Oh, WHOOPS. I am the worst blogger ever. It's a really good thing that I'm not reputable or well-known.

I SHOULD probably talk about what I've been up to for the past two months, but I'm certain that would bore you to tears. Yes-- boring. I've finally reached the point where Japan is no longer exciting, sparkly, new, what have you, but boring. I'm guessing this has a lot to do with the whole ~getting over culture shock~ phase & the whole homesick thing. To be honest, I got really emotional a few weeks ago, had about 12 mental breakdowns, & decided FUCK JAPAN, I'M GOING HOME, however, that did not actually happen as I am the definition of TROOPER (which doesn't always work in my favor, mind you), but I'm gonna stick it out for another semester blah blah blah. In spite of the fact that I feel like this is all a HUGE waste of time, but I really doubt you want to hear about my emotions or personal thoughts or any of that (as most people don't particularly care to in this kind of forum), so I will... abandon that tangent that I was about to go into.

Anyway. I'll make an informative list instead. People like lists.

Since I'm feeling really enthusiastic about America lately, I'm going to make a contrastive list about the things I like & dislike about Japan & America. I'm sure you're all very excited about this.

AMERICA

+ Fast food. You have no idea how often I find myself craving Taco Bell, Sonic, In-N-Out, etc. all of the time here. & there are McDonald's in Japan, buuuuuuut they are few & far between. Not nearly as populous as in the States. I never thought I would actually be enthusiastic about fast food.
+ Friendliness. Japan is known for being "polite," but not friendly. Because of this, it's nearly impossible for me to make friends here because I'm already considered the shy one in America. Being in a country full of other shy people is not conducive to making friends.
+ Bank hours/24 hour ATMS. Banks close here at 3pm on weekdays & good luck if you want to find one on the weekend. Also, ATMs start charging you an extra fee for after hours usage & on Sunday a lot of them close down except the major ones. Why? Sorry, you can't have money. Thank god for America's guarantee of convenience.
+ DRIVING. Oh my god, I miss driving. That is all.
+ Cheaper things. Exchange rate here is jacked. :< The dollar is weak as hell & I miss my very cheap China-made things that I can buy for less than $5 at Wal-Mart. Also, clothes in the States are MUCH cheaper. I can't imagine how much money the girls here must spend on their wardrobes. D:
+ Pharmacies/obtaining prescriptions. I didn't appreciate this until I came to Japan & had to jump through about a billion hoops to get my medication. In Japan, if you're on what is considered "elective" medication (as I am), you have to go to the doctor EVERY TIME for refills. Inconvenient. You then have to wait in the waiting room (sometimes for TWO hours), talk to the doctor, & then pay $15 for the visit. Then you go to the pharmacy & pick up your $30 prescription. In America, there's no middle man. I just pay my money & get my prescription.

+ House parties. These do not exist in Japan. People regard their homes as a very personal space & don't often welcome people inside for entertaining. In the States, we just wanna party.

JAPAN

+ Less crime. As in pretty much no crime. I turn on the TV in America every day & hear something about someone getting killed or something tragic happening. Doesn't happen terribly often in Japan.
+ People actually caring about their wardrobe. Not something I see too much of in the States. People here enjoy dressing nice & it makes it easier to look at people.
+ Fewer fat people. Also something that makes my eyes happy.
+ Healthier food. No wonder why people here live longer. Our diets in the States are riddled with grease & trans fats & everything bad for you. Here... well, not nearly as popular.

+ Trains. I have a love/hate relationship with trains. I like them because they are nearly everywhere & if I'm ever lost I am immediately unlost once I find a train station. They are also not terribly expensive & rather convenient. Although, the 1hr commute I have to go through in the morning & evenings is not something I really love... more of a hate, but I appreciate the convenience of the trains nonetheless.

+ Vending machines. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE & I am happy. Need a drink? You can find one about every block or so.
+ Politeness. I appreciate this, but I wish people could be polite & friendly. I feel Americans are generally considered rude & sometimes I agree with this, but people here seem to go out of their way to be polite. Even if it is fake...

+ Health care system. I pay the equivalent of $25 a month for health insurance. Doctor's visits are $15. In the US, my dad pays hundreds of dollars for health insurance & my doctor's visits cost upwards of $30. Both countries are equally industrialized & generally treat conditions in the same manner. In America, you're paying more for the same thing. Yeah, I'd much rather get sick in Japan.

List isn't comprehensive, but you get the idea. I've been making a mental list in my head for a bit now. Probably should've remembered more of what I came up with...

Anyway, I miss home, & I want to come back, but I feel like I haven't absorbed enough of this experience... & I know I haven't. I'm trying really hard to get past this mental mess that's holding me back, but things are always harder than they should be.

Miss ya'll. Maybe I won't forget about this so bad next time...