TOKYO LIFE

お肺よおございますで日本

So i have been living in Japan for a full 3 days now, and I can still say it feels like a dream world which I have not woke up from yet. It is so different from America in every way, and I feel like it is drastically different from Europe too, although I've never been there.

Its a collective culture, as opposed to an individualist culture. Instead of everyone focusing on themselves and their own girls like in the US, people focus on the goals on the community and live life as a group of people helping others.

ex:

1.it is very common to see people wearing hospital masks on their face. it is a way of being courteous if you have a cold by keeping your germs to yourself, or if you want to not get sick in the first place.

2.there are strict rules about garbage. everything must be divided in certain ways. wrappers must be removed of plastic bottles. everyone takes this very seriously. there is absolutely no trash on the ground anywhere. I saw a lady's dog pee on a pole and after it was done she poured her bottle of evian spring water over the pee to wash it off. the subway smells like delicious food from the food stands and restaurants inside as compared to the Philly subway which smells like rotting bodies.

3.Japanese people feel very much a community and family as a whole. Unlike America where all races are common, even minorities. It is not so common to not be Japanese here. Only 1% of the population are foreigners and 1/2 of that 1% are Chinese and Korean. White people are called "gaijin"...which is a slightly derogatory term that translates to strange foreigner.

-----yesterday on the train when me and my roomate kate walked on, these 2 Japanese girls...maybe about 14 years old started laughing at us! They think forigners are funny and strange. We were speaking in English to each other so just to be a smartass/ let the girls know we understand Japanese Kate said to the one "私ぼうしがすきです　which means "i like your hat"...she laughed but said thank you.

-4.Everyone here is so willing to help you. I have yet to come across a person with bad intent...although i'm sure they exist. he other day a car and a biker got in each others way on the road. If this happened in America I can be sure it would result in horns beeping, and curses being yelled out windows. I was in shock to see both the driver and biker give each other a friendly head bow and wave while the biker yelled "sumimasen" (i'm sorry!!/excuse me!!)

the most delicious and healthy food is in Japan! this is why Japan is the least obese country in the nation. Since i've been here my sensitive stomach has not acted up one time! I've felt healthier than ever. I ate a lot of beans,tofu, rice noodles fish and vegatables...I am getting all my essential vitamins and cutting out crap. There is not cheese on barely anything and that is a great help!!

pop culture is weird here. people are especially really kinky and sexual. There are arcades that contain girl only floors and boy only floors. the boy only floors(after i walked around on one for 5 minutes before i realized i was not allowed) have claw machines where you can win posters of anime girls in bikinis or naked....stuff like that. I saw a mouse pad that had an Anime women with big 3D boobs ...weird.

Girls fashion is amazing and completely my style and one of the main reasons I love Japan. They wear crazy bright colored clothes and nails. Kawaii desu ne! (very cute)

Today I am going shopping in the teen fashion district of Harajuku! I cannot waitttttttttttt

I'll write more about my journeys as much as possible!!!

マリッサ