I know I must be an outsider

It is hard not to feel like I am an outsider while I am in this country sometimes. There are different customs, I look different than everyone else, and I do not speak the language yet.

One thing I see that is very different though, is that it is hard for me to buy clothes here. For being from America I am kind of thin, but I am about 185 cm tall. The first time I went to a Japanese clothing store, everything I tried on was either too short or too tight for me to wear. This was sad for me because I really like the clothes here but it is difficult for me to find ones that fit me properly.

Shoes are a different story. In American size I wear a 13 and shoes are pretty easy for me to find, but in Japan my shoe size is 31 and it is impossible for me to find any shoes at all. They do not exist here. Lucky for me I brought an extra pair of shoes, I just hope that it will last the whole year that I am here.

It is a little bit off of the subject but I found it interesting that none of the stores in Japan sell American style stick deodorant. Maybe this just means that Americans sweat and stink more than the Japanese do? Good thing I brought a lot of that with me too!