There's no such thing as the "worst placement" for the JET program. Even if there were, I'd be nowhere near the worst placement, I love where I live. There is, however, a "worst placement" if you're afraid of earthquakes...
Just last week over the course of about 24 hours there were between 120 and 130 earthquakes in Shizuoka prefecture (an area right next to Tokyo). There was even more seismic activity but you could only feel those 120-130 earthquakes...
This alone is scary, though none of them caused any major damage and no injuries were reported... the part that makes it even scarier is that that's the exact area that is expecting the Tokai earthquake. That's the giant earthquake that Japan has been preparing for that is expected to occur sometime within the next 20 to 30 years. It was confirmed that these little shakes had no relationship to the Tokai earthquake... but in my mind that doesn't matter I'd get the heck out of there. Not for long, just like...30 or 40 years.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Sometimes I Wonder
Sometimes I wonder, is it a little bit racist or at least a bit rude that Japanese people are BLOWN away by my Japanese after I say one word?
A police man asked me where I'm from once and I said, "Chicago, in America." His response was, "WHOA! YOUR JAPANESE IS SO GOOD!!!!" Most of my sentence was phonetic english words... here's the sentence in Japanese "A-ME-RI-KA NO SHI-KA-GO DESU" ... Sometimes Japanese people will say "Wow, your Japanese is so good!" Even just go a "Thank you." or "Good Morning."
If I reacted this way when a foreigner in America spoke to me, I feel like people would say "that's horrible." If anyone with a foreign accent ordered a sandwich at a deli and the guy behind the counter was like "WOW! You're SOOOOO good at English!" Even I'd be a little weirded out.
It bugs me when I go into a restaurant and am awkwardly delivered an English version of the menu. It's not that I don't appreciate them trying to offer some help... but, I don't like that they assume I know no Japanese. (The real kicker is the chopsticks. People have gasped or said "WOW!!!" when they've seen me use chopsticks before. Sometimes people have to ask before serving me food, "Can you use chopsticks??" Americans may not grow up using chopsticks but I'm fairly certain that if one takes the trouble to go to Japan that they can get food from the table to their mouth. They may struggle, let them struggle. If the person wants a fork, give them a fork. Just don't right out hand them a fork. It's embarrassing... I'm getting side tracked, back to the English/Japanese thing)
At the same time, most foreigners who do come here don't know Japanese. Even of the ones that do, they probably can't read Japanese well enough to read all of a menu, I know I always come across some strange kanji in menus. It's not like the restaurant people are being completely ignorant here...
A lot of Japanese people have told me they are discouraged by the lack of help that American people at restaurants or people who work at stores give when they, the Japanese person, gets confused. A common situation is that when you go to a fast food place they say "for here or to go?" A few of my Japanese friends have mentioned that this is really confusing. The terms "for here" and "to go" aren't really used outside of this situation so it's not likely they've heard them before. So instead of explaining it in a simpler way "Will you eat this now? Will you take it and leave?" with some gestures, the employees just repeat it louder and slower. "FOR HERE OR TO GO??" If you don't get it the second time they go "ugh..." and get mad, like you're wasting their time. While this isn't the case every time you go to a fast food place, I'm sure we can all agree that there are definitely people with this attitude. Most people at the DMV. (In fact, if someone isn't unpleasant at a DMV we can sometimes find it necessary to share this experience"I went to the DMV today the guy was so nice to me!")
So many people, no only Japanese, say that Americans often have bad attitudes and think that everyone should learn English if they are in America. In some respects they're correct, there is a lot of attitude and sass, especially compared to Japan. In Japan, it's rare to find someone with a bad attitude at any place that offers services to the public. You'll usually find a lot of politeness, even if it's completely artificial.
However, I don't think it's always a bad thing to expect people to know English if they are in America. Just like it shouldn't be a bad thing to expect people to know French if they're in France. That doesn't mean that everyone MUST know English or MUST know French in those situations. I think the expectation should be there. People will probably learn something that way. I can guarantee that those Japanese friends of mine left McDonalds or Burger King or whatever, asked a friend what "For here or to go?" means, and were definitely prepared for the next time they wanted a triple quarter pounder with cheese. It's kind of the "tough love" of learning a language in a foreign country. In any country the hardest stuff is when you are conversing somewhere in public with a stranger. A bank, a restaurant, a post office, doctors office, ordering food over the phone... you get the idea.
I just think it'd be nice to walk into a restaurant and not have people gasp when I say "hello, two please." In Japanese.
One other thing is that every now and then some excited youngsters, usually in a group, will approach me in public and say "HI!" and then giggle to themselves and scurry away. If I say "Hi!" back they laugh even more. They take the fact that I'm a foreigner to mean that I speak English. I always wondered if this really bothered other foreigners. For instance, if someone is from some other non-English speaking country, does it bother them when some Japanese people offer them English menus or try to speak English to them without asking where they are from? I guess when I was in Senegal and people would speak French to me it didn't really bother me, but ya never know...
A police man asked me where I'm from once and I said, "Chicago, in America." His response was, "WHOA! YOUR JAPANESE IS SO GOOD!!!!" Most of my sentence was phonetic english words... here's the sentence in Japanese "A-ME-RI-KA NO SHI-KA-GO DESU" ... Sometimes Japanese people will say "Wow, your Japanese is so good!" Even just go a "Thank you." or "Good Morning."
If I reacted this way when a foreigner in America spoke to me, I feel like people would say "that's horrible." If anyone with a foreign accent ordered a sandwich at a deli and the guy behind the counter was like "WOW! You're SOOOOO good at English!" Even I'd be a little weirded out.
It bugs me when I go into a restaurant and am awkwardly delivered an English version of the menu. It's not that I don't appreciate them trying to offer some help... but, I don't like that they assume I know no Japanese. (The real kicker is the chopsticks. People have gasped or said "WOW!!!" when they've seen me use chopsticks before. Sometimes people have to ask before serving me food, "Can you use chopsticks??" Americans may not grow up using chopsticks but I'm fairly certain that if one takes the trouble to go to Japan that they can get food from the table to their mouth. They may struggle, let them struggle. If the person wants a fork, give them a fork. Just don't right out hand them a fork. It's embarrassing... I'm getting side tracked, back to the English/Japanese thing)
At the same time, most foreigners who do come here don't know Japanese. Even of the ones that do, they probably can't read Japanese well enough to read all of a menu, I know I always come across some strange kanji in menus. It's not like the restaurant people are being completely ignorant here...
A lot of Japanese people have told me they are discouraged by the lack of help that American people at restaurants or people who work at stores give when they, the Japanese person, gets confused. A common situation is that when you go to a fast food place they say "for here or to go?" A few of my Japanese friends have mentioned that this is really confusing. The terms "for here" and "to go" aren't really used outside of this situation so it's not likely they've heard them before. So instead of explaining it in a simpler way "Will you eat this now? Will you take it and leave?" with some gestures, the employees just repeat it louder and slower. "FOR HERE OR TO GO??" If you don't get it the second time they go "ugh..." and get mad, like you're wasting their time. While this isn't the case every time you go to a fast food place, I'm sure we can all agree that there are definitely people with this attitude. Most people at the DMV. (In fact, if someone isn't unpleasant at a DMV we can sometimes find it necessary to share this experience"I went to the DMV today the guy was so nice to me!")
So many people, no only Japanese, say that Americans often have bad attitudes and think that everyone should learn English if they are in America. In some respects they're correct, there is a lot of attitude and sass, especially compared to Japan. In Japan, it's rare to find someone with a bad attitude at any place that offers services to the public. You'll usually find a lot of politeness, even if it's completely artificial.
However, I don't think it's always a bad thing to expect people to know English if they are in America. Just like it shouldn't be a bad thing to expect people to know French if they're in France. That doesn't mean that everyone MUST know English or MUST know French in those situations. I think the expectation should be there. People will probably learn something that way. I can guarantee that those Japanese friends of mine left McDonalds or Burger King or whatever, asked a friend what "For here or to go?" means, and were definitely prepared for the next time they wanted a triple quarter pounder with cheese. It's kind of the "tough love" of learning a language in a foreign country. In any country the hardest stuff is when you are conversing somewhere in public with a stranger. A bank, a restaurant, a post office, doctors office, ordering food over the phone... you get the idea.
I just think it'd be nice to walk into a restaurant and not have people gasp when I say "hello, two please." In Japanese.
One other thing is that every now and then some excited youngsters, usually in a group, will approach me in public and say "HI!" and then giggle to themselves and scurry away. If I say "Hi!" back they laugh even more. They take the fact that I'm a foreigner to mean that I speak English. I always wondered if this really bothered other foreigners. For instance, if someone is from some other non-English speaking country, does it bother them when some Japanese people offer them English menus or try to speak English to them without asking where they are from? I guess when I was in Senegal and people would speak French to me it didn't really bother me, but ya never know...
There's a strange teacher next to me.
I heard the teacher next to me giggling. I figured he was looking at some website that had a funny comic on it or something. I did a probably-not-so-subtle fake stretch so I could see what he was looking at and it was some excel spread sheet file. He'd say a few words to himself and then giggle like a child. Then type in some numbers. I'm all for enjoying your work... just... I dunno... I feel really uncomfortable right now.
More On Driving...
It seems that I'm constantly behind a bus or a slow moving truck when I drive somewhere around my neighborhood. All the roads here are one lane and you can't really pass anyone... it's kind of annoying.
Also...
Dear driver of some little spunky Subaru Car,
I don't care how great your car handles driving in snow. The next time you tail me that close and flash your headlights at me while I'm driving in a heavy snow storm I WILL slam on my brakes. You, sir or madam, are forgetting that I drive a 1991 Nissan Cube that has given me more trouble than I can deal with. It's gone through 2 car batteries in 2 months, a new alternator, a tire, and various other small annoying issues. I don't have much to lose when it comes to this car. I don't mind adding a dent onto the back of this thing.
From,
The 1991 Nissan Cube Driver
Also...
Dear driver of some little spunky Subaru Car,
I don't care how great your car handles driving in snow. The next time you tail me that close and flash your headlights at me while I'm driving in a heavy snow storm I WILL slam on my brakes. You, sir or madam, are forgetting that I drive a 1991 Nissan Cube that has given me more trouble than I can deal with. It's gone through 2 car batteries in 2 months, a new alternator, a tire, and various other small annoying issues. I don't have much to lose when it comes to this car. I don't mind adding a dent onto the back of this thing.
From,
The 1991 Nissan Cube Driver
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Living Up To It's Title...
Yasunari Kawabata was the first to use this term, I believe, and he totally nailed it. "雪国" or "Yukiguni" which means "Snow Country." It's the name of his most famous book and it's about... well... right where I'm living. In fact, the name of my apartment complex is "Rent Snow Country."
It started snowing late thursday night and continued through friday, saturday, and a bit on sunday. Sunday the sun came out and the sky opened it. I think it was the sky's way of going, "hey guys! Look what I did!" People climbed onto theif roofs to remove snow and they cleaned out their driveways. Adults were digging out their cars and the little kids were making igloos and snowmen.
As a result, I think they upset natures careful placement of about 3 feet of snow and it started snowing, heavily, again.
I'll post some photos soon.
Does anyone other than my mom read this?
It started snowing late thursday night and continued through friday, saturday, and a bit on sunday. Sunday the sun came out and the sky opened it. I think it was the sky's way of going, "hey guys! Look what I did!" People climbed onto theif roofs to remove snow and they cleaned out their driveways. Adults were digging out their cars and the little kids were making igloos and snowmen.
As a result, I think they upset natures careful placement of about 3 feet of snow and it started snowing, heavily, again.
I'll post some photos soon.
Does anyone other than my mom read this?
Saturday, December 19, 2009
The Snow
I'd say that the snow has arrived but it's still in the process of arriving. It's been snowing for almost 3 days now without letting up for more than about 5 minutes. It hasn't been a light dusty snow fall either, it's been heavy and white. It's wonderful.
While I was at school for most of the first day that it snowed, this weekend gave me sometime to go for a nice little walk in the snow. The roads here don't really get "plowed" as they do in America. There are sprinklers that are constantly running... everywhere. They are on sidewalks, roofs, in the middle of the street, some buildings have them on outdoor staircases, and so on, and so on, and so on. I'm still unsure what my feelings are of the sprinkler systems...
On one hand, they really do keep the snow off of sidewalks and stuff. There isn't ever that thin later of snow that the shovel doesn't quite get. The weather here baaaaarely dips below freezing so it doesn't turn into ice really, it just kind of flows. Also there aren't really huge drifts of snow from the plows or shovels. The snow melts and flows away and there isn't a massive black nasty mound left over.
On the other hand. The parking lot of my building has turned into a small lake. Some sidewalks have about 4 or 5 inches of water on them. Waterproof boots aren't suggested, they're required (pretty much.) Basically everywhere you can walk is flooded with water. It's not usually that deep, but it's deep enough that if you wore shoes, your feet would be drenched. So far, I'm not sick of the water but I could see how it'd just get annoying.
I woke up this morning and suited up (now that I think about it, jeans probably weren't the best idea.) and went for a long walk with my camera in the snow. I walked for about two hours to find as much of Urasa as I could. The snow was reaaaaaaally heavy but it wasn't that cold. I think it was just below freezing. The result is really heavy wet snow... and therefore really heavy
wet clothes. As I left I noted that getting home would be easier because the wind would be blowing with me. When I headed home, though, it seemed as if the wind was originating from some epicenter near my apartment because no matter what direction I faced I was getting wind in my face.
Anyway... I really loved my walk. All my clothes are completely drenched but I got to see some really nice things.
Here's a link to a video and some music I made this afternoon of my walk.
URASA SNOW DAY (<----Click That)
-Mike
While I was at school for most of the first day that it snowed, this weekend gave me sometime to go for a nice little walk in the snow. The roads here don't really get "plowed" as they do in America. There are sprinklers that are constantly running... everywhere. They are on sidewalks, roofs, in the middle of the street, some buildings have them on outdoor staircases, and so on, and so on, and so on. I'm still unsure what my feelings are of the sprinkler systems...
On one hand, they really do keep the snow off of sidewalks and stuff. There isn't ever that thin later of snow that the shovel doesn't quite get. The weather here baaaaarely dips below freezing so it doesn't turn into ice really, it just kind of flows. Also there aren't really huge drifts of snow from the plows or shovels. The snow melts and flows away and there isn't a massive black nasty mound left over.
On the other hand. The parking lot of my building has turned into a small lake. Some sidewalks have about 4 or 5 inches of water on them. Waterproof boots aren't suggested, they're required (pretty much.) Basically everywhere you can walk is flooded with water. It's not usually that deep, but it's deep enough that if you wore shoes, your feet would be drenched. So far, I'm not sick of the water but I could see how it'd just get annoying.
I woke up this morning and suited up (now that I think about it, jeans probably weren't the best idea.) and went for a long walk with my camera in the snow. I walked for about two hours to find as much of Urasa as I could. The snow was reaaaaaaally heavy but it wasn't that cold. I think it was just below freezing. The result is really heavy wet snow... and therefore really heavy
wet clothes. As I left I noted that getting home would be easier because the wind would be blowing with me. When I headed home, though, it seemed as if the wind was originating from some epicenter near my apartment because no matter what direction I faced I was getting wind in my face.
Anyway... I really loved my walk. All my clothes are completely drenched but I got to see some really nice things.
Here's a link to a video and some music I made this afternoon of my walk.
URASA SNOW DAY (<----Click That)
-Mike
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Here's a summary of the holiday season SO FAR...
The ALTs (Assistant Language Teachers) gathered together one night and had a thanksgiving. We had corn, stuffing, candied yams, rolls, mashed potatoes, and instead of turkey we had some good chicken of various flavors (including a BBQ Jerk sauce that was off the hook.)
The end we had some good desserts, including mine, but we were too stuffed to eat any.
Then I had a smaller thanksgiving with just myself and Hilary. My father sent me the following things...
Corn bread mix, stuffing ingredients, pumpkin pie mix (not in the picture...) gravy, cranberries, and some other goodies... oh yeah... that's right a TURKEY. A ROAST TURKEY. He couldn't mail an actual turkey from America so he sent me one from a company within Japan that mails frozen roast turkeys. Turkey is really difficult to come by here, in fact, when I talk about turkey to my students none of them even know what a turkey looks like.
I'm convinced this is where everyone decided to "one-up" each other. To see who could send the most raw food to me...
Following this delicious dinner I was sent a big box of goodies from my mother and little sister.
As a joke, when asked what I want for Hanukkah, I told my sister that I wanted a Challah (the bread... mmm...) of course you can't just MAIL Challah, I thought. Then I received one in mail, I was totally wrong. It was delicious.
My mother surprised me with two other packages one including dry and canned spices for Mexican food including pickled jalapenos, canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and an assortment of dried chiles.
The second box she sent me had (though this may have been illegal) raw peppers and vegetables. There were about 8 jalapenos, 8 serranos, 4 poblanos, and 8 tomatillos. It was wonderous. TRULY wonderous. I'd had tomatillos in food before but had never tasted one on it's own before... it's gooooooood.
The final gift my mother gave me was a transfer of all of our family and childhood VHS tapes onto DVD. It's an incredible thing to see these videos. I found that the earliest memories I have come from late 1989. I have short memories of thanksgiving at my Grandma Mary's home in Connecticut. I thought these memories were from the early 90s but the videos confirmed it to be 1989. They are great memories. Especially the ones of my awkward preteen-early teen chubby self running around trying to hard to be funny... aaaaawkward.
The gifts kept coming, though! I recieved a surprise gift from my aunt and uncle! A t-shirt guitar. Yep! A T-shit that has a guitar drawn on it and when you wave a magnetic pic in front of
it, it actually plays guitar chords. A fun gift that I will surely have to wear to school one day to make my students think I'm stranger than they already do.
I also got TWO, yep, TWO donations made in my name! One is to the Frontera Farmer Foundation and one to http://www.whatididnotbuy.org/ both are really interesting places so please check them out!
That's my update on the holidays so far! I will be taking a trip to (on an over-night train) to Osaka in a few weeks. Stay tuned for an update!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Driving Me Nuts
Even though space is in abundance here, there is no such thing as street parking where I live. The streets are incredibly narrow and street parking would never work. There's barely enough room to walk on the side of the road and not get hit by a car or truck, let alone stop an entire vehicle.
Just a few days ago I was baking a cake for a pot-luck party I was going to. As I was mixing the ingredients I realized I needed some plain yogurt. I was out of it at home so I had to drive to the store to get some more. "No problem," I thought, "it'll take 5 minutes." I drove to the local mini-grocery store and when I got there. The always-empty parking lot was completely full. This was because half of the parking lot was roped off and there stood a lone man sweeping the parking lot spaces.
Since there is no street parking I was confused at what to do. There wasn't another parking lot nearby that I could temporarily park in. I didn't want to double park because the parking lot was so narrow that I'd be blocking anyone trying to get in and out of the parking lot all together, no just the person who I parked-in.
I pulled out and drove around the block hoping someone would leave. I noticed many cars with people sitting in them but no one was leaving. I even saw people exit the grocery store with their groceries and get into their cars. Then they just sat, with their cars running, in the parking lot...resting, I guess. I find this happening a lot. I drive to a convenience store and people sit with their car running eating lunch in their cars or sleeping. Apparently it's very common for Japanese people to do things like this. They live out of their cars more than we do in America.
I looked at the old man sweeping the parking spaces. "When you finish one, let someone PARK THERE!!" I thought... I was starting to get a little angry. The fact that he was sweeping a parking lot bothered me, and even more that he wasn't going to open up spots when he finished. Why not open up the ones you havent sweeped yet. There were about 20 spots blocked for him to sweep. Maybe he could block off 10 and then leave the other 10 open. Then block them off later. It's not like people would park there for an hour... or would they?
It took a total of 23 minutes, I know because I timed it. The amount of cars trying to get into the parking lot was absurd. No one was leaving. Everyone was coming in. Then, as if they all got some memo at the same time, about 90% of the taken spaces pulled out and left... at the exact same time. It was like watching someone scramble and then solve a Rubik's Cube. It went from an organized parking lot to a knot of cars and you knew it was only going to get worse before it got better. Eventually they all got out and I had first choice for the spot I wanted (by rule... I was there first.)
As I start pulling into a spot two other cars start going for it. This is where the organization of the grocery store parking lot near my home in America really started to seem brilliant to me. None of the spots are angled so you can come at the spot anyway. If they're angled you can only go in one direction and no one can really steal a spot from you. Right now was a battle. The good news is that Japanese people almost always back into spots. Rarely do they pull in forward. I, on the other hand, don't see the use for this system. Backing into a spot is clearly harder than backing out of a spot. I'd rather pull forward into a small narrow area and back out into a wide open area... it just makes more sense. It's easier! If I have no choice then I'll back in, but if I have the option I'm going front first.
So while these two Japanese parking-lot-bullies tried to back into my space, I just stuck my cars pretty little nose right in and parked. I got out, smiled, and walked in and got my yogurt and walked out. If there had been people waiting for spaces when I left, I'm pretty sure I would have gotten in my car and taken a nap... just because that's what they would have done to me. Instead I just went home and baked my cake which I think was the better choice. Nissan Cube's aren't comfortable, anyway.
Just a few days ago I was baking a cake for a pot-luck party I was going to. As I was mixing the ingredients I realized I needed some plain yogurt. I was out of it at home so I had to drive to the store to get some more. "No problem," I thought, "it'll take 5 minutes." I drove to the local mini-grocery store and when I got there. The always-empty parking lot was completely full. This was because half of the parking lot was roped off and there stood a lone man sweeping the parking lot spaces.
Since there is no street parking I was confused at what to do. There wasn't another parking lot nearby that I could temporarily park in. I didn't want to double park because the parking lot was so narrow that I'd be blocking anyone trying to get in and out of the parking lot all together, no just the person who I parked-in.
I pulled out and drove around the block hoping someone would leave. I noticed many cars with people sitting in them but no one was leaving. I even saw people exit the grocery store with their groceries and get into their cars. Then they just sat, with their cars running, in the parking lot...resting, I guess. I find this happening a lot. I drive to a convenience store and people sit with their car running eating lunch in their cars or sleeping. Apparently it's very common for Japanese people to do things like this. They live out of their cars more than we do in America.
I looked at the old man sweeping the parking spaces. "When you finish one, let someone PARK THERE!!" I thought... I was starting to get a little angry. The fact that he was sweeping a parking lot bothered me, and even more that he wasn't going to open up spots when he finished. Why not open up the ones you havent sweeped yet. There were about 20 spots blocked for him to sweep. Maybe he could block off 10 and then leave the other 10 open. Then block them off later. It's not like people would park there for an hour... or would they?
It took a total of 23 minutes, I know because I timed it. The amount of cars trying to get into the parking lot was absurd. No one was leaving. Everyone was coming in. Then, as if they all got some memo at the same time, about 90% of the taken spaces pulled out and left... at the exact same time. It was like watching someone scramble and then solve a Rubik's Cube. It went from an organized parking lot to a knot of cars and you knew it was only going to get worse before it got better. Eventually they all got out and I had first choice for the spot I wanted (by rule... I was there first.)
As I start pulling into a spot two other cars start going for it. This is where the organization of the grocery store parking lot near my home in America really started to seem brilliant to me. None of the spots are angled so you can come at the spot anyway. If they're angled you can only go in one direction and no one can really steal a spot from you. Right now was a battle. The good news is that Japanese people almost always back into spots. Rarely do they pull in forward. I, on the other hand, don't see the use for this system. Backing into a spot is clearly harder than backing out of a spot. I'd rather pull forward into a small narrow area and back out into a wide open area... it just makes more sense. It's easier! If I have no choice then I'll back in, but if I have the option I'm going front first.
So while these two Japanese parking-lot-bullies tried to back into my space, I just stuck my cars pretty little nose right in and parked. I got out, smiled, and walked in and got my yogurt and walked out. If there had been people waiting for spaces when I left, I'm pretty sure I would have gotten in my car and taken a nap... just because that's what they would have done to me. Instead I just went home and baked my cake which I think was the better choice. Nissan Cube's aren't comfortable, anyway.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
"What the HECK is Going On Here..."
From time to time I have these "holy cow... how did I get here??" moments.
This past week 20 students from Evanston Township High School came and did a homestay in Niigata and attended the high school I went to. Included on this trip was my high school Japanese teacher and the mother of a friend who graduated my year (she continued to help and chaperone trips after her daughter graduated.)
It was really great to see these people again but it was so strange being on the "other side." I feel like I had a backstage all access pass to their trip here. I saw the preparation at the high school, the weeks of handouts I got about looking for homestays, the constant panic that the flu would break out and the American students wouldn't be able to come inside the school, and so on. I was even quizzed about what on earth these people would be interested in eating when they got here. I said "Probably anything that isn't uni (sea urchin), ikura (salmon eggs), or nattou (fermented soy beans)." The result was what I call "starter sushi," this is the salmon, cooked shrimp, cucumber roles, and tuna kinds. The familiar looking sushi. Then there were massive Japanese style sandwiches. (Which I assure you will get a whole post of their own eventually... they are so strange.)
The American students came and completely turned this quiet hard working Japanese school on it's head. The teachers were all terribly nervous with American students in their class "Do I teach in ENGLISH!?!" many of them asked each other. "No," I thought "because you don't really know English. At least, not enough to teach Japanese History" Usually following this someone would say just that, in Japanese though... and everyone would laugh.
The students were so excited that they could hardly be contained. They were screaming and poking their heads into classrooms. I even walked by some Japanese students peeking around a corner watching the American students eat lunch. It was like the Japanese students were on a safari watching some animals feed. They watched from a safe distance watching the Americans eat, laugh, yell, and curse at each other. "oooooo." and "aaaaaah." they'd say as the students would lift something with a chopstick and put it in their mouth with no struggle.
Japanese students that I have struggled so hard to get to answer "how are you?" in my class would suddenly be a chatty-kathy with these students.
It was fun. Really really fun. The most fun I've had since I started working here. Everyone was excited and shot full of excitement.
The final day some English teachers and I had a final goodbye dinner with my old Japanese teacher and my friend's mom (the chaperone.) We went to a nice Italian restaurant with them and shared a bunch of foods and some wine. We talked about teaching and learning and things like that. We reminisced about my high school days a bit. It was here that I realized "How the heck did I get myself to THIS point??"
I was sitting in an Italian restaurant...drinking wine...with my high school Japanese teacher and my friend's mom...in rural Japan. I'd swear it was a dream if I hadn't woken up 3000 yen poorer this morning.
This past week 20 students from Evanston Township High School came and did a homestay in Niigata and attended the high school I went to. Included on this trip was my high school Japanese teacher and the mother of a friend who graduated my year (she continued to help and chaperone trips after her daughter graduated.)
It was really great to see these people again but it was so strange being on the "other side." I feel like I had a backstage all access pass to their trip here. I saw the preparation at the high school, the weeks of handouts I got about looking for homestays, the constant panic that the flu would break out and the American students wouldn't be able to come inside the school, and so on. I was even quizzed about what on earth these people would be interested in eating when they got here. I said "Probably anything that isn't uni (sea urchin), ikura (salmon eggs), or nattou (fermented soy beans)." The result was what I call "starter sushi," this is the salmon, cooked shrimp, cucumber roles, and tuna kinds. The familiar looking sushi. Then there were massive Japanese style sandwiches. (Which I assure you will get a whole post of their own eventually... they are so strange.)
The American students came and completely turned this quiet hard working Japanese school on it's head. The teachers were all terribly nervous with American students in their class "Do I teach in ENGLISH!?!" many of them asked each other. "No," I thought "because you don't really know English. At least, not enough to teach Japanese History" Usually following this someone would say just that, in Japanese though... and everyone would laugh.
The students were so excited that they could hardly be contained. They were screaming and poking their heads into classrooms. I even walked by some Japanese students peeking around a corner watching the American students eat lunch. It was like the Japanese students were on a safari watching some animals feed. They watched from a safe distance watching the Americans eat, laugh, yell, and curse at each other. "oooooo." and "aaaaaah." they'd say as the students would lift something with a chopstick and put it in their mouth with no struggle.
Japanese students that I have struggled so hard to get to answer "how are you?" in my class would suddenly be a chatty-kathy with these students.
It was fun. Really really fun. The most fun I've had since I started working here. Everyone was excited and shot full of excitement.
The final day some English teachers and I had a final goodbye dinner with my old Japanese teacher and my friend's mom (the chaperone.) We went to a nice Italian restaurant with them and shared a bunch of foods and some wine. We talked about teaching and learning and things like that. We reminisced about my high school days a bit. It was here that I realized "How the heck did I get myself to THIS point??"
I was sitting in an Italian restaurant...drinking wine...with my high school Japanese teacher and my friend's mom...in rural Japan. I'd swear it was a dream if I hadn't woken up 3000 yen poorer this morning.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Photoooooooos
I've put some more new photos on my flickr page. Including some of the pretty foliage around this area.
Mountains with trees changing colors is pretty crazy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ohmalarkey
Mountains with trees changing colors is pretty crazy.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ohmalarkey
Masked
It's that time of year! When people start to look scary because they wear masks on their face. I know what you're thinking. "But Mike, Halloween was LAST month!" Yes, it was you sillygooses. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the protective white mouth/nose masks that so many people love to wear here!
Lately, everyone has been figuratively throwing their hands in the air running around screaming "FLU FLU FLU FLU FLU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" This is done by people quietly handing out these white masks to all the teachers and students. Some teachers got a head start by starting to wear this masks weeks ago. Now I'd say a good 90% of the teachers in the office are wearing the masks now.
I wasn't too into the whole mask thing. Not because it was unfashionable, I'm not. It's just that it seemed weird to me. I sometimes wondered if it helps or makes it worse. If you aren't sick, but are exposed to the virus, your mask seems like it would become a concentrated swamp of viruses on your face that you would constantly be breathing in.
If you're already sick, it makes sense. If you sneezed with the mask on it wouldn't go nearly as far as it would if you didn't have it on. Though, if you touched any part of face with your bare hand and then touched something else, you'd still be spreading it.
The mask seems like a nice idea but, of course, is full of holes. In my brilliant mind, I'm convinced it's a bit of a scam. The fact that there are 17 people, in the 1st year students alone, with flu at my school and 14 of them are the H1N1 virus says, to me, that masks don't work. These students are sporting masks all the time!
Also, it sounds like the H1N1 virus isn't as bad as people seem to make it. It's only bad for old people or babies... but the normal flu is too.
Schools here are divided into years, then groups. So there's First Year Group 1, Group 2, Group 3 and so on. So the students are always in classes with people in their group. It'd be like if you had all the classes your homeroom classmates have. Anyway, if 4 people or more get the flu, that group is required to stay home from school until the sick students are better. If it gets too out of control, the whole school is cancelled.
People are really freaked.
I was given a pack of masks, though no one really made a point to say "you MUST wear these." Just a calm and friendly, "becareful of the flu, wear these if you want to." I went about 4 or 5 days without wearing any masks in schools. Teachers were giving me looks when I thought to myself "I should really wear these masks."
About another week went by and I hadn't worn my masks. Then one teacher said "Why aren't you wearing your masks?" "I dunno." I said. "You will get sick without them." I wanted to say "You'll get sick with them too..." but this makes things too complicated so I just said "Oh, really?" "Yes, you should wear them." "Ok, I'll put one on... later... after my class." I don't know why I didn't want to wear it. I knew I probably should I just really couldn't bring myself to wear it. Part of me just wants to get the flu just to get it over with. If I get it now then I won't have to deal with it later. I'm not TRYING to get it. I still wash my hands like crazy, but I'm not one of these people who gargles every 15 minutes, wears a mask, and eats my lunch far away from other people.
I was in the copy room when one of the teachers came in, wearing a mask. He goes "So... worried about the flu?" "Yeah, are you?" "Yes, of course, I'm wearing my mask." "Ah, yeah. Do any teachers have the flu?" "Hmmm... actually, no, none!" "That's good." "...yet...everyone should be careful... and wear a mask."
So... I reached in my pocket. Pulled out my mask... and put it on. He nodded with a "that'll do little pig, that'll do." In his mind, he had just won the battle. The contaminated Assistant Language Teacher was now masked and safe. As soon as he left, I took it off again. It just feels weird to be breathing on your own face.
The one other thing that I have to bring up that really bugs me about this flu epidemic is the gargling. I'm sure it helps if you gargle with warm salt water twice a day, like "they" say. I'm not sure, though, that gargling with cold water and spitting it into the sink is a good idea. First, there's no salt. Second, they're spitting into the sink where everyone cleans their cups and washes their hands. When I see people gargling and spitting cold water in there and it splashes everywhere I just imagine that the sink becomes a huge Cancun-spring-break-night-club party for viruses. They're all wet and hanging out together. They're being pushes onto cups and countertops into peoples cups and stuff. Gross. It hurts to watch people use that sink. It's right next to the computers and I know that it sprays everywhere. It's like, people forget that when you flush a toilet that the dirty water sprays out of it a little bit. You're supposed to, if there is one, close the lid so there's less spray-age. This is happening with the sink. I come to use these computers and their covered in all the teachers' sick viruses and...
...I'm putting on my mask.
Lately, everyone has been figuratively throwing their hands in the air running around screaming "FLU FLU FLU FLU FLU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" This is done by people quietly handing out these white masks to all the teachers and students. Some teachers got a head start by starting to wear this masks weeks ago. Now I'd say a good 90% of the teachers in the office are wearing the masks now.
I wasn't too into the whole mask thing. Not because it was unfashionable, I'm not. It's just that it seemed weird to me. I sometimes wondered if it helps or makes it worse. If you aren't sick, but are exposed to the virus, your mask seems like it would become a concentrated swamp of viruses on your face that you would constantly be breathing in.
If you're already sick, it makes sense. If you sneezed with the mask on it wouldn't go nearly as far as it would if you didn't have it on. Though, if you touched any part of face with your bare hand and then touched something else, you'd still be spreading it.
The mask seems like a nice idea but, of course, is full of holes. In my brilliant mind, I'm convinced it's a bit of a scam. The fact that there are 17 people, in the 1st year students alone, with flu at my school and 14 of them are the H1N1 virus says, to me, that masks don't work. These students are sporting masks all the time!
Also, it sounds like the H1N1 virus isn't as bad as people seem to make it. It's only bad for old people or babies... but the normal flu is too.
Schools here are divided into years, then groups. So there's First Year Group 1, Group 2, Group 3 and so on. So the students are always in classes with people in their group. It'd be like if you had all the classes your homeroom classmates have. Anyway, if 4 people or more get the flu, that group is required to stay home from school until the sick students are better. If it gets too out of control, the whole school is cancelled.
People are really freaked.
I was given a pack of masks, though no one really made a point to say "you MUST wear these." Just a calm and friendly, "becareful of the flu, wear these if you want to." I went about 4 or 5 days without wearing any masks in schools. Teachers were giving me looks when I thought to myself "I should really wear these masks."
About another week went by and I hadn't worn my masks. Then one teacher said "Why aren't you wearing your masks?" "I dunno." I said. "You will get sick without them." I wanted to say "You'll get sick with them too..." but this makes things too complicated so I just said "Oh, really?" "Yes, you should wear them." "Ok, I'll put one on... later... after my class." I don't know why I didn't want to wear it. I knew I probably should I just really couldn't bring myself to wear it. Part of me just wants to get the flu just to get it over with. If I get it now then I won't have to deal with it later. I'm not TRYING to get it. I still wash my hands like crazy, but I'm not one of these people who gargles every 15 minutes, wears a mask, and eats my lunch far away from other people.
I was in the copy room when one of the teachers came in, wearing a mask. He goes "So... worried about the flu?" "Yeah, are you?" "Yes, of course, I'm wearing my mask." "Ah, yeah. Do any teachers have the flu?" "Hmmm... actually, no, none!" "That's good." "...yet...everyone should be careful... and wear a mask."
So... I reached in my pocket. Pulled out my mask... and put it on. He nodded with a "that'll do little pig, that'll do." In his mind, he had just won the battle. The contaminated Assistant Language Teacher was now masked and safe. As soon as he left, I took it off again. It just feels weird to be breathing on your own face.
The one other thing that I have to bring up that really bugs me about this flu epidemic is the gargling. I'm sure it helps if you gargle with warm salt water twice a day, like "they" say. I'm not sure, though, that gargling with cold water and spitting it into the sink is a good idea. First, there's no salt. Second, they're spitting into the sink where everyone cleans their cups and washes their hands. When I see people gargling and spitting cold water in there and it splashes everywhere I just imagine that the sink becomes a huge Cancun-spring-break-night-club party for viruses. They're all wet and hanging out together. They're being pushes onto cups and countertops into peoples cups and stuff. Gross. It hurts to watch people use that sink. It's right next to the computers and I know that it sprays everywhere. It's like, people forget that when you flush a toilet that the dirty water sprays out of it a little bit. You're supposed to, if there is one, close the lid so there's less spray-age. This is happening with the sink. I come to use these computers and their covered in all the teachers' sick viruses and...
...I'm putting on my mask.
Friday, November 13, 2009
It's Like I Never Left
I just wanted to show off more cooking photos...
I made my own barbecue sauce for the first time ever with some ingredients from here and a few my mom sent me (thank you).
Monday, November 9, 2009
Ugh. => Phew.
Ugh.
I got a fax last week from the school I go to on tuesdays saying "No class on tuesday November 10th" This means that, instead of going to that school, I'd just have to go to my base school and lounge around all day. Not too difficult.
This morning (Tuesday, November 10th) I woke up with a cold/some-kinda-virus and went to school. I did what I normally do, sit at my desk and not look at the clock as long as I can. I also try to avoid using the computer as long as I can... but then around 9am I decided I needed to use the internet to look up my symptoms online and see if maybe I'm allergic to something in my house.
Then the phone rang at school. I heard one of the teachers speaking in Japanese saying "Yes, yes, he's right here. Oh... he should be there? I will give the phone to him." They pass the phone to me. "Hello?" "Yes, hello, you should be at THIS school today, please!" "You sent me a fax that said there were no classes." "Yes. You have three classes today." "Huh? Really?" "Yes. Your first class will start in 15 minutes." I took a deep breath and said "You better check your tone with me, lady. Don't ever try and rush me, ever." Ok, I didn't say that. I didn't even think it. I could tell she was totally stressed since I wasn't there. The problem was that I felt awful, it takes about 25 minutes to drive there, and that the students there are really loud and energetic so it's really draining... not good for me today.
I got in my car and did what any person in my case would do. I drove to 7-11. I knew this would set me back a few minutes, but only 1 or 2. It would allow me to get some kind of energy drink, though. So I got a little energy drink and some carbs. I made it to school and was about 10 minutes late to my class, the other teacher had already started.
After that class some other teachers came to tell me I could never be late again. I showed them the fax they sent me and were all kind of doing a "hmm, I wonder who wrote that." kind of vaudeville looking routine where they'd point at someone else and that person would point to someone else and then that person would point to someone else and then suddenly they'd be in a human knot and all get pied in the face.
Anyway, I got here, had my 3 classes. The 4th class the one that got cancelled. When they said "We have no class on Tuesday." they meant "One of your classes will be cancelled." I politely apologized, though. I wasn't mad at them, they were even trying to be polite by sending me a message in English. I just showed them a better way to do it for next time.
Even though I felt really bad the class was pretty easy. I had to explain how to play the game "Guess Who" and then we played guess who with the whole class of 40 playing and one student would come up to the front. They ended up liking it a lot. So... phew.
That's my story for today.
Here is a link to something I find really really cool.
I've grown more and more interested with Japanese history. Mostly photos and art from the Meiji and Edo period of Japan.
Here are some "stereoview" pictures of Japan from the late Meiji period in Japan. They also added color to them. There is something so cool about seeing old photographs from anywhere. It's like looking at another planet sometimes.
http://pinktentacle.com/2009/10/animated-stereoviews-of-old-japan/
If the 'jumping' of the photos is too much, you can click the title under the photo and it will take you to a link where it's just the photos.
Anyway, enjoy.
I got a fax last week from the school I go to on tuesdays saying "No class on tuesday November 10th" This means that, instead of going to that school, I'd just have to go to my base school and lounge around all day. Not too difficult.
This morning (Tuesday, November 10th) I woke up with a cold/some-kinda-virus and went to school. I did what I normally do, sit at my desk and not look at the clock as long as I can. I also try to avoid using the computer as long as I can... but then around 9am I decided I needed to use the internet to look up my symptoms online and see if maybe I'm allergic to something in my house.
Then the phone rang at school. I heard one of the teachers speaking in Japanese saying "Yes, yes, he's right here. Oh... he should be there? I will give the phone to him." They pass the phone to me. "Hello?" "Yes, hello, you should be at THIS school today, please!" "You sent me a fax that said there were no classes." "Yes. You have three classes today." "Huh? Really?" "Yes. Your first class will start in 15 minutes." I took a deep breath and said "You better check your tone with me, lady. Don't ever try and rush me, ever." Ok, I didn't say that. I didn't even think it. I could tell she was totally stressed since I wasn't there. The problem was that I felt awful, it takes about 25 minutes to drive there, and that the students there are really loud and energetic so it's really draining... not good for me today.
I got in my car and did what any person in my case would do. I drove to 7-11. I knew this would set me back a few minutes, but only 1 or 2. It would allow me to get some kind of energy drink, though. So I got a little energy drink and some carbs. I made it to school and was about 10 minutes late to my class, the other teacher had already started.
After that class some other teachers came to tell me I could never be late again. I showed them the fax they sent me and were all kind of doing a "hmm, I wonder who wrote that." kind of vaudeville looking routine where they'd point at someone else and that person would point to someone else and then that person would point to someone else and then suddenly they'd be in a human knot and all get pied in the face.
Anyway, I got here, had my 3 classes. The 4th class the one that got cancelled. When they said "We have no class on Tuesday." they meant "One of your classes will be cancelled." I politely apologized, though. I wasn't mad at them, they were even trying to be polite by sending me a message in English. I just showed them a better way to do it for next time.
Even though I felt really bad the class was pretty easy. I had to explain how to play the game "Guess Who" and then we played guess who with the whole class of 40 playing and one student would come up to the front. They ended up liking it a lot. So... phew.
That's my story for today.
Here is a link to something I find really really cool.
I've grown more and more interested with Japanese history. Mostly photos and art from the Meiji and Edo period of Japan.
Here are some "stereoview" pictures of Japan from the late Meiji period in Japan. They also added color to them. There is something so cool about seeing old photographs from anywhere. It's like looking at another planet sometimes.
http://pinktentacle.com/2009/10/animated-stereoviews-of-old-japan/
If the 'jumping' of the photos is too much, you can click the title under the photo and it will take you to a link where it's just the photos.
Anyway, enjoy.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Weekends???
When I talk to people at home they keep asking me what do I do on weekends? My response is...
click here to see a video there are about 15 seconds of nothing before it starts
Don't be too creeped out. I'm not actually this lonely... I swear.
click here to see a video there are about 15 seconds of nothing before it starts
Don't be too creeped out. I'm not actually this lonely... I swear.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
D-I-V-O-R-C-E
don't know how big this was on the news in America, if any of you know this story or not but it stuck a bit of a chord with me here.
Here is a probably too-quick summary of what I've read...
So we start with a man from Tennessee and a woman from Japan. They had two kids, 6 and 8, and they lived together in Japan for a while. Eventually they moved to America and after some issues, they got divorced. Nothing too crazy going on here, yet. So in their divorce the Mom got custody but they Dad was still in the picture. The dad, though, worried that the mother was going to take the kids and return with them to Japan and he'd never get to see them. She wrote him some strongly worded email about how she was going to take them back to Japan because it was hard watching them lose their Japanese identity in America. I can see why she'd be upset, still, not a smart thing to write. Well, in order to prevent this, necessary precautions were taken in court. If she left with the kids to Japan, all financial ties would be terminated for child support and education funds from the father. Also, if she fled, he would be granted full custody of the kids in America. The mother apologized for her email and said she was just upset and shouldn't have written that. Though, I guess later when they questioned whether she planned on fleeing the country she wouldn't really answer straight.
I don't think anyone is doing anything "wrong," I mean, people divorce and divorces are typically pretty dirty things. I guess I shouldn't say no one is doing anything wrong but so far everyone is equally wrong.
The court said it was ok for the Mom to take the kids on a trip to Japan over the summer, but the dad was nervous about it. They went and returned safely to start school. School started and on the first day, the dad got a call saying his kids weren't at school. After some phone calls the dad called his ex-wife's father in Japan. He said "Don't worry, they kids are here and they are safe." Uh oooooooooooooooh.
He decided to hop on a plane and go to Japan and get his kids back.
He got to Japan, he found his ex-wife walking the kids to school and he was like "Get in the car!" They hopped in and drove off to the closest U.S. Embassy. He parked and was steps away from the Embassy when the cops stopped him and arrested him for child abduction. He got thrown in Jail.
Then it got complicated... The father was a Japanese citizen. The kids also had Japanese passports. The father and the wife were STILL married in Japan, technically. If he went to Japan and just lived there to be near his kids, it wouldn't really work out because when people get divorced in Japan, apparently there isn't a western-style custody type-o-thing where kids get to see both parents. The only person who gets custody is the mother, the father is outta the picture. Another big issues was that Japan wasn't part of the 1980 Hague Convention which basically makes it so that if someone steals kids from one country and escapes to another, the government will send them back to their country safely. (Even though Cuba isn't part of the Hague Convention, the case is kind of similar to what happened with Elian Gonzales... the mom took him and went to America, she died on the journey so Elian went to his great-uncle in Miami. America kept him until the father was like "What? are you crazy! Give me back my son." and so we sent in guys with massive guns to retrieve and terrify the little kid so he could go home safely. Maybe not the best retrieval plan, but he got back to his father safely.) Anyway, this dad-in-Japan was basically screwed. He was in jail in Japan, the odds were totally against him and he might be facing up to 5 years in prison.
He got released after a few weeks in Jail. He wasn't charged for child abduction (which would have given him a few years in prison) and Japan said they were going to work with the family to solve the issue of international child custody. They even said they will reevaluate the 1980 Hague Convention (whether they actually mean what they say, we'll see, but it sounds like they're playing fairly.)
By the way, this was never ever mentioned on the news here. When asked why it didn't even make local news where it occurred, the newspaper said "Because this is NOT news."
So there was a lot to digest and there were some decent points from both sides as to who is wrong and who is right. The thing that kind of surprised me after this, though, was that apparently this type of story isn't all that uncommon. After reading this story, a bunch of other similar ones surfaced. Including one where a mother took one of two children back to Japan with her. The Dad didn't try to abduct the kids though, smart on his part... but he still has the odds against him. The mother, in Japan, gets to keep the kid because SHE is the mother. If he takes the other kid with him to Japan, the mom could take the second kid too because if they're divorced, the kid is technically hers. Meanwhile, the dad hasn't seen his daughter in years and is upset that if she saw him now, she wouldn't really know who he is.
It's so insanely complicated that it's hard to really tell what the actual biggest problem is...
I think the few things I can conclude from all of this is that...
1) My parent's divorce was/is a messy thing but not THIS messy, daaaaaaang. I think at the hardest of times I think my parents divorce could be compared to the feeling you get 10 minutes before you can eat dinner at a long terrible passover seder. The 10 minutes stretch on and on and it feels you're never going to "get there," everyone is irritable (even grandparents), you keep thinking "I HAVE HEARD THIS STORY A MILLION TIMES, THIS PART ISN'T EVEN THAT IMPORTANT!!!!!!! LET'S GET GOING!!!" and even though you know that dinner is coming soon, after dinner you have a whole second half of the seder to come and all the wine at the table can't make that seem worth it... that's what I'd my divorce experience compare it to. I don't think that comes anywhere close to a Japanese jail! I mean seriously, talk about making unnecessary sacrifices, DAMN! (I will admit, I think either of my parents would sit in a Japanese jail for their kids but I don't think either would prefer that method, even though it would seriously give them the greatest guilt-trip ever. "I sat in a Japanese JAIL for WEEKS to see you and now you go and cancel dinner with less than 24 hours notice!?! The only words I knew were 'white,' 'New Years,' 'thank you' and 'airplane' it was impossible!" or "No no, it's FINE if you don't want to spend thanksgiving with MY side of the family, even though I am the one who sat in a foreign JAIL for you for TWO WEEKS! it's fine, go enjoy thanksgiving with your FATHER." and sometimes I think my parents sometimes like to pretend the other is forcing the other into Japanese jail when really they are like "Should I put this under my name or yours?".)
2) Don't try and kidnap your kids from Japan or any country for that matter.
3) Japan maaaaaaaybe should take a second look at it's custody customs. I don't want to criticize Japan for their different way of thinking, but I think this one might be a little bit old fashioned for this day and age. I had a long talk with one of my old host moms about divorce in Japan. What she said was (Note, I'm not speaking for all of Japan here...) if a marriage turns sour in Japan, the couple typically doesn't divorce because the kids won't ever see the father, the house will be lost, and the mother would have to get a job to support the family and it's just too much. In fact, she went on to say that she and her husband probably should be divorced but were together for convenience and the for the kids... talk an awkward moment in the conversation. Divorce sucks, but I think I can honestly say that after the initial problems from divorce, seeing both of my parents happy was pretty darn nice... sure, problems still come up, but you get twice as many birthday celebrations. (Though one could argue that every holiday season the tug o' war that occurred with who will be spending what holiday who makes the extra birthday cake less of a reward.)
I really think the whole "both parents seeing the kids (if both parents are sane mentally-healthy people)" is a pretty nice way to keep both parents happy (or equally unhappy) and allows the kids to know both parents. Which is, ya know, nice.
So I probably left out some details and I didn't want to judge either of the parents, obviously both of them made some serious mistakes, but I dunno, I just thought it was an interesting and complicated issue worth of a blog entry. Like I said, divorce stories strike a chord with me...
Also, real quick, show of hands... who actually reads these? Not that I'm not thankful for my the comments my parents leave but it's pretty much ONLY them that comment... it's exciting to know when people read these so don't hesitate to comment!
Here is a probably too-quick summary of what I've read...
So we start with a man from Tennessee and a woman from Japan. They had two kids, 6 and 8, and they lived together in Japan for a while. Eventually they moved to America and after some issues, they got divorced. Nothing too crazy going on here, yet. So in their divorce the Mom got custody but they Dad was still in the picture. The dad, though, worried that the mother was going to take the kids and return with them to Japan and he'd never get to see them. She wrote him some strongly worded email about how she was going to take them back to Japan because it was hard watching them lose their Japanese identity in America. I can see why she'd be upset, still, not a smart thing to write. Well, in order to prevent this, necessary precautions were taken in court. If she left with the kids to Japan, all financial ties would be terminated for child support and education funds from the father. Also, if she fled, he would be granted full custody of the kids in America. The mother apologized for her email and said she was just upset and shouldn't have written that. Though, I guess later when they questioned whether she planned on fleeing the country she wouldn't really answer straight.
I don't think anyone is doing anything "wrong," I mean, people divorce and divorces are typically pretty dirty things. I guess I shouldn't say no one is doing anything wrong but so far everyone is equally wrong.
The court said it was ok for the Mom to take the kids on a trip to Japan over the summer, but the dad was nervous about it. They went and returned safely to start school. School started and on the first day, the dad got a call saying his kids weren't at school. After some phone calls the dad called his ex-wife's father in Japan. He said "Don't worry, they kids are here and they are safe." Uh oooooooooooooooh.
He decided to hop on a plane and go to Japan and get his kids back.
He got to Japan, he found his ex-wife walking the kids to school and he was like "Get in the car!" They hopped in and drove off to the closest U.S. Embassy. He parked and was steps away from the Embassy when the cops stopped him and arrested him for child abduction. He got thrown in Jail.
Then it got complicated... The father was a Japanese citizen. The kids also had Japanese passports. The father and the wife were STILL married in Japan, technically. If he went to Japan and just lived there to be near his kids, it wouldn't really work out because when people get divorced in Japan, apparently there isn't a western-style custody type-o-thing where kids get to see both parents. The only person who gets custody is the mother, the father is outta the picture. Another big issues was that Japan wasn't part of the 1980 Hague Convention which basically makes it so that if someone steals kids from one country and escapes to another, the government will send them back to their country safely. (Even though Cuba isn't part of the Hague Convention, the case is kind of similar to what happened with Elian Gonzales... the mom took him and went to America, she died on the journey so Elian went to his great-uncle in Miami. America kept him until the father was like "What? are you crazy! Give me back my son." and so we sent in guys with massive guns to retrieve and terrify the little kid so he could go home safely. Maybe not the best retrieval plan, but he got back to his father safely.) Anyway, this dad-in-Japan was basically screwed. He was in jail in Japan, the odds were totally against him and he might be facing up to 5 years in prison.
He got released after a few weeks in Jail. He wasn't charged for child abduction (which would have given him a few years in prison) and Japan said they were going to work with the family to solve the issue of international child custody. They even said they will reevaluate the 1980 Hague Convention (whether they actually mean what they say, we'll see, but it sounds like they're playing fairly.)
By the way, this was never ever mentioned on the news here. When asked why it didn't even make local news where it occurred, the newspaper said "Because this is NOT news."
So there was a lot to digest and there were some decent points from both sides as to who is wrong and who is right. The thing that kind of surprised me after this, though, was that apparently this type of story isn't all that uncommon. After reading this story, a bunch of other similar ones surfaced. Including one where a mother took one of two children back to Japan with her. The Dad didn't try to abduct the kids though, smart on his part... but he still has the odds against him. The mother, in Japan, gets to keep the kid because SHE is the mother. If he takes the other kid with him to Japan, the mom could take the second kid too because if they're divorced, the kid is technically hers. Meanwhile, the dad hasn't seen his daughter in years and is upset that if she saw him now, she wouldn't really know who he is.
It's so insanely complicated that it's hard to really tell what the actual biggest problem is...
I think the few things I can conclude from all of this is that...
1) My parent's divorce was/is a messy thing but not THIS messy, daaaaaaang. I think at the hardest of times I think my parents divorce could be compared to the feeling you get 10 minutes before you can eat dinner at a long terrible passover seder. The 10 minutes stretch on and on and it feels you're never going to "get there," everyone is irritable (even grandparents), you keep thinking "I HAVE HEARD THIS STORY A MILLION TIMES, THIS PART ISN'T EVEN THAT IMPORTANT!!!!!!! LET'S GET GOING!!!" and even though you know that dinner is coming soon, after dinner you have a whole second half of the seder to come and all the wine at the table can't make that seem worth it... that's what I'd my divorce experience compare it to. I don't think that comes anywhere close to a Japanese jail! I mean seriously, talk about making unnecessary sacrifices, DAMN! (I will admit, I think either of my parents would sit in a Japanese jail for their kids but I don't think either would prefer that method, even though it would seriously give them the greatest guilt-trip ever. "I sat in a Japanese JAIL for WEEKS to see you and now you go and cancel dinner with less than 24 hours notice!?! The only words I knew were 'white,' 'New Years,' 'thank you' and 'airplane' it was impossible!" or "No no, it's FINE if you don't want to spend thanksgiving with MY side of the family, even though I am the one who sat in a foreign JAIL for you for TWO WEEKS! it's fine, go enjoy thanksgiving with your FATHER." and sometimes I think my parents sometimes like to pretend the other is forcing the other into Japanese jail when really they are like "Should I put this under my name or yours?".)
2) Don't try and kidnap your kids from Japan or any country for that matter.
3) Japan maaaaaaaybe should take a second look at it's custody customs. I don't want to criticize Japan for their different way of thinking, but I think this one might be a little bit old fashioned for this day and age. I had a long talk with one of my old host moms about divorce in Japan. What she said was (Note, I'm not speaking for all of Japan here...) if a marriage turns sour in Japan, the couple typically doesn't divorce because the kids won't ever see the father, the house will be lost, and the mother would have to get a job to support the family and it's just too much. In fact, she went on to say that she and her husband probably should be divorced but were together for convenience and the for the kids... talk an awkward moment in the conversation. Divorce sucks, but I think I can honestly say that after the initial problems from divorce, seeing both of my parents happy was pretty darn nice... sure, problems still come up, but you get twice as many birthday celebrations. (Though one could argue that every holiday season the tug o' war that occurred with who will be spending what holiday who makes the extra birthday cake less of a reward.)
I really think the whole "both parents seeing the kids (if both parents are sane mentally-healthy people)" is a pretty nice way to keep both parents happy (or equally unhappy) and allows the kids to know both parents. Which is, ya know, nice.
So I probably left out some details and I didn't want to judge either of the parents, obviously both of them made some serious mistakes, but I dunno, I just thought it was an interesting and complicated issue worth of a blog entry. Like I said, divorce stories strike a chord with me...
Also, real quick, show of hands... who actually reads these? Not that I'm not thankful for my the comments my parents leave but it's pretty much ONLY them that comment... it's exciting to know when people read these so don't hesitate to comment!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Holy Moly...
A few years ago while I was here, McDonald's in Japan introduced the "MegaMac" which was a Big Mac with twice as much meat. Here is a reminder...
Well that looks like a dinky slider compared to what Burger King is now offering... In an attempt to celebrate the release of Windows 7 Japanese Burger King made the "Windows 7 Whopper" with 7 beef patties...
and in case you think it's fake, here's a video of a Japanese comedian attempting to take a bite...
If this isn't a wake up call for America I don't know what is! We're STILL the fattest nation in the world by a long shot and guess what? We only have Triple Whoppers. Japan now has Septuple Whoppers (for a limited time) Want to see what America did to celebrate windows 7? If you have a moment watch this video, it's probably the lamest attempt to make people excited for anything ever...
I thought it was fake, but after research, I've found it to be legit...
It's awkward and jerky and uncomfortable. Nothing any of these people say is funny, yet they continue to laugh. I don't want to see these people hanging out with each other and I DEFINITELY don't want them to try and teach me how to have a party. It's worse than any PSA I saw when I was child.
So, Which do you think is going to give Windows 7 better press... a 7 Layers-of-meat-burger? or instructions on how to have a party that will make your friends never call you again?
Holy Moly.
Well that looks like a dinky slider compared to what Burger King is now offering... In an attempt to celebrate the release of Windows 7 Japanese Burger King made the "Windows 7 Whopper" with 7 beef patties...
and in case you think it's fake, here's a video of a Japanese comedian attempting to take a bite...If this isn't a wake up call for America I don't know what is! We're STILL the fattest nation in the world by a long shot and guess what? We only have Triple Whoppers. Japan now has Septuple Whoppers (for a limited time) Want to see what America did to celebrate windows 7? If you have a moment watch this video, it's probably the lamest attempt to make people excited for anything ever...
I thought it was fake, but after research, I've found it to be legit...
It's awkward and jerky and uncomfortable. Nothing any of these people say is funny, yet they continue to laugh. I don't want to see these people hanging out with each other and I DEFINITELY don't want them to try and teach me how to have a party. It's worse than any PSA I saw when I was child.
So, Which do you think is going to give Windows 7 better press... a 7 Layers-of-meat-burger? or instructions on how to have a party that will make your friends never call you again?
Holy Moly.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
20 Hours Of Fun: Return of the Tokyo
So a few weeks back word on the street was one of my uncles was coming to Tokyo to give some special talks. He asked if we could meet up. As it turned out there were some scheduling issues and we could arrange just 24 hours together. (I worked on Friday and he though he had hoped to stay til Sunday, he had to leave Saturday afternoon.) I thought of a handful of fun things we could do... Maybe we could visit Asakusa, Shibuya, or Shinjuku. Those are the Tokyo hot spots to hit, especially if it's your first time in Tokyo.
Well a few days before I went down to Tokyo he mentioned he was taking a bus tour of Tokyo, which pretty much eliminated all of my options and then some. So I thought hard of other places... the only one I could think of was Tsukiji fish market. I'd never actually been, but I'd heard good things. The one problem with this was that you have to go between 5am and 6am to see the real entertaining stuff. While times like this are easy for a jet lagged recent arrival to Japan, it's by no means deal for me on one of the few days can sleep in a bit so I continued to think.
I took the train to Tokyo after school on Friday and headed to where my uncle would be giving a lecture to some Japanese scientists (pathologists and toxicologists, I believe) and I would join them for the last few lectures (which would be in Japanese) and the reception at the end. Well... let me tell you, if there's one thing I've learned about Japan it's that they loooooooooove their receptions.
I made it at the exact moment my uncle's speech ended and he was walking to his "green room" of sorts to rest up a bit. We chatted for a while and I was introduced to all the people who had been helping him out. We watched a speech and then joined the hundred other doctors in the reception room for lots of drinking and lots of food. (My uncle and I didn't drink a lot, most of the older scientists did though) There were lots of jokes about things I didn't understand. My uncle and I got separated and I met his Japanese friends and we all chatted for a while. I then walked over to the food buffet and got ready to chow down when one of my uncle's friends approached me with a young Japanese pathologist.
"Michael, this woman would like to speak with you!" he said.
"Hello!" I said, "I'm Mike!"
The man spoke for the woman, "Is it true you speak Japanese?"
"Yes, I do."
She chimed in with a "Yoroshikuonegaishimasu." which is basically a "Nice to meet you." kind of thing... it's one of the things you say when you meet someone for the first time.
"Yoroshikuonegaishimasu" I responded, and of course as always it was followed by the Japanese folks laughing when they hear you speak Japanese. Japanese people tend to laugh at anyone who says any single word in Japanese. Not necessarily in a mean way, really. It's similar to the reaction one might have when parrot mimics human speech. "HAHA! DID YOU HEAR THAT!?!? CRAZY! Make it say something else!" It wears off quickly if you have a decent handle on Japanese so after a few sentences they tend to calm down. Every now and then if you say something REALLY grammatically correct they'll go "Woah, you're SO good." Which is nice to hear, except it's awkward because you're not really supposed to accept compliments in Japanese, if they say "you're good at Japanese." you must say "No, I'm not." if they say "You're so smart." you must say "No, I'm not." Even if they say "Your Mom looks pretty." Apparently, I still don't believe this one, you're supposed to say "No, she doesn't." You or no one in your family should ever receive a complement with a "Thank you!" or "Arigatou!" Though, sometimes it slips with me and no one seems to get offended.
ANYWAY, I'm off topic.
So after we exchange out little "hello" the man asks, "So, you are single, right?"
Awkward.
"No, I have a girlfriend." I said.
At the same time both the man and this pathologist go "AWWWW~! ZANNEN!" which is Japanese for "AWWWW~! TOO BAD!"
Then it got even weirder because the guy goes, "Well, nevermind." And the girl just turns around and walks away. Then it got EVEN weirder when he puts his arm around my shoulder and said "This is when you are supposed to pretend like you don't have a girlfriend!" followed by a firm pat on my butt. "Heh. Heh... Heh... uh... ok... well... this... shrimp tastes... good."
Later in the reception a woman called me "Gorgeous." Gorgeous isn't a word I'd ever used to describe myself and I know it's not a word anyone other than this lady would use to describe me. Maybe she meant something else like "porpoise" or that I looked like a woman named "Dolores." (I don't know any other words that rhyme well with gorgeous.) But then I again, I DID just get a haircut, so I AM lookin pretty good these days.
It was here that people started asking what our plan was tomorrow. Some of his Japanese friends would join us around 8:30 to go around Tokyo together, but we had to think of something that he'd like to do. Someone mentioned "What about tsukij!" and my uncle said, "I heard that's great! But you have to go early, right?" "Right." the person said. "Well," my uncle continued, "I'm fine with it! let's go." I decided, what the heck, if I'm gonna get up at 4:00 am to go to a fish market, why not. It was early, the party was wrapping up and I could get to bed soon because I was tired for traveling so much that day.
Post reception my Uncle mentioned he hadn't seen much of Tokyo at night and he wanted to see some cool spots. Shibuya is my favorite night view in Tokyo. Shinjuku and Ginza are cool, but Shibuya has one of the busiest intersections in the world. (It's in Lost In Translation if you've ever seen that. There's a building that has a giant TV on it and dinosaur walking across it... it's that area.) I thought it was closer to where we were, but I was wrong.
We stopped at the hotel and dropped out bags off and walked back to Tokyo station and took the train there. We arrived in Shibuya around 10. We walked around look at stores and then decided to take a rest in Starbucks which over looks the really busy intersection. We each had a scone and at about 11:30 we decided to head back and get some rest, since we'd be getting up at 4:00am.
We got back to the hotel at midnight and I set my alarm for 4. I closed my eyes and what felt like 30 seconds later my alarm went off. "Well," Uncle David said. "Let's go."
We went to Tsukiji Fish Market. For those of you who don't know, Tsukiji Fish Market is a morning Market where a lot of the fish for Japan comes from. It's whole sale. There were enormous octopus legs, fish you'd never even seen or heard of before, live fish, half alive fish, and of course dead fish. There were red fish, white fish, blue fish, bloody fish, green fish, eels, and various other monsters of the sea. The most famous part of this attraction is the "Tuna Auction" Tunas that are about 3 to 6 feet long are auctioned off and sold for thousands of dollars. Viewers are only allowed to enter one of the many auctions and they start at 5:15am and end at 6:15am.
It was absolutely worth getting up at 4:00 in the morning for, even though we were almost killed for every step we took. There are these motor-cart things that guys drive around to bring fish to the various market stalls. (We even witnessed a head on collision of two of the carts... the two men exchanged a look and no one seemed alarmed except my uncle and I.) We also didn't see the maps that are given to visitors at the entrance and got completely lost. We wandered into a section that visitors aren't allowed to go to. There were huge tanks of live fish. They were flapping around splashing water and leaping out. Eventually someone told us where to go, though, the people who work there are some of the most intimidating people I've come across in Japan. They have stone cold looks on their faces and are ready to plow you over with their carts at any given moment.
We got back to the hotel at 6:30. I slept until 7:30 then we got ready for our day ahead of us. A museum, a park, curry for lunch, and then we'd go our separate ways.
The Edo Tokyo History Museum was pretty nice except my uncle made the mistake of requesting one of the volunteer guides. The museum was a giant room where half is built to look like Edo-period Tokyo (a.k.a. Edo) and the other half is post Meiji resoration Tokyo (a.k.a. when Edo's name was changed to Tokyo.) Within this replica city there were true artifacts from these times, it looked exciting. Before we even took one step into the exhibit the guide spoke to us for about 15 minutes, (which with the lack of sleep gave it more a half-time feel so it felt closer to 30 minutes... maybe even 40.) Then we started looking at stuff. After about an hour we had made it through about 6% of the museum. Time was crucial today since we wanted to get lunch and go to a park before my uncle left for home so but no one had the heart to tell this old volunteer historian that we didn't need to know eeeeevery detal of Japan's history. (Though, I did learn that average height of females then was 140 centimeters (4'6'') and men was 150 centimeters (4'9'') Which is crazy!)
Eventually we told him and he gave us a speed tour so we could get to another part of the museum before we left.
We did a speed walk of the "Shin-hanga" exhibit. Which was the "Modern woodblock prints" of Japan. They came from the late 1800s through 1960s and they blew my mind. It was probably one of the most beautiful exhibits I'd ever seen and I unfortunately only had about 10 minutes to see it. I bought the book of the exhibit at the end though.
We skipped Ueno Park and rushed back to Tokyo station, got curry for lunch. Went back to the hotel, got out bags and made it to the station for goodbyes and then I got on the train back to Urasa and fell asleep.
WHEW! 24 hours in Tokyo, 4 of them were sleeping. I can honestly say I never thought I'd make friends with Japanese scientists, get awkwardly picked up by Japanese pathologists, or watch 6 foot sea monsters get sold for thousands of dollars while almost being killed by little fast motor-carts... adventures with family does it really get any better than that?
Stay tuned for some photos!
*I apologize if there are more spelling and grammar mistakes than usual. I still haven't slept much today.
Well a few days before I went down to Tokyo he mentioned he was taking a bus tour of Tokyo, which pretty much eliminated all of my options and then some. So I thought hard of other places... the only one I could think of was Tsukiji fish market. I'd never actually been, but I'd heard good things. The one problem with this was that you have to go between 5am and 6am to see the real entertaining stuff. While times like this are easy for a jet lagged recent arrival to Japan, it's by no means deal for me on one of the few days can sleep in a bit so I continued to think.
I took the train to Tokyo after school on Friday and headed to where my uncle would be giving a lecture to some Japanese scientists (pathologists and toxicologists, I believe) and I would join them for the last few lectures (which would be in Japanese) and the reception at the end. Well... let me tell you, if there's one thing I've learned about Japan it's that they loooooooooove their receptions.
I made it at the exact moment my uncle's speech ended and he was walking to his "green room" of sorts to rest up a bit. We chatted for a while and I was introduced to all the people who had been helping him out. We watched a speech and then joined the hundred other doctors in the reception room for lots of drinking and lots of food. (My uncle and I didn't drink a lot, most of the older scientists did though) There were lots of jokes about things I didn't understand. My uncle and I got separated and I met his Japanese friends and we all chatted for a while. I then walked over to the food buffet and got ready to chow down when one of my uncle's friends approached me with a young Japanese pathologist.
"Michael, this woman would like to speak with you!" he said.
"Hello!" I said, "I'm Mike!"
The man spoke for the woman, "Is it true you speak Japanese?"
"Yes, I do."
She chimed in with a "Yoroshikuonegaishimasu." which is basically a "Nice to meet you." kind of thing... it's one of the things you say when you meet someone for the first time.
"Yoroshikuonegaishimasu" I responded, and of course as always it was followed by the Japanese folks laughing when they hear you speak Japanese. Japanese people tend to laugh at anyone who says any single word in Japanese. Not necessarily in a mean way, really. It's similar to the reaction one might have when parrot mimics human speech. "HAHA! DID YOU HEAR THAT!?!? CRAZY! Make it say something else!" It wears off quickly if you have a decent handle on Japanese so after a few sentences they tend to calm down. Every now and then if you say something REALLY grammatically correct they'll go "Woah, you're SO good." Which is nice to hear, except it's awkward because you're not really supposed to accept compliments in Japanese, if they say "you're good at Japanese." you must say "No, I'm not." if they say "You're so smart." you must say "No, I'm not." Even if they say "Your Mom looks pretty." Apparently, I still don't believe this one, you're supposed to say "No, she doesn't." You or no one in your family should ever receive a complement with a "Thank you!" or "Arigatou!" Though, sometimes it slips with me and no one seems to get offended.
ANYWAY, I'm off topic.
So after we exchange out little "hello" the man asks, "So, you are single, right?"
Awkward.
"No, I have a girlfriend." I said.
At the same time both the man and this pathologist go "AWWWW~! ZANNEN!" which is Japanese for "AWWWW~! TOO BAD!"
Then it got even weirder because the guy goes, "Well, nevermind." And the girl just turns around and walks away. Then it got EVEN weirder when he puts his arm around my shoulder and said "This is when you are supposed to pretend like you don't have a girlfriend!" followed by a firm pat on my butt. "Heh. Heh... Heh... uh... ok... well... this... shrimp tastes... good."
Later in the reception a woman called me "Gorgeous." Gorgeous isn't a word I'd ever used to describe myself and I know it's not a word anyone other than this lady would use to describe me. Maybe she meant something else like "porpoise" or that I looked like a woman named "Dolores." (I don't know any other words that rhyme well with gorgeous.) But then I again, I DID just get a haircut, so I AM lookin pretty good these days.
It was here that people started asking what our plan was tomorrow. Some of his Japanese friends would join us around 8:30 to go around Tokyo together, but we had to think of something that he'd like to do. Someone mentioned "What about tsukij!" and my uncle said, "I heard that's great! But you have to go early, right?" "Right." the person said. "Well," my uncle continued, "I'm fine with it! let's go." I decided, what the heck, if I'm gonna get up at 4:00 am to go to a fish market, why not. It was early, the party was wrapping up and I could get to bed soon because I was tired for traveling so much that day.
Post reception my Uncle mentioned he hadn't seen much of Tokyo at night and he wanted to see some cool spots. Shibuya is my favorite night view in Tokyo. Shinjuku and Ginza are cool, but Shibuya has one of the busiest intersections in the world. (It's in Lost In Translation if you've ever seen that. There's a building that has a giant TV on it and dinosaur walking across it... it's that area.) I thought it was closer to where we were, but I was wrong.
We stopped at the hotel and dropped out bags off and walked back to Tokyo station and took the train there. We arrived in Shibuya around 10. We walked around look at stores and then decided to take a rest in Starbucks which over looks the really busy intersection. We each had a scone and at about 11:30 we decided to head back and get some rest, since we'd be getting up at 4:00am.
We got back to the hotel at midnight and I set my alarm for 4. I closed my eyes and what felt like 30 seconds later my alarm went off. "Well," Uncle David said. "Let's go."
We went to Tsukiji Fish Market. For those of you who don't know, Tsukiji Fish Market is a morning Market where a lot of the fish for Japan comes from. It's whole sale. There were enormous octopus legs, fish you'd never even seen or heard of before, live fish, half alive fish, and of course dead fish. There were red fish, white fish, blue fish, bloody fish, green fish, eels, and various other monsters of the sea. The most famous part of this attraction is the "Tuna Auction" Tunas that are about 3 to 6 feet long are auctioned off and sold for thousands of dollars. Viewers are only allowed to enter one of the many auctions and they start at 5:15am and end at 6:15am.
It was absolutely worth getting up at 4:00 in the morning for, even though we were almost killed for every step we took. There are these motor-cart things that guys drive around to bring fish to the various market stalls. (We even witnessed a head on collision of two of the carts... the two men exchanged a look and no one seemed alarmed except my uncle and I.) We also didn't see the maps that are given to visitors at the entrance and got completely lost. We wandered into a section that visitors aren't allowed to go to. There were huge tanks of live fish. They were flapping around splashing water and leaping out. Eventually someone told us where to go, though, the people who work there are some of the most intimidating people I've come across in Japan. They have stone cold looks on their faces and are ready to plow you over with their carts at any given moment.
We got back to the hotel at 6:30. I slept until 7:30 then we got ready for our day ahead of us. A museum, a park, curry for lunch, and then we'd go our separate ways.
The Edo Tokyo History Museum was pretty nice except my uncle made the mistake of requesting one of the volunteer guides. The museum was a giant room where half is built to look like Edo-period Tokyo (a.k.a. Edo) and the other half is post Meiji resoration Tokyo (a.k.a. when Edo's name was changed to Tokyo.) Within this replica city there were true artifacts from these times, it looked exciting. Before we even took one step into the exhibit the guide spoke to us for about 15 minutes, (which with the lack of sleep gave it more a half-time feel so it felt closer to 30 minutes... maybe even 40.) Then we started looking at stuff. After about an hour we had made it through about 6% of the museum. Time was crucial today since we wanted to get lunch and go to a park before my uncle left for home so but no one had the heart to tell this old volunteer historian that we didn't need to know eeeeevery detal of Japan's history. (Though, I did learn that average height of females then was 140 centimeters (4'6'') and men was 150 centimeters (4'9'') Which is crazy!)
Eventually we told him and he gave us a speed tour so we could get to another part of the museum before we left.
We did a speed walk of the "Shin-hanga" exhibit. Which was the "Modern woodblock prints" of Japan. They came from the late 1800s through 1960s and they blew my mind. It was probably one of the most beautiful exhibits I'd ever seen and I unfortunately only had about 10 minutes to see it. I bought the book of the exhibit at the end though.
We skipped Ueno Park and rushed back to Tokyo station, got curry for lunch. Went back to the hotel, got out bags and made it to the station for goodbyes and then I got on the train back to Urasa and fell asleep.
WHEW! 24 hours in Tokyo, 4 of them were sleeping. I can honestly say I never thought I'd make friends with Japanese scientists, get awkwardly picked up by Japanese pathologists, or watch 6 foot sea monsters get sold for thousands of dollars while almost being killed by little fast motor-carts... adventures with family does it really get any better than that?
Stay tuned for some photos!
*I apologize if there are more spelling and grammar mistakes than usual. I still haven't slept much today.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Hair... cut.
I am proud to say that I got a haircut in Japan and it isn't nearly as freaky as my last haircut here.
I've been relatively spoiled when it comes to haircuts, the same person has been cutting my hair since I've been about 6 years old. (With the exception of one time when I let 3 cute girls cut my hair in high school. The result left me with a decent look from the front and a balding look in the back... Also, George, the man who cuts my hair knew immediately at my next appointment that someone, not him, had cut my hair and that whoever had done it and no idea what they were doing. But they were attractive girls who were my friends and in high school, it's hard to say "No." to that.) So I'm used to just this one place, it isn't at an old musty barber shop, it's a nice salon where I am underdressed everytime and I'm probably not fashion conscious enough to be going there, but I like my haircuts from there...a lot (I like the classic looks, thats how I think of it... "classic"...maybe with a tiny bit of flare. Something that fits well with a classy suit rather than in a club with a with a tight t-shirt covered in glitter-paint dragons and jeans with embroidered lotus flowers up and down the legs). So when it comes to my hair I'm quite picky and don't deal with change particularly well.
I tried the fancy salon style here in Japan when I studied in Nagoya. While I'm not even hip enough for a fashioned western-style haircut, I am light-years behind an asian fashionista haircut. The result was a spiked forward haircut with pseudo-sideburns.
Let me break this haircut down a little more. My hair was spiked FORWARD. Not up, not back... forward. As if I was falling backwards into some wind... or if you bent over to pick up your keys and then sprayed some hairspray on yourself.
The 'Pseudo-sideburn' is the result of many asian men not having as thick of sideburns as a man of European blood like myself (Not that I have massive John-Belushi-Blues-Brothers-mutton-chops, but I HAVE sideburns). It works fine for men with less facial hair. On a chap like me, however, it don't work. What they do is, they grow the hair on the side of their heads longer enough to spike straight down. Kind of like a comb-over but for sideburns. It's trimmed to be slightly remeniscent of a sideburn but it usually a bit more of a spike than a 'sideburn' look. It covers the sideburn area of the face without actually growing in that area... can you picture it now?
So while this look certainly works for...er...some. It definitely didn't work with my "classy-suit" look. It left me with a pair of scissors clipping my hair in my host families bathroom and a scarred and jaded image of what haircuts are like for foreigners in this country.
So that brings us up to date. Before I came here I got my haircut and I photographed it from every side imagineable. I waited out as long as I could before I got my Japanese haircut... but I didn't want to wait TOO long. I didn't want my students thinking I was a caveman and I didn't want it to be so long that the person cutting my hair couldn't tell what my haircut once was. I figured if I let it grow out the haircutter could just keep it a similar shape but just make every part shorter until it resembled the photo I had... a fool proof plan.
So I made it about 2.5 months without a haircut.
I got a reservation at a place about a block from my house called "Y's Hair" Who is Y? I don't know, but it looked like a clean barbershop and I'd seen older men in there getting their haircut which meant that they weren't getting the "standing with your back to a wind tunnel" look. Also, I'm in Urasa, a town with no clubs or anything remotely showing a sign of fashion consciousness. It's a farming town which gave me some hope... but I didn't want it backfiring and giving me a full on buzz and fade to make me look like I just entered the army.
I showed up for my appointment and a man, "Y" I am assuming, cut my hair. I showed him my printed photos of my head. I said "I doesn't have to look exactly like this... but about this length and this general shape." I didn't want to demand a haircut that this man couldn't deliver... it could make him nervous and end up looking bad and then would result in a necessary head shaving. Or worse, I could offend him by coming off as saying "CUT MY HAIR LIKE THIS OR I WON'T PAY YOU, YOU FOOL!!" (Sometimes I fear that it's easy to come off as that rude in Japan if you don't use the right conjugations and grammar in the right situations... though they USUALLY give foreigners slack, though I am convinced that I am the exception and when I leave situations people all talk behind my back saying "How RUDE!")
He took the photos with a smile and didn't seem offended. He got to work. I had a brief moment of panic when I found that the only tool this man was using was thinning shears. (yes, I know what thinning shears are.) In America when I got my haircut there were many tools used, different kinds of shears, ravors, things that buzzed and things that blew, thinning scissors were only used on certain occasions and sometimes not at all, and never were they the only tool used. "You can't paint a room with JUST a roller or JUST a small brush, you need many things to make the paint job even and not splotchy..." I thought to myself, "my canvas! It could be RUINED!"
I am not even sure what the complete purpose of thinning shears are but they have the word "thinning" in them. The last thing my already thin hair needs is to be thinner. I needed thickening-darkening shears. Shears that not only make my hair look thicker on my head but will also grow thick hair on my chest and arms and give me muscles and make me taller. Shears that will also, from a clean shave, give me a well groomed five o' clock shadow, but not TOO well groomed, I don't want to look like George Michaels circa "Faith". Not THINNING shears. *After some research post-haircut I found they can add "texture" to make the hair look "more natural." though I am skeptical*
Anyway, my haircut turned out OK in the end. It's not THAT great looking and as a result of the thinning scissors, I think, my hair has less volume and looks kind of static-y in some spots (like if you hold a baloon over someones head and random pieces stand up, not clumps of hair, just random single pieces) but not staticy enough that you'd be like "Whats going on up there..." while pointing to my head and making a face of disgust. I bought some stuff to put in my hair and it looks a bit smoother.
So after my haircut the guy filled out this paperwork that had various drawings of a mans head. He marked down all the spots where he cut and how he cut it wrote my name on it and stuck it in a file. He gave me back my photograph of my head. I payed 28 bucks and left. This is a B- haircut. A clean 80%. Which is pretty good. In the 90's is damn good. I'm used to upper 90% and even 100% haircuts so this was a drop for me, but it isn't a failure in any way. The real question is, in two more months, do I go back to "Y's"? Or take a risk and go to "Taka" down the street or one of the other places here in Urasa.
?
-Mike
I've been relatively spoiled when it comes to haircuts, the same person has been cutting my hair since I've been about 6 years old. (With the exception of one time when I let 3 cute girls cut my hair in high school. The result left me with a decent look from the front and a balding look in the back... Also, George, the man who cuts my hair knew immediately at my next appointment that someone, not him, had cut my hair and that whoever had done it and no idea what they were doing. But they were attractive girls who were my friends and in high school, it's hard to say "No." to that.) So I'm used to just this one place, it isn't at an old musty barber shop, it's a nice salon where I am underdressed everytime and I'm probably not fashion conscious enough to be going there, but I like my haircuts from there...a lot (I like the classic looks, thats how I think of it... "classic"...maybe with a tiny bit of flare. Something that fits well with a classy suit rather than in a club with a with a tight t-shirt covered in glitter-paint dragons and jeans with embroidered lotus flowers up and down the legs). So when it comes to my hair I'm quite picky and don't deal with change particularly well.
I tried the fancy salon style here in Japan when I studied in Nagoya. While I'm not even hip enough for a fashioned western-style haircut, I am light-years behind an asian fashionista haircut. The result was a spiked forward haircut with pseudo-sideburns.
Let me break this haircut down a little more. My hair was spiked FORWARD. Not up, not back... forward. As if I was falling backwards into some wind... or if you bent over to pick up your keys and then sprayed some hairspray on yourself.
The 'Pseudo-sideburn' is the result of many asian men not having as thick of sideburns as a man of European blood like myself (Not that I have massive John-Belushi-Blues-Brothers-mutton-chops, but I HAVE sideburns). It works fine for men with less facial hair. On a chap like me, however, it don't work. What they do is, they grow the hair on the side of their heads longer enough to spike straight down. Kind of like a comb-over but for sideburns. It's trimmed to be slightly remeniscent of a sideburn but it usually a bit more of a spike than a 'sideburn' look. It covers the sideburn area of the face without actually growing in that area... can you picture it now?
So while this look certainly works for...er...some. It definitely didn't work with my "classy-suit" look. It left me with a pair of scissors clipping my hair in my host families bathroom and a scarred and jaded image of what haircuts are like for foreigners in this country.
So that brings us up to date. Before I came here I got my haircut and I photographed it from every side imagineable. I waited out as long as I could before I got my Japanese haircut... but I didn't want to wait TOO long. I didn't want my students thinking I was a caveman and I didn't want it to be so long that the person cutting my hair couldn't tell what my haircut once was. I figured if I let it grow out the haircutter could just keep it a similar shape but just make every part shorter until it resembled the photo I had... a fool proof plan.
So I made it about 2.5 months without a haircut.
I got a reservation at a place about a block from my house called "Y's Hair" Who is Y? I don't know, but it looked like a clean barbershop and I'd seen older men in there getting their haircut which meant that they weren't getting the "standing with your back to a wind tunnel" look. Also, I'm in Urasa, a town with no clubs or anything remotely showing a sign of fashion consciousness. It's a farming town which gave me some hope... but I didn't want it backfiring and giving me a full on buzz and fade to make me look like I just entered the army.
I showed up for my appointment and a man, "Y" I am assuming, cut my hair. I showed him my printed photos of my head. I said "I doesn't have to look exactly like this... but about this length and this general shape." I didn't want to demand a haircut that this man couldn't deliver... it could make him nervous and end up looking bad and then would result in a necessary head shaving. Or worse, I could offend him by coming off as saying "CUT MY HAIR LIKE THIS OR I WON'T PAY YOU, YOU FOOL!!" (Sometimes I fear that it's easy to come off as that rude in Japan if you don't use the right conjugations and grammar in the right situations... though they USUALLY give foreigners slack, though I am convinced that I am the exception and when I leave situations people all talk behind my back saying "How RUDE!")
He took the photos with a smile and didn't seem offended. He got to work. I had a brief moment of panic when I found that the only tool this man was using was thinning shears. (yes, I know what thinning shears are.) In America when I got my haircut there were many tools used, different kinds of shears, ravors, things that buzzed and things that blew, thinning scissors were only used on certain occasions and sometimes not at all, and never were they the only tool used. "You can't paint a room with JUST a roller or JUST a small brush, you need many things to make the paint job even and not splotchy..." I thought to myself, "my canvas! It could be RUINED!"
I am not even sure what the complete purpose of thinning shears are but they have the word "thinning" in them. The last thing my already thin hair needs is to be thinner. I needed thickening-darkening shears. Shears that not only make my hair look thicker on my head but will also grow thick hair on my chest and arms and give me muscles and make me taller. Shears that will also, from a clean shave, give me a well groomed five o' clock shadow, but not TOO well groomed, I don't want to look like George Michaels circa "Faith". Not THINNING shears. *After some research post-haircut I found they can add "texture" to make the hair look "more natural." though I am skeptical*
Anyway, my haircut turned out OK in the end. It's not THAT great looking and as a result of the thinning scissors, I think, my hair has less volume and looks kind of static-y in some spots (like if you hold a baloon over someones head and random pieces stand up, not clumps of hair, just random single pieces) but not staticy enough that you'd be like "Whats going on up there..." while pointing to my head and making a face of disgust. I bought some stuff to put in my hair and it looks a bit smoother.
So after my haircut the guy filled out this paperwork that had various drawings of a mans head. He marked down all the spots where he cut and how he cut it wrote my name on it and stuck it in a file. He gave me back my photograph of my head. I payed 28 bucks and left. This is a B- haircut. A clean 80%. Which is pretty good. In the 90's is damn good. I'm used to upper 90% and even 100% haircuts so this was a drop for me, but it isn't a failure in any way. The real question is, in two more months, do I go back to "Y's"? Or take a risk and go to "Taka" down the street or one of the other places here in Urasa.
?
-Mike
Thursday, October 8, 2009
A New Video...
CLICK HERE TO SEE New Video FROM MY TRIP!
It features a new little original diddy by yours truly.
Also I recommend watching it in HD if your computer can handle it
It features a new little original diddy by yours truly.
Also I recommend watching it in HD if your computer can handle it
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The Typhoon
So many of you probably don't know that there is a big typhoon covering, basically, all of Japan. Because of it, for the first time in about ten years my school closed... for the students. Teachers, of course, had to go to school... even though it's too dangerous for students to go. Anyway, all complaints aside, I went.
So I arrived at school and almost immediately found myself bored. I think the other teachers could tell too. I'm not sure if it was my constant yawning, the pages and pages of random kanji that I was practicing that gave it away. Anyway one of the other English Teachers, who is in charge of English Club came up to me and said "Let's go make some pies." So... I did.
In English Club over the past few days we've been preparing pumpkin pies from scratch. I missed the first day where some of the directions got messed up but that's ok...
This was my first time making a pumpkin pie from completely scratch. Usually I used canned pumpkin and then mixed all the spices and stuff in. This time, they started with big raw kabocha pumpkins. Anyway... we already had a whole lot of pureed pumpkin that already had condensed milk, sugar, and eggs in it. (That was their first mistake, that stuff was supposed to go in a lot later...)
So one teacher and I went to the cooking room and made pie crust and then made 3 small pies. After that, we served them to the teachers who all seemed to like it. Since they had put the ingredients into the pumpkin earlier, all the measurements were messed up. They had about 10 cups of pumpkin with ingredients for 3 cups of pumpkin. So it wasn't sweet or light enough. Either way it tasted good...
After the teacher and I had a slice we brought all the pies to the rest of the teachers in the office and had a bit of a pumpkin pie party on our rainy boring day at school.
Then I took nenkyu (paid vacaion) for the afternoon because after the pumpkin pie party died down I was starting to go crazy again. Now I'm at home eating instant ramen and watching Pee Wee's Playhouse on my computer. I am taking full advantage of my paid vacation hours.
-Mike
So I arrived at school and almost immediately found myself bored. I think the other teachers could tell too. I'm not sure if it was my constant yawning, the pages and pages of random kanji that I was practicing that gave it away. Anyway one of the other English Teachers, who is in charge of English Club came up to me and said "Let's go make some pies." So... I did.
In English Club over the past few days we've been preparing pumpkin pies from scratch. I missed the first day where some of the directions got messed up but that's ok...
This was my first time making a pumpkin pie from completely scratch. Usually I used canned pumpkin and then mixed all the spices and stuff in. This time, they started with big raw kabocha pumpkins. Anyway... we already had a whole lot of pureed pumpkin that already had condensed milk, sugar, and eggs in it. (That was their first mistake, that stuff was supposed to go in a lot later...)
So one teacher and I went to the cooking room and made pie crust and then made 3 small pies. After that, we served them to the teachers who all seemed to like it. Since they had put the ingredients into the pumpkin earlier, all the measurements were messed up. They had about 10 cups of pumpkin with ingredients for 3 cups of pumpkin. So it wasn't sweet or light enough. Either way it tasted good...
After the teacher and I had a slice we brought all the pies to the rest of the teachers in the office and had a bit of a pumpkin pie party on our rainy boring day at school.
Then I took nenkyu (paid vacaion) for the afternoon because after the pumpkin pie party died down I was starting to go crazy again. Now I'm at home eating instant ramen and watching Pee Wee's Playhouse on my computer. I am taking full advantage of my paid vacation hours.
-Mike
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Fun!
Fun. A word if read in English can bring memories of happiness and laughter. In Japan "Fun" brings other images. Images of stink, frustration and maybe even disgust. Fun (pronounced Foo-n) refers to feces. Yup...
I have had a lot of *FUN* experiences in my life. Japan has added two more to the list...
Previous to coming here three birds have had the pleasure of making me a target. Two had perfect bulls-eyes on on the top of my head. The other made aim for my leg as I was sitting on a bike.
Now a fourth addition to the bird category, as I was walking home from a convenience store here (or I should say THE convenience store, as there is only one here) a bird suffessfully dressed my hand in its *FUN* leaving me to briefly wonder "it is starting to rain" followed by "I hope it rains so I can get this *FUN* off of my hand."
NEXT I had the pleasure of a new adding a new species to the list, a frog. I approached a vending machine on the street one night and it was covered in all sorts of creatures. Urasa is very dark at night so the brightly lit vending machines are kind of the night-clubs of bug life in Urasa. There are giant mosquitos banging their head into the machines like drunken frat boy college students, graceful moths fluttering their wings and dancing together like a group of girls out for the night and then there are big lazy frogs that just sit in one place, too drunk to move but looking for the right moment to shoot their tongue out to get a piece of the mosquitos. So, I went to the machine and I pressed my button, Pocari Sweat...the gatorade of Japan, next to the button a little frog did a scurry-jump away from my hand. I bent over to retrieve my drink from where it sat, in the trough-with-a-flap section of the machine. At this exact moment, Hilary reached for the frog while exlaiming "Awwwww! Cuuuuuuuute!" With her hand approaching, the frog did what it was born to do... hop. It leapt from the machine into the darkness of the night and landed directly on the top of my head. Whether it was landing on my hair or Hilary's approaching hand that scared it, we may never know, but it let out a trail of frog *FUN* on my head. I like to think that it was so drunk that it just didn't really know what was going on. This will become a story it can tell it's other froggy friends. "OH MAN! The other night this enormous hand came out of nowhere so I jumped and landed on this dudes head! HAH! So scary, I funned all over him." Either way, I washed my hair twice that night and my list of *FUN* experiences got longer.
-Mike
I have had a lot of *FUN* experiences in my life. Japan has added two more to the list...
Previous to coming here three birds have had the pleasure of making me a target. Two had perfect bulls-eyes on on the top of my head. The other made aim for my leg as I was sitting on a bike.
Now a fourth addition to the bird category, as I was walking home from a convenience store here (or I should say THE convenience store, as there is only one here) a bird suffessfully dressed my hand in its *FUN* leaving me to briefly wonder "it is starting to rain" followed by "I hope it rains so I can get this *FUN* off of my hand."
NEXT I had the pleasure of a new adding a new species to the list, a frog. I approached a vending machine on the street one night and it was covered in all sorts of creatures. Urasa is very dark at night so the brightly lit vending machines are kind of the night-clubs of bug life in Urasa. There are giant mosquitos banging their head into the machines like drunken frat boy college students, graceful moths fluttering their wings and dancing together like a group of girls out for the night and then there are big lazy frogs that just sit in one place, too drunk to move but looking for the right moment to shoot their tongue out to get a piece of the mosquitos. So, I went to the machine and I pressed my button, Pocari Sweat...the gatorade of Japan, next to the button a little frog did a scurry-jump away from my hand. I bent over to retrieve my drink from where it sat, in the trough-with-a-flap section of the machine. At this exact moment, Hilary reached for the frog while exlaiming "Awwwww! Cuuuuuuuute!" With her hand approaching, the frog did what it was born to do... hop. It leapt from the machine into the darkness of the night and landed directly on the top of my head. Whether it was landing on my hair or Hilary's approaching hand that scared it, we may never know, but it let out a trail of frog *FUN* on my head. I like to think that it was so drunk that it just didn't really know what was going on. This will become a story it can tell it's other froggy friends. "OH MAN! The other night this enormous hand came out of nowhere so I jumped and landed on this dudes head! HAH! So scary, I funned all over him." Either way, I washed my hair twice that night and my list of *FUN* experiences got longer.
-Mike
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Mexican Everday In Japan
I had been mouthing off how I like to cook mexican food here for a while. By the way, there isn't mexican food in Japan. They know of 'Tacos' but don't really know what they are. They have something here called 'Tacos Rice' (yep, with an s at the end of taco) they put ground beef on rice, then lettuce and cheese. It's kind of like a burrito with no tortilla and sticky rice. It's pretty good. I figured my new love for cooking and love for Mexican food would provide a lucky family with a Japanese meal. Yoko, the helpful lady in town, asked me to cook for her and her family. Since she cooked me a number of HUGE meals aaaaand she basically saved me from going crazy here that I at least owed her a meal to say 'Thank you.'
Hilary and I planned well in advance what we wanted to make. Guacamole, Acapulco shrimp cocktail, chipotle (not the fast food chain) tortas, salsa, and maybe some other random thing we could think of... nachos? I wanted to make one more dish, tacos. Not ground beef Old El' Paso tacos, but more legit tacos. Steak and softshell tortilla tacos. Well here was the problem, there are no mexican spices here. We found cumin, paprika, chaynne pepper, black pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Thats about it. That wasn't going to cut it. We needed to take a trip... to mexico! So we did. Hilary and I booked a ticket to go to Mexico and flew there. We flew into Mexico City and went to a couple different shops. We spent two nights there and went back to Japan. When we got back everything was confiscated at customs. We were back where we started... but with nicer tans. (If you haven't guessed, I didn't really go to Mexico.) So we drove to Nagaoka, a city about an hour away that had two import stores. The first one we went to had taco shells and taco seasoning by, of course, Old El Paso. I bought them as a back up. We got a decent selection of spices including chile powder that wasn't chaynne... but it didn't say way it was. We then went to the second import store and struck gold with pickled jalapenos (there are no raw ones in Japan, I swear.) and CORN tortillas mmmmm. We also found chipotle Tabasco sauce which would be handy for the shrimp cocktail. We eventually headed back to do a test run of tacos. We couldn't find steak so we got ground beef. It left us with almost no chile powder left. We made some decent tasting tacos... but I wasn't statisfied.
The next morning (the day before the dinner.) I did a second test run of tacos with pork and a rub recipe by Rick Bayless that would work for tacos. It was declious but we accidentally used up the rest of our chile powder... the good mysterious dark one... not the chaynne. I went to all the local stores hoping to find another bottle of spice... no luck. The Old El Paso tacos mix was laughing at me from the shelf "YOU WILL COOK ME!" it said "They will think that I taste like mexican food!!!" It laughed again. "NO!!! NEVER!! I NEVER WILL!!! YOU ARE EVIL!!!" I screamed. Hilary asked me who I was yelling at. "No time!" I explained. I hopped in the car and drove to Jusco (the Walmart of Japan) ...there MUST be an answer and JUSCO!
There was no answer at JUSCO but there WERE steaks. I got 4 small steaks, and 4 chicken breasts.
Sunday morning, the morning of the feast... I woke up to someone beating on my door. "OPEN UP! IT'S THE POLICE!!!!" They yelled. "WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE YOU WERE ENGAGED IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES!!!" I opened the door, it was a mail man. He laughed and said "GOTCHA!!! Now, sign for the package" I gave him a high five for his hilarious joke (none of that dialogue actually happened). And as if by an act of God (my mother) I opened a package filled to the brim with Mexican spices, dried peppers, canned jalapenos and various other things that I have never seen, smelled, or probably tasted before. It was a SUNDAY, no one get s mail on a SUNDAY except for ME!!!! At the bottom was the cookbook "Mexican Everday" by Rick Bayless, my chef-idol. Anyway, I opened it up and went through picking out recipes that I could now cook! In the end we made the following feast for Yoko and it was AMAZING.
Acapulco Shrimp Cocktail
Steak Tacos
Chipotle Chicken Tortas
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Guacamole
There was soooo much food. I think we blew Yoko and her family away. The son and father especially liked it. I think it may have been a bit too spicy for Yoko, although I warned her well in advance that it might be too spicy... she tasted everything, but in the end ate lots of tortillas filled with only guacamole. Although I think she liked the tortilla soup. Maybe she just wasn't hungry. Anyway, she said she loved it and they kept all the leftovers.
Here's a photos of the meal...
Hilary and I planned well in advance what we wanted to make. Guacamole, Acapulco shrimp cocktail, chipotle (not the fast food chain) tortas, salsa, and maybe some other random thing we could think of... nachos? I wanted to make one more dish, tacos. Not ground beef Old El' Paso tacos, but more legit tacos. Steak and softshell tortilla tacos. Well here was the problem, there are no mexican spices here. We found cumin, paprika, chaynne pepper, black pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Thats about it. That wasn't going to cut it. We needed to take a trip... to mexico! So we did. Hilary and I booked a ticket to go to Mexico and flew there. We flew into Mexico City and went to a couple different shops. We spent two nights there and went back to Japan. When we got back everything was confiscated at customs. We were back where we started... but with nicer tans. (If you haven't guessed, I didn't really go to Mexico.) So we drove to Nagaoka, a city about an hour away that had two import stores. The first one we went to had taco shells and taco seasoning by, of course, Old El Paso. I bought them as a back up. We got a decent selection of spices including chile powder that wasn't chaynne... but it didn't say way it was. We then went to the second import store and struck gold with pickled jalapenos (there are no raw ones in Japan, I swear.) and CORN tortillas mmmmm. We also found chipotle Tabasco sauce which would be handy for the shrimp cocktail. We eventually headed back to do a test run of tacos. We couldn't find steak so we got ground beef. It left us with almost no chile powder left. We made some decent tasting tacos... but I wasn't statisfied.
The next morning (the day before the dinner.) I did a second test run of tacos with pork and a rub recipe by Rick Bayless that would work for tacos. It was declious but we accidentally used up the rest of our chile powder... the good mysterious dark one... not the chaynne. I went to all the local stores hoping to find another bottle of spice... no luck. The Old El Paso tacos mix was laughing at me from the shelf "YOU WILL COOK ME!" it said "They will think that I taste like mexican food!!!" It laughed again. "NO!!! NEVER!! I NEVER WILL!!! YOU ARE EVIL!!!" I screamed. Hilary asked me who I was yelling at. "No time!" I explained. I hopped in the car and drove to Jusco (the Walmart of Japan) ...there MUST be an answer and JUSCO!
There was no answer at JUSCO but there WERE steaks. I got 4 small steaks, and 4 chicken breasts.
Sunday morning, the morning of the feast... I woke up to someone beating on my door. "OPEN UP! IT'S THE POLICE!!!!" They yelled. "WE HAVE REASON TO BELIEVE YOU WERE ENGAGED IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES!!!" I opened the door, it was a mail man. He laughed and said "GOTCHA!!! Now, sign for the package" I gave him a high five for his hilarious joke (none of that dialogue actually happened). And as if by an act of God (my mother) I opened a package filled to the brim with Mexican spices, dried peppers, canned jalapenos and various other things that I have never seen, smelled, or probably tasted before. It was a SUNDAY, no one get s mail on a SUNDAY except for ME!!!! At the bottom was the cookbook "Mexican Everday" by Rick Bayless, my chef-idol. Anyway, I opened it up and went through picking out recipes that I could now cook! In the end we made the following feast for Yoko and it was AMAZING.
Acapulco Shrimp Cocktail
Steak Tacos
Chipotle Chicken Tortas
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Guacamole
There was soooo much food. I think we blew Yoko and her family away. The son and father especially liked it. I think it may have been a bit too spicy for Yoko, although I warned her well in advance that it might be too spicy... she tasted everything, but in the end ate lots of tortillas filled with only guacamole. Although I think she liked the tortilla soup. Maybe she just wasn't hungry. Anyway, she said she loved it and they kept all the leftovers.
Here's a photos of the meal...
The Nagoya Trip
I had planned a nice trip to Nagoya. It was to be Hilary and I, the open Japanese highway system for 7 hours, then wonderful beautiful Nagoya. We packed up and left on friday afternoon after I got out of work. I ran a few errands first, but we were on the road by 2. The highway tolls were to cost about 100 bucks each way which isn't bad considering the bullet train costs 140 dollars each way per person. Japanese highways aren't particularly confusing but they aren't nearly as convenient as America's highways. American highways are typically, in my opinion, easy to use. It's not that the Japanese ones are hard to use but it's most that they are just strange when you are used to America's highways. A lot of the highway here was one lane and every so often there would be a 1 or 2 kilometer stretch of two lanes so you could pass people if they were going slow. This wasn't THAT bad until I got a flat tire. You can't just pull over to fix it since there is one lane and no shoulder, it's kind of like driving through a pipe or something. I had to wait until a rest area, Once there I performed my first car-tire-switch which was ultimately quite underwhelming. We had a long way to go until Nagoya, about 130 kilometers and the spare said we shouldn't do more than 80km but there was occasionally gas stations along the way.
The rest areas on Japanese highways are quite different. The way the highway works is, when you get on, you get a ticket saying where you got on. When you get off, you give them your ticket and they charge you your fee. It's a pretty solid system, I guess. It offers less possibilities for rest areas with multiple attractions though. For instance, I am used to driving and seeing a sign for an exit offering 10 different places to eat, 5 different gas stations, the Mars Cheese Castle, and a maybe picnic area/park that no sane parent would ever let their children play at. If this doesn't suit your fancy there will surely be another area like this offering a dozen other gems of the road just a few miles away. Ah, America, the land of options!
In Japan there are rest areas but they are different. They consist, typically, of one building. It has bathrooms, lots of vending machines, an area with some maps, and then a restaurant of some sort. Sometimes there is a gas station. They are cute and fun. Typically cleaner than what you find in America.
We made a number of stops on our way to Nagoya, each one had a gas station, each gas station didn't sell or fix tires. I was warned by one of the gas station men that since my car was uneven due to the spare (it would have appropriately fit on a hotwheels car) that I shouldn't go too fast. I already had trouble pushing 100km/hr with my car as it was, now I had to stay around 80. Since the highway was mostly one lane, it made for an uncomfortable journey. I have found that Japanese people have absolutely no problem tailing your car to let you know you are going too slow. They get close enough that you can no longer see their headlights in your rear-view mirror. You can almost smell their breath. It is sooooooo uncomfortable. No one is a crazy driver... except for when they get insanely close to your car. Anyway, the last two hours was uncomfortable, to say the least.
Once we got into Nagoya things got even more confusing. While the highway is clear regarding where exits and stuff are... big cities aren't really. Rarely are streets labeled so it's hard to find what street you are walking on. Intersections, sometimes, don't have either street name or anything on them. I am used to city driving, no big deal, but Japanese city driving is a whole other game. Hilary and I got lost and then more lost and then more lost and then more lost. We drove to every corner of that city. We were yelling at each other...though never blaming one another. We were just pissed. It was late, no food places would be opened. We stopped at a convenience store and they woman wouldn't even look at a map to tell us where we were. As soon as we said 'We are lost' in Japanese she was all 'I cannot help you. sorry.' and would walk away. I no longer shop at Lawson Station Convenience Stores... or should I say INconvenience stores! (OOOOH! Take THAT! ...weak.) Anyway we finally made it to our parking lot and parked. We looked up a place to get a new tire and went the next day.
NAGOYA, aside from the journey there, was wonderful. I got to eat everything that I wanted to eat, I got to see some old friends and my old host family. I got to visit some places I hadn't been to in years and I still knew my way around quite well... oooh I miss it. It was so nice. The few days we were there went by very quickly.
When we got back in the car to go home, I must admit, I was sad to leave. My car must have known this because the battery was dead. It was a sign... I needed to stay. (un)Fortunately, the hotel offered to jump my car and everything worked after that. There was a light on somewhere or something... perhaps I subconsciously knew it'd kill the battery and I might be able to stay longer.
Anyway... that was Nagoya.. I recommend a visit if you're ever in Japan. Tell them Mike sent you. They'll have no idea what that means... but just say it anyway. It'll be funny, maybe.
The rest areas on Japanese highways are quite different. The way the highway works is, when you get on, you get a ticket saying where you got on. When you get off, you give them your ticket and they charge you your fee. It's a pretty solid system, I guess. It offers less possibilities for rest areas with multiple attractions though. For instance, I am used to driving and seeing a sign for an exit offering 10 different places to eat, 5 different gas stations, the Mars Cheese Castle, and a maybe picnic area/park that no sane parent would ever let their children play at. If this doesn't suit your fancy there will surely be another area like this offering a dozen other gems of the road just a few miles away. Ah, America, the land of options!
In Japan there are rest areas but they are different. They consist, typically, of one building. It has bathrooms, lots of vending machines, an area with some maps, and then a restaurant of some sort. Sometimes there is a gas station. They are cute and fun. Typically cleaner than what you find in America.
We made a number of stops on our way to Nagoya, each one had a gas station, each gas station didn't sell or fix tires. I was warned by one of the gas station men that since my car was uneven due to the spare (it would have appropriately fit on a hotwheels car) that I shouldn't go too fast. I already had trouble pushing 100km/hr with my car as it was, now I had to stay around 80. Since the highway was mostly one lane, it made for an uncomfortable journey. I have found that Japanese people have absolutely no problem tailing your car to let you know you are going too slow. They get close enough that you can no longer see their headlights in your rear-view mirror. You can almost smell their breath. It is sooooooo uncomfortable. No one is a crazy driver... except for when they get insanely close to your car. Anyway, the last two hours was uncomfortable, to say the least.
Once we got into Nagoya things got even more confusing. While the highway is clear regarding where exits and stuff are... big cities aren't really. Rarely are streets labeled so it's hard to find what street you are walking on. Intersections, sometimes, don't have either street name or anything on them. I am used to city driving, no big deal, but Japanese city driving is a whole other game. Hilary and I got lost and then more lost and then more lost and then more lost. We drove to every corner of that city. We were yelling at each other...though never blaming one another. We were just pissed. It was late, no food places would be opened. We stopped at a convenience store and they woman wouldn't even look at a map to tell us where we were. As soon as we said 'We are lost' in Japanese she was all 'I cannot help you. sorry.' and would walk away. I no longer shop at Lawson Station Convenience Stores... or should I say INconvenience stores! (OOOOH! Take THAT! ...weak.) Anyway we finally made it to our parking lot and parked. We looked up a place to get a new tire and went the next day.
NAGOYA, aside from the journey there, was wonderful. I got to eat everything that I wanted to eat, I got to see some old friends and my old host family. I got to visit some places I hadn't been to in years and I still knew my way around quite well... oooh I miss it. It was so nice. The few days we were there went by very quickly.
When we got back in the car to go home, I must admit, I was sad to leave. My car must have known this because the battery was dead. It was a sign... I needed to stay. (un)Fortunately, the hotel offered to jump my car and everything worked after that. There was a light on somewhere or something... perhaps I subconsciously knew it'd kill the battery and I might be able to stay longer.
Anyway... that was Nagoya.. I recommend a visit if you're ever in Japan. Tell them Mike sent you. They'll have no idea what that means... but just say it anyway. It'll be funny, maybe.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Type A
There is a man sitting next to me. In front of him lies a bunch of circuit boards with small chips and components soldered into it. He has little white gloves on, a bottle of compressed air, some oil, and some other small tools. He has been sitting since lunch time (about 4 hours ago) taking small pieces out of this machine and cleaning them. It took me until now to realize what this machine was. Not because I'd never seen one before, but because I had never seen one in a million pieces layed out all over a desk before. It is a typewriter. Not an old classy author-typing-away-furiously-in-a-large-wood-paneled-office-with-a-cigarette-handing-from-their-mouth type of typewriter. It's one of the just-before-the-computer typewriters. The kind that now falls into the big closet of embarrasing dated gadgets. A clost that includes enormous 1989 cellphones, walkmans (or do you say walkmen?), gameboys, carphones, an 8 track cassette player and maybe an early laptop that is larger than most desktops now.
The man is working furiously at cleaning it and slowly putting it back together. I feel a large amount of sadness looking at this take place. I want to say "That machine doesn't need to be fixed. It doesn't WANT to be fixed." It's probably true. There are 10 computers in this office, all brand new. Why on earth did this school pay this man to come for hours to repair a typewriter that probably hasn't been used in 10 years. Is he the jobless typewriter cleaning Uncle of a teacher who badly needed a job because the typewriter business has gone under? Did the purchase the typewriter off of Yahoo Auctions (they don't use ebay here) just so this Uncle could have a job to do? Does he think there is still a market for a typewriter cleaner or has he convinced himself infrequent calls to the office are a result of the bad economy... no one can afford getting their typewriters fixed.
UPDATE: The man noticed me staring at him. I asked if that was a typewriter. "Yes," he said, "I haven't touched one of these in about 12 years! They asked me to fix it for some reason..." Apparently he's one of the science teachers here, either that or a man lying about being a science teacher here. He tells me he majored in electronic engineering in college and now gets his kicks fixing random machines like this... I minored in Microelectronics... I really hope my future isn't full of fixing typewriters. If it's depressing to be in one's 60s fixing a typewriter in 2009... then to be in one's 60s in 2050 fixing a typewriter...
Japan has me down today. I can't wait for my next vacation.
I will update you with info on my Nagoya vacation soon as well as my Mexican food fiesta!
The man is working furiously at cleaning it and slowly putting it back together. I feel a large amount of sadness looking at this take place. I want to say "That machine doesn't need to be fixed. It doesn't WANT to be fixed." It's probably true. There are 10 computers in this office, all brand new. Why on earth did this school pay this man to come for hours to repair a typewriter that probably hasn't been used in 10 years. Is he the jobless typewriter cleaning Uncle of a teacher who badly needed a job because the typewriter business has gone under? Did the purchase the typewriter off of Yahoo Auctions (they don't use ebay here) just so this Uncle could have a job to do? Does he think there is still a market for a typewriter cleaner or has he convinced himself infrequent calls to the office are a result of the bad economy... no one can afford getting their typewriters fixed.
UPDATE: The man noticed me staring at him. I asked if that was a typewriter. "Yes," he said, "I haven't touched one of these in about 12 years! They asked me to fix it for some reason..." Apparently he's one of the science teachers here, either that or a man lying about being a science teacher here. He tells me he majored in electronic engineering in college and now gets his kicks fixing random machines like this... I minored in Microelectronics... I really hope my future isn't full of fixing typewriters. If it's depressing to be in one's 60s fixing a typewriter in 2009... then to be in one's 60s in 2050 fixing a typewriter...
Japan has me down today. I can't wait for my next vacation.
I will update you with info on my Nagoya vacation soon as well as my Mexican food fiesta!
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Nagoya, Here I Come.
I planned a trip to Nagoya this weekend and, like all things in life, it ended up being quite a difficult thing. Japan has a ton of random national holidays. They usually fall on random tuesdays or thursdays but sometimes line up nicely. Every year they have 'Golden Week' where vacations line up for a few days in a row so there is a 5 or 6 day weekend in May. This year we have GOlden week and the mighty and rare 'Silver Week' which is a series of holidays in September. Golden Week occurs every year, but SILVER week. That is a rarity. I took this as a cue to get out of town for a few days. I wouldn't have to use my paid vacation hours from work... it'd be great. My first choice for a desitnation is my old friend Nagoya. I studied there for 5 months, it's where this here blog STARTED. Anyway, I found a hotel to crash at with Hilary and reserved it. We had to do it early, though, these Golden and Silver weeks are travel heavy times.
I looked up Bullet Train tickets. It appeared it would be 9000 yen each way. Which is about 90 dollars. I say it 'appeared' this way because when I went to buy them at the station it rang up around 70,000 yen (700 dollars) for both tickets round trip. Surely the tickets weren't 35,000 yen round trip (350 dollars... have you figured it out yet? just remove two zeros and it's dollars) I didn't buy them. We did more searching. There are cheap highway buses but they are all booked up. What could I possibly do? Car.
I am not too worried, the highways here aren't that difficult. The most annoying part is the tolls. To drive from Niigata to Nagoya takes about 5 hours and costs 9000 yen in tolls. Yes, 90 dollars. Each way. My mom drives 4 hours from Michigan to Chicago from time to time and I think it costs like 4 bucks?
Anyway, it's time for my first major Japanese road trip. I hope I get to see cool things like Japan's largest ball of yarn or Japan's largest pair of chop sticks along the way...
I looked up Bullet Train tickets. It appeared it would be 9000 yen each way. Which is about 90 dollars. I say it 'appeared' this way because when I went to buy them at the station it rang up around 70,000 yen (700 dollars) for both tickets round trip. Surely the tickets weren't 35,000 yen round trip (350 dollars... have you figured it out yet? just remove two zeros and it's dollars) I didn't buy them. We did more searching. There are cheap highway buses but they are all booked up. What could I possibly do? Car.
I am not too worried, the highways here aren't that difficult. The most annoying part is the tolls. To drive from Niigata to Nagoya takes about 5 hours and costs 9000 yen in tolls. Yes, 90 dollars. Each way. My mom drives 4 hours from Michigan to Chicago from time to time and I think it costs like 4 bucks?
Anyway, it's time for my first major Japanese road trip. I hope I get to see cool things like Japan's largest ball of yarn or Japan's largest pair of chop sticks along the way...
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Toasted
So I had my 21 kilometer (13 miles) walk yesterday. I had a choice between hiking Mt. Hakkaisan (a big pretty mountain here), or doing a half marathon walk for KJ. The 3rd year students hike the mountain, the 1st and 2nd year students do the half marathon walk. Teachers are supposed to do it with the grades they teach and since I'm technically a 2nd year teacher (even though I teach all levels) I decided I'd do the half marathon walk. I figured it'd be good bonding with my fellow teachers that don't really seem to give me the time of day. They actually seemed happy when I said I was going to do it with them so that was really nice. I finally felt I was going to get "IN" at school.
A teacher picked me up at 7:40 am on monday. We parked and walked. There was a big opening ceremony thing then 500 people, including all of KJs first and second year students started a walk. I wasn't sure WHERE we were walking to, but I knew we'd end up where we started. Then I realized that all of the teachers weren't doing it with me. They were just standing on the sides watching and cheering. Why the hell did I have to do this? The vice principal told me I had to... but WHY? Along the way I found one other teacher, my supervisor, and he didn't really want to walk with me. So I walked with a bunch of first year students and came across a few second years along the way. We walked up and down a mountain a few times. It wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be. The weather was great for it. Unfortunately I didn't put on any sunscreen and below you will see the results. The best tan I've ever gotten in my whole life. Did I say tan? I mean burn.
After the walk I asked one of the teachers what I was supposed to do, there was word of a free lunch. He said "there's a free lunch over where we started." so I wandered around looking for it for about fifteen minutes and never found it. I also couldn't find my ride there so I walked home. It wasn't that far, about a 30 minute walk. But after 21km a half hour walk isn't particularly appealing. I got home and ate lunch and stretched and watched a whole lot of 30 Rock. Then Hilary and I decided for dinner we'd like to make some mexican food. We drove to JUSCO, the big grocery store a town over, they have tortillas. We drove and parked, ran in, got some veggies and tortillas. Hopped back in the car and... and... and... and... it didn't start. This isn't the FIRST time this happened. Less than a week ago I was driving and stopped for a second the CD player died and then the car died. Luckily I was stopped at a gas station. I bought a new battery for the car and it was fine. I drove home. This time was more problematic because I wasn't anywhere near a train station and the bus that runs to the train station stopped running. I would have walked it... but my legs were a bit sore and the thought of walking for 45 minutes to a train station wasn't really appealing. I called Yoko and talked to her about it and she came and picked me up and drove me home. On the drive home she asked if why I hadn't gone to the enkai (the teachers only food and drink party) after the half marathon walk and why I didn't partake in the free lunch and free onsen (bath house) deal. I realized now, more than ever, that my school is really pretty bogus. They didn't tell me about any of these things at all. Well, the Mexican food was tasty, at least.
The photos came out looking actually more tan than burned but trust me... it's a burn...
The arm, not TOO bad...
Yikes...
A teacher picked me up at 7:40 am on monday. We parked and walked. There was a big opening ceremony thing then 500 people, including all of KJs first and second year students started a walk. I wasn't sure WHERE we were walking to, but I knew we'd end up where we started. Then I realized that all of the teachers weren't doing it with me. They were just standing on the sides watching and cheering. Why the hell did I have to do this? The vice principal told me I had to... but WHY? Along the way I found one other teacher, my supervisor, and he didn't really want to walk with me. So I walked with a bunch of first year students and came across a few second years along the way. We walked up and down a mountain a few times. It wasn't as hard as I thought it'd be. The weather was great for it. Unfortunately I didn't put on any sunscreen and below you will see the results. The best tan I've ever gotten in my whole life. Did I say tan? I mean burn.
After the walk I asked one of the teachers what I was supposed to do, there was word of a free lunch. He said "there's a free lunch over where we started." so I wandered around looking for it for about fifteen minutes and never found it. I also couldn't find my ride there so I walked home. It wasn't that far, about a 30 minute walk. But after 21km a half hour walk isn't particularly appealing. I got home and ate lunch and stretched and watched a whole lot of 30 Rock. Then Hilary and I decided for dinner we'd like to make some mexican food. We drove to JUSCO, the big grocery store a town over, they have tortillas. We drove and parked, ran in, got some veggies and tortillas. Hopped back in the car and... and... and... and... it didn't start. This isn't the FIRST time this happened. Less than a week ago I was driving and stopped for a second the CD player died and then the car died. Luckily I was stopped at a gas station. I bought a new battery for the car and it was fine. I drove home. This time was more problematic because I wasn't anywhere near a train station and the bus that runs to the train station stopped running. I would have walked it... but my legs were a bit sore and the thought of walking for 45 minutes to a train station wasn't really appealing. I called Yoko and talked to her about it and she came and picked me up and drove me home. On the drive home she asked if why I hadn't gone to the enkai (the teachers only food and drink party) after the half marathon walk and why I didn't partake in the free lunch and free onsen (bath house) deal. I realized now, more than ever, that my school is really pretty bogus. They didn't tell me about any of these things at all. Well, the Mexican food was tasty, at least.
The photos came out looking actually more tan than burned but trust me... it's a burn...
The arm, not TOO bad...
Yikes...
Friday, September 4, 2009
New Ice Cream
I got yelled at for being late today. Know how late I was? 30 seconds. I missed the first 2 seconds of morning announcements. I can admit that I shouldn't have been late, it was slightly irresponsible, especially since I woke up an hour earlier than I usually do... but the vice principal said THIS to me...
VP:Please don't be late, again.
Mike: I'm sorry, I should have left earlier, I drove slowly because I am scared driving here since we drive on the opposite side of the road in America. It's very different. I apologize, I will leave earlier.
VP:Yes, I understand. I think you should not be late again because when you are late, everyone stares at you. They stare at you.
Mike:Hate to break it to ya, BUT everyone in this whole country stares at me even when I'm not late. Ya dig, Vice Prince?
The last line didn't actually happen. But I thought it.
Anyway, after work I ran some errands and then decided to get some ice cream at my favorite strange-flavored ice cream shop "Yummy" today I got another scoop of Tiramisu Ice Cream. I bought a small cup of mango sherbert for later and I managed to convince Hilary to buy... Hakkaisan Sherbert. Hakkaisan is a local Japanese Sake. At the ice cream store it says "If you buy this you absolutely cannot drive home." It was serious too. She didn't eat it there, it's in our freezer now. I'll update you later on the taste. Apparently it's really strong according to the lady at Yummy who makes it.
We'll chat more soon...
More photos are up at www.flickr.com/ohmalarkey
-Mike
VP:Please don't be late, again.
Mike: I'm sorry, I should have left earlier, I drove slowly because I am scared driving here since we drive on the opposite side of the road in America. It's very different. I apologize, I will leave earlier.
VP:Yes, I understand. I think you should not be late again because when you are late, everyone stares at you. They stare at you.
Mike:Hate to break it to ya, BUT everyone in this whole country stares at me even when I'm not late. Ya dig, Vice Prince?
The last line didn't actually happen. But I thought it.
Anyway, after work I ran some errands and then decided to get some ice cream at my favorite strange-flavored ice cream shop "Yummy" today I got another scoop of Tiramisu Ice Cream. I bought a small cup of mango sherbert for later and I managed to convince Hilary to buy... Hakkaisan Sherbert. Hakkaisan is a local Japanese Sake. At the ice cream store it says "If you buy this you absolutely cannot drive home." It was serious too. She didn't eat it there, it's in our freezer now. I'll update you later on the taste. Apparently it's really strong according to the lady at Yummy who makes it.
We'll chat more soon...
More photos are up at www.flickr.com/ohmalarkey
-Mike
CUBED
The following story isn't meant to bash Japan, it's mostly just meant to show you how difficult it is to get things done here sometimes...
I bought a car. It's a 1998 Nissan Cube. It looks a lot like a refrigerator on it's side... with wheels. It's nice though, clean. Getting a car in Japan couldn't be harder (unless of course you had to catch a unicorn and deliver to the DMV yourself) and it couldn't be more ridiculous.
First, getting the car was difficult because I had two options. Take a train for over two hours to this guy for a 30 minute meeting to look at cars that I could lease for 300 bucks a month, then take the train back home. THEN one week later take the train BACK out to him to get the car, then drive two hours to get back. OR I could do a one time, hour long drive to a guy nearby and BUY a car for $2,000. CLearly, I went for the second.
I was leaving work on a friday and I got a text from a local lady who is helping me. It said 'you need to drive to city hall and get a special sheet to buy the car, then you have to drive to Muikamachi (one town over) and go to the police station and get more papers. We can pick up the car on sunday if you do this.' I really wanted this car. I didn't have much going for me. So I walked home, and then I got a second text saying 'YOU MUST COME OVER NOW! RUN! THE POLICE STATION CLOSES AT 4:00! I WILL DRIVE YOU' It was about 1:30. So I walked to this ladies house, it was now 2:00. She explained what I needed to do and that I would have to borrow her car to do these things. I drove to city hall. Filled out obnoxious paperwork then I was stuck. I didn't have a hanko... they wouldn't let me put the car under my name if I didn't have one.
*a brief note on hanko. A hanko is a name stamp. Instead of signing for things here, you hanko for them. Signing, in Japan, means nothing. It's no good. You have to get this stamp and register it with city hall and keep it on record. Then they can check against their scanned version of your hanko. I was supposed to have a hanko made and registered for me when I got here, apparently. But my school not only didn't have it ready for me when I got here, but they didn't make one at all or mention that I needed one.
Back in action:
Luckily the local-lady appeared out of nowhere at the city hall with her husbands hanko. She put the car under his name and then put me as the primary driver. I was saved. Briefly. Then she said 'YOU MUST LEAVE NOW FOR THE POLICE STATION IN MUIKAMACHI!!!' So I get back in her and drive myself to Muikamachi, it takes about 20 minutes to get there. At this point it was 4:00 when we arrived. Apparently they don't customers after 4:30 because "they are very very mean" according to Yoko (the local lady who is helping me... I shoulda just told you her name earlier). So we get to the station I ask for the paperwork. They look at me for a second and then are like"You can't get that here... it's at a different building now. I'll take you there." So we walked a block down and I go into this other building. There are a bunch of people just sitting there. This is, basically, the DMV of Japan. They stared at me. I asked for the paperwork and they did the rude *Siiiiiiiiigh* kind of thing and then helped me. They gave me the stuff and were like "By the way, we CLOSED at 4:00" It was 4:15. They helped me anyway... even though they actually closed at 5.
On the papers I had to fill out my name and address and all this other random info. Then I came to a page that said I had to draw a map. Actually, two maps. One showing a map of how to get to my apartment. The other, a map of the parking lot where I will park. I went to Yokos house that night and we filled the stuff out. I drew a map of Urasa and marked where my apartment was. It was a fine map. Detailed. Not amazing. But you could definitely find the apartment on it. The parking lot map was fine too. So I gave it to Yoko and she said 'This may not be good enough... but maybe its ok... we will see' My first thought was "Why don't they just copy a REAL map and I'll highlight where my house is. OR why don't they just use google maps and I'll show them where I live. Why did I have to draw this map anyway?"
Sunday, I picked up the car and gave the dealer the papers. He looked at them and cringed. "These won't be good enough." We went over them and said MAYBE the map of Urasa would be good enough, but the parking lot one wasn't good enough. It needed to be relative in scale. If 4 centimeters = 2 meters then it needed to all over the whole thing. I was pissed. This was stupid.
The reason I needed to do this was to prove I had a parking space because there is no street parking in most of Japan, especially Urasa. He said he'd try and turn it in but wasn't sure. I literally spent between 30-45 minutes drawing these maps. First in pencil. THEN over it in black ink.
I drove the car home. It had temporary 3-day insurance. I needed to, first, get new insurance, then bring the car back to the dealer and he's register it and give me my new license place.
So yesterday I got an urgent call, my temporary insurance ran out. I needed to get new insurance THAT day. So during my 40 minute lunch break I drove to the insurance company where Yoko anxiously waited for me. I sat and we talked about insurance with a guy for 20 minutes. It was decided that I couldn't get insurance because... I didn't have a hanko. So I left, I had to go back to school. Yoko got insurance for the car under HER name and I just had to pay her for it. Let me just step back and take a look at what Yoko has done for me so far... she purchased a cellphone for me on her family plan, she bought a car for me under her husbands name, and now she bought car insurance under her name. This woman needs an award. Seriously. I'd be phoneless and car-less without her.
Friday I was going to the car dealer to get my new plates. But as it turns out... my maps didn't go through. So he redid them himself and I have to go monday.
This is getting to be a bit ridiculous.
On a side note: I was just informed that this weekend is a walking festival that I am required to partake in. I have to walk a half marathon with my students and other teachers. In a giant loop. Faaantastic. I do, however, get a day off of school for doing it. (I walk on sunday and don't come to school on monday. Probably because I won't be able to walk.)
Here's the "Cube"
(It looks like a minivan but it's a bit smaller... it's closer to a Scion)
I bought a car. It's a 1998 Nissan Cube. It looks a lot like a refrigerator on it's side... with wheels. It's nice though, clean. Getting a car in Japan couldn't be harder (unless of course you had to catch a unicorn and deliver to the DMV yourself) and it couldn't be more ridiculous.
First, getting the car was difficult because I had two options. Take a train for over two hours to this guy for a 30 minute meeting to look at cars that I could lease for 300 bucks a month, then take the train back home. THEN one week later take the train BACK out to him to get the car, then drive two hours to get back. OR I could do a one time, hour long drive to a guy nearby and BUY a car for $2,000. CLearly, I went for the second.
I was leaving work on a friday and I got a text from a local lady who is helping me. It said 'you need to drive to city hall and get a special sheet to buy the car, then you have to drive to Muikamachi (one town over) and go to the police station and get more papers. We can pick up the car on sunday if you do this.' I really wanted this car. I didn't have much going for me. So I walked home, and then I got a second text saying 'YOU MUST COME OVER NOW! RUN! THE POLICE STATION CLOSES AT 4:00! I WILL DRIVE YOU' It was about 1:30. So I walked to this ladies house, it was now 2:00. She explained what I needed to do and that I would have to borrow her car to do these things. I drove to city hall. Filled out obnoxious paperwork then I was stuck. I didn't have a hanko... they wouldn't let me put the car under my name if I didn't have one.
*a brief note on hanko. A hanko is a name stamp. Instead of signing for things here, you hanko for them. Signing, in Japan, means nothing. It's no good. You have to get this stamp and register it with city hall and keep it on record. Then they can check against their scanned version of your hanko. I was supposed to have a hanko made and registered for me when I got here, apparently. But my school not only didn't have it ready for me when I got here, but they didn't make one at all or mention that I needed one.
Back in action:
Luckily the local-lady appeared out of nowhere at the city hall with her husbands hanko. She put the car under his name and then put me as the primary driver. I was saved. Briefly. Then she said 'YOU MUST LEAVE NOW FOR THE POLICE STATION IN MUIKAMACHI!!!' So I get back in her and drive myself to Muikamachi, it takes about 20 minutes to get there. At this point it was 4:00 when we arrived. Apparently they don't customers after 4:30 because "they are very very mean" according to Yoko (the local lady who is helping me... I shoulda just told you her name earlier). So we get to the station I ask for the paperwork. They look at me for a second and then are like"You can't get that here... it's at a different building now. I'll take you there." So we walked a block down and I go into this other building. There are a bunch of people just sitting there. This is, basically, the DMV of Japan. They stared at me. I asked for the paperwork and they did the rude *Siiiiiiiiigh* kind of thing and then helped me. They gave me the stuff and were like "By the way, we CLOSED at 4:00" It was 4:15. They helped me anyway... even though they actually closed at 5.
On the papers I had to fill out my name and address and all this other random info. Then I came to a page that said I had to draw a map. Actually, two maps. One showing a map of how to get to my apartment. The other, a map of the parking lot where I will park. I went to Yokos house that night and we filled the stuff out. I drew a map of Urasa and marked where my apartment was. It was a fine map. Detailed. Not amazing. But you could definitely find the apartment on it. The parking lot map was fine too. So I gave it to Yoko and she said 'This may not be good enough... but maybe its ok... we will see' My first thought was "Why don't they just copy a REAL map and I'll highlight where my house is. OR why don't they just use google maps and I'll show them where I live. Why did I have to draw this map anyway?"
Sunday, I picked up the car and gave the dealer the papers. He looked at them and cringed. "These won't be good enough." We went over them and said MAYBE the map of Urasa would be good enough, but the parking lot one wasn't good enough. It needed to be relative in scale. If 4 centimeters = 2 meters then it needed to all over the whole thing. I was pissed. This was stupid.
The reason I needed to do this was to prove I had a parking space because there is no street parking in most of Japan, especially Urasa. He said he'd try and turn it in but wasn't sure. I literally spent between 30-45 minutes drawing these maps. First in pencil. THEN over it in black ink.
I drove the car home. It had temporary 3-day insurance. I needed to, first, get new insurance, then bring the car back to the dealer and he's register it and give me my new license place.
So yesterday I got an urgent call, my temporary insurance ran out. I needed to get new insurance THAT day. So during my 40 minute lunch break I drove to the insurance company where Yoko anxiously waited for me. I sat and we talked about insurance with a guy for 20 minutes. It was decided that I couldn't get insurance because... I didn't have a hanko. So I left, I had to go back to school. Yoko got insurance for the car under HER name and I just had to pay her for it. Let me just step back and take a look at what Yoko has done for me so far... she purchased a cellphone for me on her family plan, she bought a car for me under her husbands name, and now she bought car insurance under her name. This woman needs an award. Seriously. I'd be phoneless and car-less without her.
Friday I was going to the car dealer to get my new plates. But as it turns out... my maps didn't go through. So he redid them himself and I have to go monday.
This is getting to be a bit ridiculous.
On a side note: I was just informed that this weekend is a walking festival that I am required to partake in. I have to walk a half marathon with my students and other teachers. In a giant loop. Faaantastic. I do, however, get a day off of school for doing it. (I walk on sunday and don't come to school on monday. Probably because I won't be able to walk.)
Here's the "Cube"
(It looks like a minivan but it's a bit smaller... it's closer to a Scion)
Thursday, August 27, 2009
*L*U*N*C*H*
The cafeteria at school just opened. The way it works is, at least 24 hours in advance I have to let them know that I plan on eating lunch in the cafeteria. They deduct the cost of lunch from my paycheck. At lunch there are 3 options to pick from Lunch A, Lunch B, and Noodle Lunch. Lunch A is usually meat, Lunch B is usually fish and Noodle Lunch, as you probably guessed, is a noodles. One day I signed up for Lunch A. I had some small fatty greasy fried chicken cubes, a handful of boiled vegetables, a small piece of fruit, a bowl of rice, and a cup of miso soup. It wasn't the most satisfying meal I've had here, but it got the job done. I brought lunch from home afew days and then decided to try the school lunch again. This time I signed up for B lunch. It was Chinese-style sauce with squid on a bed of rice. My other option was entirely un-readable so I went with this...
I got to the cafeteria walked to the front and asked 'Where is the B lunch?' The lunch lady stared for a second and looked a confused. 'B-Lunch?' 'I signed up for B-Lunch' All that sat in front of me were plates with fried chicken chunks on it. 'Uh. UH! UMMM.. B-Lunch.. .Hmmmm' I was starting to feel a bit embarrassed since students and other teachers were standing there being like 'B-Lunch???' She asked some other lady who proceeded to run to the back room of the cafeteria. I was asked to step to the side and wait a second. People walked by and smiled as they took their big plate with chicken, salad, and a slice of pineapple by me and walked to the miso soup and bowl of rice line. I heard some banging around in the kitchen, various crashes, bashes and booms. I think I heard a whistle go off and an engine start. Finally a lady emerged from a side door with a bowl in her hand. 'Hai! B-Lunch!' She handed it off with a smile. AT least I thought she was smiling, her face was hidden by a mask, the lunch ladies have to wear them because they are afraid of getting swine flu or spreading it or something. Either that or they have to wear it in the situation that some B-Lunch disaster occurs.
I peered into my bowl. I could tell there was some rice at the bottom. On top of that, it was all rather questionable. There was a brownish gooey substance filled with all kinds of treasures. I recognized some onion in there, some stringy things, a think there was a broken lego, a cigarette maybe. I sat down at the lunch table with my fellow teachers. I could tell, I was 'That guy' I was the 'B-Lunch guy' they were all trying to be nice to me but I could tell... they were 'just being nice' because I got the B-Lunch. I looked around at the hundreds of students in the cafeteria. Every one had a tray of A-Lunch. Each laughing, smiling, shoving their pineapple chunks into their mouths. They wanted me to see how great a choice they made for lunch today. Not one single person had a B-Lunch. I needed to not look like an idiot. I needed to eat. So I shoveled the first spoonful into my mouth. Give me a moment to gather my thoughts on the taste... hmmm... ok... imagine you had a horrible horrible cold. Something where your nose was running constantly and you were sniffing and blowing your nose. Just a real mess. Imagine you collected all that snot from your cold, chunks and all and put that on rice. Now make it taste fishy. Add squid. Voila. B-LUNCH!
I managed to build a type of mine in my bowl where I could get the bottom rice out relatively un-tainted by the dark-sided sauce that lay on top of it. I finished as fast as I could and went back to the office. Now... I sit... in shame. I am the B-Lunch-eater.
In other news: My mom sent me chips and salsa. I will certainly be eating that when I return to my apartment today. I imagine that will kill anything that survives from the B-Lunch.
That's all folks.
I got to the cafeteria walked to the front and asked 'Where is the B lunch?' The lunch lady stared for a second and looked a confused. 'B-Lunch?' 'I signed up for B-Lunch' All that sat in front of me were plates with fried chicken chunks on it. 'Uh. UH! UMMM.. B-Lunch.. .Hmmmm' I was starting to feel a bit embarrassed since students and other teachers were standing there being like 'B-Lunch???' She asked some other lady who proceeded to run to the back room of the cafeteria. I was asked to step to the side and wait a second. People walked by and smiled as they took their big plate with chicken, salad, and a slice of pineapple by me and walked to the miso soup and bowl of rice line. I heard some banging around in the kitchen, various crashes, bashes and booms. I think I heard a whistle go off and an engine start. Finally a lady emerged from a side door with a bowl in her hand. 'Hai! B-Lunch!' She handed it off with a smile. AT least I thought she was smiling, her face was hidden by a mask, the lunch ladies have to wear them because they are afraid of getting swine flu or spreading it or something. Either that or they have to wear it in the situation that some B-Lunch disaster occurs.
I peered into my bowl. I could tell there was some rice at the bottom. On top of that, it was all rather questionable. There was a brownish gooey substance filled with all kinds of treasures. I recognized some onion in there, some stringy things, a think there was a broken lego, a cigarette maybe. I sat down at the lunch table with my fellow teachers. I could tell, I was 'That guy' I was the 'B-Lunch guy' they were all trying to be nice to me but I could tell... they were 'just being nice' because I got the B-Lunch. I looked around at the hundreds of students in the cafeteria. Every one had a tray of A-Lunch. Each laughing, smiling, shoving their pineapple chunks into their mouths. They wanted me to see how great a choice they made for lunch today. Not one single person had a B-Lunch. I needed to not look like an idiot. I needed to eat. So I shoveled the first spoonful into my mouth. Give me a moment to gather my thoughts on the taste... hmmm... ok... imagine you had a horrible horrible cold. Something where your nose was running constantly and you were sniffing and blowing your nose. Just a real mess. Imagine you collected all that snot from your cold, chunks and all and put that on rice. Now make it taste fishy. Add squid. Voila. B-LUNCH!
I managed to build a type of mine in my bowl where I could get the bottom rice out relatively un-tainted by the dark-sided sauce that lay on top of it. I finished as fast as I could and went back to the office. Now... I sit... in shame. I am the B-Lunch-eater.
In other news: My mom sent me chips and salsa. I will certainly be eating that when I return to my apartment today. I imagine that will kill anything that survives from the B-Lunch.
That's all folks.
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