There are nowadays people starting to write blogs, perhaps I can justify by saying that I have more time to spare reading other people's blogs. I also find people having similar sets of values toward sustainability. Maybe that is why that motivated me to start a blog series.
In fact I have written blog articles between 2006 and 2010 like this one. (Japanse only) It gives me a fresh insight and how I was determined to change the world! at that time. This time around, I am a bit more matured or aged.. I will just write what I want, not swayed by others. Cool?
- Looking back why I am in sustainable tourism -
Oh, me in front of the White House in Nov. 1997! For ones that are new with me, I used to be an English-Japanese technical language interpreter. I was contracted with a big company making precision control units, satellite communication systems, and energy conservation device. I was flying between Japan and DC or NYC every two weeks on the defunct Northwest Airline business class with the group company presidents. Now I remember people were smoking cigars in the plane that time. What a change over the years!
I am partly US educated. My kindergarten, high school, and university were all in California. I am proud to say that I majored in oceanography with emphases on geology and physics. I am an ocean lover by nature!
When I first went to check out Humboldt county, I fell in love with a first sight. The ocean, and the trees! The redwood after redwoods! The university marine lab was also on the beautiful coast of Trinidad. I was enjoying literally surf and turf during my college days.
During those days, not many were familiar with the Japanese food. I was only able to buy Calrose and Kikkoman soy sauce, but there were always fresh seafood! I really love the seafood restaurant Sea Scape, still dream about the crab omelet, my goodness the portion of the crabs!! The steelheads were also a treat. (me at the restaurant around '93)
The all-you-can-drink, water-like coffee was less than a dollar. It was about the same price for the gallon of unleaded gasoline.. So even the oceanographer-wannabes did not know much about sushi.
The short conversation between my classmate Steve and I on a Zodiac fishing;
Steve, 'Are you cook that thing?'
Me slicing the fish, 'Why?'
Steve, ' ..... '
The Steelhead roes were tossed away or used as fishing bait when I was making a soy-sauce marinated roe over a rice bowl at my apartment.
During those days, a few things I can mention about sustainability. The city of Arcata where I had stayed during my college days, it had the first community recycling center since 1971. Yes, it is a cool thing now I think of it. Not to mention about a quarter of the residents and students were like Hippies. They certainly had shared their values with me.
In addition, I was able to live in a cool house in Blue Lake, CA a student housing center recommended me, the owner turned out to be a professor at the University. Woke up with bird chirping, had breakfast while a pack of deer was grazing my front yard, and frightened at time with the unexpected night guests of racoons! It looks like ae Wild Wild West photo :)
Oh yes, I have been a scuba diver since I was 20. Can't believe I loved the cold water that time. This dive in the photo was bad, the visibility was less than a meter and we were in the pitch dark water at 15 meter depth. However, there were triple decker crabs at the bottom crawling everywhere! Just amazed at the density of marine life.
I can tell that my infatuation with nature is since my high school days, but multiplied during my collage days.
The next episode will be the connection with my travels. See you soon!