Sakura

It:s a so^so day for me, but the weather is great and the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. It:s a beautiful time to be in Japan. Around this time of year, people gather in parks to eat and drink and be merry underneath the cherry blossom trees. I went and did this last week, although there were no cherry blossoms. I went to a park with some good friends. It was a lot of fun.

September 2, 2007

Mom sent me a package the other day. I opened it, and among other things, I pulled out a Steven King book, "The Gunslinger". I don't usually read books, but I like this one. I am reading it all the time, which is kind of rare for me. I maybe read a book once every two years. Thanks Mom.

Everything else seems to be just everything else. Tonight I sang Karaoke with Sunny (the volunteer teacher from Indiana), Trent (the new teacher, married to the other new teacher, Katy), and Sumika (maybe my closest Japanese friend). It was fun, but I really didn't feel like singing, so I sang a few, we all sang a few, and then we left a little earlier than our reserved time listed, which was okay for me. I headed back home by train, had a drink at my regular bar, Castle Rock, and then came home. I read a little bit in my book. Then, inspired by viewing Lauren Hogan's online journal, which she seems to regulary post on, I decided to drop a line here on my not-so-regularly-kept online journal.

Street Performers

The Crane Fly

良いお年を！

Happy New Year everyone! Aren't you jealous that I get to celebrate the new year 14 hours ahead of you? Mom and I were watching the TV new years ceremonies. We were expecting some sort of countdown, but there wasn't any. All of a sudden they just said, "Well, the new year has begun." So we were a little surprised. It was a little different from Western style countdowns.

But I hope that you have a wonderful new year. I miss you. And I can't wait to see you all again.

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Mom is spending Christmas and New Years with me in Japan. I am very thankful.

Today we went to Kurashiki City to wander about the historical district and shopping areas. She bought me a few things for my apartment, and she bought some souvenirs and presents for friends and family. We walked through the Bikan historical district. The district is centered around a canal lined with willows. Koi and white swans feed throughout the canal. We drank $6 coffees and ate Japanese sweets.

Tonight we ate at Kura Pura. One of the ladies that I work for in Okayama city, Mrs. Fujimoto, knows the owner of the restaurant. She gave me $50 dollars worth of gift certificates, which turned out to be very useful because the 7 course meal turned out to be almost $100 for the both of us.

All around, it was a good day.

Waiting for the Train

It was rainy today. And waiting for the train on the platform, I bought myself a hot can of coffee out of a vending machine. Without opening it, I gripped the small can tightly, warming my cold hands. And as I sat waiting for the train, I thought about being a foreigner in Japan, something that I think about a lot because I don't exactly fit in.
As I thought about it, I felt a sense of peace in my solitude. There is no sense in trying to fit in, because I can't. And there is no pressure to fit in, because I won't.
Yes, I am an outsider in Japan, but wasn't I also an outsider living in Athens as a student. I was just one of 30+ thousand students who waltz into the community, thinking they own the place, and then disappear 4-6 years later taking only a diploma leaving nothing except their waste. How do the locals respond to this? How should students respond to this?
I opened the can of coffee and took a sip.