reasons why I love this place

I think it's really easy to forget the bright side and to write only the complaints in life. Although, sometimes the complaints tend to surface more prominently, I think the little nicities of life make it worth living. I really love my life here in Japan, and I was recently thinking that if I could do anything over again or if I could be someone else, I would continue to do exactely what I was doing. I am looking forward to eventually going back to the States, but I love my life here in Japan. Japan has some great attributes, which I would like to talk about a little bit.

1. Oba-chan. This is the phonemonon of absolutely kind-hearted, loving and crazy old women in Japan. Sometimes they have purple hair and sometimes they walk slower than a snail, but they are such a joy to interact with. I have several which are my "Japanese moms," and I really enjoy talking to them here. On Thursday (which I originally did this post, but then I lost it because I'm not very bright), I ran into a group of them at a bus stop where I was waiting to go home. They were so giggly and acted like a bunch of schoolgirls. I overheard them commenting on how tall I was, so I started talking to them and it was just a ton of fun. You should come over here and meet them sometime! They know everything about the towns that they live in, and they'll make sure that you're well fed and that you've seen all the important things in the city. I just love 'em!

2. Public transportation. The clustered, villiage-like setting of the cities in Japan makes getting anywhere so easy. I ride my bike, walk, or take the train or bus practically everywhere. A car is virtually unnecessary in many of the areas of the country, which is great for exercise and the environment. I know I've managed to stay in shape here merely because of the amount of walking and biking that I do.

3. Japanese cuisine. The food here is delicious and healthy! I absolutely love traditional Japanese cooking, as well as some of the more modern dishes too. They use a bean and vegetable base in everything, supplmeneting with meat and lots of delicious seafood. The prices are unfortunatly extremely high for eating out at most good places, but you can make the food yourself too. Oh, and I don't ever think I'll be able to eat American rice again!!

4. The language. Japanese as a language is absolutely fascinating. I love studying it and expanding my communication abilities through increased understanding fo the language. Above all, kanji makes everythign written extremely interesting by providing a means of understanding words not only through pronunciation but also through pictoral means. When you are reading, you get a deeper understanding of what the author is trying to tell you because he or she is able to use the visual meaning of the kanji as well as the words themselves. It's hard to understand if you haven't studied it, but it's really a means of expanding the mind to greater literary depths. It's also relaxing and fun to practice calligraphy of the characters. I've been doing this quite a bit and enjoying it as a semi-hobby.

5. The arts. The more I am here, the greater I come to appreciate the variety of Japanese arts. Ikebana (flower arrangement), tea ceremony, calligraphy, and pottery are some of my favorites. It's great to try doing them myself as I develop an appreciation for what others have accomplished. I am particularly fond of those arts which emphasize nature and try to use the arts to increase an appreciation for the earth.

6. The history. Compared to America, this history here is thousands and thousands of years old, with ties to many parts of Asia. I learn something new every day about the history, and it's really amazing to come here and see a lot of the historical remnants and sites that many people take pride in. I highly suggest studying Japanese history if you have the chance.

There are many more things I could write about, but that's just a sampling of why I love my life here so much. Teaching every day at elementary schools is really giving me a greater insight into the culture and local communities. I will be sad to leave it all behind in 7 months or so.

Posted by Kristen at November 15, 2003 12:01 PM | TrackBack