the freshman
journey to japan, round #3 for me, has proven to be the most diverse adventure crammed into a 2 week period than i would have ever anticipated. i have visited with old friends in niigata, made some new ones in kyoto, and now i'm in the mountains in a small city called tsuru, currently home to 10 very rambunctious UC-students (read: loud foreigners), one of whom is my friend ji. admittedly, it was a bit of a culture shock for me... i was prepared to be in j-mode for this trip away, donning certain decorum, and knowingly ignoring other. but i now find myself the oldest and quitest in a group, gone from the college scene and seasoned in a world that hits the pillow before 2am and has very little interest in getting drunk and playing video games with my dorm-mates.
it's great to be with ji and to get her energy and see japan through her experiences; we went to class today and i was floored at her fluent japanese tongue. and we hopped on a train to peer through the thick mist at mount fuji, seeing as she lives practically at the base of the great beast, but the pictures probably will be nothing more than a white backdrop. it's nice to meet her friends and cook sukiyaki and okonomiyaki together, poking chopsticks at the dishes on the floor. but at the same time, i wonder where japan is in all of this, and i have to quietly step back from any inkling of "been there, done that", hush the "do you SEE what's out your back door?!" shouting in my head, and let these kids find it on their own.