2019年9月20日金曜日 - 
Conner – Going Back Home
This month, I´ll go back to the
United States. Before I go back, I’d like to tell you about some of my favorite
parts of Japan.
The parts that I think will stay
with me are the little things: random smiles from strangers, a warm welcome in
a strange bar, or a toilet seat that raises up on its own. Of course, I’ll
remember the peak experiences, but sometimes the unexpected things are the most
cherished. For example, random conversations with strangers.
Lots of Japanese people have
studied English at one point, but they’re rusty. So, many people are eager to
chat with you. They ask you where you’re from, why you’re here, what you like
about Japan, etc. The interesting part isn’t what we talk about, but where we
talk. People have approached me in the onsen, on the train, it doesn’t
matter. Some conversations really take me by surprise, which is the best part.
I mentioned in a previous blog
that during my first hour in Japan, I was completely and totally lost. The
first guy I asked for directions went well out of his way (literally walked me
to my station) to make sure I got to the right place. Amazing. Unheard of where
I come from. That experience will stay with me for a long time.
Japanese food is also just
incredible. It’s actually difficult to find a bad meal. Even the konbini
food is good. The first month I was here, I ate a lot of konbini food
and didn’t really get tired of it! Most convenience stores in the US just sell
simple stuff like hot dogs and chips. Another thing about konbinis is
that most are open twenty-four hours
a day and seven days a week. Where I come from, only about a
third of the convenience stores are open all night. So Japan is great in that
respect. If you’re hungry at 3 am, you can get a good meal instantly!
So, at the end of the day, what
I’ll remember most are the unexpected spontaneous conversations, kind people,
and the food. I can’t wait to come back.
random：手当たり次第の
strangers：見知らぬ人
peak：絶頂
cherished：大事にする
rusty：鈍くなった
eager to：～に熱心になる
approached：近づいた
literally：文字通り
instantly：すぐに
spontaneous：自発的な