July's 12 on 12

Ok, so I know I am late with this month's version of 12 on 12. Seeing how it will be my last one in Japan, I wanted to do things a bit different. I promised you 24 pictures last month and I planned to have 12 and 12. But I seem to have gone over board on one side and not the other

July's 12 on 12 -

12 things I WILL miss about Japan and 12 things I will NOT miss about Japan (in no particular order). I did not include people as that would eat up all of my available slots

I WILL miss the photo booths here. They are everywhere and once you take the photos you get to decorate them. (Click on the photo to see it bigger.)

These are the photo booths that I WILL miss.

I WILL miss seeing Himeji-jo everyday. Kind of like living at the beach..you get so use to it that once it is gone you forget how great it was.

I (and RJ, Sara & Mitch too) WILL miss the ice cream kids!

I WILL miss seeing my name in print without Christmas after it

I will NOT miss not being able to read a menu. It will be so nice to be literate again!!

I WILL miss seeing the world from a different perspective (notice how the Americas are not on the left center of this map)

I WILL miss my quiet reading place outside of Shogai...On Wednesdays I would arrive early and sit and read outside.

I WILL miss funky looking garages.

I WILL miss kid sized urinals in the ladies bathroom. (no Sara does not use them, RJ just wouldn't pose for me)

I will NOT miss a full size mirror in the shower.

I WILL miss the extra large shower area we have here.

I WILL miss all the crazy drinks they come out with here in Japan. This is Pepsi Blue (Pineapple and Lemon flavor). The kids enjoyed it.

I WILL all the great Japanese cakes. I do not have a sweet tooth therefore I like how less sweet Japanese cakes are.

I WILL miss group exercise...remember the movie Gung Ho anyone?

I WILL miss my wonderful daily bentos.

I will NOT miss Japanese style toilets!!

I will NOT miss crazy English translations albet as funny as they are.

I will NOT miss my desk. I spent way too many hours just sitting here doing nothing.

I will NOT miss rice fields. As fun as it was to watch them plant them and to see how straight the rows are...hello they harbor mosquitoes!!

I WILL miss all the great origami that is made here. My ESS club members made this for me. They used about 200 small pieces of origami paper. I can't wait to hang it in my classroom in Arizona!


I WILL miss Himeji High School's song. The students sing this at all ceremonies and it almost feels like college days at sport event when we would sing the fight song. Luckily one of my teachers gave me a CD with the song on it!!

I will NOT miss the sweat generated during the humid weather. This is my back after ONLY standing in the gym for closing ceremonies. (no AC)

I am sure that as soon as I post this I will think of a few more things that I WILL miss. I can truly say that I have LOVED living in Himeji this year. I wish all of my friends back home could have had the opportunity to visit and see what a truly amazing place Japan really is.