Cye came to visit

A good friend of mine from high school just left this morning to go back to Washington D.C. It was great to see her! It was also fun to remember what it was like during my first days in Japan. Why is it that I can only use cold water to wash my hands after I use the restroom? Why am I constantly tripping up steps? Where's the soap? I'm going to kill myself on the bumps in the middle of the sidewalk. Um, can I have it without the raw egg on top? Smoking outside is illegal?!! Niiiice waaarm potty. Ahh the memories.

I know this experience is one I will always treasure. I know I've learned things that I'm not even aware of and probably won't be until I return. I'm also feeling ready to come home. My contract is up July 10, 2005 and I'm making some pretty hefty plans for the next 3 months. There are a few trips I want to make: 1. To Sapporo to see the ice festival in February 2. To Kyoto in the spring and 3. at least 3 more trips to Tokyo - one likely to be on New Years Eve. I'm wrapping up my time here in the next 7 months, which seems like a long time, but really...it isn't!

Cye arrived on the 20th and we spent a couple of evenings doing what is rather normal for nights out on the weekend. We started at the Lions Head, an "English Pub" in Utsunomiya. There was a rugby game dominating the attention of about 20 drunken British men in town on business for Honda. What was initially a God-Save-the-Queen annoyance soon became a wine induced comedy.

We would normally have hit a club called "Birdland" for a dance or two, but all foreigners were banned that night. I kid you not, the doorman would not let you in unless you were purely Japanese. This is not an uncommon occurance in Japan and one that I still have mixed feelings about. My initial reaction is always full of insult-how unfair-how racist-how ridiculous-comments tossed between myself and the other foreigners I'm with. Sometimes I try to remember that in this culture, I am considered a "guest" and that there are times that I am not invited to the party. It's interesting to contimplate the idea of roaming where one pleases as a human right from a different point of view. It could be argued that the assumption that you are welcome in a bar or restaurant is an arrogant one. I'm used to the idea that my money is just as good as the next persons, that establishments are there to make money and should therefore take mine if I so choose to spend it there. In most cases, the businesses are willing to bow (literally) to the every whim of their customers in order to collect the almighty Yen. It is maddening to be turned away, but in all honesty, I know I'm immensely privileged to be born a white american woman. What do I have to complain about, really. Certainly, the topic is much more complex than this and volumes have been written on racism and discrimination. I do believe all people should be treated equally. I don't mean to excuse any situation where that is not the case. My point? It isn't everyday that a privileged white woman gets a dose of this bitter medicine. In any case, most of the foreigners I know have chosen not to patronize Birdland anymore.

Instead, we went to a very small bar that had a pretty good band singing cover songs. We enjoyed them until around 5am and wandered home. The next night, Cye got her first taste of Japanese Kareoke where I can attest that she did in fact hold the mic a few times. We spent a good day in Asakusa, Tokyo and did some shopping and sight seeing with my friend, Jay. We also went to the Castro of Tokyo and enjoyed a beer outside with some jovial folks. The rest of the week, she traveled around while I worked. She saw Niko, Fuji and some more remote parts of Japan. She came back to a rather quiet weekend in Utsunomiya and we parted ways this morning. It was really great to see her, to catch up, and to share this experience with. I'll post new pictures soon.