Nail Polish, Italian Peach and Postcolonial Guilt

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Three random things I did not expect in Japan:

1) I have developed a sudden urge to paint my nails. I never paint my nails. Haven't for years. But now it seems I must. Moreover, looking at the results, I seem to have been mysteriously compelled to pain my nails a bright slightly glittery blue.

2) There is Starbuck here, but there's also Excelsior, the local equivalent. And it's near work, just waiting to intercept me on my way in. I walk an hour to get to work, and in this weather that means I am thirsty. And they sell an ice drink thing claiming to be Italian Peach. This is proving very bad for my budget

3) I had a great class with a guy whose English was fantastic and who, even better, had travelled to Iran. We both agreed how lovely it was, and how it defied all the stereotypes, and then he came out with this: "and they're so civilised, they speak English . . ." I actually flinched. There was no way I was going to try and explain, and it's not my fault (he said it), but I felt this huge wave of guilt, as if I'd just said something colonialist!!!

In other news, a woman has been arrested for sneaking into a guy's house and living in his closet for the best part of a year. Only in Japan . .

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