I'm thankful for wine.....and Jenny.

Last night was American and Japanese Thanksgiving so we had a day off. As it turns out though Japanese people don’t do any of the traditional Thanksgiving stuff like back in North America, but rather they all just go shopping. Feeling a little homesick lately, Jenny and I decided that we would not follow the Japanese way, but would rather organize our own little Thanksgiving feast and invite people from nearby to her place for dinner, which we were going to cook (I was a little scared – cooking utensils tend to hiss at me as I walk by. They know I don’t like them and they sure as hell don’t like me.)

I should point out that lately I’ve been spending most of my free time in Shimabara with Jenny, who’s from Detroit. I find it amusing that we are actually so different and likely would not have become friends had we met in North America, but ironically get along really well. In case you’re wondering why I say we wouldn’t have become friends back home, let me just explain that Jenny is that all-American, freshly pretty, popular, I-dated-the-captain-of-the-Football-team type girl. At least seemingly. As for me, well I think that bringing up whips, chains, gay porn and drug experimentation is perfectly normal and acceptable in everyday conversation while on the other hand saying things like “I love you, friend” makes me incredibly ill to my stomach. When we first met I think I frequently scared Jenny, but she eventually got over it. Not that she has much choice – we can’t stand a lot of people around here, and the ones that we do like are currently busy with other things. I have managed to corrupt Jenny a little though, as I so often tend to do with nice, sweet, wholesome people, and I swear she’s more sarcastic than I am now sometimes. To her credit however, I think it might be working the other way around as well, as I sat through her saying grace and even gave thanks last night (albeit with an eye twitch). Yeah, it was a stretch, and physically painful for me, but I did it. Hey Jeebus, that’s gotta count for somethin’ right?

Anyway, we had this whole dinner planned but people all had plans already and a lot of people from further away were too broke to make it here so it ended up being just the two of us. We made the best of it though and ended up having a pretty nice night.

It’s really cold here now as well, I must point out since there is no central heating. As a result I try not to sleep alone as much as possible. I love human body heat. That is another big factor in bonding with Jenny as well, come to think of it. Survival is a powerful motivator, my friends and while Jenny and I tried to be strong and reserved at first, we have now discarded normal standards of personal space and comfort and frequently huddle together beside a small stove shuddering and holding each other in a desperate attempt to stay warm. There is no heating in our schools either. Even though it’s not so cold outside, it’s still too cold for my sensitive self. It’s positively torturous when you’re sitting indoors and it’s the same temperature as outside and you feel like you need gloves just so that your hands don’t cramp at the keyboard. If I could, I’d carry a large electric blanket with me everywhere. As it is I just stand really close to people. Ah well, they already think I’m weird, why not just add to the pile of evidence? It’s worth it for that extra kilojoule of heat, and the uncomfortable facial expressions provide me with hours of fun. Hey I don’t have access to gay porn anymore – I gotta amuse myself somehow.