I had the sudden realization today that I will not once during my twenty-third year of life set foot in my native country. The thought crept up on me, struck me unawares. I don't know how to feel about this. A whole year in a foreign country, on foreign soil. A whole year outside of my homeland. An entire, consecutive year consumed by Japan. All the years from 1 to 22 were spent in the United States--over half of those in Iowa. Then all of a sudden year 23 and parts of year 22 and 24 are in this totally different, often bizarre environment. I don't really know if this thought is extraordinarily significant or not. It really surprised me, though.
Sometimes I have a vague suspicion that my body knows its in unknown territory and is silently rebelling. My stomach definitely talks more in Japan. I don't know if that's because I generally eat less food here or because my stomach is revolting against seaweed, konyaku and miso shiro. If I were my stomach, I'd revolt too. That stuff doesn't qualify as food in my book. |
Name: Ruthie