Gift Exchange

Osaka is really different from Tokyo; it is much more lighthearted and engaging here. Nice. Maybe my experience is different because I've got a native guide in the form of Aki (who swears that his living in the US over the last 6 years has diminished his Japanese so much that he sounds "speakishly disabled" to his fellow Osakans). Well, I'll take his speakish disability any day over my Japanese phrase book fumblishness.

Aki grabbed me from the station and we went straight to his place where his mother and I exchanged gifts. I received a multi day stay at their home complete with awesome food, super friendly doggies (with color coded bows in their hair in case you forget which is which), and full use of their multi lingual son. In return I gave them 5 Korean mandarin oranges and a sea shell from Australia. Ahem... Domo arigato gazaimas!