So tomorrow will be a full week since I've been to Japan. I should be getting shit-housed, right? The old Cal would seem to think so as well, but there a realization occured to me when I flew across the world. I'm starting to think that the "old Cal" is over, and I'm facing a new page of a thing called "maturity." I have yet to desire to drink. It's crazy, it's weird, it's not me, but hear me out on this.
At this command, though I am junior in rank, I'm not junior in age. Though the drinking age in Japan is 20, there are many sailors here who can't even lay claim to that entitlement. From where I stand and seeing where I have been, I do not wish to make the choices they make anymore. Why is this? Many reasons may have a hand in this. For one, I still consider myself "alone" here. I have made many aquaintances here so far, but a connection has yet to be established. Because of my age the seniors in the command have subtly appointed me as a non-official leader I feel, and ringleader of the "better choice." I feel I am making a positive first impression here, and I don't want to destroy that image in my first steps in the door of acceptance.
Second of all, as we all know, alcohol is very fattening which is something I can certainly do without. I view my time in Japan to be taken seriously about my waistline, and thus far I'm on the right track to doing just that. I've had one Miller Light and one glass of sake (not too bad in taste and from what I hear has a high enough alcohol percentage to satisfy any Wisconsinite).
That said, miss a good old bar, and my traditionalist tendencies are forcing me to play the "too proud" card to really venture into a club or Japanese alcohol-serving establishment. On top of not personally observing one, but I have yet to hear of a place that I can just belly-up to and just shoot the shit with someone, like the bar we found in Portsmouth with John, Josh, and Flores.
Earlier I mentioned connections. Here I sit patiently waiting for a former classmate from Portsmouth, Garcia to finally arrive. He is taking his time in getting here, and I don't blame him, but in the meantime I am trying to find my bearings and make my mark. Hopefully with his arrival we can consul in each other, and give each other something that we're looking for. He a guy who he knows, and can attempt to show him the ropes (as much as I know), and me a friend who I know his style without trying to discover it since it was already found so many months ago in Portsmouth.
I know what you all must be thinking, that I'm getting depressed and homesick. That is certainly the farthest thing from the truth. I'm finding something to do everyday. Whether that be finding the barber shop (they are very good, but take FOREVER to complete. At every command the time in accuracy gets longer) or working on my online mandated courses this command expects from me before I can actually start working. There is a decent movie rental place (and as I sorely found out, the release dates in Japan are far later than in the states. For example, Twlight and Gran Torino is still in theaters here), and I can always take comfort in the 24hour gym or rent a kyake.
Tomorrow I get Internet in my room. That will end my days in sitting in this cafe every night after dinner and become more accesible over a larger time from in the day. Knowing this, along with my new "maturity-turning" phase, I have taken a liking to an Uncle Steve-style approch of going to bed early to wake up early. I don't recall staying up past 11 since being here, and I like getting up before 5am. Usually it's lights out by 10:30 at the latest.
Japan is quiet and clean in my observations. Cars are small and compact. Lots of people smoke, but I have yet to stumble on a butt on the ground. For you tobacco lovers a carton of Marlboro Lights is $32 and log of Skoal is $16 on base (chew isn't sold in the community). For you Repubicans there is no sales tax, the price is as-is.
When I was walking down the strip, called the Ginza, with my roommate (he is leaving to go back to San Diego on May 15th) so he could do some souvenier shopping, I felt a little embarrassed not being able to communicate at a level I felt comfortable with. Oh, for you samurai enthusiests out there, samurai swords are outlawed and cannot be bought. I'm sorry, but take comfort knowing that I did look into it.
At this command, though I am junior in rank, I'm not junior in age. Though the drinking age in Japan is 20, there are many sailors here who can't even lay claim to that entitlement. From where I stand and seeing where I have been, I do not wish to make the choices they make anymore. Why is this? Many reasons may have a hand in this. For one, I still consider myself "alone" here. I have made many aquaintances here so far, but a connection has yet to be established. Because of my age the seniors in the command have subtly appointed me as a non-official leader I feel, and ringleader of the "better choice." I feel I am making a positive first impression here, and I don't want to destroy that image in my first steps in the door of acceptance.
Second of all, as we all know, alcohol is very fattening which is something I can certainly do without. I view my time in Japan to be taken seriously about my waistline, and thus far I'm on the right track to doing just that. I've had one Miller Light and one glass of sake (not too bad in taste and from what I hear has a high enough alcohol percentage to satisfy any Wisconsinite).
That said, miss a good old bar, and my traditionalist tendencies are forcing me to play the "too proud" card to really venture into a club or Japanese alcohol-serving establishment. On top of not personally observing one, but I have yet to hear of a place that I can just belly-up to and just shoot the shit with someone, like the bar we found in Portsmouth with John, Josh, and Flores.
Earlier I mentioned connections. Here I sit patiently waiting for a former classmate from Portsmouth, Garcia to finally arrive. He is taking his time in getting here, and I don't blame him, but in the meantime I am trying to find my bearings and make my mark. Hopefully with his arrival we can consul in each other, and give each other something that we're looking for. He a guy who he knows, and can attempt to show him the ropes (as much as I know), and me a friend who I know his style without trying to discover it since it was already found so many months ago in Portsmouth.
I know what you all must be thinking, that I'm getting depressed and homesick. That is certainly the farthest thing from the truth. I'm finding something to do everyday. Whether that be finding the barber shop (they are very good, but take FOREVER to complete. At every command the time in accuracy gets longer) or working on my online mandated courses this command expects from me before I can actually start working. There is a decent movie rental place (and as I sorely found out, the release dates in Japan are far later than in the states. For example, Twlight and Gran Torino is still in theaters here), and I can always take comfort in the 24hour gym or rent a kyake.
Tomorrow I get Internet in my room. That will end my days in sitting in this cafe every night after dinner and become more accesible over a larger time from in the day. Knowing this, along with my new "maturity-turning" phase, I have taken a liking to an Uncle Steve-style approch of going to bed early to wake up early. I don't recall staying up past 11 since being here, and I like getting up before 5am. Usually it's lights out by 10:30 at the latest.
Japan is quiet and clean in my observations. Cars are small and compact. Lots of people smoke, but I have yet to stumble on a butt on the ground. For you tobacco lovers a carton of Marlboro Lights is $32 and log of Skoal is $16 on base (chew isn't sold in the community). For you Repubicans there is no sales tax, the price is as-is.
When I was walking down the strip, called the Ginza, with my roommate (he is leaving to go back to San Diego on May 15th) so he could do some souvenier shopping, I felt a little embarrassed not being able to communicate at a level I felt comfortable with. Oh, for you samurai enthusiests out there, samurai swords are outlawed and cannot be bought. I'm sorry, but take comfort knowing that I did look into it.
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