Reflections and Lessons of a Year in Japan

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I learned (that)…

1.Language is important, but you can get by using gestures, facial expressions, and tone.
2.To let lots of things go unsaid (for obvious reasons), and be ok with that.
3.How to be a minority and deal with stereotypes against myself.
4.The comfort of not having to ever lock my door because the history of any crime in Hiyoshi is and always has been, zero.
5.How to embarrass myself quite frequently.
6.How to be respectful and polite by completely different and opposite (of what I am used to) rules.
7.How America is seen in the eyes of other foreigners.
8.Culture shock is a very real thing.
9.How to eat everything raw!
10.How to drive on the left.
11.How to use the ATM and conduct business in Japanese.
12.Japan isn’t about robots, sushi everyday, origami, and geisha women.
13.Japan is about pachinko, endless rice paddies, curry rice, and karaoke.
14.How to live peacefully with bugs. (sometimes)
15.How to cook without an oven and Japanese style.
16.How to really appreciate any time I get to speak English.
17.The healing and therapeutic powers of green tea.
18.How to live without heat or air conditioning.
19.Japanese hold a very respectful and special place and in their hearts for the changing seasons. Especially the cherry blossoms in the spring.
20.It’s ok to drive 3 hours to Outback Steakhouse or McDonalds every once and awhile.
21.Not to believe the Japanese way to be wrong or weird. (That one was hard.)
22.The fun of karaoke and print club.
23.The Japanese belief of “students have a right to get their education” so you can’t send them out of the classroom when they are disruptive.
24.How to be naked with total strangers (onsen).
25.The fun of keitais! (cell phones)
26.How to get through typhoons, earthquakes (2 yesterday), and volcanoes in one week. (all last week)

On to year two!!
Oh, and everyone please click the link at the bottom of the page. That way, when I update my journal, you'll get an email notice! Thanks!
Love,
April

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