Todd: So, Ivan, where are you from?

 

Ivan: I'm from Texas.

 

Todd: Texas!

 

Ivan: Yep

 

Todd: OK, what's the difference between Texas and Japan?

 

Ivan: Texas is big and Japan is little.

 

Todd: Yeah, how about the food?

 

Ivan: The food! In Texas we eat a lot of steak, we eat a lot of meat, a lot of beans, a lot of bad stuff for you, but it tastes good.

 

Todd: Yeah, what kind of food do you prefer?

 

Ivan: You know it's funny. I go back to Texas sometimes and I can't eat that anymore. I'm so used to the 

lighter meals: the fish and stuff here. Um, what do I like more? Sometimes I like chili, sometimes I like sushi.

 

Todd: Yeah, how does the weather compare with Texas and Japan?

 

Ivan: Ah, I'm from Houston, Texas which is in the south and that's just hot, hot, hot. Never had a white Christmas in Houston. The average is about 41, 41 degrees in the summer.

 

Todd: Whoa!

 

Ivan: Yeah, so it rains a lot more here too. I still can't get used to all the rain.

 

Todd: So, Houston is pretty close to Mexico, right?

 

Ivan: Yeah, actually, it's a nine hour drive, well not nine, maybe six. I used to go down there back in high school. Me and my buddies would go. There's no drinking age in Mexico. Beer is about 25 cents or 30 yen over there.

 

Todd: Yeah, what do you remember about your trips to Mexico?

 

Ivan: Not much, which is why we went. We just went. It was called a border town. Basically they just exist

to take care of high school and college kids that want to party for a couple of nights. It's not really nice but it's cheap and it's fun.