It’s been nearly 2 weeks since my last post. I thought that there was really nothing more to say. To some extent I can’t really post about *new* Japanese adventures, but most recently, people have asked what’s the transition back like ?

Is it really different coming back?

Getting back in the swing of my original American lifestyle has been challenging in some ways and easy in others. Truth be told… I love America and everything about it. However, a piece of me wants to go back to Japan. The difference between the two places is really “me” (as in my place here verses there). In Japan, I’m a “Gaijin” or foreigner. I’m the minority, but it’s not isolation. When you’re abroad you can see America from a third point of view. It’s like going into space to get a different perspective of earth. Somehow I enjoyed being somewhat of an American ambassador… I suppose that as I continue to live here I’ll have more to say on the topic.

I’ve heard people here (in America) say that they feel like they’re becoming the minority due to the increase of immigrants moving here. Perhaps that maybe, but it’s nothing close to being the only white Amerikan guy on the train.

I don’t want to forget everything I’ve fought so hard to learn and experience. In some ways Home feels foreign… I don’t know why it does, but it does. If anything, I truly want to feel at home and I’m very happy to be home. I only hope that as I slowly unwind and transition back into Lewis and Clark, “American,” college my day dreams about Japan and Sapporo won’t distract me to much.

~J

P.S.
American T.V. has come to me as a great shock. To go from Japan‘s light hearted game-shows, cheezy drama’s, and easy going news to America‘s crude talent shows, deep-seated dramas, and overly traumatizing news is something of an eye opener.

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