Kid Ethnic: Mixed-Race Adventures in Japan: The Quarter-Japanese Kid hits up the homeland

The Quarter-Japanese Kid hits up the homeland · 26 July 04

Five notes noted en route to Japan:

1) Theory: The sea-level pressure in my bowels combined with the low pressure at trans-Atlantic flight altitude does unfortunate things to my belly.

2) In preparation for making myself a worthy ambassador of America’s ideals and Youth Energy, I allowed my younger sister to cut my hair. Rock it.

Yasmin cuts my hair

3) Stuck in traffic in Atlanta, I peed into a plastic container for the first time. It was a recently emptied 32 oz. Gatorade Fierce. Filled the container up past half-way. Driving around with a half-bottle of urine, well, it’s freaky.

Made my dad laugh, though.

4) In the shower at the Atlanta Renaissance Concourse Hotel, I reached for a cute little complimentary bottle of shampoo. Instead, I grabbed a cute little complimentary bottle of extra-moisturizing hand-lotion. This accident gave my hair a fascinating level of (repulsive) shine.

5) If you get on a plane at around 3 o’clock and then fly about 12 hours to a time zone that’s about 12 hours ahead of you, you basically experience a full day of 3 o’clock. You eat dinner, watch some movies, eat breakfast and type and the entire time you can look out the window and see the sun shining 3 o’clock.

If you open your window shade two hours into the flight, the 3 o’clock sun will expose your face’s 5 o’clock shadow. 10 hours later, the 3 o’clock sun will expose your face’s horrendous 15 o’clock shadow. And you’ll look like shit.

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Enjoy Japan. It’s a beautiful country and I’ve always loved the language (took a few years in college plus … well, other stuff).
— Jason Hoffman 1381 days ago #
Your adventure in route to Japan seems very interesting. Hope you are having a great time. Be sure to stay away from any other half filled bottles of Gatorade because you never know.
— Chris Moore 1381 days ago #
Saleem! Glad you got there safely. I enjoyed reading all about it. It all sounds great…your host family, the students, the country, etc.etc. Peeing in a bottle, fish heads, falling off your bike, chair crash, tooooo funny dude! We all miss you here at Seventeen!! I’ll keep my eye on this site for updates but feel free to drop me a line anytime. smootches!!!
— Charlene 1369 days ago #
Sending a wave to you from the other side of the pacific….I’m in Santa Monica now. Adventures for all…keep it coming.
— jen 1369 days ago #
Hey… I’m a quarter japanese too. We’re the hottest!!
— lindsay 984 days ago #
hi, you guys are so awesome.
— Jesshi 808 days ago #
Aw, thanks Jesshi.
— saleem 807 days ago #

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