In Japan, there is no birth control pill.

"The Pill," as it is so affectionately known in America, has been outlawed in the land of the rising sun, as has seemingly every other form of medication. There's no Tylenol, no Motrin, and no Asprin--well, as far as I know there's none, or at least, very little to be had for a reasonable fee--perhaps in Shinjuku at some corner bodega there is a bit of medicine to be purchased... though the trek is a bit far for me, today.

But I could really, really use some medicine right now. Oh, misery...

Last night as I was wading waist deep through some sort of fantastic dream voyage, interrupted now and again by the roar of a motorcycle or vespa sputtering up the mile long hill just beyond my curtains, I heard a knock on the door--and though I would normally have stayed in my bed, I pulled myself out of the beautiful stupor that had consumed me and trudged to the door, bathed in moonlight.

It was Hisayo, holding a plate of Kappa-maki for me.

Her hand rolled cucumber sushi was such a pleasant surprise, that when I returned to bed I refused to believe that it was reality... I was certainly still dreaming. Certainly, it was some kind of strange herb induced hallucination...

...which isn't too unbelievable, considering all the strange homemade concoctions I had been enjoying for the past day, each supposed to cure me immediately. Tea from Japan (thanks to Hisayo), a scalding hot brew from Ireland (thanks to Aoife) and multiple remedies from Spain--not to mention the good thoughts radiating toward me from every soul in the entire dorm.

It's a good place to be, and it's not a dream.

My 18 hours of recovery sleep came to an end late last night as I was literally shaken out of my dreams by the motion of the earth. Something beneath Tokyo wasn't kosher, and as I sat up in bed, knocked out of my slumber by some fissure deep beneath the soil, I immediately knew what was happening.

An earthquake, of course.

I suppose this makes me an actual resident of Japan, rather than just a traveler... though I need to get over this sickness before I can continue my studies. Things have been miserable for about two days--though I know that in order to cure myself I should sleep...

But that, my friends, is impossible.

There are too many wonderful human beings here that I must cherish every moment with... how can one sleep in a place like this?