I don't mean to rub it in, but...

There's a lot I'm missing out on back in America these days.  Weddings, summer break, being in an English-speaking country....  It's easy to get discouraged by all the things I can't do because of where I am.  But then I have to stop and remind myself that I live in Japan.  I actually live in Japan.  That's awesome.  Yes, I am missing America a bit, but there is a ton of stuff here that I wouldn't get to experience otherwise.  So, here's a list, mostly to remind myself how good I have it here, but maybe a little bit to make you jealous too.

• Sushi.  And food here in general.  It's cheap, authentic, and delicious.  And I'm hungry right now so I'm going to mention it first.  Sure, I'm dying for a decent burrito, slice of pizza, or piece of lasagna, but I do get to go out fairly often for sushi, ramen, katsudon, curry, okonomiyaki, yaki niku, .... You get the idea.
• Kendo.  I've written aobut this a bit recently, so I won't harp too much on it now.  I'll just say that it is something I hope to continue even after I return home, and I never would have started if I hadn't been here.
• Safety.  I've never once been worried about safety here.  You know those times when you can't remember whether or not you locked the front door or shut all the windows before going out?  It's ok, it's Japan; nothing to worry about.  Out late, in a new city after dark, walking down a poorly lit street?  It's all good.
• Japanese kids.  Sure, kids will be kids wherever you go, but the kids here are given more responsibilities and act with greater respect (as long as a Japanese adult is in the room) than kids I knew in the States.  
• Sakura.  Even though the cherry blossom season ended a while back, I still have the memories and photos.  I live out in the sticks, and it is gorgeous here.
• Perspective.  My family and education got me started in the right direction with the beginning of a global perspective, but there's nothing like being a foreigner for months on end to give you an appreciation for being "other" and all that entails.
• Trains.  I do miss driving from time to time, but public transportation is so convenient here.  And trains are fun too!

This is by no means an all-inclusive list of all the good things going on here.  There's lots of stuff like spending time with friends and playing games that I enjoy too. But the things mentioned here are things that I never would have gotten if I hadn't come over here.  Well, I think I hear the local ramen shop beckoning...