i think i'm going japanese...

I guess it was bound to happen. After two and a half years in Japan, the mystique that surrounding all things Japan has kinda worn off. While at first I was blogging about new flavours of Fanta, now everytime a new flavour comes out it really surprise or entertain me enough to warrant blogging about it (Though, it may also be because the current Apple flavour doesn't sound as exciting as Cassis or mystery-flavoured Fanta).

But my trip back to Melbourne was exactly what I needed, I think. Time to catch up with friends, and finally notice all the cool things in Melbourne that I took for granted when I was living there. Everyone talks about the interesting alleyway culture in Melbourne, with the hidden bars and cool graffiti, but only now have I ever thought about checking it out a bit more.

What was a little disconcerting though was the realisation I couldn't shake all these habits I formed while in Japan, which, while seem normal in Japan, are probably just plain weird back home. I kept making agreement noises as I nodded and listened to other people talk, which would've pissed me off even more if I was the one listening to it. Even on the train to the city, I immediately went to my phone to switch it to silent, and couldn't believe that people were actually answering their phones and having full-blown, long-winded conversations in the presence of other people. Not that I did anything about it though. I just did the Japanese thing and gave them glancing negatively-approving looks hoping that my passive-agressive irritation was enough to make them stop and feel ashamed at what they had done.

And the worst part? I think Japan has made me all self-conscious going to the toilet. After heading straight to the bathroom after my flight into Sydney, I opened the door to a urinal that I realised I hadn't seen for over two years. It was a group urinal - one that spans the length of a wall, the ones that any number of people can use at the same time as long as they can fit. In Japan I had only seen the urinals which have a set number of urinals to accomodate a certain number of people, which, while not the most private thing in the world, kinda gave the person using it the feeling of privacy. But here, it felt more out in the open, like being on display. Granted, standard peeing etiquette still applies (i.e. choose the urinal/place to go furthest away from those using it, and no talking while peeing), but it just felt strange.

Also, I don't remember the last time I saw toilet cubicles in Japan that had doors that didn't go right to the ground. It must be weird for Japanese people coming to Australia knowing people can see them (or at least, their feet) while they go, especially when they come from a country that has a niche for products like this.

I'm worried what it's going to be like after I come back after three years in Japan if I'm so used to only going to the toilet when no one else can see or hear me go. It must be karma. I really should've showed more empathy to my friends who got stage fright, rather than knocking loudly on the toilet door and commentating on whether they had gone or not.