My time away from Japan has given me a newfound appreciation for it
Sure, my height's a bit less conspicuous in America
And people are more likely to just say what they mean
And I don't regret moving there
But I'm still fond of my birth country
It's where I grew up, after all
I think it helps that I'm not a teenager anymore
People aren't going to accuse an adult of being a juvenile delinquent
Yeah, some Japanese people are still intimidated by or even afraid of me
That's pretty much inevitable when you're a 180cm woman in a country where the average female height is about 165cm and the men aren't much taller
But it doesn't bother me as much as it used to
Partly because I don't get those reactions as often
Partly because I feel so loved
Partly because I know multiple people (even women!) in America who make me look short in comparison
My husband is one of them
He likes to tease me and say I fell for him because he was the first guy I met who was taller than me
While that's not the only reason, I admit him making me feel small and cute for once was a big part of my initial attraction
Not to mention the novelty of having to look up at his face
I wonder how tall our kids will be
They're already tall for their ages
For all I know, they might end up taller than me, and even their father
I guess it's nice to still be in touch with my homeland
America is where I truly belong
But I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for where I was born and raised
And where I met the best man in the world
I still look forward to our annual family visit
Maybe we'll do something extra special this year