Japan

My first job as a translator was a flier for Torifune Butoh Sha.  I did it as best as I could.  I then got asked to do a one page article which I did.  After several other jobs I was asked to translate the second half of a book which I did.

I was then asked to come to Japan to translate an entire book and doctoral translation that no human being had ever been able to translate.  i jumped at the chance but didn't know anything about how to get to fucking Japan.

When i was in care we used to go on trips out to airports just to... look at airports.  I used to walk around fascinated by the rich people who inhabited an alien world.  They were like another race to me.  I had no notion of traveling.  I went to see a mate who had travelled world wide and he talked me through how the airport worked.  I then bought a ticket and the bank put a fraud check on my card which meant I couldn't withdraw money.  I went berserk, running towards the bank arms waving like a lunatic.

Luckily I didn't get arrested and got to the airport.  I didn't sleep the night before, I was so excited.  I changed at Finland and decided to study Finnish on the plane.  I was terrified of flying but I didn't care - I seriously thought men would rape me from a young age so I just went with it.

Learning Finnish was great fun and I seriously impressed the Finns!  I crammed a massive amount in.  I bought a Garfield the Cat book in Helsinki airport and learnt just how sparsely populated Helsinki and Finland are!

When We got to Japan I took a train to Kanagawa where I was working.  I got on very well with Dr Mikami who I was working for until she asked me what my dad did for a job.

I became enraged and seriously considered killing Dr Mikami and her entire family.   Who was this woman to insult me?!  I saw a carving knife, but then I realised that she wasn't to know I'd been in care and was just being friendly.

I got a load of books in Japan such as an onomatopeia dictionary.

Coming back from Japan I questioned whether I was living authentically - I was certainly translating one of the most complex texts ever written but there was a mountain I  had always wanted to climb - Kanji Gold!