Assimilation

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Surprisingly, I think I'm starting to really assimilate. And not just because of the fact that I sit on my heels on the floor and use chopsticks at every meal, but the small things that I've started doing without even noticing. Today I started looking inward and wondering how I've changed, and I've seen a lot of things that have changed in the short time I've been here.

The first thing that I really noticed was my umbrella usage has blended with the Japanese way. Not only is it an umbrella, but its also a parasol at the same time. And I've found myself using it to shield my skin from the sun, not even thinking about it. Also, I don't close up my umbrella every time I walk under covered walkways. Some people do, but many don't. I guess it's just too much trouble to do anything about it.

Another thing I've learned is the art of cramming myself into the train to try to get a good spot to stand, where I won't get knocked into. I know it's a strange thing to worry about, but the trains are so overcrowded here that its a skill everyone needs to acquire.

I've also found myself looking forward to a night at karaoke like I would look forward to a nice vacation. I've never done karaoke back at home, but I did it once here, and it is such a wonderful way to reduce stress, I can't understand why it's not a huge thing in the states. Life in Japan is stressful, if only because there are always so many people everywhere you go, wherever you try to walk, whenever you want to go to the bathroom, that it feels really wonderful to close yourself up in a room with a select few friends and make as much noise as you want and blow off some steam.

Obento is another piece of Japanese culture that I find myself longing to bring home. Obento is the Japanese word for "lunch box." However, while the two serve the same purpose, providing a portable lunch, the culture is entirely different. I bought a bento set with my mom just a few days ago at the 100 yen shop, because I've been so enamored by the lunches she makes for Yuzu. Its a matching set with the lunch box itself, the band to hold the lunch box closed, a bag to carry it in, chopsticks, and a chopsticks case, as well as an adorable set of sauce containers decorated with animals. In bento culture, appearance is a big factor in determining one's skill, and skill with obento is quite prestigious. I've seen magazines full of cute bento displays, all of which probably took a long time to prepare. I don't plan on going crazy with my obento when I go home, but I do intend to keep the spirit of it and create my cute little lunch.

People look at me strangely less and less as the days pass by. I don't think its because they are getting used to me; the chances that the same people see me every day in a crowded city are quite slim. I must look less and less like a lost foreigner; I feel more at home, and I'm more at ease getting around on my own. It's quite saddening to think the I've only got about two weeks left here. I certainly plan to make the most of the little time that I have left.

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