Being Sick

In response to my last post, I got an email from a good friend telling me to settle down. He thinks it’s funny to call me Mozart (it’s sort of become my nickname – the guy burned his wick at both ends & died really young because of it), but it’s a good reminder that it’s important to relax once in a while. So, I have admitted defeat (yes, I am sick) and I am staying in this weekend. It really sucks because there is a lot going on. We were supposed to go to the onsen tonight, which was changed to drinks in Sannomiya, but it's still fun. Tomorrow is a soba-making class (Japanese noodles from scratch!), people are going to the beach, and then there’s a big Sayonara party (farewell party) in Kobe for the people leaving, with after-parties to follow. On Sunday, a big group of friends are getting together to play softball and go swimming (it has gotten extremely hot – I am sweating as we speak!), but I was hoping to meet Torbjorn to hang-out and check out a museum. Cancelled, cancelled, cancelled (even though I will probably sneak out to the Sayonara Party anyways). I’m not always very good at just taking-in some R&R, but I’m going to the doctor tomorrow morning. My friend Ben is going to escort me there. I’m a little nervous because it’s my first time at the Japanese clinic (it’s common to go to the hospital for small things here, but – call me American – I’m going to insist on the clinic), so I’m sure I’ll have more to report when that’s done.
East Is East?
In Japan, they use a combination of eastern and western medicines at hospitals and clinics. I actually really like it, but I am still very unfamiliar with eastern medicine, and so not very comfortable with using it. The little survival kit I brought to work today includes some pills from home, in addition to kwon loon oil (magic, I tell you, magic! It’s this amazing all-purpose oil from China) and some random herb powder I got in Thailand that seems to make my nose feel better. A coworker of mine went to the hospital for something like what I have a few weeks ago (it’s going around), and the doc gave her some herbal tea (Chinese medicine) to take. Well, she took it, and ended up having to spend 4 days on bedrest because of the awful rash and reaction the tea gave her. When she told me about what had happened, she showed me the damage; her face and chest were covered with what looked like a blanket (like moss) of swollen, red, rash. She went back to the same doctor and he basically told her Chinese medicine works differently for different people. They gave her different tea, but now it’s been a few weeks and she still can’t be in the sun much because of this awful reaction. Makes me a little nervous. We’ll see what they say tomorrow.
Only in Japan
I should get going and finish the students’ notebooks, but here’s one last thing. On the topic of sickness and Japan, here’s a random little fact I learned this week: Apparently there is a specific “mass” anxiety disorder that is specific to Japan, called たいじ きょふしょ (Taiji Kyofusjo). According to the friend that clued me into this info, it results in anxiety caused by fear that one’s odor, appearance, hygene or facial expressions might be unpleasant or disturbing to others. Yup, kinda interesting.

So on that note, please take it easy and stay healthy so you can enjoy this beautiful summer weather. I'm sure I'll have more soon... from home :-/

Cultural Diversity in America & German in Sanno

Do you ever have one of those days when you just know you shouldn’t go out, but you do anyways, just to realize you were right in the first place? Yesterday was kind of one of those days.
Cultural Diversity Lecture
The morning was fine enough. I gave a presentation on Cultural Diversity in America (same lecture series I did for the senior International Understanding course last year), which was sort of the highlight of my day (gave 3 tests, as well). What’s even better is that Mori Sensei sat in and now I am also going to give the same presentation to the second-year International Studies course sometime soon. I’m really excited about it because the topic is really interesting to me and I think it’s good for my students to understand some of the traits that make our culture and society different from theirs. To illustrate one example or aspect of these cultural differences, yesterday I wanted to translate ‘ethnic groups’ on a worksheet, but when I asked for help, my coworkers had trouble finding the right word. Or they said there just isn't an exact translation for 'ethnic groups' in Japanese. To some extent, this demonstrates a (somewhat alarming) lack of understanding for diversity on the parts of some people (or as part of the culture) in this country. It makes more sense when you consider that 95% of Japan’s population is Japanese, but for all the exposure to outside influences, I'm amazed by how well they adapt things to their culture rather than changing the Japanese culture to work with others.
Naturally, these sorts of blanket statements do not apply to everyone in Japan, but it feels like that to a lot of people I have encountered, you are either Japanese (and that means 100% Japanese), or you are not. I, for example, fall into the big ‘other’ category, gaikokujin (foreign country persons).
Anyways, I tried to post the Diversity powerpoint here, but it didn’t work... I wish I could because some of the data is really fascinating. For example, I grew up in the Midwestern United States, where there is a definite northern-European/Scandinavian influence (and a lot of Caucasians), but I don’t think I really realized before now that a whopping 75% of the American population is still Caucasian. It just seems too high. Looking at the demographics on a map and comparing education levels (by ethnic group and to a national average), the numbers really start to tell a story about where some of the societal problems we have today come from.
I also talked to the students about recent award-winning movies like Crash and Babel, touched on the political issues related to race in America (like border control and discrimination), and the focus on these differences (stereotypes and racial profiling). And to my pleasant surprise: the students cared.
Later on...
Anyways, to get back on track and add some clarity to my original statements about the day, it was just a long one. I am starting to get sick, and have been moving a bit slow because of the weather. Then I encountered my first truly rude student on the train on the way home. I couldn’t believe how she spoke to me. I kind of liked the fact that this 15 –year-old was not the average shy or passive girl (she was “the nail that sticks up”…and normally “gets hammered down” – not indirect at all, which is considered polite), but she was acting like she had a vendetta against me or something. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m her teacher or what, but it’ll be interesting when I have her in class next. Anyways, that experience put me in a sour mood, so I went running. I met some people in Sannomiya for dinner, but I was pretty out-of-it, was late (even though the run was worth it) and wasn’t really paying attention to the conversation because I was just dropping off (tired, woozy and preoccupied by the previous situation). Probably not the best company. Then one guy I had just met told me I am just like his 15-year-old sister, which is good in some ways (being a sibling could be a compliment), but not considering that it could imply I act like a 15-year-old... With all the time I have invested in education, travels and experiences since I was 15, I really hope that I have matured past that state. It just struck a chord (bad timing) because I was upset about what the girl said to me and I didn’t really know many of the people I was with well, so I walked out feeling sort of ditzy. It was otherwise good company and food (German), I guess, but it was definitely just a night where I should have gone to bed early rather than go out.
Finals are coming
Today I am kind of wondering if I have strep or something. Finals start next week (first trimester classes are over) and the pre-test period is characteristically really busy and stressful (for both the teachers and students at my school), so it’s apparently really normal that a lot of people get sick. I have to finish writing two listening tests (to record tomorrow), but I think I’m going to skip the staff meeting and head home after school. I have to bring notebooks with, but I need the rest.

Other big news: This is not the sunniest blog entry I have ever written, but I do have some really good news. I am going home this summer! I bought my tickets earlier this week, and will be home for two weeks at the end of August. I know time will fly by, but I am really looking forward to seeing my family and friends, and just be in Minnesota for a little while. I am stopping in Honolulu on the way, as well, which shouldn’t be too bad:) I have not been very homesick, so a lot of people have asked me why I’d spend so much money to go home (and not just wait until I move back in a year), but to be honest, I don’t know that I will be living in Minnesota again soon. I love and miss my family and friends a lot, and if I want to see them (and only once a year), it is going to take some effort now. YAY! Can’t wait!

The Weekend Review - Himeji, Part 2

Mt. Shosha and the Last Samurai Temple
On Sunday, Katie and I woke up to a green, gloomy sky, but we decided to stick with our travel plans and resume our adventure from the previous day. I made a quick breakfast and we headed back to Himeji on the Sanyo line, hiking shoes in toe. Katie is a true WA girl, and loves her Starbucks (but she lives about 2 hours from the closest one), so we made our second (or third?) pit-stop at the famous retailer to feed our caffeine addictions before catching a bus to Mt. Shosha Ropeway. Even with the bad weather, it turned out to be a good thing we didn't try to fit in the temple visit the day before... it really was a much longer trip than expected. Once the bus dropped us off, we scarfed down our 'konbini food' (onigiri - or rice balls, filled with salmon and wrapped in seaweed paper) and boarded the cable car to the top of the mountain. The mountains in this area seem to sporatically jut up in a heep of lucious green, but to me, they seem more like large hills (like in Minnesota) than sisters of the mighty Mt. Fuji. Then again, from the top, it didn't look like the easiest hike up, so I could be wrong.

When we reached the top of the ropeway, our guide motioned us in the right direction as we started our hike. There was a 300 Yen (about $2.50) entrance fee* and a shuttle option, but we decided to forego the shuttle cost and walk so we could catch some of the smaller sub-temples along the 30-minute walk through the forest.

As we started down the path, the first thing I noticed was the small Budha (or buhshiva?) statuettes lining the mountain trail. We were surrounded on two sides by tall, old and powerful deciduous trees, with our gravel path winding around corners and the heavy fog creating a sometimes eery atmosphere. Despite the fog, I was glad we decided to defy weather reports and head-up the mountain. Save for a group of pilgrims we passed (Japanese people visiting temples on their religious pilgrimmage - probably through Western Japan) and the monks in the temples, we really didn't encounter anyone else on the path. The air was thick and the birds sang loudly. You can almost hear the sound of the rain hitting the ground and the trees swaying in the wind. Unfortunately, the downside of a low tourist day is that most of the sub-temples we wanted to visit were closed. We peered over the sides of walls (some of them starting to crumble... but all hundreds of years old), but didn't dare venture further. After about a 20 minute walk on our winding and somwhat hilly path, we arrived at the Yuya Bridge, leading to the first big temple. The bridge was just a small, wooden bridge with metal peach decals on the four posts (significant in the Budhist religion - and in Japanese culture). Ironically, however, Katie's boyfriend (nikke nihonjin...they've been dating for 5 years) is named Yuya, so we sort of thought it was a sign it itself. I am still not sure what it was a sign of... maybe just that we were on the right path?... but it felt spiritual in some strange way.
We scowered the sub-temples for several minutes before beginning the ascent to the main hall, passing large beams resembling those that support Kiyomizudera in Kyoto. At the top, we were greeted by another small set of stairs, this time leading to a main entrance, halfway disguised by the low-set clouds. We climbed this final set of stairs, passed the dragon shaped fountains and entered the temple. A friendly monk, who was actually excellent at English, showed us several souvineers for sale as we made our way through the doorway and into the center of the large tatami room. On the right were the large Budhas, guarded by gates, to the right was the vast balcony, peering down on the area we had just come from below, and accross the room, through more sets of doors, was the lucious green and red canopy of the thick, forest trees. In the middle of the temple stood a large incense pot, giving off a sweet, yet musty fragrance. Apparently, this temple is on the western-Japan pilgrimmage and the incense burns continuously, supplied by the pilgrims who give it as gifts to the temple.
Both Katie and I could have spent more time in this peaceful, serene environment, but we were short on time and not yet to the final destination, so we took one minute to take in the scenery and look around before descending and making our way to the end of the hiking path... to the temple where the Last Samurai was filmed!

The Last Samuri Temple
After about another 10 minutes (less than expected), we walked up a hill and suddenly found ourselves in front of the main attraction: the three-sided temple used in the filming of Tom Cruise's The Last Samurai.** In the film, Cruise's character walks from a small village in the mountains to a nearby temple for his discussions with the Samurai. In reality, any such village would be hours away on foot; the only thing leading up to the temple were more mountain paths. But it was beautiful. Unfortunately, the large, heavy wooden doors, often used in the winter, were closed, so we couldn't see the inside of the temple itself. We still got a feel for it from walking on the 'balcony' area, however, and I could definately appreciate the architecture.

Back down the mountain and a final goodbye
Katie and I followed several mountain paths through the woods, leading to side temples and just basically explored for a bit, enjoying the nature. As we ventured further down the trail and onto the furthestmost loop on the mountain trail, we suddenly realized the time. With about 30 minutes before the last cable car down the mountain, Katie and I litereally ran back down the entire trail, retracing our steps (rather than risking getting lost or stuck in the dark on another trail) and sometimes holding hands so we didn't trip and fall down the rocky slope. Luckily, the trip back was shorter than the trip there, and we made it with time to spare. We took the ropeway down, rode the 25-minute bus ride back to Himeji station... and that was it! Katie and I started to say our final goodbyes, but then realized we'd probably see each other in a few weeks for the Gion Matsuri (and possibly a Fuji climb we're doing in July), anyways... so it really was a 'see you later'.

*I don't mind paying entrance fees at museums and cultural heritage sites, where the fee will go to restore and protect the area, but for how little they charge here, I sometimes wonder if it warrents even charging. The entire fee probably goes to paying the person handing out tickets!
**If you are familiar with the layout of traditional Scandinavian farms, it actually reminded me alot of that (lignet veldig - noyaktig, faktisk - pa moenstret som ble brukt eller er fant ved norske tun...til tross for at det var et tempel og midt i skogen...).

The Weekend Review - Himeji, Part 1

So a few weeks ago, I sat down with the planner and I realized that my summer weekends were almost fully booked. I have a lot of fun and exciting things coming up, but this also leaves little flexibility for friends heading home (and not coming back) this summer. So I did some rearranging and prioritizing... and this weekend was a good example of why that was neccesary.

I was originally supposed to go rafting in Shikoku (southern island), but instead, my friend Katie came down from Toyouka (Japan Sea side of Hyogo prefecture) for the weekend. Katie and I don't live very close together, but I'm lucky to have met her at a consulate event early in the year. We have a lot in common (both planning on going to law school when we return to the US - soon for her!) and always have a good time, often finding ourselves in interesting situations.

The weekend started out slow enough. I had a quiet Friday night, just relaxing and taking advantage of the alone time to catch up on some much-needed rest after all the recent running-around. It was nice; I fell asleep to the sound of the rain on my balcony and the Last Samurai playing on my laptop in the background. On Saturday morning, however, I met Katie at the train station in Himeji for the Yukata Matsuri (summer kimono festival). And that's where the fun started... our weekend in Himeji*.
Himeji Yukata Matsuri
Our original plan was to go first to the festival, then to Mt. Shosha (where they filmed the temple scenes from the Last Samurai) and THEN to the Himeji Beer Garden (all-you-can-eat/drink rooftop events that are popular in the summer). We quickly realized it was a bit too busy of a schedule, so we decided to cut out the latter two activities and enjoy the festival and sunny day in Himeji. After buying a yukata (cotton kimono) for Katie and getting the sales people in UniQlo (Japanese GAP) to help us get dressed (took 3 sales associates over half an hour to figure out how to tie the bow on Katie's obi, or belt), we met some friends at the station to start the festivities. The Yukata Matsuri takes place in the main downtown area of Himeji at a tiny little shrine called Osakabejinga and in the areas surrounding the Himeji Castle. Himeji basically consists of one main drag, with the station on one side and the castle at the other end (sort of like Karl Johans Gate in Oslo..), so we started the day with a walk down the main street. The city was packed with both men, women and children ornately dressed in kimono. In the square near the castle, there were taiko drum concerts and dance performances, while rumors of a parade swirled around town (but failed to materialize, as far as we could tell). I've said it before and I'll say it again: Japan's (often wacky and definately numerous) festivals are one of the best parts of living here. The streets were lined with food and game stalls, while people-watching was at its prime. We all decided to wear our yukata (which are less formal than the silk kimono, but still hot). It garnered a lot a lot stairs and comments, but walking through the crowds of colorful fabrics in our own dresses, as if it were completely normal, was the highlight of my day. Walking itself was somewhat of an issue (spent the day scuffling, pigeon-toed, in my geta, or Japanese wooden sandals) but the yukata obi (belt) perfectly held a little Japanese fan to fight the heat. It seemed like there was a photo-op every 30 feet and the humidy was high, but it was a rare and georgous day in the middle of the rainy season. In the evening, the crowds swelled in the covered arcades (malls), as I ran into group after group of my students, shocked and excited to catch their teacher outside of school confines (for the first time, actually... and dressed in a yukata!). It was fun to see them; I hardly recognized a lot of them out of their uniforms!
Instead of the Beer Garden, we had a nice dinner and some drinks at Doma Doma, my favorite izakaia in Himeji and then just sat and told stories for a while. The strong sun had left us tired, so we tried to make it to a late movie, but they all ended after our last train. Instead, we scooted off to Befu for a quick hour of karaoke and purikura (picture stickers) before heading home. On a random note, I'm not a great singer and am definately not a fan of Avril Lavigne, but I've recently been really into Avril's songs for karaoke lately. As Kelly put it, "it's a little scary and dangerous how good [I] am at Girlfriend singing girlfriend. That gave me a laugh. And I felt somehow a bit more dramatic (theatrical?) belting out songs in a kimono!

*So while Himeji is a famous town (home to Japan's most famous Samurai castle) and is charming, it's somewhat sleepy and small. It costs about the same amount to get from my house to Kobe as it does Himeji, so I generally choose to spend my time in the more convenient and urban location, with more options for things to do, see, eat and buy (ie Kobe). That being said, it has definately been far too long since I spent more time in the Himeji area.

A Whirlwind Wednesday & Mid-week banter

Yukata and Yakuza
At our morning meeting, there was an announcement about the Yukata Festival we are going to in Himeji on Saturday. A yukata is a summer kimono. Kelly had a brand new one she didn’t like, so I am paying for half of a new one for her and am keeping hers – it’s a pretty, purple color. Anyways, I mentioned I am going (can’t wait – I’ll post pictures!) and I was informed that the event is notorious for gangsters (yakuza). Once again, I’ll post pictures ;)
Why to be careful when you’re a Relationship Columnist on-the-side
I just made a bunch of worksheets and printed them off. Well, while I was standing by the printer, I noticed a piece of paper, written in English, sitting next to it. And I realize, “Oh my gosh, it’s my Love and Relationships Article!” This month’s topic is underwear and dating (I’ll post a link to the finished edition when it’s ready so it makes more sense). I am an idiot! I must have printed an early draft last week and forgotten the last page (with a batch of quotes about lingerie and such). Anyone who found that paper is probably wondering what I am doing at my computer all day… thank goodness I work hard enough for them not to question. But yeah.
Changes in the ‘hood
So it seems our little foreigner community is about to change. We’re finding more and more information about the new teachers that arrive in a month. The new person moving in my building is from New Zealand and maori. I’m really excited, and it will be good to get some testosterone and other cultural exposure in the mix.
Coworkers
And speaking of getting information about new people… during lunch, I was talking to some of the guys I sit by, and I found out one new teacher is 27. There is a 26-year-old math teacher, but we're not very close, so I was pleased to learn there is someone else basically my age. The teacher has a 19-month-old son, so we’re in slightly different phases of life, but that is getting to be more normal as I get older. I talk to this character (the new teacher) once in a while and his English is pretty good, but I previously thought he was in his 30s, and – ironically - he thought I was older than him!
I missed the “young people party” last Friday (a work party for the younger staff members), but I really hope I can make the next one. I am constantly surprised by people’s ages in Japan, but furthermore, am impressed by how many young, hip, mature (and respectable) coworkers I am discovering at my workplace. I feel lucky; these are good people. I have a good relationship with the people I work with, but it’d be fun to learn more about them (and about Japan through them, I guess).
On a random note, the other guy (whom I teach English with) also told me he has never been to Kyoto in his 44 years of living here. NEVER! Wow, now I do feel like maybe I need to calm down a bit. I have been there at least 6 or 8 times this year.
Nerd Alert
Tonight is girl's night. I have ESS (English club - we're working on an exchange with an American high school) and I'm going for a run after school. Then I am supposed to meet Lena, Heather, Kelly & Miwa for dinner and a correcting party. Yes, correcting. We're all busy at work, so we decided to bring our resources together, and we're going to help each other mark worksheets... Interesting night. At least you can't say we don't care.
It's funny when you consider that we had one future doctor (or medical-researcher), a math teacher, two future lawyers (in different countries) and a Japanese-teacher-of-English all sitting and correcting English term papers together. I love those girls, and love that they're such kind, dedicated and hard-working people! We're all really different in many ways, but really similar, too.

Back from Tokyo and onto Lecture, Movie, Discussion

Let the Post-Lunch Discussions begin
Today was a long and busy day, but a fruitful one. I started my 'post-lunch discussions' with the juniors this week (2 nen sei), meeting with 3 students for about 20 minutes to just TALK. I made really formal invitations and invite three students the day-of, to meet in my classroom at the end of the lunch period. They have been really receptive to the idea and are so much more open when we chat. Having three students notably relieves some of the pressure of talking to me personally, but the intimate size really makes it a cozy little group, and the students really seem comfortable and willing to practice their English. I feel like I am getting to know them better (in person, not just on paper, through notebooks), so I am looking forward to the rest of the chats during the next two weeks.
International Understanding Club
On the topic of communication and adjusting... I realized today how comfortable I am getting in Japan (or how accustomed to the culture I have gotten, compared to when I arrived). I did a presentation on the differences between high school and the education system in Japan and the US for the International Understanding Club (50-minute Ppt). I originally created a series of lectures when I was quite new, last fall. I decided to use the original Ppt file and add a few things, but it was shocking to see how my impressions have changed. Things that struck me as really strange have normalized at this point, although I was definately still able to add content in areas I understand better now, especially learning styles and major cultural differences. It was fun to see what students found interesting and suprising, particularly the fact that we don't have "homeroom" in America (40-student classes that stay together for every subject).
Zodiac at MyCal Cinema
After work, I went to the movies with some friends who will be leaving Japan at the end of the summer. It's a little silly to go to a mid-week movie, but Wednesday is ladies night (half-price for women: $10 instead of $20...) so we saw Zodiac. I liked the movie, but was again surprised by the anti-pirating commercials before the movie (so dramatic and extreme) and was impressed that everyone in the theatre sat calmly through all the credits, rather than filtering out.

No, It's Just Another Monday Morning

Misty Water-Colored Memories
It really feels like this weekend was a dream or something. A little surreal that we went to Narita to pick up Naomi yesterday morning, and that I was making gyoza with Jessica and the Chiba gang only a day ago. It was a busy weekend, yes, but I needed a break and it felt good to get out of town. Things have just been intense for the last few weeks, and spacing a gap in the routine gave me the breathing room I needed. I cried when I said my goodbyes at the bus yesterday, though... it’s getting harder to say goodbye to old friends because I know I only get to see them about once a year these days.
Monday
Today has been relatively slow, but I still feel like I have been bustling about. I had to clean up and put away all the Bunkasai stuff in my classroom this morning, but it looks better now that we have new curtains. The rainy season officially started last Thursday and it’s presence is really apparent today. I guess we were just lucky with the warm, sunny weather all weekend.
My kids were really sluggish this morning (gloomy weather, Monday morning, before lunch... no surprises there). I actually taught my first-years the words “jumping jacks” and made them stand up and stretch (considering I was the only one jumping).
A Chat with the Junior Boys
After lunch, I had my first “post-lunch discussion” with three junior boys. The boys were shy at first, but quickly opened up and were really candid. I feel really comfortable talking to with the students, so it’s good that they feel comfortable talking with me (especially if it means they will try harder in English to accomplish that). I told them about my weekend and we talked about bunkasai a bit. I was asking a lot of questions, so I opened the floor for them to ask me anything, and of course, the first thing that came up was the boyfriend question...again. I told them I didn’t have a man in Japan. That seemed satisfactory. They asked about my opinion of other teachers, but I was pretty PC, obviously. I really don’t dislike anyone at school, so it was honest. In hindsight, I would say the first lunch was a success. I think I’m meeting with three girls tomorrow, so it should be fun.
Running in the Rain
I could really use a run after school (before J-class), but it’s raining outside. If I have a full month of this to come, I am tempted to run anyways (and just get wet), but we’ll see what happens when it comes down to it. Nothing else to report for now.

The Weekend Review - Chiba & Tokyo

As the band finished their last number and the 28th Takanan Cultural Festival drew to a close, I grabbed my overnight bag and hurried off to the train station. I met Jess in Sannomiya to take the Portliner to Kobe Airport, but we had extra time, so we just window-shopped in the new Kobe Mint Building and talked. It was fun. At the airport, we picked out our Kobe omiyage (welcome present) for Molly, the friend we stayed with. Ironically, Molly and I went to St.Olaf together and Jess used to live in her apartment, so we each had our own connections. It’s actually really random considering Jess and I played soccer together when we were eight and have never attended the same school.
“This is CHIBA!”
We arrived in Togane, a small town in the 'boot' of Japan, about a 15-minute drive from Japan's third most popular surfing beach and an hour-and-a-half from Tokyo by train (40 min from Narita/ 30 from Disneyland) around 9pm that night. The flight was short and bus ride from Haneda Airport was easy, as Jess knows the routine, that old pro. Once the bus dropped us off, Jessica's Japanese friends, Atsuko and Ai, met us at the Togane station and we drove together in Atsuko's new car to Molly's apartment. While I know the experience was a lot more surreal for Jess than it was for me, it was definitely strange being back in Togane, the place I where I first found comfort in this crazy country I now reside in, back when I was fresh out of college, still a tourist here, and before I had embarked upon my experiences in corporate America. I think I have changed a lot since that time, but there was something reassuring about coming back and knowing a place, especially in a country that I now have a more intimate connection to. The first evening was spent catching up on stories, meeting Molly's friends (who were absolutely enamored with the movie they just saw, "300" (the echo of them repeating "THIS IS CHIIIIBA" and pretending to kick people down a well all night will forever ring through my memory), and consuming some rather large drinks and a lot of meat-on-sticks at the local yakitori. I was pretty tired from the week and passed out on my futon, in the middle of the floor, pretty much before everyone else (there's picture proof...great), but I am glad I got some rest because the next day was a long one.
The Original Running Buddy
We had originally made grand plans to get up early and spend the afternoon exploring Tokyo (I've already done most of the major tourist sites at least once, but it's fun to shop/look around), but when we woke up several hours past the target time, a few adjustments to that plan were necessary. It was a beautiful, sunny day outside, so Jess and I decided to go for a run rather than rushing to the city. I was really there to hang out with her and Molly, not to go to Tokyo, anyways, so the quality time was good. Running has actually been a shared pastime for Jess and I for a long time. We used to run together in Plymouth, around Lake Calhoun in Mpls, and we even went running when I visited her in Houston (wow, was that horrible! - it was really humid and I was wearing sweat pants!). I guess it makes sense that we'd add Japan as another locale. Anyways, we decided to run to a local lake on the other side of the small, downtown area. I recognized the bike shop where we had gone to get Jess's new bike fixed three years earlier on the way and was a little mystified by what a cute, small-town feel the place had. It just seems so different from where I live, although I think I've been very lucky to be living where I do. Kansai has a different culture, but it's a really good fit for me. Anyways, back to the run. So after what seemed like minutes, we approached the lake, surrounded by cherry-blossom trees (not in bloom) and with a small island and temple in the middle. On either side of the lake stood massive temples, their graveyards, crawling into the forests and hills in the background. I was happy when Jessica agreed to let me explore. As we jogged through the stone pillars of the first graveyard (not exactly tombstones - the stones look more like large lanterns), Jessica pointed to a hidden bunker from WWII in the woods(built by the government when they intercepted information that the local beach was to be invaded by the Americans). We crisscrossed through boughs and branches before realizing we still needed to get food and get ready for the evening, so we ran to the local mall (Jusco) for the end of our run. We grabbed some box lunches and went back to Molly's to get ready for the birthday party we were going to.
The Birthday Bonanza on Tokyo Bay
So when Molly and Jessica asked me if I wanted to go to a birthday party while we were all in Chiba, I thought that it could be fun, but just wanted to make sure I got time with Jess, right? When they told me it would cost just shy of $100 per person, I was a little more attentive and wanted to know exactly what kind of birthday party this was going to be. Well, it turns out it really was worth it - this party (a "25th - plus 5" party for a girl named Kay) was actually a boat cruise (with dinner and drinks) on Tokyo Bay.
Molly, Jess and I planned to just meet everyone at the station near the pier, but we ran into probably 15 people on the train ride over. About an hour or two later, the group (of about 25 people) was assembled and we walked together to the pier to load our boat.
We didn’t go very far on our little boat tour, but rather made our way into the main part of the bay and stayed there for about 3 hours, long after the gorgeous sun had set under the backdrop of the famous Tokyo Rainbow Bridge. I’ve been on the bridge probably 6 times (it’s on the bus route between Narita and central Tokyo) and have always been really fascinated by the harbour, so it was fun to actually be so close. Inside the boat, it essentially looked like a floating izakaiya (Japanese pub), with low tables (4 per table), tatami floors for us to sit on, and a bar at the back. There were 3 staff members who served us course after course of Japanese food (sushi, shashimi, tempura, soba) and made sure our glasses never emptied. Not too bad. After eating a bit, most of the party went to the deck (on the roof) to watch the sunset and wave at the other boats going by. If you know Tokyo, we were pretty close to the Fuji Building, under the Rainbow Bridge. Absolutely stunning. When the boat party ended, some people stayed out for an all-nighter at the clubs, but Jess and I headed back to Togane. We sat up and talked for a while, going to bed in the wee hours of the night. Molly actually stayed out, which was sad for me because I didn’t get to see her before I left, but I think it might have been a good thing after all. It gave Jessica some last moments in her old apartment – her old home – to just reminisce. All three of us are from Minnesota, so it was a little ironic that there was a Minnesota flag hanging on one wall (love what Molly has done with the place – super cute couch from Ikea!!), but it was touching seeing Jess picture it as it had been as she left.
A Friend from Spain
Despite the late bedtime, we were up at around 6am the next day. Our friend Shinya arrived at 7am to bring us to Narita Airport, so we could pick up Jessica’s Spanish friend Noami. Well, we arrived a bit late and Naomi was pretty shaken up when we arrived (it’s her first time here, she doesn’t speak a ton of English and she thought we forgot about getting her, poor girl!). Once we were all calm, we took a long drive through the countryside, and stopped at an open-air museum called Busso no Mura, depicting life in Japan during the Edo Period (sort of the mid-1800s, before mass-westernization and when the Samurai were still around). It was fun walking around and seeing the various recreated shops and stalls, a middle class samurai house (literally out of Last Samurai) and a stereotypical Japanese farm (7 buildings). I took some video, but I’m not sure how to post it here…
After the museum, we went back to Shinya’s house (where Noami and Jess would be spending the night) to drop off luggage, hangout with Shinya’s parents and just relax.
Dumplings, Taiko and the Trip Home
We spent the remainder of the afternoon at a cooking class, organized by Shinya. To be honest, it was a group of Japanese people around our age – all of whom were amazing at English – cooking and us watching. They seemed to know what they were doing (more excuse for a get-together than a class), and we were enjoying ourselves, anyways. While we were waiting for the gyoza, or Chinese dumplings, one of the guys invited us to take a taiko class in another room (we were in the kitchen of a large community center). It turns out his father is a taiko master, so he patiently taught us the main rhythm for the local style of taiko. We practiced over–and-over again, first through repetition, then with music, and then with some little jumps and tricks. It was actually my first time doing taiko, but I think I picked it up pretty quickly and I am now anxious to try it again sometime soon. Molly was supposed to join us (she came home too late and couldn’t make it out), but I am curious to hear more about her experiences with it. The girl loves it so much she actually spent a few hundred dollars on her own taiko drums (I am sure her neighbors will love her)!
I would have loved to spend the whole afternoon making gyoza and hanging out with such a fun, young and international group of people, but, alas, I had a plane to catch. Jessica, Shinya, Noami and Shinya’s friend escorted me to the station to catch the airport bus as I bade them farewell. I think one of them asked me why I was crying as I was about the get on the bus, but as I’ve mentioned before, it’s hard leaving good friends that you only see once a year. Jessica and I will be home at the same time in August, so I know I’ll see her soon, but...yeah.

Once I got home, I basically headed up, did some email catch-up from the week before and went to bed! Gotta say, it was a bit of a transport, but one of the best weekends I have had in a long time!

Bunkasai - The Cultural Festival!

What Exactly IS a Cultural Festival?
It’s sort of hard to explain what a Cultural Festival is because we don’t have them in America. I guess the easiest way to describe it is as a school festival, where each class (group of 40 students that have every subject together) presents a project or performance to the school. Sort of like an International Bazaar (with a focus on Japan) or a school-wide talent show. I haven’t seen High School Musical, but it might be something like that. Anyways, from my previous posts, I trust you have gathered that this event is considered a pretty big deal, is a common practice at all Japanese (high) schools and that there is a lot of preparation put into it. Most classes do dances and it seems that the most popular ideas, like Thriller or the Japanese UFO dance, are recycled over and over. There are also other classes (at my school, all the first-years, for example) that decorate classrooms or do other large art projects to display. One class made a Balloon Funhouse (a huge classroom literally filled with balloons, both taped to the walls & ceilings and floating, as well as handing out balloon animals), another class used ½ inch squares of paper to make a mosaic of their whole class (that hung outside and took up the entire side of our school), while others made a giant Statue of Liberty and even a Haunted House (yup, they made me scream once). Pretty cool! Not every club presents something, but the cooking club sold cookies and my English Club hosted a Prom (taking prom pictures). At most school, there are stands selling food (my friend Tam sold Tacos with her ESS girls), but we didn’t have it at our school. Then again, our Bunkasai was on a Friday, rather than the weekend, so we had fewer family visitors than other schools may entertain. In addition to holding the event on the weekend, I have also gathered that many high schools use two full days (so maybe a Friday and a Saturday) for their Cultural Festivals, not including the preceding day without classes used for set-up. Our school only does one.
Dance, Dance, Revolution
The dances were definitely my favorite part of the day. There was a lot of trance and Japanese hip-hop, with students in costumes, pushing the temporary freedom from the normally strict social rules as far as possible. One second-year class did jump rope tricks, while another class did martial arts. The class I work with the most (2の１) did an act from some famous soap opera, called Girlfriend, in addition to some of the girls dancing. I thought it was going to be to be a dance to the new Avril Lavigne song (since I know a couple of the boys really like her music), but I pretty much didn’t understand what was going on the whole time once I did realize it was a play. Guess you have to watch TV, um, and in Japan, to catch the references.
Lunch and Prom
After watching performances in the gym all morning, we had a two-hour lunch break. The staff all got really nice bento (box) lunches and students took a break to eat the food they had brought from home, while everyone walked around to see the decorated classrooms (like the haunted house). A coworker gave me a free ticket to the tea ceremony club’s fundraiser, where Nozaki Sensei and I enjoyed a traditional cup of matcha, served by the tea club members in their yukatas (summer kimonos). I made a quick run through all the first –year exhibits (including the Statue of Liberty and giant, lit up globe that they made), but I spent most of the hour in my classroom, hosting Prom with ESS. We made a few large posters explaining what prom is and had sample prom pictures hung up on the walls, but I would say 99% of our visitors didn’t know about the tradition or concept before visiting our room.
After the lunch break, we all filtered back into the gym (the floors were covered so we didn’t need to switch to gym shoes) to watch the rest of the performances. There was one really impressive dance by a class of third-year boys, but otherwise, the rest of the third-years just observed, rather than participating or presenting anything. I guess our staff didn’t want them spending time and energy on organizing something when the opportunity cost is studying for the upcoming entrance exams. After a few more classes did their dances, the band played and there was a closing ceremony, which I missed because I left early to get to Tokyo. I can imagine it was a lot like the opening ceremony, however with a lot of dramatic music and a speech by the principal and maybe student council.

Overall, I think my expectations were exceeded... I am already brainstorming ideas for what ESS can do next year!

For more general (but limited) information, here’s the Wiki-page on Bunkasai: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_Cultural_Festival

Bunaksai Prep

Today, Thursday, was our prep day for the big Cultural Festival. I met with the 3rd-years in the morning to practice for the speaking component of the Step Test (English proficiency test) and worked with a reading class, but it was otherwise a relatively slow day for classes. In the afternoon, however, the school was released to make final preparations for Friday’s Cultural Festival. This year’s theme was ‘Let’s Work in Collaboration’. It’s a good theme, but I wish they would consult me about names for this stuff before printing it everywhere and making posters....
Anyways, I really think our English club is ready for the big day tomorrow. We decided to use the giant board we bought as a backdrop for the prom pictures (so you can’t see the blackboard) and made a really awesome DJ booth with one of the cardboard refrigerator boxes. I’m going to take pictures with my digital camera and we’ll post them on the school website, so the students can download them from there if they want a copy. I’m excited! Actually, one of my coworkers commented on how I was probably the most excited person at our school . I'm not really sure whether it was meant as a good thing or not. My response was that she should be happy that I am so enthralled about new cultural experiences and so interested in our school's welfare and Japanese culture. It's a far better thing to be involved and looking forward to the event, than to be apathetic to the whole thing. And I guess I am also just really proud of my ESS girls and all the hard work we have been putting into this day. I really believe it’s going to be a good time!!

Musings on a Rainy Thursday

Well, we spent the afternoon prepping for bunkasai, and I think we're ready. My friend Brianne suggested that we have the kids elect a Prom King & Queen, which I think is a pretty good idea, but we're out of time. We'll see how many kids stop by tomorrow, though!

After school, I met Jess in Sannomiya. Her friend Javi had Japanese class, so the two of us went to dinner again. This time, we had a little more luck with the Russian place. Excellent Borsch and tea... it had been far too long since my last cup of Russian tea. It reminded me of the place my mom used to take me to in St. Paul as a kid - best tea in the world. And tonight, they used strawberry jam to sweaten it, which was better than I expected....I am going to try it at my place.
Dinner was fun, but I think Jess and I dominated the noise level in the restaraunt and provided more entertainment than intended. We overheard some businessmen talking about our "talking" (the two 'o-shaberi' chicas), and when we were quiet, it seemed like everyone in the whole place (which was pretty small) would suddenly stop their conversations, as well. We caught up on a lot, though, and I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. It's also fun that Jess and I now have (limited?) Japanese in common - used the normal mixed-speech I have become accustomed to using with my friends here, and there wasn't a moment's hesitation from Jess or pause in the conversation. Jess actually taught me a few words. We ran a quick errand to HMV and I came back a little earlier tonight... I need to finish my Hyogo Times article (Love and Relationship column) before heading to bed. I wasn't too proud of or satisfied with my work on last months article (which was emailed out AND in print...crap), so I'm hoping the next one is a little better.

Off to Tokyo from school tomorrow. We're staying with Molly Woods, so I'm pretty excited to see her, too. There's a boat cruise/Birthday Party on Tokyo Bay on Saturday and Gyoza (Chinese dumpling)-making party at another friend's place on Sunday, so I'll have a few pictures and stories to report back with next week. Have a lovely weekend! -Bren:)

The Cable Guy

Here's a quirky little part of Japanese culture you may not yet be aware of: the NHK bill!

Like PBS in the US, the BBC in England or NRK in Norway, NHK is the public television station in Japan. You are required to pay for it by law, but there is no penalty if you don't. I "choose" not to, mainly due to the fact that I have watched TV for about an hour (combined) since I arrived last year. And now - as with many before me - I think I am being stalked by the NHK man...

It all starts with the house calls. I have personally had many-a-visit (at my apt) from the dreaded NHK guy, but I have thus far avoided paying the bill. Trying a new angle, NHK sent me a paper copy of the bill a few weeks ago, this time asking me to back-pay the last 9 months (at about $20/m). But that is also not going to happen. I simply do not watch television in Japan, and do not think it is fair I have to pay for everyone else. The funny thing is that this happens to all the 'newbies' and seems to be a common conversation topic when you first arrive in Japan (with our 'senpai' - the foreign "mentors" who have basically just been here longer - giving tips on how they avoided the bill).

So they say the best way to get away with not paying the NHK bill is to not answer the door, but I am pretty sure 'our guy' is designated to handle the foreigners...and boy he is aggressive. Don't speak Japanese? He now has English pamphlets. One time he knocked and rang my doorbell over-and-over again for over half an hour. Like he has nothing else to do? By the time I decided to answer the door to get him to be quiet (seriously stop harassing me), it had been so long that I felt like I needed an excuse.... so I dunked my head in the bathwater and pretended to come to the door fresh out of the shower, with sopping wet hair.

Well, it worked that time, but the man is back on my tails... as is the case with all the other foreigners in our community. I just got another visit, and I caught myself checking the stairwell in my building to make sure the NHK guy wasn't at my door before heading home the other day. Not to disrespect the rules here by not paying the stupid bill, but I won't be bullied.... I physically have a television, yes, but it hasn't been on for months. I might as well not even have one. Apparently, the charge only applies to people who own a television set, so...

Wish me luck in this little game this week. I guess I've been here for almost a year, so if I can pull it off for another, I'm golden. Now I'm just waiting for the day I see the NHK truck pull up at my workplace. Seriously. They are intense about this stuff!!

Jessica is Here!

It's late. I just got back from Kobe, where I met my childhood friend, Jessica, for dinner. Jessica, an international woman in her own right, lived in Chiba Prefecture for two years and is back in Japan this month to visit old friends and aquaintances (and say hello to Japan). I am flying to Tokyo on Friday to spend the weekend with her (and see my friend from St. Olaf, Molly). On Tuesday, however, I woke up to a message from Jess saying she was going to come down to Kobe on Wednesday and fly to Toyko with me on Friday! It was a last-minute surprise, but a good one. Jess has a friend in Kobe, so this way, we get more time together and she can see her friend while she is in Japan (who she is also staying with).

It's funny, Jess and I have been close friends since we started playing soccer together on the 'Under 8' (years-old) league and lived 2 blocks apart in New Hope, but Kobe has been 'our city' in recent years. After graduating from college (and before Target), I ventured to China to teach in a summer English program near Xi'an and spent several weeks at Jessica's place in Chiba (sorta near Tokyo) on my way back to the states.

During that trip, we traveled to the Kansai area, visiting Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe. Kobe was our favorite city, so it was slightly ironic that two years later, we would find ourselves back here. That was last summer. When I first arrived in Japan, Jessica met me in Tokyo and then traveled down to Kobe to spend a few nights at my place with her friend Shinya. In hindsight, having a close friend from home to show me the ropes in my first days here was huge (from explanations at the grocery store to just moral support).

One year (and a lot of experiences) later, here we are again... making the rounds in Kobe and Tokyo. Kobe, however is charming, has stolen my heart (as far as Japanese cities are concerned), and it is always a place I will share memories from with this life-long friend. :)

Tomorrow is a short day of classes, with more Bunkasai prep in the afternoon (but I still have a busy class schedule). I might meet Jessica and her friend in the evening, but we'll see if I can swing it. For now, I think it's time to retire to bed... adios.

Facing a Facebook Addiction

So the most-recent issue of this local, free magazine called the Kansai Scene (like a hip City Pages & written in English) just had this article about Facebook. The title was, "Are You Addicted to Facebook?". Sounds like the cover of Seventeen Magazine, yes, but my friend photocopied the article and gave it to me last week. Apparently, she thought of me right away when she saw it. Ok, for those of you on Facebook, you probably know I am on it a lot... but am I really THAT bad?! Honestly, I thought it was sort of hilarious. I mean, what can I say? It really is a generational phenomenon, but has a lot to do with where I am living and where my friends live.
Let's face it... I like to talk. And this is a good communication tool. It also doesn't hurt that it is in English, for goodness sake (compared to the various communication resources written in kanji here - I'm illiterate!) . When I went to folk school in Norway (after high school, at 18), I did not have access to internet and lost touch with (or grew apart from) a lot of people from high school. The widespread popularity of the internet and services like Facebook make it possible for me to avoid that happening again. With the internet age upon us, this just does not need to happen.
Anyways, I thought this was sort of a random, but funny story from this week. For all of you in Japan, it's like an evolved form of Mixi. ...check it out ;)

I am obviously NOT a Monday person.

Or a morning person. But that's another post...

So I read my friend Megan's blog again, and it inspired me to write. It might be because this friend is writing about personal things and in the interest of just writing, versus sharing cultural or travel experiences, for example, but her blog always gets me wound up and emotional...ready to commit my straying thoughts to the processor. But luckily for all of you (??)....I haven't had time, really (and haven't posted the previous 'emotional' post she 'inspired me to write'...). My schedule's been nuts, and today, I left my keys at school. It was a complete fiasco.
The Key Connundrum
I had gone shopping for ESS stuff (supplies for the cultural festival) with Nozaki Sensei after school again, so it was already getting late. We came really close to getting into a bad car accident on the drive back from the store (the car was coming straight at me on the passenger side, but swerved; I actually screamed) and were both tired, so I had Nozaki Sensei just drop me off at a Sanyo station rather than going back to school. Well, I knew my iPod was in my desk, but forgot about the house key, so it was a bad surprise to discover myself locked out when I got home. Furthermore, I was followed home from the station for trhe second time this week. Last time, a guy in a (really expensive) big, black car tried to get me to come get-in and asked for my phone number (basically picking me up on Friday night). This time, this little punk circled me on his bike and then tried to cut me off as I was going to my apartment. I told him it was my friend's place and I was late (told the last guy I was taken), and went in. I am not sure if they're trying to pick me up or harrass me (as a foreigner?), but I am getting uncomfortable with being followed home and don't want these guys to know where I live. I told my coworker about it and they suggested calling the police if it keeps happening. Hmm.
Breaking Into My Home
So anyways, I was contemplating climbing onto my balcony (the sliding door was open because my outside washing machine was still plugged in), but it's really high up and pretty dangerous. If I fell or the balcony couldn't hold me, I would definately break something. I knocked on all the doors in my building, sat for a few minutes considering my options and what I should do next, and then decided to approach the group of housewives out front. I think I have explained it before, but the housewife culture in Japan kind of reminds me of the culture present in 1950s America. A lot of women want to have a safe life and just raise kids, or if they do work, they want to be a dental hygenist (instead of the dentist), nurse (not the doctor) or secretary (called "OL"/Office Lady here... but fewer aspirations to be the CEO). The funny thing is that these women aren't dainty at all; they actually remind me more of characters on Desperate Housewives than anything. My friend has had a few sour run-ins with them (snobby behavior?), so I was a little nervous approaching a ring of these women, busy chatting while their kids played together in the playground, to explain the sitation. To my delight, they were really friendly and helpful. They called the wife of a coworker who also lives in my building, and luckily, her husband was still at school and found my key! The coworker's wife decided to drive to pick up her husband in Takasago, but it would be an hour (plus) wait, so I decided to go to Japanese class in Harimacho. Another problem surfaced: My bike key was locked inside.
Monday Japanese Class
I called my Japanese teacher and tried to explain the situation. My Japanese is still crap (probably why I should be going to Japanese class more), but I could manuever my path through the evening's "situations", which is progress. Anyways, she picked me up and we had a Japanese class with just the two of us. It was actually a lot of fun. I gave my sensei one of my new meishi (business cards), and she was shocked to learn my last name. Furthermore, she was even more surprised that I had a Scottish name. I explained to her that my parents are American, but my grandparents are from different cultures (ya-da-ya-da-ya-da) and we had a long convo about how to define ethnicities. In Japan, if one of your parents is Japanese and one is foreign, you are not considered Japanese. You're mixed (forgot the Japanese word for it already, though), even if you grow up here, look and speak Japanese. She was surprised my mom was considered a real American, even though her parents weren't both born in America. I went to the board and gave the little "salad bowl vs. melting pot theories" lecture. It was an unexpected, but interesting, cultural exchange.
After class, my teacher drove me home, I picked up my key and thankfully got right into my apartment. What a day!
Change of Plans
I am supposed going to Tokyo on Friday (straight from school, after bunkasai) to meet my friend Jessica, but now she is going to come to Kobe Wed-Fri and fly back with me, so the week just got busier... but a lot more fun! Yay.

IFA English Camp 07 - Takasago, Japan

ENGLISH CAMP

The IFA * Soon after I arrived in my town in Japan, I joined an organization called the International Friendship Association (IFA) in the town next to mine, Harimacho. It is basically a volunteer organization, run mostly by women - mostly housewives - who host various internationally-focused social events, trying to forge a strong relationship and frequent communication between the foreigner community and permanent residents. My participation has definately been beneficial in adjusting to life, and has introduced me to not only people from the community, but a few of my friends in Japan. I met my running partner, Takiko, through the IFA and they helped arrange my Japanese classes.

English Camp * As mentioned, the IFA is extremely active, organizing various events throughout the year (incl. cooking classes, holiday parties & plays). This past weekend was the annual overnight English language camp. Traditionally, the native English speakers volunteer to help (truly - we pay for our own room & board), planning workshops and activities for the participants. This year, there were five volunteers (Chris, Sean, Craig, me & Kelly) and about 15 participants. The camp is usually somewhat far away, but this year, they held it at a dorm-like training facitility in Takasago. It was probably more ironic for me, being that my school was about three blocks away and I can see the place from the train to and from work every day, but it was my first night in Takasago and still felt like a get-away.

Varied Expectations

So Kelly and I had barely returned from Osaka on Saturday morning when we grabbed our overnight bags and lesson supplies, and jetted off to meet the group in front of the Harimacho town hall. I'm not going to lie, I went into the event with mixed emotions and was not as eager as I could have been to go.

It was my first overnight IFA (Intl Friendship Association) event and the ladies of the community are very kind, but I have had a dearth of personal time lately and was hesistant to be working with a few of the other foreigners. We have had some major communication issues (conflicts) in the past year and generally don't associate outside of professional functions. We tried to organize everything through email during the weeks leading up to the event, and our interaction did not predict things to be getting any better; I was at a point where I almost did not want to attend camp.

Passion, Vision & Motivation - What Makes Any World Go 'Round

With that being said, however, I would also like to say that I was completely wrong and - despite my concerns - the overnight turned into one of my top memories in Japan thus far. I actually had a great time with the other foreigners and was impressed by everyone's involvement. It was, without a doubt, the most real-world CLV-esque experience I have ever had. Here's why... So, CLV, or maybe Skogfjorden (the Norwegian village), has indisputably had a huge influence on me, but most starkly as a staff member. I think a lot of people who know of the program but have not really had direct exposure adn experience with it misunderstand (or don't understand) how so many people can be so dedicated to a "summer camp" (coming back for even 25 or more summers, taking your working vacations - for one guy, on Wall Street - to work in MN, making almost no money). I have heard Skogfjorden called the "Norwegian cult" because we're all friends and enthusiastic about what we do (I haven't been there for 3 years and listen to me even now!), but I think the thing that binds the people that love and support CLV together is passion, trust, and a belief that what we are doing (the CLV mission) is valuable and important. It's about immersion, fulfilling our duty as responsible world citizens and sharing our knowledge with others. I haven't always liked or gotten along with everyone at "the skog" but I love working with them, because the are serious (とても　まぎめ）about what they are doing and are willing to work hard to make a difference. We're a team and are willing to do what it takes... but even with some late nights doing prep and hard-core lesson planning, it doesn't feel like work because we all get so much satisfaction out of it (and love what we do). This is something that, for the first time since I arrived, I felt like I found or CLV and our little community had in common. Nobody at the IFA camp was "too cool to paddle"; everyone participated, but moreso, gave it their all & were really open and into it. The workshops were really creative and mostly themed (I really liked Sean's LOVE theme, Craig gave a solid presentation that could have bordered on a trust theme & Kel and I just had fun with our games). I will use some of the ideas for school, but was happy to discover such a great bonding and educational experience. It was evident everyone had a good time and that that's why we were all there. It was a pure international exchange.

Highlights

So before I gush about what I liked best, I would like to comment that the biggest setback from the night was when Kelly and I were rudely awoken around 5am by the cage of roosters under our window (we had our own tatami-mat room and balcony; the rest of the women slept in one large tatami-mat room - so you take out the pads to sleep on at night - and the boys slept in another room like ours). I woke up in a confused state, with a, "Are you kidding me? Is that a rooster?!" They should put up a notice about that... or maybe they did and it was in kanji. So random.

Onto the highlights... I would say my favorite parts of this year's camp were the music-themed activities (Unchained Melody information gap, jam session with Chris & Kelly, sing-a-longs & karaoke with the group afterwards), the "Guess the Liar" game (I scared some people with being able to look them into the eye and be unthruthful...should've been an actress?), and watching the reactions on the "what animal would you be?" game (surprised by how creative the women were).

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I don't know if I'll be able to attend another IFA event for a while (with the exception of the 'Sayonara Party' for the people leaving Japan), but I'm actually looking forward to them with more anticipation. Very successful weekend!

Left: Here are two ladies from the camp, hanging out in the hall. The one in the back is just finishing law school. We might go shopping together sometime :)

Below are some more shots from the workshops Kelly and I put on. We played: 1. the M&M game (each color represents a different question; for example, 'what is your most embarrasing moment?'), 2. If you were an animal, what would you be (everyone draws it and then we all guess who it is), and 3. the good ole-fashioned pub quiz with trivia Qs & Beatles song clips.... (all after doing the macarena, of course...hehe)

We * Red Hot Chilli Peppers

The Concert
Thirty minutes to four. I had carefully been watching the clock all afternoon with anticipation and excitement. It was finally time to change out of my blazer and get ready for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers concert. It was a normal, casual day at school, interrupted only by the flurry of emails between the foreigners organizing events for the next day's English camp. I was distracted; my mind was in Osaka, or rather, on the Red Hot Chilli Peppers tickets sitting in my purse. As the minute hand inched past four, I packed my purse up and collected my things, slipping out the door with my usual "Osaki ni shitsurei shimasu!" I met Kelly in Akashi and we elbowed our way past a gnarling teenager with her bright pink stillettos and hair extensions to the open set of seats. We laughed out loud in excitement over the RHCP Wiki article I had printed out, while each of us practiced song lyrics with half a set of headphones in one ear. When we arrived at Umeda station in Osaka, we battled the wave of bodies, switching to the loop line. Soon, we arrived in Taisho. We were there! After a quick pit stop at the 'konbini' for some beverages and food, we following the huge crowds flowing down the wide road and culminating at the large, metallic dome, somehow making our way to the arena floor. Twenty-sixth row. I looked around and was surprised by how empty the arena looked. I expected hordes of people, and especially other foreigners at the event, but quickly snapped back to reality and accepted Kel and I still stood out in a sea of Japanese fans... A reminder that while it might be an American band, we were still in Osaka, Japan.
We * RHCP
Twenty minutes past the set time and nothing had happened. There were a few false alarms, with a commotion on the floor centering the stadium's focus on a certain person or area, fans hoping to catch an early glipmse of the band. False alarms, only. And where was the warm up band, anyways? Just as we were getting restless, ready to get up and dance... the drums started and the massive crowds (appearing to quadruple almost instantaneously and magically) roared. We quickly realized this was not a warm up band... it was the Red Hot Chilli Peppers! The concert had started...again, we screamed, 'OMG - it's the RHCP!' We were so close, we could see their tattoos.
Sticking with tradition, the concert kicked off with an impromptu guitar jam between the bass and lead guitarist, done in the same key as the first song. Anthony, the lead singer, appeared on stage, jumping around in what looked like a cross between a black sweatshirt with patches and a cape. As the songs kicked into high gear, he lost the cape to reveal a Wyatt Earp mustache and bowl cut. Not the norm, but in step with keeping things new and different, THIS is what has kept the RHCP together for almost 20 years - originality, passion and awesome music. Through one hit after the next (no 'new album plugs' at this show), Kelly and I energetically jumped around, singing along and laughing. People were on their feet, dancing around as the energy pulsated throughought the stadium for the duration of the show, which seemed - if it weren't for the dominating presence of Japanese fans - could have been the Target Center back in Minneapolis. Kelly and I belted out lyrics and loud cheers from start to finish, seeming to be the loudest in the arena. Towards the end, the band did one ABBA cover (S.O.S.) and some Ramones ("Osaka-Osaka-Bobaka-Banana-Fana-Fofaka-Me-My-Mofaka-OOOOOSAAAAAKA") as the crowd went crazy again (for Japan, at least... my ears didn't ring after, but it's probably a good thing). It was a good show; we were on a high.
The Onsen Cannonball
The rest of the night, however, was more low-key. Kelly and I made our way to the closest subway station and met our friend Daisuke for dinner in Shinsaibashi, retiring to the capsule hotel/onsen for the night a bit early.
Rainy Days
The next morning was rainy and dreary as we departed from the capsule. Kelly and I had toast and salad (typical bfast food here) with coffee for breakfast at a charming, eco-friendly cafe on Midosuji Dori (in Osaka) before heading back home to get our overnight bags for English camp. Leaving Osaka, the fresh sidewalk puddles were not welcomed, but in hindsight, the rain was more of a blessing than a nuisance. The warm onsen soak left us refreshed and relaxed (vs. tired & worn-out from a busy agenda the previous night)... and we were ready to window-shop. If it weren't for the lousy weather, it would have been tempting to spend the day in Osaka (and risk being late for camp). As we reached Akashi and stepped off the rapid train to switch to the local line, the warm, sunny rays teasingly greeted us onto the platform, almost as if Mother Nature herself was assuring us it was the right decision (giving us the motivation to get going on schedule).
... Fin!
So, in brief, the concert was amazing (all hits, awesome seats & a good performance), and the capsule option additionally provided a reasonably-priced, good night's rest, especially compared to my previous experiences in Shinsaibashi. That being said, I think I have seen the last of my Osaka all-nighters. I'm just going to book at the same place next time... beats sitting on the train in smoke-stained clothes, suspciously sketching our fellow passengers a story of the previous night. Daisuke was a little shocked that we were staying in a capsule, not a hotel (I think they might have a lower-class or businessman stigma??), but it's still exotic to me and I kind of like them, anyways.

ps - I have some video and pictures from the concert, but I am not sure if it's a good idea to post them here. They are actually pretty good shots, but I was scolded by the guard for trying to take a picture in the hallway toward the end of the concert. Not realizing it was probably not allowed, I had already been (almost constantly) filming and taking pictures for the previous few hours.
My favorite clip is the Minnesota shout-out in "By The Way" and I'd love to show you proof of Anthony's 'stash... let me know if you think it's ok and I'll throw them up (otherwise, I'm willing to send via email).

The Weekend Review - The Concert, the Camp & high on the Cool Factor

It's Sunday Afternoon
I just read through some of my recent posts and discovered I consistantly overuse the words 'busy' and/or 'realized' (or have, at least, recently). This can either mean A.) I am losing my English vocabulary (been a bit mixed up on the language front), or B.) that I am too tired to think straight when it finally comes time to blog. Or both. Either way, not a good sign. I'm having dinner with Kelly, Lena and Miwa in Harimacho this evening, but it will be an early night to bed. I need the rest. I just got home for essentially the first time since I left for work on Friday morning and the heavy load is hitting me.

The concert and English Camp this weekend were utterly amazing. I will put them in separate posts...

A Whoops at Work: More Cultural Differences & Language Barriers, a Reaction and onto the Damage Control
Before I close this post, one more thing. I think I made (a potentially cultural) mistake on Friday that I am going to have to own up to and get some help with. I was playing around with the template (HTML text) for this blog and changed something that caused my profile and appendices go to the bottom of the scroll page, rather than having them appear to your right (as they are now). I couldn't fix the problem and hadn't copied the text to a Word document before saving my changes, so I resorted to seeking out a young computer teacher (who I used to sit across from and talk to on occasion) for help. I am careful about introducing new people (or rather, coworkers) to my blog, but we get along well and I trust him.
So anyways, I approached this young teacher at his desk and he graciously followed me to my desk and attempted to understand my (non-work related) issue. I don't think he got it at first, because he tried to explain to me that the HTML on my Japanese computer was different than what I was accustomed to, but I tried to show him that it was managed through the webpage provider and was not part of the system. After several failed attempts to fix the problem, he told me he was going to get Edagawa Sensei, the new computer teacher. Ok, I really like Edagawa Sensei and think he's good at his job. He's pretty funny and really nice, but - again - I didn't want news of 'the ALTs blog!' to spread any faster than a confined bonfire, and in addition, this particular teacher recently transferred from a school where three of my friends work. I didn't think it was appropriate to explicityly expose a source of information and pictures about their personal lives without their permission. It's a public blog, yes, and some coworkers know what I generally put on here, and are comfortable with it, but it seemed disrespectful.
Well, in hindsight, I would say I reacted a little to dramatically, releasing a resounding 'no-no-noooo!' when the younger teacher started to stand to retrieve his colleague. He looked pretty shocked. I tried to explain my reasons, but I don't think I very successfully got the point across. After that, I hastily told him I would just fix the problem on my own and thanked him for his help; he left. Things didn't really seem alright at this point, maybe not surprisingly, so I stopped by his desk shortly therafter to extend my thanks *again* and give the explanation a second shot. This time, I made things even worse.
When trying to explain that *I* didn't want to be rude by releasing all this info about other peoples' private lives, I am pretty sure the message was received as me saying the teacher had been rude. To make matters (even) worse, I was standing at a friend's desk later that afternoon and observed him whispering to Edagawa Sensei, presumably about what had gone down (especially since they both looked around, saw me, and then looked away quickly). CRAP.
Right now, I don't really care if they find the blog or not... I am more concerned about damage to the my work relationship with the younger teacher, In Japan, 'maintaining the wa (peace)' in a group or professional relationship is extremely importantant and I have some damage-control to attend to. I think the best option is to talk to a third-party (whom we both know and are confortable with) and ask her to explain what really happened... but maybe I should just leave my personal computer problems at home from now on (or, uh, try to tone down the drama).

Also, ironically, the 'profile location' issue ended up having something to do with the view on my Japanese computer, not with the page itself. While I couldn't alter the page's appearance at work, the issue is now miraculously solved.... it's just something funky with the Japanese system, I guess.

Ok, I have to shower before dinner. Bathing can be a bit more involved in my 'cottage', and takes some time to prepare for, so that's all for now. More soon...

Thursday Poker Face

I just got back from poker night. Wow, I needed poker night. My friend Lena has it at her place every once in a while, and this week, her Japanese host mom and some other new faces joined us. We just played for fun (using 1yen peices as chips - no real stakes), but probably for the better in my case. Today was good, but another post 6pm work day. I know my kids are doing an amazing job on the cultural festival prep, but I got a little annoyed when they decided not to use the heavy boards they asked me to get for them (that Nozaki and I bought at the home center and had delivered yesterday). But it's all cool...I guess. Right now, we're working on painting life-size figures (with holes for the faces) - our solution to not having 'prom clothes' for people to wear during the photos. We're going to have a balloon terrace (bridge over the couple's heads) with a background and fake flowers on the ground.

Here's some shots of the progress:




I'm going to Osaka for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers concert straight from school tomorrow (then capsule in Shinsaibashi), and have English Camp on Saturday/Sunday (volunteering to teach a workshop), so I might be "MIA" (missing in action) for a few days. Early call tomorrow morning, too... my baby brother is graduating from high school!! I really wish I could be there for the ceremony and miss him a lot, but I'm really proud of him and excited to at least send my best wishes from across the sea on his big day. So anyways, have a great weekend and more soon!!

One last note (I digress... as usual): I have realized it's becoming difficult to type at my typical, "furocious" pace (I'm told I'm a fast - albeit loud - typer... probably from the years of chatting to friends on AIM after curfew...).
Anyways, after much time spent designing worksheets, researching classes and, well, purusing Facebook on my Japanese laptop at school, I have become rather accustomed to the Japanese keyboard. As in most foreign counties, the keyboard uses different key locations for some letters. Yes, it still has romaji (roman characters) with an option to switch to Japanese kana...but I now keep hitting the wrong keys on my American laptop!! I also noticed I am writing letters differently than I normally do at times - crossing my "t" like I would if it were a kana character... interesting, but not great, sign...