Home Sweet Home?

Current location: Los Angeles, CA, USA


I've been 4 days and it still feels weird to be back home.

The first thing I really noticed when I got back was that Americans are pretty rude. Granted, I was in the immigration line when I had this epiphany. The immigration officer in her monotone voice asked me, "Where did you come from?" I replied, "Japan." She briefly looked at me, then stamped my customs form and tossed my passport back at me. Then, while waiting at the baggage claim, the workers were chucking bags marked "fragile" left and right while ignoring the requests of onlookers. They could be disgruntled airport workers or it could be an LA thing. Who knows?

I also saw most of my extended family in a matter of hours after landing. The uncles have a lot more gray hairs than I remember. One cousin is about ready to apply for college. Another one has hit puberty. And the little ones are walking and talking. It's like I entered some time warp. Oddly enough, they really didn't recognize me. (Ok, I did chop off all my hair just before I left Japan and was wearing my Japanesey glasses.)

I walked into Walmart today. I couldn't believe how cheap things were in there. And it threw me for a loop that I was able to understand everything in the store. (Well, almost everything. Need to brush up on my Spanish.) Nobody yelled out "irrashimase." There was no bowing. I even scanned something by the price checker just because I could.

I started driving again. I guess it was like riding a bike all over again. I'm taking baby steps though. I still too chicken to make any left turns and I think the grannys will cut me off. I also got a cell phone again. It looks so prehistoric compared to my Japanese phone. I can't even watch TV on it!

So, I was asked this question. Has America changed? Or did I change? I really can't say.