Pan Asian Goes Global

I can't find a video with the original audio file, so here's a cover version: 君の前から姿を消すって言ったのに きちんと姿を消せない僕はきっと半透明 他の誰かのとなりに居場所を見つければ ちゃんと消えられるはずなんだよ Although I said I'll vanish before you (*lit. = in front of you) I can't properly vanish, I'm definitely semi-transparent If you search for this belonging place beside a different person I was supposed to properly be able to erase you 君はきっと優しすぎて 僕はきっとそれを望みすぎて もう顔も見たくないと思うから 形も残らぬように You are definitely too kind I am definitely wanting this too much I already don't want to see your face anymore so I'll make it so that not even your figure is left 君の前から姿を消すって言ったのに 君の番号消せない僕はきっと半透明 他の誰かのとなりに居場所を見つければ ちゃんと消えられるはずなんだよ Although I said I'll vanish before you (*lit. = in front of you) I can't delete your number, I'm definitely semi-transparent If you search for this belonging place beside a different person I was supposed to properly be able to erase you 今も目を凝らせば 笑ってた君も泣いてた君も

*I will make another post regarding specific/objective information regarding Kumamoto Mosque, so stay tuned ^^ Kumamoto Mosque (Kumamoto Masjid) was a very special place for me while I lived in Kumamoto prefecture and still is. As soon as I got that email notifying me of my placement in Yatsushiro City, Kumamoto Prefecture, one of the very first things I did was google if there was a Mosque nearby. Fortunately, there was a Mosque in the capital, about 1.5 hours away from where I lived. I emailed the contact number given on the website, and received a reply from one of the *brothers that there was a *sisters' yahoo group (sisters and brothers is how we refer to our fellow Muslims ^^).  I was put in contact with an Indonesian sister.  She told me that there were a number of sisters at the Mosque, including a  Malaysian sister, and that they were looking forward to meeting me.  All of them lived close to the Masjid and Kumamoto University, where many of them went to school.  From

This is the first time I'm spending Ramadan, and insyallah, Eid, in South East Asia/ a place where there are lots of other Muslims too ^^ I remember being the only Muslim kid in my class at elementary school, fasting, or the one whose mom made her a halal hot dog for hot dog day. So far, I've spent previous Ramadans and Eid in Vancouver, Korea, and Japan, alhamdulillah. Although it was sometimes difficult to find comfortable places to do my daily prayers in those locations , as Muslims are a minority there, there was usually a very strong bond among fellow Muslims. Mosques became like second-homes to me in all of those places - a place to comfortably do my prayers, meet fellow Muslims, find friends, and be a part of the local community. Especially during Ramadan, I would go to just one Mosque (more so in the case of Korea and Japan.. as the Mosque I went to was the only Mosque in the area), finding friendship and connection there. I miss the times I spent at Seoul Mosque and K

Yatsushiro, Japan.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't remember Yatsushiro.  With Kumamon paraphernalia, school posters, and letters decorating my room, songs on my phone/laptop that have already become associated with my time there, and the memories that I carry with me wherever I go, how can I ever forget? It's March 9th today.  The name of one of the songs from Remioromen. It's a graduation song. Soon, my 3rd year Junior High School students will be graduating.  I remember. When I first taught them when they were in grade 6, three and a half years ago.  I saw these children grow into the teenagers they are today.  I loved the energy and joy that these students had.  They'll soon enter high school, beyond the realm of whatever influence I may have had. Soon, my grade sixes will graduate.  I remember.  When I told a particular class that I would be leaving them for good that summer.  How some of the students cried, how one student told me that s