J goodbye party!

Japanese, Jungle Jane and Jim, Jermaiah the bull frog and jelly belly Janis Joplin, Japanese person, and a jolly Jamacian!

Dress time!

The top three choices for Suzy's wedding; cocktail, western style wedding dress, kimono (all three are worn at the wedding throughout the night).

The judges and more dresses

Mel's b-day and v-day auction

Black and white from v-day and Shan's b-day

Annnnd we're back!

It's true! I'm actually blogging.

We will once again time travel, this time to the beginning of February. School has been rather slow, but I knew it would be. I have not been teaching much at all this month because students are testing and going on school trips. Their school takes them to different places in Japan, usually for a skiing adventure. So yesterday, instead of teaching, I got to do some writing and then go out to lunch with the teachers followed by some intense badminton. It was a good day to get paid. Sadly, my arm is sore today. Today I am free of classes again, so I am happy to write and look at some Japanese. Maybe.

Although the weeks have been relatively uneventful, the weekends never are and even though there are no huge trips or events, I always find myself wondering where the time went. Last weekend there was a Valentine charity auction in the city where a select few ALTs were actually auctioned off. All the proceeds went to charity to building a houses in a certain under poverished nation (I did not actually hear the speech because I was upstairs). I was included in this select few group of people, and when I was asked I knew it would be awkward, but all in good fun. So they had us wait upstairs and called us down the stairs one on one to begin the bidding. Because of my lovely friends I was the first person to go up to ichi mon (or $100) and I sold for the most as a girl. So that was really cool! I felt a bit awkward standing there while people raised their hands for the price, but it was a good time and I was very thankful my friends didn't let me be bought as a cheap date (they all bought me together anyway). After that I spent the rest of the weekend hanging out with friends, walking around town since it was so nice and watching movies, making dinner and visiting some cool little places in the towns around me.

Backing up to a few weekends ago, a few friends had a birthday party at this great place called "Round One". It was a huge 5 story sports/event center for adults and I was completely amazed at everything they had. You name it, they had it. A roller rink, ball pit, batting cages, put put, tennis, badminton, indoor and outdoor basketball, arcades, bowling, shooting gallery, darts, pitching and catch stations, soccer games, football games, air hockey, pool, slushies, comic books with massage chairs, movies and even miniature motor bikes. Which we of course raced. It was a great time and I tried my hand a lot of it and I was able to get pictures of all of my friends enjoying their time there. Before that we went to a delicious place for dinner where the atmosphere was a "night time beach scene" and there was actually sand in between the stones you stepped on to get to your table. The food was amazing, and of course so was the company. That weekend I also got to see "The Curious Case of Benjamen Button", which did not disappoint--I knew it would be great.

This week I have been completely immersed in the movie website I found that allows you to watch almost any movie you can think of for free. I feel like I never have time, so now that I have the time, I should take it and watch some good flicks. There has also been a birthday dinner and I visited a sick friend to keep her company earlier in the week. This weekend is jam packed with a mardi gras dinner tonight, going help one of my friends decide on a wedding kimono tomorrow for her wedding in April, bringing a friend who had surgery some get well gifts and attending a going away party for another friend. Whew, busy. I also hope to get to the pool tomorrow night and perhaps get out on a run on Sunday. Lately the weather has been somewhat up and down, so I am hoping it is nice this weekend.

Recently I have been having more one on one time with students as I score their reading ability and help them practice for the upcoming "STEP test" this weekend. It seems like a nerve racking English exam that tests conversational, oral and listening skills. I think it includes asking questions about certain things they read on specific topics as well as describing pictures and what is going on in each one. Although I feel like some of the students aren't ready, I am still very impressed with their ability to use the English they know to get through it. It does take a long time and when I begin to feel a little impatient, I remember how difficult it must be. And then I think about trying to say what they are saying in Spanish, and I realize that I would have no clue how to even start. Empathy is always the best way to handle a situation such as that. I hope that practicing with me will help them with the test this weekend. Ganbatte kudasai! (Good luck!)

I was able to witness yet another aspect of this culture that greatly surprised me at first this past week, but now that I think about it, I should have known. It seems to me that although these people are extremely nice and always helpful, they are also very proper and never stray from the rules. Some might even go as far to say strict (although I have yet to really see it in the teaching realm). Even when ordering off menus there is no straying from what is written. There is no "can I just have soup instead of this salad" or "I just want a half order of this". Nope, none of that. I have come to realize that it is indeed possible to be really nice when saying no. It is simple because it is never truly "up to them" or the one you are asking. It is just the bigger management's rules. It seems like everyone reports to the their boss and them to their boss and eventually I guess it just goes to The Man. Whoever that might be in Japan. There are a lot of hoops to jump through in terms of paper work as well. It is never as simple as asking the principal for a favor. You have to ask your supervisor who then asks the head of the department who then talks to the vice principal and then they might go to the principal. Everyone has their place and they are expected to know it and like it. Even if they don`t there is no arguments or formal complaints. It still continues to amaze me. It has sure taught me a lot. Anyway getting to my point about strictness. So as I said, students are on a school trip. The Mastubase students are off to Tokyo this week and before they went they were required to bring their bags to the gym. One of the teachers suggested I come watch what they do. This amazed me even more than their ridiculous uniform check ups. Here the teachers unpacked all of their bags to make sure they were not hiding anything. Which, as an American I (sadly) think, well that is a good idea, make sure they aren't hiding inappropriate things or drugs or probably alcohol. They even went as far as to unroll each clothing item and dump out every small bag. My teacher then informed me that they were looking for things like make-up, cell phones and, to my great surprise, i-pods. I immediately felt bad for the students because they were not allowed to bring music on their long journey to Tokyo. I guess they will just have to deal with listening to the kid next to them the whole way. In a sense, I guess this furthers the ideals of Japanese "togetherness" and perhaps if they don't have music they will not isolate themselves as much. I am not sure. The make up thing is also surprising, but since they are not allowed to wear make up to school, and this is a school trip, I guess that is understandable. I asked "what if they want to call their parents?" and a teacher just told me there is no calling parents. No cell phones. So I guess their parents are ok with it. A lot of the teachers here take on a parent role anyway. Much more so than at home. The home room teachers probably know each students' history as well as where they live and what they do everyday. As scary as that sounds. So even when I think I've seen it all here, I get to see something like that, and I am reminded of what a different culture it truly is.

Speaking of different cultures, I am arranging a trip to South Korea at the end of March. I have been talking to a few friends who are interested, so as soon as we get the ok dates from our schools, we are booking our tickets and heading that way. We are ready to travel and we have heard nothing but good praises about S. Korea. I hope to get that booked and set up within the next week. Besides that I think the schedule around here is going to be strange because there is graduation for the third graders, then a week or so, then spring break, then a few weeks then their infamous "Golden Week", then the start of a new term. And by that time it is May. And I guess there are festivals and some days off in there too. A normal schedule should officially begin in June, and by the time I am finally getting back into the swing of things I will be getting ready to leave. It sure makes it hard to develop any sort of relationship with the students. Put that together with a different language and it is virtually impossible. Which kills me because that is more than half of the reason I want to teach (the other half being winter and summer vacations! Ha, joke...kinda). I suppose all I can do is the best I can. And then get excited to have my own classroom someday over the rainbow. I have been applying back home though, so we will see what comes of that!

As much as the humidity just really sucks (and so do the giant bugs that come with it), I am looking forward to a change of weather here and I am excited to get out and about more. It is easy to just stay home on chilly nights and watch movies. I can't wait to get back to the beach and the great outdoors, to explore one of my favorite parts of this country--the beautiful nature that surrounds us. I hope to get some trips planned around here in the next few months to see what else Japan has to offer. I'm ready and excited!

I am finding it hard to believe I have passed the six month mark, and although there are times where I feel like the weeks are dragging by at a snail's pace, I know that it will seem like I just got here by the time I'm leaving. Time does that to you. It's a funny thing.

Now to end with quote from one of my favorite movies that has really put things into perspective lately:

"Life passes most people by while they are making grand plans for it" --BLOW

Australia Day!

The Aussie herself throwing some shrimps on the barbie!

A few more from the old birthday

The two birthday schemers and I after I was surprised. It's hard to see but my hands are over my mouth in disbelief as everyone is singing to me up above! :)

The grocery list

So I have been doing a bit of thinking and I decided that I haven't given my readers much daily insight to my life here. Or what it is really like here. I have talked about things on a pretty general basis, going into detail with outings and events more than anything, so I would like to take this time to describe some general, everyday things in Kumamoto, Japan.

What got me started on this tangent of thoughts was a question a friend asked the other day. I had told him that I went to the grocery store and he asked, "what does one buy at the store?" and so I began to tell him. I don't know if he reads this, but if so, I must confess that I kind of lied. I told him there were no meats or cheeses, which is not true. What I thought he meant was if I bought any, which I didn't that time. Japanese super markets are one of the things that are an experience in themselves. Upon walking into one you initially think they are no different that your local King's or Safeway. But that is just the first few steps. Then you begin to realize the noises and smells are surely not those of your local market.

The two that I usually frequent in my town are not just super markets but clothes stores, arcades, 100 yen shops, flower shops, randomanythingyoueverwanted sections and of course, the food section. I have heard stories of foreigners entering grocery stores and breaking down crying because of the overwhelming and constant stimuli. Well folks, welcome to Japan. The first grocery store I went to was in my town my my home stay "mom" and her sister. Although I was overwhelmed (and about to gag from the intense fishy smell), the most noticeable thing was the incredible amount of stares I got. This happened everywhere I went, but the grocery store was the worst. The stares have since died down, at least that or I stopped looking at other people, yet people aren't afraid to check out what you are buying in line or what you are looking at in the aisle. To be honest, I love the grocery store. I always have and I always will. Even Japan can't change that. Most know that I am not a big shopper, but when it comes to food, I enjoy it. With that being said, I can't spend too long there or I'm in trouble and out of money.

On sale days the stores are as loud as an amusement park in the summer. The intercoms are set up by each different product shouting out bargains and annoying little tunes to catch your attention. So you can imagine what it sounds like when they are hooked up at ALL of the stands. Headache central. Japanese grocery stores have close to nothing you would find in America. The snacks are different, the meat is different and they have a whole extra section for, well, what else? Seafood of course. Fish, octopus, squid, shrimp, more fish, eel, strange mushy ocean matter, seaweed, kelp, sushi, sashmi, fish eggs and more fish. As I said, the smell was quite repulsive at first, but now that I have gotten (mostly) used to it, I don't mind it. I have even been brave enough to venture over and buy some of that oh-so plentiful fish. These grocery stores also have an ENTIRE section devoted to pickled things. Now, if you have never tried pickled vegetables consider yourself lucky. These nasty little things are among a list of perhaps three things that I do not like in Japan. Making for probably a total list of five things I do not like period. I can't describe them besides saying that they are sour and cold and crunchy. Sometimes they are squishy. And they come in very questionable colors such as bright yellow, dark red and a lovely gray. Yum. Needless to say, I try to stay far away from that section.

Other sections are more like stores at home like the fruit section plus or minus a few regional fruits and plus a few extra hundred yen. Just like home, fruit is not usually cheap. They have a candy section (although, as you might have guessed, it is not near as good) as well as a meat section (with your usual red meats). There is an entire curry aisle, a aisle of dried noodles and mixings for soups and other strange concoctions. And then you can't forget the rice. Pounds and pounds of it. There is a bakery section which I think must be new, perhaps in the past 20 years. Kids these days love the sweet breads, something that Japan has done without for centuries.

Sadly though, the smallest section in Japanese grocery stores is the dairy. Which means cheese. Being that this is my favorite section back home, I was immediately crushed when I saw they had about 3 different types of cheese, none of them being very flavorful. Although this is good for my stomach (I have had very few stomach aches since I have been here), it has been bad for my heart. I desperately miss a good slice of cheddar or a nice, warm quesadilla. Made with the real stuff. I have been dealing with it though, buying what I can to substitute for now. And there is always Costco when I am up for the adventure. On a happier note, they do love their ice cream, so even though it cost me an arm and a leg for about two bites, there is always some when I need it. And if you like to buy gallon milk, well forget that. Nothing that big exists in dairy form in Japan.

At your local store, after you pick out your eats you have to buy them. So you get in line and bring your basket to the check-out counter. Japan is just the same. But here is where everything goes crazy. The people working at the store tell you how much EACH item you bought costs and they place it ever so nicely in your basket. They make sure everything is nicely set up, handling your food like it was priceless crystal. Then they ring up the total, tell you how much and give you your plastic bags on top of your basket. Yes, that's right, you bag it up yourself. The first day I went shopping I was utterly confused on why this is the case, but thereafter I decided it wasn't so bad. Which it isn't, but lately I just find it obnoxious--especially when you are in a hurry. I guess it shouldn't be expected to have them bag up your stuff, but being so used to it, I can't help but sigh and give into the grunt work. They have special bagging tables complete with tape so you can tape shut your plastic bag. God forbid anything being left open to flap in the breeze. I do admit though, I always tape my bags even though it is utterly ridiculous and unnecessary. Although they don't bag your groceries, they bag everything else. They love taping your little purchases, they wrap and package everything so you feel like it is your birthday when you get home. And so you can just rip it open and throw it away. With all of the recycling they do I have just started to accept the contradictions and not ask questions.

So to answer the question, "what does one buy at the grocery store?", with "one" in this case probably meaning me, I buy the usual. So sometimes cereal ($$), yogurt, sometimes milk, apples, bananas, soup, ham perhaps, some wrapped cheese, occasionally salmon or chicken, some frozen dinners of which I usually don't know what they are until I eat them, tuna, salad things sometimes, eggs and mayhaps some some sushi or a lil' chocolate treat of some sort. The bread is tempting but the slices are about two inches thick and all white, so knowing that cannot be good for me in any way, shape or form, I try to avoid it when I can.

There is the list you never knew you wanted to know! Sounds like I have been eating healthy, but it can be assured that somehow I am not.

So there is your slice of Japan for the week: the rundown of the Japanese grocery store. Stay tuned next week for the streets of Japan with the main question pulsing in the mind of the American, "how do I get around with no street names?" Which, in all honesty, I cannot answer since I am B.O. (biker only). All I know is that it is very confusing and the driving is a bit...unusual. Lightly put. Very lightly put.

In other news it is Thursday and I am glad because this week has been tiring. I haven't had too much to do but I definitely got hit with something and have been feeling quite sickly all week. Although it puts a damper on my workout plans, I tried to do some other things around the house until I couldn't take it anymore and went swimming yesterday. I don't think it made me feel better, but I don't feel worse...

The teaching is going very slowly, and I am at a utter loss of how to get students interested. I did drink coffee the other day before teaching a usually uninterested and unmotivated class, and since I was so wired they seemed to get into it a bit more. For like five minutes, but hey, I'll take it! I was practically shouting the vocab in a ridiculously excited fashion and cheering like it was some sort of football game. If nothing else, I amused myself.

It's not all bad though, when I talk to students I am usually amused, and although we don't always understand each other somehow they can say what they want to ask. The kids are always wanting to ask me questions, and as I try to ask them it becomes quite an entertaining conversation. I have become accustomed with Japanese words like "hurt" because everyone is shocked and amazed at my ear piercings and used to hearing 'cute-o or beautiful'. Although I do think it is a bit strange, especially when the boys say it, being that I am their teacher, I guess there is nothing I can really do but say thank you. Last week a boy in my class even gave me flowers and some girls were amazed with the fact my eyelashes were indeed real and not fake like they initially suspected...So I guess you really never know.

Let's back up a few ticks to the glory of last weekend, shall we? The highlight was the infamous "Australia Day", which turned out to be a success. Jess was a bit stressed, but once everything was ready to go the party started and was enjoyed by many a folk. There was singing and dancing and BBQing and everything that comes along with a good ol' fashioned Aussie day in Japan. My Australian mate did a great job and we have some great pictures and videos from the day. I think I will take it upon myself to celebrate it every year from now on in honor of Jess because it was just that grand.

This weekend I am going to rest after I head into the city to get my "teeth picture" taken. Long story, but I was basically asked to have my teeth photographed since I haven't had a cavity and they need a nice smile apparently. So that should be an interesting experience. Aside from that I hope to see a movie, maybe get my nails done and just relax.

This will all be after another day of teaching though, so first I have to mentally prep myself for that. I should think of something other than directions because if I have to do another direction lesson I might just keel over. Take a little dirt nap. I can say that my patience is at an all time high and I have no doubt in my mind that I will be able to endure almost anything after this teaching experience. Minus disciplinary actions, I am still at a loss with that one.

Being that this is the longest entry in many moons, I will end it. I hope it served as a little bedtime story.

Sweet dreams and happy wakings.

Bittersweet

January is a bittersweet month for me. There is always New Year's and my birthday along with the end of winter break and good ol' MLK day, but then it is followed by the unavoidable responsibility like school or work. And then there is this weather. From my understanding it is 70 or so in Colorado. That's great, if I were there...But I am not so I am trying to stay positive about the rain and the supposed snow that is coming tonight. It's hard to stay that way when I have to ride my bike everywhere and the originally simple task of cruising down the street on big red becomes a daunting process of 20 layers complete with wind pants (yes, the swishy ones you wore in elementary school) and a very stylish windbreaker/rain coat. All I keep telling myself is at least there isn't snow on the ground and maybe, all this riding in the rain stuff builds character...or something.

Moving on to the sweet parts of this month--birthday festivities! As I wrote last time, I was planning on having dinner with my friends. Little did I know at the time they had something sneaky up their sleeves. I arranged for a dinner in the city with a cozy group of 10 people. Most everyone I asked said they had things going on, they would be late, or they would "try to make it". So I ended up with a for sure 10 people including myself. I was a bit discouraged, but I have learned over the years not to get upset over things you can't control. And I can't control my friends anymore than I can control the weather...heh, ok bad one. Anyway, so I was still excited to partake in the festivities. That night we were running later than usual, I mean, I run late to social functions, but 2 hours was pushing it, even for me. I was not phased however as my friend Jess distracted me by starting a dance party in my room and my friend Cassandra decided to run really late. So you can see where this is going, can't you? I have been accused of being unobservant which I will argue with on occasion, but for this time I take full responsibility for possessing that trait. So Cassandra FINALLY got there apologizing about being so late and asking if I was upset, but I just told her that's how I roll. So we finally head out to the train station (they wanted to walk and I didn't understand why), but before heading to the station, we needed to stop at a restaurant on the way because Jess's teacher (who I've hung out with) wanted to wish me a happy birthday. So I say that's fine, I figure we are already really late so what's a few more minutes? So we walk in and as we head up the stairs I hear "SURPRISE!" I look up and 20 or so people are standing at the floor above me looking down on us. They start singing happy birthday and I can't even speak I am so shocked. I was speechless the whole time and afterwards I was just laughing. The only words I can manage are 'oh my' and 'you guys...' So I would say it was a successful surprise. In fact, it was the most surprised I have ever been in my entire life. I was beaming and as I walked up to my friends, with them handing me presents and hugs and well wishes, I realized how fortunate I am to have such a wonderful group of people to hang out with.

I was laughing because just a few hours early I innocently thought to myself 'it would be cool to have a surprise party, but I probably wont ever have one because I always plan my own b-day'. And there is no way I would expect someone else to plan it just as there is no way I am going to sit at home and not do anything. No matter how old and decrepit I get. So my love of surprises was confirmed and I had an excellent dinner with amazing friends. I owe my two partners in crime, Jess and Cassandra big time. They are truly the best for conspiring to plan this. Jess even bought a delicious ice cream cheesecake which is my new favorite and apparently everyone else's because it was demolished in 2.2 minutes.

So my birthday was a complete success and one I know I won't soon forget. Aside from my friends and festivities here, I have been receiving a constant stream of birthday mail and little gifts from my teachers, so it seems like the birthday will continue on for at least a few more days! Besides that, things have been pretty good. This week started out a bit slow and got faster around mid Wednesday I would say. No real explanation as to why, but it did. I have been teaching a full load of classes (finally) and it is nice to be a bit busier.

This weekend is going to feature Jessica tackling her apartment. Stay tuned for the champion. I have a very messy apartment and it is going to take me ages to get organized. Sunday, if the weather holds up, Jess is hosting "Australia Day" at her apartment, so we can throw some shrimps on the barbie, mates! Oy! It should be a good time. My New Year's resolutions started to get a bit shaky around my birthday, but I have gotten back on track with swimming and running and eating a bit better. I hope that keeps up! I am also looking into starting Japanese lessons on Fridays in the city. So we will see.

February looks like a mostly quiet month with only a few classes and a few social events. March I am looking into venturing to South Korea and April is spring break and cherry blossom season, so I hope to go somewhere for that. Other that that wakarainai. I don't know.

Tonight I am going to take it easy and organize my brain. And maybe watch Batman and have a cup o tea. And to that I say cheerio old chaps!

Goday and good night.

My SURPRISE birthday party!