Nighttime rumblings

I had an immense amount of readings last night so was unable to make any posts. Not much really happened yesterday. Things seem to be transitioning into business as usual. Strange as it sounds, I will occasionally forget I am in Japan. I have developed somewhat of a routine much like back at home. Wake up, breakfast, walk to the station, ride the train, transfer, ride the train again, walk to the school, lunch with classmates, back to the dorm, dinner, study, sleep.

I will stand in the train, squished among fellow Asians who seem to want to break the world record each morning for how many they can squeeze into one train car. They could teach clowns and sardines a thing or two. Instead of thinking I am in Japan, I start to wonder about how I am doing in my Japanese class, or if I have enough money to buy lunch at the mall that day, or occasionally thinking Skylar will be waiting for me when I get home. Then the Sky Tree will show up in the distance, or the announcer on the train will inform us of the next stop in Japanese (which I have picked up surprisingly fast without realizing it. つぎは西船橋です。西船橋です。"Next is Nishi Funabashi. Nishi Funabashi." Ah, that's my stop.) and I look up and remember I am in Japan again. It's strange to suddenly feel like this is normal.

And then last night, I was rudely awakened...literally. Officially occurring at 2:22 am, I half-woke up to see the room shaking, feel the bed wobbling, and hear a low but distinct rumble as the building protested the sudden upset of its foundations. I glanced around blearily, figuring out quickly what was happening and wondering for only a moment what I should do. Should I get up? Stay in bed? Get under the desk? As I asked myself this, I heard a few doors open and close out in the hallway. No one came to mine, nor did an alarm sound, nor did anything fall off my furniture. My half-asleep brain concluded from these foggy observations that this must not be a big deal. And I went back to sleep. I woke up to my alarm and thought about how clearly I remember this dream-like occurrence. A quick google search online along with posts from fellow students on FB confirmed that it was not a dream. My first earthquake in Japan. I said this of the tiny one I felt in Texas, and I will say it again. How surreal! I am only glad that no one got hurt and the area does not seem to have suffered any real damage. I just hope that I don't see much worse before I leave.

On a last and totally unrelated note, the rice field has been harvested! Why I was so excited to see this, I don't know.