Dreams you can see. or, 将来の可能、future possibilities

My future just took a little more shape... I've been offered a job in the brain-imaging lab in Kyoto when I finish teaching in Yakage.

The Japanese psychologist I've been working with, Yuki Kamitani, sent me Japanese news clips about his lab's "Neuron" publication last week, which I used to learn new kanji about fMRI. When I wrote him to say thanks this weekend, I asked about the possibility of doing some volunteer work with his lab when I finish my teaching contract in Yakage. The articles about Yuki's experiment all mention "Possibilities for the future"-- shourai no kanou, 将来の可能,-- such as allowing disabled people to express themselves through brain activity, and re-constructing images from people's dreams. So I titled my e-mail "将来の可能かな？"... Possibilities for the Future?

Yuki replied that he'd be glad to have me, not just for a "short time" but for several months, as an intern in his lab. He can offer me a visa and housing, and even a Japanese class through ATR, Advanced Telecommunications Research International, his research institute. (My next workplace will be 京都の国際電気通信基礎研究場所-- Kyoto's kokusai-denki-tsuushin-kisou-kenkyuujyou, "International Electrical-Communication Fundamental Research Institute"! Quite a mouthful to fit on a business card...). This is exactly what I had been hoping for. It will give me the chance to deepen my Japanese, to take the next level of the language proficiency exam next December, and Yuki says I can take the GRE from Japan. I'll get my act together to apply to graduate programs in neuroscience in December (American programs!). Assuming I do well in Yuki's lab, I'll have recommendations from Yuki, Ken, and hopefully Sam Wang (the biologist I took seminar and went to the Society For Neuroscience conference in Atlanta with senior year), plus the experience in Ken and Yuki's lab, at the cutting edge of fMRI research! ;-)

The only barrier will be, well, my ability. And my interest. But I've got hope that I may make it as a scientist yet. Plus, even if I don't... This is a once in a lifetime chance to work in a futuristic brain-imaging lab in Kyoto, and come away with better Japanese than I ever could have from just my teaching job in Yakage. I'll be writing like a fiend. Wide-eyed like an infant all along, I hope.

I'm still as undecided about my life as ever. But I feel resolved about my future for at least this next step. I may not be able to charm my way much further into my career... But maybe, just maybe, somewhere in this next year I'll find serious direction, apply myself, and start to grow up.

Meantime, my adventure won't stop yet. I'm not through being young yet, and glad not to be.

What all this means for you guys is: You haven't missed your chance to see Kyoto's beautiful fall leaves! You've got three more months when you could visit me in Japan.

I will almost definitely come home to the U.S. in early September, right after my Yakage contract ends and before my gig in Kyoto starts, to bring home my Yakage life, see you guys, my family and Claire. Any of you would be welcome to come see me in Yakage over the summer. From late July through August my life will be low-key. Since my elementary students will be finished school, I'll just be playing with the kindergardeners during the week (any of you could probably tag along), starting to pack up and ship out my house, and prepping about neuroscience stuff for operation Kyoto Brain-reading Adventure. So think about it! please. I'd love to get as many of you guys out here to this country that's come to mean so much to me, before I leave.

DBow's already made his plane reservation for early May. Owen, Brett, James, SD... When might you could come see me and my Japan?