things i love about japan

{} i can push a button and the bath tub fills, singing a song to me when its ready.

{} i love that its so easy to be eco-friendly in japan — the hybrid cars, recycling, eco-bags for groceries, public transportation, bike-riding, heating one room at a time — all if this is so normal here, everyone just does it.  and i love it.

{} the mainstream style is modest, fun, and flattering, making it a cinch to hide the post-baby pooch.

{} no shoes in the house.  period.  makes cleaning so much easier, and all your shoes are at the door, waiting for you.

{} our suzuki wagon-r! its so tiny and fun, and not a bit more space than we need.

{} i love that the food has such a seasonal rhythm — its given our diet so much more variety, to actually know what is in and out-of-season, and eat accordingly.

{} i love that stepping outside my comfort zone is such a norm for living here.. i hate being bold, but its just part of life in another culture.  i hope it will help me become more comfortable with uncomfortable situations.. “for God has not given us a Spirit of timidity, but of strength, and of discipline, and of power.”

{} THE. SERVICE.  if you’ve ever visited, you need only nod your head.  i’m a little frightened for our short trip home over Christmas and the culture shock i’ll have when ‘served’ (or not-so-much) at American establishments.

{} the japanese value quiet and personal space cultivated via silence, since physical room is hard to come by here.

{} though this also presents some issue, i really enjoy that the Japanese people are so proud to be Japanese. in this election year in America, i think that’s ’nuff said.

{} the smaller portions of food and drink.  starbucks has a short size, which i purchase frequently — just the right amount.

{} in our current city, living so close to the ocean (15 min. walk) and the mountains (20 min drive) — but its just the ocean, NOT the beach!  no swimming, just visual enjoyment.