"Home"sick

"Where are you from?" Hmmm. That has got to be THE most difficult question I've had to answer. Unfortunately for me, I have to answer that one quite a lot. As a military brat, I've always wondered if that questioned my nationality, my birthplace, where I spent the most time, or where I graduated high school. It was always awkward, trying to explain to someone who has lived in one state, or worse, one city their whole life. "Ummm, well, I'm Filipino, born in Japan, lived in the Philippines, graduated high school in Japan," and I'd cringe, hoping that reply is sufficient. Occassionaly, I would get the creased forehead and pursed lips, "Uh, okay." But most times, people have been gracious enough to take my answer as it is, or even display interest and ask more questions.

Anyway, up until now, I have been perplexed as to where my hometown is. I've read posts published by a fellow blogger from the Philippines now living in Utah, and her fond memories of her hometown also brought back some great memories of my own. And so I started to wonder if, although I haven't spent much time there, because my roots belong there, that the Philippines would be my hometown.

And then, I started to follow the posts of a blogger from Japan. Reading the entries posted on her site brought back not only great memories, but also a quiet and subtle little heartache. Is this what homesickness is? In total, I have spent the majority of my childhood and teenage years in Japan. I guess it would only make sense.

Below is a picture of the ginza in Sasebo, one of my fave hangouts as a teenager. Every year, the day after New Year's, starting at midnight, the stores open with crazy sales and deals and this mall, which is more than a mile long, is packed to the gills with shoppers.

Anybody who thinks Japanese food is all california rolls, meat smothered in teriyaki and/or soy sauce, and sushi with cream cheese is missing out. Ringer Hut, a restaurant that our family loved to frequent, is near and dear to my heart. My sister and I would always order the sara udon and steaming hot gyoza. We would finish the meal off with a scoop of neon green melon ice cream.

Japanese candy, Kiss Mint gum, Hokka Hokka Tei chicken bento boxes, rest stop beef curry on rice, chicken yakitori sticks, Sanrio products, street vendor hot-roasted chestnuts, and those tiny little table grapes that cost an arm and a half, free and beautiful gift wrapping at the department store. Walking around past midnight and not being afraid for my safety, Valentine's day being a holiday for females to give chocolates to males and not the other way around, bowing to say hello, and asking,"Toire wa doko desu ka?" I miss it all!

This lookout is on top of Mt. Yumihari in Sasebo. My friends and I would climb atop the structure and just hang out there.

The thing that breaks my heart...it is SO expensive to finance a trip to Japan, I wonder if I'll ever be able to show my kids where I grew up. One of these days...