International Exchange

When I left Chicago to come to Okinawa, the exchange rate between the dollar and the yen was around $1:¥125. So let's see what happened to the $2,500 I exchanged before departing for Tokyo:

$2,500 x 125 = ¥31 2500

(While in the US, we split numbers into thousands (000), Japan splits them into man (0000)).

Today, the rate listed by my money transfer service was $1:¥88. Let's see what happens if the exchange rate, at the time I left for Japan, had been what it is today:

$2,500 x 88 = ¥21 8250

Then: ¥31 2500
Now: ¥21 8250

That's a difference of ¥9 4250! Let me put that in perspective for you. I would have lost out on the following:

- 18 months of rent; or,
- 23 tanks of gas (at today's current price); or,
- 3-4 months worth of groceries (food is expensive); or,
- 22 round trip bus trips from Nago to Naha (it's ridiculously expensive!); or,
- 2-3 round trip flights from Okinawa to mainland Japan (depending on the season).

As you can see, it's not a trivial amount of money. Granted, the change has taken place over the course of two years. How about sending money the other way, from Japan to the US? I'll show you (using the same amount of money that I started with in Japan):

Then: ¥31 2500 / 125 = $2,500
Now: ¥31 2500 / 87.3 = $3,580

Sending money from Japan to the US is much more beneficial now than it was two years ago. It's a perfect opportunity for me to focus on paying off my loans in large amounts, as other friends are now considering doing. The exchange rate would also be beneficial if I was in a situation where I would be returning to the US to live or travel.

Day to day, however, the drop of the exchange rate really hasn't affected me all that much. My salary is the same as it was when I first got here (in fact, there has never been a salary adjustment since the start of the JET Programme 21 years ago). For those with intentions to visit Japan from the US, you're money won't go as far. But if you know someone that lives here, at least you won't have to worry about accomodation costs.

Cooling Off

It's not really cold today, somewhere around 20°C (68°F - my friends in Chicago would laugh at this), but it's enough to make me wear a long-sleeve shirt. I think this morning's lingering clouds, blocking the sun's rays, are keeping things cooler than normal. There's also a slight breeze through the school, which can make sitting at a desk or standing in a classroom slightly chilly.

At home, I've started using my thick comforter again. At this point, waking up isn't hard because it's cold; I'm just staying up too late (re-)watching some of my favorite Japanese movies and TV shows.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining about the cool weather. In fact, it reminds me of the autumns that I used to love in Chicago, minus the changing leaves. But the Japanese custom of a hot bath* at night more than makes up for that. There is simply nothing like warming oneself up before going to bed. It really makes those last few minutes of consciousness all the more pleasant.

*Before entering a bath in Japan, one showers thoroughly, making sure to be clean and that no suds get into the bath water. Once clean, one simply submerges in the hot water and enjoys the relaxation.

Cost of Gas

I was filling up the other day...actually, that's not exactly right. In Japan, full service gas stations are the norm. Only in the cities will you find stations where you can pump the gas yourself (but after living here for a few years, I've realized how unpleasant it really is). Regardless, it doesn't really change the cost of gas, whether you do it yourself or have someone do it for you.

The other day, after I had my tank filled up for me, I took a closer look at my receipt. Here's what I found:

Volume of gas: 36.1 liters (9.5 gallons)
Cost per liter: 126 yen ($1.40)
Total cost: 4551 yen ($50.57)

This is pretty noteworthy, because the car I drive is nothing special in Japan. It's not big, it's normal. I spent a few minutes thinking about it afterwards and I realized that this is a huge sinkhole in my budget. I'm thinking of ways to reduce gas expenditures, such as riding my motorcycle more or maybe even getting a new car (though this really depends on how many more years I want to stay in Japan...which currently is quite a few).