My Car (^o^)/

I finally got my car! I am so happy to have it; now I have the freedom to drive myself around and explore the area. It is a 2003 Mitsubishi Minica, and it is tiny! It is a Japanese "kei car," which are very small, much more efficient, and have a less powerful engine than regular full size cars. I am quickly getting used to the differences between American and Japanese driving. Driving on the opposite side of the road was an easy switch to me, however in Japanese cars the blinker and the windshield wipers are reversed from American cars so that has been harder to become accustomed to. So sometimes, when I am going to turn, I automatically reach for the "blinker" and the wipers come on out of nowhere! Also they roads here are very narrow, many places especially in neighborhoods there is only enough room for one car to pass, so I'm not sure what happens when a car is coming from each direction! Another thing you have to be careful of here are the "Gaijin (foreigner) traps." Along most of the roads there are deep uncovered gutters, for some inexplicable reason. If you happen to pull too close to one your car can fall right into the gutter and take some considerable damage. In a lot of places there is even grass and weeds grown over it to carefully conceal the gaijin traps so unsuspecting drivers are unaware of their existence. Take away- do not pull over unless it is specifically a pull over spot! Luckily, these are found frequently along Japanese roadways in my experience.