Wow, Japan is really expensive. I thought Whole Foods in America was expensive. I didn't realize how good I had it there! I have been holding out on buying conventional pesticide apples here because they are about $4-5 a lb, Watermelons go for $12.00 I waited to buy it on sale for $10. And Starbucks? Forget it. I must have gone to them a lot back in the States because my kids are constantly asking for it, and I have to tell them- "no."
The first time I walked into one, I ordered a grande Americano and a pastry. I didn't even look at the prices, because I assumed it was the same as America. I nearly fell over when the cashier told me it was $12.00. I can't get over the price of gas here either, around $8.00 per gallon. How do people here afford it? Their salary is comparable to that of a typical American city's salary, if not less. Using the cell phone? Forget it, I won't be radiating myself with it since every time I pick up to call anyone (including my voice mails), it is 40 yen a minute, which is around 50 cents a minute. There is no such thing as a flat rate plan, or an unlimited plan. I switched my plan so I pay more now a month so I can get it for 20 yen a minute instead.
I try and wait for my voice box to get close to full before I listen to my messages so I am conserving my minutes, however, almost half of them are too late to now respond back to, and the text messages are written in Japanese so I cannot understand them.
I am glad we get a cost of living adjustment each month, or else there is no way I can live on the Japanese economy.
