Things I've Come To Expect in Japan

When I go shopping, I have to take off my shoes before entering a dressing room.

While I'm changing, a GOOD saleslady will turn my shoes around for me so that when I come out of the dressing room, they are facing ahead and I can just slip them on.

OTHER sales ladies will forsake the shoes altogether and just snicker (or, as on a recent trip to a local store, openly laugh) at me when I go in. I am never sure why. Sometimes the don't stop until I leave the store. Even after I've proved that my rear (snugly) fits into the same jeans as their rears do.

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Small children will stare at me wherever I go.

When I am feeling nice, I will smile at them.


Sometimes I wave.

And if I'm grumpy, I stick out my tongue.

It's funny, though, that no matter which of the three I do, they always huddle closer to their mommies.

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When I go to Daiso (my favorite store) in heels, I can see over the top of all the aisles. Which makes shopping truly convenient. Especially when trying to find friends who I'm shopping with. Or brooms or something.

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The nicest people (consistently) are those who work at Starbucks. Or, at least, I guess those are the ones I see the most. So, maybe that's a bias opinion.

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Telemarketers and street sellers avoid me like the plague. (woo hoo!)

In fact, the look on the door-to-door salesperson's face when the door opens and they see me is PRICELESS...

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When I go to the petrol station, I order legulah gas.

And I am quietly accepting the fact that it will be years before I can order Pizza Hut. Sigh...

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It's just what you come to expect as the norm, I guess. Maybe it's what keeps life interesting. You know, legulah gas and all.

:)wf