Here is some news: life in Japan is different. No really, it is! So different, that sometimes I have to slap myself in the face a few times to realize that life here is actually real. From going for a pee, to greeting your neighbour, everything here is done differently. This country has rules that you wouldnt even think of in Canada. For example, here are my 2 favourites.　First off, I was always wondering why so many kids were walking back home from school. At around 3:00 in the afternoon, sidewalks are packed with young elementary students in their little navy blue uniforms. Well it's been said to me that no parents are allowed to give their children a ride to or back from school, because appearantly it is unfair for other kids that dont have a ride. But what happens to the kids that live an hour walk away compared to the ones that only need to roll out of bed to get to school? How is that "fair?" Elementary school students are not even allowed to ride their bikes and no schools are ready to make exceptions for different age groups. Another rule that I dont quite understand is that you cant wear a sport watch in public swimming pools, BUT you can wear your locker key around your wrist. And so what is the difference? and should I even dare to ask? Is there even a logical reason behind all of these senseless rules?

It seems to me that everything here is ruled in such a way to control people any way they can, from implementing a silly rule to maintaining their traditions. It is a country made out of boundaries, not only internationally speaking, but emotionally, psychologically and physically. You can't freely express your feelings, you cant state your opinions and P.D.As are frowned upon. Its a culture of restraints. I even had a student friend who asked me once, ''is it not hard for you to breath here?'' And she wasnt referring to the environment. I consider myself lucky to be a foreigner in these parts of the world, because the japanese do not expect me to be like them, so I can act as wildly and openly as when I was in canada. But dont get me wrong, I do have to tone it down a bit because of the respect I have for these people that are not used to a more open-minded carefree atttitude.

So yesterday I tried out this pool for the first time. It took me a while to go, because I was waiting for someone to come with me. It is always intimidating to go to these kinds of places alone. People here stare at you even more when you are only wearing a two piece swim suit; they seem to want to make sure that you have the same body parts as they do . Anyway, it felt great to do something that I was used to do back in Canada. I have never felt so good then after my swim yesterday. Unfortunately, my friend Michelle and I wanted to go back today after work, but the pool is closed until the 15th. Just when I felt so motivated to work out, this had to happen!!

In other news, something that happened last week on my dad's side of the family made me feel very far from home. Two fridays ago, my grand-pa, my dad's father, passed away. I got the news from my mother who called me one late night. I think I was more saddened by the thought that my father and my brother would have really liked me there with them for support. Im usually always present for these kinds of events and I felt like I let my them down. Also, I really didn't know how I was supposed to grieve, and at times it didnt even feel real. Of course, there was no way for me to be there, but it also made me feel really nervous about the thought of having someone else in my family pass away or get really sick while I am so far away. I couldn't bear it if I was here. It would be too hard. So please stay out of trouble while I am in Japan and take care of yourself.

Love you all,
e.