Minor Victories

It's amazing how perspectives change when you don't speak the language. I went to my local grocery store to get the fixings for some delicious spaghetti and meatballs. The variety of noodles is pretty vast, however, it's mostly ramen, udon, and soba. After sifting through all the asian noodles, I finally come across some good ole spaghetti and macaroni. I would really liked some baked ziti, but that will have to wait for another night. Mostly, I'll have to go out and get a casserole dish first so that I can actually use my toaster/microwave/oven (one appliance really does all three, which is kind of cool.) Next comes the sauce. Although I'm getting more comfortable in the grocery store, I'm not yet adjusted to my work schedule. It's 10:45, and I'm finally home from work and the grocery store, about to cook dinner, and still have to lesson plan. Home made sauce would be great, I just don't have the time. At least I could read "tomato and basil" in katakana... so, how bad can the sauce be. Next: meatballs! I'm recognizing the kanji for beef, so I was able to distinguish the various types of ground meats. I will say, I recognized the ground beef, but could not distinguish the mystery ground meat sitting next to it. I now have all the fixings (I bought some red wine the other day, check!. Garlic, check! Bread, check! Caesar salad, check!)
The real minor victory: applying for a points card. I was able to (sort of) tell the cashier that I don't have a card, but would like one. (Again, this is very pidgin-ed, child-like Japanese). Filling out the form was kind of like a guessing game. I understood a few things. Mimicked a few others. I wonder if she didn't get all the information she needed, but just gave up. I don't really know what my points get me. All I understood was one point for every 210 yen (about $2.10). Something else gets me two points... then, well, I don't know. So, I don't understand what my points get me, but hopefully something. At least I have a card. That's enough of a minor victory for the day. The weird thing, is that applying for a grocery points card in Japan, and actually getting it, makes me feel like I could do anything! Once I eat some spaghetti, that is

Perfect Moments

Today was a fantastic day. One of those days that reminds me why I chose to live in a foreign country for a year. One of my Japanese co-workers invited us to her grandmother's house today for lunch. It was one of those fantastic, long lunches that take forever. We arrived around 1, started with tea and sweets. Sat down to eat (on the floor) around 1:30 or 2. Finished eating around 4 or 5. Tried on kimono robes and took pictures until around 6, at which point there was coffee and dessert. Naomi's grandmother mentioned how amazing life can be at times. How, with the vast number of people on earth, what are the chances that this specific group of people would be brought together. It was so wonderful being invited into her home and feel like you could really be a part of their lives, at least for a day. I felt like I really got to experience a real Japanese moment, that you can't get on just a quick visit.

That said, it was also a really funny day. On the way to the train station to go to Yokohama, I passed the bar that Kevin and I had gone to for St. Patricks Day. We had been told the bottom level was a hostess club, but the top was ok. Well, today I saw a sign in katakana that spelled out ra-n-chi. All I could think was, does that sign just straight up say raunchy? I wondered if maybe I had been in a hostess club without even knowing. Apparently, it says lunch. It's just a bar that serves lunch. Damn l's/r's! "Lip my stocking!" (Lost in Translation quote). We really enjoyed saying things like, let's go get raunchy! If I don't get raunchy, I get really cranky. Maybe one of these days, we'll go back to that bar and get raunchy together.

Around Shonandai

Hello again!!

People have asked for pictures, so here's a short picture tour of my new home...


My lovely bed... Without the mattress the outgoing NET left for me, it would just be a futon...



My "kitchen." I think my kitchens get progressively smaller with each apartment. I don't know how much smaller I can go, though...



The bathroom. I hope you'll take note of the toilet slippers... Also, here in Japan, there is a faucet over the toilet so you can wash your hands with the water that fills up the toilet tank. Conservation!



Washing machine!!! To the right is the bath and shower (which are separate from each other and the toilet room.)



Entryway... not very exciting. Want to get a shoe rack.



Obama doll from Heather... to remind me of home!!!!!



My desk



The oh-so-exciting view from my balcony. I heard somebody say that Japan is so focused on progress and industrialization, that they have done little to beautify their urban areas. In many ways, this is true. It's often industrial, urban, and ugly. Yet, this is a culture that really values aesthetics. So, random things will be really pretty, like manhole covers have these beautiful, intricate designs on them. Yet, buildings are ugly... Go figure!



The construction site right next to my apartment that is waking me up every morning with the sounds of construction. Boo!! The construction workers are nice, though



Another beautiful view.. this time leaving my apartment building.



A look down the street.



The bar where we spent St. Patrick's Day. It's the only bar here in Fujisawa, that we know of, that is not a hostess club, which is something like a modern-day geisha or a whorehouse, depending on who you ask... But, I guess the bottom floor of this bar is a "snack bar" as the hostess clubs are referred to.




The view walking into work.

Reading Lolita in Tehran

On my lunch break today, I took my bento box and ventured out to Shonandai Park down the road. I hadn't gone that far yet, even though it's not that far, but realized there's a cultural center a few blocks from work, and a park beyond that. I sat down to eat my sushi, read my book (Reading Lolita in Tehran), and read a letter from my mom. (I do love snail mail- anything from home.) After lunch I put my book under my arm, grabbed my purse, my trash, and left. Halfway back to work, I realized my book, with the letter from home, was no longer under my arm. I went back and searched for it- in vain. I was so upset and it ruined my mood. I'd lost the letter and yet ANOTHER book. (I guess it's true- wherever you go, there you are... I'm still losing books.)

After my next class, my coworker tells me a woman stopped by to drop off my book. I guess she saw me drop it and somehow knew I worked for Amity (maybe she figured I'm a westerner and one of the only westerners here in Shonandai, I must work for the English school.) Either way, I couldn't believe she went out of her way to bring my book (and letter) to my school so I could get it back. It really did make my whole day. It's a part of why I'm appreciating Japan.

I've arrived (mentally)

Well, it finally feels like I've arrived in Japan. It was a bizarre moment too... I was in my apartment on a lunch break. I had taken a bento box back to my apartment for lunch and was sitting on the floor, eating, opening some packages from the ¥100 store (like our dollar store), and listening to the radio. This song in English came on and it occurred to me that I have no idea if this is a new song in America. Is it played in America? Is it new? I have no idea. All of a sudden, I felt very far home. Which allowed me to finally realize that I'm in Japan. It's weird how those odd moments hit you. It was hard going back to work (the work days here are very long, which is also very Japanese.) After work, I decided to treat myself and make a good meal. I figured I'd go get some drinks to stock my refrigerator too. There is a liquor store (more like a BevMo) down the street from my house. In the spirit of things, I wanted to get some plum wine. Problem is that I don't understand ANY of the bottles to know if it's plum wine, much less if it's good. I mustered all the Japanese I knew to ask the woman where the plum wine is and... "which one is yummy?" That was all I could do for "can you recommend one." She asked me a question (I presume about my taste in drinks, but I have no idea.) I decided to just answer yes and make things easier???? Either way, I did end up with plum wine, and it is delicious.
But, it only got worse from there- the grocery store!!! Very bizarre. That really drives the point home that I'm not at home. The items they carry are very different, even their fruits and vegetables. Fruits are also very expensive. Cheese- they kind of only have processed cheese. (By the by, if anyone comes to visit, I want a big block of cheddar!) However, I've never had to go grocery shopping with a translation dictionary before!! I have my iPhone out as I'm looking at the labels. I wanted to buy some beef, but wanted to make sure it was beef. I'd seen "raw horse" on a menu last week, and now I'm scared about eating horse (even if my co-NET, or Native English Teacher, says horseys=yummy). So, I look up in my dictionary "beef" and ask the customer next to me "is this beef?" I feel like a retard. But, she tells me no "blah blah blah blah blah". All I heard was no, and it's mystery meat... I'm scared... I put the meat back. I walk down the aisle til I find a kanji character that looks like beef (牛). I pick up the package and see a huge sticker that says "American Beef: Because we care" What? Where's all the great kobe beef I've heard so much about. Whatever... screw the environment, I've had a hard day: I'm buying imported, American beef. The whole day made me feel pretty isolated and overwhelmed.

Today was actually a better day. At least I felt better. Some of my students are really cute, and I already like them. Others are slightly more challenging. I was working with a younger student on "eyes, ears, mouth, nose" etc. So, I drew a simple face on the board (eyes, nose are both just dots) and said "this is me." My student goes, "no" and takes the pen and redraws my face. My eyes are these HUGE round circles. My nose is a pig nose. My mouth is like a sharp, pointy dagger... I said "this is me?" and he goes "yup!" wtf? really? I wish I could send you all a picture of what he drew- it was really frightful!!! Later, a prospective new student (about 3 yrs old) came in for a trial lesson with a JT (Japanese Teacher- they still teach English). Manager asked me and my co-NET to go say hi and talk to the new student in the lobby. The child is happily playing with legos with the JT until I walk up, sit down, and say hi. The child turns, looks at me, and his face just melts and he starts BALLING!!!! I've never made a child cry before just by looking at them. The more I think back on this, though, the more it just really makes me laugh. My outgoing NET and I had a REALLY good laugh about both of these events today when I told him after work. We were making each other laugh so hard that my sides still hurt. He's a really nice guy, and he's been really trying to make this transition as easy as possible for me.


We tried taking a staff picture after work. Hopefully they'll post the complete staff picture on their website soon. On my camera, we took a few pictures, but I couldn't get everyone in them. Manager had to take a phone call and Yuko took the picture. But, here's to give you an idea:



In the back is Kotoko, Mike (the outgoing NET), Kiriko and in the front is Naomi, me, and Kevin (my co-NET, who will be here this year with me)... and of course, the Japanese peace sign...



Kiriko was putting bunny ears on me. I could feel her hands and was trying to get away from the bunny ears, but it looks like I'm hiding my face

Moving Landmarks

I still don't feel like I'm in Japan. I'm not sure where my brain thinks it is. It's not quite San Francisco, although, the amount of Asian people hasn't REALLY changed too much between SF and here. These cities are pretty industrialized, so there's not a whole lot of the traditional Japanese architecture, I have yet to see a paper screen door, although I have seen women in full geisha dress. Still, I think part of it is there isn't one specific landmark I associate with Japan. In France, I knew I was there when I saw the Eiffel Tower. In China, I saw the Great Wall. England has Big Ben... What does Japan have? I haven't gone up to Tokyo yet, maybe the Tokyo Tower would do it???????

We left our training week in Okayama yesterday to come to our cities in which we will be living the remainder of the year. I'm now in Fujisawa City (my neighborhood is called Shonandai.) To get here we took the bullet train!!!!!! I was really excited to get on the train. It felt like that type of landmark for Japan. I've heard about these since I was a kid. We got to the station pretty early and waited on the platform for a while. We saw a few trains come and go, my excitement mounting with each one. Amity bought our tickets, that had pre-assigned seats. I even had a window seat, which I love!! I was excited to look out the window, see Japan go by, feel the speed of the train!! Our trainers warned us that it is a fast train, we will not have much time to get on the train once it pulls into the station, so we line up, say our goodbyes, and are ready to go. Here comes the train!!!

Apparently, the train goes SO fast, I get motion sickness if I try and stare out the window. I had to pull down the window shade so I wouldn't get sick. They have people go down the aisles with carts to buy food- much like on a plane. And, that's how it felt- like I was on a plane. I pulled out my laptop and watched a movie. I was more than a little happy to pull into shin-Yokohama station nearly three hours later.

Manager (apparently, you refer to people by their position here in Japan) met me at the station. Manager was VERY nice. She got me on the train to Shonandai. We talked about sake and mixed drinks a lot of the way. This is going to work out well. She got me set up in my apartment here in Shonandai. She even took me grocery shopping and bought a bunch of the stuff to help me get set up. She even had extra toilet paper, body wash, laundry detergent (yes, my shoebox has a washer). She took me out to dinner last night. The outgoing teacher and my co-teacher came along as well. It was a fun dinner. The other teachers and I will be going out to dinner tonight- possibly to one of the TWO Mexican restaurants in the area. How excited am I???

Starbucks under Okayama

Training is really intense here. Back in San Francisco, working at the Rose, I'd say an average work week was between 30-35 hours, including all breaks. It's also been a LONG time since I've been a student. We're in training for eight hours a day, not counting our one hour lunch and one, ten minute break. That is a long time to be a student. Needless to say, coffee is an essential part of my day. Well, coffee is a bit different in Japan. In the stores, I see a lot of instant coffee, which isn't exactly what I'm looking for. They do sell coffee in vending machines. You can either get a hot or cold can out of the vending machine. The hot coffee still comes in a can. It's milky and sugary, which isn't really how I take my coffee, but that's okay. More than anything, I'm really weirded out about drinking warm coffee from a can. (FYI... If you get the BOSS coffee out of the vending machines, it's Tommy Lee Jones on the ads). To my Western brain, there is nothing natural about that. I've been pouring it out into a mug (either the snoopy mug the training center has or this awesome cup from Mo's Burger here in Japan that talks about how you should eat a hamburger when you're happy, pictures to follow later.)

So, last night, on our way home, we decided to try an alternate route and went down these stairs to see if we could get around having to use crosswalks. These stairs went down to the subway system, and apparently, this whole other world underneath Okayama. There are all these tunnels leading off in every different direction and tons and tons of stores. We saw a bunch of Japanese brands, but there was also a Starbucks and the Body Shop, etc. It was crazy finding this whole other underground world we never knew about.

So, as I mentioned, training has been intense. I think the whole group came back yesterday feeling really discouraged after the amount of information and the amount of work that went into the day. I was determined to have a better day, and higher morale today, so on my lunchbreak, I went in search of the Starbucks- I want a BIG, TALL cup of BLACK COFFEE!!! Well, we got lost and couldn't find the Starbucks (yes, the underground area is that big.) On the way, however, we found a sushi boat restaurant. It was FABULOUS!! I've been dying to try these sushi boat restaurants. It wasn't even that expensive either. I don't know if it's just Okayama or what, but after hearing about how outrageous prices are in Japan, I'm pleasantly surprised. Either way, I had some tuna, some inari, some eel, some clam, some udon, some macha... It was pretty good. I love seeing the fresh sushi go by on boats to. The only embarassing thing is that me, being me, pulled a me-move. Going for the unagi, I got really excited, and kind of started flipping the plate over. The boats keep moving, but I try to fix it and kind of knock the sign over. It was all bad. The sushi chef had to run around from his post and rescue my little unagi. I'm mortified. sumimasen. sumimasen. (excuse me/I'm sorry). Whatever, he fixed it and made me a fresh plate of the unagi. It was a very thick and meaty piece, not quite what I was expecting. Still, the whole meal was fantastic. At the end, the woman comes by with a scanner and scans all our plates to come up with the price. How high tech and fancy is that? The group's new motto: I love you, Japan. All this while on a mission for Starbucks. We never did find it again. I settled for a coke instead, and will probably get the morning's coffee from a vending machine as well.

I've arrived

Well, after a long travel day and a VERY long day in the airport, I've arrive in Okayama, where we are staying for initial training. I'm pleasantly surprised at how much English is around and at how the katakana (Japanese alphabet) spells out things in English, as long as you can read the katakana. I'm surprised by how much french there is. There are pastry shops and bistros and French restaurants. Three of the six of us in our training group actually studied abroad in France too... Still, the language seems overwhelming and complicated. I'm trying to talk. Occasionally it even works! I'll feel like I'm on a roll... I order coffee, ask for the breakfast blend, understand they only have the afternoon blend, order that... then she gives me a coupon for something and I'm totally lost and kind of just walk away. Apparently counting is more complex than I initially thought. What you are counting changes how you count. Wow!! I guess I have a lot to learn!!!

Still, I'm not sure my brain realizes that I'm in Japan yet. I'm surrounded by five other American co-trainees with whom I've been spending my time. I've seen just enough signs in English, a surplus of McDonalds, Starbucks, Tully's, Pizza Hut, Ikea, etc. Okayama seems more industrial, so it's also not quite how I pictured Japan to look. I'm really eager to get to Tokyo/Yokohama, where I'll be living. It felt a little like Japan when I was looking for some Advil yesterday. ALL the medication is labeled in Japanese- labels, indications, directions, dosage, everything! I learned some valuable new words in the process. However, dinner last night really started to feel like Japan. We found this great little restaurant. You walk down a bamboo hallway to get to the entrance. You take off your shoes (of course.) The decor was all Japan too. We had gyoza, edamame, sashimi, some scallops, and our first hot sake in Japan. Ordering is always a bit of a process, but the food is good so far, the sake even better! There was a Japanese group next to us that was really fun. When a girl in their party arrived, they started singing happy birthday in English, so we sang along with them. They seemed so excited we were singing. Today is another free day before training starts tomorrow. Internet is not as prevalent as I expected, and I anticipate being busy during training. Still, I'll update soon