I like that! I think the US suburbs and Japan are too up tight. It's not weird at all. I think it's natural. That's why I left japan for 6 years, to live places where that's normal.

The salary thing can be uncomfortable sometimes cause people don't know what you mean expenses or what your living costs are so it can be really misleading. I thought my friend was so rich until I found out the price of his apartment in the area where he was working for example.

I think you've got it right. It's great to be flexible. There are some things I don't do even if it's normal though, like I will never drink until I have to throw up and I'll never treat a woman like an object, even though I occasionally find myself with groups where that is normal. If I don't like it, I won't do it, but I try my best not to push my beliefs or ways on others. You should come to the cross culture chat, you are someone I could probably talk a lot with