One thing I have found difficult in Japan is the lack of coversation. English is not really as common as a second language as it is in a lot of countries; as Japan has quite a big internal economy many businesses don't seem to need to use English as much as in other countries.
Luckily I met up with a work colleague, so we had lots to talk about and lots of gossip to catch up on.
I had a great conversation with a guy from Belgium while I was on the train to Koyasan, but apart from that the only other conversation I had in Japan was with a waitress in an Indian Restaurant. "Suner" had moved over to Tokyo from Nepal with her husband who was studying for a degree in Tokyo. Suner was working days in McDonalds and evenings at the Indian Restaurant. Suner told me she used to be an English teacher in Nepal and she also taught P.T. which made me feel guilty as I stuffed my curry down. Anyway, it was cool that two people from different countries, both feeling slightly alienated in Japan could have a conversation.
