Friday: Gearing Up for the Weekend

TGIF...honma ni. This was a long week and I'm glad it's Friday. We have a big weekend ahead, but I've been up too late pretty much every night ("insomniaching") and it's starting to take a toll. I stayed at work pretty late tonight to work with the student who will compete in the Kakogawa Higashi speech contest tomorrow. There's still a few small areas that could use some work, but he has come a LONG way and I'm really proud and excited for him. Tomorrow night is also our first big Charity event and I have the discussion group and another kids' halloween party on Sunday evening.

It's going to be busy, but I'm really excited for the Halloween party. Kelly and Lena came over last night and we put together and tried-on our Halloween costumes. I was able to furnish both a Britney Spears get-up and a Tomb Rador costume from my closet... not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Anyways, saw the girls again tonight. We just went to dinner and went shopping for the rest of what we needed. It was fun.

I have run a couple times this week, but I just don't have the energy today. Lena and I went for over an hour last night, though, and I think she is going to be a good partner for the long weekend runs (and marathon in the spring!). I don't think I'll get another run in before the weekend is out.

Alright, I'm going to hit the hay and finish up tomorrow. Hope you have a great weekend! I'll post pictures from the party next week!

Have a spooktacular Halloween weekend! -Bren :)

Bloodring Around the Moon

I got a text from a friend last night telling me to go outside and look at the moon. The sky was shrouded with clouds, but the moon could be soon directly above me and it clearly had a red ring around it. While I swear I have heard this called bad luck, and maybe even the 'blood ring' (although I don't know where?), it is apparently just a sign that rain is coming. I even foud this old poem about it:"When there's a ring around the moon, rain or snow is coming soon."

It poured harder today than it ever has during my time here, so I guess the latter explanation was right. It still felt appropriate and a little spooky with Halloween coming up, though... anyone else notice the effect?

More on Weddings

On the earlier subject of making post-Japan plans, I have some more big wedding news! My very best friend, Kristin, got engaged last Friday. We've been friends since we were 7 and she is like a sister to me. Luckily, I absolutely adore her fiance, Luke, and am really excited about the news. Luke actually sent me an email last Monday telling me he was going to propose and asking what I thought about it; it brought me to tears. I mean seriously, how cute is that to ask the best friend for permission?!

So Kristin asked me to be her Maid of Honor, but the wedding is at the end of July, which complicates plans a bit. I was considering traveling in SE Asia or Russia after my contract expires, but after missing Kat's wedding, I am not willing to sacrifice another important life event. Granted, I still don't know where I'll be living in a year, but time at home would be nice.

It's all pretty exciting. We're growing up, guys... so many people getting hitched... I couldn't be happier for them!

SOS: Selling Your Piece

I am breaking the rules again and getting personal.

I woke up in the middle of the night last night with a thirst to work on my law school applications like that of a vampire in search of blood. Granted, I went for a late run, but I think my essay is the source of my restlessness. What is worse, I did decide to attack a few weaker points that I have been trying to re-work, and am not sure my half-conscious state put me in the best form for making decisions.

I am one week out from submitting my first applications and just do not feel content with how I am presenting myself. Even the brilliant suggestions and revisions I have gotten from friends, colleagues and professors have not helped... and I feel like I know who I am:

I'm a second-generation American (grandparents with 4 different cultures) and both of my parents are only children... so my family connections to America are slim. While I am a hometown girl from 'the cities' and the only US state I have lived in is MN, I studied abroad in Norway, the Middle East & China (for over 2 years combined since HS) and have now lived in Japan for a year and a half. I consider myself extremely blessed. Growing up, we took 'educational trips' instead of vacations, allowing me to experience over 30 countries, many multiple times (not even close to half of what my parents have done).
Probably because of this, travel and learning about new places is one of my biggest passions. Growing up, I spent my summers at camp, so after putting in another 7 years on staff at Concordia Language Villages (another huge influence), I am even more an advocate of responsible global citizenship. I have a strong drive for helping others and making this world a better place.
My first resume had 'making a difference' as my AIM, and it still stands true, 8 years later. I would call these aspirations a passion or hobby (rather than a vision, for example) but right now education is my biggest medium for doing that. Hopefully, law will be the tool I will find most effective and use for my life's work.

Writing that was easy. I really do not know why it has been so hard drawing a picture of who I am and articulating why I want to go to law school in an essay format. I keep shaping and re-shaping the same mold of crap that really fails to represent me. Maybe it's nerves or rusty English/writing skills, but I am seriously this close from posting the essay on here to see what you guys think.

Anyways, applying to grad school is a big process and I'm working towards making mine the best application it can be. In the meantime, I have made Wednesday my day for strength/speed training (beginning last week with sets on the big stairs at the park), so I think I am going to work out when I get home and then get to bed very early. Wish me luck on making it through the night this time...

We Made The Paper: Halloween!

My co-chair for the charity committee did an interview with Kobe Shimbun (Kobe Newspaper) about the Halloween Charity Event we are hosting in Akashi this weekend. It hit newsstands today.

Check it out! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobe_Shimbun)

In addition to the festivities, autumn and Halloween are definately in the air! While Japan does not have the same Halloween traditions that we do in America, you certainly wouldn't be able to tell it from walking through the stores here. There would not be, for example, any problem at all finding a costume! While I took the easy route and was a witch last year (see above), I have finally decided that - this year - I am going as Dana Scully from X-Files. I think one of my friends sort of looks like Mulder and I've gotten a "Hey Scully" once or twice, so we decided to make the most of it and go as the famous FBI-partners.

I'm still working on my costume, but another friend, Chris, is going to be another FBI agent. We're even getting badges and replicas of the standard issue guns for FBI field agents (Sig Sauer P226).... it should be pretty great!




What do you think?
xo-Scully

NOH in Osaka

I had a slow Monday at work today. I was supposed to teach two classes, but was excused from one due to midterms last week (they went over the scores and information), but I missed the second one due to miscommunication. Nobody told me about a schedule change with the first years until I went to talk to my co-team teacher about the lesson plan and discovered he had already finished our lesson (doing only grammar). Mottainai, NE?! I actually like my busier days, so it was a let-down, but I also feel like there have been a lot of communication gaps like this one lately. Either I need to pay more attention to the chourei (morning meetings), although I usually do, or else I really need to work on becoming literate in this country. Granted, I have an upcoming Japanese proficiency test so that should be a goal anyways, but I honestly haven't been able to formally study Japanese for days now. Grad school applications are due next week and take precedence :-P

So while the day was a little drab, I did have a good evening. One of my coworkers reserved tickets to a NOH play at Osaka Daigakuin University in Osaka, so we jetted out of school, hopped a JR train out of Kakogawa and got to the theater around 5pm. Noh is a traditional form of Japanese folk art, essentially a play with masks and very slow movements. I am still sad I missed the famous Takasago Noh twice now, but it rained on this year's performance, so maybe it was a sign tonight was better. We watched four short plays, two which seemed like short, musical skits and one comedy before a longr, more taditional performance. My coworker said she understood 10% of what was going on in the last performance because they use an old form of Japanese (a bit more obscure than Shakespearian English). It made me feel better to hear that because I understood a few parts of the comedy, but literally nothing of the traditional Noh. If there hadn't been a lecture beforehand (which was translated for me) explaining the plot and some characteristics of the art form, I would have been lost.

I have been warned that NOH is boring, but, in hindsight, it was a lot more interesting than I expected it to be. The whole performance lasted a little less than the scheduled 3 hours, but it was a long time to sit in one place when you don't understand anything that is going on. There is generally no 'dialogue' (only singing that sounds like wailing, or 'joiking' if you are familiar with Sami culture or Marie Boine), so this might be the same for everyone. Furthermore, the roles are all played by men, so the female parts usually wear an ambigious, clay mask. The style that we experienced also incorporated large flaminging torches and lanterns along the top of the stage, which provided most of the light (in addition to some stage lights). You can find more information about NOH theatre here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noh.

We had stopped at the unversity's cafeteria before the show (basically a big McDonalds - and they say Americans are unhealthy...). I tried the "ebi burger" (or a clump of baby shrimp deep-fried into a burger shape and put on a bun with sesame sauce). It was a little too crispy for me (a lot like tempura), but it left us full, so we weren't ready for dinner when the show ended at 8:30. Instead of going out in Osaka, my coworker and I stopped in Akashi. I led us to the little okonomiyaki place Robyn brought me to last week and we both had tofu okonomiyaki (with sweet Awaji onions) and talked for a while.

So anyways, it was a good night. I don't know if I'll go to see Noh again (unless it's somehow shown in Takasago while I'm here), but after seeing both Noh and bunraku (traditional puppet theater), I am going to try to make it to kabuki in Kyoto sometime soon!

The Weekend Review - American Hotdogs

Friday was another low-key night. Both Tu, my neighbor from New Zealand, and I were planning to keep it simple, so we combined efforts and decided to eat snacks and watch episodes of the L-Word at my place. I think pretty much everyone else went out for karaoke, but it was fun keeping it simple and just enjoying a few beers.

On Saturday, I got up early and headed to my discussion group with the ladies. As usual, it was a lot of great baking (I swear one lady makes two cakes every time) and good conversation. One woman wrote her essay about an old man in our area that waters the flowers on the side of the road everyday. I love learning more about my community through the ladies.

After class, I bolted home and changed quickly. I met Kelly at the train station and we headed to the Porto Bazaar Outlet Mall at Tarumi, near Akashi. I found a really great deal on some cute Asics (even though I asked the group to restrict me from buying more shoes!) and got a running jacket for when it gets cold. The highlight of the shopping experience, however, was the next stop: COSTCO.

I know there is a Costco in Chiba Prefecture, but the one near us is in Amagasaki, a few stops before Osaka on the JR line. It was amazing; the Japanese Costco is exactly the same as the American ones or a Sam's Club. Kelly and I got a membership,and they will deliver a huge box to your door for only $5 (within the prefecture) so I know I'll be back. One downside was that I felt like an IDIOT for lugging so many American 'comfort' foods back with me when I realizing the array of foreign goods available at the store. The other highlight of this little trip to the bulk-goods retailer was the cafeteria, also very American. You can get a huge hotdog and a jumbo drink (with refills) for $2.50 or a giant slice of American-style pizza for even less. It might seem trivial to be excited about that, but just ask a Japanese person living in mainland America about onigiri and I bet you will get a similar response. It' just a littel slice of home (no pun intended). I think I am set for a while, but I want to go back and get the granola bars and sandwich meat I didn't have time to grab someday. While I don't have room to store food in massive quantities, it does pay to go with Kelly and split packages. Furthermore, I have finally found the perfect haven I need if I ever get homesick... this could be dangerous info, tho!

We had met our friend James at Costco, so Kelly and said goodbye to him and Lena in Sannomiya and went to Trinity, a small club near the station (popular with expats) to ask about hosting another Charity event next month (all you can drink special with a % going to charity). I also asked them about their Halloween party next weekend, and the first thing the manager asked me was if I was coming to their event or the one in Akashi. I was a little taken aback, but it was funny to explain that I am co-hosting the event in Akashi... it made me wonder if we might get a better turn-out than expected. It is for a good cause!

On Sunday, I stayed home in the morning and waited for two packages to be delivered before going running. Kelly and I biked to Akashi Shimizu High School (where Lena works) to meet up with some friends for a softball game in the afternoon, and I went to the festival at my local shrine with people from Harimacho at night. The festival was a lot busier than I expected it to be, but I was impressed with all of the stands (had sobayaki for dinner - yum!) and enjoyed seeing Futami's three moving-shrines lit up with Christmas lights.


Here's a few pics from the festival:

So that was the weekend! I know it sounds like I have been busy, but I really feel like I haven't seen people in a while. I've been running after work and consumed by applications (due next week). Next weekend is busy with Halloween stuff so I am sure this week will go by quickly. It truly is crazy how fast time is flying.

Being the Missing Communication Link

I was sitting at my desk correcting midterms this morning, when my coworker came over to me to talk about the volleyball game this afternoon. Apparently, I was on the roster to play today... although I had no idea we had a staff game!

I have asked many times when the students have games so I can cheer them on, since the students literally practice 6 days a week ALL YEAR but rarely get to compete. So when someone told me there was a game, I assumed they meant we were going to watch the kids... not PLAY!

I luckily had a pair of workout pants in my locker and was abe to join the team. It was a fun, but unexpected plan. Our staff games are always really funny, because they are just for fun during times when there are no classes but seem so official. Everyone takes team-stretching to the extreme beforehand (led by the physical education teachers), people get pretty vocal during the game and throw a lot of high-fives every victory and there is always an opening and closing speech by the vice principal. At the game, we stand in two lines (as a team) and bow together to thank each other for the game at the prize ceremony.

Once again, my team won!

Here is a pic of my with my trophies when I got home after the game.
White label premium goodness!
It still seems strange to be given these by the head of staff at a public school.


Additionally, it was probably a good thing most of the staff was in the gymnasium, playing all afternoon, because they turned off the electricity for a few hours -- the other announcement I somehow missed hearing until it happened! I understood that we weren't supposed to use our computers, but when I found out it was because the electricity (including the lights and internet) was going to be off, I thought it was a little strange. I am not sure what they were testing for or doing that required them pulling the big plug, but my friend said they did the same thing at her school a few weeks ago. I just can't see them doing that during the day at an American school and it was just amusing to walk past the office and see everyone talking because they didn't have enough sunlight to do their work.

Anyways, it was good to move around a bit and spend time with my coworkers. I'm off to enjoy my prize, so cheers for now!

The Weekend Review: Weddings

While I have had a busy weekend, I have to make a confession. Even though I have been on the go, I have simply not been in Japan mentally, while my thoughts were consumed by bigger things going on at home. Namely, my best friend's wedding!! One of my very best friends, Katherine, got married this weekend. We used to talk about 'someday' when we would get married when we were younger, and it is one of the events I swore I would never miss. Sometimes circumstances just make things too difficult, though. I couldn't make it home for the event based on the timing (or would have paid a LOT of money to go home for less time than it takes to get over jetlag, probably a long weekend) and couldn't make it work. You make sacrifices moving abroad, and I am learning that sometimes they are really hard. BUT... my heart and thoughts were definately with Kat and Cam. Alright, that's enough about the Opels before I get too emotional again, but deepest congratulations to the beautiful new couple!!! :)

Back in Japan, I spent Friday not doing much. It was a low-key night. I went runnning after work and met my friend Robyn in Akashi for dinner. She's going home to Canada to be a witness in a trial (pretty intense, eh?), but is spending the weekend rafting in Shikoku. It would be really hard to make the long trek back to where she lives and then get to the airport on Sunday night (after the rafting trip), so I agreed to hold her luggage at my house over the weekend. People have been so kind and gracious with me - it is really just good karma giving back, so I agreed to meet her for dinner and grab the bags. It was probably good I did take it easy, too, because I basically C.R.A.S.H.E.D. when I got home. I was going to possibly meet up with some friends (who went to karaoke), but - in hindsight - I definately think going to sleep at 8:30 was the best thing i could have done... and have done in a long time!

On Saturday, I met with my discussion group at the coffee shop in Okubo. It was a riot. We spent a lot of time talking about relationships and weddings (one woman brought pictures from her sons wedding and I told about Kat), but I honestly spent half the time laughing. One woman is in her late 70s and I get the feeling she was a bombshell when she was younger by some of the stories she was telling us. While we only meet about once every two weeks, we set up an extra date to make sushi at another lady's house, and I am really looking forward to it. I stayed at the coffee house after our meeting-time finished to work on my essay for a while (hitting an application roadblock...yikes), but it was a nice treat to walk outside and discover a large taiko performance. I probably got to listen to a good 3-4 songs (with dance) while the Okubo moving shrines made their way past. Hopefully it was just foreshadowing for Futami-cho's matsuri (my town's festival) next weekend!

On Saturday night, I headed to central Osaka for a joint-birthday dinner for my friends Brianne and Dustin. My friend Shannon also made it out to celebrate Brianne (on the left, in yellow), and I had a great time hanging out with the two MN/WI girls and meeting a lot of new people that live in Kobe. They actually chose to host the party at Elephant Cafe, the Thai place in Umeda that Kelly and I had our birthday party at last year, but it was slightly different environment with 50 people (all from Kobe) and nomihodai (all you can drink...). The group was going out to a local club called Saza-e afterwards, but I opted to take the last train home and call it a night. I saw a rat scurry around a corner for the first time in Japan as I was running to the train, but other than that, it was pretty much your typical night out...

It was probably wise that I headed home when I did because I had to be in Harimacho early on Sunday morning for the annual IFA Field Trip. Last year we made the trip to check out the Ikuno Silver Mines. This year, it was Arima Onsen town. Arima is the oldest onsen (hot spring) in Japan, and it nestled in the mountains, giving its cobblestoned streets the same effect that Paris or Switzerland gives off. I had been once before with Claire (and therefore opted to just do the foot baths and not the full hot spring bath since I had already experienced it once), but got a much better feel for the town after getting a full walking tour and seeing the source of the hot springs for the first time. After the trip, I headed home and did a long run on the path along the coast (an hour and 45 minutes this time!). On Sunday night, I met Robyn (and my friend Kate from Awaji!) in Akashi to give her her bags back. I stayed at Starbucks for a while (it's not quite New York City, but we do have a lot of them and they're popular here), sipping tea and doing some reason reading before heading home and to bed.

I got to talk to Katherine for a little while before her wedding this weekend, but I am really looking forward to my phone date with one of the bridesmaids tomorrow morning. As John Mayer puts it, "there's no substitute for time." I know a description doesn't beat being home, but I can't wait to hear more!

It's a Small World: Minnesota in the Textbooks

Midterms start next week, so a lot of my coworkers are busy writing tests. The atmosphere in the staff room has a serious tone to it, and people are spending more than the usual amount of time with their noses to the grindstone. Yesterday afternoon, however, one of my colleagues came running up to me with her book, excited by something she had just realized while planning a test.

“Read this! Read this!” she exclaimed.

I looked at the textbook. From the TRACK series, OK. It was a lesson on shopping, OK. Alright, pretty standard so far. I kept reading, and here is what I found in Part II:

People like malls for many reasons. They feel safe because malls have police stations or private security guards. Parking is usually free, and the temperature inside is always comfortable. The newest malls have beautiful rest areas with waterfalls and palm trees.

The largest mall in the United States is the Mall of America in Minnesota. It covers 4.2 million square feet. It has 350 stores, eight nightclubs, and a seven-acre amusement park! There are parking spaces for 12,750 cards. About 75,000 people shop there every week.
The first indoor mall in the United States was built in 1965 in Edina, Minnesota. People loved doing all their shopping in one place. Many more malls were built all over the country. Now, malls are like town centers where people come to do many things. They shop, of course. They also eat in food courts, or eating areas, that have food from all over the world. They see movies at multiplex theaters, which give moviegoers a good number of movie choices. Some people even get their daily exercise by doing the new sport of “mall walking.” Others fo to malls to meet friends.

Oh my gosh! MINNESOTA!?! Alright, so maybe this does not seem like a big deal to you, but I thought it was pretty cool. In my little world, most people hardly know where Minnesota is (and often think I come from a place "near Chicago"). To see my state - and especially the names of places from my specific hometown area - was an exciting suprise. It's also kind of crazy to think that this is the material being used in standardized, public school textbooks to teach students all over the country English.

On an amusing note, the teachers were also really grateful that I taught them how to correctly pronounce Edina ("EE- DIE - NA" is near Minneapolis) since they had been teaching the kids to say it incorrectly in classes (some variation of "A-dina"). One even gave me an orange to thank me for their help, even though I insisted that most Americans wouldn't know how to say it correctly...including people from Wisconsin!

Predictions Came True... OMIKOSHI

I heard the drumming on the way from the train station to school in Takasago, I knew the big day had come: I looked around, and sure enough, there was the gold-plated white shrine, winding it's way through town! I think I have figured out part of the system for when these things go down. There is a big post with two pieces of cloth hanging on it near my school, right? When the flowers and lanterns first went up, but the weather was gloomy and rainy, the white cloth was tied at the front. This week however, a reinnisance of late summer days (and beautiful weather), the purple cloth has been tied in front, I assume giving the "shrine-movers" confirmation that the festival is ON.

And on it was! On Tuesday, I heard my first shrine going past the staff room, so I quietly slipped outside with my camera to watch as a troop of preschool/elementary school kids pulled large ropes attached to a small, brown, wooden shrine on wheels down the street. Adults usually carry the shrine, while children pull it, but there is always one lucky kid who gets to sit inside the shrine, being pulled along, while they played the big, taiko drum being sheltered by the small shrine's walls. I have seen little girls dressed up like priestesses and such, but I am otherwise not sure how they decide what kid gets the priviledge.

The next morning, on Tuesday, as I mentioned above, I saw my first shrine within MINUTES of leaving the train station. It's hard to not notice a large group of men without pants on (wearing fendoshi, basically loin-clothes and a short, cotton, open jacket called a happi), carrying a large, ornately decorated (and sometimes painted) wooden box on their shoulders. Within 10 minutes (on foot), I had seen five more.

Update: On Wedneday afternoon, I ran a quick errand in the 'downtown' area of Takasago (near Seiyu Mall), only to find the roads were all blocked off, patrolled by police and that at least TEN more shrines were making their way around the narrow streets, while countless other shrine-going folk just sat on the side of the road and chatted. My colleagues actually yelled "omikoshi kyosukete!!" (be careful of the shrines!) as I was heading out the door...they really are EVERYWHERE!

Wednesday and Thursday are the peak of the season, apparently, although I recall seeing the shrines for weeks afterwards last year. I am not sure if they are meant to commence the event, or are simply part of the same period, but all the moving shrine activity falls precisely during the height of the Takasago Festival, held at the famous Takasago Shrine. I met one of the new expats in town to show her the Danish hotdog stand and grab some dinner on Thursday, and we were going to check out the festival (to do a little exploring), but we thought it was further than it was and gave up when we couldn't get a ride or find an extra bike. Zannen ne!

While I don't have "there's always next year" to fall back on this time (for things like the Takasago Festival), I can say I am happy to have seen SO MANY shrines and get a little more of the excitement this year. I might go to a 'fighting shrine' event next week (the moving shrines duke it out like chicken fighting) and the Futami-cho Festival is in two weeks. Keep your eye on the albums section...pictures will be coming!

A little History Behind The Nudity Issue...

I have discussed in brief (albeit on several occassions) the baffling cultural paradox between the apparent acceptance of nudity and avoidance of intimacy in Japan.

I just came across this website, which I think gives an excellent overview of the issue, or at least the history behind it, with an interesting slant. They also address the 1932 fire at the Shirokiya Department Store in Nihombashi, Tokyo that I mentioned in my previous "underwear" post (saying that in addition to introducing underwear into mainstream culture, the fire is believed to have been 'the catalyst for the decline in kimonos as everyday wear').

Enjoy: http://www.east-asian-history.net/textbooks/MJ/ch4.htm

Kibishi

Last week my friend was telling me about a private blog she wrote, but couldn't post, about something that upset her at school. The reaction she couldn't share was a response to the discovery that the eye make-up that her female high school student were always using was actually glue. She was essentially disgusted by the fact that these otherwise pretty girls felt they needed to thinly apply a strip of glue to their lids in order to create a crease, and the illusion of having "big eyes" (like a westerner).

To be honest, I have seen girls on the train applying this glue (and have been seriously worried they were going to poke their eyes out with the sharp applicator), but I didn't know what it was at the time either. Now that it's been brought to my attention, however, I have realized they sell the stuff everywhere and a lot of young women do use it... except possibly for my students.

After talking to my friend, I was pretty meticulous in scoping out my own students for the glue the next day... and surprised when I could not find a single girl in my school sporting the stuff. I have noticed shaved eyebrows (on both boys and girls) on many occasions, but make-up is a line most students are too afriad too cross. My school is one of the most strict in the Prefecture (20 years ago they used to have uniform haircuts, army style) and there are consequences not worth testing if you break the rules.

I read this one one kid's journal today: "I think my school's rules is very hard. It makes me sad." (and this kid is doing well and goes on to talk about how much he loves school).

While I should not be surprised to find an absence of eyelid glue, it not only opened my eyes (no pun inded) to this cultural issue (wanting to look "western" when the girls are pretty on their own) as well as serving as a reminder of how kibishi my school is compared to some of the local public schools my friends work at. I just hope these girls grow up to realize they don't need to apply GLUE their face to be beautiful (although it is apparently more common than I realized with asian girls all over the world - see below).

Anyways, here is a video of the eyelid glue if you need more of a visual image (see #3). Just a warning that it can be a little hard to watch, even if it is common:

http://makeupforlife.blogspot.com/2006/02/how-to-make-eyes-without-crease-look.html

Random Rumblings about my Hair

Less conventional cultural observation of the day: hair.

Cutting Down the Frizz
When I arrived in Japan in July last year, I was sporting the same haircut I have had for years. Long and simple. By the time I returned home this summer, a little over a year into my tenure in this country, I had gradually wielded my locks down to a short bob. If anything, it was actually boy-short in the back, resembling Posh Spice's short 'do when it was first done in June. I had grown so accustomed to the short hair that I had almost forgotten how different it was (for me)...until I returned home.
Coming to America
I got a lot of suprrised (but positive, whew) responses when people first saw the new style this summer, even from those have seen pictures of the prosess. The funniest part of it all for me, however, what how everyone kept telling me they loved my Japanese haircut. What Japanese haircut? I will admit I have changed in a few ways since moving to Japan, but it is mostly subtle and I do not consider my hair to be one of those major changes. I have in fact avoided the "Japanese" haircuts, with lots of layers at the top and thin, long hair at the bottom (ala Carol Brady). Mine is more European...if not, well, American. Maybe just not Minnesotan? The Annual Minnesota State Fair Picture Calendar
Anyways, I was prompted to reflect on this reception today when I walked in the door tonight and the first thing that caught my eye was the picture calendar that Kristin and I got together this summer. I have the same haircut in the picture as I do now, but I realized, it looks really different. Actually, maybe it did look more Japanese in America than it does now... because my hair itself changes when I get here. In an obscure sense, my haircut is Japanese in the sense that it is a survival tactic necessary to adapt to this country and culture. Yes, survival tactic... I'm talking humidity! The humidity does things to my hair here that I have never experienced before.

It sounds frivilous to discuss hair in so much detail, but honestly, if you suddenly hit the Hermione syndrome (and are in a place where you know you're going to be taking a lot of pictures), you think about these things. It's also a visible and immediate adjustment upon any arrival: my hair literally grew larger and larger on the bus ride from Kansai Airport to central Kobe when I got back to Japan.

The weather is getting better now, but I cannot tell you how nice it is to have the hair off my neck (better than a ponytail). This is completely random banter, yes, but maybe you'll have a little more food for thought when checking out my albums from now on (:-P)

Married to My Computer?

So I logged onto my computer this morning, and this headline popped up on my Yahoo homepage: Married to Your Computer.

I was curious, so I clicked on the article. Maybe I shouldn't have. The article goes on to describe folks whose "most significant other is a computer." It's somewhat humorous, and somewhat sad, but I fell dangerously right in the middle of that group. I'm going to bill that cause to the fact that I am American; the statistics stated say that 64% of Americans say they spend more time with their computer than with their significant other, while 84% say they are more dependent on their computer than they were 3 years ago.

I couldn't find statistics for Japan, but I am willing to bet they are similar. I asked my first year classes last week how many kids use email, and - on average - only about 3 per class rose their hand. These kids aren't home very much, no, but this also has a lot to do with the fact that we have email on our cell phone here (with they all have), so they spend more facetime with the mobile than with a PC (which I consider about the same thing).

Personally, my laptop is a source for information about my home country and a valuable communication tool, but maybe this is a wake-up call that it's time to get out (or offline...) more often! I would definately do my next relationship article on this topic, but that might also be taking it over the line... and I am willing to bet there are a lot more people like me very close by.

I'm going to get outside for a bit (taking this as a hint I should). Mata ne!

The Weekend Review - Getting On The Ball

We had Monday off work due to a National Holiday (Sports & Health Day). 　I had originally planned to spend the weekend in the southern island of Okinawa with my friend Brianne (from MN/Korea travel buddy). I cancelled the trip, however, to stay home and get some progress made on my grad school applications. Well, the weekend has come and gone and I haven't necessarily done as much as I wanted to, but then again, the point of taking so much time to work on things is so that I can factor in work time, revisions, and breaks... even really long breaks...

So what have I been doing then, you ask? Let's start with Friday...

Let The Best Chef Win!
On Friday night, I went to a dinner party at the Irish couple's house. It was a lot of fun and the cook-off potluck was a great idea! I made my signiture salad (the chop chop with a balsamic vinegarette) and the food was absolutely amazing. I also met a girl who lives close to where I work (and makes an awesome shepard's pie) and played a new card game called Murder.
There were quite a few people at the party and the game was getting louder, so we headed to park around midnight and ended up playing the card game outside for a while. I am not sure what time everyone else headed home, but my aging self couldn't last and I decided to call it an early night.
Halloween Party
Good thing I headed home when I did, because I was alreadypretty tired when I got up on Saturday for the IFA Children's Halloween Party. Every year, the Harimacho International Friendship Association (non-profit group that arranges community events) throws a big Halloween party for about 50 children in the area (around 5-12 years old). The expats volunteer to lead games in English. This was my second year volunteering (and being a witch), but it's crazy how fun and familiar these volunteer events have become now. It probably helps knowing some of the kids better (or that they know me). I had to sneak out early to meet my discussion group, but I got some good ideas for my upcoming ESS (English Society) Halloween event!
Discussion Groups
This fall is that I actually have two adult discussion groups, both consisting of a group of women who have been meeting as a group (along with a native speaker) for 10-15 years to practice their English. I inherited both of groups from friends that had been meeting with them for years but recently left the; they have truly been a blessing. I really missed the routine of having an adult class over last year (similar to my Norwegian classes in Minneapolis), and I feel that it gives me some balance to be able to discuss things on a different level (or from a different perspective) with older women than I would with my high school students. I also think I am learning as much as they are; having older female friends is definately an asset and I found a good fit with both groups. It's interesting, motivating... and the ladies always make or bring the most amazing cakes and sweets!
It goes on: 日本語弁居します！
When the group finished at 1pm, I was still wearing my costume, but there was no time to head home... I had to get to my Japanese class. I biked back to Harimacho like a mad woman, wearing my black dress with a witches hat in hand! I've sat in on this intermediate-level class a few times now and would really like to continue if possible. My regular teacher is the intructor for this class, but it's a little higher-level, which is a good challenge for me. There are 4 others in the class: two Americans who studied here for at least a semester and took Japanese in college, on guy who has been here for almost 3 years and had studied a lot, and a girl from Vietnam who had been here 2 years. Needless to say, I'm at a disadvantage and was worried about holding others back, but so far, I can (miraculously) keep up to an acceptable degree. In addition to the upcoming JLPT (proficiency test), the language is sort of sticking better than it was before and I am gaining more of a thirst to learn.
Class was fun, but I had to leave early, however, to get to my next location: home (finally). It was for very good reasons, though: I GOT A SHOWER! Well, it's probably more accurate to say I have running hot water and a showerhead... but it's a definate step up!
Saturday night was another low-key one. I went for a run (for an hour and 40 minutes!) and stopped by Harimacho (the town over) to pick something up for a friend. Two of my girlfriends there had rented chick flicks, so I stopped to watch a few minutes and ended up staying...until 3am! Good girl time, but I don't think I got to bed until after 4.
Capt Kangaroo: Once My Favorite Show, Now My Favorite Burgers
On Sunday, I met my MN friends Brianne and Shannon (who live in Kobe and Shiga-ken, respectively) in Osaka for dinner. Shannon was in the city to take the GRE (ironically, Osaka is the testing location for all of Japan) so we decided it was a good opportunity to get together. After meeting-up at the usual Yodobashi spot, we decided to head over to Captain Kangaroo, a really great burger joint just south of Osaka Station. I guess a lot of the Kobe folks have been there a bit (big gaijin hangout), but I was really impressed by the food and prices. An entree was about ￥900, but you could get any entree and any drink for ￥1,000 during Happy Hour. It was pretty cheap!
Amnesty International (Chapter # 95)
After dinner, we all went out seperate ways and I walked a few blocks over to Blarney Stone pub for an Amnesty International* event that my friend Adela was helping plan. I ran into a few girls I know on the way there and met some more friends at the concert. The bands were actually pretty good, there was a good turnout for a good cause, and I got info for two of of the bands, who might play at our charity events over this next year. After a night of just enjoying the beer, good music and fun people, my friend and I left to catch the last train home. Unfortunately, we got the last Rapid (not Special Rapid) so I ended up having to walk home from the JR Station and not Sanyo (took me about 20 minutes vs. 5 minutes), but it was a nice night and I slept hard once I made it back.
Fin.
The Akashi Festival was Monday afternoon, but we had scattered storms all day, so I basically stayed in and finally committed some real time to the application process. I went for a run to relax and ran some errands. It was a good ending to a long weekend... and one well-spent (even without Okinawa)!

*If you're not familiar with Amnesty, it's an amazing organization that won the Novel Peace Prize in 1977 and who's primary approach to working towards peaceful resolutions is letter-writing campaigns (we were supporting group #95).

The Moving Shrines Are Coming...

I was walking to the train station from work today, and this warm feeling of joy just snuck over me. I get it every once in a while when it hits me just how lucky I am in life. Walking along the tiled roofs and past small racoon-dog statues, this is truly a world in which the regular takes on a certain charm and mystique, and often when I least expect it.

This week, the realization was driven by the pluthera of large, pink and red paper flowers that have been hung up around the sleepy little surburban town of Takasago. They hang from lightposts like vines, marking the arrival of moving shrine season and echoing wonderous discoveries of the past year.

As I walked past the small liquor store, whose owner I have now formed a friendship with without ever having spoken a common word, my eyes wandered down a narrow alley and out sprung another discovery: a small shrine, protected by veering stone fox status and tucked between standard, wooden houses. I wandered into the alley and spent several minutes just surveying the area (a little amazed I had missed it all this time) before going on my way. After a year in this country, and especially after spending the majority of my week in this small town, I thought I would know all there is to know... and have once again been proven wrong. Embarking upon my second year has, if anything, given me not only time to relish in what I have already mastered but also time to face more adventures and challenges with with a more experienced perspective.

Big News / Bad News.... Marathons.

The big news is that I decided to run another marathon next year! Since March (when I ran my first), I have noticed that people have had this misconception that if you do a marathon once, you are in stellar shape forever. Not true. I am, in fact, a little out-of-shape and have a lot of work to do. I still jog (and we use our bikes a lot), but would go weeks without doing so in the summer because of the heat. Training season, however, has definately started!

The bad news is that after deciding on the Tokyo Marathon, I apparently did not act fast enough and the registration is closed (http://www.tokyo42195.org/index_en.html). I would consider doing the same marathon I did last year again (running through the mountain towns to the sounds of people beating taiko drums is not something I expect to be able to replicate in the US), but I thought running Tokyo would be a great way to explore the city and I am sure the crowds would be amazing. AND... no time limit (I want to beat my last time, but it's still less pressure). My knees are OK for now, as well, but they didn't get bad until we got further into training last year, so I am also considering using accupuncture this time around.

Maybe I will leave Japan for a race, but I am not sure yet. I'll post more info on the subject as it comes.

The JLP... what?

Before I left Japan for my summer holiday in America, I registered for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). The JLPT is offered once a year, but is really the definitive tool to gauge (or prove) your abilities in Japanese. The test is somewhat expensive and covers a span of 4 levels (4 being the lowest, 1 the highest). Therefore, when registration forms were due at the end of August last year (less than a month after moving here), I made the decision to forego taking the exam the first time in order to give myself ample time to study and get more colloquial Japanese under my belt (so I could just take a higher level the next year). Makes sense, ne?

Well, time flies and somehow “next year” is already here. The good news is that we took a practice test in Japanese class last night and I was very comfortable with the material on the lowest test (I’m sure there’s still more to learn, but I have a foundation there and could definitely pass without much studying). The bad news is that I am signed up for a higher level. I wanted to challenge myself a bit and thought it would provide motivation to study. Somehow I neglected to realize, though, that the study period (basically needed to pass this beast) would conflict with my application period (basically needed to, well, get into school). I think it might be better to study for the higher test when I can (it’s the kanji, or Chinese characters, that I am most concerned about) but see if I can still switch to level 4… I’ll let you know what happens, though.

On the subject of tests of strength within a language, I also have some very good news! While I have heard rumors that my school once participated in speech contests (years ago & through a local Rotary Club sponsorship), there has not been further involvement in those sorts of activities.... until now! I am happy to tell yo that one of my second years, "Mass", entered a speech contest and was accepted! We spent a lot of time working on his speech (about Animal Rights and P.E.T.A.) and pronunciation the first week I got back to Japan, but he was so nervous about entering. I am so proud of him. Of course this means that we have more preparation ahead of us (the best school in the area is hosting the event although I don’t know what his competition will be), but more than anything, I am excited that my school is once again getting involved in speech contests.
The contest will be held the same day as our Charity Halloween party (first event!), Nozaki Sensei and I just got tickets to go to a Noh play in Osaka that week, I am helping with a kids Halloween party the same weekend and it’s the weekend before my first applications are due... so I am sure it will be a busy period for me. At the same time, I feel like I’m also investing in really worthwhile, meaningful enterprises and I am looking forward to it.

The Privitization of 郵便局 (〒)

Random story. One of my colleagues just came back from the post office, looking rushed. She explained that she had run an errand quickly over lunch but the place was a zoo, being the first day of the new system.

"The new system?" I inquired.

Then she explained that today is the day that Japan Post offically goes private.

The privitization of Japan Post, a project brought forth by former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, is one of the most controversial points of political debate in Japan... but, surprisingly, one I knew pretty much nothing about. I was surprised that neither CNN nor BBC News (my main news sources) were covering the story on their websites today, and I have also yet to learn how this will affect shipping rates and my business with them (if at all).

Anyways, here is some more information on the topic for now: http://search.ft.com/search?queryText=japan%2C+post%2C+koizumi&aje=true&dse=&dsz=&x=12&y=4

Enjoy the articles! I'll keep you posted (ok, bad pun) if there is anything big in the news about the change.

The Weekend Review: Koromogae

I walked into work today and recognized an immediate and very blatant difference in the way people are dressed. At first I thought there might be an official event or ceremony that I forgot about, but quickly realized what brought on the wardrobe changes. Tomorrow marks the first official day of fall, so while today is the first day for fall clothing (generally suits), summer clothing is a definite no-no starting tomorrow morning. Sadly, that probably includes my flip-flops (and on a more serious level than, say, wearing white after labor day at home). That's almost as depressing as when the fall shift happened last year and my favorite sesame udon sauce disappeared off the supermarket shelves overnight (only to reappear 8 months later!). It seems funny now, but if you track back in my blog, you will see that I was earnestly troubled by the absence:)

It's Monday morning right now and the weekend went pretty well, but was fairly low-key. I feel more tired today than I have been since I got back from America, which is kind of ironic considering I really didn’t do too much and got a lot of rest.

Friday night was spent having dinner at a Hokkaido restaurant (delicious miso ramen soup and salmon salad), then did a few hours of karaoke before biking to Ouzumi with some of the guys to hang out with Lena, who was entertaining a guest from America. It was about a 30-minute cold and wet bike ride home that night, but definitely still worth it and a lot of fun!

On Saturday afternoon, I went shoe shopping with my Japanese teacher, Kelly and another foreigner named Craig. I had a really good time using Japanese (definitely don’t do that enough in my free time) and just looking around. I really can’t afford to buy much right now (literally out of space and realized when I was home that I don’t NEED anything more)... but I did get a cute pair of wooden, Japanese sandals, called geta. Jessica wore hers when I saw her in Minneapolis this summer and I was surprised by how cute and sort of exotic they looked in an American setting, when I would never wear them as normal shoes here. So, I got myself a pair, essentially to wear when I get back to America.

I spent some time hanging out with Kelly and then Clayton that afternoon, but ended the night doing something a little out of the ordinary: staying in to read and going to bed early! I am really starting to feel the fire under me with grad school applications and I really want to finish this awesome advice book before I finish my essay (which is a work in progress). So you gotta give a little to get a little (done), I suppose.

Sunday morning was meant to be my first intramural soccer practice, but it got rained out! Zannen datta ne! In the afternoon, I had a meeting for the charity committee in Sannomiya (planning a big Halloween party/fundraiser) and then went to a great Bay-area (California) gourmet burger joint called Grinders with some friends on the committee. I was with Kelly and two other girls and we stopped in a few places to do a little shopping, too, but I really wasn’t feel well and had to head home. There was a dinner party at my neighbor’s house later in the evening, but I had a phone date set with Jessica, who just started graduate school in Europe, and essentially spent the evening catching up with her. We have both been called oshaberi (talkative), yes, but I think the conversation lasted for over three hours. I definitely need to get Skype if that's ever going to happen again!

So that’s about it for the weekend! With the start of fall comes moving shrine season and the cold front (three days ago I was excited because I didn’t use my air conditioner at night, and today I woke up realizing it was time to crank up the heat). There will be more changes and happenings soon. The cold is probably a good thing, however, as it makes for better running weather. It’s something I need right now to help offset the busy schedule with applications, upcoming language proficiency test and planning charity events. Running is my meditation.

And speaking of meditation, one more big piece of news: in less than three months, Kelly and I will be meditating alright. Only it will be in an Ashram... in India!! We found a really good deal on tickets for Christmas/New Years, so I will be going to Taiwan and India for about three weeks. I was hoping to go trekking in Nepal as well (or at least fly into Kathamundu and take a helicopter ride to see Everest), but that plan doesn’t look realistic this time 'round. It’s also not possible to see all of India in one trip, either, so I am sure I will be back some day.

I have to do a lesson plan and have a few classes this morning, so I should go but it feels good to be back on the blog. Hopefully this signals I am truly in writing mode (essay time!) and I hope all is well with all of you.

One last note: I got an email this morning saying that two friends from Norwegian Camp and St. Olaf lost their father this weekend. Both siblings are in their 20s and their little brother, who might be in college now, was one of my villagers at CLV. Very kind, beautiful people. I honestly cannot even imagine what their family is going through right now and my thoughts, sympathies, and best wishes go out to them during this hard time. Please keep the Malands in your prayers!!