Phill 0:04
I've known this guest before Kanye West said “George Bush doesn't care about black people.” She also gave me one of my favorite nicknames ever. Over the years, we've shared countless laughs and made priceless memories, which sometimes led to some unforgettable hangovers. My guest is probably the most gracious and chill person I will ever know. I would like to welcome a hero I call by their first name, Alison.
Alison 0:33
Hey! Oh, what a great intro. Thank you.
Phill 0:37
No doubt, man. Yeah, so yeah, we know we did a little chatting before we started recording but, yeah, just you know, this podcast is just, you know, a way for me to, you know, like, give you props for being awesome and to celebrate our friendship. And, you know, for—you know, people who, you know, teachers or learners of English, who want to, you know, get some practice of just listening to, like a super casual conversation between friends.
Alison 1:02
Okay, wow, how long has it been?
Phill 1:05
Oh! Oh, man. Since we've met?
Alison 1:09
Yeah.
Phill 1:09
2004!
Alison 1:12
Four, good grief.
Phill 1:13
Yeah, yeah, we-
Alison 1:14
You realize it's been almost 20 years.
Phill 1:17
Yes. Yes.
Alison 1:18
That's crazy.
Phill 1:19
Yeah, it's weird. It's a weird feeling. It’s a- I was thinking-
Alison 1:22
I don't feel that old.
Phill 1:24
Me neither, man. Well, you know what? I can't- I when I run I do.
Alison 1:29
It's true. Like, I can't do an all-nighter. Now it's like, "Oh it's like 10:30. It's time for bed."
Phill 1:36
Yeah. Oh my god. That's like, Yeah, I know- I know what you mean though. I don't feel like- like it's funny, like when, you know, before barbecue or a party. I'm like, "Yo, let's get it started. Yo, let's do it." And then like, around 9:30, 10 I'm like, "Aight, man. Yeah, I think I'm gonna get- head back ... My back hurts."
Alison 1:56
Like, “Nice seeing you.” Oh, it's so true.
Phill 2:00
My wife is gonna yell at me, because I ate some garlic or something, she gets mad, I smell, can't sleep in my own bed. Gotta sleep on the couch or something.
Alison 2:10
It's a man thing. My husband likes garlic. I like garlic too, but good grief.
Phill 2:18
Yeah. My wife, she just-- she can't stand it, and I love it. And I remember, like, there was this spot that has garlic fried rice, it was this Thai restaurant…
Alison 2:29
Oh, yum.
Phill 2:30
And yeah, I ate it once and she was like, "Yo, don't do that again." And so, I dunno, a couple months later, you know, when I went out with the guys at the kickboxing gym, we went out, and came back home, and I was literally walking up the stairs in my- in our apartment, and, like, to our bedroom, and she just- it must been like 1 or 2 and she was like, "Don't-" I don't know what it was, but she was like- I think she smelled it? She was like, "Don't come in the room." She was like, "Yo, stay downstairs." I was like "Damn, man…” I must have smelled horrible. She was- it was scary, man. I remember, I was like about to just crash. She was like, "Don't come in here. Go-"
Alison 3:08
I love your wife.
Phill 3:13
Oh my gosh, man- so-
Alison 3:15
That's hilarious.
Phill 3:18
Oh man. So yeah, you know, like wow, you know, 16 years we've— you know, we've been friends, and you know, what's amazing is that, you know, we didn't meet until our 20s. Right?
Alison 3:31
Right? Yeah... I was almost 30.
Phill 3:36
Yeah, that's right, you are the-- you are a little bit older than I am. Oh, I forgot about that though. I always thought we were the-- kind of the same age. Well, we are. I mean, technically, I guess we are, you know, like a couple of years apart.
Alison 3:45
You ain't trying to make me that old.
Phill 3:46
No. Yeah, I know, so my bad- we-.
Alison 3:47
It's okay, I still look good, so I’m not even going to worry about it.
Phill 3:50
Yeah, you do. You look better than me.
Alison 3:52
Whatever.
Phill 3:53
But um, yeah, I never really spoke to you much about your life before coming to Japan. I know that you had lived in other places other than the states. So yeah, could you share a little bit about your life before Japan?
Alison 4:09
Sure. Okay. So I'm American, for those who are listening. I'm from North Carolina. That's what I consider my home. I wasn't born there. But I mean, the overwhelming majority of my life, I lived there and then I moved to Georgia, to go to Spelman College, HBCU.
Phill 4:28
Nice.
Alison 4:29
And after that, so okay, I was a Spanish- I went in there pre-med.
Phill 4:35
Oh, wow.
Alison 4:36
A lot of people don't know that.
Phill 4:37
Well, I didn't. I didn't know.
Alison 4:39
Yeah, my grandpa was a doctor.
Phill 4:41
Oh, dope.
Alison 4:42
And I was kind of like- I'm one of the youngest cousins. I was kind of like, “the last hope.” But then I changed. I dropped that and everyone who like dropped pre med and I was just a Spanish major. And I luckily was afforded the opportunity at, like, you know, I can go to college debt free, which a lot of people can't say that they can do. So I had some freedom to kind of, you know, see what I like. So I ended up spending it abroad in Mexico.
Phill 5:13
Oh, nice.
Alison 5:15
For half a year and, then I just- Dominican Republic, I was just there for a summer.
Phill 5:18
It's mad funny, because I thought you were Dominican when I first met you.
Alison 5:23
Everybody for some reason thinks I'm Dominican when they first meet me..
Phill 5:26
'cause I was like, "Oh, you speak Spanish. You're a Dominican?” You're like, "No." "Oh, my bad."
Alison 5:32
In Japan, if I go to, like, Tokyo, people- I always get approached by, like, Cubans, Columbians and they just chat to me in Spanish- and everybody does. They just come up to me and assume I'm a Spanish speaker, which I am but not native.
Phill 5:46
You definitely have that swagger. I don't know what it is. Do people use that word anymore? I don't know. You got that vibe. You got that energy.
Alison 5:52
I walk around dancing. Yeah. So, I mean, I did that so- but I ended up staying in Georgia after I graduated for about eight years and I worked in advertising.
Phill 6:08
Oh, okay.
Alison 6:09
Um, like I first started out selling insurance just, like, “Oh, I need a job” as soon as I got out of school. You know, I've always been pegged to be good at sales, but in Georgia, insurance can be dangerous, because I ended up having to do sales in, like, Forces County.
Phill 6:29
Ok, I'm not really familiar.
Alison 6:29
I don't know- we'll just say Klan country? So when I showed up for, you know, like, "Oh, hi, I'm here to, you know, we spoke on the phone." I guess my face doesn't match my voice. And they were like, "Yeah, this- that's not happening."
Phill 6:48
Oh, my gosh, man.
Alison 6:50
When the police tell you, "Yeah, you need to get out of town," You are in the wrong place. Forces County, Georgia. Whoo-boy.
Phill 6:57
Oh my god, man.
Alison 6:59
I decided, "This isn't for me." But um, you know, it's funny because I did so much volunteering, like teaching ESL, but just as a volunteer. And like, translating at hospitals and things like that. But I ended up in advertising. There was a call, you know, I was doing an advertising- job agency, I found this job, they're willing to train, even though my background wasn't in marketing- first I was in media, but then I got switched to account management. So basically from- with a client from concept to production, I managed that process working with the client and then conversing with the internal team. And the cool part about that is I actually got to do translation. I had a reel of some of the stuff I translated? I don't have that anymore, which is kind of sad, you know, but I realized I really enjoyed that and getting to talk to- so I kind of got thrown on anything International. So it's kind of weird. Like, you know, I'm having these emails and conversations with people, like, in Dubai. Yeah. So that was kind of nice, but I only did that for a few years and the economy tanked, September 11th happened, and the company went under. I was rehired at an interactive agency briefly, but I had a medical emergency. So I actually had to-
Phill 8:35
Oh wow...
Alison 8:36
Yeah. And, you know, it just so happens, I ended up applying for the JET Program. Someone had told me about it, and I knew that I wanted to- I was already looking for jobs abroad. I thought back in Mexico, I had been back to once, you know, to check out the job market. Fun fact, I did a phone interview for a job in Brazil.
Phill 9:02
Oh, wow.
Alison 9:03
But the reason I didn't take it, it was sales. But it was like military gear.
Phill 9:09
Oh, okay.
Alison 9:10
And when I was like researching it, it didn't seem that they were selling military surplus to, you know, armies.
Phill 9:18
Oh!
Alison 9:20
A least legit armies, I- yeah.
Phill 9:22
Like some militia, yeah, some right-wing militias or something.
Alison 9:25
Exactly- and I'm like "Nah, I'm good." So you know I dinked around, and then, you know, JET Program came up and then I thought, “well I do want to learn another language.” And the funny thing is, they actually lost my-- you know, they're like, when I was accepted to the program the lady at the embassy dropped my letter behind her desk
Phill 9:48
Oh, shit. Okay.
Alison 9:50
So I actually got an email from the current ALTs before I got an acceptance letter, because I'm like, "Who are these people?" I'm like, "I- okay", so I only had like a month.
Phill 10:02
Oh my god. Yeah 'cause It’s supposed to some like in early May or April, right?
Alison 10:08
Yeah, yeah. I got it like, June/July.
Phill 10:13
Wow. A mad rush, like, "Oh…”
Alison 10:14
Yeah, that was cra-. I literally was moving out of my apartment the day we had- the, you know you have to meet like, at the place and do- like if you don't go to that meeting you can't go. So I was not dressed appropriately I had been moving out of my apartment and that was embarrassing because then they call you to the front to get your papers. Everybody's in a suit. I'm in like a haltertop, no bra. I'm all sweaty like, "This sucks. Fuck my life. But I ended up in Japan, and obviously I met you. We met in...
Phill 11:03
I think Maebashi or was it in Tokyo, during the orientation?
Alison 11:07
I can't remember. It must have been, I think because we did that meeting where you meet with the people in your prefecture?
Phill 11:12
Yeah, yeah.
Alison 11:14
So I think maybe in Tokyo but right before we went to Maebashi maybe. I think so.
Phill 11:20
And then we start- we finally chilled when they had that, the orientation, like, after we were there for like a week or two.
Alison 11:27
Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Is that the robe incident?
Phill 11:30
Yeah, that's when you gave me my nickname. That lasted for a long long time, man.
Alison 11:36
Naked Phill!
Phill 11:37
Naked Phill, man.
Alison 11:38
That was great.
Phill 11:40
Wow. Yes. So yes. So you had a kind of- you know, you had lived life before coming out here, and that and that makes a lot of sense because, um, you know, like, always— how can this not sound corny?-- Like, I always enjoyed talking with you and being around you because you definitely seemed-- or you did not seem, you to definitely were more substantiated in who you were. Like you kind of knew, you know, who you were and you were comfortable in your own skin? At least that's what it seemed like to me at the time. I remember you had your afro and stuff.
Alison 12:18
Yeah.
Phill 12:19
Nobody was doing that back then, really. You know what I'm saying? And I remember I was like, "Yo, you know, this Dominican chick’s really cool. And then oh, you’re not Dominican."
Alison 12:29
And a Dominican with an Afro back in the day?
Phill 12:33
Yeah. I was like, "Oh, snap." Um, but yeah, so yeah, you know, I remember just thinking like, “Yo, Allison's really cool." And that, you know, you know, unfortunately, we, you know, we didn't live in the same city and stuff, but um, it was always dope, just like linking up and going to soccer tournaments and just talking about random stuff, you know.
Alison 12:55
Oh, I missed the soccer. That was fun.
Phill 12:57
It was. it was.
Alison 12:59
Debauchery.
Phill 13:01
Talk about not being able to do that anymore, man. I don't think I could last.
Alison 13:09
I remember that. All ya'll were like-- all the soccer players, you all, like, you know, we have that-- there was like, that big party. And then you guys have to- you know, y'all are partying until like five in the morning, get up, and a few hours to play, and some of them were like, "Let me have a cigarette in between...", you know, like, "What?"
Phill 13:29
Yeah, yeah, man. Yeah, I-
Alison 13:31
That's when I found out that you did martial arts, though.
Phill 13:34
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
Alison 13:36
You did this weird like, split in the air. You were like stretching. I was like, "What the hell? Did Phill just put his leg straight up in the air?" That was funny.
Phill 13:49
Yeah, definitely. Yeah. Because I never had played soccer in- growing up because where I'm from, in Brentwood, has a big Latin American community so like, I was, compared to them I was garbage, you know, like it was not even, it was not even worth it. You know, there's like, you know, when I was in school our time was like all-state or whatever. Like, you know, you just didn't embarrass yourself, you know what I'm saying? It was like me trying to play golf, you know, it was just like, yo, you know, I'm not even gonna try to even entertain it, but when I got out here, I was like, "Yo, you know, I always wanted to play." Yeah, I got into it and yeah, I don't know if you knew but like, after, like, the- my last two years on the JET Program, I actually was the captain.
Alison 14:39
Wait, really?
Phill 14:40
Yeah, I was doing all the managing of the soccer tournament, I was like, the team captain and stuff. Yeah. I was never really that- I got you know, I got a lot better. But yeah, it definitely was a big part of my life, man, like, I played soccer. Yeah, straight. With the students and stuff. Yeah, yeah.
Alison 15:00
I remember 'cause some of those- like, you had those- what was it, Shizuoka? They kinda played dirty. They were… dang. I just remember 'cause their outfits look like, like, elves.
Phill 15:12
Yeah, that's right. Yeah, man. That was the Irish dudes, I think.
Alison 15:14
I think I used to call them “Santa's little helpers.“
Phill 15:16
Yeah, and that's what I miss too. I miss all the shit-talking. Like, Dale was the best shit-talker, man.
Alison 15:23
Dale! Oh, Dale was, man, he is one of the nicest people ever.
Phill 15:29
Yeah. Yeah, I think he's on Instagram and stuff as well. You should hit him up, man. He's working and thinking in a- he's still in Canada, like Western Canada.
Alison 15:38
Oh, wow, Okay. Oh, man. There were some great people.
Phill 15:42
Yeah- Nueng, I met up with Nueng. A few months back. He's doing good, I met up with Selwyn, actually ...
Alison 15:48
Oh, wow.
Phill 15:49
Still talking to George. Yeah, yeah, he's in Saitama
Alison 15:54
They’re all still in Japan? Wait, he’s in Saitama?
Phill 15:57
Yeah. Yeah.
Alison 15:57
You've gotta be kidding me.
Phill 15:59
Yeah, I’ll get you guys in touch with each other? Yeah. He’s doing good.
Alison 16:02
Man! Oh. I'm guessing everybody's married?
Phill 16:06
Yeah, yeah. Everybody- surprisingly, everybody settled down.
Alison 16:12
Yeah. I’m not even gonna comment on that.
Phill 16:16
Well, yeah, I think George, I think, married the woman that he was with when he was out here. So, yeah.
Alison 16:25
George I could see being, like, husband and father. I'm not gonna comment on anybody else. You know who I’m talking about, but I'm gonna keep it to myself.
Phill 16:35
Awesome. So, yeah. So that was pretty much like 2004, to like, basically 2008, right?
Alison 16:46
Yeah, that's right. I left JET Program, yeah, 2009.
Phill 16:49
2009, yeah that's when I left. So we did the five years. That's right.
Alison 16:53
Mm-hmm. Were we the first?
Phill 16:55
Yes, we were the first people that were eligible to do the five.
Alison 16:59
Yeah, we set the standard.
Phill 17:00
Yeah, I don't think a lot of people went back because that was when the Lehman Shock happened- our final year. So it's like, Yeah, well, I'm not going home.
Alison 17:09
Yeah.
Phill 17:09
Kind of rough, trying to figure out how to survive out here.
Alison 17:13
I think my dad specifically told me to stay.
Phill 17:16
Really, wow. So yeah, so like, in those five years, you know, like, obviously, you know, I know, you said that you wanted to learn a new language, and you've had experience living abroad and working abroad. So what kept you, you know, around the second third, you know, fourth, fifth, like, you know, what was it? Did you just, yeah, can you share?
Alison 17:43
You know, it's interesting, like, I was actually after five years, I was gonna be on my way out, but that's when I met my now husband, boyfriend. I was actually on my way out. Well, that's the funny thing. I wasn't sure if I was going to go back to the states or if I did just for a little bit, I was actually looking to hit up another continent.
Phill 18:07
Okay. Okay.
Alison 18:08
I figured, like, do I want to do Europe, Africa or South America? And because, you know, I had entertained, like having a study abroad program. You know, I actually did try to get a job with one. Back when I first graduated college, but they were specifically looking for people who had lived in Europe. Okay, so I couldn't, yeah- they all seemed to want Europe even if they didn't have a program in Europe. I don’t even know about— what that’s about? It was like, “Hmm. Okay..”
Phill 18:47
“Yeah, I get the hint.”
Alison 18:48
And then, you know, I was like, well, maybe you know, pick up another language and then let me go to someplace else and then I can do something to connect like, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Japan, US and another country. I'll do something. And I thought it would be in the realm of— oh, that’s another fact— like, a lot of people, you know, they do come to Japan, they don't really want to teach, but it's just to come over here. I actually wanted to teach. So, you know, I liked tutoring immigrants. Now it's a little bit different in the States, after my advertising job in the evenings, I tutored immigrants. But these were adults, and they were definitely, you know, they needed English to live. Yeah, yeah. So it's much different, but I enjoyed teaching. So I think that does set me a little bit different, like a lot of people come here and they're like, “ don't like teaching, but that's all I can do.” Whereas I love teaching. You know, even though I am looking to expand out a bit… I do like it. Quite a bit.
Phill 19:51
Yeah, no, I definitely have the same— you know, yeah, I think I have the same, like, way of looking at it. Yeah, I like teaching, but also like to do teaching plus something like, you know what I— like, connected with something else, you know what I mean? But it's like the person to person relationships and the bonds that you form with people and, you know, it's a great job, right? You kind of, you know, people are touching your life, you're touching other people's lives, you know. And it's language, so it's something that, you know, it's a little more it's a little, I guess more involved than, you know, tutoring history or something like that. Right? Because people are expressing themselves and who they are.
Alison 20:36
Exactly. Well, I worked at an international kindergarten after JET. And I worked with the kids right before they went to first grade so they had been in this immersion school since, like age two, so I literally was just teaching as if I were teaching elementary school in the states.
Phill 20:54
Wow. Yeah. ‘Cause they don't really have any previous knowledge, right? They're just— they are who they are, right?
Alison 21:00
But it was nice because it was all English, so, you know, reading, writing, science, yeah it was really really nice.
Phill 20:06
Wow. That sounds like fun. That's awesome So, cool. So yeah, I think, yeah it's just this kind of this, I guess, random acts of fate and just time passing by, and, you know, trying to trying to survive, and in live and love— so you ended up staying past the five years and then working at the kindergartens. That’s cool.
Alison 21:33
Yeah. It's fun. So, like, now is different. So, I only tutor part time, and-- but I actually, you know, what do you call it? Like, I do the online courses? Now, I thought about enrolling actually, in grad— I think we had talked about that, like during grad school and all that? But then I realized for what I want to do, I really didn't think that it was necessary, but I do need to get my skills up and learn new things. So I'm actually just, I'm doing those certifications.
Phill 22:11
Oh, dope.
Alison 22:11
Which, you know, a lot of people will argue like, “it doesn't really mean anything,” but my goal was to learn something. So I'm doing, like, the Wharton School of Business certification.
Phill 22:23
Oh, okay, cool, cool.
Alison 22:24
For entrepreneurship. And I'm, I'm actually ahead a couple of months. I think I'm gonna go— I’m about, almost into a last specialization. And I think that's a practicum. So I'm trying to have my own business. I’ve partnered up a little bit with import-export groups. I've been, you know … Of course, coronavirus...
Phill 22.45
Yeah, that jacks everything up.
Alison 22:47
Right when I got into import-export, like really? But, but ... with, like, my Spelman and Morehouse alma mater group, I've been making connections, I've— you know, people who have their own coffee brands, who have their own liquor brands, have their own makeup brands, and they want to get into the Japanese market.
Phill 23:10
That’s awesome.
Alison 23:11
It’s like, yeah, so we're connecting. So we're just like, the tariffs and taxes, especially liquor and cigars, like, went up high.Like, you know, I connect with a Nicaraguan farmer— cigars? And they want to get into this market. So I've been learning about the cigar industry, which is interesting.
Phill 23:31
That’s dope!
Alison 23:32
Yeah, I don't smoke but I like the smell of cigars.
Phill 23:35
Yeah, yeah. No, yeah. My grandfather used to smoke pipes, actually.
Alison 23:41
Yeah, my grandpa, too. Yeah, the doctor. He did stop, to be fair.
Phill 23:47
Yeah, my grandfather as well, yeah, he's still alive, still doin’ it.
Alison 23:50
Oh, wow. Nice.
Phill 23:51
Yeah, yeah. Ignacio Santiago, man. Yeah.
Alison 23.57
Awesome. I love that name. Santiago. But yeah, I still do the cooking.
Phill 24:02
Okay- yeah, so I was gonna ask about that. Yeah.
Alison 24:05
I've made a little money with that, just, making recipes with people. It's been a while since— cuz, you know, I had that injury, I hurt my back, couldn't walk, so I couldn't cook. But before then, yeah, I made some, like, meal plans for people, or I would just have people, like, “I'm not that good of a cook. Here's what I can do. Here's what I eat. Can you just make me some quick recipes?” With little really easy stuff that you could just do with what's in your house.
Phill 24:37
I guess. I don't know about like— yeah, man. Please check out her Instagram mealsuncripted, right?
Alison 24:44
Yeah, yeah. Come check me out!
Phill 24:46
Yeah, you are killing it. This has been going on how many years? Like three, about almost
three years now, you’ve been—
Alison 24:52
About three years, yeah. It's just my regular food. Like it's nothing I don't do...
Phill 24:58
Damn, man. Yeah, your husband's a lucky dude, man. I mean, oh my god, man like, you are like— it's artistic and that's that is something I wanted to, yeah, just ask about. Like, I know that, you know, you've always definitely had a way about about you— how you dressed, how you carried yourself, and it's always kind of been, you know, like your own style. Like, you just— it's always work, you know I'm saying, for like, you know, I've had different phases, I guess, in Japan. I was still finding myself, so I, you know, but… not to embarrass yourself too much, but yeah, you have always, like, at least to me, found, like things that look good for you. You've always changed up how you dressed. And you know, I think, you know, not to comment on your body or anything, but I know it's not easy for non-Japanese framed women to find certain clothes and stuff, here.
Alison 26:14
Yes.
Phill 26:17
And yeah, so like, how did— I know that you put a lot of thought and energy into your appearance, and obviously, I think that is shown with how you prepare your food as well. Like, it's very stylized, very colorful as well. Like, I really like how your dishes also have lots of color to them. And that's how you kind of dress. I don't know if it's connected in a way but I see a lot of similar, like, colors, and arrangements, like, similar to how, like, how you wear your clothes and stuff. So yeah, like, is this something you've— have you always expressed yourself this way, like, or is this something that you've developed over the years? Yeah?
Alison 26:56
You know what? To be honest, it's always kind of been that way. I mean, even as it, like, it's— at the end of the day, if I like it, it's okay. Like, I mean, you know, like, back in middle school— middle school is, like, the worst. And I wasn't, like, you know, the kid that everyone picked on or anything like that, but people picked on my clothes. But, you know, I liked my, you know, iridescent bell bottoms. I don't care if that wasn't cool in the late 80s. I'm really dating myself here. But if I liked it, that's what I wore. You know, I discovered my mom's old chest of clothes when I was like, 11. I was like, “yeah,” and you know, my mom's tiny. Or, you know, like she—
Phill 27:40
But yeah, you’re pretty small yourself though. But I guess compared...
Alison 27:45
Well, she’s short. She’s shorter than I am, like, my mom is five foot.
Phill 27:49
Oh, wow. Okay.
Alison 27:50
Like, my sister’s 4’11”. I mean, I'm like, 5’3” — I’m not exactly towering. But, you know, my mom— actually, though, my mom was so tiny, she was like 80 pounds when she got married. So I guess, yeah, I was probably that size in middle school. And it's funny, though— my favorite jacket from, like, age 12, I still have.
Phill 28:14
No way.
Alison 28:15
Oh yeah I love it, it’s a leather jacket, I still wear it. It is still too big! That's just— my mom bought it a little bit bigger because she was like, “this is timeless.” But I guess she thought I’d get bigger. It, like, swallows me but I don't care. Yeah, I mean with food, and, like, the way I dress— it's— sometimes, like, if it's a rainy day? It's like, “I’m gonna see how many colors I can put on it.” Like, I have my circus pants that I wear, like, I wore them yesterday— they're striped, they're like, bright yellow, red, maybe blue, black, and white. But I love them. You know, it just, you know, there are times where it's like, “I'm gonna wear all black.” Maybe goth. Yeah, butI would probably have to say one of my favorite looks, though, is rockabilly. I love rockabilly.
Phill 29:04
Yes! With the headbands. I remember this, yeah, yeah.
Alison 29:07
You know coronavirus has killed my game, because I'm in the house so I don't really need, you know, I'm usually in, like, a T-shirt and some underwear. No reason to get dressed! I take a shower to put on pajamas. But, you know, I have, like— someone asked me yesterday, the kid’s like, “how many dresses do you have?” And I had to really think-- especially summer dresses. And I'm like, “about 80.” And the thing is, because my size hasn't changed. I mean, not to have like, I'm not saying it in a, you know, humble brag— I know people are gonna think that— it's not.
Phill 29:47
No, yo-- own it, man! You worked for it. Come on.
Alison 29:50
I used to hate being skinny. So, like, when I broke 100 pounds, I was so happy. People don't know— I did not break 100 pounds until, like, well into college. I was so proud of myself, like it was an accomplishment. But now I lift weights. And the problem is, like, in Japan there's two problems— one, a lot of the fashion is simpler. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but it's just not me. And then, of course, with my skin tone, obviously being brown, you know, blush, or like, brown clothing, just you know, I'm not gonna walk around looking like I’m naked.
Phill 30:31
Naked, yeah. It’s “does she got pants on? Does she got pants on?”
Alison 30:35
Right? The colors just don't fit me, and there's a lot of soft and pastel, but I don't really like pastels. I like bright, bold colors.
Phill 30:44
Yeah, yeah, it looks good on you. So it's contrasted well with—
Alison 30:49
You know what I found, like, through, like, the “Black Woman in Japan” Facebook group, a lot of women sew. I think people— People make my clothes.
Phill 31:00
Oh, dope. Damn, man. You’re killin’ it.
Alison 31:03
You know, you can call it a stereotype, but I've got black woman hips. I might be skinny but I got black woman hips. And, like, clothes here are built for column body and I do not have a column body.
Phill 31:18
Yeah, yeah, yeah,
Alison 31:19
If I put on, like, the clothes here, then it just— lumpy?
Phill 31:23
Yes. Yes.
Alison 31:24
Yeah. I can't—
Phill 31:25
It happens with me, with like, with my thighs, man. The waist will be fine and then...
Alison 31:30
Mm-hmm. Oh yeah, I got thighs.
Phill 31:32
And it's like, yo, like, “Why? Why do I got yoga pants on right now?” You know? Tryin’ to buy, tryin’ to wear a suit right now, and— pick something up, and rip my pants, man.
Alison 31:49
I've measured my husband's thigh and then I measured my thigh, and I was like, “oh! Let me let that tape out a bit.” And my legs are really long. My legs are super long, ‘cause I like the, like, ankle length skirts or maxi dresses. But here, a maxi dress falls, like, just below the knee. Like, “this this is not hidden.” So everything is either handmade or Internet. Internet shopping. Yeah.
Phill 32:20
That's dope, man. It’s a dope group.
Alison 32:22
Yeah then like, like you were saying with cooking— I want, like— my food has to look good. Some things that like it's hard to photograph, like brown food, and make them look— if it's not, like, a chocolate cake? And, like, curry. If I'm, or my husband will make Japanese style curry. It's hard to make that look good.
Phill 32:42
Yeah, cuz, yeah, it tastes good but it don't look like— yeah. Looks like the curry before is the same as the curry after. Can’t tell the difference, really.
Alison 32:57
Exactly. Brown Food is just hard to photograph. Brown people? Cool. Brown food, no. But, I mean, I do like experimenting. Because my whole thing was— now I think it's hard for people to understand, because they always say the Japanese diet is “healthy,” but I realized, coming to a lot— I don't know about men but black women coming here,ith the rice? Immediately pre-diabetic . And like having—
Phill 33:31
The fried food, man. The fried food is extra out here. I was surprised about that.
Alison 33:36
Yeah, I didn't eat like— I mean we had that, like, chicken fried steak, but we don't eat— or like, barbecue? Going to a barbecue, people literally just eat meat!
Phill 33:47
Yeah, yeah. That’s true, yeah.
Alison 33:49
Y’all don’t have any vegetable sides? Like, a vegetable kebab is not a thing here, and that surprised me. And then, fruits and vegetables are cheaper where I’m from. ‘Cause they're not imported, they're grown locally. Yeah. So I have to explain to people because I think they think, “Oh, you don't eat rice so you just eat bread with every meal.” I’m like, “no!”
Phill 34:07
No. Yeah, I get that.
Alison 34:08
Like you might have, like, a piece of salmon, and, like, a vegetable side— two or three vegetable sides.
Phill 34:13
Yeah. Potatoes, man. Everybody be forgettin’ our potatoes, man, like-
Alison 34:17
Yeah, we eat potatoes— and the south, corn— is, corn, white potatoes or sweet potato, and we eat rice, of course, we do eat rice. I have to explain that. The rice that we eat is actually cultivated from West Africa. I don't think people realize that there’s rice outside of Asia. It's like, “no, it's been in Western Africa.” That's like a staple and it has been for thousands of years. And what was— it was brought to— because we grow rice in North Carolina. It was brought by the West Africans through the slave trade.
Phill 34:47
The long— is that the long grain?
Alison 34:50
Yeah. And I noticed I don't have a reaction to that like I do to the rice here.
Phill 34:54
Here is different, man. It is this—
Alison 34:57
I like it. Yeah, it's not a taste thing, I have no problem with the taste. But I— the rice back home, I don't get, like, a bloated feeling.
Phill 35:05
Yeah. I feel it’s the same to me, you know? Cause, you know, my family's from Puerto Rico and Jamaica.
Alison 35:11
Oh yeah, y'all gotta have that rice.
Phill 35:13
Oh yeah, yeah, it's rice. It’s rice all the time.
Alison 35:16
Y’all don’t play.
Phill 35:17
But, yeah it's different. And lot of the rice is mixed, like arroz con pollo or something, and like, so, the rice is cooked with the chicken and then the vegetables in there. Or you know, and you know, a lot of the rice in Jamaican food is like the longer grain rice. It's a drier rice as well, it’s more grainy, I think. You know, oxtail, curried goat, or something, so yeah, so it's, you know, yeah, the, the rice is— it's a different— Like the rice out here, you can use it for glue. Like, you know what I’m saying? It's different. It's a different rice. Probably more gluten. I don't know, you know.
Alison 35:59
It seems like it.
Phill 36:01
Yeah, no, I definitely— yeah, it definitely sticks.
Alison 36:05
I do, like, I have wild rice that my parents send. And I don't know, do y’all eat that up north? Because it's a native crop. Like the black— the black grain. It's not really a rice. It’s a grain.
Phill 36:18
Yep, I probably have eaten it before but like this, like, you know, it's always just been— this, you know, whatever my grandma bought. I don't— I don’t even...
Alison 36:27
Okay. it's an indigenous food and we eat a lot in the south. So I'll, like, mix it half, like, the Japanese rice, and half wild. I can eat wild rice in and of itself, but I think it's— Shinobu likes it mixed.
Phill 36:42
Yeah, yeah. And they have the genmai out here, too, like, the brown rice. That's not, I guess, I don’t know. What is it they do? It’s pasteurized, whatever. But um,
Alison 36:51
Yeah, they don't remove the whole— I love genmai.
Phill 36:54
Me too.
Alison 36:55
Yeah, that stuff is good. This is gonna sound bad, but I do remember after, you know, that unfortunate earthquake, and like, the tsunami— I was living in Chiba and of course there was this— nothing was wrong in Chiba, but there was a mad dash, of course, and the grocery stores were emptied, but I did notice, like, people left the brown rice. I was like, “y'all aren't starving.” Yeah. It was fine. You know, they dropped the price more for me. I did notice that. Like, you know if you can be picky and choosey, y’all are fine.
Phill 37:32
It ain't that bad, if you’re leaving stuff on the shelf.
Alison 37:36
Exactly. I just thought that was really— and just, like, the whole bottom shelf. Yeah.
Phill 37:45
Awesome. Yes. Yes. Thanks. Thanks for sharing so much, man. We're talking just about 40 minutes.
Alison 37:52
Oh my god.
Phill 37:54
Yeah, flying by.
Alison 37:56
Yeah, yeah. We can do this like six more hours.
Phill 37:58
So, so yeah. So like what is somebody, like, your early influences to your creativity— I know that you mentioned that you, you know, had your mother's, like, wardrobe. But um, yeah, like, because, you know, like you are, you know, still very outgoing. Even, like, your personality, ‘cause I don’t know if you want to talk about it or not, but you know you’re doing pole dancing as well.
Alison 38:23
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Phill 38:24
Yeah. So like what got you into, you know, more being more expressive? How have you always been very outgoing and expressive?
Alison 38:31
Yeah, pretty much. Like, I mean, when it came to like music and dancing, I mean, my mom, being from Michigan, you know, she grew up in the Motown era. Okay, and then my dad is all about the classical and so they have a pretty extensive record collection. I mean, like our upstairs recreation room, though. The wall is like, one part is, like, music records, and then the other wall is, like, a library. So you know, we always, our whole family, we’ve always had music on and we've always had books. Like I mean, even in my childhood book collection, it's probably a few hundred. And you know, I mean, we read everything from like, you know, European classics, African folk tales, to, you know, Mad Magazine. Mad magazine was the business. My mom threw out our whole collection.
Phill 39:28
Oh no, no...
Alison 39:30
That was money … She had no idea. I mean, my first poster— on my wall, you used to not be able to see my wall, because, you know, like Right On magazine and all that. I had a Menudo poster. My mom just threw that out. I'm like, “mom!”
Phill 39:45
What kind of poster, what was it? Say again, I’m sorry.
Alison 39:48
Menudo. You remember, like, with Ricky Martin?
Phill 39:51
Okay, yeah, yeah!
Alison 39:52
I had that, I had those posters..But my mom threw those out. But you know, we always— there was always music on. We cleaned with music, being in the kitchen and my sister and I dancing, practicing the latest dances. And so I’ve always danced.
Phill 40:07
Oh, what was your dance? Because it's what— the running man, the cabbage patch..
Alison 40:10
yeah.
Phill 40:11
Yeah, yeah. What was your favorite dances back in the day, man?
Alison 40:14
Oh god. Oh, I could cabbage patch but, oh— but, you, know, back in the day with breaking. I was working my way up to a windwill— we used to take a sewing board and take it out to the, outside, and try to break. And my mom would be so mad, ‘cause you know, it's her sewing pattern board. It really isn't. We were, I remember, we had like a babysitter who was good at breaking and he was really into martial arts. Like, I looked at him as, you know, Taimak: The Last Dragon.
Phill 40:46
Yes, yes. Bruce LeRoy.
Alison 40:48
Breaking routine with the nunchucks. And I'm like, “oh my god.” You know, “he's so cool.” You know? And I started like, with me and my little back, then you know, you do the jobs on the side and I could worm frontwards and backwards higher than anybody. I might try it seems like I might break— chip a tooth— have to decide if I want to try it after we finish this podcast because now I’m looking at— I have a hardwood floor, I’m looking at it … how come I didn’t hurt myself? Like, this is kinda painful.
Phill 41:17
Yeah, it is, it is. I remember.
Alison 41:19
I mean, like, we-- I used to choreograph dances, my friends and I did a fifth grade talent show. Bobby Brown- Every Little Step. Okay, I am self taught, like I actually have done dance shows, but I never took a dance lesson until I came to Japan. So I did, like, raqs sharqi, like, Middle Eastern belly dance. I've done some what I've learned from West African dances— oh, wait, I did learn some stuff in the states. I used— my parents took me to Alvin Ailey.
Phill 41:48
What's that? What's that?
Alison 41:50
Alvin Ailey dance troupe?
Phill 41:52
Okay. Yeah. I’m not familiar with it.
Alison 41:54
Yeah, he— oh, man. I've been to a couple of their shows. Um, I did pole— Yeah, I got here, and, like, pole dancing is fun. You know, it definitely— that's where I get my muscle definition.
Phill 42:12
Really? When you were going in, man, I remember, like, you was putting pictures up on stuff and you know, yeah. Whatever it was, but I was like, “Damn, Alison’s gettin’ some guns, man.”
Alison 42:21
Yeah, it's it's really— I was really surprised, like muscle memory. Because it's, I mean, not saying that it's not difficult, but once you— it's when you get upside down, you just, you have to do it enough to get oriented. Like, that's the weird— like your right arm becomes your left leg? Like, it's so weird how that happens when you're upside down. You forget which arm is which, you know, but once you get into it, it's a lot of fun. And when I took the class I was over 30, when I started, and when I got there I'm thinking, “Oh, it's gonna be all these like 20 year olds or, like, 19 so I was a little bit intimidated? I mean, I was still in shape. But you know, still, you know, you have an image of pole dancing. And then, like, the curtain comes back and it's like the intermediate class, and I'm like, “that's a grandma!” I’m looking at her- she’s in her bikini, but I’m like, “Nah, this ain’t no young person.” I was like, “well, shoot.”
Phill 43:19
Yeah, man.
Alison 43:20
Really, like half the people in the class were, like, in their 40s. Health-wise, we're getting it in.
Phill: 43:27
Yeah, man. Nice.
Alison: 43:29
I've never had a problem expressing myself. But for them I could tell, like, it was such a relief, not something they're used to doing.
Phill 43:35
It's somewhat— I guess it's kind of empowering too, right? If it's, yeah, I don't want any, like, wide generalizations about Japanese women or culture or anything. But, you know, I think there's a lot of, like, conservative, you know, family roles or gender roles, whatever. And I guess doing pole dancing as a hobby is kind of like a belly— but even belly dancing is is kind of like, whatever this is my thing. This is my time. You know, and I even if— there's belly dancing up here too, man. They got little kids doing it, like, my daughter, she’s interested in it.
Alison 44:14
The pole dancing, you know, it's more acrobatic, yeah.
Phill 44:16
It doesn't have to be sexual. It's not a— you know, you get in mad good shape, like, you know, it's good for your confidence to like, you know, show your body, yeah.
Alison 44:24
One of my favorite pole dances was to Ave Maria. It was beautiful. It was very— it's just nice and I think, yeah, people don't realize it's dance. And now the skin thing— I always explain to people, “there's not a lot of clothes in pole dancing- not to be sexy and show skin— your skin sticks to the pole.”
Phill 44:48
Yeah, it helps so you don’t bust your ass.
Alison 44:50
Yeah, I can— like, the bruises, once you, your skin cracks and bleeds and calluses over, you’ll be fine. Yeah, people don't realize that pole burn as it's called...
Phill 45:02
Oh my gosh.
Alison 45:03
Now, I have brown skin. So you can't see it as much, but people with fair skin, like, you would— it doesn’t look like we've been abused. Yeah, it looks bad, but once you get used to it. It looks like you've been in an accident. But it's, like, the exposed skin is literally for friction. It's not just like, “oh, let me show my butt crack.” You might need to hold on with your butt crack, but...
Phill 45:37
You know, I think it, you know, um, you know, like, I think also, like, wearing, you know, little clothing in public is also good for your confidence, and just being like, “yo, like, this is who I am, and, you know, whatever.” Like, it's mad funny, like, you know, being a big dude, whatever. You know, a lot of big guys, you know, like the big joke is, like, wearing a T-shirt to the pool and stuff. It's mad funny because you see the sumo guys and they don't give a damn. And they are the coolest people in Japan and like I think, you know,
Alison 46:14
Some of them are sexy as hell, I'm not even gonna front— there used to be a sumo guy when I lived in Chiba— I'd be at the Starbucks and I guess there was some sort of sumо̄-jо̄, and I would see them walk by. And I’d see the same one and he would always, you know— I, technically, what, I had a boyfriend at the time. Now, I wasn't flirting back— well, I mean, I was, but not seriously. And, you know, he would flick up his eyebrows at me because we always, I guess, you know, obviously he's easy to spot, clearly in Japan, I’m easy to spot in the crowd. And we will see each other, like, every weekend, and so he kind of gave me the little wiggly eyebrows. And it was like, “he was cute.” He looked good.
Phill 46:54
They bleed confidence.
Alison 46:56
Yeah, exactly. And it’s something, like, in Japan…
45:59
They, like, they could beat everybody's ass.I mean, that that adds to it, but...
Alison 47:03
Yeah, I think there's kind of such a small frame of what supposed to be attractive. Like, for a foreigner, I'm attractive— not necessarily that I fit a Japanese aesthetic. But for a foreigner, and especially, a brown one. I am, like, I have a “small face.”.
Phill 47:23
Oh, yeah, I know. You mean
Alison 47:25
Although the first time I heard that, I'm like, what, are they calling me stupid? Like what? I didn’t know what it was. I call it the small waist small face. I haven't, you know, because people, like sometimes they're, like, oh, “foreigners are big.” But then they're, like, “you're kind of like Japanese size.” And I think it makes me— I don't know, it's weird, like, men tended to like my body shape. But I noticed if I were a Japanese woman, then it'd be like, “oh, get smaller.” I think a lot of men they do— people, they do like different shapes, but you're not supposed to.
Phill 48:09
Yes— yes. This is something that I noticed. I don't wanna go to off topic, and stuff, but something I've noticed is, you know, I don’t wanna, like, I'm not trying to throw anybody under the bus or anything, but, you know, when you're with your homeboys, chilling, you know, trying to, you know, pick up, whatever, right? They— you know, for me, like, you know me, I— you know, I like a little bit of of mashed potatoes, and stuff— I'm, you know what I’m saying, like...
Alison 48:49
I know, I know. I feel you.
Phill 48:51
But, I don't want to say too much. But, you know I would chill with some of my Japanese friends, or just, you know, these guys, not even my particular friends, but just, these Japanese dudes, and when they're, I guess, quote-unquote “slumming” they will go for a certain look. But when they— when they get married, I'm like, “what? Uhh— what?” Like, I and I was, like, in, you know, I never said anything and I never asked, you know, because it's not my place, but there is like the … fuller figured women, Japanese women, for some reason, in at least in my experience, are seen as just for, you know, dating, right? But when they get married, they they tend to really want, like, a different, a very specific, body type. You know what I'm saying? Is this— is it just my imagination, or, have you...
Alison 49:55
I've kind of noticed that. Like, sometimes they get married and I’m like, “you have never dated— Like … what?” And even personality— I'm just— I think it's just that expectation. You're supposed to be this way. And so, “we gotta get serious. So, we're gonna do it this way.” Yeah, I’ve noticed that.
Phill 50:11
Yeah. I was like, “damn, man,” Like, I was like, “Yo, man, you guys,” you know, you know...
Alison 50:16
I know we're both thinking of people in particular. Yeah. Like, “Yeah, how did that happen?”
Phill 50:20
But it's not everybody, you know, some, it's not everybody, but I've definitely seen it throughout the years. But anyway— so, yeah. Sorry if we went off on a tangent, but um… Yeah, so, you know, so, here you are, you know, came, you know, went to Chiba, you know, eventually you know, you got married, right? And then, you know, kind of been cooking for these— like, doing this, like, Instagram thing for three years. I know that you were teaching kids and stuff. So you know what? I know you kind of talked about it in the beginning of the podcast, but yeah, what are you doing now? Like with this business thing and, like, you know, I don't know if you want to talk about, you know, I can edit it out or not, but I don’t know if you wanna talk about— being a homeowner in Japan is pretty cool, too.
Alison 51:18
Sure. Yeah. Yeah, um, well, okay, so currently, I'm taking the entrepreneurship course. And I literally have a notebook of ideas. So whenever, you know, just something comes to me, like, “I wish there was more this kind of service,” or that— and also, I'm also getting into cybersecurity. I've been studying that on the side. I’m gonna— that's my next biggest challenge, because I'm just trying to think of the future. I mean, Coronavirus has changed everything. And so I've been just, like— and connecting with people who are like-minded and want to do business, and just making connections— I've been networking my butt off. Like, right now, currently, in Japan, I've been working with a group of people what's called the Legacy Foundation Japan. And that's going to launch September 1st, like a website and everything, and it is super amazing. Now it's definitely— it started as a concept. I mean, I want to put that to the forefront. It's for everybody, it is inclusive, but it is, basically— it's empowering the black community, but like, to think of, to share its gifts, but not just like a legacy, not just for now, for current, but even in the future, and to help people as they transition their life here in Japan. It's for the betterment of African Americans, but also for anybody of the African diaspora. The reason, like, it kind of came out is that, when I came to Japan— now things have changed,but, you know, there's these huge cultural festivals, and there's the Jamaican Cultural Festival, which depending who you talk to, it has since changed. I don't think there are as many Jamaicans involved. Okay, but whenever I see something about, like, black American culture, it's through someone else's cultural lens, not ours. And so we've got this group to kind of help facilitate that we're controlling the narrative, but it's also helped better connect with all the communities that we have in Japan. That's the biggest thing; connecting, investing in ourselves, empowering ourselves, building and strengthening our identity. You know, it's for us as adults, but for our children, you know, people live here and some people have children who are, you know, both parents are foreign-born. Some people marry with Japanese like yourself— like yourself and like me, too, duh. But you know, and you have biracial children. So it's a way to kind of— it's a bridge. You know, it's leveraging our cultural heritages and just bringing together the best of everything. That's Legacy Foundation Japan. Y'all look for that, like it's so exciting, like, the people— so many people put so much work into it, you know?
Just amazing.
Phill 54:23
Yeah, well I would love to get involved. Like, that's kind of like a tricky thing for me, because I'm not African American. You know, like, you know, it's weird, like, I can’t—
Alison 54:33
But your experience is just as important, just as valid. And I think that that's what makes you unique. I think that's, it's really cool, because that's another way to share the American experience. People don't really quite know how diverse that we actually are.
Phill 54:50
Yeah. And it's, it's really, it's really weird because, you know, like, ethnically and you know, you know, I'm you know, my father's an immigrant from Jamaica. My parents, you know, my mother's family's Puerto Rican, from Spanish Harlem, but how I grew up was very black American. Like, a lot of my, you know, and I will say like, you know, a good portion of my friends are African— you know, African American. And then a lot of my other black friends are also from the diaspora, like friends from Haiti, you know, friends from Barbados, you know, so like— but growing up, we just, you know, we listened and we, you know, we kind of grew up around hip hop, you know, like in the 80s, b-boy stuff, and that's kind of, you know, multi-ethnic as well, especially being from New York, with the, you know, Jamaicans and Puerto Ricans and stuff, mostly African American, but definitely, like, like Wu Tang and hip hop and stuff. Liike, you know what I mean? Like so... And, you know, like, nowadays we are, you know, luckily— and we have, you know, in the Internet and things are really well documented so we can really dig deep into our ethnicity and understand more about our history. But in the 90s, it wasn't— you know, you’re just dark-skinned, you know, and you’re just black, and that's what you just kind of gravitate to. You know, you gravitated towards, you know— so I was growing up, so I never really, you know, I knew I was Puerto Rican and stuff, and I eat rice and beans, and everything, but I was about a black kid. So I just identified as a black person. It wasn't until, you know, college, when I started, you know, to you know, really, you know, become an adult, and learn but that's— it really— as you said. It's an interesting experience, but it's also really, I think, important that you— that this legacy foundation exists, because, as you said, you know, not to reiterate what you said, but, you know, a lot of people tell the African American, or the descendant of American chattel slavery, where everyone say it— like, a lot of people tell that story, but it's never the people who are from that— right? So that's— I think that's so important. And I think that that's so great, and I'm looking forward to supporting it, you know, with, you know, any way I can, with donations, or contributing in any possible way. I think it's, you know, especially in Japan, ‘cause Japan really, you know, you from our friends— really takes a lot of inspiration from, you know, black people in America. You know…
Alison 57:27
Have you ever been to events where they do this— you know, because there's always like an introduction whenever there are shows, and a lot of talking, at music shows and they’re like, “In black culture…” I'm like, my ears perk up. “Oh, that's not right.” And I'm like, “Do I go up on stage and take the microphone?” Like, and I don't think it's, it's not meant to be mean, but I do notice like, in certain things, because everybody, to them, black culture is “New York.”
Phill 57:57
Yes. Yes.
Alison 57:58
And I'm like, “Ohh, Excuse me…”
Phill 58:00
That’s… Down south, man. I mean, that's...
Alison 58:03
Right? Like we fought in the Civil War— can I— but you know, I know people will stop and talk over me as if they know more, and I'm like, “um…” Or they'll try to contradict me. I'm like, “No, like, this is the life I live. Like, really?” So, I think this is a good way to kind of make sure that we are controlling— and giving an accurate portrayal. We're not trying to just big up ourselves for no reason. But just to give an accurate portrayal and just, you know, we have, you know, there's so much opportunity here and just being able to harness it and— but it's, hopefully, it's going to connect with the local community, obviously, living in Japan, you know, we are a part of the Japanese community, even if some people don't want us here. It's like, there's so much going on, like working on that. And then like, with studying, and then, like, still trying to cook, and I'm still writing that cookbook. I'm so embarrassed that I haven't gotten that cookbook out.
Phill 58:59
In time, man, in time. You know.
Alison 59:01
and I want to do it in three languages. I want to do it in Spanish, English and Japanese.
Phill 59:07
Yeah. Awesome. That'd be great. Yeah, I mean, um, you know, yeah, I mean, if I can help in any way, let— you know?
Alison 59:16
I need to run some taste tests actually.
Phill 59:19
Yep, though— Alison, I ain’t gonna front, man, like, you know, yeah, I never front, but I'm— yo, like, what every time we go, like, Kanako, we— , we’ve been to yourt house like, two times? Already, like, she's just like, “Yo, Alison, yo. She’s a good cook, man. I’m sorry.” I’m like, “Yo, it's all good, man. Alison’s talented, you know?” And so yeah, like this— just, like, thank you for sharing, you know, like, your home with us and, you know, inviting us over and cooking for us. And you know, it's, you know, for me, that is like, such a, you know—Like, one of, if not the most, like generous, and, like, gracious things you can do is to cook and make food for someone. And then we had the barbecue, and you came through when my friend Adam’s sister was here, and you made the ...
Alison 1:00:19
What did I make?
Phill 1:00:21
Coquito?
Alison 1:00:22
Did I make coquito?
Phill 1:00:24
Yeah, you made like two bottles.
Alison 1:00:26
Yeah, that sounds about right. I probably drank most of it, too. Oh, true story— I made coquito for— if you know Full Food House, Tokyo— so the owners were Tanya and David, they used to do Thanksgiving in their home but when they opened the restaurant, I made coquito. And I didn't know that there were some Puerto Ricans at that party. I put that bottle down, turned around to get a cup, turned back around, and that bottle was empty! I was like, “what?”
Phill: 1:01:01
Oh man.
Alison 1:01:03
Oh my god, that was so funny. I was like, “dang.” You know, I might make some today. Oh, wait, I gotta work. I’ll make some for the weekend.
Phill 1:01:13
Nice. Yeah, yeah. So, thank you so much. You always, like, every time, you know, I have those barbecues, you know— you always come through with the heat, man. You come through— there's something, you’re always making something, so I really appreciate it. And it's definitely a talent that you have, you know...
Alison 1:01:34
Oh, thank you. My whole thing is, like, trying to cook something delicious. Like people eat healthy and I like to eat healthy, but I don't have the time or the energy or the money to go to, like, going in Japan, with those health food stores? People, they want— yeah, they like to cook vegan but I don't have, like, access to nutritional yeast and all these other specialty things. Yeah, I want to use what's in season to make something— like, learn how to cook really good— like, there are a lot of, like, what is it? I'm not dogging it, what do you call that stuff? That the fake meat but plant based meat?
Phill 1:02:11
Oh! Yeah, it's, it's not in my...
Alison 1:02:15
I think it's a great idea, but I do see there's such a push— and I understand why, it's to get people to eat it. But there's such a push to have meat flavored stuff where I'm like, “why don't you just use other ingredients and learn how to cook a vegetable?” A lot of people can't cook a vegetable. There's so much you can do, like— just a big old portobello mushroom burger. Oh my god, I found a portobello mushroom … in Japan.
Phill 1:02:41
Oh, nice. How— was it expensive?
Alison 1:02:44
Lord Jesus. Yeah, it was. I can't remember, I bought all of them was like— I bought all of them. I had like portobello mushroom burgers.
Phill 1:02:51
Awesome. Yeah, I like the eringi mushrooms, man. Yeah, they— you can make some good good stuff with them as well.
Alison 1:03:01
They really do. I'll just, like, throw them in a pan and just, like, eat them like that.
Phill 1:03:06
Yep, a little bit of butter...
Alison 1:03:07
They’re really good. Hey— brown your butter. Make brown butter. And add sage.
Phill 1:03:13
Oh! Okay. Yeah..
Alison 1:03:15
You just slowly slowly slowly slowly [???] it'll turn a deep golden brown color. It will elevate your food, I'm telling you
Phill 1:03:25
Really? Okay, I'm gonna…
Alison 1:03:27
Yeah, that's my tip. That’s a free tip..
Phill 1:03:29
A free tip, yep. For the rest, you gotta subscribe to her, um … Yeah, Alison's— Do you have a Patreon yet? Or—
Alison 1:03:40
Oh, you know what? I should do that, I'm so— that's what I'm trying to— being out of, like, that major major workforce business world? I'm definitely catching up. Yeah I've done so many online meetings in like five or six different platforms I never heard of, like last week.
Phill 1:03:56
Yeah, yeah. I think Patreon is a good way— the only thing, just, be careful. Yeah, I don’t wanna go too off-topic, but I actually contacted a tax lawyer about, you know, how taxes are crazy in the States when we live abroad.
Alison 1:04:15
You know, I’ve gotta work on that, too.
Phill 1:04:17
And he gave me some, you know, some, you know, free consultation. But he was basically, you know, just, basically, file your taxes and stuff. If you don't make over 100 K a year, then you're all right, but just file. But he said, If you own a Japanese business, or even a partner with a Japanese business person, shit gets, like quantum physics level complicated. So, yeah, so he was like, “yo, if you do have a business, just make sure you just have it registered in the States.” But I don't know how having a Patreon, or you know, making money online works. So I'm guessing, since— yeah, I don't— I have no idea. So
Alison 1:05:05
Yeah, if you're registered in Japan and you make-- yeah, then I have to pay Japanese tax.
Phill 1:05:07
Yeah, it's weird. Yeah. So I don't know. I'm just gonna, you know, just, like, whatever.
Alison 1:05:14
Japan’s trying to get my inheritance. It can take up to 54%. Of inheritance? I’m like, “what?” So guess who's gonna be a trust fund— yeah, we're gonna put in a trust, yeah 54% of my money, would be crazy— Abe is trippin’!
Phill 1:05:30
But, yeah, it's nuts, so, definitely something that I'm in— you know, that, just to keep in mind if, you know, especially, you know, if you're going to start something.
Alison 1:05:44
I'm going to probably register an LLC. Yeah, that's probably in my hometown.
Phill 1:05:48
Yeah, yeah. But anyway, yeah. I'm sure you’ll, like, learn more about that, with these courses that you're taking— but yeah, we're talking for over an hour—
Alison 1:05:58
This is fun.
Phill 1:05:59
Yeah, yeah- no— but yeah, like, thank you for sharing so much. And I know we can talk about a lot more.
Alison 1:06:09
Right? We should do, like, a “talk and drink.”
Phill 1:06:11
Yeah, yo, like— if you want to come back on, that that would be great, you know—
Alison 1:06:18
That would be fun.
Phill 1:06:19
Yeah, I think, you know, these— first round of episodes is just going to be introducing my friends, you know, my, you know, quote-unquote “heroes,” but then, you know, if there's something, you know, that you want to share or talk about? Yeah, feel free to come back on, and, yeah, we can just talk about that and we don't have to, you know, do any backstory. Everybody will know who you are, more or less, and you can, you know...
Alison 1:06:42
Oh, okay. I’ll like, do a cocktail recipe that people can try at home, while we're— like some sort of— I want to do something with persimmons when the fall comes.
Phill 1:06:50
Okay, yeah, if you wanna come back on, and just talk food and stuff, and, you know, that'd be awesome. Cool, so alright, so I ask all the guests this question, even though I know the answer. I see you wrote a nice one. So, um, so yeah, can you speak any other languages? Even a few words other than English? If so, please share.
Alison 1:07:18
Okay, well, Spanish and Japanese...
Phill 1:07:23
I see you wrote Pig Latin?
Alison 1:07:26
Pig latin, ha! I wa being an ass. I speak Ebonics too, I can code switch.
Phill 1:07:33
Yes, yeah! AAVE.
Alison 1:07:36
I grew up in a mostly white community but a lot of my friends were black. Does that count? Can I put that as a language?
Phill 1:07:44
Oh, yeah, it’s like— don't know how— I should know this, it’s my degree— it's a form of English, yet has its rules and everything. Yeah, um, so yeah.
Alison 1:07:59
Yeah. True story— I did, when I was young, learn— I studied Swahili for a little bit .
Phill 1:08:04
Oh, cool. Do you remember any words?
Alison 1:08:04
Habari gani . Like, how— Habari gani. That's it.
Phill 1:08:08
Oh, what’s that mean?
Alison 1:08:09
That is literally it, “how are you?” That’s embarrassing.
Phill 1:08:14
Hey, if you ever get stuck in a place, you can be, like, “hey, yo, what’s up?” That’s good.
Alison 1:08:18
I do that here, if I don't want to talk to, like, someone who knocks at my door— I’ll, like, speak Spanish, and be like, “Hai. No entiendo. Español? Español daijо̄bu?” I’ll do something like that.
Or just, like, I'll just be like— they'll just ask me something, like, [???] about whatever. No entiendo. Or I’ll, like, you know, I'll, like, do something stupid like— I'll like just start reciting, like, Celia Cruz lyrics or something. I’ll be like, “La negra tiene tumbao.” And then they’ll just be like, “Ah, ah, okay.” And they’ll just walk away. Unless it's the religious people.
Phill 1:09:09
Oh, yeah, cause they— yeah, they're like, worldly, man, they know a lot.
Alison 1:09:17
Yeah, then they'll send somebody back in whatever language they think you're speaking. Yeah, man, you know Japanese. It's funny. I do speak Japanese but whenever [???] Japanese just, like, not naturally having a conversation with a Japanese person, I still get like, “oh- oh—-” about it.
Phill 1:09:34
Yeah, yeah. You freeze up, right?
Alison 1:09:36
Yeah, a lot of people think I don't speak Japanese, which is funny. My husband doesn't think I speak Japanese. Like, I'll have, like, a six hour conversation with friends, like, in Japanese and he'll be, at the end of it, like, “you understood! And you're speaking!” I'm like, “Yeah, yeah. Like I've been here how long? I'm not an idiot.” Like this is— I'm not in Tokyo, you know. There’s no. English here.
Phill 1:10:00
Yeah, so what is some of your favorite— because you said that you lived in Dominican Republic, DR, and Mexico, so, what are— you have any favorite regional words or any kind of phrases that have stuck with you from Mexico or DR?
Alison 1:10:21
You know, it's funny. I think the biggest one— I just, like, in Mexico, and now, I don't know how popular— I still hear it but i don’t know how popular it is, but— and nobody else says it, and I noticed my non Mexican friends, Spanish-speaking friends, they hate it. I’ll be like, “Ay, qué onda wey.” Like the way it, like— it's like, you know, but it's like, “Yo, what's up, man?” Like, qué onda?-- like, nobody else says it. And it's such a distinct— when I went to the Mexican American festival in Odaiba a few years ago? You know, I started talking to this guy, he's looking at me, and he's like, “are you Mexican?” Like, because of my accent, and then I ended up hanging out with a mariachi group, they offered to play at my wedding.
Phill 1:11:06 Oh, dope!
Alison 1:11:08
Yeah, they’re— I still talk to them. And I met one of my really good friends there who, turned out, he actually lived down the street from me in Mexico, but we didn't know each other. So like, I like do that— “Ay, qué onda wey.” People look at me like, “what? Why do you? Why do you talk like a Mexican?” Even in the states, you know, like that’s— but when— my ex-boyfriend's Puerto Rican, I picked— you know, I just pick up that accent. And I didn't realize and I was, like, at a party with him, and we only spoke Spanish. He— obviously, he speaks English. We just spoke Spanish, Mexico, Spanish to his daughter, but, like, I was at a party. And as we were talking about our life and stuff, and someone stopped me and they're like, “Wait, you're American American,” like, “you're not Latina?” Oh yeah. “I never knew!” So, it’s… you know. Español. Nihongo. Eigo. Anything. Swahili, hopefully, one day I’ll pick that up. I don't speak German anymore. I once, used to know, from my dad.
Phill 1:12:18
Oh, that's dope.
Alison 1:12:20
But I can— I mean, German’s so close to English. I can understand it, of course, but I can't really speak it.
Phill 1:12:28
Yeah, there's some crossover. Yeah, I was there last year visiting a friend of mine. I mean I—
Alison 1:12:35
Oh, that’s right. Because your wife speaks German.,
Phill 1:12:37
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it was it was funny. We went to a pizza restaurant, and my friend and my brother in law. He's also German. They were— they started talking. And I went— the guys looking at me to order something. And I realized, like, I don't even know how to say “the red thing.” And I just couldn't— and it was so humbling. I was like, “Oh,” he was just like, waiting. I'm like— I couldn't even say “I don't speak German” in German.
Alison 1:13:06
Right? Right? That’s how I felt coming to Japan, like, “I can't read. I'm an idiot.” The first thing I did, I met some Peruvians. And I was like, “Oh my god, I can communicate.” Because, remember, I used to translate the radio. Maybe you didn’t know, I used to translate to Spanish, and I used to be the Spanish DJ, I guess?
Phill 1:13:29
Oh, yeah! Forgot. Totally forgot. It was like when you first got here.
Alison 1:13:33
Yeah, ‘cause this is like, “Oh, I can communicate with somebody.” So it was really— actually, I ran into one of the first people I met when I came, Peruvian. He remembered me, which was so sweet, you know?
Phill 1:13:46
Awesome. Well, yeah, yeah. We’re talking now, an hour and 15 minutes, and— yo, like, thank you, Alison, so much, for doing this, and for sharing about, you know, your history, and what you're doing now, and yeah, I would really like to have you come back on and talk about whatever you'd like to talk about again, it would be great.
Alison 1:14:07
Yeah. I don't think I cursed!
Phill 1:14:10
Yeah, maybe yes. Yeah. Yeah.
Alison 1:14:12
Oh, I’m sorry. Fuck. Shit. Damn. Gotta get it out there.
Phill 1:14:19
Oh, man. But, yo, Allison, thank you so much for being a hero that I call by their first name.
Alison 1:14:26
Oh, thank you. You're my hero. Everybody loves naked Phill. You're, like, the realest person I know. Like, like, word. Is that what New Yorkers say? “On my word?”
Phill 1:14:35
On my word, well-yeah, I guess that we could still use it. “Word is bond.”
Alison 1:14:40
“Word is bond.” I’m not— cool. I'm country, y'all. I'm from the south. But we like real. We do like real, and you are real. The thing— we don't even like New Yorkers, man.
Phill 1:14:53
I’ve kind of picked that up, over the years, man. Yeah.
Alison 1:14:57
This was fun. I appreciate it, actually. Thank you.
Phill 1:15:04
No, thank you. Yeah, muchas gracias. Muchas gracias, mi amiga.
Alison
Si, claro.
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