Brenda in Japan

Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Brenda McKinney is an American living and working in the Kansai region of Japan. This is an account of her life and adventures among the fine people of Nihon.

Friday, June 27, 2008

TGIF... and a-beer gardening-we-go!

It's Friday! It's been a long week, but all the busy days at work are done and I think we've covered most of the ad space for the Guidebook we're working on for Tokyo Orientation this summer... so I'm feeling good. I wrote two tests today, too... hard to believe first term finals start next week. Time is flying.

I need to get pictures from the week up, too. The yukata matsuri on Monday was a blast. It basically involved walking around and taking yoga-pose pictures on the front lawn of the castle in the dark, but everyone looked so great in their summer kimono. Also been catching up with some friends in the area. Saw the last three episodes of LOST with Clam last night (so good! how are they going to make three more seasons, tho?!) and have been talking to the two young female teachers at my school more. One lives in my apartment complex and came over for some loco moco (hawaiian food) and fun with other neighbors on Thursday. I'm considering moving, as well, but not sure if that is even an option (even though an opportunity may be available). Would prefer more space if possible, but I like my little apartment...we'll see.

Tonight is a big Sayonara party in Kobe for people leaving soon. This season is always full of so much change!

I have to go, but hope you have a wonderful weekend everyone and I'm sure I'll have much to report on Monday. Cheers :)

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Nishi does the Dating Game

A friend that works at a local, advanced-level, public high school recently told me about an ongoing lesson he's been doing with some of his coworkers and just happened to mention that the lesson involves me.

It seems the lesson is actually an ongoing dating game where the students write profiles about each participant in the game (all unknowing aquaintances of the teacher - including yours truly) based on their pictures (pulled from Facebook!). Then, following the profiles, the students work on dialogues between each "character", work out dynamics and then I think there is some sort of dating game that everyone is involved with where the men choose the women.

When I heard about the game, I was first shocked that I was involved, then freaked a bit when I found out they had pulled pictures from Facebook. That being said, I just learned that the students deduced from my snowboarding pictures that I must be a 19 year old, college student from Finland who enjoys singles parties (and weighs 49 kg... to get into details).

Now more interested to see how the game portion of this project goes....

Update:
The results are in. Each team in the aforementioned class participated in a debate about who they thought should be paired with whom. And I ended up with.... "BRAIG" (alternately named Mr. Smith, the 32-year-old from Lima, Germany).

Shoot, I personally had hoped for the 37-year-old carsalesman/magician ("Peach Bean"), truly, but I guess you have to take what you can get... and it's fiction...whew.

(sorry, those of you in the area might get these references...)

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

What's your Japanese BMI?

Every year, usually in the spring, Japanese employees go through a series of rigerous health checks at their workplace. I think I mentioned something about the one at my job a few weeks ago (first the chest X-rays in a van a few months back and then standing in line holding a cup full of urine the second time). Well, all of us have been getting our results back recently and there has definitely been some concern based on what those results say.

Ok, first of all...don't worry, nobody is seriously ill (and I got an "A" on my health check so I'm doing pretty well... woohoo), but one thing that has been concerning people is the matter of weight.

Japan is supposed to be this uber healthy place where you shed pounds automatically by way of just living here, but I am here to tell you folks, it just ain't so. In fact, there is a lot of fried food (and carbs) in the diet, so while some people do lose weight (I have lost some, but based on the running) many people (talking foreigners, especially) tend to actually gain weight after some time in Japan.

Most of us would agree that gaining weight in itself is not a good thing... but it's even worse when not only are you 5 kilos heavier and your jeans from home are tight... but then all of a sudden you get your health check results back to discover you are obese and didn't even know it! Yes, that's right... according to these health charts we're all getting back, it seems quite a few of us are due for a diet if we plan to live here.

So Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women, right? Common index worldwide, but I just learned something interesting about Japan...

It seems that here in Japan, a normal Japanese BMI is 18.5-22.9. Overweight Japanese BMI is 23.0-24.9.

In comparison, in the west (and on International standards): Underweight is under 18.5 (ok, so the same... but most of my coworkers fall under this one), normal weight is 18.5-24.9 (yes, normal) and overweight is considered a BMI of 25-29.9. Obesity is a BMI of 30 or greater.

So basically anything slightly overweight is the Japanese equivilent of obesity. I am all about positive body images, but considering Japan just passed laws saying that only X number of people in each office can be over a certain weight or the company will get fined (YES, despite the fact that some people have different body sizes/shapes) and you will now be penalized by the national insurance system for being overweight... they really take these things seriously. Hard to ignore... yikes!

Thursday, June 19, 2008

The Weekend Review - Kobe Concerts & Sleepy Sundays

Another Monday morning already?! They creep up so quickly these days. Well, the weekend went well, but I feel like I did a lot and nothing all at the same time. I actually didn't even leave the house yesterday (Sunday), but stayed in and got some of that rest that I keep talking about catching up on. Had a million plans at first (matsuri, Ikea, Fashion Museum, running), but then realized that stuff will still be around later and ended up spending time in. But more on that in a second... let's start from the beginning:

Friday
Friday was actually sort of a special day for me because I got to visit another friend's school for their Cultural Festival. I have been to the school campus multiple times to play softball (on holidays) or meet up with my friend that works there (& sometimes her coworkers if they have been out after a work party). This was, however, the first time in the building, and even more so, my first time in another public high school during the day (where I can observe how the staff and students interact, general environment, etc).


I was hoping to arrive at Shimizu, the other school, early in the morning to catch the opening cermony and talent show, but I had to go to work for an assembly and to give a test first. One of my coworkers was kind enough to drive me to the train line closer to Shimizu, at least, and I took a cab from the station so I was able to make it to the second school in time for some the big events (after the talent show, tho... *sigh*).
My friend greeted me when my cab pulled up and her coworkers were all really kind off the bat. It was fun to see my friend interacting with her students (esp after hearing so many stories about them over the past year and a half; she has such a good repore with them) and funny for me to be around so many students that I didn't know since I have gotten so accustomed to my working environment.
Also, my friend is Asian-American and while you wouldn't think that mattered much since she is still from a different culture and country, the kids seemed genuinely interested and surprised to just have someone in the building that looked different from them... even though they interact with another American every day.


The highlights of the Culture Festival were definitely the food stands, serving everything from icecream to dumplings to pudding (we don't have them - as in any of them - at my Culture Festival), seeing the art presentations the students put together (including a Pirates of the Carribean RIDE - yes, RIDE! We waited over an hour to get in and it was so impressive... students literally push you around in a cart, the decorations would rival the Disney adaptation and I actually screamed at a surprise at the end!) and - again - meeting some of the individuals who have become almost legends based on the stories I have heard.
While it was a pleasure just putting a face to a name with many (like MF... *wink, wink*), I had a wonderful time meeting others for the first time. The nurse, for example, is a mother figure to my friend and she was a blast to hang out with. Not only was she really funny (especially when she revealed to the Russian-speaking teacher that I thought he was the most attractive staff member... in front of me!) and incredibly kind (she made me a huge flower arrangement to take home as a souvineer since she knows I have always wanted to take ikebana classes!), but I really felt like I had known her for a long time and was comfortable just hanging out in her office, even though we had just met. My friend is a lucky girl :)


On Friday evening, I went to the first half of Japanese class. It was funny when I walked in because the women in my class made a really big deal about how dressed up and cute I looked. To tell the truth, I haven't put as much effort into my appearance lately, so maybe it was just seeing me in something other than trousers and a plain shirt. And even though I had straightened my hair, worn jewelry and ironed my clothing in the morning, my hair was big and curly by the time they saw me, my shirt was wrinkled (from the sweat and humidity...eww) and it was defiitely toward the end of the day. But I guess it was cool. Our class is definitely getting to know each other better, though, and I found it really sweet that the women wanted to know all about my day. Japanese is still our common language so it's good practice to hang out with them. I'm always in a rush because class is so far away, but it might be fun to do something with them after sometime.


As mentioned, though, I only went to the first half of class and then dipped out early to go to my friend Brendan's concert in Kobe. He and another friend, Ryan, have a really cool band (the Nightfillers) and Friday was one of their last gigs in the area. I had never been to the venue they were playing at before, Helluva Lounge, but I am really glad I went. The show was a lot of fun, the bands were good and the small, intimate crowd seemed to like the music (so a good atmosphere), but the place itself also really reminded me of the smaller venues I used to go to in Oslo. I miss that scene and haven't explored it much here, so I didn't even realize it was around. My friend Leighanne and I also made friends with the bartender, who we thought was Japanese, but revealed himself as being (Japanese-) American halfway through the night. Strongest drinks I have ever had in Japan... I wonder if that was the American special?

Anywyays, I had big plans for Saturday night (another concert), so I took last train home, but was drowsy after the long day and ended up getting off a stop before the last one... which was about a 45 minute walk from home. But the weather was alright and I was in a good mood, so i didn't mind the stroll. Just made for a late Friday night.


Saturday
I met the "old ladies" on Saturday morning and had a great time chatting with them. I actually stayed for over two hours longer than I ha d planned to to talk to them, but I hardly noticed at all because we were having such a great time. I think the best quote of the morning had to have been when they were explaining to me that everyone looks better with white skin. When I told them we have the opposite perspective in America, that everyone looks better with a tan... they almost didn't believe me. Not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

After my session, I ended up just going home and cleaning and relaxing for a while. We are busy planning for the upcoming conference in Tokyo with the volunteer organization I am working with (still doing the advertising stuff... like a job sometimes these days!), so I played around with that for a while and ran some errands. Later in the afternoon, I headed into Kobe to watch the England vs. New Zealand rugby game with some boys at Hobgoblin, the new pub where Ryan's Irish Pub used to be (for those of you that know Sannomiya). For those of you know don't know, Ryan's Pub was this Irish bar we used to go to a lot when I first arrived in Japan (was a popular expat hangout). My friend Jen's boyfriend worked there and Ryan, the owner, would let us host pub quizzes and general events there. It was actually where we held the first charity gig that Kelly and I helped plan... it's a small venue, but I think we took in something like $2,000 for Habitat for Humanity that night. Not bad. Anyways, walking back in definitely brought back some memories, but I do like the space and it's nice to have a place like that in central Kobe to go for games and such. Don't foresee myself going there as much as I used to (and the social dynamic of my social circle has definitely changed since then), but I like having the option to if I ever need to. And while rugby is fun (well, I'm learning... although scram statistics - for how many times they pile onto each other- has to be my new all-time favorite sports term/stat!) and I had a good time, the real event of the evening took place after Hobgoblin at another popular expat spot, Polo Dog.

Before I left for Japan, I met two girls from Wisconsin/Minnesota who live somewhat close to my current location in Japan. I would say we're pretty different, but they are intelligent, interesting and fun ladies... and it has been such a breath of fresh air to have the option of meeting up with these midwestern gal pals (usually in random locations around Japan) over the past two years! I am sure I've described these girls before, so I won't do the whole introduction thing again... but Shannon, the one in Shiga that I went to Hikone Castle with, was singing (for the first time in public!) with some bands on Saturday so we headed over to see the gig.

Another friend of mine, Sean, and several of Shannon's friends from her community in Shiga Prefecture were also playing in the same show, so I was really glad I went. Polo Dog is probably the closest thing to an American dive bar (penned-up dollar bills on top of the bar, florescent Bud signs and all) that I have seen in Japan, but I actually really like the small space, and especially the benches on the side, for live music. The different bands decided to play smaller sets and rotate throughout the night, so that everyone could hear each band, no matter when they showed up and when they left. To my surprise, the crowd turned into quite an eclectic mix of aquaintances from various activities and circles, too... it was a late night, pretty loud and crazy by the end, but honestly exactly what I needed. Just a night to enjoy music with good friends, hang out, talk (well, not about such real issues...but still catch up) and just enjoy an ale or two. Shannon was staying at my place afterwards, so Lena decided to bike over as well and we had a little slumber party with the three of us and Miwa, my neighbor. I feel a little guilty because we were probably a little loud (and who knows when we went to bed... I think we were trying to get my hookah to work, outside on the balcony, around 3am so we could try Lena's jasmin shisha), but I haven't gotten any dirty looks from the neighbors yet, so no worries.

I have to say that it was really nice having the girls over, though. I like living on my own and it's been a while since I have had housemates or roommates, but I do miss having people to talk to late at night like that. I also used to love hosting parties and dinner parties. I hadn't realized it, but it's been ages since i've really cooked for other people...especially since my staple food (for potlucks, parties...even when hosting) has been salad in Japan. I was just making simple things like mini-weiners, fried onions (etc etc) to snack on while the girls were over (and then pancakes in the morning) and Lena seemed genuinely surprised that I was cooking so much. I was equally genuinely suprised that she didn't realize I like cooking. I guess you don't always realize that the people you know here (even good friends) still only know a portion of you - based on your life/situation here... and that hostess is just not Japan Brenda. Funny....

Sunday
Ahh, yes, Sunday. So after the events of the weekend, Sunday was spent, well, doing pretty much nothing. I made breakfast in the morning and spent some time with the girls. Also considered fixing my broken bike and going to Ikea (seriously craving black licorice lately... and lingdon berries... and swedish meatballs....), but I did NONE of it, kept the futons out, and just SLEPT most of the day. I am happy to say I am finally getting over the nasty cold (or whatever it was) that has been plaguing me, but it literally took a day of rest. This is why normal people take sick days.

This post is insanely long and I need to go, but I might head to the Yukata Matsuri (kimono festival) in Himeji tonight and have a busy week ahead (more volunteer stuff, SIX classes one day, coworker coming over for din...). Will try to post soon, but if I'm slow... know I'm at least thinking about you :) Have a good Monday!

Back on the Blogwagon

Hisashiburi! Alright, alright, so I have gotten a few emails and comments about how I have been absent on the web for a while, so (rather than publishing a pile of back-posts all at once!), I thought I would give you a little update on where I have been and what I’ve been up to.

I think my last update was a few weeks ago, around the time that I attended my first Japanese wedding. It was in Kobe (Kitano area) and I sang at the reception with a friend. In Japan, people dress really formally for weddings (to the degree of preparation that American high school students invest in Prom!), but the event is really beautiful. Most couples will hold a Japanese ceremony in the morning and the bride will change clothing for a western ceremony (and then change AGAIN for the reception), but the ceremony and reception are generally back-to-back at the same location. Such was the case with this wedding. It was over by 4pm (after which we went out for a very early start on the evening... it's not that often you're that dolled up with friends!), but it was a blast and I loved when the Australia-born groom had everyone do a TimTam Slam (if you don't know what TimTam's are... you have a very good surprise coming).

That same weekend, I also took a daytrip to Amanohashidate, of of Japan's Sankei (or Three Famous Sights). The name Amanohashidate literally means "Heaven's Bridge" and is essentially a sandbar (seriously) in northern Kyoto-Prefecture that you look at from a hill... bending over, between your legs. On clear days, you are supposed to see the sky reflecting on the water, making the sandbar appear to be a bridge crossing heaven and they have old photographs of samurai doing the pose... but how in the world did that place become to famous (and who was the first person to discover it looked like heaven from BETWEEN YOUR LEGs?!). It was a long day (almost 8 hours on trains!), but a lot of fun.

This has also been the season for birthday dinners and parties (a lot of people in our generation seem to have been born during this time of year... hmmm), and two weeks ago, my group of girlfriends and I also threw a surprise bachelorette party for my friend Heather. It was originally going to be a bachelorette weekend, but our tickets for the Sunday Hanshin Tiger's baseball game fell through, so we turned it into a day full of Heather's favorite things (or so we hoped), from a baking class in the morning (cheesecake souffle), shopping and lunch at a Spanish restaraunt, going to the movies (ended up seeing The Illusionist...which JUST came out here!?!) and then wine, yakiniku and games at a friend's house. Heather and her fiance, Dylan, arrived in Japan at the same time I did and she is part of the group of girls I meet out for dinner once in a while. I've compared it to Sex & The City before (yes, I am actually bringing it up again, Gunnar... no shame), but it has been so nice and theraputic to have such a varied, intelligent and eclectic group of girlfriends. It would be nicer if we all lived closer and could see each other more, but C'leste vie, I suppose. Still just greatful to have had them be part of my Japan experience :)

Wearing the Little Black Book (Planner) out!
So, yeah, I have had some of the busiest few weeks! Last week was also my school's Culture Festival so I was at work until about 7 every night, mostly working on art projects with my kids. Now that I have Japanese class in Kobe on Tuesdays and Fridays (and hang out with Dave on most Mondays), the week is over before I know it. Especially if I do anything out of my routine (which is always), which means Wednesday, Thursday or the weekend.

So Culture Day (arguably one of the biggest events of the year in Japanese schools) has come and gone, yes, but I’ve still been stacked this week. This time it’s with classes, though. Five on Monday, six on Tuesday (with a prep class for the group going to Australia next month after school) and most of those classes being new lesson plans and a few hour-long Powepoint presentations. Whew. Finals start next week (first trimester is ending) so things are about to settle down and I’m trying to be patient until then.

We’re also in the busy season with the National volunteer organization I am working with. I was appointed the Advertising Liaison for the group, so I’ve been spending a lot of time emailing companies and managing stuff for events this summer. It really is a different side of Japan, but it requires me to flex some business muscles I haven’t used in a while and the corporate team is amazing, so it's been fun to get to know and work with them. Funny it's all volunteer work, though!

Kansai Weather
We’re in the middle of the rainy season right now, so it’s finally warm out, but not sunny (and really, really humid). Sounds dreary – and, ok, it is – but the warmer weather is nice.
At least it helps with the humidity (which usually requires me to carry a small towel in my purse to wipe off the constant sweat!). Trust me, it can be 100% humidity and not be raining...wouldn’t have thought it before moving here.
Last weekend, my friend Hong was down from Gifu and I finally made it to the famous beach in my area, Suma, with her. The funny thing was that getting there only made me realize that the beach near my house is far superior. Now I am just waiting for the sun to come out so I can take advantage of those wonderful, lazy afternoons swimming and tanning on the beach. Fingers crossed!

Sniffles & Coughing & Colds.... Oh My!
I’ve been kind of ill lately, which has also kept me busy in the sense that I need to use the free time I do have to rest. It’s really common to catch summer colds in Japan, and even more common for them to last 2-5 weeks during this season. That being said, I don't care if it's "normal" here... no cold or cough should last for over a month!
In an attempt to get better, I have been to the doctor twice in the last week and a half (yes, mom, I went!). The first time, I think the doctor was trying to drain my sinuses and I ended up crying and screaming that it hurt in Japanese. Then the doctor was mad at me for saying it hurt (or he acted like it), so I left feeling a little better afterwards (the ringing ears and dizziness went away), but I was definitely not prepared for that visit and not excited to go back. The next time I brought a Japanese friend with me, however, and the doctor seemed friendlier.

I am not totally sure why, but they did all these blood and hearing tests (results in this weekend) to see what’s going on with my funky cough, but at least I got new medicine and am sort of feeling better. I have been using this clinic for a while and after I told them I needed more than 4 days worth of meds the last time I was sick (seriously, Japan...that is not enough!), they seem to have become accustomed to giving me a longer prescription.

It's probably also good to remember there are different plants here, so I think this whole mess could just be a cold/allergies combo (reactions seem to be diff here than at home), but we’ll see.

Alright, I am aware that this is WAY too much health information, but for as much as people talk about colds and health here (and they are mighty candid about it!), it's practically cultural.

Oh, and on the topic of health, we had health checks at work last week. Had totally forgotten that they make you pee in a cup and then carry it to this table (so you stand in line with your cup, along with your coworkers and their cups). Strange. My nurse also texted me at 6am (!!!) in the morning the day of the check-ups to tell me they were the same day and that I shouldn't eat breakfast. The whole thing just seemed bizarre, but bizarre in a way I am getting used to.

And on the Work Front... Other thoughts & Happenings...
I have one student who has been acting weird and today I just found out it is because she has been fighting with her mother. The teacher that told me about it said the girl has actually been crying in the nurse's office a lot... and is upset because her mother told her she should kill herself. Apparently the girl (who seems totally sweet and normal to me) actually tried to commit suicide when her mother told her to in middle school, so now the teachers are concerned and trying to deal with it. We don't have school counselors in Japan, so I think they are going to have a specialist come in and talk to her (instead of only her homeroom teacher), but why does it seem like when these sorts of things happen here, they are so extreme? I probably shouldn't even mention it, but it's been a pretty big deal today. It's like the horrific situation in Tokyo (with the stabbings) a few weeks ago... for as much beauty as there is here, sometimes these things just jolt you. It's like it's either really good or really bad. My thoughts are with that girl, but there are so many things about this culture that I don't understand or realize that I might overlook because the language is too advanced for me to catch... yikes.

Alright, I should go. I am visiting a friend's school tomorrow and won't be at my desk tomorrow, so I need to send out a few emails and write a few tests before I can leave today. This has been a long, random post, but a post nonetheless. Thank you for checkin in and I hope this finds all of you well.

I will be making a very honest effort to post more frequently..promise:) Peace to you all - b

Cedars

I loved them in Yakushima, but I daikirai (hate hate hate) them here for the endless suffering they are causing me. No, I am not talking about the tourists, students or even bugs, I am referring – of course – to the cedars.

So it turns out these new allergies I have acquired may be an allergic reaction to the cedar pollen. And here is the kicker... the cedar forests aren't even natural! They planted them after WWII thinking that they'd grow quickly and they'd be able to harvest the wood. Then it turned out it was cheaper to import wood from overseas.

That, my friends, is irony.

Monday, June 02, 2008

Free Legal Advice in Japan

This might be of use/interest to some:

Information courtesy of Kirill Konin at the United Nations (via contacts in Okayama-ken)...

Free Multilingual Legal Advice Hotline open Sunday June 1, 1-5PM, from Japan Law Foundation

I just received information about a hotline which will be open from 1- to 5pm on Sunday June 1st providing free legal advice to foreigners living in Japan.

This is to test the demand for such a service in relation to research by the Japan Law Foundation being made by lawyers, NGOs and researchers on the necessity of starting a specialized law office/center for foreigners/refugees. Interpretation will be provided, in many languages.

If the hotline receives many calls, this will strengthen> the case for> such a service, which seems to be to be sorely needed. If you also feel this could be an important service, please pass this> information on.

For further information, please contact: Ms. Masako Suzuki on 03-5269-7773, at the Executive Committee for Foreigners Legal Counseling (c/o ALT Law Firm).

MULTILINGUAL POSTER AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD IN PDF FORMAT AT> http://www.debito.org/legaladviceforNJ.pdf

"People say that a picture is worth a thousand words, well action is worth a thousand pictures." H.J.M.