just started! I hope I would be able to enjoy it!

First time to land in Iran... and to Tehran...

first board with their supreme leader

first mosque to see

first look of the city

first look at the tower

first tea... you eat the sugar cube first and drink the tea!

first beer... yes something's not included!

first Iranian meal... the kebabs!

PS
I arrived in Dubai a bit before 4AM and left at 8:15AM, about an hour later than schedule.
I will be here for many times as this is one of the most important spots I will constantly visit the next several years!

the familiar airport!

having one Cappuccino for nearly two hours to be able to work with my notebook at a comfortable space... there were a bunch of people wandering around the airport and even securing a seat in the cafe was tough!

Leaving behind...

Saying SAYONARA to Japan, feeling as if I'd left my whole heart behind...
I finally got what I needed to leave for Iran, and in the evening I took off from Haneda and headed to Kansai International to catch a flight to Dubai.

I met people I love dearly and most treasure at the airports. It's time to say good-bye...
I didn't cry as I know that I will meet them many more times in the future, but even a temporary parting is really painful...

I was still working on our documentary about India even just hours away from my departure, but after I took off, it was now in the past. I have to tackle my new issues in which I will be engaged in for at least three years. It just the first step towards my new life and I hope it doesn't start badly!


I stayed in a hotel near the Tokyo Tower... saying farewell...

and to the consular section of the Islamic Republic...
my visa was finally granted!


my last meal in Tokyo with my elder colleague...

And my last meal with my parents!

my favorite meal: udon!

and a souvenir from my mom... I don't need this mom...

PS
Just around midnight, we felt a slow but long tremble in the 7th floor of our headquarters. It was a large but deep earthquake that hit the northeastern part of Japan.
I went right away to my former workplace to see whether things were okay. I witnessed the dynamic flow of reporters rushing into work and I found out that I had no place in my old office.
There was no tsunami as the quake did not hit the ocean area and the epicenter was deeper than 100km. I think and dearly hope that not so many people have lost their lives with this one.

it was a hard hit quake in the north...
this country is really active!

Overtime!?

The real deadline was today, but I didn't get what I need to for me to get out of this country and enter the Persian state. There was news that I might get it tomorrow, and if I do, I'm only 24 hours late and that's not that critical. Let's see if I'll get the thing I need smoothly tomorrow!

After driking till nearly 2AM last night, I was so sleepy today. But since I couldn't leave Tokyo, I had to go back to the documentary making procedure and I devoted so many hours in to it. I went back to my neighborhood in the morning and around lunchtime, I had my haircut done. It would be very hard to get some satisfying haircuts for a while, so I just had to enjoy this haircut conversing with the barber I've been having my hair cut for 8 years. It's really sad that I have to leave where I've enjoyed so much. But I had to say thanks and bye to these people!

saying one last good-bye to Shinjuku...

and my home town for eight years...

Deadline

The deadline is tomorrow and it would've been still on schedule if the permission for me to enter the Islamic Republic had been given to me today. Now I have to gamble on whether I should cancel the flight tomorrow or just pray and hope that something magical will happen tomorrow. I surely doubt that, but still, all I can do is just wait and hope for the best!

In the morning, not so early as I had planned, I went back to my room to clean it up completely. I finished the work in just a bit more than an hour, and I took my car out of the parking lot to let it go free. My Dad came all the way from Osaka to pick it up, and I tried to show the best regards by leaving my collegues working on the documentary and have lunch with my Dad.

giving my friend away... see ya!

Before this, I went to every bank I have an account, and changed the address of every account I own. It took at least an hour and a half to go around the large banks with many customers waiting to be served.

It was another long night, but after sneaking out from work, I joined my colleagues who entered the organization in the same year, my "douki"s. I was so sleepy I couldn't stand the sandman attacking so heavily, but since I was having a great time, it wasn't bad at all!

For the record!!

My room is clean now! I can't believe how much space there is in this 23 square meter room!
And you can see the buildings of Shinjuku... not bad right!?
I feel so relieved to see this place clean!

Sneaking back...

I was spending some precious time...
I just couldn't help it. I didn't want to go back to work. No way...

I knew this could be my last time to enjoy sushi, so I told myself again that this was a much more important matter.

I went back to work in the afternoon and that was it for the day. I had to work work work!
I'm still worried about my next destination, but the documentary will not wait for me. I had to participate and work on the making of this piece. Well, it's too late to say I'm not going to be a part, after using so much money in India!



it's more than just about sushi!

Asking for mercy and taking chances

I solemnly asked my collegues for mercy and after cleaning up my lockers, I took a nap for three hours early in the morning... That really helped me as it was going to be a crazily long day for me!


the first time I ate breakfast at the cafeteria in perhaps... 13 years!

After briefly returning to my room and then to my warehouse, I think I was ready for the house-moving agents to come and I rushed back to my office to attend another preview of the documentary. It was still a disaster, but I had to jump out of the meeting to get back for the house-moving.

Though all the things that I will leave in Japan has been carried out of the room to be stored into a storehouse, there were still tons of garbage left in my room... things were not even garbage as they can still be used, thought it wouldn't be use by me...


I still had to take care of these things... maybe I'll ask my parents to have them!


the "trunk room" was empty too!


they've really helped me! but it's their job!


well... see you guys! please take care in our new storehouse!

walking by the familiar river... I'll miss this river!

I had to find some time to clean the room, but I had no clue as I had to return back to work with my colleagues and meet someone special I missed this whole week.

After another preview at night, I took the chance and left the meeting... I felt sorry, but I had to decide for myself which is more important. I won't see the consequences till tomorrow, and I feel uncomfortable, but I'm not going to regret it!