Must be that the time has escaped me since the last post was now over a year ago. Not that there wasn't anything to write about, on the contrary, but once you get into the I'll-do-it-tomorrow thinking mode, there's no end to it, and before you know it, a year has gone by. 

Even now was hard to get it on here, and I must say, Ian's mom was in the back of my mind pushing me, so here's one for you, Mrs. R., I hope it's not a disappointment ;)

So how was the past year?
Overall, very similar to the first year. Daily going to the dojo, training in the morning, working in the afternoon, tomorrow rinse, repeat.
Of course, as anywhere where you spend more time living, the circle of people you know and the experiences you go through widens through training, different jobs, traveling, getting more familiar with the surroundings and the culture.

Even after two years spent in Japan it is hard for me to define in one sentence how are things in Japan, what people often ask me.  Mostly it depends, wherever you are, on you alone. The way you choose to perceive the surroundings and to what measure you want to become a part of the place you live in, or if you choose to look at it through the eyes of your own country's culture, your own ways rooted in your upbringing. 
In many ways Japanese are similar to the way older generations were, at least in my country, where human traits and values meant more or at least the same as material goods. That's my perception of it, anyways. Things like promises, loyalty, honesty. Feeling of togetherness and putting the needs, comfort, and wants of others before your own. Then there is respect of the elderly and those who came before you regardless of age, starting with your parents all the way to your school or club colleagues and coworkers. Then there is that thing where hard work, dedication, and striving to the better result through continuous improvement is one of the prime virtues, or not even that, but something which is expected normal behavior, and laziness or living at other's expense form of disgrace, embarrassment, like a sickness that needs to be treated. All that doesn't make them saints, but generally this is something that is much stronger implemented in their DNA than in the western cultures nowdays. It's a basis from which they view the world and from which any activity is started - work, hobbies, sports, or arts. Parallel to it there is a tendency for positive thinking, good mood, and enjoyment of the time given, which is always of uncertain duration. Those two, for me sometimes unmatchable streams (who is happy to spend whole day at work and with five days of yearly vacation?) they seem to see as inseparable. After whole day at work they go to have drinks together, travel together, or find happiness, pride and self-respect in the quality work they do and continues improvement. Contrary to my previous image, they don't run themselves down working superfast all the time, but patiently and persistently they keep pushing forward without giving up. All those we see as cool and advanced in Japanese products or services originate from these settings. Japanese cars, electronics, handcrafts, trains that come on time, to the small "unimportant" everyday things such as easy to open wrappings and all the little things that you encounter every day. Often times they don't increase the material value of the product, but its usability, as a direct consequence of someone's thinking that this product will be used by the next person who wants that his life is just a little bit easier. Surely, this goes to the levels (and prices) which are not for the regular people, but starts with easy to open $1 rice ball package which makes sure that the sheet of nori algae doesn't get soft while it sits on the shelf and comes down to rice automatically as you remove the wrapping. And when you pay for it, the guy at the register adds wet tissue for hands, all in the appropriate sized bag, rolling the handles so they are easier to hold until you got it in your hands. 
Like I said, it all depends from which angle you look at it, there will be more or less things that could be (too) easily called stupid or unnecessary, but one thing is certain, they are surely different. 

In Aikido sense (and anyone will agree, what makes sense is very relative) after the first year and the end of the Senshusei course I had the opportunity to stay in the honbu (main) dojo as an assistant instructor which I took, of course. The chance to train and teach Aikido in Japan is an opportunity given to few people, foreign or Japanese and to teach in the Chida Sensei's dojo is a challenge in it's own right. 

As much the Senshusei course was something I always wanted to do, for the most part (in different amounts) was stressful period. Most of that stress I produced on my own, with my own self-imposed expectations towards my own progress. I think that realistically no one around me had any special expectations outside of what is normal for any student. Later I understood why. But coming to Japan with twenty years of doing Aikido already behind me, soon I had to make peace with the fact that all that I thought I mastered wasn't realistic. Not because it was all wrong or not, but because it was simply on the recreational level where it would be even if you were teaching in your dojo 3 to 5 days a week. That is hard to understand until you come to Japan and study first hand from the teacher of Chida Sensei's level. Why is it only possible here? Because in the background of everything they do (regardless of Aikido) is the cultural base which is absent from any foreign dojo, and is integral part of Japanese from their birth through home and social upbringing. More often than not, it is void of any great talent or genetic predisposition, but has that trait I talked about earlier that makes them to repeat exactly, without questioning whatever is given to them to do, and to try in the next attempt to do with even greater focus and intention to make it better from the previous one. It is their goal to own what they do and to spend 12 hours a day doing it. I'm not saying this to insinuate that this approach is rarely found elsewhere, but probably that's exactly what I'm saying. The difference between thinking that you are already doing it like that and what is really being done is in those little introspective thoughts going through one's mind while practicing. "Oh, just a small mistake", "oh, doesn't matter, 48 or 50 repetitions", "oh, enough for today, tomorrow I'll do the rest", "It's passable", and so on. And that's the best case scenario, since it means that there is at least room for improvement. Other extreme would be where individual is certain that he's already doing it right and continues business as usual. That plus 12+ hours a day, 6 to 7 days a week. 
Rest assured, that easy approach is found with most foreigners and Japanese alike even here. And that's because they see Aikido as healthy recreation or hobby, and there's nothing wrong with that, if that is your consciously chosen level within which you slowly progress. That's why there are only couple of Senshusei a year who are ready to receive numerous daily corrections, advice, and expectations (this time real ones) that whatever's been corrected once is from then on to be applied correctly. Nothing is overlooked and you are not let go easy way. If necessary it will be repeated 100 times in a row until you start doing it the right way. (Although in reality after the third time someone will stop you and ask you why are you still doing it the wrong way when you were already told twice :) Actually nothing special is required but to do each movement correctly, and you know what is correct, since it's been drilled into your brain during the course. That requires maximum concentration, focus and complete dedication all of the time. And is completely free. In return, you get sharpness, precision and understanding which is impossible to get any other way. And that makes a difference between the honbu dojo instructor and the regular member/instructor. 

As usual, if you have any questions or want to know something in more detail, feel free to ask here, send a message or reach out on Facebook.

Cheers!

PS: At the end one nice photo...

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY WRITEN AFTER THE 2015/2016 SENSHUSEI COURSE, BUT THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HERE IS VALID FOR THIS YEAR'S COURSE JUST THE SAME. HRVATSKA VERZIJA OVDJE.

I came to Japan as Yoshinkan Shodan, after more than 15 years of Aikido which mostly followed Aikikai curriculum and 5 years of Yoshinkan Aikido with Hiromichi Nagano Sensei, 8th Dan. Until then I’ve attended the seminars with few of the famous Aikikai and Yoshinkan Sensei’s amongst which were Hiroshi Tada, Katsuaki Asai, late Yoji Fujimoto, Christian Tissier and others, and from the Yoshinkan Inoue Kyoichi, Joe Thambu, Jacques Muguruza, and my first Yoshinkan aikido Sensei Hiromichi Nagano and other fine instructors.
​
And today I can clearly remember the feeling when I would be uke to some of them, it’s always been worthwhile and memorable experience and I’ve learned from each of them something. And I can count those experiences throughout 20 years with my 10 fingers. Same number of times as today when Chida Sensei showed a technique on us and later took ukemi for us. Yesterday also. Day before, too. And tomorrow. And so on for 11 months. 

Today people travel thousands of miles to get an opportunity that from hundreds of people attending the seminar they will be the ones that the Sensei will use to show one of the techniques and in that way they take a peek through the window at the “real thing”, something to keep them motivated in training to strive to that level. Senshusei have an opportunity to practice 6 days a week with Chida Sensei, 1,5-4 hours a day, depending on a day, in the class where there’s maybe 10 people. 

Every movement you make, every thought will be intercepted by no one other than Chida Sensei. Stop reading for a moment and think again what that means. You will feel what you can only see on the video clips on the internet and read in the books: you try to do the technique and it doesn’t work; Chida Sensei puts his hand on yours and you try again and it works!

This opportunity is given only to Senshusei.

Probably most difficult thing about the course is the day in and day out grind. What used to be enjoyable hobby two, three or at best five times a week, now is basically a full time job. But more than that, at least for a year it becomes a lifestyle wrapped in everything this beautiful country and its rich culture have to offer. The language, the customs and the spirituality, the mentality of the people made up of kindness, respect, dedication and continuous striving for harmony; the delicious food, the genki attitude and ganbatte approach will flow through you. Exposed to such a different circumstances and multitude of stimuli from which you are used to, this is surely going to challenge all of your senses and perception, and if you allow it, touch into areas that otherwise would have stayed dormant. Yes, in many ways it will take you out of your comfort zone, and in that lays its greatest value. 

​Last month and a half Senshusei learn how to effectively teach, Shido-ho, or teaching method. Upon successful completion of the course they are prepared to independently conduct a class. Some Senshusei decide to remain in hombu dojo, like myself, assisting the next generation of Senshusei as Sewanin (assistant) and thus deepen the knowledge and perfect the technique more. Some decide to go back and open their own dojo. Some simply go back to their home dojo and continue with training in regular tempo, richer for a life experience, while others life takes somewhere completely else. 

Whatever you decide to do afterwards, this will be one year you will definitely never forget. 

Any course related questions you can direct directly to Renshinkai dojo or me. ​

I'm not going to be boring again talking about how difficult Senshusei training can get at times. Long 5 weeks of review and then test training is behind us now as the second test took place on this last Friday. It's not the injuries nor the soreness that get to you. Those are mechanical and relatively easily fixable. It's the jumping from the carefree hobby state of mind you get practicing at dojo 3-5 times per week at home to the crunching rythm of spending 5-6 hours every day in the same 100m2. It's keeping your mouth shut and do instead of discuss. It's being always alert and not confused. It's being quick but not rushing. It's working together when you just want to get away. It's being compressed at 120% of your energy level and keeping your calm. Like I said before, no mysterious secrets (other than having a living legend for a teacher, but even he can't make you do what you don't want) and no secret training formulas, just day in and day out endless repetition at maximum focus. 

As idealistic as it may sound reading about it, actually doing it is whole other box of munchmallows. Sometimes you lose focus. Sometimes you don't feel like it anymore. Sometimes you wish you were doing something else. Sometimes you just don't care. Digging out the energy and will to push for another try at 100% can be a challenge, even if you like what you're doing. Finding the right motivation at those moments can make a big difference. It can be some goal you set. It can be a person who supports you. It can be an outcome you strive for at the end. It can be some other image you have in your mind. But I think it's important to have it ready, because when the time comes that you need it, you won't have anything left in you to find out what it is. And it can happen more often than you'd like to admit. 

Here's a video of great drummer Dario Rossi on the streets of Amsterdam. Even if you don't like techno (I'm not crazy about it myself either), don't let the lenght of it scare you, watch every second of it. Think about the time he put in, and the motivation behind it. Let him be your motivation for today's training. 

Do your best, whatever it is you do.

がんばって!

Japan is one of those rare cultures which still has the tradition of public baths, called sento. Looking from the outside, or the inside, Sento doesn't give an impression of luxury or exclusivity. Before entrance door there is a machine where you insert money and choose your "package", do you want just the basic bath, or for example sauna and depending on wether you've got your own towel, toothbrush, shaving razor, etc. you can have that as well. Price for the bath and basic accessories if you come unready and directly from the street is about 4 Eur, if you have your own stuff (shampoo and such is free for all) 3 Eur and a bit. Time to relax - unlimited. As in all public spaces there are certain rules of conduct so that everyone feels comfortable. Sento is full-monty surroundings, from the Meiji era separated area fro men and women. Since when Japan opened to the West, westerners realized that it's great how with the towel and warm water you get for free - naked women, so Japanese moved them aside so that they are "not in a way". 

You leave your clothes and private stuff in the locker and you get a key on a string which you put around your arm or leg. On the small plastic chairs (really small, like kindergarden small) in front of the mirror you take a shower in a sitting position, shave or whatever you like and thoroughly clean all the dirt and shampoo from your body. Barely a hand reach on either side from you there is another happy user of this facility. Here you start adjusting to the warm water that awaits you. Small towel (really, REALLY small) which is used as a scrubbing sponge while showering you rinse and take with you (and along with the locker key that's all you take, that and what your momma gave ya)  to the common bath. While you are soaking yourself, you keep the towel folded on your head or at the side of the bath. Certain corners of the bath release bubbles under pressure, while others release - electric current! That's what I liked the most, reminded me of my physio sessions when Joseph would electrify my foot tendons, so I positioned my sore knees which were very grateful, and later functioned like new. The Japanese have special expression for the communication among men which goes on in public baths - hadaka no tsukiai, or translated literally "naked relations". That's because they believe that certain level of intimacy in communication can only be reached in public baths when people are stripped of literally everything, all equal as if they were just born. I wouldn't know, my Japanese is far from any level of intimacy use so I kept mostly quiet :) 

They say you should stay in the bath until you count to 100, but I must have lost myself in the electric current around 70 and couldn't get out, so I've gotten a little lightheaded. Along the way I made friends with nice little old man who guided me to the basics of sento orientation, which way to turn, and which way, eigh, not to.

This past week the preparations for the first of the three tests that lead to graduation test have started. We'll be tested on basic movements and about 20 different techniques from the first part of the curriculum which we've been practicing for the past couple of months. Training tempo is constantly increasing as the time goes by and after 5 to 8 hours in the dojo of constant training sometimes you feel like you've had enough for that day. Aware that there is lot of things to polish to make all of the techniques on the Senshusei level, we had no idea what to expect from the mock test in the begining of the week. What a fiasco :) In the class only Chida Sensei, two of the main instructors and two assistant instructors and the two of us, the Senshusei. No pressure :) Test is only for 10 minutes; basic movements and five techniques each, chosen by Chida Sensei. At the first moment I was confused. 10 minutes? What kind of a test is this? Anyway, we started. First technique; ok, went pretty ok, 5/10. Second one, ok, maybe a bit better, maybe 6/10. The third one, ha, we've warmed up by now, and we are half way through, this looks optimistic, test isn't going to be a problem, maybe even 7/10. Fourth, oops, little mistake, 5/10. Fifth... oops again. Hmm... Final bow and back to the line. General impression wasn't that shiny and left a bitter taste in the mouth. Standard procedure followed after giving a demo that we've grown accustomed to in the Kenshu trainings. Starting from lowest ranking to the highest, instructors take turns to give their remarks to each of us, politely bowing and calmly offering their impressions. At the end Chida Sensei turns to us asking what was our impression, how many percent did we give? Hahhaa... "25?" I barely let out any voice. Sensei nodded smiling. - "Frank?" - "Same." says my Senshusei partner in even lower voice :) We didn't understand it. How did we fall so low? Then we heard it. We are doing only selection of five techniques. First one should be done at 100% of ability so that after that we have no strength left and the other 4 "you should do running on fumes". Immediatelly I had this war movies scene in my head where fighter planes were returning from the battle running on fumes wondering if they are going to make it. What does that even mean? We gave our maximum even now, right? If we do stronger, then it's with more strength, that's out of the question. So it's not that. Faster attack? More intention? Quicker falls? Quicker standing up? Faster return to the basic line? Faster than this?! As Chida Sensei said, 10 minute test has to have compressed energy of 90 minute intensive training. We just cut out 10 minutes from those 90 and did it in the same tempo as if we had an hour to go. "You could do this test now again, right?", he asked. True. Tempo was the standard one - distinctly faster from the general members class, but still the same one we do from 8-13 hours. The goal is to compress all this energy in the first technique and after it feel like we do at the end of the exhausting day and then last for another 4. We've taken comments to the heart and in two days eagerly waited for the next opportunity. Same torture again. Chida Sensei asked, "How many percent?" - "50?", said I, with little disbelief thinking it was maybe more like 45, but certainly much better than the first time, with more enthusiasm and wanting, definitely with more nervousness. Attacks are still a bit unclear and reactions too slow. Steps through the technique sometimes leave hesitating or non-chalant impression. The rest of the training we did only one technique at the time and then rest, concentrating everything we've learned in the past two months into every milimeter of movement. No extra movements not even with a little finger and every movement with 100%. We practiced separately each attack and grab of every technique, first reaction and every segment that we later put together. Only after one and a half hours is starts to hit you what it really means to give 100%. We were even a little satisfied how tired we would get from doing only one technique while we were waiting on what Chida Sensei was going to say. Finally he comments: "this is now at 60%. Now you know what it means to try to put 100%. Let's try to get to 85%."
Hahahha crazy! I must admit that from this perspective it looks a bit sci-fi-ish, but today is Saturday, there is still time till Friday :) 
"Aikido is Budo... Basic principle of Aikido is shuchuryoku, concentrating of entire body's power, focus. Concentrating each movement, attention to your partner and working together we develop focus. Make sure every time you do a technique in practice that it's at 100...120% of your abilities, always perfect. If you make a mistake, don't adjust and correct as you go, but do it again. But best is do it immediatelly correct." finished Chida Sensei. 
No calculation or saving strength, all out on the first, one and only one perfectly done attempt. Often times there is no second chance. On my way home riding my bicycle I was thinking what must happen when every day every movement is performed with 120%... not when you think it is done like that, but when it really is? Chida Sensei was uchi deshi (live-in student training for the most of the day similar to Senshusei course) for 22 years when Shioda Kancho awarded him 8th Dan. 

Keep pedaling my friend...

The other day Chida Sensei remembered how Gozo Shioda always used to say: "Return movement is Budo." He then explained: "Aikido is not a sport, but Budo. In sports we have 1:1 competition and once a person wins, the other loses and then the referee makes a call that it's over. Budo is fight one against many oponents and return from the finishing the technique on one person into the ready position - zanshin - for the next oponent is very important. Work more on your return movement." - referring to the usually relaxed return to kamae (basic stance) from Kihon dosa (basic) movements and naturally later the techniques. Advice which in broader context can find application in everyday life as well.

Outside of the official information, you can't find much info on the Chida Sensei's Senshusei course. At least I couldn't before I got here. You apply and assume that you know what it's all about - Shidosha Yosei (Senshusei) course means specialist course for instructor development in the Gozo Shioda's style of Aikido. If you know that Gozo Shioda had been student of the founder of Aikido for 9 years in the prewar years (and one of his best students in general), and that Tsutomu Chida was the same with Gozo Shioda for 33 years, then you expect the "real deal". What exactly that means differs from one person to another. And that's the surprise part. Some see it through endless repetition of the movements, some through the physically demanding training, some through constant focus on the dojo, instructors, some through the whole day dedication to only one thing - like a monk. The truth is that Senshusei course is all that. My started only two weeks ago, and at the time of writing this it was only a week. So my views on it will definitely change as the time goes by. I'm used to hard training and I came to Japan ready both mentally and physically for what's coming, the best I could and knew how. And it's obvious that the begining is in a way less demanding since you start from the very base and there is no accumulated waste in the body. After first four days of training, all together some thirty hours spent in a dojo, I can't tell what was which day, and all seems more like a month rather than a week. No wonder, if you consider that by regular training 3 times a week you have to wait month and a half or two to accumulate that many hours.

Dojo js a place to train. Depending on a day, we have to be ready in gi (the practice uniform) at 6:30am at the latest, or about an hour later if there is no early 7 o'clock training that day. Attendees of the 11 month course  are called the Senshusei. In contrast to the regular members, in addition to more intensive training, Senshusei care about the tidyness and cleanliness of all the area in and out of the dojo, taking care everything is on time, constantly keeping an eye for the assistants and main instructor, Chida Saiko Shihan. 

I don't know if that's because of the age, or bad maintenance and genetics, but with time your joints are not as greased as they used to be. Having a picture of what awaits me, I started to prepare almost two years ahead of time to balance out and tighten the muscles which hold the joints together, especially knees. In aikido a lot of weight is being put forward and strong legs help to prevent injuries. On the second day we did Hiriki no yosei 1 movement (similar to tsugi ashi, only deeper, for my Aikikai readers). Part by part, then testing each one of them, then connecting, then testing again. Every centimeter is being watched and corrected. Instructor is talking or correcting someone else and explaining, you stay in position. Oss! Someone translating, you hold the position. Oss! No, what did we say, no good, deeper! Oss! (Oss?) You simply cannot allow that from somewhere with a corner of his eye Chida Sensei (always with the same expression on his face) is looking, and that you make excuses like that your brain hurts from how much your legs hurt that the pressure has gone to the peripheral vascular system so that your ears end up hurting more than your legs. Ears! Or to allow yourself to make any kind of facial expressions, like showing you are having hard time, but there you are poor good soul, you say nothing. Because then you take one look at his feet and see his toes all curled up in a permanently closed position from the hundreds of thousands of movement repetitions so that even today, at 65 years of age still he can do everything with such smoothness - all the moves you think that can't be done because of your "special" circumstances. Sure it's not easy for him either (maybe it is now), but his facial expression is always like he's half way to falling asleep. 

In one of the breaks Chida Sensei remembered what Shioda Sensei used to say: "Shioda Sensei said that Shugyo is a process of self study in which through hard work you find and correct your mistakes. Sometimes it is not possible if you are not aware that you are making a mistake. If some of the instructors or I correct you, you have to do it immediately and not repeat it. That is important. If I say something, you have to do it immediatelly. Not rush, but do it in that moment quickly. If I say something, and you first think about it, wait, and then do it quickly, that's rushing. Do it immediately." It is expected from Senshusei to practice what's been taught in training at home so they don't do the same mistake tomorrow in the training, or at least make it better. Ganbatte - "do your best" - is one of the basic Japanese characteristics in everything they do, whether it's work or free time. 
In betweenn clasess, there is half an hour break. Amongst other duties, Senshusei use that time to write keiko no nisshi, practice diary, description and comments on what was done that day. Older instructors are still writing down everything Chida Sensei is saying, because they believe that in that way they are ingraving all the information and knowledge just like in exercise itself. 

Tatami is exercise mat. In the begining and at the end of the day it's being washed, and after every training it's first being cleaned with a broom, and then later the dirt is vacuumed. On such classes as international class, where anyone can attend or the public Kenshu (advanced) class, there are people other than Senshusei. Sometimes only 4 or 5, sometimes 30 or more. But there is only 6 brooms. What do others do? Go to change? Chat a bit till the others work? Look around? Japanese culture embodies all for one and one for all principle, in training just as in the work environment. If only 6 of them is cleaning, the others are making sure they are not in the way and to give support, just as if everyone was cleaning, since they all messed it up equally. It develops a team spirit and feeling of unity. Senshusei Toban is Senshusei who each that morning at 9:45 gives report to Saiko Shihan and at the end of the day to the instructor of that class. Amongst other things, he is in charge of vacuuming that day. But others don't wait for him to do it if he's doing something else, although he should be able to do it both. I'm holding a broom, and just as I'm about to run off to get the vacuum cleaner, one of the dojo members is already taking it out of the closet. I'm right there to pick it up from his hands, he lets it go and takes the broom from my hands to put it away. I place the vacuum cleaner on the ground and I was just about to pull out the cord, the other person is already doing it. I vacuum quickly, turn to the electrical socket, third guy is taking it out already. I look at the vacuum cleaner which is arm length away from me, the fourth guy is already pressing the button to retract the cord. I take the vacuum cleaner to the closet, Osawa Sewanin (assistant instructor) is already holding the door open. Once we are done, everyone is turned towards us and when there's nothing more to be done, everyone leaves to change. It all takes less than 5 minutes.

And so everything is done in similar manner. 

All day in the dojo is oriented towards development and learning, be it a technique, a concept, or developing a sense of harmony. 

The rest of the day at home is oriented towards preparation for the next day, be it mentally, through repetition or rest.

As it should be.

This post has gone all in wrong direction. First I was going to write about the Senshusei course which has just started. Turned out as I was riding my mamachari, I was thinking about how this place makes me feel so calm and I couldn't help not to make references to the general life in my home country, Croatia.  It is mostly understandable only to Croatian people, because it touches the subjects rooted deep within Balkans in general. They say that whatever makes the charm and appeal of the country is at the same time it's greatest fault. Like precision and discipline of the Germans, who charge you 20 Eur if you park facing the wrong direction in a one way street. Or the laid back attitude of the Brasilians, Jeitinho Brasileiro, which wikipedia defines as "is finding a way to accomplish something by circumventing rules or social conventions. It is a typically Brazilian method of social navigation where an individual can use emotional resources (appeal to emotion), blackmail, family ties, promises, rewards or money to obtain favors or to get an advantage." Both are extremes. What wikipedia doesn't say, is that there's a place where this is brought to a perfection, where this is commong practice, but everyone swears it doesn't exist. It's covered in another charming trait, temperament and great sense of national pride. While both can be used to a positive advantage, increasing one's vigor or enthusiasm, hardly so if it's taken to extreme and used as a tool of manipulation to "accomplish something". And that's all without going into politics. That is the class of supermasters in all of the above mentioned. 
So my article ended up revolving mostly around the things I notice here which are on the other side of the spectrum. Sure, no country is perfect and given time you will certainly grow to "love" it's illogicallities that you will notice no matter how perfect it may seem in the begining.

They must be producing cars here without a horn. You know, the good big ol' button in the middle of the steering wheel people in Croatia love to sit on whenever their subconsiousness reminds them of their miserable lives, unpaid bills, dissatisfaction at work, mother in law still living with them, or whatever, maybe it's just not their day. So while to you if you come from say The Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, or some other uncivilised nowhere, may be normal to wait on a person in a car if they are little late to start when the lights turn green on a traffic light, where I come from they already fix their hand on a horn in a ready steady position while it's still red, in case they don't already see starting movement while it's yellow! So you can imagine how I notice these things as I see people relaxed waiting on a person to start a little late while the green's been on for a while, for whatever reson. Because it happens to everyone. Same thing with people waiting in a lines in a supermarkets, stores... all the energy you save by not having to listen to nagging and complaints from down the line because you are "taking too much time" just because you want to finish your order. To the fact that the streets are so spotless not because Japanese don't produce trash, but because they clean up after themselves, Each after himself. So simple, yet so shockingly different.

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When you are doing laundry in Europe, or Croatia at least first you put the clothes inside, you set the program by rotating the wheel on the machine, or using the buttons. Newer ones even have a touchscreen. In separate compartments of a little detergent drawer you put soap, softener and stain remover, making sure you don't confuse the compartments since then it wouldn't wash right. And then step by step you check it all out again: soap (liquid for dark clothes, white for bright), softener, temperature. Wait, is this program for sensitive or very sensitive fibrics? Ok. Small drop of sweat rolls down your forehead. Is it too much? You open the door one more to feel the empty space. You close the door almost hermetically with one decisive movement. You move all the fragile things from the washine machine so that when rinsing starts and the machine releases its rage everything doesn't go flying. Check if the whole machine is rocking a little, it shouldn't. And then you kneel quietly beside it, with the eyes in the distance you stare at the closed door. Lean you finger gently on the Play button (but without pressing immediately) and with the long stare filled with insecurity which they probably gave to Gagarin on his first trip to outer space, you make that jump of fate and press the button, for better or for worse.
And noone knows exactly what goes on. You see nothing through the glass, the washing machine first runs then stops, clockwise and counter clockwise, pumps, heats, empties, sucks, cleans, fills the water in again, thumbles it all again, when, what and why noone can tell with good certainty. Even if you wanted you couldn't open and check the progress because for your own sefaty it's been time delayed for a couple of minutes.

But not in Japan. My washing machine has one button. One. Red, big and square. Ok, more like orange. I open it up from the top and first thing when I insert the money cold water starts pumping inside. Only cold, no warm water ever. While I keep the lid up, my Japanese roommate tells me: "Wait for 30 seconds and then throw in your stuff and soap. "Ok, I'm counting 30, 45, 50, ...70... 120... water is still pouring in. I throw in my clothes, soap, the water is still runing. "That's it, in 40 minutes it's all over". Maybe my roomie said something other than what I understoo. ("Is that all he said? Seemed like a lot more", Bill M., "Lost in translation")Now alredy slightly with panic I observe how the water will pour over into the inside of the washing mashine, and in the very moment I reached for the safety vault to cut off the water supply, like in the movies, the second I touch it, water stops. I didn't even have time to think, "Wow, in the last mo...." with the noisy sound the washing started. Looks like a giant case of instant soup making.
Maybe it won't play a tune and sing when it's done, but definitively it's trying and makes noise in it's own way the best it can. When after longer period of banging and squeeking it made it to the last minute, I swear I thought the hatch is going to open and in the cloud of smoke Gruber would come out and say - "Who wants to ride in my little tank?!"