Too much, too fast.

Where to begin! Well, I've been here in Japan for all of two weeks (I landed on the 10^th?), and it's now the 25^th. I have survived a great many things thus far!

My first day in Mito was a big one. First we went kitchen shopping, then some furniture shopping, had lunch, then went to the grocery store. I didn't think much of it until I remembered something horrifying: Very few of my trusted brands were anywhere to be found. What's more, I'm a voluntary diabetic (which basically translates to I need protein with every meal) and I'm in a land of starch with starch as a side dish, and some actual animal-based protein thrown in for a garnish. I don't do well with a piece of toast for breakfast and nothing else; I will want to kill things within the hour. But after some navigating and recommendations from my sempais, we were ready to check out, and that's where I started to lose it: Did you bring enough reusable bags? No? How many plastic bags will you need? They're 3 Yen a piece. That's not a lot, but I've never shopped before and have no idea how big bags are here, thus how many I need is a huge mystery, plus I need to figure out how to pay when I only have $200 in Yen on me for the week, oh but it's ok I can pay with my American Visa, wait I'm spending how much on food and household cleaning items??? Oh, my God, is that a lot? I have no idea!!!! BREATHE

I made it outside before I needed to cry.

If you've never been on your own or can't think back that far, it's ridiculously overwhelming to fill your kitchen from nothing, especially in a new culture with different food and different grocery store customs and layouts. Sure, my sempais gave me a few items like plates and silverware and a few edible items, as well as some absolutely filthy pots and pans. But I had no way of using these things; I needed kitchen tools! Cutting boards, knives, serving and stirring utensils, sponges and towels! I had none of these things! And I needed actual food!! I couldn't think straight. I had to get food for multiple meals, and the proper ingredients (Curry? Vegetables and meat! Hold up; what vegetables are here and are they expensive? Cereal requires milk but I don't know what milk is like here. Eggs and bacon requires eggs and bacon and maybe some oil and seasoning... Ok that's easy enough. Want some fruit? How quickly will you eat it? Do you really need that item right now or can it wait a week? Meanwhile, keep the size of your fridge, kitchen, and cooking surface in mind!!!!).

I've been here two weeks and I still have not acquired butter, for example. It's taken me three trips to the grocery store to find it (and when I did find it I felt like an idiot). Did I buy any? No. Why? Because I don't know which brands are actual butter and which ones are yellow plastic.

And for all of that, I still don't have a bed that I'm not borrowing, or proper shelving because I had to browse before I could commit to anything. Hopefully sempai can help me with that this week or next. I also don't have curtains yet, or a footstool to reach my overhead cabinets, but I can go get the foot stool this weekend now that I found one within walking distance and have money. :D