The one-month mark.

As of yesterday, the first, I've been here for a month. Is that really possible? It's gone so, so fast (as has each individual week within it) that it is hard to believe.
At the same time though, some things have become so familiar that it's almost slightly strange that it's only been a month. For a while, of course, when you go somewhere new, you're very conscious of everything, but now, for example, I don't think about coming home to my room here. I think about other things when I'm climbing the stairs, unlocking the door, and so on. It's become natural. I used to be always somewhat self-conscious in public: worried that I'd commit some kind of faux pas or just conscious of my visually obvious gaikokujin-ness. But now, I was reflecting yesterday while walking around a convenience store... Although I still think about these things somewhat, it's very different. It's less conscious, and rather than as a topic or issue in itself, it's more like something I consider as a factor in how to do things.
And more strangely than anything... It's sort of hard to believe that it's all so new. Japan is very different from the US in so many little everyday ways. Crosswalks look different. People use sidewalks differently. So, though the Japanese girl accompanying me didn't really understand why, I was just staring out the window of the cab taking me to the dorm, because everything was new and different and un-experienced. Now, what I want to say is, it's a little bit hard to believe that this hasn't always been with me. It's a little hard to remember what it was like in my head a month ago, never having been here, though having spent much time talking with Japanese
One month. Holy cats. It's also a little scary in that that means, I guess, that there are only nine months left. XD+ I've had "ten months" in my head for so long, told it to so many people again and again... It's quite shocking to now see something smaller than that. Really? have I really already been here for one tenth of my ten months?

On another note, I haven't listened to This American Life (my favorite radio program which I normally listen to religiously) in weeks. I suppose that if anything can show that my life has been both busy and radically different for the last month, it's that.

Tomorrow is a national holiday, and for that reason there are no classes, and for that reason many friends are going out... But I've already attended parties the last three consecutive nights, and for that reason I've decided to take a night to rest. XD+ The thing about clubbing here is that you can't just go out and come back at two or three; you have to stay all night, since the trains stop shortly after midnight, which means tomorrow is pretty much shot too, and I should really use tomorrow to get various things done.

Related, of course, the Chabashira Halloween party was yesterday. Long party was looong (liek, eight hours), but quite fun, and I had a lot of fun doing more Ranger antics in my costume and chatting with everyone. It's strange to say this, since a month ago I'd never really danced at a party in my life, but I found myself a little disappointed that the Japanese students wouldn't

Our (Japaenese 5's) first speech in Japanese (about the US [my country's] educational system) is on Thursday. I wrote the first draft, got feedback and corrections from sensei, and now I need to revise and practice it. If I'm not too lazy, hopefully I'll do the revising part after writing this. First papers for External Relations and Special Relay Lectures are also due Thursday. They're pretty short, though... It's just a matter of sitting myself down and making myself work through them. I might post the script of my speech here, after I've given it.
Okay, time to get to work!