Rehabing in Japan
 

So in two days I'm headed to a three month rehab facility here in Japan. Should be interesting as I will be the only westerner probably only non-Japanese in the place.

Not happy to spend so much time away from my daughter when she is learning so many new words each day, and having to leave my wife to deal with her own work, a toddler with no nanny, upcoming harvest season on the farm, and having to explain where I am to the whole frikin' village.

I was/am also very worried about how effective the therapy will be as I will be conducting it in a second language which I am proficient at, but also which never fails to lead to more misunderstandings than speaking English to native English speakers. There is also the huge cultural difference in that they for the most part all share certain norms and experiences to a *much* greater degree than a racially and ethnically diverse group in the U.S. would, and I don't share them. Our entire way of thinking about things and more importantly interpersonal interaction and communication is different.

Anyone have any insights into this situation?

I am also slightly nervous about the quality of the doctors and therapists, as the last rehab center I went to was staffed by temp-staff nurses who had no previous experience with addiction. Fortunately, the place I am switching to is supposedly one of the best in the country (maybe not saying much, as Alcoholism is not much spoken of here and doesn't pop up as a learning theme on TV dramas), but it seemed acceptable when I visited to check it out.

I asked about internet so I could skype or mail my family both in the U.S. and my wife and daughter who live four hours away. The doctors acted like I was the first one to ever make such a request, replying "You probably can't even get cell-phone coverage here". This almost gave me an excuse to take a slightly more expensive medical tourism trip to Thailand for only 28 days on a beach resort with internet, big-screen TVs in private rooms, massages and elephant-ride therapy, but it seemed even less effective than the temp-staff place. Anything else not covered by my Japanese health insurance was out of my price range.

I'm trying to tell myself that it's gonna be "fun", in an "interesting" sort of way. I have been "not drunk" for near two months now, so I am quite clear-headed compared to when I stopped, and am thinking to take copious notes and interviews and write about about my whole experience as an foreign recovering alcoholic in a country were it seems alcoholism is almost prized sometimes.

Any questions or topics that people would find interesting to learn about rehab in Japan?

Just hoping to hear you got a lot out of it, and have emerged healthy and happy about living sober. Good luck! :)

I do hope this will help you with finding a long term sober and healthy future....:yup:

2 months is a positive beginning....:funjump: