a little east of reality?

Anyone's who spent some time living in another country knows it can be a mind-opening experience. And if it isn't at least a little different to home...well what was the point of going?

But anyone who spent some time living in Japan will understand why it qualifies as one of those countries that changes you forever. Japan can seep into your bloodstream without you even noticing, in spite of the fact that you might feel more of a foreigner by the time you leave than when you arrived. I can't count the number of people I know who love Japan, or things Japanese, in spite of spending two or more years agreeing with other foreigners every day or so just how weird it is, haha. So yeah it's East Asia, it's the Far East...and it's definitely a little East of reality, on a good day.

Okay, but why am I calling my blog this when I'm starting it more than a year after getting back from Japan?

Because my interests still lie there, in the music, the TV dramas, the language. Because I still have friends there that I miss, places I'll revisit, bands I will see again. In spite of having a life I enjoy in Australia, the j-world is still in my bloodstream even now, and I always have a holiday to Japan planned in the back of my mind.

I think too that there's a lot now that I think or feel, or remember, that no-one here 'gets' (and by no-one I mean none of my close friends and family). Especially when I first got back, it seemed like they thought I was a little East of reality, too. I'm okay with that now that I've figured out that chatting with the crew (Tetchan, A & jojo, who are all back in the US now and Mari, who is still in Japan) on the net or phone fills the need. Even if we hardly mention Japan it doesn't matter. The point is that when I do there is nothing to explain. They get it.

I guess the point of this first entry is: when you're wondering, 'why is this Australian so into Japan?' Answer: because for three fun years she was IN Japan.

There are other things I could warn you about. But where would be the fun in that?