Life is full of tough decision making process -1

I have not been posted my article for long time. And I apologize sincerely for the people who could follow my articles and commented many of them. There were several issues happening in my life and I needed to think deeply on what way I should go and how I could lead my family which includes my old mother who is 85 years of age.

I needed to think deeply if I should go back to Japan for taking better care of my old mother or should continue to stay in US. This decision making drove me crazy because I have spent a lot of time and effort to settle myself in US. Especially after my wife and I could buy our first house in California, this decision making process was tough.

I could not believe this is happening to me now, but for better selection of my future course, I visited Japan and China. I was in the middle of writing about a Japanese American family when I stopped posting my articles, but let me stop the story of Fujie for a while and let me start writing what happened to my family the summer in 2009.

I believe it will help some people having international background facing same kind of tough choices which I had. Also, again the decision making process was literally the process of "Filling the Missing Link".



Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

A Book "Poem of San Mateo" - 10

Fujie was totally correct in thinking there must be a way to bring herself back to US. The law banning Japanese immigrating to US had exceptions. That exceptions included family reunion. Fujie wrote to her sister. Fujie's sister also wanted her family back to US. Her plan was working.

Fujie's sister sponsored Fujie. That was how Fujie could come back to US. Later Fujie's sister and Fujie sponsored entire family so that their parent could come back to US. Of course her father's work record in Japan as a translator for US Army in Japan helped. She remembered nothing mattered for her father's illegal immigration. She was surprised on US Government made an issue on her father's past.

This picture is taken in San Francisco Parking.
Amazing to find something like this.
Even today, it was most practical to immigrate to US if you have part of family already living in the US Green Card Base or Citizenship. It was what I could do with my wife's help. My wife gave up her citizenship in China and sponsored me. I owe her what I could never be able to give her back. Skills and engineering technologies may work. But it was difficult to prove that you are the only one who could bring it to US, and next to impossible to show to Immigration that there are need for your skill in US.

Let's come back to Fujie, it was not easy for living in US, since her English was not as good as her father's. But she could have a job as a house keeper in an American family. She worked hard and studied English through her employer, she said mostly from their children.

Fujie met this guy, 2nd generation Japanese American who was looking for a date one day.

Related posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-poem-of-san-mateo-9.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-poem-of-san-mateo-8.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-poem-of-san-mateo-7.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-poem-of-san-mateo-6_02.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-5.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-4.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-1.html

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

A Book "Poem of San Mateo" - 9

Fujie, despite her desperate dream of going back to US, had a tremendous amount of problems. English. She spent most of her education ages in Japan. She could not speak English. She was a Japanese now, and Japan is the defeated enemy country for US. Japanese immigration to US was next to impossible. Ordinary people might have given up thinking about the difficulties they have had. Here another interesting facts for successful people is that they always face to tremendous amount of difficulties which cause usual people to conclude that is impossible.

After finishing this "A Poem of San Mateo", I read a book written by President of Toyota America, who established "Lexus" brand. When he started to hear somebody else say it was impossible, he started to think there is a chance. When he was told "NO" from buyers, he recognize real negotiation started. It looks like people successful for something are the ones who can manage difficulties and denials.

Fujie did not give up. She thought there is a way. She studied legal system that time. She talked with American Generals who visited her father. She determined that if her sister still living in US wanted Fujie to join back to her, Fujie would be able to come back to US.


Related posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-poem-of-san-mateo-8.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-poem-of-san-mateo-7.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-poem-of-san-mateo-6_02.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-5.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-4.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-1.html

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

A Book "Poem of San Mateo" - 8

People make a decision or take an action which does not make sense that time, when we look back and think about it once again, we are surprised by the fact that we made a right decision and took a right action. It look as though we were driven from invisible power. I think there are a lot of things which we need ourselves involved in decision making or action taking. But there are some certain things that we cannot control. It may be a right course of action to go "Let it Be". In many cases, it turns out to be OK. This is not easy to explain but some people know it from their experience. Some may call it miracle. Others call it coincidence. I call it "Higher Guidance".

Picture: Night in Japan Town, San Francisco.
Teijiro's family went back to Japan and survived the war. Fujie was 18 years old and thinking seriously about going back to US. Alas, Japan was the defeated enemy country and Japanese immigration was totally banned that time. Teijiro, the father became famous in US stationed army because they used him to be an interpreter and translator because his English was prominent among other Japanese who could communicate with US Marines one way or the other.

Fujie gave up going to college and studied texture design women clothing in Tokyo. Her dream became same as her father's old dream. She needs to go back to US where she was born.


Related posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-poem-of-san-mateo-7.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-poem-of-san-mateo-6_02.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-5.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-4.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-1.html

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

A Book "Poem of San Mateo" - 7

There is no justification for war, in my opinion. War separate people, from loved ones, change people's destiny, sacrifice people's lives including survived ones. My father was one of them. He survived the war, released in Singapore, came back to Japan. But, he was quite sick for almost entire life of his. He was a smart man, but he could not use his intelligence in his work or for his life. All because he was sick. All because the war made him sick.

For the people who immigrated in the US before World War II, the situation must have been even more complicated. Teijiro thought that he could never be able to come back to US once returned back to Japan partly due to war, even either side wins. He would not be admitted to reenter into US because he was an illegal immigrant. He must have driven crazy from thinking all about this. But he decided to go back to Japan. Upon his decision, he did what most of Japanese would never have done. He asked all the members of his family including his 3 daughters if they hoped to stay in US or go back to Japan with him.

As a result, 2 older daughters decided to stay in US. Teijiro, his wife, and young Fujie had gone back to Japan. This interested me a lot. If Teijiro, as majority of Japanese house hold husbands, has asked, or ordered entire family to go back to Japan, they would have. And, then there might not have been a way for Fujie to return back to US.


Picture: Japan Town, San Francisco. Street Names are written both in English and Japanese. I do not know other place like this in US.



Related posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/07/book-poem-of-san-mateo-6_02.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-5.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-4.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-1.html

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

A Book "Poem of San Mateo" - 6

One dark night, Teijiro used rope tying his ship to pier to secretly landed on Seattle. Japanese people living there helped him to hide, fed him, even gave local clothes to him so that he did not stand out and caught by immigration.

He succeeded in settling down in California. I always thought that Japanese living here in States do not help new Japanese residents. They always to sell expensive Japanese stuff to newer people and force sightseers to buy in their souvenir shops. But, those days Japanese Americans helped their followers to settle. This part was almost like reading suspense book "Master of the Game".

Picture: Another Japan in San Francisco
Another thing is about illegal immigration. Though I have no intention to promote illegal immigration, but I heard about this Japanese woman who came to US with sightseeing visa base and never went back to Japan. She wrote she could do it if she gave up to go back to Japan. So, there are those kind of people even today, even from Japan. I do not know her in person, for your reference.

Teijiro worked in a plantation owned by a Japanese American and married with Japanese woman who his mother in Japan recommended. In this book, his daughter, Fujie, explains that Teijiro's wife, Fujie's mother, needed to marry with another Japanese immigrant who could legally go back to Japan, bring her US legally, divorced this person, and finally married Teijiro. How complicated! I thought it sounded like watching the movie "Green Card".

Teijiro and his wife worked hard. They could get their own house in San Mateo. They had 3 daughters including Fujie, the youngest. Then the war broke out.


Related posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-5.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-4.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-1.html

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

A Book "Poem of San Mateo" - 5

It was a surprise for me that there were restriction on immigration policy long before the World War II between Japan and US. It looks like there were several time of restriction to tighten the immigration to the US from Japan. Some people analyze that it casted dark shadow on the relation and trust between Japan and US influencing badly the consequence of the dark days of World War II.

Teijiro, the father of Fujie needed to be trained to be a soldier before he started to work. Japanese military was mandatory before WWII. Teijiro carried around his English books and English Japanese Dictionaries all over the place. One day, he was found reading his English book. In those days in Japanese military, any private possession must be under permission of higher ranked officers. He was sent to his lieutenant to get permission to carry around his English books and dictionaries.

The lieutenant asked Teijiro why he carries English Books and dictionaries. Teijiro answered "I wanted to immigrate to US after I finish my military training." The lieutenant laughed. He told Teijiro that he must study hard to show Japanese Samurai Spirit to US after he immigrated to US. Teijiro got permission to openly study English.

After his military training for one year is over, he became a cargo ship crew.

It is not just San Francisco City area. Japanese stuff is everywhere. This picture left is the gate of San Mateo Japanese Garden


Related posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-4.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-1.html

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

A Book "Poem of San Mateo" - 4

Now I feel like writing a little bit of Japanese immigration history. The policy of immigration first appears in Japanese Government Policy in 1869. The policy was in summary the one promoting people to go abroad to help themselves. US and Brazil were 2 major destination recommended. The background of this policy was the fact that Japanese Government that time found that self-sufficiency of food was not enough for feeding all Japanese.

Always there are irresponsibility of the government involved in this kind of policy. The policy written in square old style Japanese was basically saying that "Hey, look, Japanese government cannot be sure it feed all population. So, those who want to survive should get out of Japan and find the way to feed yourself."

It does not look like the picture taken on
Post Street, San Francisco
1869 was the first time when Japanese Agricultural Mission of Immigration arrived Gold Hill, Colma, California. 20 Japanese were engaged in agriculture. They were welcomed as an industrial growth after Gold Rush faded. Due to some bad decision in agricultural promotion, the land dried up and all of them were gone but 2.

It still set fire to the ambition of young Japanese people. They are young enough to ambitious to try their luck to be successful in foreign countries. They felt that Japan was too small for them, just like I did. There are 3 major destination. US, Brazil, and China. After a while the Foreign Adaptation Policy was continued, the countries where these Japanese people had immigrated started to be annoyed. Then US tried to control or restrict Japanese immigration around 1910. This change of policy course backfired and illegal immigration became dreams of young and ambitious Japanese people.

Teijiro, the father of Fujie was one of them.


Related posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-3.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-1.html

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

A Book "Poem of San Mateo" - 3

I was born relatively long after World War II is over. But, when I was a small boy, there were lots of debris of the war anywhere in Tokyo. My father took part in the war. He got almost killed in Singapore. He was lucky that he could survive since China caught him and China that time released lots of Japanese soldiers saying that they were not the one to be blamed. Chinese government that time said "Give Japan a favor returning their aggression". They also said that "Continuous revenge does not create anything new".

There are lots of Japan stuff in US,
Especially in San Francisco, Bay Area
It was my enjoyment to visit US Airbase nearby and talk with big American Marines there. TV was showing "0011 Napoleon Solo", "Superman", "Spiderman", etc... American influence anywhere. I grew up with American Fighter Planes' Plastic models. Gramman, Spit Fire, etc... American Marines who I know were friendly and happy-go-lucky. I did not feel that they are from the country who defeated Japan about 10 years ago that time.

In talking with Marines, I really wanted to go visit their country. United States of America. I talked about myself because I felt I need to talk about Fujie's father "Teijiro". It may be difficult from todays young generation why we (Teijiro, Fujie, and I) badly wanted to come visit US and live there.

Despite that all Japanese I knew were afraid of somebody else, their parents, grand parents, teachers, bosses, etc..., American marines I met were full of confidence of themselves. They were attractive people for eyes of 10 years old boy.

Related posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-2.html
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-1.html

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link

A Book "Poem of San Mateo" - 2

The author call herself to be "New First Generation Japanese American". The subtitle of the book is also "Life Diary of New First Generation Japanese American". This is because her father was First Generation Immigrant. Fujie (the author) family returned back to Japan mostly due to World War II, but Fujie hoped to come back to US kept her hope and dream and realized them.

In her preface, Fujie-san explained that she wanted to write about her father. In planning to write about her father, she decided to write about herself as well. It was interesting to learn her father wanted to come to US so badly that he became a crew of a cargo ship and escaped from his ship to enter into US. It is almost like reading mystery story like "Master of the Game".

Japanese Garden, San Mateo Central Park
In comparison, the author, Fujie-san's story is relatively ordinary. She used her family member contact to legally enter into US. Her older sister were born in US, gained citizenship, and stayed in US even during World War II. Quite honestly, I attracted to the author side of the story than her father's story. I have several reasons. 1) Her story is similar to mine, so that I could feel close to her hope, dream, and experience. 2) I admire her strong will and persistent effort to realize her dream to come to US.

As previously posted, even my experience tells myself that it is not that easy to get Green Card and settle in the US even now. I felt large sympathy for the author who realized her dream to become an American 30 years ago when people were not totally forgot the bad experience in Japan and US relationship.

Related posts:
http://zheninternational.blogspot.com/2009/06/book-poem-of-san-mateo-1.html

Check my websites to find out what I am doing:
http://vur.me/shawfunami/main
http://vur.me/shawfunami/SF
http://vur.me/shawfunami/zi

Feel free to contact me:
shaw@zhenintl.ws
Shaw Funami
Fill the Missing Link