Time and Space in Japan

I can't believe that it's September already. It seems that summer has whizzed right by me. I felt drained during the afternoons on most days and it always seemed that I couldn't get enough water. It still feels that way. I'm behind on my posting and my photos but it seems that while here, I should be doing rather and writing.

The weather here seems a little odd to me. I mean I recall winter ... with snow and that seemed to last only 6 weeks and suddenly it seemed to cold for winter clothes. Then came the buildup and excitement to hanabi season. And that was particulary short this year. I remember that it ended abruptly with strong winds and rains; the next day I walked about Meguro River towards Naka Meguro and the sakura lined riverside seemed sakura-less, bare and empty. However, the rest of the city seemed to come alive in anticipation of all the spring flowers. And then there was the rainy season in May / June. I remember every day being wet and dull. Even that came to an abrupt end about 1.5 weeks ahead of time in July when all of a sudden it seemed to reach 35 degrees C every day. Humidity was high at over 55% and usually hovering at 70+%. Last week, every day rained and temperatures plummetted to only 25 to 28 degrees during the day. (I can't believe I just wrote that last statement --- temperatures plummeted to 28 degrees???). This week's it hovering around 30-ish and there is some rain. But people are already begining to lament the start of the "cold nights". It's 25 degrees out. I walked home from conversation practice last night and my partner thought it might be too cold. Too cold at 25 degrees. I thought it was nice. Actually, back in Canada, 25 degrees C is still too warm for me. Ideal temperatures are about 20-22 degrees for me. But I will wear shorts down to 15 degress C. I wonder if my body has acclimatized to the weather here. Will I be able to bear it this fall?

It seems that time and space are distorted here. Seasons change at an alarmingly sudden pace and space seems, well, much smaller really. I have found some places to go to where there is wider space than other typical Japanese restaurants, but still, there is the space issue. It could almost be another dimension here. The world and the expectations here are just so different.

On Monday, one of my friends went back to their mother country - Canada. It seems that if you make friends with foreigners, you are always saying good-bye. I've said good-bye to others before this, but this one was harder. This one was another Canadian going back home. His was a finite amount of time to spend here in Japan and everyone knew it was coming. And yet when it came, it was still a bit of a surprise. In the upcoming 8 weeks, I think I will have to say good-bye another 3 times. The next one will be hard for me too. I am considering the boycotting of befriending foreigners so that I won't have to go through this exercise every few weeks. But I know I can't do that.

In some ways, time is slower here. Other ways, it is fast. Mostly, I love it here. Despite the close, tight spaces, and compact housing and restaurants, and the weird weather patterns, I have grown to love it here. When the time comes to leave and I return to my big, wide country, I 'm not sure I will know what to do with all that newfound space again. And how do I slow down again to 3 month long seasons?