You don't measure a year. You cannot measure a year. I just spent 10 months in Japan learning Japanese, hands down the hardest thing I have ever done and the biggest change I've gone through. I was a student and a mentor. I was a younger and older brother. Very much a child, yet somehow found an adulthood. I felt more isolated and more included than ever before. I was mute and deaf then fluent. This blog is a nice decoration, but it only scrapes the surface. For everyone who read this in the past 10 months, commented, and tried to feel what I felt, and see what I saw, with me, thank you. Friends and family, thank you for your support. I can't wait to see you face to face and tell you even more ... read more

Going away parties are going to become pretty commonplace this next week, my last week at Japan, but I don't think that any of them will be as touching as the one with my circle and my best friends in this country. We met up for a larger Fair trade event in Tokyo, pretty big and participation was country-wide. Schools came from as far as Shikoku (not the main island of Japan) which was impressive. I would say around 70 people participated and 12 were from the Waseda circle. We have been getting big, really big, in the fair trade movement and most schools knew of us. Much of it is thanks to Joseph and the other leaders in the group that really stepped things up this year. There are incredible things planned in the realm ... read more

Host mom had some guests over last night, a man and woman from Okinawa and it made me remember how different Okinawa was from Tokyo. Everything they did contrasted with the proper Japanese conservative of this city. The guy, big, round faced, chubby, guy walks in with a bright hawaiian shirt and shorts. They don't wear those in this city. Shorts are pretty rare although its plenty hot. The woman has her hair cut short and spiky and just kind of crows this excited greeting to everyone, not afraid to call people by first names, and immediately starts going on about how tokyo girls diet too much and are too thin and asked me if I liked girls like that or girls with "pillows." I am a pillow guy and that made her happy. Okinawa is ... read more

It's a song, its a fruit, its a Sakuranbo! Or Japanese cherry (not to be confused with the sakura trees, which are just cherry blossoms.) But, like the sakura trees, its a seasonal item, pretty unique to Japan, that the Japanese can't get enough of. We took a day trip to Katsunuma in Yamanashi-ken. It was foggy in the morning when we left but as we got to Katsunuma the fog lifted and we saw the most magnificent city/town built in this valley of green mountains and low hanging white clouds. I think it was the most beautiful scene I've seen Japan. Because of geography, Katsunuma is a farming town - mostly fruit. Grape vines grew on terraced slopes, and what was not grapes were fruit trees. The season now is for the sakuranbo and peaches. ... read more

Here it is, the Yanks vs. Sox, Laf vs. Lehigh, but Japanese style - the Spring meeting of the two most prestigious private universities in Japan, Waseda and Keio. After being shut out of tix for the fall matchup, I was pretty pumped to get my hands on these. I wrote before that Japanese baseball's cheering and fans were a little, ehem, different, then America. I said this from watching the Giants game safely in the infield seats while the Ouendan (cheering squad) did their madness in the bleachers. For this game, I was in the bleachers, where the students and Ouendan were ready to just about anything to support their school and their squad...except watch the game like human beings. This Ouendan is by far the creepiest club on campus. I will never figure out ... read more