What I WON'T Miss

In an effort to add some sugar to a bittersweet goodbye, here's a list of things that I will not miss about living in Japan.

• mold growing on everything from floors to backpacks to shoes to wooden coasters to the sprouts indepedently growing from my sponge. It is THAT disgustingly humid.
• huge cockroaches I can do nothing about
• NO CENTRAL HEATING or AC anywhere
• "celebrity status," ie total lack of privacy
• having to be overly-conservative about everything because of the teacher reputation I am expected to uphold
• spending too much time in front of the computer
• waiting for late buses and then getting whiplash from crazy drivers
• not having a car or otherwise any access to good transportation
• the high cost of produce
• pollution and ugly smokestacks in my town
• rough washers and dryers = worn-out clothes
• lack of a "real" bed
• complete lack of the "and on day 7 He rested" concept
• always being the object of a stare
• the ramen truck that blares until 11:30 on Thursday nights
• lack of daylight savings in winter
• lack of regular religious services
• instant coffee