So here I am in a "media cafe" in Osaka, paying 400 yen an hour to use the internet. It's a nice facility, there's a shitload of manga and video games available to the paying customer, and drinks are free. Writing in English on a Japanese keyboard is a pain, though.
Somehow, Matt -- my accomplice -- and I have have survived with only a sample of knowledge of basic Japanese grammar, hiragana and katakana. It should be surprising how much English there is here, but it isn't really since people have told me that there is English here. It's about as abundant as Spanish or French in the U.S.
And now that I've experienced being a foreigner unable to speak the national language, I can more confidently berate Adam when he says "You're in America, speak English!"
Seeing the sights has been fun, but not worth a $1000 ticket or a 14-hour flight, honestly. The best part has probably been going into game stores here and seeing a) games that haven't come out in the US yet and b) seeing games and consoles and accessories that you can't find ANYWHERE in the US sitting out in the open with only a language barrier between them and me. Needless, to say, this has also been the worst experience. I was going to buy a SEGA Saturn and a copy of NiGHTS and Panzer Dragoon and Burning Rangers and other gems... but then I didn't. Life is like that.
I'll write more when I feel like it. Ja.
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