apartment?

the other day i went to a bbq hosted by a group of my students. one of my students brought along her bulgarian friend with her (the japanese love to introduce their foreign friends, as if we must have loads in common because we are foreign). this bulgarian woman loved to ask me questions about america. many, many, many questions...but one that she asked i haven't really thought too much of since i've settled into japanese living: "how DO you get used to the japanese way of living? i mean, you're from AMERICA! everything is SO BIG! PLEASE TELL ME!"

granted, i've lived in some spacious quarters. no doubt. my first impression of my apartment was not great. for many reasons. its an older apartment (by modern tokyo standards) in a major need to be restored...but i don't really mind it now. i don't need a lot of space and its temporary, the most important part. whatever.

i've sort of forgot what it's like to live in america. because i talked to my sister for the first time in months on skype and showed her my apartment, and she said it was really small. everything is miniturized here.