Hi friends and family!!
First thing: Please updated your email lists: ray@remlap.net is the only email address you need for me. I can't/won't be checking other email addresses anymore.
I hope you had a joy-filled Christmas and that the new year is bringing you refreshment and renewal!
I had planned to write and send this many weeks ago, but you know how life gets away from you...
Speaking of which, I have a feeling I still haven't written last year's letter! Sorry!
2003 was a fantastic year for me. Lots of fun and many amazing experiences. If you have a few minutes spare, let me tell you about it...
Last winter (January that is!) I had a good season of skiing. I managed 4 trips, 2 of which were with the Mitsubishi Race Team. (Yep! I started racing last year (giant slalom) and I love it! Japan snow is second to none. Though the resort can get a little crowded at times (it is Japan after all!) you can always find some space off piste.
In March I was fortunate enough to travel to Myanmar (Burma) with a group of four people from my church. Nick and I had gone once before in 2002, and were very keen to return. We spent about a week there, and visited churches, bible schools and orphanages. Our church helped finance a bus trip to the beach - about 45 people on a 35 seat bus! Many of the kids on the bus had never swum ni the ocean before, so they were very excited about this trip. It was quite a sight to see them jump straight off the bus and run, fully clothed, into the waves!
Another highlight was meeting a young orphan named Jimmy, who's father was Australian! He was quite a special kid, with his brown hair and brown eyes (standing out from the typical Burmese black hair, black eyes). He was more than a little happy to receive my gift of a Koala and Aussie flag! Jimmy is one of thousands of orphans living in Myanmar - the largest, but one of the poorest country in SE Asia. Myanmar holds a special place in my heart now. The people there live incredible lives; under extreme political pressure, and with a very low standard of living, yet with a zest for life that many of us in the developed world long for. I'm hoping to return there in April 2004 for another mission trip.
In July I was given the opportunity of representing Mitsubishi Electric in a brief trip to Europe to witness some component testing, and to investigate a couple of potential suppliers (both of which we are now using). I first flew to London, and then did quick trips to Sweden, France and Italy over a 12 day period. I was able to visit friends in Stockholm, which is definitely one of the more beautiful cities I have been to. It was a fantastic trip for me, particularly the fact that I was travelling alone.
Following this trip, I took some holidays to return to Australia. This was spent relaxing with family - sorry to those friends I didn't contact! I spent some time with Mum and Dad at their place in Parkes, and with my brother (Stephen) at his new Bed and Breakfast in Newcastle, my sister (Bronwyn) in Anna Bay Port Stephens, and my sister (Merryn) in Epping Sydney. For those interested, the family is all pretty well, and still multiplying! Steve has 3, Bron is on 3 with 1 to come, and Merryn has 2 and is also expecting! And my Nana is doing great - now 91 years old and still living in her own apartment in Mayfield, looking after herself completely.
September brought more business travel. I spent 2 weeks in Colorado USA, instructing a course on troubleshooting and maintenance of our locomotive propulsion system. It went quite well. The customer was pretty happy; they said the documentation and course content was "much better than [their previous customer]". So that was a wrap.
Actually compliments are pretty hard to come by in my workplace. Being a traditional-style (read military-style) Japanese company, Mitsubishi does not place much emphasis on providing encouragement and making sure the employees are enjoying themselves. Rather they rely on the employees' dedication to the company to keep them working. In the three years I've been here, I think I could count the number of compliments I've received on one hand, and still have enough fingers free to manage my chopsticks! Consequently it has been up to my colleague Chloe and I to keep each other sane! Thanks Clo!
Despite the challenges of the workplace, the work I have been doing has been very interesting. My title in recent times, has been System Design Engineer, in which I have been carrying out both top-level and detailed design of AC propulsion systems for trains and other electric vehicles. I have been responsible for the tender-stage propulsion system design for suburban trains in Mexico City (we won the contract), and locomotives in India (will be annouced this month). Also, I have been involved in detailed system design and testing for suburban passenger trains in New York City, Athens, Sydney, Hong Kong, Rome, locomotives in the USA, as well as hybrid buses and diesel-electric mining vehicles. Much of my work is dealing internationally with suppliers and customers, primarily in Europe and USA respectively. So it can be a lot of fun.
In October, I made another quick trip home to Oz to attend my high-school reunion. It was nice to visit Newington again and see how things have changed (and haven't changed!) in the past 10 years. It was also great to catch up with the boys too. Coincidentally (or perhaps not so), the timing of this visit to Sydney meant that I could breathe in some of the atmosphere of the Rugby World Cup, on in Australia throughout October/November. I managed to attend one game - Japan vs USA, which was a great contest! Fantastic to cheer for Japan while in Australia!
On the way back to Japan, I stopped over in the Philippines for a few days. As well as the obligitory lying on beautiful beaches and scuba diving, I also visited friends in Cavite city (near Manila) and was able to see some of their outreach mission work in the poverty stricken neighbourhoods of the city. Again, I was amazed to see the joy in these Christian people who live with absolutley no material possessions, in conditions that most of us wouldn't consider acceptable for our pets. Truly inspiring.
Christmas this year for me was (as per last year) a regular work day. However I did manage to spend the evening with good friends. We also had a Christmas Eve service at church the night before, attended by around 60 people. (Our little church is growing! At a guess, I would say we now have about 70 regulars.)
In Japan there is very little word of Christmas, except for a few shopping sales here and there. It is understandable of course, in a country that is only 1% Christian, but it still makes me feel sorry for those who have not heard (or not understood) what Christmas is about.
The most recent highlight of my year was our inaugrual combined churches snowcamp. My friend Miho and I lead a group of 35 people (from Hope Chapel and sister church KBF), to Nagano for 4 days of fun and fellowship. We had a guest speaker from Tokyo and lots of music and activities. It took a lot of work, but I think it turned out successful! Thanks be to God!
Finally, thanks for all the letters and emails I've received over the last year. Its great to hear what is happening around the world. The world is becoming a very small place now, with email and internet! It is certainly easier for me living in Japan than those who have been here before me!
Oh, the other news, yes... I've finished at Mitsubishi and I'll be back in Australia by the start of May. I decided that 3 years is probably the ideal term for a position like this. I have learned many things, and feel I have been able to contribute to the success of the company. But I think that staying further would not provide any significiant benefits. When I get home, I'll probably hang out in Newcastle or Sydney for a few weeks, spending time with my family. After that, there are no fixed plans. Of course there are many things I would like to do - this is a rare opportunity to do some of those things I've wanted to do for a long time, without interfering with my career.
As for the long term, only God knows. I would like to come back to Japan sometime, but I don't know how close or how far that time will be. And regarding my career, I am very open to possibility of career change (or even career-shift). So who knows what's to come. It is going to be exciting though, that is for sure.
Oh yeah, one other thing! I've met a wonderful girl named Yumi. And I am very, very happy. I think you'll hear more about her later...
I hope you are doing well and I look forward to hearing from you, or perhaps even catching up with you, soon.
Regards,
Ray Palmer
Links of interest:
My church, Hope Chapel Osaka: www.hopeosaka.com
Myanmar Christian Services: www.missionsalive.org/mcs
Mitsubishi Electric: global.mitsubishielectric.com
Steve's B&B: www.baysidebnb.com.au
Snowcamp location: www.north-star.jp
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