My name is Tommy Brook, and on the fourth of September I’m departing from England to Japan, where I will spend six months volunteering at Nagoya Daini Red Cross Hospital. The remaining six months are still up in the air, but I will take whatever opportunities arise to find an adventure.
Why Japan?
I pretty much grew up on a diet of videogames and pancakes (the nicer kind, with sugar and lemon), so this is almost a pilgrimage for me. I even drive a Japanese car. Past the initial interest that gave me, Japan really appeals to my adventurous side for being such a different place. The language is both baffling and beautiful to a native english speaker, from what I’ve sampled the food is delicious, and the vast quantities of people living in the cities of Japan means I am bound to run into a whole host of interesting characters. I don’t want to visit Japan as a tourist, I plan on living like the Japanese do – for instance I expect my accomodation to be the size of a shoebox. I’m determined to learn the foundations of the Japanese language now, so that when I do arrive I can get by with as little English as possible; although I will jump at the opportunity of helping others to understand English whilst I am out there. For the sake of readers my writing here will contain minimal Japanese!
Who are you?
(far left)
I’m a guy living in West Yorkshire, England. I’m surrounded by rolling hills and countryside, so the jump into the fourth largest city of Japan – a country with an extremely dense population – is sure to be a big one. I don’t have to describe myself very often so forgive me if this is kept short. I’m friendly, play a number of instruments and write music as a one man band. I like skiing, football, the cinema and enjoy the occasional drink. So long as I acheive AAB grades at A level this summer, I have a place at Barts and The London, Queen Mary’s medical school, beginning September 2008 – assuming I am willing to return to education after a year long break!
