choo choo

Japanese has such similar sounds to English that sometimes when I step onto a train where people are talking I swear I'm hearing English words, like I've come into the middle of a conversation. Really, my ears are tricking me -- I can feel them perk up at the sound of what they think is English -- like a dog's hair standing alert. It's weird.

In other news, one of the cutest things I see about once week are these two junior high school boys in their uniforms running to catch the train that I've just gotten off of -- they always have these huge grins on their faces, like they're gleeful to have been doing whatever made them late and it's so fun just trying to make that train. It makes my heart happy and puts a big old grin on MY face.

DAWWWW THAT'S SO CHEESY.

homesick limerick

There once was a girl named Lauren
(But in Japan they pronounce it "Roren")

She fought her homesickness with zest
But it won't let her rest

'Til she's statebound December 27 mornin'.

I had a very American day.

I went to Costco with some friends and we bought lots of delicious American foodstuffs (got a whole roasted chicken for Y988! That's like $8.50! Fan-clucking-tastic!) Cinnamon-raisin bagels were also on the agenda. And don't forget about the ridiculously large carton of Goldfish for those magical mac 'n cheese meals! Mmmmm so homelandy.

Afterwards we went to a movie in a movie theater! I haven't been to a movie since I left the States because they're crazy expensive at Y1800 a pop ($16) and for some reason it has bothered me enough to keep me away from the gloriousness that is the movie-going experience. However, if you see the last showing of the day, it's only Y1000. So we did and saw The Bourne Ultimatum. I even got that old feeling I used to have when the movie gets to a quiet part and only then do I remember I have my cellphone turned on with a really loud, obnoxious ringer/vibrate combination that will disrupt the whole audience should someone call at that moment, but then digging around in my bag would be equally disruptive, so I'm on edge hoping no one will call until the movie gets loud again and I can turn it off but usually when it gets loud attention is demanded so I forget about the whole cellphone thing until the next quiet part and I get all on edge again. Tear. It'd been too long...

After that we saw some Norwegians. Not really specifically an American happening, but it happened nonetheless.

VIVA LA COSTCO/MOVIES.

Alright. Phew. Only six more days until National Blog Posting Month is over. For this one I'm dipping into one of the questions I got from my friend Audrey -- she asked what store in Fukuoka will I miss most when I'm no longer here.

The answer is a place that I like to call Hanjiro (because that's the name of the store). Hanjiro has a combination of new and used clothing -- the new stuff is all really well-designed and made (looks like it could be local, but I have no idea), and the old stuff is not all that old and is divided into cool sections (track jackets, argyle sweaters, vintage baseball-style tees, Doc Martens, Converse). It's basically an indie kid clothes heaven. You also get 10% back of any used clothing you buy to put toward your next purchase on a point card (pronounced "point-o card-o")! AND it's huge and looks all cool (click on "shop" and go to "Fukuoka" [duh]).

But what I really really like about it is that a lot of the clothes are fairly unisex, so there's not really a clear men's or women's section -- everyone's just shopping everywhere and so it's not awkward for me (who doesn't wear really girly things and who wouldn't be able to fit in that stuff anyway) to be looking through the clothes that will fit my freakishly long American limbs and torso the best. It's just nice to shop in a place where I feel like I can take my time, nobody cares that I'm shopping there, and I know I can find things that I like and that fit properly (mostly).

Plus I got my key chain there!





His name is Hans.

And on the subject of shopping, let me just say that while I do miss the Christmassy ambiance from not being back home this time of year, I don't miss the full parking lots and horrible crowds that the season brings. Just sayin'.

azerbaijammin'

There are a lot of maps on the walls in the school which makes sense. I stare at them a lot.

Occasionally I'm reminded of fourth grade geography where the lot of us got a laminated world map that resembled a placement. Not realizing that what I had in front of me was the world flattened out, I didn't understand why everyone kept rounding theirs into a cylinder -- and while I was all well and good with the countries we had been studying so far, I wanted to know what was on the other side. I kept flipping mine over expecting to see the rest of it, but it was just some map facts or something. Dur.

So anyway, the present maps! I stare and I stare and I kind of miss geography class. I decided I wanted quiz myself and I found this place and now I can't stop taking all the geographictastic quizzes! It's Saturday night and it's what I've been doing for the past two hours.

I wonder what normal people are like.

Sooooo, everyone's aware that my best friend Kate is amazing, right?



Good. Just checking.

gobble gobble

Well, it's Thanksgiving and I'm in Japan.

That means nobody knows I'm not supposed to be working -- I'm SUPPOSED to be stuffing my face with side dishes (the best part of any meal) and then periodically falling asleep while watching some marathon on TV (used to be X-files, then Buffy, or just the standard Christmas Story) and having a grand old time with my slightly loopy but endearing family while inevitably saying "kryptonite" instead of "tryptophan" scattered between card games or pool or football FUHBALL watching and general good tidings!

I tried to explain it to Japan, but Japan just told me to get back to work.

Here's a list of things I'm thankful for:

• you

Happy Thanksgiving!