My family came to visit me this past week and it was very reorienting for me. I think for the last three months, I've sort of been living this other life here in Japan...one that was very disconnected to the one I have back home; it was as if I got to start over and left everything behind. With my family here, I was just reminded of why I am here and what I will return to.

Turning twenty-one here was pretty mellow. It was nice to just hang out with my family with nice little text-message interruptions from some of my favorite people (read: you all). My sister showed me the video all of you helped make today...it was beautiful. It made me really excited to go home and really stoked that you are the ones I am returning home to. :D

Pictures

Geisha walking on the street in Arashiyama (Storm Mountain), Kyoto.

Autumn leaves in Arashiyama, Kyoto.

Gingaku-jin (Silver Shrine), Kyoto.

Osaka lights

Pathway lined with Japanese autumn foliage, Arashiyama, Kyoto.

Me pushing my sister off a bridge in front of Osaka-jo (Osaka Castle), Osaka.

This morning, I went to...

Ever since I saw this place featured on Food Network back home, I've wanted to go.


I have no idea what these things are, but they're creepy/cool.





Maguro (tuna) are humoooooongous. This one was by far the largest that I saw. I'm sad we couldn't see the auctions take place at 5am...they're supposed to be craaaazy. The first trains don't run until 5:30 though, so maybe next time I stay out all night...:)

Har, har. I'll bet you're jealous. The sashimi was so fresh. :D What a breakfast!


After, we went to Ginza to walk around and I saw this super awesome ad. I was very excited.



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On a more serious (and not so happy) note, today was the first time I experienced firsthand the aftershock of suicide by train. The line we normally take home was delayed (see the line forming?) because...well, yeah. I don't know the details, but it supposedly happens at least once a month.

It makes me so sad that this happens so frequently; it makes me so sad that this happens at all. The people here are under extreme amounts of pressure and stress--it's insane. I understand why they kind of go overboard in other arenas of life (dress, entertainment, etc.)...how else can you remain sane?

All of my Japanese friends who are graduating are not excited to enter the work world at all. I don't blame them one bit. Why do Japanese teenagers and young adults spend so much time hanging out, dressing up, shopping, etc.? They have to try to prolong their youth and freedom as much as they can. This isn't to say that high schoolers and college students aren't under a tremendous amount of stress (have you guys heard of cram schools?), but it's better, perhaps.

Again, generalizing, but...sigh. Pray for Japan, my friends. It's a beautiful and a cho amazing country, but like the rest of us, it needs God too.

When I read other people's blogs, I always delight in the ones that reveal a little about the writer's soul...the ones that are so brave in what they share. I love those entries...which got me to thinking that perhaps I should be brave and do something like that...you know, write a piece of my heart and share it with everyone.

How frightening that concept is!



I am sad today, my friends. I am sad because as I read your blogs, I see so much stress and anxiety and pain. I'm on the other side now...a side of rest, freedom and leisure and I see that all of that gross junk in such concentration is not so necessary. It hurts me deeply and there's nothing I can do about it.