just what the isha ordered

Yes, yes it is! It is Mighty-Mo surrounded by familiar, happy, foreign faces! Praise and rejoice! That little Catholic school built on a hill sent me some saints! And they brought goodies, lots and lots of goodies. I got three (count em' three!) jars of skippy super chunk! Three boxes of quaker oats chewy granola bars, great gifts from all - and a boatload of awesome music (Oh, that Angie put a muppets song as the first track to a feminist rock mix, just gave me orgasmic, stomach-shaking, eyes watering laughter! Angie you are the "fiesta" in my manifesta!) Angie also brought me a copy of the Amy Richards-Jennifer Baumgardener presents I missed. To those who were there: Did anyone else notice that, for a presentation on feminist issues, out of the five or six comments made only one was made by a woman? I'm not connoting negative or positive implications, simply an observation.
I actually felt like I knew "shit from shinola" when I met with the kids. 14 eyes, the sizes of dinnerplates all gazed unknowingly to me for advice - and I think I may have actually been a little helpful (maybe?) which is a feeling I haven't had in WEEKS! It made me reminisce about my arrival. (Was that seriously six weeks ago? No way!) And it also made me realize that not just anyone can do what it is that they are doing, or what I am doing for that matter. It's really difficult to travel to a foreign culture knowing nothing. They should be applauded, it can be really scary when you are new. I never think of myself as "fearless" but I can honestly say that I slept pretty soundly my first night in Japan. Am I brave or ignorant?
What's really kooky, is that I felt more "Japanese" suddenly when I was in the presence of Americans. Little things, subtle communication tricks that I almost can't define. This group is going to do really well, but we Americans (myself totally included) are so oblivious to the intricacies of Japanese culture when we first arrive - it boggles the mind to consider the unconscious modifications I have made to my behavior in gradual acclimation. Morose, it leaves me awe struck when I consider the depths to which I must inevitable still venture to truly communicate fluidly within the Japanese culture.