I only had ten minutes of work to do today. I was quite sad to hear that, because I still have to sit in the school from 8:30 to 4:15.

Today's small saving graces are the fuzzy, strawberry-covered lap blanket that I have with me; hot, sweet yuzu-quince tea in the staff room, a good book to read, and the kairo (disposable heating pads) which I have sandwiched around my feet inside my slippers.

I'm reading Japanland- A Year in Search of Wa by Karin Muller. I wasn't sure if I liked it at first, because the Japan she was experiencing was so different from the one I know, but it's turned out to be quite a fascinating book. I giggled today as I read her short description of the Ise Peninsula, an area I live beside. She referred to it as the "remote and rugged Ise Peninsula". I suppose this area would seem quite remote and rugged to someone accustomed to Tokyo. The Japan of Tokyo and rural Japan are two entirely different worlds.

I remember laughing to myself one night as I boarded the Mie Rapid, a train that goes between Mie, the prefecture where I live, and Nagoya, a gorgeous, bustling city in Aichi prefecture. I could tell distinctly that my train was headed for the "inaka" (rural area/countryside).

Gone were the over-the-top hairdos, flawless make-up, designer handbags, expensive shoes and stiletto boots, and the even more expensive suits. The people on my train had basic, sensible hairdos and shoes. They carried tote bags and wore reasonably priced clothes.

I really can't do it justice, the sight of all of us on that train, heading back to our simple lives. I'm not one of the Japanese crowd, but I felt like one of them. As much as I love going to the big city, I know that I don't have the patience or the money to pull off a big city look. I wear shoes that will be comfortable as I walk many miles through a big city, and cram all my belongings into an easy to carry backpack.

I like the slower pace my life has developed as I've lived in a village of 1000 people. I like seeing mountains and rivers everyday, and breathing clean air that smells like pines and Japanese cedars. I've adjusted and come to love my life here in "rugged and remote" Mie prefecture!