Homesickness

Feeling a little bit homesick just now.
When you live away from home for a long time, it's funny what can set you off.
The other day I received this dodgy email in my inbox. It was a Paypal receipt for a transaction I had never made in the name of one Patricia Cadwell.
Needless to say I was a bit worried about my credit card. I was (and still am) hoping that someone hasn't stolen my identity. I try to be as secure as possible when I buy things over the net, but you never know.
Anyway, I contacted Paypal themselves to let them know I was not a woman (though some would disagree - especially those who knew me in the first year of university with the tragic long hair). Paypal were rubbish and didn't help me at all.
So today, I phoned my bank at home in Ireland to check my transaction history. Nothing seemed out of order, though I was slightly mortified when I thought that the person on the other end of the line said my last transaction was for STD. Thank God it was FTD and I just misheard her. I don't want to be having any dealings with STDs if I can help it all.
My point is that just talking to this nice Irish bank clerk made me so homesick.
It's hard to put my finger exactly on what it was that made me yearn for home. I guess it was just the easy familiarity, the quick intimacy. I mean, she was perfectly business-like in her language, but her tone was so homely and comforting. It was like when I finished with my credit card inquiry she was getting ready to ask me, '...and how is your Mam?' or 'God, isn't it great drying we're getting out these days all the same!'
Every transaction is so formal over here in Japan, so ceremonious. Usually, I totally love it. I mean I go to the local convenience store just to pick up some milk (or more usually beer!) and even at like 2am the dude behind the counter earning minimum wage bows at me and hands over my change like it were some precious jewel.
But sometimes, I just miss the lovely casual manner of the Irish. The feeling that the person on the other side just gets me. That we share something.
In a way it's totally accurate that we 'foreigners' get called 'aliens' (外人 - gaijin) over here. There are times (even after all the years I've been here) where you just feel you're never really going to be one of the gang. Not like how you are at home. I mean I can study Japanese until the cows come home, but as soon as they see my face or hear my name the other Japanese will feel a certain distance between us or sense a certain wall.
Maybe I was just happy to talk to someone for a few minutes who didn't think I was that different to them.
In any case, homesickness is very weird. It rarely strikes me, but when it does, it's like a tonne of bricks.
Still and all, I love it here.
Nothing else to report. Had to study a lot this weekend. I had my first glimpse at some past-papers from the big exam I'm going to take in December. I am so screwed.
Apart from that I cannot wait for my sis to come over. Her whole two week's itinerary is nearly decided. We're going to see lots of cool places, but it's looking a little hectic. I'll have to take care not to be too hard a tour-guide. Rest is important too.
Anyway, enough of my waffle., I just wanted to write something, even though I have nothing to say.