Paradox

Japan is a really really really *really* clean place. Like seriously, even the Chinatown is a clean place (and I can say this, after having been to china as well as several chinatowns in the states. They're all gross. Like, five-second-rule-does-not-apply-here gross). But after five years, Tokyo is still really clean, despite the insane number of vending machines.

More surprising is the extreme lack of garbage cans. In the USA, garbage cans are *everywhere* and the floors are still littered with gum, cigarette butts, and people's garbage. But here, you don't find that. You do find some recycle bins for cans and bottles close to some vending machines, yes. But zero trash cans. I searched the whole floor here, and the closest trash can someone could direct me to was the one inside my room. Craziness. It's driving me sort of insane already haha, not being able to find a trash can anywhere! I heard though, that Japanese trash is a crazy sort of nightmare for foreigners on its own; trash is separated into 3 or 4+ categories, including burnables, non-burnables, glass, cans, and bottles. Already, I'm like yikes. That's going to be fun.

I swear I will get pictures up eventually. Unfortunately, I don't really have any of when we first arrived in Tokyo (felt too hot and sweaty to worry about taking pictures) or the bus ride over (slept most the way over and left my camera in my purse, which was stowed underneath the bus since my purse was really a huge tote) or food (still too sweaty feeling and hungry). But I will have some later! We went to this fun j-fast food place that had *buris and curry. I got this tomahambagu, which was a hamburger in this tomato garlic sauce stuff with a poached egg, soup, rice, and salad. It was a looot of food. Very tasty though.

Anyways, orientation early tomorrow morning! Time to actually go to sleep. :)