High on cuteness

As often as the words "I hate Japan" leave my mouth, it's easy to start wondering just what I'm doing here. As previously stated, it's partly because I've become attached to my captors, but that's not the whole explanation. As P put it yesterday, it's about the surface needs and deeper needs.

Japan is very good at making people content on the suface. Everything that surrounds me in my room or at school is decorated with a cute character. As P said matter of factly yesterday, "I mean, how many times a day do I use cute stationery? It's a lot more than the number of times I worry about my freedom." In Japan, we're constantly high on cuteness. There was a study released recently which reported that looking at cute things stimulates the same place in your brain as drugs, alcohol and chocolate do. I think that goes a long way in explaining my current situation.

On the other hand, many of the weightier things that people need to feel fulfilled and satisfied are missing or denied us. For example, it is difficult to stand up for yourself if you are unhappy with a situation. It may be for any number of reasons, from lack of linguistic ability to the fact that your concerns are not taken seriously because you are not considered a part of society. When asking my BOE for help furnishing my apartment (this is done for most JETs anyway), I faced both of these obstacles. I had someone translate a letter for me, but in the end it didn't matter that I was able to communicate in Japanese. The fact of the matter was that I was at the bottom of their list of things to be taken care of because I was only temporary (foreign) employee.

A friend asked me the other night if there was anyting I would miss about Japan when I left. The answer is, of course, yes. There are tons of things. At least some of them are tangible things, so I have a chance of getting them sent to me once I return to the real world. So without further ado, a list (in no particular order) of things about Japan that I will miss.

1. Matcha flavored things, specifically frapuccinos and ice cream.
2. Well-dressed people.
3. They don't speak English.
4. Cute things, specifically Ocha-ken, Monokuroboo, and Chibi gallery monkey.
5. People leave you alone. When I went to America, people were constantly talking to people they didn't know. If I was standing in line to buy something at a store, everyone in line would be talking to eachother about what they were buying, how long the line was, etc. I prefer the quiet of Japan.
6. The ceremony with which some things are done. I'm not talking about opening and closing ceremonies and other trips to unnecessary land. I'm talking about the things in everyday life that the Japanese have raised to an art form, like the tea ceremony or taking an onsen. It sounds so cliched, but when performing these rituals, I am relaxed and calm.