Today was a hot day. WAS A HOT DAY. I even had to turn on air conditioner in my bedroom, so i could cool off a little bit, because it was a torture already. We went to Tokyo today and it was even worse, since it's just concrete everywhere and the place where the embassy is, is pretty far from the sea, so it's bad... But i survived!
We didn't do anything special today, but visiting Tokyo sure was a nice experience for me. It brought so many memories back and it made me think of so many things! I got the chance to talk to people, that i've seen one year back and it was really nice! We also came at the right time (well maybe not the time, but definitely the right day), because they were having a small event at the embassy. 4 short documentary movies about Lithuania were shown, so we helped out a little bit with the reception and drinks. Just like old days...
We had some free time between our visit and the event, so we went for a walk in Azabu-Juuban and it was just like i've never left Japan!!! I felt so natural and normal there... The soy cafe, which opened last year, when i was working, was still there, so we had lunch and were just chatting for couple of hours. I still knew the streets and the shops, luckily not much has changed, so i really felt at home. I bought a nice dress at one shop, where i bought one dress last year, so it's something like my tradition already. That means, i just have to come back to Tokyo next year and the year
after and every year for the rest of my life and at this point i kinda think, it would be easier if i just lived here. There are many many things that i don't understand and cannot understand in Japanese culture, there are many things that i don't agree to, but despite all the negative stuff, there's so much of positive and appealing things and i feel really well being here.
The embassy was really so nice! Even though Gabija's perfume were choking me and that brought lots of bad memories, which kinda spoiled the whole fun, but it's a long story. Anyway, i try concentrating on positive things, right? I was just shining at the embassy! I was just helping out and acting as if i would still work there and it kinda gave me the feeling, that i have places were i belong and feel welcomed. That's a nice feeling - it gives u confidence and security.
I contacted one of friends in Tokyo as well, because i want to meet them in September, when i'm staying in Tokyo for couple of days, and his message totally warmed me up, i was smiling the whole evening because of that and i felt really touched. He didn't say welcome to Japan (ようこそ) or have a nice visit or anything like that, instead he said: welcome BACK (おかえり), it's rather an expression you use when someone comes back to one's own place, like for example, when somebody comes back home, you also greet them by saying: okaeri. That made me really overjoyed... But also a little bit confused. Because i started thinking, what is so wrong with the country i was born in, that i never get the feeling i wanna go back, or when i go back, i never feel welcomed and nice, i always feel like a stranger and never like i'm at home!
On our way back to Yokohama, i experienced japanese rudeness for the first time. We were talking to Natsuko in english in the subway and then some japanese man told in pretty rough english: BE QUIET. 5 times. Wasn't very polite, taking in consideration the fact, that there were other people all around us, who were talking in japanese just as loud as we were talking in english, but i guess english offended him a little bit, or the fact, that we're having fun and laughing - i don't know why we got that kinda reaction, but we did. And even as we kept on whispering, he repeated 2 more times "be quiet". Natsuko apologized and went silent for a while, and i really don't wanna cause her any trouble, but as i told her as well, i like treating all people equally, so i like being treated equally as well. If he would have told that to everyone who was talking, it wouldn't have been a problem for me, but the way he did that and the fact that he told that just for us, offended me a little bit. I think he was rude... But maybe he was drunk, who knows. It would have been interesting to ask him, why he did that. But it's too late now.
The days pass by and with every day i start speaking japanese more and more, today i even did the unbelievable - i talked in japanese with Natsuko a tiny bit, although normally i always use english with her. But i speak japanese to her mom a little bit and i had to speak some japanese in the embassy, of course it's not much and i should do way more, but it's just second day, so i'm not pushing myself to hard. Besides, when i start working from next week, there's not gonna be anyone who can speak english around me, so i'll just HAVE to switch to japanese completely (which is good). I'm still looking for a Wwoof host in Kansai area, so i hope i could find someone quick.
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