Well, Mom just got back from San Leandro two hours ago. She described a small feeling, unlike that of culture shock, when flying from Cali to Japan and vice versa, noting differences like the quality of clean streets to the attitudes of the locals. It seemed to be a huge relief for her to fly from San Fran to Kansai, Japan, and stepping into a clean airport with lovely Japanese attendants who are just the sweetest people when helping you. I wonder if I'll get that feeling, flying to Cali.

I love Japan's culture. Coming from an American one, I notice these little things like heightened politeness, mannerisms, respect, etc. People never flick you fingers on the road, no matter how crazy they may drive here. Every time you enter a shop, the store keepers always meet you with "irasshaimase" as a cutomary greeting. Japanese have this high regard for customer service. Once, we were held back before a flight and had gotten lost when one of the attendants - in her heels - came by, assessed our situation, and then ran across the airport to get what we needed in order to board, plus showing us the way to the gate from which we were to depart. All through it, she was so patient and so very hospitable; so different from the type we've gotten in the US. Their attitudes during their jobs are very effective; Americans ought to take some lessons. They can be so precise and professional for the smallest things. You see it in the way they keep up their shops, as small as they may seem. Even the crowded neighbourhoods are very neat and orderly. One would think that it wouldn't be safe for a 6 year old to be walking around at dark. Here, you see a number of kids doing that. Crossing the street, they're taught to raise a hand to notify motorists who usually have no problem with road courtesies. It's fun and relieving to be able to go outside at night and hang around the local playgrounds (which tend to beat anything most public State-side parks may offer - three-story tall slides!). Yes, I love living overseas. I'll miss it when I have to move in two-years time.

Besides, I love driving on the left, since - as the fam likes to say - I'm such a dyslexic, American driver. Meh.

TACers/CA residents out there, just how is the area of Santa Paula and Ventura in general? I know it's some hours from L.A. and the airport, but just how far does the city atmosphere extend toward the college and its surrounding vincity? My curiosity heightened when Mom came back saying she was relieved to be out of California :P I know it might not be that terrible everywhere in the state, but I haven't lived in CA before, and my visits didn't give me much insight.