Gentlman Jack's Troubles with the Maid

The battery in my camera has died, and I have been scouring my possessions for the charger, which may--I am beginning to acquiesce--have been left in the states. All the same, the pictures I would have taken yesterday would have been giant white squares (or small ones, depending on the resolution you choose) as the snow was everywhere. A white-out I believe it is called. I went to a hotspring, an Onsen, I think, and sat outside in the warm water as the snow fell from above and the crystals were blown from the piles of fallen snow and steam rose from the water. I could see nothing, but it was still rather enjoyable. Later I ate dinner next to a run-down ferris-wheel with the words "America World" written in giant yellow letters, meant to be lit up at night in bold neon.

Today, I watched the new James Bond and thought of home. There was a little sadness, and so I decided to see what has been written online about culture-shock... a rather dull pastime, I must say, but I ran across the Worldwide Classroom, which uses the following to describe the honeymoon phase of assimilation/non-assimilation into a culture: "he or she will be taken to the show places, pampered and petted, and in a press interview will speak glowingly about progress, goodwill, and international amity. If he returns home may well write a book about his pleasant if superficial experience abroad."

Ah, yes. The common man's plight abroad. I do so praise the locals in many of my press interviews that I begin to think perhaps I am just another statistic, and that soon enough I'll begin to go through an adjustment period in which I develop difficult feelings toward my butler, animosity toward my inept staff of chauffeurs, chefs, and personal shoppers, and of course, as WWC puts it, "there is maid trouble."

Whatever shall I do?

A note to those planning to live in a castle in some distant land: there is maid trouble. Be forewarned.

I do miss everybody, though, so get on Skype and call me... I'm usually around Monday-Thursday between 7:00am and 10:00am, and between 4:00pm and 8:00pm Texas time. Or drop a line or something... I am making friends, but the small-talk required is monotonous.