Golden Week! - Day Two: Osaka

Lamika and I met up in Osaka to go shopping. First of all, we couldn't find each other in the cluster-fudge of a huge station that is Umeda. Second, one of the random ways we walked had three or four huge aquariums? And what the hell kind of giant fish is that?!?! Random...
(Picture is Lamika beside one of the huge aquariums in the station. Taken with my cell phone, hence the bad quality)

Bought a shirt-dress and a new blue button up blouse for work from UniClo. It's similar to Old Navy. Went to Yodobashi Camera, a huge 8 floor electronics store*. Found a light bulb, for under $20, that will be a PERFECT ring light. I just have no idea how to put it on a stand, nor how to plug it into an outlet. Also, my Japanese is so sucky I can't ask a sales associate. Next time...

Tommorow, Kyoto!!! Weeeeee!

* When we were wandering around, we found an izakaya (bar/restaurant) and went in. It was pretty dead, but we asked the guy for directions to Yodobashi ("Yodobashi Camera wa doko deska?") and he not only told us, he printed out a map from Google! In color! How nice. He tried to explain the path he drew, but I just looked at him and said "Nihon go wa karimasen" (I don't speak Japanese). He smiled :)

"Please look here"

Check out the main page:
http://www.aeonet.co.jp/school/school.php?sno=2840

and I have no idea where the rest of my little written blip went, but I assure you there's more, and it makes sense as well:
http://www.aeonet.co.jp/school/staff.php?sno=2840

Golden Week! - Day One: Minatogawakoen

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. Nothing incredibly interesting happening...

Today is the first day of 8 days off work! Weeee! Golden Week. I'm at home doing laundry and cleaning right now. Lots of possible plans for the week. Jazz festival, Universal Studios Japan, a Kobe Vissel soccer game, etc.

Last night after work, Jen and I went to Sannomiya to hang out with a guy we met on Saturday. We saw his band play on Saturday, and he was playing with another band last night. One of Gordan's friends came over to introduce himself to us. This is the conversation:

Me: Hi, I'm Meredith. What's your name?
Him: My name is Ash. I'm from New Zealand.
Me: Awesome! Ash? Is that a nickname, or short for something?
Him: Yea, it's short for Ashley. (Which is common for Australia and NZ)
Me: Oh! Ash, like Bruce Campbell's character in "Evil Dead"?
Him: Um yea.

hahaha I thought it was funny that the first thing I associate him with is the best B Movie ever.

On the way home, the train was crowded, and I took the last seat. Beside me, and older businessman was falling asleep, and kept almost putting his head on my shoulder. Jen and Gordon thought it was really funny, since this isn't uncommon for Japanese. They wouldn't move the person who fell asleep, but just gently nudge them when they had to get off the train. However, me being a foreigner, this was totally unheard of. This guy sleeping would have made bricks of shit if he'd known he was so close to a gaijin! Everyone in the car was watching us hahaha. A nice young lady across the car was laughing at us, and I smiled at her. She had a young boy doing the same to her, almost resting his head on her shoulder. It was funny.

Pic is Gordan and Jen on the train, taken with my cell phone, hence the less than stellar quality.

Just called Oakles, and KPB, and got a Skype from Chipperface and his roommate in NYC. Awesome.

"Who is James Brown?"

Today in my group lessons, I taught a unit on "taste in music". One of the examples was James Brown. I asked one of my favorite students (the only one in the class), if he liked James Brown. He replied,

"Who is James Brown?"

WTF?!?!?! "Uh.... the Godfather of Soul? I Feel Good? Papa's Got a Brand New Bag?"

Nothing. When I asked him, a grown businessman, about his taste in music, he said, "My favorite band is quite famous, maybe you've heard of them - the Backstreet Boys."

Go figure...

Adventures in Nara-land

Jen and I went on adventure to Nara on Monday. We met up in Sannomiya, and got a sweet one-day pass for the train to Nara as well as the buses once we got there. It also came with a DVD. We hop on the train, and about 1 hour 35 minutes later we're in Nara. We start wandering around, looking for some food.
We decide we want Yoshinoya, but can't find one. I think we ended up walking 3 miles to find one. It was worth it though (always is!).

Then we found a bus stop and waited about 13 minutes to ride back to the park. Here is Jen consulting a map.

We made it back to the park, and the weather threatened to rain. It didn't though (phew).
Nara is know for it's deer park. There are over 1200 deer roaming around the parks in Nara, and people sell crackers on every corner. Sometimes, these deer get a little aggressive, but they were pretty nice while we were feeding them. About this time, my batteries died in my camera :( So Jen and I decided we will have to come back again when I have fresh batteries.


























Jen also got nuzzled in the butt by the deer. They thought she had more crackers. They wanted them. It scared Jen hahaha.


As we walked towards the Golden Buddha (one of only 7 left in the country, they're HUGE!), a group of high school boys came up and said, in English, "Excuse me? Can we take a photo?". They wanted to take a photo with us because we were foreign hahaha. It was funny. As they walked away, I swear they said to Jen, who is tall, "Thank you foreign giant!". I might have misheard that though....
Here are some photos that Jen too (the ones with me in them) and two more I squeezed out of my camera batteries.

Me under the canopy of wisteria (?) and behind me is the Five-Story Pagoda.

Me in front of the Golden Buddha. You really can't grasp how huge this statue is, even with me in front of it. Super difficult to grab a decent photo because there was so much sunshine coming in from the open doors and the Buddha sits in almost total darkness. If my damn batteries weren't dead, maybe I could've shot something in RAW to PS later...

A view of the Five-Story Pagoda and the Kofukuji-Temple.
And finally, me feeding some deer. Awesome.

"I think I'm turning Japanese"

Today I went spearfishing with my old Head Teacher and my coworker. My head teacher's wife and son came, as well as my coworker's girlfriend, and a student. We drove three hours from Kobe to Shikuko. It was unreal. We were driving in the mountains, but in between switch backs you could see the ocean. It was beautiful. The beach was unlike anything I've ever seen. It wasn't sand, but a beach of really small pebbles, and a bunch of larger ones thrown in for variety.
One the drive down, I rode with my head teacher and his family. He played a mix CD, and it had the song "Turning Japanese" by The Vapers. It really made me laugh at the irony, of listening to that song with Japanese people. One the same CD, we listened to "Ice, ice, baby". Classic.
It dawned on me as I stared out into the Pacific Ocean... the view I was looking at was the EXACT SAME as the final scene in The Goonies when the pirate ship sails out of the cave.
(Ok I lied. I just googled it, and apparently they filmed The Goonies in Oregon, and the beach is called Cannon Beach.)

Some of my new favorite things:
* Riding in cars in Japan
* The Japanese "countryside" (it's a city, with rice patties backed up to it)
* Onigiri - a palm sized triangle of sticky rice, wrapped in seaweed (delicious!), and filled with a variety of things (salmon, tuna, etc.). I picked one up on the way home tonight, and it was a mystery package (not sold as a mystery, it's just I didn't know what it said haha. I know it didn't say salmon or tuna). It was sweet and sour pork (maybe). It was delicious! I've realized that I could be eating pork penis, and as long as it was damn good, I wouldn't mind.

"How about coffee at 11:30?"

Yesterday, I had to go to Osaka for a 3 hour meeting. Before the meeting, I made plans to get coffee with one of the teachers I had training with. I gave myself 2 hours to get there, more than enough time, because I was sure I'd get a little lost.

I went to Sannomiya, no problem. Got on the Hanku line to Umeda, easy. Transferred from railway to subway, like a breeze (even though the fare map wasn't in English). Got to Yodoyabashi station, and since I was running late (I took the local to Umeda, instead of the Limited Express), I just followed the crowd out of the station.

I looked up and realized I didn't remember which number was the exit I was supposed to take. 11? 3? 1? I took 11. It sounded right....

Wrong. Nothing looked familiar, I had abandoned hope of coffee, and now just wanted to make it to the meeting on time. I called my coworker, who was on his way, and he tried to help me. Turns out Yodoyabashi Station is a helluva lot bigger than I thought. Like, 5 blocks underground. I came out on the West side. I needed to be on the East side.

Needless to say, I asked a station attendant for directions. She gave me a map. I need to learn to ask for directions in Japanese.... I got lucky and just started walking in one direction. I find my building, and hurry up to the meeting. As I step off the elevator, I almost trip because the sole of my shoe has come detached. What the hell.... So I run in, late, with a floppy high heel. Embarassing. But they weren't angry, my coworker had explained the situation.

On the way home, I walked with two of my fellow training teachers and we kinda made plans for Golden Week.

When I got to work, my bad mood lifted considereably.....



I GOT A PACKAGE! From Aunt Vickie and Nanny!!! A very heavy package! With mac n' cheese, Gatorade, sunglasses, and a whole lot more! IT'S AWESOME! Thank you so much!!!!

The WD-40 Avenger

I know Japan is incredibly technologically advanced, and has awesome electronics and gadgets, but I seriously doubt they have ever heard of WD-40.

Every single bike over here has THE SQUEAKIEST brakes I've ever heard. You hear one approaching behind you, or even see it coming down the street towards you. You politely move aside to let them pass. Then they gently nudge the brakes so they don't ride by you too fast.

And the ear-drum-busting squeal pierces your soul and shatters it into a million tiny pieces.

Maybe it's my delicate American eardrums. But it's not just the bicycles, oh nay nay. It's the cars, and mopeds, and scooters, and the (*&#*&@_#(*^%^(@&* buses. Ooooooh the buses.... They are the WORST.

I think I might have to create a secret identity and lead a double life. By day, I shall be Mere, English teacher extraordinaire. But come nightfall, I shall be....

The WD-40 Avenger!

(Yes, I know I've thought about this way too much, but I do have 17 minutes of walking from the subway station to my house, and my mind wanders.)

Please imagine, if you will, a small figure quickly yet silently moving down the side streets and alleys, deftly spraying WD-40 onto all the bikes, scooters, buses (shit, just every single brake) in Minatogawakoen. The world (at least my corner) would be a quieter, better, and squeak-free place for the children to play without fear of busted eardrums.

And I would wear a cape (of course).

Lost on the Subway

I went to the bar after work on Saturday with my coworker. In a hurry to catch one of the last trains running that night as I left to go home, I ran down the stairs and straight onto the train. I sat down, and started flipping through a magazine. After one stop, I realized it was taking an unusually long time. Then I looked out the window, and realized we were above ground.

Cue internal monologue:
"Shit. I'm going the wrong way."

So, I get off at the next stop, hoping to just walk across the platform to the train running in the opposite direction. No dice, they've stopped running trains that direction for the night. So I ask a station attendant, and he tells me to hop on this other train, and get off somewhere... blah blah no one on the train, I have no idea where I am. I just get out of the station, get in a taxi, and pay $30 for a ride home. Oh well, next time I'll pay attention!


Walked to the shrine in Minatogawakoen. It's beautiful! Here are some photos:


A friend of mine, Ken, came down from Nagoya yesterday, and we went to an izakaya in Sannomiya. It was so much fun! Ken was chatting with the waiter, and the waiter basically asked if he could give me a hug (all I heard of this exchange was "gaijin" and "dijobu" - Foreigner and No problem). I gave this waiter a hug, and it made his night! hahahaha. It was so funny. Then Ken and I watched like, 4 hours of Chapelle Show clips on the internet. He's such a fun person, I'm really glad he came down to hang out.

"Obama!"

A few things before I hit the hay:

1. One of my teachers told me the other day, "Meredith, you're so serious". Um.... what the hell? I know I'm not EXACTLY the same person in the office as I am outside of it... but serious? ME?!?! Never. I just laughed and told her we need to hang out soon.

2. During one of my higher level kid's classes, one of my students pointed to a black boy in the book and said something, which I didn't hear. I asked him to repeat it, and he said "Obama!" I was shocked, and then he said "Yes we can!". Awesome. This kid totally rocks my world! The fact that Obama is an international icon recognized by 7 year olds also rocks my world.

3. Went to the grocery store, and found stawberry Pockey, and KIWI Pockey!!!!! sweeeeet. Also bought some Dorito's.... but not Cool Ranch, or Nacho Cheese, nay nay, they don't have that. I had.... taco. Still good though.

Helicopter Alarm Clock

I woke up this morning around 7am, because I knew I had to take the trash out. I had just gotten back into bed, and I heard a helicopter fly overhead. No big deal, it happens.... and then it flew by again. And again. And a-freaking-gain. And then the sirens came. Wave after wave. Ambulance, or fire truck, or something.

I was pretty pissed, and muttering things like "There better be something on fire" as I got out of bed. I walked out on the balcony, and sure enough..... there was something on fire.

I don't think it's the building on fire, but maybe the woods behind it. Either way, it's still smoking right now.

I don't have to be at work for another hour and a half, but I might go ahead and leave, the helicopters are making me really annoyed.

Wipeout

I was hauling ass through the grocery store yesterday, and I turned a corner too sharp, and promptly fell hahahahaha. I couldn't think of anything to do but laugh, so I did, got up, brushed myself off, and continued trucking. But not before I looked at the floor and my heel like there was something on one of the two that caused me to fall, and not just my brief spat with gravity.

Two of my classes canceled yesterday (all the students canceled), so I sat at work for 6 hours before I taught the one class I had yesterday. Lame.

I haven't made any plans for Golden Week. I might go to the beach and get a tan.

I finally got some photos printed, so now my room isn't quite as bare. There's only 12 so far, but at least my students know I had a going away party, my dad races a Porsche, what my house looks like with snow, what my family looks like, and where I went hiking two weekends ago. I promise I'll print more soon (if you care to be posted on my wall at school hahaha).

Ohanami at Himeji Castle

Ohanami is the Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers. The flowers, in this case, are cherry blossoms. Yesterday Jen, Lamika, Aaron, Oli and I all met up and went to Himeji Castle to sit on the lawn and enjoy the sakura. We brought a picnic, and played soccer and volleyball with a friendly group of teenagers. It was a fantastic day, and the weather couldn't have been better! I'm definitely going to the castle again, and walk inside and take more photos. It will be better (photographically) early morning or later in the evening.

I ate takoyaki, which a chunk of octopus, put in batter, and then fried. It's hard to explain, but I love them. No one else does. One of Jen's friends, Yuki, said I'm more Japanese than some Japanese people she knows! I do love the food here...
Lamika and I decided to try them. 8 for 500 yen. She did not like them. No one else would try them. I ate the 7 left. Oishiiiiii! Here is Lamika modeling the takoyaki like Vanna White.

Himeji Castle

Foreign Teachers!
L to R: Lamika from NY, Jen from FL, Me from NC, Oli from UK, Aaron from Canada

Yuki and I


Picnic in front of the castle

Everyone else had pretty much left by then...

I saw the Pacific Ocean today

I went to Tarumi with Jennifer today. While riding the JR there, I saw the Pacific Ocean. It made me smile :)

This is the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge, the longest suspension bridge in the world. This is a very bad photograph, sorry.

We went and ate okanomiyaki which was freaking DELICIOUS! I love love love this stuff. I am going to go to the grocery store with my coworker and try to find the special flour and sauce so I can make it at home. Here are some photos of it:
This is basically shredded cabbage, green onions, an egg, pork, and it's cooked on a hibachi. The stuff on top that looks like bacon are actually fish shavings. They move when they heat up, so I think it's fun to watch. Jen disagrees. Below is a Japanese omlette. Same stuff, just wrapped in an egg. Delicious.

My parents are so funny

Screen shot from my parents calling me. How cuuuuuuute!!!!!

Also, please check out my face in the bottom left corner. Shock hahahaha.

LET'S GO HEELS!!!

I'm up pretty early to catch the Carolina - Villanova game!!! Let's go heels!

One of my students yesterday suggested a new food to me. I was talking about how I like fish, and wanted to try some new veggies. He suggested takenoko, which is young bamboo shoots. I've seen it in the grocery store, but didn't know what it was / how to cook it. I'm feeling a bit more curious now... maybe I'll attempt that soon.

Also, Vince has decided to try to get me to eat the grossest things imaginable. Yesterday, I tried nato (pictured), which is fermented soybeans. It sounds gross, smells even worse, and tastes kinda like cold baked beans. I actually don't mind it, but I wouldn't go so far as to say I like it. It's super cheap, very nutricious, and a lot of native Japanese won't touch the stuff. I think it's an aquired taste, and maybe I'll aquire it, just to impress people hahaha. Also, I tried fish eggs, which just taste like salty strange texture to me. Both are pretty good on rice though.

From the past couple days:

Thursday morning I got up super early and went to Sannomiya to go shopping with Jen. I didn't buy anything, and probably won't do that again, as it made the day INCREDIBLY LOOOOONG. I was so tired. I am, however, totally in love with the store Muji. It's hard to compare it to an American store. It has different floors, furniture, food and cooking, bed linens.... all in a neutral palate. My mom might say it's bland, I think it's great!

I think I'm going to use my train pass and head towards the school. There's a Muji there, and it's closer. I want to buy a new frying pan. The one I have has all the teflon worn off, and since I don't know where to find cooking spray, everything just sticks. Maybe after the game...

Today will be a lot of cleaning and reorganizing. Storing my suitcases (finally), hanging up clean laundry, going grocery shopping... how exciting! I hope it doesn't rain, because I totally left my umbrella at the 7-11 last night hahahaha.

French Toast

The bread here is sliced pretty huge, and I had a craving for French toast this morning.

I would've taken a photo of the actual toast, but it was so good I finished eating it before I could grab my camera. Maybe next time.

Half Price Sushi!

Let's play "Guess That Sushi"!

From left to right, bottom row:
???
Spicy Salmon
Saba?
Tuna

Top row:
Egg with maple syrup on it (that's what it tastes like, anyways)
Tiny Shrimps
OCTOPUS!
Spicy Shrimp-thing

It is sooooo delicious. And it was on sale! Cost around $2.50 USD. Fantastic. Onward to non-food things!

I always get really nervous and stressed out before I teach a class, especially kids classes. It's borderline neurotic. Then, once the class is over, I'm totally smitten with the kids, and want to continue my conversations with the adults. So I hope this nervousness will pass with time.

I told my parents this during our morning conversation: It never ceases to amaze me when I see very well dressed women and young ladies riding down the street on a bike... with heels. I'll try to take a photo and post it soon.

I was told my bank card would be delivered this morning between 9 - 12. The delivery man didn't show up until 11:55. I could've been down at the market, attempting conversation with the fish ladies.... However, I do feel more established now that I have a cash card*. Also, I deposited some money at lunch, so my balance is no longer zero :)

I always feel like there's too much to do, and not enough time in the day.

It's great having a cell phone, but it's kind of a shame that I don't have more than 9 people I could call.

I told Vince that my rice cooker took forever. He said to copy down the characters on the front, and he'd translate them for me. Eff that, I took a photo with my cell phone and sent it to him. I love technology, and I also love the "fast cook" setting on my rice cooker.

My brother and his wife got a new puppy! Yoda is a dachshund and he's ADORABLE!!!!

Some vending machines make noise when you walk near them, and it never fails to scare the shit out of me every time.

Vince and I found my apartment on Google Earth. I live hella far away from the station!

That's it for now. Going to eat dinner, watch some Planet Earth, and go to bed.



* Japan doesn't have a debit card system. So you either pay with cash, or credit. The only reason to use your card is to withdraw money from the ATM. VERY different from the US, and I think that will take some getting used to.

New Cell Phone

Yesterday between classes, my kid's head teacher took me over to Softbank and I got a cell phone. I only got one so I don't have to be glued to my computer to get in touch with people. I am using my former teacher's phone, but with a new number and plan. It's pretty sweet.

Of course Japan has THE COOLEST phones around, but I was soooo close to getting an iPhone, but I wasn't sure I could use it back in the States, and also, I am too frugal to pay so much money for a cell phone.

I got up around 8am this morning. Sorry I haven't been calling people, it's been hectic still (head teacher leaving, waiting for the gas man, etc.). Right now, I'm waiting for the Post Office delivery person to come back by my apartment with my bank card! Hooray! I am very eager to deposit my money into an account... it looks so pitiful with a O balance hahahaha.