Feet on the ground

Well I'm in Japan. I landed here last Tuesday (April 17) and have been living out of a hotel room. I'm not sure what to make of everything. I mean it doesn't really feel strange. I feel very comfortable here. I still have a lot to learn in terms of language and I'm sure I've made some mistakes with customs and behaviour, but I'm managing and not getting too many staring looks. I'm getting around ok. I've even squeezed into a couple very full trains already. My eating isn't quite settled yet, but I have no trouble eating big lunches. Dinner is a bit strange since most people eat dinner socially and I still feel a bit odd eating by myself at dinner time. I did discover a sushi box shop at Tsurumi station today. I think I just need to get over the fact of eating take out food in my hotel room. I am walking a lot and I'm feeling much more energetic. I think I'm losing weight too.

I've also had some really good times with my friend Chisato. She took me out for a welcome drink and diner at an English Pub in Kawaski which was really nice. We had a very good time with some laughs. We also saw a movie together the other night (Rocky The Final) which was a really good time.

My apartment application is happening slowly. If all goes well I should have a bank account on Wednesday, and be able to move into the apartment on Friday. Fingers crossed. Doesn't give me much time to get a bed, washing machine and refrigerator, but I also have Golden Week to try to take deliveries. I think I will feel so much better once I'm in an apartment, unpacked, and setting up home.

I'm slowly getting my bearings. I'm just wandering on the ground, letting the wind take me where it will. I've already got a little feel on about 6 train stations (I've explored about one per day).

And the wind has been wild this last week. My hair is not behaving at all. Hopefully I can find a way to tame my hair and make it less frizz ball. I'm feeling a bit Phillis Diller. Especially in comparison to all the beautifully sleek and straight haired Japanese women around me. It's funny of all the things I'm worrying about, it's my hair that has my attention. If that is all I really have to worry about, I'd say things are pretty good :)

I've founds so many wonderful little shops and cafes and spots already and I'm certain there are thousands more to discover.

So here I am, in Japan and it already feels very good. Not bad for my first week.

Poem from my past

So I was cleaning my house, organizing, digging, throwing things away. And I found a small pile of papers in a corner. I opened it up and discovered a time capsule from 1999-2000. I'll probably bring them with. But there was a poem in there that I wrote. I want to share it here so that it doesn't get lost.

Green Chai or Black Chai - by Jessica Severin, June 9, 2000

Does it really matter if it's green or black?
Sitting in A Room of One's Own
All I really wanted was to sit and relax
   in the company of other feminists
To feel their energy
To sit and feel
Not necessarily to talk
Just to sit and feel and listen
What a wonderful place to ground
   to sit and read or write
   and enjoy a cup of the Green Goddess
The week is over
It's time to shed the work self
It's time to unwind and relax
Tomorrow is a home day
   a day after an outdoor fun day
   and a day before a back to work day
Amazing what we do to ourselves
How we stress ourselves
   In the name of prosperity
   In the name of greed
   In the name of success
It's amazing to me that others don't see it
Even those in the counter culture aren't totally immune
At the mention of a potential 6 figures
   even their ear's perk up
   and you see a moment of doubt behind their eyes
Why is it so hard to see the trade offs
   to see why I'd rather make 1/3 of what I could
When we don't work so much we have time
   Time to play
   Time to be introspective
   Time to figure out what we want
   Time to figure out what makes us happy
But then there is the risk
   that we'd figure out
      that what makes us happy is
Sitting in A Room of One's Own
In the company of other feminists
relaxing with a cup of the Green Goddess.