America desu

I made it safely back to America. I am jet lagged and I'm now fighting a bit of a cold (which I've already given to Rich). I honestly feel overwhelmed and everything is a bit surreal. I think I understand how somebody with ADD feels. It's like America is overstimulating me and I can't focus. Has life in Japan really been slower, quieter, and a bit calmer? I think so. I think the simple fact that I can understand everything that I hear is hard to digest. It's like sensory overload.

The only real opinion I have to relay about my journey is a sad one. Some Americans are really rude. Have Americans forgotten how to be courteous? It began in San Francisco. The flight to San Fran was really good. Only 9 hours and I was around really nice people, including the flight crew. Overall good flight. In San Fran I greeted people, smiled, and was really polite only to be treated like I was invisible. A bit shocking! I seriously miss the Japanese politeness. It might be a bit fake, but at least greetings and smiles are kindly returned. So in San Fran, I hop a flight to Dallas. I get stuck in the middle seat in the very last row of the plane. I really didn't mind, b/c I just wanted to get home. So two men sit down beside me. The arm rests are up, however I didn't even notice until the really stocky large man next to me starts rubbing up against me and invading my space. As soon as he got up to go to the restroom, I put down the arm rest. He returns and then hogs the arm rest (go figure)! I decided to be friendly and maybe he will be more aware of my space. However conversation was not returned from him and I was flatly ignored. Now on some domestic flights, you have to purchase snacks, $5 for a box of assorted items. I was starving. I had no time between flights to buy food. So I opt for a snack pack. I get one with a nice Parmesan pepper cheese spread, stone wheat crackers, some salami slices, organic applesauce, kettle chips, and milano cookies (didn't eat the chips). The large man next to me orders the snack pack labeled "comfort food" (basically the pack with junk food in it) and a diet coke. Question: Does diet coke negate the bad stuff in the junk food? One cancels out the other???? Anyway I was really happy to get off that flight and be greeted by a very handsome and smiling Rich.

OK, I have more to post, but I'm off to bed again. I leave you with photos (crappy cell phone photos) of one of my favorite JTE's kids. The Friday before I left Japan, Wasa-sensei invited me to her house for dinner. I played with her kids and had a great time. It was nice to be around a family. Her kids are adorable and smart, I got schooled by a 7 year old on some Japanese board game. Her son cracked me up. He continually kept making faces or wearing a mask (that I think resembles Clinton) that he got from the 100 yen shop. Her daughter was cute and wore a little kerchief that I knitted for her. Good times!

Oh and thanks everyone for the e-mails and comments. I really love that so many people have wished me well and have taken the time to write me. It means a lot and I'm sorry that I haven't had time to respond back to you. So thank you! I miss those of you in Japan and I hope to see my state side peeps soon. Take care.