Just wanted to put up a picture of my awesome bike! Bright orange, and always the biggest bike in any of the bike lots. I guess they checked my height on the medical records because its perfect for me. A few days ago I installed the basket on the back for my extra purchases. On the 30th of every month, the local grocery store, Mrs. Smart, runs quintuple point day. So instead of 1 point for every 100yen, you get 5. I was running low on food anyways, so I racked up a bunch of points! I was not prepared for my stocking up on food, as I only brought one reusable bag (As seen in the back). I also invested in a bungee cord to hold all those goodies in the back in place. Did I mention I also have a light and a bell? I may have to ship this baby home.
I have put up the pictures and video in the last blog, as well as added more not shown here to my photo account (link on the right).
I live out of the hyaku-yen store (dollar store). My nick name is started to be transformed into "Hyaku-yen Jhenn" (100 yen) AND it rhymes. It's meant to be!
I just want everyone to know I bought a $3 apple because I was desperate for some fruit. Fruit, is expensive. One giant apple is $3. For $3 I could ride the train into the next big city for some shopping or going to the movies or anything! While pretty good, it was not the world’s best apple, as it should have been. One night I went later (they’re open until midnight.. but the selection is slim) and got some fresh cubed pineapple for $1. I need to do that more often!
Soon I will be starting school. Should be interesting. Oh! And Saturday night I experienced an earthquake! In Komono it was a 1, but the next city over (where I was) was a 2. I was sitting on the train waiting for it to leave (we had like 10 minutes) and it kinda moved a little along the tracks. I just thought the conductor was messing with the brake. Then Chris asks if I felt the earthquake when I returned. Well geez, I guess I had!
I found the international food store (where I stocked up on pancake mix and taco shells) and down the road from it is a Book-Off. Book-Off is like an Exchange… used books, cds, dvds, and video games. It’s a dangerous place because you never know what goodies await you. My friend pointed out the KILL BILL Japanese boxsets. New. I panicked.. but then remembered the “emergency” money I hid in my wallet. This was an emergency! I had been looking at the box sets on ebay for a long time… but they would go for $150 each. The boxsets are originally priced at $80 each. I bought both for $100. They come with T-shirts, replicas, toys, cards, pamphlets, and other neat things. It was like Xmas. Beside Book-Off is a drug store…
I bought a new big plastic tank for my 2 fish Biscuit (L) and Wally (R). With their new air filter, those are some happy gold fish! If I can find a pet store, I would like to get one or two more.
Yet another festival last week. LOTS of people in alleyways, lots of food, lots of games. We heard drums and smelled incense and eventually came upon a temple where people were playing taiko (traditional drums). Its really cool, check them out:
I bought a yellow sofa and an awful pink/orange shag “fur” rug for my living room. Its’ awesome. Soon I will do another (slower) apartment walk through, as I have more stuff now and it feels more like home. I’ve also begun to “pimp-out” my bike. I attached a basket to the back for my bigger shopping trips. I also have a bungee cord to hold future goods in place. I will take a picture soon.
Tonight I made a pitiful attempt at tacos that involved cabbage, onions, eggplant, tempura bits, tomato, taco seasoning and lettuce in a small soft taco. Hey, you’ve gotta adapt! I also made a bunch of buckeyes to take in to the office tomorrow. For those of you not blessed to live in Ohio (more specifically Classic Ohio, aka Northeast Ohio) a buckeye candy is a ball of peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla, mixed together and dipped in chocolate (looking like the buckeye nut). I did not have butter or vanilla.. but you know what? They’re still delicious! I hope it’s not too sweet for their Japanese taste buds!
I have picked up a card from the tiny local library. I’ve probably already taken out all their chocolate books, a book on how to speak Japanese better, and a kids book on the mythology surrounding the Buddha’s life. When I return the chocolate books tomorrow I will get a book about a kid pirate that looks like I could read it. I also got a video rental card. On Tuesdays and Thursdays its only $2 (as compared to $3 or 4 other days), so that’s when I go! They have a large selection of Japanese horror and action movies. I should be kept tided over for awhile.
Alright, that’s all the excitement, for now. Here are some more notable pictures that I haven’t put up yet.
View from my balcony:
My awesome mountains yesterday after work:
While waiting for the bus, my expensive camera shows what it’s capable of:
A view from up in the mountains on my first day;
From a meeting room in town hall. Do I look like I am in an intense debate?
Me and my supervisor Mr. Matsunaga (on a hot morning!) with his spiff new Tribe tie. I taught Mr. Matsunaga the word “Dude” which he has amazingly picked up and properly uses practically by himself. “Dude, Where’s my car?”(ok I taught him that) “Good morning dude” “Dude!” “From dude Matsunaga” (text message) and more recently he’s learned “Dude… bummer.” He’s a very funny guy… and he LOVES Dragonball.
And of course.. DELICIOUS BANANA SOY MILK! Oddly enough, the chocolate soymilk from the same brand has real milk in it.
PS- I made a folder in my photo account just for awesome photos of the Suzuka mountain range and Mt. Gozaisho (the biggest one). I have a feeling ill be taking a lot more throughout the seasons.
Tuesday, I was invited along for a day-long bus trip to see “important places of interest in Komono” along with 40 kids (grade 1-6) and 10 adults.
First stop was at a fire station, where we saw the “119” emergency call center, the workings of fire trucks, and all the equipment fire-people wear.We then got to ride in the crane/ladder thing on fire trucks and took us 30m in the air (about 100ft).
After that we went to some barbed wired off small building in a small forest. Inside were lots of clay pots and pieces of pots that dated over 1200 years old. While interesting, I was more concerned with what seemed to be old pieces of a shrine and big clay protectors.
Continuing up the forest road there was a shrine on the hill. Then we walked even further, uphill, in the hot hot heat. We finally arrived at an air conditioned building where we enjoyed our lunches and relaxed. Outside you realized we were up the side of one of the mountains and could see the whole town!
[VIDEO] -pending. Youtube is being mean.
The guy talking in the background is Chris’s supervisor. He’s really goofy and scattered brain and he was talking about how cool I look in my big (Elvis) sunglasses. So I captured him on the film as well. I showed it to him and he yelled KOWAI! (SCARY!). Indeed.
After that we went to a place that raises tanago which my dictionary translates as “a Japanese bitterling”. I have no idea what that is, we just saw a bunch of little fish and clams. Not sure why this place is significant, its in the middle of nowhere. but it had a cool name“GodForest”. UPDATE* Tanago are endangered. Thats why its important.
Then we went to the coolest place of the tour, a town cultural center 45 minutes away in the area north of Komono in Kuwana. (Yea, I thought it was about Komono too). We go and listen to a guy talk about the peninsula were on, and the rivers, and geographical stuffs, boring. THEN we get a ticket with a number on it and go to another stainless steel-clad room. We were going to MAKE our own NORI (the sheets of seaweed you use in sushi)!! A mix of water and seaweed was give to us in a wooden box and we dumped it on a mat with a wooden border. You pull up that border and presto! A perfect square!
Mine when it was done!
Then you put it in a machine than in 2 seconds sucks out all the extra liquid. Then we gave that to a lady and put it in these drying boxes with a big wheel to set them on inside. While they were drying, we watched a video of the history of the town and how people lived pre-and during the war. I felt really ashamed and hoped the kids wouldn’t come after me for being American. Then there was a walk through tour of old tools and old houses, before and after tsunamis and earthquakes, etc.We were then led outside, into rows of plants. What is going on? WE’RE GOING TO PICK PEANUTS!
Peanuts grow underground, so we rooted a section and picked all the peanuts. They aren’t really ripe until October, but we can still roast them. Chris gave me her bag of peanuts, so now I have 2 bags of peanuts I don’t know what to do with! I may have to buy a food processor and make peanut butter!
I was very obviously tired and hungry by the end of the day. I was about to go to bed at 10 when I caught glimpse of a ridiculous show called “Choui Waru”= “Very Bad!”. This group of too-cool tough guys called Lincoln(?) are given 2 situations where they can do whatever they want. One of them will go in and be “bad” and the others watch backstage and hit a button on how “cool” they are for being bad. The rules were the people in these situations had to act like they weren’t even there.
The first situation involved an important business meeting. A large oval meeting tables and probably 12 important people discussing important things. Things that happened included:
Playing guitar in a guys ear, rewriting on the wipe-board, spitting marbles, licking faces, placing pants on their important papers, cutting holes in their clothes, napping in the middle of their meeting table, laying the business men on the table, and my favorite, a guy coming in in a Speedo with a Golden Retriever, doing stretches on the table in front of peoples faces, then having the dog lick his chest. How they could not laugh or be disgusted is beyond me.
The second situation they upped it. It was in a men’s shower room. Let me explain the set up of Japanese locker rooms and etiquette. There is a main room you come in, with lockers and benches and maybe a small area of snacks. You disrobe here, then enter another section where you wash down. You sit on a little stool (like an upside down bucket really) and you have a little mirror, shelf, and a shower hose next to that. Just rows of them. There is also a couple of Jacuzzis in there, and you MUST shower before getting in one because it’s shared by the community.
So the set up is, a couple guys are in the locker area, about 5 or 6 guys washing, shampooing, and brushing their teeth.. maybe before a trip to the Jacuzzi, maybe after swimming.. etc. There is one guy relaxing in the hot tub. Did I mention EVERYONE IS NAKED. What went down:
Throwing pies at people.. then taking a picture with his cell phone, placing all the milk on its side, looking up the locker-men’s towels, cannon-balling straight into the hot tub, Placing a tea bag in the hot tub, slapping people, flipping toothbrushes around so they were brushing with the wrong end, throwing underwear, lubing up in shampoo and placing the stools at the other end of the shower, then being a human bowling ball/slip-n-side into them (he was going really fast actually and crashed into the tile wall!!) and my favorite: Turning all the stools around so all the guys sitting were facing in a circle (still scrubbing, they have to keep doing what they were doing) then this “cool guy”, hands on hips, standing proudly in the middle of them.
I really had to go to the bathroom while this was on, but I couldn’t go. I hadn’t laughed like that at TV in a really long time and really almost peed myself. I only wished I had a VHS to record it on, obviously it was important enough for me to share on my blog. I really hope these guys are on next week!
Obviously pictures and video coming next week.
Here`s the opening sequence to the show:
UPDATE: I have found out that it is different every week. It is made by entertainers, for entertainers.
Thursday night (8/17) Christine and I were invited to a local templeObon festival. Obon is a big summer festival (all about Obon). The temple is actually the street parallel to ours, so as we turned down this tiny dark alley, you could see faint white and red lights lining the temple walls.The office ladies found us walking down there pretty quickly (being the tall foreign girl, I’m pretty easy to spot).They took us to the actual temple, where a priest was chanting and lots of people were sitting behind him.We went up a couple wooden steps, took off our shoes, and were ushered to the “kids corner” to sit on the tatami (rice mats). Some kids were being noisy and playing with the giant prayer beads on the floor, so we were probably sat there so if we were going to be a distraction, we were with the rest of the group. There were giant wooden prayer beads in the middle of the floor, in which no one sat. It was explain to me later that each bead was from a family for prayer for a member. The priest and two laymen did chants and rang bells and song bowls. Since I study Buddhism, I could actually understand the priest and the iconography surrounding him… but I still haven’t mastered my washing machine. Haha.
Afterwards, they gave rice crackers to all the kids (and us)and were led to a small tatami filled room on a dark winding path. We were going to be blessed with a tea ceremony with the head of our department, Kacho, and office lady Kawaguchi, her 3-year old grandson and another elderly lady. Elegant young girls dressed in yukata (summer kimonos) came in and presented us with a marshmallow fish (the other ceremony I was in it was a cracker).Then out came the tea they make on the premise. It’s a little thick and foamy and bitter, but it’s authentic! They set the bowl of tea in front of you, turn it, then you pick it up, turn it, then drink. There’s more turning involved, but I’m not sure, I should really read up on it.
After putting our shoes back on outside, we headed towards the drums and music! A large stand was in the middle of a clearing, with someone playing a taiko drum to old prerecorded music while people in yukatas danced around it (think high class line dancing… in a circle –video soon-).It was on a few minutes before the head of our department pulled us in to dance dances we had never seen, much less practiced. Lots of clapping, and arm movement and foot taps. I seemed to be getting the hang of it, but poor Chris! Everyone seemed to really enjoy us at least trying and making fools of ourselves.
Watch a video of Obondori:
After 5 or 6 dances I was pouring sweat and had to stop. Soon after, people ran up to us with ice cream cones. I had to tactfully decline, but the head of the department was more than happy to take it for me! Then cold tea was being given out in little ceramic cups. A random old guy came up and said, Why are you drinking tea?! You need to drink beer! As this happened, I was finishing my tea, but he grabbed Chris’s tea cup from her, and gave us both plastic cups of beer. And we never saw him again. It’s funny, people give me a hard time here saying it’s SO hard to be vegan in Japan (those people just don’t know how to cook!), but honestly, I think it would be harder for someone who didn’t drink (at least in the working world I’m now apart of). It’s constantly offered and the more you accept, the more you’re loved.
We take in the scene and try to cool off in the humid night, and Kacho says LETS GO! And we follow him out of the temple, not sure where we are going. We go into a little mom and pop restaurant with about 10 barstools. Every time someone comes in, everyone else has to scoot down to make room. Everyone is nice, some are goofy, some may be a little apprehensive, but all nice. There is a spot on the other side for maybe 2 traditional sit-down tables on tatami mats, but bento boxes (lunch trays) are filling them up. They’re about half full, and the staff of 3 is working to fill them up. They’re going to take them to the temple.Kacho-san orders us two large mugs of beer and food. We don’t really want to drink or eat… but it falls on deaf ears. We chat a bit with the chefs and the locals. Kacho tells me to drink faster and orders us 3 things of spinach (have I mentioned I don’t really like beer and I hate cooked spinach?) We even say, “We’re really full!” I choke down about 4 bites of spinach and I have to stop. A woman walks in the place, I look over because its natural to look at people who walk in. We lock eyes. Her head starts to shake with like 4 million double takes. I really took her by surprise! We definitely want to go back and hang out and become locals!
Friday night was filled with shopping adventures with 2 other JETs who just happen to be from the Kent/Akron area and live about an hour or so from me here! We found an arcade and we played Taiko drum video game, Dance Dance Revolution SuperNova, and Mario Kart! Earlier in the night along with Chris we went to hunt down a rumored Indian Restaurant called Majarahja. We found it, although the sign said “Mach Raja”. Not a lot of choices food wise, but the lady who ran the shop let us in early because it was raining and served us coffee. The food was good and the naan huge. What else do you want?
Saturday (8/19) came the real town Obon festival. Hundreds and hundreds of people. The office ladies dressed us up in yukatas and geta (traditional wooden shoes…. That hurt). Amazingly, I think they’re cooler than if I had been wearing a tshirt and jeans. Maybe because they absorb sweat?Free tea and balloons! More taiko drums and lots and lots of dancers, including mentally challenged which I found endearing.Did I mention we had to give a speech in front of these hundreds and hundreds of people? I botched up real bad, I’d rather forget about it. It didn’t help that when I started talking more cameras came out (Chris’s heritage is Korean, so she can blend in.. but me! A sore thumb!)Hopefully they thought it was cute and weren’t disgusted. After that horribleness, we did a few more dances with Kacho and everyone, and then got some shaved ice (I got the flavor “Blue Hawaii”).Everyone also liked to point out how big my feet were (hanging off of the geta in the front and back) and how long my toes were. I told them I had monkey toes. Lots of laughs.
I played a game where you try to win goldfish (like little koi goldfish.. not the goldfish at fairs we know). I failed miserably, but she gives losers 3 fish anyways. I have named them Tudor, Biscuit (both white with red splotch on their heads), and Wally (all light gold). I bought them all sorts of cool fish things and probably are living better than 98% of their kin..They’re just getting the hang of trying to figure out how to eat the food from the top.
Not the best picture, but fireworks, fish, and shaved ice!
Then of course, the fireworks!
Sunday was just full of a relaxing day of shopping. No time limits, no place to be… it was really nice. I got a couple Indian curry mixes. Yum! And a folder and notepad, other cheap life necessaries.It’s actually Sunday night right now as I’m typing this to post tomorrow, and I must say, I really miss watching Adult Swim on Sunday nights. Only the news is on now… I put that on in the morning and try to make some sense of it.
In other news , I bought some nice little speakers to play my MP3 player though.They were the most expensive, but had the best sound, and with how much I listen to music, well worth the investment.I put them in the kitchen, since that’s where I am the most! I met a guy that has worked in Komono for the past 4 years (we actually have the same Supervisor), so he gave me some tips for the schools. And I bumped into another JET not too far from here at the 100yen store (dollar store… but so much better)
Japan’s women’s volleyball team is in the world championships (from what I gather) so the TV nation is pretty volleyball crazy right now.You would think it would be boring, but it moves really quickly and with high velocity balls getting smashed in people’s faces, it’s pretty exciting.
My birthday is in a month, and I am planning on going to Tokyo Game Show for it. It’s a really big video game convention, its only about $10, you get loads of free things, get sneak peaks and stuff, and get to play new, old, and unreleased games!I am looking forward to playing with the Nintendo Wii. Oh, and if you bring your DS you get tons of free games. Wee!
Address update! Mie ken Mie Gun Komono-cho Komono ####-## Tokiwa no Gaaden Haitsu A-2B ###-####
Obviously fill in the proper numbers. ITs all the same, I just didn't have the A-2B part. ANy questions email me (email is in my "Profile")
Just another scene riding the train home.
So far in Japan I have had NO Chocolate! Not too many sweets either. I don't know how I'm still alive!
I love my bike. Its brand new, bright orange, has a bell, a light for night time, and a big basket I put all mky goodies I buy in. Its smooth ridin'.
Japan is full of weird smells. Mostly bad. Raw fish, dead fish, sewage, and unidentifiable stank are often wafting along the road. In the morning my kitchen often is filled with a weird smell. The humidity is only amplifiying maybe these smells that wouldn't be so bad.
Japan is nuts about recycling, which is great. Regular burnable trash, plastic bottles, plastic (including the wrapper around the plastic bottles), paper, cardboard, glass, electronics, cans, aluminum, etc all get their OWN special bag and each come on a DIFFERENT DAY. I am often checking if that morning is a certain trash day.
However, everything is prewrapped. Things that are wrapped have more wrapped items inside. Its really ridiculous. If they didnt waste so much with so much prepackaging, maybe they wouldnt have to recycle as often. It kind of defeats the purpose.
Well I made it! The flight was a smooth ride, about 11-12 hours long. The 3 day orientation at Tokyo was very tiring. I didn’t really get out much, except to a nearby park and for a rousing couple hours of karaoke.
Wednesday I finally got to my new apartment in Komono-cho, Mie, and shown to the office to meet everyone. My neighbor Christine is also with the JET Programme and works a couple rows over from me at the office, so it’s nice to have her so close. No one speaks English, save a few words, so I just roll with it so I don’t get frustrated. Everyone has been incredibly nice and helpful, taking Chris and I to get cell phones, bank accounts, and basic everyday needs. My diet also seems to be a subject of much interest.
My apartment is pretty nice in Japanese terms. 2 bedrooms, big kitchen, a living room, toilet, bath/shower, and a small laundry room. For those of you who had been to my apartment in Akron, its just a tad bigger than the 2 living rooms combined. But I have air conditioning and a pink toaster oven (along with lots of other things). The apartment is brand new so today I bought some shelves and a small coffee table. Hopefully I can get some sort of couch soon. The whole town is dwarfed by the majestic Suzuka mountains. We live at the base of them, so the scenery is really nice. There is also an “antelope” center at the top of the biggest mountain (Gozaisho).. actually their name is “Serow” and its some ancient cross between an antelope and a goat. Anyway, it’s the town’s mascot, and little cartoon antelope adorn many things. Chris’s supervisor drove us up into the mountains as far as we could, its really amazing.
Last night was my first enkai (obligatory work drinking party) as a welcome party for Chris and I. We had to make impromptu speeches (ugh) and then had something like a 5 or 6 course meal with no less than 5 types of alcohol sitting at each of our individual tables. No one at the office can hold their alcohol so everyone was very happy and wanted to talk to us and kept trying to pour us more drinks, no matter how full the glass already was. Somehow during the night I learned the word for “ghost”, amazing what people say.
At work, I work 8:30-4:15 Monday through Friday at a big office. I have my own desk and now a computer with internet! School is out, so I won’t be actually teaching for about a month. I kinda fill out paper work or write speeches or non-exciting things (I’m typing this in Word actually, so it looks official to everyone and not playing on the internet! Haha). Like I said, everyone is very friendly, and often take us out to do things during company time. I think they like an excuse to go out and not work!
I don’t have internet at home yet, so I don’t have any pictures or videos up yet. But soon! Hopefully by mid-next week.
