My new aspiration is a sandwich.

I have decided. My new aspiration while in Japan is to be a Teriyaki McBurger.

Let me explain. Just now, I was feeling pretty hungry and it was my lunch break. As much as I wanted to go to the cafeteria and get some actual Japanese food, I was unable to resist the siren call of the McDonald's next door. So, I settled on a compromise.

See, the Japanese have a nifty menu item we don't have in America, and probably never will: The Teriyaki McBurger. Sure, it's American. But it still has that dash of Japanese flavor.

While eating it, I suddenly realized that the Teriyaki Burger was a pretty good metaphor for what I was trying to do here. Because no matter what I do or how long I stay, I'm going to be American at heart. But like the Teriyaki Burger, I might just be able to pick up enough Japanese flavor--in the form of learning the language and the culture-- to be able to get by.

And I suppose that's enough.