Hi, I'm pat. Studied both Japanese and Computer Science at UC Berkeley which sort of reflects the range of my interests. Worked for many yrs as an analyst and programmer for a finance firm in the SF E Bay. That ended in 2010 which allowed my family and I to reenter the world that most American inhabit. What they call the 'real world' - but just which world is that?
Married - a son who's 12 as of 2012-10-19. I'm from the East Coast; came out to California to attend Cal. Detours for 2 years in France and 6 years in Japan. Of the cultures I've participated in (including Chinese culture via my wife), I think I'm least comfortable with the American one. But you get older; comparison certainly helps in learning its (Am culture's) virtues; and you grow to like it and identify with it although you don't completely forget the things you disliked about it in the first place.