Well, this is where I am. 10 months done and 2 left to go. Suddenly it all seems to have passed by quickly. Funny how time does that.And the weather. It does that too. Suddenly it's 30 degrees, sunshine, beer and BBQ weather. It seems like forever ago that I was walking on 2 inches of ice, bundling up in all my clothes and shivering the nights away whilst the heater simply spewed fumes. Now there is far far more murbling going on...
The shoe in Japan is also better in the summer. Before I came i knew about the shoe thing but didn't think anything of it really. Ok, so you take your shoes on and off a lot...that's all well and good....
Until you realise you need shoes for everywhere. I got to school and was told to get indoor shoes...until then I could wear the delightful slippers reserved for guests...needless to say I went and purchased new shoes that same day ( I don't want to think about how many feet have been in those slippers). All was good until winter when you can no longer wear the easy to take on and off shoes but instead have boots and laces and stuff to fiddle about with....I realised that not only did I have to leave my house early to catch the snail tin (public transport) but I had to leave extra early just so that i would have time to do the shoe thing before the bell went for morning staff meeting. I was not impressed to have to get out of bed early just so i could change my shoes. But, once again all is well.
Now, the other thing that was just odd was the concept of toilet slippers. Yes, in restaurants,onsens etc one is forced to put on a pair of toilet slippers (once again I don't want to know how many people have worn them)...thing is, they're quite comfortable and I must learn to remember to leave the toilet slippers outside the toilet ready for the next person and not wander off in them....I think I'm going to miss them when I go home.
