Sunday, April 25, 2010

Osaka Dinner Theater


I went to Osaka with a couple of teachers from my school to watch a comedy troupe at an Italian Restaurant. I should have known this wasn't the best idea when I realized it would be completely in Japanese....

Granted, it was funny for me, but only the visual gags. I had no idea what what going on, and poor Chika was trying to translate for me, but a lot of the jokes made references to Japanese history or stories. Bless her heart.

KitKats and Toys

Banana KitKat. Not bad.


Sweet Potato KitKat. Also, pretty good. Bought this nice box in Tokyo when I visited Miho.




Someone important from Japanese history. Toy that came with a drink.


Pucho toys!!! I have no clue what this thing is. It looks like it's wearing a mask.


Beer? Washing it's hair?


This looks like my dad.


Mentaiko twins from Kyushu. Asami is from Fukuoka, and went home a few weeks ago. She bought me a souvenir.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Midori no somethingsomething

This morning I woke up pretty early, and went to Shin Nagata station, the closest JR station. I had to take the ticket I had bought yesterday to the Midori no (something something), which is the Green Window for reserved seats. I was pretty worried that I wouldn't be able to reserve a seat, and also that I would have to pay more.

However....

No problem! My ticket from Shin Kobe to Hakata via Nozomi 601! I have a seat in row 13, seat 4, in car E. Jackpot! Oh wait, what the....



6:13am departure time?!?!?! Well dang. At least I'll be able to spend ALL day in Fukuoka.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Shinkansen WOOOOO!

Shinkansen ticket to Fukuoka!


I went to a discount ticket shop in Myodani today and bought my ticket to Fukuoka. Since it's a little late in the game (one week prior) I only have a train ticket, not a reserved seat. I have to go to Shin Nagata station and see if there are any seats available. I might have to stand... it's only two hours though.


It's been rainy lately, and that really affects my mood. Total Debbie Downer. Lamika can't go to Kyushu with me, so I've changed all my hotel reservations to hostels instead. Miho has been SUPER HELPFUL finding nice places to stay. I'll have to buy her an awesome gift while I'm there.

ANOTHER flat tire on my bicycle this morning. WTF is going on? I blame ninjas.

I'm going to spend the weekend polishing my plans for this vacation. Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, and Miyazaki. Solo. Wish me luck.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Well crap

Today I had to go to the Head Office in Osaka for a Professional Development Workshop. Even though I'll only be with the company for 5 more months. And it was my day off. Grrr.... but I did see the group I trained with, and that was fun.

However....

Lamika can't go to Kyushu with me. So I might go alone. Bummer.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Most stressful thing ever?

Completing and filing your federal and state tax returns on April 15 at 11:40pm from your freezing apartment in Japan and being charged $9.95 to file for "free".

Boo-yah taxes are DONE!

Monday, April 12, 2010

American Idol in Japan

Sunday afternoon, I went to Chiyoko and Mitsuna Andoh, former students, for lunch. They are such sweet women! Chiyoko made us lunch, and we watched a highlight video of American Idol. I was never a fan of the show, but that video was pretty good. Then I got to watch clips from Chiyoko's movies/shows/commercials. She's an actress, and she also does voice work. It was amazing! She always plays a mother, and in my favorite commercial, it's an infomercial for a frying pan. To be honest, it is pretty amazing. Mitsuna works part time as an illustrator, and she gave me a beautiful watercolor she had done as I left.

After lunch, I went to Nishinomiya-kitaguchi to Tim's apartment for a wine and stinky cheese party. One of his students had gone to France, and brought back SO MUCH stinky cheese. It was fun, there were 6 other foreigners there, mostly AEON teachers, but a few JETs and freelancers. Tim taught us how to play dominoes (because he's an old man like that), and we had a good time. Then, Tim, Joe and I went to a local hole in the wall to sing karaoke.


Thanks for the awesome earrings, Mom!


Joe and I singing "A Whole New World".

Since it's rainy and cold (and I'm slightly hungover) today, I'm staying inside and trying very hard not to have to go outside. Too bad my laundry is on the balcony.