Homework for the Overactive Brain

Today's Quote--"Happy birthday to me, Happy birthday to me..."

Monday, October 06, 2003

 

Wow, a post two days in a row! Amazing...So, today's topic will be...gee, I dunno. It's started getting cold here, in fact Saturday and Sunday night's I was afraid my fingers were in the first stage of frostbite...and that was at home! But last night I got my heater for my room...Ahhh, warmth is so lovely! In Japan it's very rare to have central heating (which is common place in the US), so they use heaters...usually electric and kerosene...Like mine. It does a good job of heating things up, but you have to be very careful because the fumes can do nasty things to your head...and of course you can't leave it running while you're away...or asleep...and the oil is very expensive because Japan has no real natural resources...it imports something like 98.9% of it's oil and gases. Oy...so trying to be the cheap student and use heat sparingly...It does become annoying when it comes to heating water though...We only turn on the boiler for when we're taking showers at night...so no dishes or clothes are washed in hot/warm water...Joys...

So...what else is fun about Japan? Hmmmm...I really like the subway. It's like a psychology study that keeps going and going...I love watching people and their reactions to different stimuli...most of the time that stimuli being me...a foriegner. I've gotten lots of surprised looks when I stand up...and tower over most of the women, a few of the men, and look the tall guys in the eye. ;) Yeah me! Of course standing up usually results in me hitting my head on the handles...oy. Yes, but anyway, I love just checking everyone out...and it's entertaining to watch the school girls in their uniforms...and see the differences they've managed to create...and how high they've decided to roll up their skirts, even if it is starting to get really cold outside...;) I'm definately taking pictures at some point of my morning commute route and how crowded it is in Odori...and my nearly bird's eye view of it all.

Another interesting thing...I've listened to several Japanese women talk about how fat Americans tend to be...because of all that fast food...whatever. But, at the same time, those of us in homestays have noticed that our families keep trying to get us to eat more, even when we say we've had enough. How are these related? Well, perhaps there's an assumption that American's eat a lot, so they think we're constantly not eating enough. Or perhaps they just think we're growing kids who need a lot of food. *shrug* Anyway, something to ponder.

Feel the desire to write some sort of beautiful haiku for this moment, but I'm very tired and can't think straight, so probably won't happen. Feeling good over all...exhausted, occasionally frustrated, often confused, but good. Although that makes absolutly no sense, it's the truth. Hmmm...I wonder who all is reading and keeping up with my stuff? Well, hugs to all you who are, and please go out and squeeze someone for me, too, 'k? :) Ahh, someday I'll get used to these Japanese keyboards...someday....

GL 9:49 PM