Going Home

So Ben and I are going back to the states for a few weeks, for our wedding!
We'll be in the states for most of the month of August. We're really excited about going home. We miss our friends and family. We also miss things...

Here is our top 10 of things we miss here in Japan
10. Chocolate Chip Cookies- I have never been anywhere outside of the US that had chocolate chip cookies (chips ahoy don't count) melted chocolate in a gooey cookie... drool.
9. The Food Network (and really stupid TV in English in general)-All the TV here is in Japanese
8. Good Toothpaste-toothpaste here does nothing, my breath is bad, and my teeth feel (and look) gross, we have tried every imaginable brand here, and even tried the $6 a tube stuff
7. Jokes-Our Japanese is not good enough to understand or tell jokes
6. Cheap Transportation- It costs a minimum of 400 yen per person for us to get out of town and do something, unfortunately that is a huge sum, and really deters us from many of the adventures we want to do.
5. PDA-It is taboo to hold hands here in Japan. Anything more intimate then just holing hands is even more taboo. Ben and I have been to some beautiful places here, and I really just want to hold his hand.
4. Movies-There are no places to rent movies in our city, and the nearest theater to us costs 3200 yen for a couple ($38)
3. Barefoot- I hate wearing shoes, but even in other peoples houses it's really taboo to go barefoot
2. Spicy food- Herbs, salsa, chili peppers, curries, all the food here is pretty much Japanese (or it has been Japanified) it's very flavorful and nice, BUT THEY HAVE NO HERBS.
1. The Rainbow of People- People in America come in every color and shape, I really miss not being pre-judged based on my genetics. I am aware that they are often just trying to be accommodating and polite, but it is a constant reminder that I do not belong.