#allthesefunnythings

Living in Japan...I live in the ruralish area so my experience is different than if I lived in the city. Also, before I moved to Japan, I already knew a fair amount of Japanese and it's culture. 

I suppose so negatives are: Everyone thinks they can just come up to you and talk, feeling like everyone is looking at you (even when they're not), feeling like your being treated like a child (because of linguistic differences) and not knowing the deeper culture. *To me culture shock and homesickness are a given to any move to a foreign country 

The positives! The trains are beyond amazing and although it can be expensive to travel it's really not that bad (when compared to America), the food is beyond fresh and the fish is heavenly, almost everyone is super nice and willing to help you, limited edition items during every season (super important for me from coming from Florida the state with one season-summer) and just being able to see the world in a completely different way. 

I suppose it's different for everyone but I grew up when anime wasn't 'cool' and I got teased for learning Hiragana. I feels like being here that I have finally found out that 'Yes, there is a world beyond America'. Like I said, I think a lot of my experiences and just changes in view have come from being only exposed to one culture. Europe to me is so different and just...you don't grow up feeling like you live on your own planet.

Is that true? I'd LOVE to hear your take on all this. Or if you have any specific questions about Japan. 

Thanks for listening to me ramble. I really could go on forever about this sort of thing.