illiterate

i volunteered to teach ESL for about two years back in the States. one of those years was with a literacy program in Arlington through AmeriCorps. while i understand and have witness illiteracy in my life, i haven't yet to experienced it until i was in Japan. and this giant stack of newspapers is a reminder of my illiteracy.

one day, a guy came ringing at my door asking if i want to subscribe to his newspaper service. i said no because i can't read Japanese. he said there would be no charge and i'll get the newspaper until March. it doesn't change the fact that i can't read, but i let him write down my name anyway since my town asks that i dispose my organic garbage wrapped in newspaper. i was almost out of newspaper at that point, so i figured i'll have a use for them.

a few days later, the newspaper started arriving...and they've been arriving everyday ever since. i don't dispose enough garbage to be using them up fast enough so they've just been stacking up on the staircase. i guess i should start recycling them as well. it's getting ridiculous.