In Japan

Today is my sixth day in Japan. I arrived on Monday after an uneventful but relaxing flight. It was nice to have nothing to do after days of madly packing. I got to my apartment around 10pm Japan time. The next day I had to open a bank account and run other errands, Wednesday I spent with Andrea and the boys, Thursday and Friday I was in Tokyo at orientation, and today I'm back at John and Andrea's place. It's been a busy week. I start work on Monday.

I've been placed in a city called Toyohashi. It's about 60 minutes from John and Diana's places by train if I catch the express trains. It can take longer to get there. I live about a 30 minute walk from where I work. My apartment is one of the infamous Japanese rabbit hutches, although some people live in smaller ones than mine.
It is probably the size of an average Canadian living room. It's definitely smaller than the Comfy Couch room at WCV. {I know that means nothing to some of you}

I wasn't really excited about this trip until I got on the train that runs from the airport to Tokyo. I've taken it a few times, so to see the familiar sites was great. As I rode I became more and more excited. Through the week I was at first surprised but pleased to find that I feel much more relaxed here than I did 10 years ago. I was happy to realize on Wednesday night that I'd completely forgotten about my dictionary: last time I was scared to go anywhere without it. It seems I remember much more Japanese than I thought I would, although my communication level is still very basic. Wandering around Tokyo on Thursday and Friday {still without a dictionary} was fun. I saw a couple of the places, book stores, I used to head to when I spent a weekend in the city. It was nice to feel confident in my ability to navigate and communicate, but as I wandered I realized that Japan has lost its glamour for me. Years ago one of the things I loved most about the place was the incredible sense of adventure I had in being here. Now familiarity has bred, well, not contempt, but it has made Japan less "sexy". I laughed at myself when I thought about how I used to tell people Japan, for me, is like a first boyfriend, even when it's over you never forget, and it's always extra special because it's the first. This week I find myself wondering if perhaps my relationship with Japan is not over, it's just moving into a stage where the "spark" is wearing off. Anyway, it is still a very interesting place, I'm just not so fascinated with every little aspect of it as I used to be.

In fact, this morning I found myself thinking "OK, that's enough. I could go home now". I think that's more about me not being excited about the teaching part of my time here, and I miss the place where I lived before. I'm in a city now, and I'm not particularly fond of cities. My first Japan experience was in a lovely, rural environment, which I will visit before I leave.

Enough for now. I'll try to get to a computer again soon.