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Rachel, 31 May 2008 00:37 hours
 U.S.A., Orlando, Florida It was worth it for the platypus May 30, 2008
Yes, I have been back in the U.S. for two weeks. No, there was no compelling melodrama that prevented me from making a final update on this journal. I have merely been enjoying the down time and free drink refills that were unavailable to me in Japan.
So I left you back on Monkey Mountain (scary thought). That night, the other American girls and I spent the night at our friend Manami’s house. It’s huge by Japanese standards, and contains the single most complex and confusing shower/bath mechanism I have ever encountered. The bathtub filled itself and started speaking to me when it was done. Of course, it was speaking in Japanese, so I had no idea if it was saying “your bathwater is ready” or “here is the hydrochloric acid you requested.”
The next Monday, our rest day, I decided to get out of the city and travel to Kobe, which is only about a half hour train ride to the west. Sadly, the weather was rather gloomy that day, but I still enjoyed wandering around the harbor by myself for a few hours. I did a little souvenir shopping. In one of the vintage stores, I actually found an old UCF t-shirt selling for ¥2000. Not much more than you’d pay for it here, but some used American shirts sell for the equivalent of 30 or 40 dollars. Next trip, I’m going to pack only old t-shirts and buy a whole new wardrobe with the profits.
On Tuesday, some of the Kandai students took us to an “American diner.” If you’re ever in Osaka and want to have a really good self-effacing laugh, I can point you in the right direction. Apparently, the Japanese concept of an American eatery serves mostly Japanese food, but has walls plastered with 1980s beer ads and competing Ford and Chevrolet signs. If only they knew how right they were. The back of the menu was a little odd considering, you know, World War II – I’ve attached a picture of it.
Wednesday was a little sad because I had to say goodbye to my friends at OJJC. Kanako had to leave right after English class, but I was able to have dinner with Narumi, who is really thinking deeply about what it means to be a good person and have a positive effect on the world. It was hard to say goodbye, but she wants to continue our conversation through e-mail because she says she writes better than she talks.
I got to get one more visit to the sento in that night. I’m sorry to report that it was completely uneventful, so I have no hilarious stories to tell. I think the adventures may have peaked with the monkey attack, which is not something you get to type everyday.
Thursday was a rather ordinary day at Kandai, except that it was my last. The church’s small group meets on Thursday nights, and both Ai and Kyoko had birthdays that week, so we threw them a little party. Kara and I were sent to buy the gifts in the area around Awaji station, and Matthew and Jessica tagged along. Everything went fine until we had finished buying everything and looked around and Jessica was gone. We had been on the third floor; she had said she would stay on the second. So of course we spent more than an hour looking for her all over the area. I honestly didn’t think she would’ve tried to take the train on her own or left without saying anything to us, and when I called Warren he said he hadn’t seen her. We finally had to go back to the church, late for the meeting, and Kaitlyn said Jessica HAD stopped by before going elsewhere. She even said to Kaitlyn, “I hope those guys aren’t still looking for me at Awaji.”
Because of Ai and Kyoko’s birthday party, I got to see a lot of my friends from the church – Chiaki, Manami, Chie, Iku, Junko – before leaving. They gave me a small posterboard that they’d all signed, and Ai and Kyoko secretly gave me a beautiful necklace. I think I’ll miss the people from Suita Church the most, because they acted as our hosts, our guides, our translators, and our friends. Ai and possibly Junko will be spending some time in the U.S. soon, so I’ll get to see them again.
I wasn’t popular enough to have a flock of Japanese students take me to the airport – no guys were leaving with me – so I only had to say a quick goodbye to the Americans. Well, all except Drew, who is a loser and was nowhere to be found when I left. Anyway, Daniel took me as far as the bus, and the bus took me to the airport. By some minor miracle, assisted by a friendly flight attendant and a co-pilot with a sense of humor, I was able to get my doll (Kanako’s gift) home without breaking her.
Coming back, many things surprised me that shouldn’t have. For example, the last time I filled up my car, gas was $3.48. Doesn’t that seem positively reasonable now? I had also become accustomed to being surrounded by conversations I couldn’t understand that became pleasant background noise. When I heard a dozen English conversations at once around the baggage carousel in Detroit, it sounded like the voices were in my head. I assure you, they were not. The voices in my head do not have Midwestern accents.
Michelle happily graduated on the 23rd and I was there to see it. I brought Iko-chan along with me and made him dance on the head of the guy in front of me as Michelle walked across the stage. (She says “hi,” by the way.) Fortunately, she found it amusing.
So that’s about it for this year. I always say I’m going to write more often, but I just end up writing huge chunks whenever I’ve got the time. I’ve already posted some pictures on Facebook, and I may put some on Webshots soon, so check back here. I hope you’ve enjoyed it, and I’ll let you know when my next trip will be. さようなら(Sayonara)! |
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