Sections from Black Samurai
By Wayne Erwin Brown
My New Home
in Kokubunji Town - Page 69
My apartment was comfortable size. It was a two six-mat tatami (flat mat made of rice straw) room, with a kitchen and small dining room area apartment. This style apartment is referred to as a 2DK. I immediately noticed that the bathtub was a whole lot smaller than what I was accustomed to. It was more vertical than horizontal. I would have to squat to take a bath. On both sides of my apartment, in the front of my door and to the rear of my balcony, there were rice fields. I vividly remember how I often stood on my balcony at night while looking out onto the rice fields and mountains and saying to myself, "Wow, I am really in Japan!" Within a 30-minute walk from my apartment, I could reach a mountain and begin climbing it if I wanted to. There were also rivers and streams nearby where children would often go fishing. As far as places to eat in town, there were some Japanese restaurants and smaller style family shops, including a few "yakiniku" houses (Korean/Japanese style cook the food yourself barbeque restaurants), and one McDonald's. There were two main grocery stores and a few pachinko (a Japanese pinball gambling game using real money) parlors. The town would nearly close down by 9:00 PM, where the only lights that remained on were business signs, streetlights, and the shine from the moon. I quickly came to know what it meant to live in "the sticks." Countryside areas of Japan are also referred to as "inaka."
Love & Africa,
a Long Distance Relationship - Page 94
We briefly got to know each other over the three weeks of the summer program. She was attractive, and had beautiful golden brown skin and a short haircut to match her style. There was spunk and playfulness to her attitude, which made her a fun person to be around. We didn't start talking and getting to know one another until about the last week of the program. Probably on our last night at Cornell, I remember how we just talked for what appeared to be hours in her dorm room. We became friends, and exchanged home addresses and e-mails so that we could stay in touch. Every so often we would e-mail one another to say hello and talk about things going on in our lives. Things picked up between us when I returned from studying in Mexico and went on to attend UCLA. As I got to know her better, our corresponding mainly via e-mail moved onward to letters with pictures and talking on the phone. We were growing closer together. I liked Sharanda because she stimulated my mind. For hours on end we talked on the phone, flowing on with about anything that came to mind. I could see that she really wanted to hear what I had to say. Cooking is a favorite of hers, and I got a taste of it the first time she came out to California to see me. I showed her around and she had a chance to meet my family and friends. I had a chance to meet some of her family and friends when I went to Atlanta to attend a commencement ceremony for her graduation from Clark Atlanta University.
A Battle
with Frustration - Page 225
My hope is not that you will think living abroad is easy, especially when you are solo as I have been, and that I have experienced nothing but perfect happy success along the way. This is definitely not the case. I have straddled failure just as much as my attempting efforts for success. My road has not been paved with people just giving me things and opportunity falling into my lap. I've had to make things happen by using my resources and continuously follow up on my initial ideas and goals. Meeting deadlines, talking to people outside of my circle of friends, and doing things a certain way are real life circumstances I had to confront. My journey has been incredible, yet still I have steadily been working through doubt and pushing myself to do even when I don't want to. This is ongoing.
Quotes from Black Samurai
By Wayne Erwin Brown
It is a crime when education is halted due to race. - Page 28
My personal challenge in climbing Mt. Fuji was remembering that the climb is a "mind over body" hike. - Page 32
As a Black person, you were told of limited options and paths to take in life. I say to you that life is a choice, and I hope that this book brings some clarity to you and to the path you take. - Page 38
By embracing the culture, language, and people, not only did I learn a lot, the country also brought life to what it means in having an international ethos. - Page 46
Japan, being within the top three countries following the United States in consumer buying of Rap music, is no exception in emulating clothing trends, hairstyles, overall appearance, and music represented by African American Rap artists and Black culture. - Page 87
Again stating, out of a population of 16,400 people, I was the only recognizable foreigner living in the town. - Page 135
There are some freedoms and rights governed by God; by which we should actively practice and pursue by all means. - Page 140
I was wounded where I felt as if I had been deeply sliced by a knife. - Page 154
Simply put, exposure has opened up my mind and allows me to see things from different perspectives. - Page 165
With factoring in the competitiveness of grade point averages and test scores, plus having earned my degrees and clearly demonstrating that my interest was in international business, I still wasn't good enough. - Page 182
She then said I could marry her, this of course being if we developed into having a serious relationship. I paused for a quick second and looked at her. - Page 192 | 
276 pages, 32 picture pages!
