Japan 2009
Well, it's been a week since I returned from Japan, and I still think it was an amazing trip! Here are a few overall impressions in this final blog entry on the subject.
- I love the juxtaposition of the old and the new in a very cosmopolitan seting.
- I was surprised at how infrequently the gaijin (foreigners) acknowledged each other's presence. Even the other Black folks averted their eyes when we came near (!).
- I did not stand out as much height-wise as I thought I would. Although I did not see anyone taller than me, there is a considerable height variance among Japanese folks, plus there were a bunch of tall Aussies around.
- Although 7 out of 8 days were in Tokyo, we only saw a portion of the city. There are many other neighborhoods we want to visit.
- One can get around the city fairly easily with just a knowledge of English: there are plenty of signs in English, and lots of people speak English too. In order to get around better next time, though, I'm taking Beginning Japanese in fall 2009!
I can hardly wait to return next summer....
Posted by wrjacobs at June 21, 2009 8:28 PM