Over a month ago I started washing my hands of Japan as soon as I set foot in San Francisco. By the time I got to Denver I was done, finito, over it. But I've been having some dreams and reminisces(es?) lately that make it obvious I didn't really wash my hands of that year -- I breathed too much of it in, and it will keep seeping out of my pores until it's finished, I guess. I don't know quite what to make of it, but I do know I need to start writing again.

My last morning in Kashii.
Last shower.
Last tea.
Last trying to will the pigeons off my balcony only by staring.
And lots of frantic last-minute preparations!
Cheery-o.

I've fallen way, way, way behind on communications lately because of my insane schedule at the moment -- so if you've emailed or messaged or carrier-pigeoned me in the past while and haven't heard anything back, don't worry, I don't hate you -- my brain is just a jumble of craziness and busy-ness that I'm having a hard time sorting through and getting organized with. March and April are the busiest months at the school so work is just being PILED on and I've got less than a week to be completely packed and moved out and the next five or six days in particular are just going to SUCK so once again, if you've barely heard from me I don't hate you. I just don't have time to whine AND contact you back, ok?

Just kidding! I ALWAYS have time to whine.

Wait...that doesn't make sense.

God I'm stressed.

I've got this right eye twitch thing that's been happening for the last few weeks and the only time it went away was when I was in China, which makes it clear that communism has magical healing powers. Oh, stereotypes. I'm horrible.

Speaking of China, I know I wrote I'd recount some other China stories, but I'm truly bad at writing about my travels after the fact so even though I had intentions to do so, I just can't. Or won't. Or might. Sometime. I don't know, I'm busy! Quit pressuring me!

Speaking of stereotypes, the #1 question I will be glad never to be asked again once I've left Japan (in two weeks omg omg) is: "do you know how to use chopsticks?" Sigh.

Speaking of me being horrible, after about the tenth time of being asked that question, my response turned from a polite nod and an "mmhmm" to: "do you know how to use a fork?"

I know, I know.

Beijing is huge. China is huge. There are a lot of Chinese people.

All of that seems obvious enough, but sweet motherloving PRC do the bottoms (and sides) of my feet (not to mention my throbbing calves) suggest complete ignorance of the first two. The guidebooks, the Internet, and a handful of students warned me against underestimating the distance of crap in China, but I thought EH, I like walking, and really, it doesn't look THAT far on the maps. Wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong.

(Also I realize that third statement about there being a lot of Chinese people doesn't really have anything to do with anything except it's incredibly true and seemed to fit with the theme of mis-expectancy.)

Really though, if you saw the state of my feet you probably wouldn't want to associate yourself with me anymore -- and I'd COMPLETELY understand. I mean, they were never the daintiest of extremities, especially with me having been a fledgling runner for a consistent couple years now -- and even being a little proud of the foot and toe deformities that developed out of that. At this moment though -- yeesh. I won't go into the details since you probably don't have the materials for an appropriate response at hand (such as a puke-bucket, or a monocle to exasperatingly drop in your tea).

Basically, the blisters (upon blisters) on the first day (via Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven Park) and the calf-destruction on the second day (via scaling the Great Wall) have got me walking sort of like I'm bowlegged...and on hot coals...with a limp.

But I guess I'm proud of my bowlegged hot coal limp too -- it means I did stuff. And doing stuff is neat. Especially when it's laced with communism!







Obvs. there's much more to tell. I'll recount some anecdotes this week including how I feel about spitting on the street, why I will forever associate Mandarin with the game show Supermarket Sweep, and my Great Wall friend.

But for Mao OOPS I mean NOW HAR HAR HAR here are some photos. I apologize for apparently only being interested in taking pictures of buildings.

It's 1:13 a.m. and I've not packed yet! Shocking.

The first day of March was busy but good. I had a great time in one of my evening classes after they came across vocabulary describing double and single-breasted jackets and it wouldn't be funny to relay all that went down now but drool and drooling had somehow come up earlier in the conversation and then all the new vocabulary got combined and just taken too far and I was practically peeing my pants I was laughing so hard (and that because Saturday is insanely busy and I didn't have time to go to the restroom before class probably helped with that too). Oh man. Hilarity.

And now, to the packingmobile!

Effing China. What the eff.

Not to harp on the whole China/visa/China visa thing, but --

1. I went back to the consulate to pick up my passport this morning and the visa itself is SO not as cool-looking as I thought it would be. I have no idea what I EXPECTED it to look like...
...actually I take that back. I just looked at it again for the first time since this morning and didn't initially see the detail that I now see, like a subtle image of the Great Wall behind some text that IS actually - DARE I SAY - pretty cool. NEVERMIND. I'll never prematurely judge the design of a visa ever again -- I have surely learned this, one of life's greatest lessons, today.

2. It was actually really nice to be out and about on a Friday before work. Normally on working days I'll get up a few hours before needing to be at the school for some Lauren-time, but rarely do I go out and interact with the Jworld unless it's for a run, and that's just in my hood. Word. Anyway, I felt all productive and stuff. Word.

3. Walking back to the metro from the consulate helped me realize that even though I'm nervous about going to China (which is so STUpid, I know how to travel, I've been LIVING in another Asian city with just as many language and cultural barriers for crying out loud, what's my PROBLEM? And what's with these CAPITAL LETTERS?) I know it'll obviously be worth it. Just picking up the visa made me really happy to be out doing something, to be out just -- living. (Seriously, I was so stupidly giddy about it I kind of felt like skipping but was afraid I'd fall into the canal I was walking/not skipping next to.) I just like -- life.

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In other news, February's LaBloPloMo wasn't entirely successful but I do intend on attempting a post-a-day in March as well. March. March as in March. March as in the month I leave Japan. March as in WHAAA!?

In other other news, I've decided to start my six-month language project in April. I've been building my resources steadily and probably DO have enough to start in on the first language this month, but with the China trip, the last three weeks at work (including crossover training with the new teacher that I need to prepare for), mounting farewell party invitations (oh, how awful for me!), and orchestrating an international move, it seems I'm going to be a touch too busy to devote serious time to it. And it should have serious time devoted to it. Plus after the inevitable huge amount of floundering after returning stateside (what am I doing with my LIIIIFFFEE!!?!??!?!), it'll provide me with a purpose for living! Hooray!

In other other other news, dang it! There are several incredibly cool new students that I'm really sorry I won't be able to work long-term with.

In other other other other final news of this jumpy, poorly-written post -- 26 days.