Top 10

I'm concerned that I mainly write complaining posts on here - partly because I think they are more amusing/interesting for my readers and partly because it's a good way for me to offload on people who see things from my point of view (that is, a Westerners point of view).  But... when I'm having a good time, like climbing Mt Fuji (ok, 'good' is relative.  Eventful, achieving, memorable...), I'm too busy to write.  So... to rectify this a little, here is my top ten list of things I will miss when I leave Japan, in no particular order:

1. Okonomiyaki, Hiroshima-style.  Oh cabbage noodle pancake, how I love you!

2. People bending over backwards to help you and apologising for not speaking your language, even though you're in their country!

3. Bento boxes (lunch boxes of rice and various meats and pickled vegetables) - and their availability at every konbini (dairy/convenience store/corner store/etc) and supermarket.  Where else can you get a range of filling meals for $5, 24 hours a day?

4. Konbinis themselves.  24 hours (except for our strange Jinsekikougen-cho one which closes at 9pm, wtf??), selling everything from beer to facewash.  And they NEVER complain about you popping in just to use the toilet!

5. Kei cars.  Tiny little cars with yellow number plates (white is reserved for 'big' cars), they look like something only midget grandmas should drive and they cost almost nothing to run.  Strangely, mine actually has more leg room than my station wagon back home!

6. Students LOVING interacting with you.  They make me feel like the most interesting, amusing person on the planet.  The teachers here look baffled when I try to explain how different it would be teaching teenagers back home.

7. Macha (green tea) flavoured things.  Macha ice cream, iced macha lattes, macha biscuits, macha chocolate... I just can't get enough of it!

8. Having so many exciting holiday destinations only a short drive/train/flight away.  Whether it's a 2 hr flight to Taiwan, a few hours drive to Shikoku island, or even just a wee train ride to Hiroshima city, it feels like holiday destinations are always so near!

9. Meeting so many awesome people.  As an ALT living in Japan, you obviously meet lots of other ALTs.  And by being foreigners in Japan, you are pre-selecting for some pretty out-there, adventurous, interesting people from a whole bunch of different countries.  Then there are the intrepid Japanese who are willing to befriend a foreigner (even though foreigners do wear funny clothes, talk too fast and have no idea about etiquette!).  In two years at home I might make a couple of new friends, but here we meet so many cool people every year!

10. Japanese kawaii (cute).  I found it really strange at first, but I have grown to love the fact that in Japan, there is nothing wrong with a 27 yr old enjoying the cuteness Japan has to offer - from my Jinglish pencil case ("This is my perfect moment with you" - picture is a duck in a bonnet, hugging an oversized carrot), to my Care Bear earphones (actually I don't recommend them.  They always fall out!), to my Rilakkuma collection (small brown expressionless bear.  Cracks me up.  So far I have the sheet, duvet, chopsticks, gloves, two mugs and a glass...).

So there you are.  In case my wild misrepresentations of my time here led you to believe we didn't enjoy Japan!

I am also tempted to add something that has only come up very recently - since my exam two weeks ago, in fact.  Since my bout of serious study coming up to the exam, I have really noticed an improvement in my understanding, mainly in reading kanji.  It's nothing major, but I have little 'oh!' moments that feel so great.  For example, last night, climbing into bed/futon, I glanced across at my foot cream.  And went 'oh!'  When I had bought it, I had used gesture to show I wanted cream for my feet, but now I've learnt some basic kanji, I realised the first kanji on the name is the word for foot/leg (they have one word to cover the both.  Causes all kinds of amusement when my students tell me they have big legs, or that their favourite singer has sexy feet).  So now I am proud to say NEXT time I need foot cream, I can find it myself!  Every little victory counts!

Hope you are all having a good week xo