Extra Ketchup Kudasai

            Survival instincts tend to kick in after a handful of exhausted hours in a new place, like being transported to the shores of Homo erectus where food—yummy comfort food especially—is never certain. If science is to prove anything, it’s that where generations of a population have adapted to specific food availability, Midwestern individuals, basically, do not. What I would give for Don’s grilled cheese or my dad’s sausage alfredo anything, a side of potatoes, and a reasonable amount of ketchup for any reasonably sized American—which is stereotypically obese by the way, let’s just clear that up. Consider for a moment that large pops at Japanese McDonalds’ are assumed to be shared between two people.

            Or is he smiling because I kept him all to myself?

            And then there’s this shining specialty item that Liz has dubbed double-gaijin-size:

It was definitely shared, but was distinctly lacking ketchup. Seriously Japan, you don’t have to keep condiments out in the lobby if you don’t want to, but don’t think you can replace America’s open ended supply with one measly little packet. Please extra ketchup! Ketchupo oomeni kudasai!

But I haven’t been eating all my meals at fast food chains. Japan has this way of making you feel like you want to be healthy, or at least balanced. Sometimes the only things that taste normal are the vegetables, and that’s OKAY! And the thing with rice is that it does fill you up at the very least. That must be the secret guys, Americans just eat too much of the wrong grain.

So here goes…a quick and dirty tour of my gaijin eating habits, with fewer of my generalizations of our two countries and their food. 

Yuu's mother has made for me many comforting meals, oishii!

Much rice has been consumed since I've come to Japan, but going on my fourth week and I no longer feel ashamed to eat a smaller portion than everyone else. There are times, though, that rice is absolutely necessary, like when it is added to a curry dish, or the only thing you can pick up with your chopsticks. 

            The actual hardest thing to eat with chopsticks is this dish from a Chinese restaurant (distinctly not American style), and fun fact, this was the only dish on the menu that did not contain seafood:

            And finally, where would Japan be without iced milk tea (NEW FAVORITE OMG), and cat-esque donuts? She was as delicious as she was kawaii ^^

* Up next on Gaijin Kid: Japanese TV, or What the actual fuck is happening right now!?, or Accepting that I may never know what is happening right now.