Empty places

[jaeny]

Soon, I will be coming home. I have started packing and I've begun to give some things away. I have started a list in my head of the things I want to send home, the things I will sell, leave in the apartment, give away, and throw away. I have really, really enjoyed my time here and I am going to miss so many things, people, and places. Then I think

Comments

[odaryleo]

yea I feel you on the foreigner thing. Although I don't stand out as much as you, I still do. And I laugh off the blatent stares and comments most of the time. But those boys that did that to you at the grocery store, I would have busted a can of whoop ass (in Japanese, if japanese men had asses) for that. That's just not right. One of the many flaws of living in a homogenized society. A few days back in interactive forum practice we were talking about countries. And one of my students was talking about how he liked Japan the best because "Japan was so diverse". In my head I'm like do you really think that? I straight up told him that in english conversation that statement would get shot down and he would have much to debate. But anyways, yea the problems of a homogenized society... kinda hard to change its way of thinking.

[jaeny]

LoL. It's amazing how isolated they still are.

[cyrian]

speaking of which, when are you coming back?

[jaeny]

Pending ticket approval, but looks like August 15th. You'll be gone by then though, right?

[cyrian]

ya :(

[blazay00]

Geez, I haven't even realized how fast the year went by.

And with the staring, I know some days are worse than others, but it's one of things that can't helped (like you said). For what it's worth I think you're completely normal ^^;

[talinthas]

time is relative. i've never had a longer year in my life.

[jaeny]

LoL. Thanks. ^_^ It's part of what I miss about home - actually FEELING normal.

[frankwanderer]

> For what it's worth I think you're completely normal

A fact for which Talinthas can continue to count a blessing... ;-D

[jaeny]

LoL!

[ssj_mato]

Looking forward to seeing you back.
Man, those kids sound rude. You don't talk to people unless you mean it or it's part of an excepted interactive social norm. Maybe you should have responded up front and close and teach them a lesson.
Reminds me of when Prof. Fujimoto was taking us through Kamagasaki. Some of the drunks would try saying stuff like "Hello. How are you. I am boy. I like sex." and have a chuckle amongst themselves. Like, aging out of work construction workers and day laborers drinking mid-day. Can't really talk back to them, unlike kids. And the area is yakuza controlled. All the sex worker places, anyway.
I digress.
You're taller than both the average American male and female, for what it's worth.

[jaeny]

I thought about lecturing them a bit in Japanese on my way out, but I was tired and not in the groove of things and just knew that if I couldn't rail at them flawlessly they'd just find another reason to laugh. Really wasn't in the mood to deal with them any more. And yeah, I do draw more attention than some. Kids are always tripped out about how tall I am (especially because I'm a girl). ^_^