Everybody wants to go to Japan

So here I am in the land of the rising sun! It's more amazing than I had even expected...when it rains, I swear the streets smell faintly of jasmine tea and seasame buns. I am living with an elderly widow and her daughter, who is slightly older than me. They speak a little English, but my host mom usually tries Japanese until I look bewildered enough for her to translate. She runs a ballet studio out of her house, and wants me to participate while I'm here. Could be fun, could be awkward. There's always an element of both whenever I'm in Asia, like yin and yang. I like it, but it confuses me.

Walking around the shopping district is overwhelming, and sometimes I feel a bit like a lost child. The language, which I knew all of two words of when I arrived, is quite difficult, except when the words are cute. Like `little` is scoshi scoshi, which makes me think of little squishy animals, so then I remember. I love the Japanese way of arranging everything, from their food, to the layout of the city (planned according to the layout of heaven, and feng shui), to their luxorious baths, to their beautiful clothes and room designs.

We are attending school at an art institute, studying Shintoism and Buddhism. I live close, and my host mom lent me a bike to use while I`m here, which rides beautifully. When I turn on my ipod and ride around the streets, it's a little like being in love. Only I`m not quite sure what I'm in love with...probably the sushi. I forgot how much I love sushi until I went to one of those rotating belt sushi bars yesterday and realized that I wanted to eat everything I saw. But I restrained myself for the sake of politeness. I've also gained a few pounds since the start of the trip, so I've found a nice park to go running in. I told my host family I go every day, so since now that they think I do, I will feel like I have to follow through. I'm off to a good start. The floor in my room is made of straw, and it's like one big yoga mat.

It's nice to have a little stability and balance back in my life, though I've already started to feel a bit lonely isolated from the group. Almost everyone has another Pac Rimmer staying at their host house, or another international student, or a large eccentric family that likes to play wii. I wish we had a cat or a dog, but the daughter (kyoko-jan) hates cats. My host mom (oko-jan) loves them, and had a cat for four years until kyoko-jan told her she had to choose between the cat and her. Since she threatened to move out and leave oko-jan alone, she got rid of the cat, but she secretly feeds homeless cats when her daughter is not looking. It's kind of a sad story. I miss having a cat to cuddle with, or to brush against my leg under the table. Life is so much lonlier without animals to love. Oh Sweetie dog. Oh Buiscut kitten. I miss you guys.