Observations

Classes are picking up pace(midterms in 2 weeks!), and the regular Gaidai kids returned to campus on Monday. It is now a truly crowded and lively campus! There are about 10,000 of us total, which is HUGE compared to Oberlin. Since the campus is pretty small, however, it really does not seem like *that* many people.

I am VERY happy to report that it is FINALLY getting a bit cooler, with the wind blowing (no leaves falling just yet) and sunshine but less humidity.

I thought I'd list a few things I've come to realize over the past month...

1. It really is safe in Japan:
Every day I see young school kids dressed in their uniforms ride the trains all by themselves---kids around age 7 and up! That would definitely not go over well in US, putting your kid on a train to travel between major cities alone...yup.

2. Japanese people do not apologize for little things, and they don't even know why:
This sounds pretty ambiguous, eh? What I am referring to is when someone steps on your foot, or if you get shoved over in the process of getting onto a train, etc...Or if someone is coming your way on their bike or motorbike and they swerve in front of you, completely startle you and barely miss knocking you over! There is never "watch out! coming through!" or "SORRY, I have to cut in front of you because I have no patience, I'm in a hurry, and the car next to me won't move! (ok, so don't believe that one!). You get the idea; it really is starting to bother me! Mainly because, as a people, I find the Japanese to be one of the most kind and helpful. They will go out of their way to help you if you need something at a store, the common courtesy of saying hello, goodbye, welcome (to my store, etc), and they have huge respect for the elderly. On Wednesday we had a discussion about this in one of my Japanese classes, and my teacher, matter-of-factly, said, "I don't know why [we don't apologize for that kind of thing]...(thinking about it)... We just don't." It's just another one of those things I have to say to myself, ok, I don't get it, but it's weird, and it's Japan!

3.Public transportation is EXPENSIVE!
As much as I love the trains and the fact that I can get pretty much anywhere in the Kansai region within a few hours, it really is eating up my wallet. There are no discounts for students, not even if you buy a monthly or yearly pass; it's all the same as if you were purchasing 3 months worth of tickets. I am going to Nara on Sunday, and guess how much I will be spending on transportation alone? About 1800 yen---a little less than $18. Crazy!

4. Japan should be renamed Land of The Vending Machines
So, really, how many vending machines do you need in one country? I've seen plenty to know that you can buy more than just a bottle of Coke from a vending machine around here. The one I happen to wonder about are the cigarrette ones, seeing that, although they note than no one under 20 yrs. old can buy cigarrettes, anyone can just put some coins in the slot and get any pack you want! I will count how many I see from my house to the train station and let you know next time. Perhaps it would be more interesting if I tallied how many I pass in one day!

I'm sure there are things I am forgetting at the moment. I'll post more of these ramblings when my brain is functioning properly again. It's hard to think in English right now.

Here are a few pictures, including the okonomiyaki we ate for dinner tonight :-) Okonomiyaki consists of a thin layer of crepe-like batter at the bottom, topped with cabbage, noodles, and meat, perhaps an egg also, then cooked all together for about 10 minutes, then topped with a special sauce and sprinkled with nori (seaweed---dried, seasoned, and finely cut) and spices. Makes for a good dinner, I tell you!

Ready to eat!

Making another one

My plate

Me, Satoshi, with my host dad, Kouji

Take 2 with Shun

Big Crab and little crab

A close up of the other one

Shun....with my host mom, Masayo, in the background

Blast From The Past

Here comes a long post, people...It's a good one, though!

I had an amazing day. It was probably the best day I've had since arriving here. I was ridiculously happy for about 6 whole hours, to the point that I was giddy and could not stop talking :-) I decided to go to Kyoto on my own, after plans of going with a friend fell through. I am really glad I went alone :-)

Reconnecting with old friends is such an awesome experience, especially with those who are halfway around the world! It was truly by chance that I was able to meet four of the people I went to elementary school with 13 years ago. I owe it to the current principal of the elementary school. The school is completely different today, since it was rebuilt after we left. I was a bit disoriented and more disappointed that it was not the same old place...I showed up, and there was a baseball game in progress. I assumed no one was in the building, but after talking to one of the moms there, she directed me to the principal's office. I explained myself to him, and he pulled out the old class lists from 1993. The rest is history! Basically, he called my friend Minako's house, which was closest from the school and in my neighborhood as well. The conversation went something like,
"Hi, this is the principal from Kinugasa Elementary School. Does your daughter Minako remember a Monica Greene? Yeah? Well, she's here in my office. Can she stop by your house?" Kind of ridiculous, right? :-) That would never happen back home!
Well, Minako happened to be home, so I just walked over to her house and met her! I was SO excited to see her! We walked to Hirano Shrine, where we used to gather every morning to walk to school. It looks a LOT smaller than what I remember. Most of it is the same, but the inside changed a bit, the paths and whatnot.

Finally, we walked down the street to my old house. The narrow alley is just as narrow as I remember, perhaps even more so, now that I am bigger. The house at the corner is still there, where the old lady who HATED children used to chase us with her broom...No one lives there anymore. Anyway, no one was home at the house, but the outer door was open (leads to the area before the front door of the house, also known as the genkan). I snuck in and took a few pictures. See them below. The area of what I could see was a mess! Seeing the house brought back many memories (Alicia, you know what I'm talking about when I say the bathroom window!!!)...I plan on going back again, hopefully to see the inside of the house, too.

Minako and I walked around the area and came upon another classmate's house. Maho was home, so we invited her to come and go for a walk. Minako and Maho had not talked since high school (I think, something like that). To make a long story short, we visited 2 other friends' houses: one was unable to come hang out but we got to say hi and take a picture. The other works at the Lexus Car dealer place, so we interrupted her at work and surprised her (her dad said we could). Before leaving, my friends and I also visited with my old neighbors, the Watanabes. Their house is EXACTLY the same as when we left! They were very excited to see me, invited all of us in and talked nonstop for an hour and a half. It was very intense. But I am glad I got to see them. The general consensus from everyone (including Minako and Maho) was that I look the same, talk the same and "actually remember Japanese". I guess that's a good thing!

One of best parts of the day was going to a place called Monica's. It is a famous cake eatery in Kyoto. The cake was delicious! It is very cool to have a place named after you. Now I can officially say I am FAMOUS in Japan!

I also saw Kitano Tenmangu, which is another shrine close to our house. With Minako and Maho, we stopped at the local candy store (same one, relocated), walked past our former dentists' place, and reminised together over the good times when we were little....sigh.

I am also putting up old pictures from our last time there, some of the same places I visited today...a long time ago. Good times!
-Monica


























































Kyoto, 1990-1994