Today, Mrs. Potato Head is riding a rickshaw

Today, Mrs. Potato makes an appearance. She was so forceful in being able to take a rickshaw.

We went to the Edo Tokyo Musuem, which had a lot of cool things. It basically covered history from about Jamon period (which is super, super early japan BC) to postwar Japan. I took a LOT of pictures, but the information was really interesting too. For example, I had no idea that they used to have money storages cause they would run out of gold / silver, so then everything would be screwed up. Also, the influence of literature, such as a story about a woman who threw herself into a volcano, and then people started doing the same. I've heard of similar stuff with the Aokiyama (might be wrong name) forest where lots of people kill themselves every year.

We also had a really, REALLY long Japanese customs  / etiquette lesson yesterday, FOUR HOURS LONG. I will admit, I did learn a little, but after awhile, I just got SUPER annoyed. The anthropologist in me was like "Why do they do all this?" "So what?"... the rest of me was like, "GOD THIS SHIT IS SO UGHHHHH." Plus, the guy at least seemed to have a positive attitude about it. I also learned that all this time I've been holding chopsticks wrong... I'd really like to what HOW I've been holding them, then.

We also found out our host families yesterday... I'm having mixed emotions about mine. Don't get me wrong, I VERY MUCH appreciate the work put into finding these families, and I am sure we weren't easy to match up. However, I only got one thing I really asked for, which is no smoking.. my lungs will thank me later, I'm sure. Othewise, I have a business man dad (which will take some getting used to), a (possibly) stay-at-home mom, and a university student sister.... no pets. short commute. I know I shouldn't bitch about a short commute (36 minutes), but I really wanted one so I would have cheaper stuff overtime (I'm hella poor). I'm also afraid that they won't like me...or I won't have an actual family for a year, because that's what I really want: a family.

I'm also gonna have to get creative, and figure out how to have a "pet" in Japan... or go to lots and lots of cat cafes...

Anywho, I am going to go find some Starbucks. I am hella homesick right now, and I'm pretty sure a super expensive starbucks will make it a little better... at least before FIVE HOURS of more etiquette lessons.