Kumamoto update!
I don’t know if I could actually make it the whole year without cheese. Which is why I joined the AAJET (alumni association) so that I could go on the trip with them to Costco next month. Yes, there is a big trip to Costco since there is only one and it’s about two hours away. It should be a great time and I can not wait to get a hotdog. Oh man I love their hotdogs, so good and so cheap.
Ok, I didn’t come on to write about Costco even though I know I could go on about it forever. I came on to write about my whirlwind week in good ol’ Kumamoto Japan. Let’s journey to a simpler time where prices were cheap and politicians were noble. I don’t think there was a time. In other words let’s go back to last Wednesday. I had great day on Wednesday, it might even be considered another red letter day. I was riding my bike around town and I decided to take shelter in a 100 yen shop because the sky was about to open up. So I parked my bike and walked in. Right away I was excited about all of the things that were being sold for a mere dollar. What was even better was that the store was connected to a grocery store and a department store. I decided when I find someone with a car I am going to go and get my futon there. I was also very excited when I saw there was a TV on and the Olympics were on! As if things couldn’t get any better none other than the great sport of swimming was on at that exact time. So I stayed and finally got to watch some swimming for a while. Needless to say I’ve been back multiple times since and made some great purchases as well as some more views on that lovely TV with cable.
Now we shall skip to Friday. Well it was my last day of school since it was indeed a Friday. I was extremely glad to get out of there for the week, I had my fair share of doing nothing in an office with no one in it. I came home and took a wee nap before going on a wee run. Although I normally do not like running outside since it is harder than running inside and I’m all about the easiest ways to exercise. But I had no other choice, so I went for a jog. It’s been a while so it was painful, but at least my lungs weren’t burning. I guess there’s always pluses to living in the humid weather at low altitude. That might be the only one now that I think about it. After my jog and shower I met the other ALTs in my area as well as some visiting ones for dinner and drinks. We enjoyed some beru (beer) at a small bar called the Anaconda. I think we will frequent the place when we are in town.
This weekend was the opposite of the last one in terms of being busy. I barely got a minute to breathe. Saturday I met my friend Cassandra at the Kumamoto train station where we took another train to my homestay’s station, which, ironically was the same town Cassandra lived in. She happened to find that out AFTER riding the train to me. It was quite funny once we found out. Our grand plans were to go to the Yamaga Lantern Festival where 1,000 ladies dance with paper lanterns on their head, but our grand plan was ruined due to unnatural amounts of rain. We stayed at Hiroko’s relative’s house and had a huge feast consisting of delicious Japanese foods. It rained for quite a while so we just talked and ate until it died down a little. We then went into Yamaga and walked around town. Apparently they held the dance inside but we didn’t get there in time, so we just took a few pictures and then went bowling. It was fun to do something familiar and I am proud to announce that I scored an all time low my first game. I will not say it because it was just that embarrassing.
After bowling Hiroko and her sister wanted to take Cassandra and I to the hot spas. Dun dun dun. It happened to be a little nerve racking when we found out because they have decided that a swim suit is not necessary in the onsen. It was a rather rushed decision which is what things go like around here. We are usually confused on what we are doing with our Japanese friends, where they say “You go to hot spring?” “No, I haven’t been” “Ok, we go” “Ok I would like to go sometime” “We go now” “Now?” “Yes, now” “Oh, now?! Ok!” That’s the dialogue that goes on with things like that. So we were nervous but we knew it was something that we wanted to do, so we were excited as well.
Hiroko’s sister and her kids went in the family spa and Hiroko, Cassandra and I went in the women’s spa. Thankfully we had a small towel where have to choose what you want to cover up (it’s like a little bigger than a hand towel) so that was interesting. When you walk into the place they have you sit on a bucket and shower before you go into the actual spa. When you get in there are several pools; one where you can walk around in a circle that is a little cooler, one that is warm that you just lay in like you are laying in a lawn chair, and a few hot tub like ones. Then there are some outside that range in temperature from luke warm to really hot. It was really cool looking outside with giant rocks and small waterfalls trickling into the pools. After the initial awkward feeling, I didn’t feel weird at all and soon it wasn’t a big deal to be walking around with no swim suit. It was very soothing and felt good to relax our tired bodies. After that we got ice cream and headed back to Hiroko’s where we feel into a deep, relaxing sleep.
The next morning we had a big breakfast before Hiroko took us to Cassandra’s apartment. We hung out there which was nice because I had yet to see another JET’s apartment. Her place is in more of a city and it’s on the tenth floor and a lot older looking than mine. Although it is bigger she has a lot more she needs to clean. I liked it, but it made me content with my little apartment. From there Cassandra’s neighbor, Kate came over and then Cassandra’s homestay peops, Ako and her husband, came and picked us up so we could shop the day away. We went to the giant mall in the next town over and had a delicious lunch of _____, basically noodles with meat and sauce fried on the giant stove thing that is installed within the table. It was different from anything I had ever tasted before, sort of sweet noodle like meal. It was a little tricky in terms of how to eat it because it all sticks together, but I have almost gotten the chopsticks down, so I figured it out. I was complimented on my chopstick stills, but I just know that if it’s food and I have to figure out how to get it into my mouth, you better be sure that I will find a way to do it and do it fast.
After that we walked around for a long time…I am not a big shopper so after I bought some books at the bookstore I started finding some benches outside of the stores and just started reading. I just finished Tuesdays with Morrie by the way, and if you haven’t read it, I suggest you do. It was a very touching story. Anyway, after the mall Ako dropped me off at my place (everyone came in and saw it and liked it) and from there I went to the train station to get my bike. I was near Shannon’s house (the other ALT in my town) so I rode over there and hung out with her and some of her friends that were still in town. I then rode my bike back home so I could pack and get ready for orientation in the city.
Monday morning Dina (Shannon’s friend) and I caught the train into the city early since we had to be there for our “official” ceremony for senior high teachers. It was just a lot of bowing and paperwork. We then had lunch and joined the rest of the JETs for orientation a little bit farther down in the city. We listened to a bunch of current JETs who have been there for multiple years. They just talked about safety, school stuff, time off, pay and just life in general. After all of that there was an optional tour of the castle, but since I had already gone and I had a giant backpack full of stuff I skipped it and went back to my friend, Cherese’s, to drop off stuff and change out of our nice clothes. We then met everyone else for dinner and drinks at the Beer Garden on the 7th floor of a department building. To my surprise it was outside, and although the weather looked iffy, it stayed dry and we had a delicious dinner with good drinks and conversation. From there most of us went on a pub crawl around town that the former JETs led. We just went to three different bars and since there were so many of us we managed to crowd the tiny bars and run up tabs like crazy. I don’t even want to know how much money I’ve spent in the past week. Cassandra and I started the night off right by trying to imitate a guy from Scotland and another guy from England. They got a good kick out of it and we spent the rest of the night talking in accents, already one of my favorite pastimes. I received an A in speaking in a Scottish accent while Cassandra’s grade was questionable since she ended up sounding like a pirate. Unfortunately I chocked when I tried to do my English accent, so I will have to keep practicing. Their American accents were even more pitiful. We got to know a lot of the other JETs and it was an all around fun night. We walked back to Cherese’s to get a few hours of sleep before the next long day of orientation.
Day two was just workshops, some of which were more helpful than others. For lunch we walked down the street and ate at a place in the indoor/outdoor mall. I got a spaghetti plate since it was Italian which was not good for my stomach. After the second half of workshops I went and hung out with this girl, Jennifer, at her hotel and then we took a quick nap and watched some TV. We then met some people from our immediate area and had dinner at a really nice Chinese restaurant. They brought out different plates at different times so we were there for quite a while. They also had a beer bazooka. They just bring out these giant, long cylinders of beer that get tapped and you just fill up your beer at the end of the table. Although I didn’t indulge in the beverages that night, it was cool to see. The restaurant itself was beautiful and extremely classy. Dinner was tasty and I had a good time with the people from my area, they are all really nice and fun to be around. After dinner we went to ice cream and most of the people headed back home. Jennifer and I walked around and chatted until I decided to try and get back to Cherese’s place. I had a lot of trouble getting a cab since the cab drivers didn’t know exactly where the apartment was. I then waited for a tram but they stopped running, so eventually I managed to take a cab to a tram stop down the street from Cherese’s and she just came and met me. We stayed up talking for a while before going to sleep. She has a really nice place and although she had a lot of trouble with getting furniture (her predecessor left her none) she made it very homey and cute.
The last day of orientation were filled with confusing Japanese lessons (we took a test the first day, none of which I filled out) with a sort lunch break where we devoured some scrumptious Indian food. After the classes were over we caught the tram and then the train back to Matsubase. I rode my bike home and finally had some alone time. I have started to get used to alone time more since I’ve been here, and although I would almost always rather be with people, I have enjoyed being able to have time to read and write and do a little cleaning. Needless to say I was exhausted and after doing some reading and writing I went to bed so that I could get up and get ready for school on Thursday.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Comfort of silence
I can finally sit in the comfort of silence. The hum of the air conditioner and the fan are the only noise I need tonight and I feel safe within myself.
The unfamiliarity’s of a new environment raise a heightened level of sensitivity within me, one that I not aware I even possessed. I feel vulnerable, I feel weak, but most of all I feel afraid of what is obvious; loneliness. I cannot speak in this unknown place, for fear my voice will be carried away into nothingness. If the sound of my voice falls upon deaf ears, then who is really listening?
Admitting to this fear is not something I thought I could do, but so many things that once lay within me, untouched, have recently been surfaced. These feelings are kept deep within all of us, settled at the bottom of a vast pool of emotions, buried under the emotions that are more often used. They lay deep within us and they are reluctant to come out, for when they do we are not who we thought we were, we are not as strong as we thought we were and we are not comfortable with this new, frightened creature.
I have a choice; I can cower from these newly discovered feelings or I can embrace them. I choose to embrace them, and understand their meaning. How could I live with myself if I did not? How could I live in a temple of fear? I often wonder if this is the test of my physical and mental being. If there is another way to test this ugly emotion then say it now, although I do not believe there is. There is some part of ourselves that hides away from the world no matter how much world is surrounding us.
Sinking slowly within me are new ideals of what it means to be me. What it means to be strong within myself, what it means to push the preconceived notions of who I am even further. Gaining this understanding can only help me grow as a person and live as something more. These feelings are not familiar and although they were not welcomed, they are now becoming understandable as I continue to mold myself and the world around me.
Although I can finally sit in the comfort of silence, I know the noise of my dreams means the beginning of these feelings is not yet over. Nightmares slip in and out of these once pure imaginings, creating another level of fear that fades away with the daylight. The ugliness of these images churn within my mind until the meaning is chewed up and spit out into the confused mess of nothing that means a little bit of something to me. At least a little bit of something that will help shape the meaning of what is constantly being processed in my head.
Exhaustion plagues my tired mind, taking in this new place calls for more mental energy than I am used to and my body begs for something it cannot have. Crippling my thoughts and gripping my view of the world, this place has given me something else to see and for that I can be constantly grateful of who I am and who I will become.
I am heavy within myself, a place that is not easy for me to be. I feel the urge to crawl out of this deep cavern that I live in and explore without it. To discover a world without this body is something that could not be possible, and even still if it were so, it would not be the same. Experiences shape us into who we are and our bodies will someday show for it. Whether that be good or bad, I take what I can from it and continue with my intertwined ideals. With this life and what may follow, I will preserver and know that all of these new feelings are a part of the experience and make for the ride we call life.
The unfamiliarity’s of a new environment raise a heightened level of sensitivity within me, one that I not aware I even possessed. I feel vulnerable, I feel weak, but most of all I feel afraid of what is obvious; loneliness. I cannot speak in this unknown place, for fear my voice will be carried away into nothingness. If the sound of my voice falls upon deaf ears, then who is really listening?
Admitting to this fear is not something I thought I could do, but so many things that once lay within me, untouched, have recently been surfaced. These feelings are kept deep within all of us, settled at the bottom of a vast pool of emotions, buried under the emotions that are more often used. They lay deep within us and they are reluctant to come out, for when they do we are not who we thought we were, we are not as strong as we thought we were and we are not comfortable with this new, frightened creature.
I have a choice; I can cower from these newly discovered feelings or I can embrace them. I choose to embrace them, and understand their meaning. How could I live with myself if I did not? How could I live in a temple of fear? I often wonder if this is the test of my physical and mental being. If there is another way to test this ugly emotion then say it now, although I do not believe there is. There is some part of ourselves that hides away from the world no matter how much world is surrounding us.
Sinking slowly within me are new ideals of what it means to be me. What it means to be strong within myself, what it means to push the preconceived notions of who I am even further. Gaining this understanding can only help me grow as a person and live as something more. These feelings are not familiar and although they were not welcomed, they are now becoming understandable as I continue to mold myself and the world around me.
Although I can finally sit in the comfort of silence, I know the noise of my dreams means the beginning of these feelings is not yet over. Nightmares slip in and out of these once pure imaginings, creating another level of fear that fades away with the daylight. The ugliness of these images churn within my mind until the meaning is chewed up and spit out into the confused mess of nothing that means a little bit of something to me. At least a little bit of something that will help shape the meaning of what is constantly being processed in my head.
Exhaustion plagues my tired mind, taking in this new place calls for more mental energy than I am used to and my body begs for something it cannot have. Crippling my thoughts and gripping my view of the world, this place has given me something else to see and for that I can be constantly grateful of who I am and who I will become.
I am heavy within myself, a place that is not easy for me to be. I feel the urge to crawl out of this deep cavern that I live in and explore without it. To discover a world without this body is something that could not be possible, and even still if it were so, it would not be the same. Experiences shape us into who we are and our bodies will someday show for it. Whether that be good or bad, I take what I can from it and continue with my intertwined ideals. With this life and what may follow, I will preserver and know that all of these new feelings are a part of the experience and make for the ride we call life.
Week 2 in Kumamoto, Japan
Tabemasho! (Let’s eat!)
8/7/08
I just had one of the best cookie things I have ever tasted. It was ever so delicate and delicious (oishii), filled with some sort of light colored cream that just added more of a savory flavor to the soft and sweet pastry.Before that I ate something that looked like it was found in a swamp. Usually with things like that I just put them in my mouth and hope for the best. It was pretty much tasteless, yet the slimy texture made me swallow it almost immediately before I was hit with anymore surprises. And so it goes in Kumamoto, Japan. The constant game of what is this strange chunk of food I am about to eat? So far I haven’t gotten any problems from anything I’ve eaten, which is quite the contrary with the food back home. I get a stomach ache with almost everything I eat home—that’s no secret. So even though I have no idea what I’m eating, I’m pretty sure it’s better for my overall health. I feel confident saying that these strange, slimy chunks may just be the reason they don’t have obesity problems here—it’s calorie free and makes it so you don’t want to eat anytime soon! The ultimate cure! I think I will bring this idea back home with me and prepare for ultimate failure because it doesn’t look so good sitting next to a picture of a Whopper or a Big Mac.
Well here I am on week two of my adventure and so far it has been quite the emotional roller coaster. I have had trouble with just about every little thing, most of which are just major annoyances. I can’t get internet for two more weeks, the cell phone is still non-existent, my bike is on lock down and will not move and my apartment smells like wet dog. It’s a very lovely time here obviously. Despite all of these little things, I am feeling majorly better from just three short days ago when I moved into my apartment. The initial loneliness was overwhelming and extremely difficult, but I decided that instead of sitting and sulking I would go take a walk. So I walked around the town for a while, and it has become a nightly routine ever since. I’m sure that will change once I get to know the place a little better, and find other things to do, but so far everything is still new and picture-worthy. I have a bunch of pictures of trees which I’m sure I will find extremely boring when I go to look at them later, but at the time I thought it could be a beautiful nature shot.Things are going at a snail’s pace here, starting off with something new can be like that, especially when you are initially wishing the days away. I know that the tables will turn and I will soon be wanting time to slow down, and ironically that is when it just gets faster.
I am not really doing much at school, I think they know that I have nothing to do so they don’t seem to mind it when I am constantly checking my e-mail and trying to study some Japanese. I would go walk around and talk to people, but I don’t know how to, so I just try to smile and say simple greetings. It’s a start, right?Last night was good, I finally got to meet some people living near me! We went to dinner and just being able to talk to other English speakers was extremely refreshing. We are going to a fireworks show in the city on Friday where I will see a lot of my friends from orientation, which should be greatThis week has also started to look up because I have put my Skype to use! I got to talk to my family and Kristin and Lauren which has been a life-saver for me. I have had to talk to them at school, which was a little awkward at first (since I couldn’t really talk back), but it’s better than nothing. And getting e-mails from my other friends always makes my day. Right now, being homesick is something I have accepted for a short time. I know that it will pass eventually (not completely though) and I just have to take it one day at a time. I am only here for one year so I need to take everything in and appreciate the fact that I got accepted to this program and I have the opportunity to make some awesome memories.
Another thing that I am reluctant to accept is the fact that the sleeping situation here is just not going to be as good as at home. Although I am beginning to get used to the thin mat on the floor, I still wake up with a sore shoulder or a numb hand…And preceding my awakening I am dreaming I am at home and driving around with my mom. So I wake up thinking I am home in a car only to realize that I am sore on the ground—doesn’t exactly make for an extremely pleasant morning. Once I am over the initial confusion though, things seem to go well (minding that I don’t get lost on the way to school) and I’m finding each day to be easier. I am almost happy to call the small room I live in home! As soon as I find some more decorations as well as some pictures from home I will be feeling loads better. Like how I used that British term, loads? I really like it, I think I will use that and “I popped by yesterday”, I fancy that one as well.
List time!
Here is a short list of things I have done for the first time:
1. Eat real Thai food (and man was it good)
2. Eat real Indian food (bomb as well)
3. Eat real Japanese food (interesting, yet mostly tasty)
4. Make some Japanese friends
5. Live in a Japanese home
6. Entertain myself without internet, TV, a phone or other human beings for long periods of time
7. Try to speak another language to people who speak no English (the convo didn’t get too far)
8. Kill a cockroach—it was quite the unsettling experience right before bed.
What I have done before is get lost and confused. I was surviving on using my pointer finger and the old, “Sumimasen, um, uh, Matsubase koko?” And then I frantically pointing around in all directions, indicating that I have no idea where I am. They should know that I am trying to say “Hi, I am looking for Matsubase Senior High School. It is rather embarrassing that I can’t find it considering this is the third day I am going there and I am lost again. Oh, I don’t know if I mentioned that I work there so it is quite the pathetic situation. Could you tell me how to get there using mainly gestures and please try to refrain from talking too much since you speaking Japanese tends to overwhelm and confuse me? Thanks!”Eventually I got to school. Since then I have thankfully figured things out, but I have no doubts that I will have to use the survival mode of pointing frantically and trying to speak anything that might possibly make sense again.
Doshiyo? (What shall I do?)
8/11/08
Today has been rather uneventful as the rest of my weekend was, minus Friday. We went out in the city on Friday to see the festival and fireworks show. It was one of the coolest fireworks shows I’ve ever seen since they had fireworks forming shapes and hearts at the end! From there we headed to the bars with the whole JET crew from our area. The first bar we went to was almost like we were VIP because we were the only ones in it. It was darkly lit with leather chairs and nice black tables. It was just a small room so we filled it up fast. Usually (or as far as I’ve seen) there is just a set price for the night and you pay about $25 for all you can drink. After that bar we went to one a little bit down the way where it was more like a normal bar back home—crowded and loud. It was fun and I got to meet the bar tenders because one of the JETs was friends with them. I also exchanged e-mails with some people since that’s what you do here instead of phone numbers. It’s very confusing I’m still trying to get the hang of it. It was a good time and it’s kinda hard with the bars being open so late to catch the 11:50 train so we decided to just take a cab home. Saturday I went with my supervisor to get a cell phone which took half the day. Sometimes I feel like they are talking just to talk but when it is translated for me it’s like 2 words. I really don’t think they need to be saying as much as they do.
The rest of the day I just hung out and finally got to talk on the phone while I watched a fireworks show from my window. I don’t go outside at night alone for fear of being attacked by giant bugs. I should probably face my fears one of these days.Sunday I went for a bike ride (it’s no longer on lock down-- my supervisor took me to get it fixed!) around town to get some much needed food. First of all let me just say that it must be quite the comical sight to see me riding this bike. I feel like the Wicked Witch of the West when I get on this thing (sometimes I even sing her theme song from the movie in my head while I ride). It looks just like her bike and kids give me frightened looks, so I might as well be her. It has a broken basket in the front and I am obviously too big for it. It has the loudest breaks and I am lucky if it makes it to next month. I’m just glad that it’s red and it gets me from point A to B. So I shouldn’t complain. I can just see my roommates laughing at me if they saw me riding it. Thanks a lot guys!
Anyway I was getting food at the convenience store and there was a kid just singing and dancing around—you know, doing what kids do. And suddenly he saw me and stared at me for more than 20 seconds. He then ran away yelling something in Japanese. It’s times like that where I wish I spoke Japanese more than I usually wish I did. He looked in awe at first and then very frightened. That’s how most of the kids look, a little surprised or scared to see a gaijin. I should have made a face at him--that would have scared him away faster. That encounter definitely made me laugh.The rest of the day I got to read, write and listen to music which was good, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to write like that. Ok seriously, what am I supposed to be doing? Everyone just left the office and now I am here by myself. They don’t really tell you much around these parts. I think they are all at some meeting or something. Something I wouldn’t understand anyway.
Hotto doggu wa tabemasu ka? (Will you eat a hot dog?)
8/12/08
For lunch a lot of the teachers have bentos which are just boxed lunches filled with rice, pickled vegetables (tsukemono) of some sort, and either meat or noodles. I have gotten them for the past few days, and they aren’t half bad. The convenience stores even warm them up in the microwave for you! So it’s easy and affordable. Now, some may wonder why I suddenly started talking about this and it is because I want to educate my reader on the cultural differences from the U.S. and Japan. As well as probably go get one sometime soon. I have quite the adventure when I go to the convenience stores here because there are just so many interesting things to look at. And don’t even get me started on the grocery store! It is crawling with crazy things—literally. It reeks of fish in most sections and there is even a clothing store within the one near my house. Two in one, how could you go wrong? But I have found a minor setback. Well a few, first of all I can’t read any of the labels, so I’m a little afraid I accidently bought cow’s milk which is apparently not the same as normal milk. I will find out soon enough. I am a little worried to buy anything that looks like it could have been alive about ten minutes ago, so I usually stay in the boxed food section. Secondly, you have to bag your own groceries. It’s harder then they make it look at home folks, there’s a special method to it. Luckily I have done the self check out at the local store at home, so I have faith that I will be a pro at it soon enough.
The other thing I am struggling with is the use of hashi or chopsticks. My homestay lady’s mom tired to teach me, and I have been complimented on getting better, but there were times during my homestay where Hiroko would just hand me a fork (foku)and laugh. I usually tired a bit longer before sighing and admitting defeat.
One other thing that I thought would bother me more is the smoking in public places. I saw a lady smoking in the restaurant I was in the other day and I was shocked. Then I realized that they can do that here. I thought it was going to be disgusting in bars and restaurants but so far it hasn’t been that bad, I hope it stays like that.
So last night I went on a beautiful walk. Along with giant spiders and dragonflies, I saw a great view of the green landscape and a crystal clear view of the surrounding mountains. I think it calms me to see mountains because I feel more at home. The rest of the night I tackled the daunting task of laundry. I finally figured out the washing machine, but the real challenge lay in where to hang my clothes. They don’t have dryers here, so I had to be creative with my hanging techniques. My apartment looked like I was decorating for some sort of clothes party, but in the end I figured it out and officially cleaned my first load of clothes!My next challenge is going to be where to throw away all of my old sheets and how to buy new sheets and a new futon mat. I need to buy them, but seeing that I don’t have a car there is no way I could carry all of that from the grocery store to my house. I guess I could ask my supervisor to take me, but I feel like that could be a little awkward. Although he is very professional, I think getting my cell phone and bike figured out was already pretty personal. I don’t know why I feel like that, maybe because he’s my boss basically, but I still feel awkward about it. Maybe I can ask the other ALT near to take me, although I feel bad about that because I know it isn’t his job to drive me around town. I feel so helpless most of the time and I think even if I spoke a little bit of Japanese I will be able to feel better. I hope it will all come in time, I’ll figure it out somehow!
The weather here has been hot and muggy, I miss the crisp feel of the Colorado air--breathing in deep here is like swallowing something other than air that doesn’t completely satisfy your lungs. These past two days have been partly cloudy and a little rainy, which I am extremely thankful for. It cools things down a bit and although it brings out the bugs tenfold, I am almost glad to see the sun go away. That means I’m not missing it when I’m inside. I’ve almost gotten used to the sticky feeling humidity leaves on your skin, and I’m sure by the time I’m back in Colorado, my skin will be screaming for moisture.
Newsflash! I didn’t have to eat a bento at school today! It was a big day because some of my co-workers asked me to come to lunch with them. The restaurant we went to had a Rasta theme and the Jamaican tunes filled the air while colorful fabric hung from the ceiling and a colorful painting of Bob Marley smiled back at you as you entered (like how I’m setting the scene?). I ate a somewhat spicy southern dish that looked like something that was made in New Orleans and managed to eat it all with chopsticks. What I didn’t manage was keeping the red soup from getting on my white shirt. That is the tricky part about those slippery noodles. I guess getting the red out of the white is going to be just another challenge I will face. Oh well, I’m up for it! The conversation was short since their English was limited and my Japanese is obviously non-existent, but we managed to understand what we were trying to tell each other and I even got invited to play badminton and go to a birthday dinner celebration in a few weeks. I never thought I would say I’m really excited to play badminton but I sure am now! Sounds like a silly poem, or a would you rather question. Would you rather play badminton in Japan or shuffle board in Russia?
Tonight the other JETs in my neighborhood and I are going to eat Indian food around 6:30, so this is an all around red letter day for me. For those of you who don’t know what a red letter day is and insist that I made it up, you can ask someone else and they will tell you they’ve heard of it before. I swear I didn’t make it up, but I don’t know if I ever knew the true meaning, so I might have made that up… That didn’t make any sense, but basically a red letter day is one that is great and a lot of good things happen in one day, therefore making it red letter-like. I don’t know what it has to do with a red letter and I know what you’re thinking, Lauren. You think that I just made it up. Well fine then, I guess I did! In the absence of information we create our own. I think some old guy told me that once.
You know what I forgot to mention that was disturbing for me on many levels? The beans that I ate! They are called nato (I don’t know if that’s how it’s spelled) and they are repulsive. I don’t know how people like them. They look like normal brown beans but they have this sticky, slimy, smelly, clear pasty goop-like substance that is stringy and sticks to everything on top of them, or mixed in with them. It looks like sticky bug guts or something they would use in an alien movie to show the alien’s drool. They smell bad and have little or no taste, but the sight alone could drive anyone’s appetite away. I am not usually one who losses their appetite very quickly—in fact I can’t recall a time when I truly have. But after trying these beans, I could not finish the rest of my meal. Disgusting.
I was talking to my mom yesterday and they are coming in December and she told to me to start looking up trips because she would like to take me on a trip when she is there. She mentioned Thailand which would be great—especially since that one is a little more expensive and I was already turning down a trip with friends to Thailand around that time since my family was going to be there. Until then I need to travel around my prefecture and make plans for going to South Korea. My Gun leader (pronounced ‘goon’) is planning on doing some beach trips (it’s about an hour from here) as well as perhaps some hiking and other fun things in this area. I hope to see Mt. Aso in the near future and go to some of the famous hot springs in the Kumamoto prefecture. I would also like to visit Nagasaki sometime soon since we are so close to it. I better get planning!
O-kane to, meisei to, dochira ga daiji desu ka (Which one is more important, money or reputation?)
8/13/08
I am once again one of three people left in this office since everyone has taken holiday. I rode my bike to school twice today, dodging the smashed crabs that littered the pavement while I passed old ladies hiding in the shade with umbrellas. The first time I came they were testing the electricity so the power was out. I figured that it would be pointless for me to sit in the hot room by myself so I rode my bike back home. I went home and made some eggs and toast as well as some phone calls and came back to school to begin my monotonous day of writing e-mails and reading about teaching methods. I did get really excited yesterday because I discovered a brilliant idea—pen pals! I’m going to do them with my mom’s class and my cooperating teacher, Jen’s, class I believe. My mom said her kids study Asia and they would love to do pen pals, which I think would be so cute. I also think it would be cool for them to do pen pals to kids their own age living in the U.S. So I am going to try and do both. We’ll see how that goes.
Last night (as I said earlier) I went to eat Indian food with the ALTs from my area which was extremely delicious. For those who have not experienced it, I suggest you try it. I usually get a meal that consists of nan (really good pita like bread) and a bunch of different sauces that you can get really mild or really spicy depending on your liking. They set the mood by having you sit in a little boxed in booth after taking off your shoes. There were giant, festive pillows and in this particular restaurant they had a hole cut out in the ground for you to put your feet. The other one I went was just a table and chairs. And of course there’s that crazy Indian music which I have decided I really enjoy.
After dinner we went shopping in a big mall across the street. I bought a funky looking Japanese vest thing that the other girls said I could pull off even though I was a little unsure…I also bought a vanilla ice cream bar for a mere 58 yen (58 cents). What a steal! I just couldn’t resist the delicious vanilla on a stick, I never can. My best purchase was “mood in cup” that’s all it said on the front of this candle box. Oh, and that candles burn up to four hour. Four hour, without the ‘S’. I loved it so much and it gave me such a good laugh that I had to buy it. I hope they set the right mood, because they didn’t specify what type of mood was in this cup. We will have to see. Some of the shirts make me laugh too, they are made in China so the English writing makes absolutely no sense. But no one cares because they have no idea what it’s saying! I guess their marketing scheme is ‘as long as looks like English, it is English! So sell it!’ I think we have a thing or two to learn from the Chinese.
I was just informed that I have to be at school on Sunday. SUNDAY! I think they are aware that is a weekend, but I feel like I should inform them. What an outrage, this would never happen in the U.S. We love our weekends way too much. Oh well at least I know I will be in the city for the first three days of next week. We have orientation which consists of more classes on info about Japanese language courses, speakers, teaching demos, tours of the castle, health, finance, and cooking. The best part of all is the beer garden party on Monday night and the pub crawl afterwards. I hope to stay in the city with one of my friends because it would be a pain to commute back and forth everyday. The city is only about a 20 min train ride from Matsubase, but I would rather just be right in the action while I can.I think I am hitting a stopping point. Finally, I know. So that’s the story of Jessica’s thrilling and wiiiild adventure in Japan. Ha. I will be back with more exciting tales of weird food and interesting people in the future. Until then ittemairimasu (goodbye but literally—I’ll go and come back)!
8/7/08
I just had one of the best cookie things I have ever tasted. It was ever so delicate and delicious (oishii), filled with some sort of light colored cream that just added more of a savory flavor to the soft and sweet pastry.Before that I ate something that looked like it was found in a swamp. Usually with things like that I just put them in my mouth and hope for the best. It was pretty much tasteless, yet the slimy texture made me swallow it almost immediately before I was hit with anymore surprises. And so it goes in Kumamoto, Japan. The constant game of what is this strange chunk of food I am about to eat? So far I haven’t gotten any problems from anything I’ve eaten, which is quite the contrary with the food back home. I get a stomach ache with almost everything I eat home—that’s no secret. So even though I have no idea what I’m eating, I’m pretty sure it’s better for my overall health. I feel confident saying that these strange, slimy chunks may just be the reason they don’t have obesity problems here—it’s calorie free and makes it so you don’t want to eat anytime soon! The ultimate cure! I think I will bring this idea back home with me and prepare for ultimate failure because it doesn’t look so good sitting next to a picture of a Whopper or a Big Mac.
Well here I am on week two of my adventure and so far it has been quite the emotional roller coaster. I have had trouble with just about every little thing, most of which are just major annoyances. I can’t get internet for two more weeks, the cell phone is still non-existent, my bike is on lock down and will not move and my apartment smells like wet dog. It’s a very lovely time here obviously. Despite all of these little things, I am feeling majorly better from just three short days ago when I moved into my apartment. The initial loneliness was overwhelming and extremely difficult, but I decided that instead of sitting and sulking I would go take a walk. So I walked around the town for a while, and it has become a nightly routine ever since. I’m sure that will change once I get to know the place a little better, and find other things to do, but so far everything is still new and picture-worthy. I have a bunch of pictures of trees which I’m sure I will find extremely boring when I go to look at them later, but at the time I thought it could be a beautiful nature shot.Things are going at a snail’s pace here, starting off with something new can be like that, especially when you are initially wishing the days away. I know that the tables will turn and I will soon be wanting time to slow down, and ironically that is when it just gets faster.
I am not really doing much at school, I think they know that I have nothing to do so they don’t seem to mind it when I am constantly checking my e-mail and trying to study some Japanese. I would go walk around and talk to people, but I don’t know how to, so I just try to smile and say simple greetings. It’s a start, right?Last night was good, I finally got to meet some people living near me! We went to dinner and just being able to talk to other English speakers was extremely refreshing. We are going to a fireworks show in the city on Friday where I will see a lot of my friends from orientation, which should be greatThis week has also started to look up because I have put my Skype to use! I got to talk to my family and Kristin and Lauren which has been a life-saver for me. I have had to talk to them at school, which was a little awkward at first (since I couldn’t really talk back), but it’s better than nothing. And getting e-mails from my other friends always makes my day. Right now, being homesick is something I have accepted for a short time. I know that it will pass eventually (not completely though) and I just have to take it one day at a time. I am only here for one year so I need to take everything in and appreciate the fact that I got accepted to this program and I have the opportunity to make some awesome memories.
Another thing that I am reluctant to accept is the fact that the sleeping situation here is just not going to be as good as at home. Although I am beginning to get used to the thin mat on the floor, I still wake up with a sore shoulder or a numb hand…And preceding my awakening I am dreaming I am at home and driving around with my mom. So I wake up thinking I am home in a car only to realize that I am sore on the ground—doesn’t exactly make for an extremely pleasant morning. Once I am over the initial confusion though, things seem to go well (minding that I don’t get lost on the way to school) and I’m finding each day to be easier. I am almost happy to call the small room I live in home! As soon as I find some more decorations as well as some pictures from home I will be feeling loads better. Like how I used that British term, loads? I really like it, I think I will use that and “I popped by yesterday”, I fancy that one as well.
List time!
Here is a short list of things I have done for the first time:
1. Eat real Thai food (and man was it good)
2. Eat real Indian food (bomb as well)
3. Eat real Japanese food (interesting, yet mostly tasty)
4. Make some Japanese friends
5. Live in a Japanese home
6. Entertain myself without internet, TV, a phone or other human beings for long periods of time
7. Try to speak another language to people who speak no English (the convo didn’t get too far)
8. Kill a cockroach—it was quite the unsettling experience right before bed.
What I have done before is get lost and confused. I was surviving on using my pointer finger and the old, “Sumimasen, um, uh, Matsubase koko?” And then I frantically pointing around in all directions, indicating that I have no idea where I am. They should know that I am trying to say “Hi, I am looking for Matsubase Senior High School. It is rather embarrassing that I can’t find it considering this is the third day I am going there and I am lost again. Oh, I don’t know if I mentioned that I work there so it is quite the pathetic situation. Could you tell me how to get there using mainly gestures and please try to refrain from talking too much since you speaking Japanese tends to overwhelm and confuse me? Thanks!”Eventually I got to school. Since then I have thankfully figured things out, but I have no doubts that I will have to use the survival mode of pointing frantically and trying to speak anything that might possibly make sense again.
Doshiyo? (What shall I do?)
8/11/08
Today has been rather uneventful as the rest of my weekend was, minus Friday. We went out in the city on Friday to see the festival and fireworks show. It was one of the coolest fireworks shows I’ve ever seen since they had fireworks forming shapes and hearts at the end! From there we headed to the bars with the whole JET crew from our area. The first bar we went to was almost like we were VIP because we were the only ones in it. It was darkly lit with leather chairs and nice black tables. It was just a small room so we filled it up fast. Usually (or as far as I’ve seen) there is just a set price for the night and you pay about $25 for all you can drink. After that bar we went to one a little bit down the way where it was more like a normal bar back home—crowded and loud. It was fun and I got to meet the bar tenders because one of the JETs was friends with them. I also exchanged e-mails with some people since that’s what you do here instead of phone numbers. It’s very confusing I’m still trying to get the hang of it. It was a good time and it’s kinda hard with the bars being open so late to catch the 11:50 train so we decided to just take a cab home. Saturday I went with my supervisor to get a cell phone which took half the day. Sometimes I feel like they are talking just to talk but when it is translated for me it’s like 2 words. I really don’t think they need to be saying as much as they do.
The rest of the day I just hung out and finally got to talk on the phone while I watched a fireworks show from my window. I don’t go outside at night alone for fear of being attacked by giant bugs. I should probably face my fears one of these days.Sunday I went for a bike ride (it’s no longer on lock down-- my supervisor took me to get it fixed!) around town to get some much needed food. First of all let me just say that it must be quite the comical sight to see me riding this bike. I feel like the Wicked Witch of the West when I get on this thing (sometimes I even sing her theme song from the movie in my head while I ride). It looks just like her bike and kids give me frightened looks, so I might as well be her. It has a broken basket in the front and I am obviously too big for it. It has the loudest breaks and I am lucky if it makes it to next month. I’m just glad that it’s red and it gets me from point A to B. So I shouldn’t complain. I can just see my roommates laughing at me if they saw me riding it. Thanks a lot guys!
Anyway I was getting food at the convenience store and there was a kid just singing and dancing around—you know, doing what kids do. And suddenly he saw me and stared at me for more than 20 seconds. He then ran away yelling something in Japanese. It’s times like that where I wish I spoke Japanese more than I usually wish I did. He looked in awe at first and then very frightened. That’s how most of the kids look, a little surprised or scared to see a gaijin. I should have made a face at him--that would have scared him away faster. That encounter definitely made me laugh.The rest of the day I got to read, write and listen to music which was good, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to write like that. Ok seriously, what am I supposed to be doing? Everyone just left the office and now I am here by myself. They don’t really tell you much around these parts. I think they are all at some meeting or something. Something I wouldn’t understand anyway.
Hotto doggu wa tabemasu ka? (Will you eat a hot dog?)
8/12/08
For lunch a lot of the teachers have bentos which are just boxed lunches filled with rice, pickled vegetables (tsukemono) of some sort, and either meat or noodles. I have gotten them for the past few days, and they aren’t half bad. The convenience stores even warm them up in the microwave for you! So it’s easy and affordable. Now, some may wonder why I suddenly started talking about this and it is because I want to educate my reader on the cultural differences from the U.S. and Japan. As well as probably go get one sometime soon. I have quite the adventure when I go to the convenience stores here because there are just so many interesting things to look at. And don’t even get me started on the grocery store! It is crawling with crazy things—literally. It reeks of fish in most sections and there is even a clothing store within the one near my house. Two in one, how could you go wrong? But I have found a minor setback. Well a few, first of all I can’t read any of the labels, so I’m a little afraid I accidently bought cow’s milk which is apparently not the same as normal milk. I will find out soon enough. I am a little worried to buy anything that looks like it could have been alive about ten minutes ago, so I usually stay in the boxed food section. Secondly, you have to bag your own groceries. It’s harder then they make it look at home folks, there’s a special method to it. Luckily I have done the self check out at the local store at home, so I have faith that I will be a pro at it soon enough.
The other thing I am struggling with is the use of hashi or chopsticks. My homestay lady’s mom tired to teach me, and I have been complimented on getting better, but there were times during my homestay where Hiroko would just hand me a fork (foku)and laugh. I usually tired a bit longer before sighing and admitting defeat.
One other thing that I thought would bother me more is the smoking in public places. I saw a lady smoking in the restaurant I was in the other day and I was shocked. Then I realized that they can do that here. I thought it was going to be disgusting in bars and restaurants but so far it hasn’t been that bad, I hope it stays like that.
So last night I went on a beautiful walk. Along with giant spiders and dragonflies, I saw a great view of the green landscape and a crystal clear view of the surrounding mountains. I think it calms me to see mountains because I feel more at home. The rest of the night I tackled the daunting task of laundry. I finally figured out the washing machine, but the real challenge lay in where to hang my clothes. They don’t have dryers here, so I had to be creative with my hanging techniques. My apartment looked like I was decorating for some sort of clothes party, but in the end I figured it out and officially cleaned my first load of clothes!My next challenge is going to be where to throw away all of my old sheets and how to buy new sheets and a new futon mat. I need to buy them, but seeing that I don’t have a car there is no way I could carry all of that from the grocery store to my house. I guess I could ask my supervisor to take me, but I feel like that could be a little awkward. Although he is very professional, I think getting my cell phone and bike figured out was already pretty personal. I don’t know why I feel like that, maybe because he’s my boss basically, but I still feel awkward about it. Maybe I can ask the other ALT near to take me, although I feel bad about that because I know it isn’t his job to drive me around town. I feel so helpless most of the time and I think even if I spoke a little bit of Japanese I will be able to feel better. I hope it will all come in time, I’ll figure it out somehow!
The weather here has been hot and muggy, I miss the crisp feel of the Colorado air--breathing in deep here is like swallowing something other than air that doesn’t completely satisfy your lungs. These past two days have been partly cloudy and a little rainy, which I am extremely thankful for. It cools things down a bit and although it brings out the bugs tenfold, I am almost glad to see the sun go away. That means I’m not missing it when I’m inside. I’ve almost gotten used to the sticky feeling humidity leaves on your skin, and I’m sure by the time I’m back in Colorado, my skin will be screaming for moisture.
Newsflash! I didn’t have to eat a bento at school today! It was a big day because some of my co-workers asked me to come to lunch with them. The restaurant we went to had a Rasta theme and the Jamaican tunes filled the air while colorful fabric hung from the ceiling and a colorful painting of Bob Marley smiled back at you as you entered (like how I’m setting the scene?). I ate a somewhat spicy southern dish that looked like something that was made in New Orleans and managed to eat it all with chopsticks. What I didn’t manage was keeping the red soup from getting on my white shirt. That is the tricky part about those slippery noodles. I guess getting the red out of the white is going to be just another challenge I will face. Oh well, I’m up for it! The conversation was short since their English was limited and my Japanese is obviously non-existent, but we managed to understand what we were trying to tell each other and I even got invited to play badminton and go to a birthday dinner celebration in a few weeks. I never thought I would say I’m really excited to play badminton but I sure am now! Sounds like a silly poem, or a would you rather question. Would you rather play badminton in Japan or shuffle board in Russia?
Tonight the other JETs in my neighborhood and I are going to eat Indian food around 6:30, so this is an all around red letter day for me. For those of you who don’t know what a red letter day is and insist that I made it up, you can ask someone else and they will tell you they’ve heard of it before. I swear I didn’t make it up, but I don’t know if I ever knew the true meaning, so I might have made that up… That didn’t make any sense, but basically a red letter day is one that is great and a lot of good things happen in one day, therefore making it red letter-like. I don’t know what it has to do with a red letter and I know what you’re thinking, Lauren. You think that I just made it up. Well fine then, I guess I did! In the absence of information we create our own. I think some old guy told me that once.
You know what I forgot to mention that was disturbing for me on many levels? The beans that I ate! They are called nato (I don’t know if that’s how it’s spelled) and they are repulsive. I don’t know how people like them. They look like normal brown beans but they have this sticky, slimy, smelly, clear pasty goop-like substance that is stringy and sticks to everything on top of them, or mixed in with them. It looks like sticky bug guts or something they would use in an alien movie to show the alien’s drool. They smell bad and have little or no taste, but the sight alone could drive anyone’s appetite away. I am not usually one who losses their appetite very quickly—in fact I can’t recall a time when I truly have. But after trying these beans, I could not finish the rest of my meal. Disgusting.
I was talking to my mom yesterday and they are coming in December and she told to me to start looking up trips because she would like to take me on a trip when she is there. She mentioned Thailand which would be great—especially since that one is a little more expensive and I was already turning down a trip with friends to Thailand around that time since my family was going to be there. Until then I need to travel around my prefecture and make plans for going to South Korea. My Gun leader (pronounced ‘goon’) is planning on doing some beach trips (it’s about an hour from here) as well as perhaps some hiking and other fun things in this area. I hope to see Mt. Aso in the near future and go to some of the famous hot springs in the Kumamoto prefecture. I would also like to visit Nagasaki sometime soon since we are so close to it. I better get planning!
O-kane to, meisei to, dochira ga daiji desu ka (Which one is more important, money or reputation?)
8/13/08
I am once again one of three people left in this office since everyone has taken holiday. I rode my bike to school twice today, dodging the smashed crabs that littered the pavement while I passed old ladies hiding in the shade with umbrellas. The first time I came they were testing the electricity so the power was out. I figured that it would be pointless for me to sit in the hot room by myself so I rode my bike back home. I went home and made some eggs and toast as well as some phone calls and came back to school to begin my monotonous day of writing e-mails and reading about teaching methods. I did get really excited yesterday because I discovered a brilliant idea—pen pals! I’m going to do them with my mom’s class and my cooperating teacher, Jen’s, class I believe. My mom said her kids study Asia and they would love to do pen pals, which I think would be so cute. I also think it would be cool for them to do pen pals to kids their own age living in the U.S. So I am going to try and do both. We’ll see how that goes.
Last night (as I said earlier) I went to eat Indian food with the ALTs from my area which was extremely delicious. For those who have not experienced it, I suggest you try it. I usually get a meal that consists of nan (really good pita like bread) and a bunch of different sauces that you can get really mild or really spicy depending on your liking. They set the mood by having you sit in a little boxed in booth after taking off your shoes. There were giant, festive pillows and in this particular restaurant they had a hole cut out in the ground for you to put your feet. The other one I went was just a table and chairs. And of course there’s that crazy Indian music which I have decided I really enjoy.
After dinner we went shopping in a big mall across the street. I bought a funky looking Japanese vest thing that the other girls said I could pull off even though I was a little unsure…I also bought a vanilla ice cream bar for a mere 58 yen (58 cents). What a steal! I just couldn’t resist the delicious vanilla on a stick, I never can. My best purchase was “mood in cup” that’s all it said on the front of this candle box. Oh, and that candles burn up to four hour. Four hour, without the ‘S’. I loved it so much and it gave me such a good laugh that I had to buy it. I hope they set the right mood, because they didn’t specify what type of mood was in this cup. We will have to see. Some of the shirts make me laugh too, they are made in China so the English writing makes absolutely no sense. But no one cares because they have no idea what it’s saying! I guess their marketing scheme is ‘as long as looks like English, it is English! So sell it!’ I think we have a thing or two to learn from the Chinese.
I was just informed that I have to be at school on Sunday. SUNDAY! I think they are aware that is a weekend, but I feel like I should inform them. What an outrage, this would never happen in the U.S. We love our weekends way too much. Oh well at least I know I will be in the city for the first three days of next week. We have orientation which consists of more classes on info about Japanese language courses, speakers, teaching demos, tours of the castle, health, finance, and cooking. The best part of all is the beer garden party on Monday night and the pub crawl afterwards. I hope to stay in the city with one of my friends because it would be a pain to commute back and forth everyday. The city is only about a 20 min train ride from Matsubase, but I would rather just be right in the action while I can.I think I am hitting a stopping point. Finally, I know. So that’s the story of Jessica’s thrilling and wiiiild adventure in Japan. Ha. I will be back with more exciting tales of weird food and interesting people in the future. Until then ittemairimasu (goodbye but literally—I’ll go and come back)!
Squattie Pottie
So I just did one of the most single uncomfortable things of all of my 22 years of life. I used the squattie pottie. It was just as I dreaded. Now, to most people this is not really a big deal, yet most people aren’t afraid of to going to the bathroom in public normally. Let me repeat: I am uncomfortable going to the bathroom in public places ANYWAY. So this just amplified my phobia. The only thing that was good about this completely terrible situation was that I was the only one in the bathroom.
For those of you who have never experienced the lovely “squattie pottie” you are in for quite the exciting treat. I had heard about it, I had read about it, but there is nothing that can prepare you for when the time comes that you actually have to use it. Here at the school it looks like a normal toilet except for the fact that the porcelain is IN the ground. And there is no seat to sit comfortably on. And it is awkward.
I guess that will be the first of many times I will have to use the great invention of the in-the-ground-porcelain. How exciting.
Today has just been one of those days. But before I get ahead of myself let me backtrack to when I arrived in Tokyo.
So we did a bunch of orientation stuff. Lectures basically about what your time might be like in Japan. Lectures about what might happen in Japan. Yet obviously lectures cannot prepare you for real life experience. So although it was very organized and somewhat helpful, they were just lectures. I met a bunch of people from all around the world—England, South Africa, New Zealand, all over the U.S…and we all had a 3 day honeymoon if you will. We were in Japan surrounded by people that were not Japanese. When we weren’t in lectures about saving money, teaching class, representing our countries well, and learning the Japanese ways, we walked around the city, hung out, ate and sang karaoke. It was really good to meet people, and I know I will be seeing my Kumamoto group in a few weeks. The hotel was great, the service was nice, the food was decent and the gajiin (foreigners) were plentiful.
Alas, as all honeymoons do, ours too came to an abrupt end. We flew out to our contracting organizations and we are now spread out all throughout Japan. Our group left yesterday morning and arrived in the great city of Kumamoto. From there our teachers whisked us away before we even had a chance to breathe and I have been going non-stop ever since. I came back the my base school—Matsubase (pronounced Mas-tsu-bas-ehh) with some teachers, students and my predecessor and from there went to my apartment to drop off some bags, and then to the train station. At my school I met a lot of teachers where my pathetic attempt at Japanese became inevitable and I received a lot of awkward smiles and stares. Which continue to this day. I am going to need to study some Japanese because when people are talking I feel as though I am not there or I am watching a bad TV show and I can’t find the remote.
I took the train into the city with Paul, my predecessor and another teacher from the school. Paul was extremely helpful until he left. At that point he ceased to be helpful. Then awkward town, Japan was in full throttle. The other teacher and I made some small talk (since I speak no Japanese and she spoke little English small was the biggest we could do) until I arrived at the station where my homestay family picked me up. Not that it matters now (or I guess it does), but I wish I would have paid a little more attention on my way to this staion because I had no idea where to get off (since the teacher helped me) and I have to do it again today by myself. I have no phone, no language and if I get lost I’m in big trouble. So let us hope for the best and pray for my life. Just kidding. Kind of.
My homestay family is extremely helpful and I could not have asked for a nicer group of people. The main lady (I can’t remember anyone’s name here and it’s driving me nuts) Hiroko I believe… is great and speaks a good amount of English. She is about 40 and single so she still lives with her parents. Very strange for us but I think that’s more the norm for single Japanese women. Her sister and her two sons were over last night which made for a very entertaining dinner. Everything is so different there that I am on constant alert so I don’t do anything wrong. I took a very interesting shower—it was like a little room with a bath in it. But you shower in the room, not the bath. The bath is for sitting in and relaxing after the shower. It’s confusing I know—I don’t even know if I did it right. I don’t know how it works honestly. It’s pretty cool, although I don’t know if I could use something like that forever. Just like everything here it takes some getting used to.
They feed me a giant dinner and I know that if I lived there for the whole year I would be fat. I don’t know how they aren’t. I think it’s the fact that although they eat a lot of food none of it is high in fat or sugar so it works…
We chatted and had tea after dinner, dessert and the shower and then I headed to bed as soon as they set up the futon for me. Thank the Lord there was air con in that room because I would have died in that heat while sleeping. It sure is muggy here. Luckily the staff room and the classrooms at the school have air conditioning, I really lucked out. Some schools don’t have any at all. Sleeping on basically the floor is going to take some getting used to, especially since my bed at home is the most comfortable bed in the world. Seriously. I will have a bed battle with you if you think that yours is more comfortable. And you will lose. I guess I shouldn’t be talking right now because I’m sleeping on a thin mat on the floor.
This morning my supervisor (I actually know his name!!) came and picked me up from my homestay’s house and brought me to school. From there some teachers spent about 2 hours trying to get me hooked up to the internet here (I still can’t get on my blog or facebook! L I’m writing this on word so I can transfer it to my blog later) and then my supervisor went to the bank for over an hour, and to the 7-11 ATMS forever and nothing seemed to be going right. It took us forever to set up an account and then I could not get any money to pay for my rent. At least I know that I will be a certified alien by the end of the week when I get my alien registration card. Being an alien is always comforting…
As much trouble as we had figuring things out the people have been SO nice. Unbelievably so. They even have a costumer service phone HOOKED UP to the ATM at the 7-11 so you can call if you have any problems. I never understand a word they are saying besides Hai (yes) which they say every 2 seconds, but I do know they are being nice!
We got to drive around town to complete these tasks and I got to see the beautiful country side. It is more green here than I have ever seen. Besides Hawaii. I can’t wait to start touring around (starting this weekend—my family is taking me to see either Mt. Aso, the biggest volcano caldera in the world or Kumamoto castle) and taking pictures. Gotta love the pictures.
I am sitting in the staff room right now and it is summer vacation but a lot of the teachers are still here. They work very hard even during the summer holidays.
Now I am in my homestay’s house and I am watching “The Golden Compass”, which is quite good although I just missed like an hour of it. I ate some squid, fish, rice, salad and some other things that I asked about but I am not sure what they are…It sort of tasted like spicy Jell-o…Very interesting. Ok now the dumb dog is barking at me like it’s never seen me before. I just saw you stupid! Geeze.
Back to earlier, thankfully I was able to catch the train and ride it to the right station for my homestay to pick me up. I got some help from some locals who could luckily speak English. It is amazing how many people speak English and how helpful they are. After we got back from the train station I wrote/read some e-mails on a computer that was crowded with Kanji and English letters. I had a hard time knowing my family is in Hawaii and I am not with them. It will be hard for me no matter where I am. I guess I can always go back to Hawaii…I think I am just starting to get homesick. According to the culture shock “guide” I will probably be in a more sad state in the next few weeks. It could last a short time or a long time, it just depends on who you are and what you do to get out of it. I am planning on trying to be productive and active by crying in my room watching movies. Just kidding! I am going to find the dang pool and swim and then see what clubs or sports are around these parts. As well as learn some Japanese.
After the e-mails we went to go find me a cell phone. Unfortunately the place we wanted was closed and all of the other phones were for a 2 year contract. So we are going to get one tomorrow that works.
In the past few days I’ve begun to understand how hard it would truly be if one was illiterate—you would not be able to get by without help all the time. It would be quite the pathetic existence.
I keep getting offered food and drink and I have just started turning it down because I am too full. I don’t know really how, I don’t feel like I am eating all that much, but I guess I am…? I hope she doesn’t think it’s rude. I am trying my best to do what they said about what is rude and what is not. Some of it surprised me a lot. Let me enlighten my readers who are still here.
Things that are rude in Japan:
Not reading a business card right after you get it
Putting soy sauce on your rice
Not wearing indoor shoes
Walking while eating (it actually means you are poor)
Talking on the phone on the train or subway
Not finishing all of your rice (which I did today but I’m not going to make my stomach hurt just to try not to be rude)
Putting your chopsticks straight up in your bowl (they do that at funerals)
Passing food between chopsticks (they pass the bones of their cremated relatives like that)
Interesting, eh?
Aw, the Dad here is so cute. He just got back from ballroom dancing. Which is really hard for them to say because they don’t have the “L” or the “R” sound like we do. They have been practicing saying it for a few minutes now. Melts my heart.
I am so glad this family is so helpful. I hope that I am not too lonely when I move into my apartment this weekend. It will be another thing I have never experienced before –living alone. I’m a little worried, but I think that it will be something I need to do. I think it is something that everyone needs to do at some point. I believe that people can learn a lot about themselves living alone and living with people. Which is why there is time in this life to do both!
I just flicked a pretty good sized ant. Speaking of bugs oh man are the cicadas LOUD here. And plentiful. There was even a butterfly in the store where we were looking at cell phones. It was a beautiful one too, I sure hope they didn’t kill it. We were all a little surprised it was in there. It was the one time I felt truly connected to people who don’t speak English. We were all laughing, which felt good. It’s been too long since I’ve actually laughed. I laughed at the bank for no reason besides the fact that it was just plain silly how they are so strict about their paperwork and they wear the silliest looking uniforms. Everyone does, I feel like I am in the 50’s or something, like in the movie Pleasantville. The police officers look the most ridiculous. Their little hats are so funny looking.
The other thing that is crazy is the driving. It’s on the other side of the road and I always forget. I keep getting thinking they are turning the wrong way. I guess I don’t have to worry about it since I won’t be driving, but it is hard to conceptualize. They love their box cars they are everywhere. So ugly.
I am beginning to crave English speakers’ contact. I have to talk in slow motion so they can understand me. But at least they can understand me. God knows that I don’t know a word they are saying. At least I got to teach my supervisor how to say “Oh man. I was totally spacing today!”, after he told me he had forgotten something. I then tried to tell him that sometimes I say I am a space cadet but that was completely confusing and there was no real way for me to explain it. I have also been teaching my homestay lady some English, and she has been teaching me lots of Japanese. Most of which I forget shortly after. I hope at least a few words stick with me.
This has to be the longest post ever. I have been writing this on word for a few days because I have not had the opportunity to transfer it over. I presume it will be a few weeks before I can because it takes two weeks to get an internet license here. You have to apply for it. I can’t even imagine the uprising back at home if we were to change that. It also takes way too much work for foreigners to get phones. I am now writing on Saturday (I think I started on Wednesday) and I tried to get a cell phone last night and I have to wait for my alien registration card to come to me. Again, they said that takes about two weeks. So I am phoneless and internetless (except for at school minus fb and blog) for the next two weeks. I don’t know how I will possibly survive. Makes life much harder, especially when I can’t talk to my mom :(
Yesterday was a pretty good day until later. I just stayed in the staff room in the morning until the English dept. head took me to my apartment and showed me what the buttons on the remote for the AC said as well as the TV. I grabbed some clothes and we headed to the closest convini (I don’t know if that’s how you spell it, but it’s a convenience store) and I got a bite to eat. I then went back to school where I tried to start making my first lesson on my introduction as well as wrote my speech for the staff that I will present on Monday. My supervisor then took me to city hall (for the third time) to sign some papers for my apartment and then he took me to lunch. We went to one of those sushi places where the food goes around on a giant spinning thing and you can choose what you want off of that. He ordered from the waitress though because it looked like most of the food on the conveyer belt had been sitting there all day. Lunch was good, and considering the language barrier, we seemed to do pretty well. He told me at one point that Maroon 5 was his favorite band and I couldn’t help but laugh.
After that I went back to school and some of the kids were there practicing for the festival in Matsubase so they wanted to show me what they were doing. They we spinning plates and bowls on long, thin sticks (I don’t think they told me the name of it), and they urged me to try. So I did—I gave it the old college try. I think I failed pretty miserably, but at least I tried. There were a few times where I started to get it spinning and I got an applause from the audience, so at least they were being nice about my miserable failing. I love talking to the kids, it makes me excited for school to start. There’s less awkwardness and they aren’t afraid to practice their English. At least the ones that I’ve met thus far aren’t. I’m sure that will change in the classroom. Every high school girl that I have met so far thinks I am “beautiful” or they say I am “cute-a”, there’s a little “a” sound there at the end. I just laugh and thank them. And say oh how you are so wrong. Just kidding, I don’t say that.
After that my supervisor dropped me off at the train station again and I took the train to Kumamoto and from there I took it to Tatsudaguchi where my homestay lady picked me up. Although I have now done this three times, I still get nervous that I am on the wrong train. So I always ask someone by just saying the name of the station, pointing to the train, and when they nod I say “Arigato gozimasu” (means thank you, you don’t pronounce the “U”). I have a very sophisticated system.
When we got back we went to the cell phone place where we stayed for over an hour trying to get a damn phone. There were multiple problems; money, contract length and the fact that I am not yet a registered alien. Therefore apparently I have no rights. So I wasn’t allowed to get a phone. At one point I wanted to say a slew of cuss words (which probably would have been ok since no one would have been able to understand me), but I refrained and just smiled and thanked them when I left. It’s so hard to be rude when everyone else is so nice. So I can’t have a phone for two weeks which made me almost cry in the car on the way to dinner because I want to talk to my family so badly. It will be almost a month by the time I hear my mom’s voice and that is NOT ok.
I was able to hold back my tears the rest of the drive to dinner. We went to Mai Thai which was SO good, I felt better almost immediately after our food arrived. I know, sad that food can make me forget all of my worries. Unfortunately it is just a temporary fix, I know I will become frustrated again soon enough. We had pretty good conversation, I am beginning to feel much more comfortable around Hiroko and although we have trouble expressing what we want to say, we always figure out how to say it (she even has an electronic dictionary that she carries around just in case she cannot say a word). We then went to see her sister and her sons play a little volleyball at a hot and stuffy gym, yet we were so tired we only stayed for about ten minutes before heading home and going to bed.
Today I have time to just relax (and write) because Hiroko has some music lessons to teach in town and her parents are both gone for the day. I am going to take a shower and I was going to use the internet, but Hiroko forgot to enter her password on the computer in her room so I have to wait for her to get back. Just another annoyance when it comes to technology. When she gets back we are going to go to Kumamoto castle—a very old and giant castle about 30 minutes away from here, and then they are having a BBQ tonight. It sounds like a small crowd will be there, most of which I will not be able to talk to. Oh well, so it goes.
Tomorrow I will be going to my apartment to live, my homestay family is taking me and then taking me to the store where I will probably be completely overwhelmed. I can regretfully say that I cannot cook anything other than grilled cheese and pasta, so this should be an interesting experience. Later I will have to practice riding my bike to school from my apartment so I don’t get lost tomorrow on my way to work. So there’s my first (well first REAL) week in Japan. A lot of small frustrations, yet nothing major and it should all be smoothed out in time. It is hard to say now, but I can say with a little confidence that I will hopefully become comfortable and happy in this town. Right now it is still freshly overwhelming.
Until my next 6 page story…Sayonara!
For those of you who have never experienced the lovely “squattie pottie” you are in for quite the exciting treat. I had heard about it, I had read about it, but there is nothing that can prepare you for when the time comes that you actually have to use it. Here at the school it looks like a normal toilet except for the fact that the porcelain is IN the ground. And there is no seat to sit comfortably on. And it is awkward.
I guess that will be the first of many times I will have to use the great invention of the in-the-ground-porcelain. How exciting.
Today has just been one of those days. But before I get ahead of myself let me backtrack to when I arrived in Tokyo.
So we did a bunch of orientation stuff. Lectures basically about what your time might be like in Japan. Lectures about what might happen in Japan. Yet obviously lectures cannot prepare you for real life experience. So although it was very organized and somewhat helpful, they were just lectures. I met a bunch of people from all around the world—England, South Africa, New Zealand, all over the U.S…and we all had a 3 day honeymoon if you will. We were in Japan surrounded by people that were not Japanese. When we weren’t in lectures about saving money, teaching class, representing our countries well, and learning the Japanese ways, we walked around the city, hung out, ate and sang karaoke. It was really good to meet people, and I know I will be seeing my Kumamoto group in a few weeks. The hotel was great, the service was nice, the food was decent and the gajiin (foreigners) were plentiful.
Alas, as all honeymoons do, ours too came to an abrupt end. We flew out to our contracting organizations and we are now spread out all throughout Japan. Our group left yesterday morning and arrived in the great city of Kumamoto. From there our teachers whisked us away before we even had a chance to breathe and I have been going non-stop ever since. I came back the my base school—Matsubase (pronounced Mas-tsu-bas-ehh) with some teachers, students and my predecessor and from there went to my apartment to drop off some bags, and then to the train station. At my school I met a lot of teachers where my pathetic attempt at Japanese became inevitable and I received a lot of awkward smiles and stares. Which continue to this day. I am going to need to study some Japanese because when people are talking I feel as though I am not there or I am watching a bad TV show and I can’t find the remote.
I took the train into the city with Paul, my predecessor and another teacher from the school. Paul was extremely helpful until he left. At that point he ceased to be helpful. Then awkward town, Japan was in full throttle. The other teacher and I made some small talk (since I speak no Japanese and she spoke little English small was the biggest we could do) until I arrived at the station where my homestay family picked me up. Not that it matters now (or I guess it does), but I wish I would have paid a little more attention on my way to this staion because I had no idea where to get off (since the teacher helped me) and I have to do it again today by myself. I have no phone, no language and if I get lost I’m in big trouble. So let us hope for the best and pray for my life. Just kidding. Kind of.
My homestay family is extremely helpful and I could not have asked for a nicer group of people. The main lady (I can’t remember anyone’s name here and it’s driving me nuts) Hiroko I believe… is great and speaks a good amount of English. She is about 40 and single so she still lives with her parents. Very strange for us but I think that’s more the norm for single Japanese women. Her sister and her two sons were over last night which made for a very entertaining dinner. Everything is so different there that I am on constant alert so I don’t do anything wrong. I took a very interesting shower—it was like a little room with a bath in it. But you shower in the room, not the bath. The bath is for sitting in and relaxing after the shower. It’s confusing I know—I don’t even know if I did it right. I don’t know how it works honestly. It’s pretty cool, although I don’t know if I could use something like that forever. Just like everything here it takes some getting used to.
They feed me a giant dinner and I know that if I lived there for the whole year I would be fat. I don’t know how they aren’t. I think it’s the fact that although they eat a lot of food none of it is high in fat or sugar so it works…
We chatted and had tea after dinner, dessert and the shower and then I headed to bed as soon as they set up the futon for me. Thank the Lord there was air con in that room because I would have died in that heat while sleeping. It sure is muggy here. Luckily the staff room and the classrooms at the school have air conditioning, I really lucked out. Some schools don’t have any at all. Sleeping on basically the floor is going to take some getting used to, especially since my bed at home is the most comfortable bed in the world. Seriously. I will have a bed battle with you if you think that yours is more comfortable. And you will lose. I guess I shouldn’t be talking right now because I’m sleeping on a thin mat on the floor.
This morning my supervisor (I actually know his name!!) came and picked me up from my homestay’s house and brought me to school. From there some teachers spent about 2 hours trying to get me hooked up to the internet here (I still can’t get on my blog or facebook! L I’m writing this on word so I can transfer it to my blog later) and then my supervisor went to the bank for over an hour, and to the 7-11 ATMS forever and nothing seemed to be going right. It took us forever to set up an account and then I could not get any money to pay for my rent. At least I know that I will be a certified alien by the end of the week when I get my alien registration card. Being an alien is always comforting…
As much trouble as we had figuring things out the people have been SO nice. Unbelievably so. They even have a costumer service phone HOOKED UP to the ATM at the 7-11 so you can call if you have any problems. I never understand a word they are saying besides Hai (yes) which they say every 2 seconds, but I do know they are being nice!
We got to drive around town to complete these tasks and I got to see the beautiful country side. It is more green here than I have ever seen. Besides Hawaii. I can’t wait to start touring around (starting this weekend—my family is taking me to see either Mt. Aso, the biggest volcano caldera in the world or Kumamoto castle) and taking pictures. Gotta love the pictures.
I am sitting in the staff room right now and it is summer vacation but a lot of the teachers are still here. They work very hard even during the summer holidays.
Now I am in my homestay’s house and I am watching “The Golden Compass”, which is quite good although I just missed like an hour of it. I ate some squid, fish, rice, salad and some other things that I asked about but I am not sure what they are…It sort of tasted like spicy Jell-o…Very interesting. Ok now the dumb dog is barking at me like it’s never seen me before. I just saw you stupid! Geeze.
Back to earlier, thankfully I was able to catch the train and ride it to the right station for my homestay to pick me up. I got some help from some locals who could luckily speak English. It is amazing how many people speak English and how helpful they are. After we got back from the train station I wrote/read some e-mails on a computer that was crowded with Kanji and English letters. I had a hard time knowing my family is in Hawaii and I am not with them. It will be hard for me no matter where I am. I guess I can always go back to Hawaii…I think I am just starting to get homesick. According to the culture shock “guide” I will probably be in a more sad state in the next few weeks. It could last a short time or a long time, it just depends on who you are and what you do to get out of it. I am planning on trying to be productive and active by crying in my room watching movies. Just kidding! I am going to find the dang pool and swim and then see what clubs or sports are around these parts. As well as learn some Japanese.
After the e-mails we went to go find me a cell phone. Unfortunately the place we wanted was closed and all of the other phones were for a 2 year contract. So we are going to get one tomorrow that works.
In the past few days I’ve begun to understand how hard it would truly be if one was illiterate—you would not be able to get by without help all the time. It would be quite the pathetic existence.
I keep getting offered food and drink and I have just started turning it down because I am too full. I don’t know really how, I don’t feel like I am eating all that much, but I guess I am…? I hope she doesn’t think it’s rude. I am trying my best to do what they said about what is rude and what is not. Some of it surprised me a lot. Let me enlighten my readers who are still here.
Things that are rude in Japan:
Not reading a business card right after you get it
Putting soy sauce on your rice
Not wearing indoor shoes
Walking while eating (it actually means you are poor)
Talking on the phone on the train or subway
Not finishing all of your rice (which I did today but I’m not going to make my stomach hurt just to try not to be rude)
Putting your chopsticks straight up in your bowl (they do that at funerals)
Passing food between chopsticks (they pass the bones of their cremated relatives like that)
Interesting, eh?
Aw, the Dad here is so cute. He just got back from ballroom dancing. Which is really hard for them to say because they don’t have the “L” or the “R” sound like we do. They have been practicing saying it for a few minutes now. Melts my heart.
I am so glad this family is so helpful. I hope that I am not too lonely when I move into my apartment this weekend. It will be another thing I have never experienced before –living alone. I’m a little worried, but I think that it will be something I need to do. I think it is something that everyone needs to do at some point. I believe that people can learn a lot about themselves living alone and living with people. Which is why there is time in this life to do both!
I just flicked a pretty good sized ant. Speaking of bugs oh man are the cicadas LOUD here. And plentiful. There was even a butterfly in the store where we were looking at cell phones. It was a beautiful one too, I sure hope they didn’t kill it. We were all a little surprised it was in there. It was the one time I felt truly connected to people who don’t speak English. We were all laughing, which felt good. It’s been too long since I’ve actually laughed. I laughed at the bank for no reason besides the fact that it was just plain silly how they are so strict about their paperwork and they wear the silliest looking uniforms. Everyone does, I feel like I am in the 50’s or something, like in the movie Pleasantville. The police officers look the most ridiculous. Their little hats are so funny looking.
The other thing that is crazy is the driving. It’s on the other side of the road and I always forget. I keep getting thinking they are turning the wrong way. I guess I don’t have to worry about it since I won’t be driving, but it is hard to conceptualize. They love their box cars they are everywhere. So ugly.
I am beginning to crave English speakers’ contact. I have to talk in slow motion so they can understand me. But at least they can understand me. God knows that I don’t know a word they are saying. At least I got to teach my supervisor how to say “Oh man. I was totally spacing today!”, after he told me he had forgotten something. I then tried to tell him that sometimes I say I am a space cadet but that was completely confusing and there was no real way for me to explain it. I have also been teaching my homestay lady some English, and she has been teaching me lots of Japanese. Most of which I forget shortly after. I hope at least a few words stick with me.
This has to be the longest post ever. I have been writing this on word for a few days because I have not had the opportunity to transfer it over. I presume it will be a few weeks before I can because it takes two weeks to get an internet license here. You have to apply for it. I can’t even imagine the uprising back at home if we were to change that. It also takes way too much work for foreigners to get phones. I am now writing on Saturday (I think I started on Wednesday) and I tried to get a cell phone last night and I have to wait for my alien registration card to come to me. Again, they said that takes about two weeks. So I am phoneless and internetless (except for at school minus fb and blog) for the next two weeks. I don’t know how I will possibly survive. Makes life much harder, especially when I can’t talk to my mom :(
Yesterday was a pretty good day until later. I just stayed in the staff room in the morning until the English dept. head took me to my apartment and showed me what the buttons on the remote for the AC said as well as the TV. I grabbed some clothes and we headed to the closest convini (I don’t know if that’s how you spell it, but it’s a convenience store) and I got a bite to eat. I then went back to school where I tried to start making my first lesson on my introduction as well as wrote my speech for the staff that I will present on Monday. My supervisor then took me to city hall (for the third time) to sign some papers for my apartment and then he took me to lunch. We went to one of those sushi places where the food goes around on a giant spinning thing and you can choose what you want off of that. He ordered from the waitress though because it looked like most of the food on the conveyer belt had been sitting there all day. Lunch was good, and considering the language barrier, we seemed to do pretty well. He told me at one point that Maroon 5 was his favorite band and I couldn’t help but laugh.
After that I went back to school and some of the kids were there practicing for the festival in Matsubase so they wanted to show me what they were doing. They we spinning plates and bowls on long, thin sticks (I don’t think they told me the name of it), and they urged me to try. So I did—I gave it the old college try. I think I failed pretty miserably, but at least I tried. There were a few times where I started to get it spinning and I got an applause from the audience, so at least they were being nice about my miserable failing. I love talking to the kids, it makes me excited for school to start. There’s less awkwardness and they aren’t afraid to practice their English. At least the ones that I’ve met thus far aren’t. I’m sure that will change in the classroom. Every high school girl that I have met so far thinks I am “beautiful” or they say I am “cute-a”, there’s a little “a” sound there at the end. I just laugh and thank them. And say oh how you are so wrong. Just kidding, I don’t say that.
After that my supervisor dropped me off at the train station again and I took the train to Kumamoto and from there I took it to Tatsudaguchi where my homestay lady picked me up. Although I have now done this three times, I still get nervous that I am on the wrong train. So I always ask someone by just saying the name of the station, pointing to the train, and when they nod I say “Arigato gozimasu” (means thank you, you don’t pronounce the “U”). I have a very sophisticated system.
When we got back we went to the cell phone place where we stayed for over an hour trying to get a damn phone. There were multiple problems; money, contract length and the fact that I am not yet a registered alien. Therefore apparently I have no rights. So I wasn’t allowed to get a phone. At one point I wanted to say a slew of cuss words (which probably would have been ok since no one would have been able to understand me), but I refrained and just smiled and thanked them when I left. It’s so hard to be rude when everyone else is so nice. So I can’t have a phone for two weeks which made me almost cry in the car on the way to dinner because I want to talk to my family so badly. It will be almost a month by the time I hear my mom’s voice and that is NOT ok.
I was able to hold back my tears the rest of the drive to dinner. We went to Mai Thai which was SO good, I felt better almost immediately after our food arrived. I know, sad that food can make me forget all of my worries. Unfortunately it is just a temporary fix, I know I will become frustrated again soon enough. We had pretty good conversation, I am beginning to feel much more comfortable around Hiroko and although we have trouble expressing what we want to say, we always figure out how to say it (she even has an electronic dictionary that she carries around just in case she cannot say a word). We then went to see her sister and her sons play a little volleyball at a hot and stuffy gym, yet we were so tired we only stayed for about ten minutes before heading home and going to bed.
Today I have time to just relax (and write) because Hiroko has some music lessons to teach in town and her parents are both gone for the day. I am going to take a shower and I was going to use the internet, but Hiroko forgot to enter her password on the computer in her room so I have to wait for her to get back. Just another annoyance when it comes to technology. When she gets back we are going to go to Kumamoto castle—a very old and giant castle about 30 minutes away from here, and then they are having a BBQ tonight. It sounds like a small crowd will be there, most of which I will not be able to talk to. Oh well, so it goes.
Tomorrow I will be going to my apartment to live, my homestay family is taking me and then taking me to the store where I will probably be completely overwhelmed. I can regretfully say that I cannot cook anything other than grilled cheese and pasta, so this should be an interesting experience. Later I will have to practice riding my bike to school from my apartment so I don’t get lost tomorrow on my way to work. So there’s my first (well first REAL) week in Japan. A lot of small frustrations, yet nothing major and it should all be smoothed out in time. It is hard to say now, but I can say with a little confidence that I will hopefully become comfortable and happy in this town. Right now it is still freshly overwhelming.
Until my next 6 page story…Sayonara!
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