I love Japan

One of the best parts about Japan is it's so SAFE. On the main part of the busiest street in Oita this guy was passed out with his phone resting on his ear, obviously in the middle of talking with somebody when he lost consciousness. If this were anywhere else, he'd have been robbed of everything worth taking.

On the same night I walked past people taking naps by the coin lockers of the train station, in the covered mall, and in the middle of the bar district. Ya gotta love Japan.

This past Saturday was one of those rare nights I went out drinking in Oita City. Cool Bananas was having a Traffic Light party that seemed worth checking out and a friend offered to let me stay at her house so it was all set! What's a Traffic Light party? Wearing green means you're looking, yellow means great if something turns up but not really looking, and red means "no thanks". So of course I wore green.

There was such potential for disaster. After a three-year relationship my ex and I broke up a few months ago. And who did I see as soon as I walked in? I got a tug on my arm leading me outside and a plea to pretend like we don't know each other. It wasn't hard to figure out the new boyfriend was there, too. So we stayed away from each other and stuck to opposite sides of the club.

I ran into all kinds of people I hadn't seen in ages. Someone gave me a strong hug from behind that lifted me off the ground, and when I turned around it was my old roommate! I didn't have a place to live when I first moved to Japan and had to live with a Korean guy for a few months. I assumed he'd moved back to Korea after all these years but he's still here and got a job in Beppu!

During a break from dancing I ended up next to a girl and thought, "Her name is Naomi and we haven't seen each other in five years. But how do I know her?" She recognized me and we were both shocked to suddenly see each other after all this time, but I still haven't figured out how we know each other. I didn't have the nerve to just come out and say I don't remember a thing about her.

Sometime around 4am I was introduced to a guy who started complaining about the relationship he's in. He's dating someone Japanese and apparently they're going through all kinds of cultural differences and constantly fighting. After hearing a few stories I could totally relate to everything he said. Then it occurred to me, this is the new boyfriend! Well wouldn't you know it turns out they'd been dating for a year and a half. Which means that for half of the time we were together, I was being cheated on. Which I kind of already figured and for my own sense of well-being it was finally nice to have proof.

It did cross my mind to go ahead and say all kinds of terrible things to ruin their relationship, but that would just be spiteful and mean. So I just let it go. Things are over and done with and no business of mine anymore.

It was a good night. Saw old friends, got some sense of closure, felt great dancing. What a nice weekend.