Brenda in Japan

Thank you and Sayonara!

2009-09-19T18:04:00.017+14:00

This will be my last post. It's amazing to think that three years have gone by since I first decided to take up this blogging thing. It started as an attempt to keep up with friends and family (vs email) and to provide them with a glimpse into my experiences abroad, but in many ways, it's become an intimate setting for me to record three of the most amazing years of my life. It may have come off as boring to some in Japan (ah hem - not to name any names), but maybe that's also a sign of how normal these events were to us? Looking back now - and as I start the next chapter of my life - it's hard to not start by reflecting on how I've grown and changed in so many ways since I left Minnesota. Someone recently said to me that coming back must be a much bigger deal than leaving in many ways. You know what, I think they are right... it really is.

Natsukashi
So what did these three years mean to me? I'm not sure I can express all of it here in one post, but I will say this. Personally, I believe the goal in going to any foreign place is to leave with it feeling less foreign. Or preferably not foreign at all (dare I even venture to say familiar?). So much can be learned from the world around us and taking the time to understand the differences that make people, well, people also helps us to understand ourselves. I left Japan this summer confident in the fact that I had fulfilled this aim, but moreso, knowing that this place will forever be a more intimate location to me and that I will undoubtably be back.

Three Years

Somewhere in the middle of my time abroad (this time)... I think I grew up, really feeling like an adult for the first time. The lifestyle in Japan, especially living alone for three years, shaped this experience and affected the transition in many ways. Living on two major train lines in the cultural heart of the country afforded me the luxury of being able to jump on a train (to wherever I wanted to go) whenever I wanted. Nobody to report to and an expat community of like-minded, travel-fixated individuals that not only understood and accepted this, but also encouraged it. There are cons to this situation, such as being thousands of miles away from many people you love, but the freedom of going through my mid-20s with such an independent status has been huge for me. Liberating. There were other life experiences over the past three years that also happen to people everywhere, but really characterize part of my Japanese life or experience and also greatly contributed to how I see this time and myself. My first real, grown-up break up, for example. And then finding love when I didn't expect it. Acquiring new friends that became as close as old ones (especially when you are so far away from home and know you're on a contract for X amount of time). Even my job, which got a little repetative toward the end, offered me a source of community and substitute for a support network, when mine was thousands of miles away. And little things.... like new lectures worked into my curriculum at school, weird new foods in Ito and using new vocabulary in (otherwise really normal) situations... made the nuances of (almost) everyday an adventure.
As I mentioned earlier, living in Kansai (and my Japanese vacation schedule) also gave me the opportunity to travel the entire country and explore the Pacific. India, Nepal, Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand (twice!), New Zealand and Australia are among the other places I have seen, felt and roamed through as part of this Japan adventure, reshaping my perspective of Asia in general, of (my second home-away-from-home in) Japan, and - of course - of my own culture.

Memories & Moments - A Hodepodge of things I will/do miss... and will remember:

First and foremost: PEOPLE. There are so many amazing people that I miss dearly already and also those who taught me some important lessons that I am pretty grateful for. I can't list all of the names and stories and - in fairness - I don't think making a list can totally capture what all of them mean to me, anyways.

And my reason for being in Japan(legally at least)... work. My coworkers, who include some of the kindest souls I have ever encountered. To name a few... Nozaki Sensei (my twin), Mori Sensei (my coach), Mr. Hayashi (my mentor - knows the system), Miyake Sensei (my Japanese mom - she reminded me of my mom in some ways and was so helpful), Tsutsumi Sensei (also like a mom - or a big sister), Satoshi (who helped me when I was fresh and confused), Onishi Sensei, Moriguchi Sensei, Asai Sensei (one of the sweetest people I have ever met!), Ume-chan (who I always wished I could have deeper convos with... if my Japanese was better), Okamoto Sensei, Yamamoto Sensei (the Boss), Hattoji-kocho (who reminded me of a movie star and would try to teach me characters and talk to me for an hour in Japanese when I understood 7%), Kocho Sensei (who was just a really nice and funny guy), my first Kyoto Sensei (who was a huge Twins fan & sort of took on the role of my Japanese dad when I was first adjusting), "the Grudge" (who at least kept things interesting & gave me some stories), Shima Sensei/Angelina (who was so funny - and sarcastic!!), Arai Sensei (who always teased me and stole my Reeses, but was so much fun), Tanaka Sensei (who scared me when he was mad, but I still think is one of the coolest and most sincere men I've ever met), Nomura Sensei... even Mondays with internet news & AJ. I could go on, but there are too many stories and people that shaped my professional identity in Japan and made it fun.

I'd be lying if I said my students didn't also have a enormous impact on my expereince. They inspired me on so many levels and taught me so many lessons. I was also so lucky to get 2-1 as "my class"! Practicing for the speech contest with Mass, culture festivals, sports days, ESS parties and meetings, decorating the classroom, making lesson plans, creating IS. Even those OC journals, which were a PAIN to correct (300 every two weeks!) but gave me an outlet to communicate with the kids and an opportunity to get to know some of them well.

There's mystical Yakushima. Kyoto's temples. Shinsaibashi's lights. The Akashi bridge, which still felt enchanting after hundreds, if not thousands, of times passing it on trains (and by bike, by boat, by bus, by car... and even by airplane). Castles. ONSENS.

Outside of Japan... the flight around Everest was phenonenal. The international elephant races. My first banana-pineapple shake. Camel rides in Rajisthan and Saris at the Taj. Thai massages and missing boats and planes due to them. Feeling the freedom of falling on my first Skydiving experience, with mountains, volcanos, the ocean, the city and farm plots below me was spectacular. Showing up in India and being greeted by cows on the runway. There was that rather frightening New Year's in New Delhi. A rather shocking and exhilarating New Years on the Moon Party Island in Thailand. And the rather low-key New Years in NZ.

Going to visit the Mekong River valley with the students we met on PEPY and learning about all the inspirational programs working to make the world a better place was a priviledge.

Then there's also stuff like AJET. Getting to know people through Saturday meetings at Starbucks and those horrible little dating articles I used to write. Oh, and the Halloween party when the building burnt down! Tokyo Orientation and everything with the national committee over the last year.

I'll remember fondly Akashiyaki and the little shop run by the old Japanese women who didn't speak any English. My bentos from Gruppe, the coffee shop in Takasago that made homemade lunch to go. Meeting my old ladies on Saturday mornings when I was often much too tired from the night before. Late night training runs with Lena. Learning how to really run with Takiko. My very first long run on my own to Akashi and back (especially after a night in Akashi with Kelly). Meeting Kelly at the park in Harimacho for silly or serious chats on the swings. And the day we first found a yukata hanging in her closet and took pictures in the "kimono," so excited by the exoticness of it all. Our group of girlfriends and our secret santa Christmas parties and "meat nights". The Cho.

Other memories... Spending time with the infamous Kazu and the gang at the little izakaya in Mukonoso and cutting through the rice field to return to warm blankets and icy floors. Gossiping about pop culture with Jane. Parties with Daisuke. Pure during our first year. Barbeques. Spontaneous dance parties to spontaneous Youtube playlists. With sometimes suprisingly sponataneous people. Taco Nights. My first cockroach(es).

The adventures with all of my lovely friends that came to visit: Joe & Brianne on the boat to Korea (not to mention that bike ride in the rain, 4am prayers & the hunt for "sweet balls"!), Claire and my "tropical" roadtrip to Shikoku (and getting busted for wearing the wrong shoes on Koyasan - だめ is one of the Japanese words Claire knows best!), running around Kitano with Shinya and Jess, Kiyomizu in the rain at night with Andrea & Andres, the Sapporo Snow Festival with Kristin, Kimonos with Krystal, purikura with Shannon, my first frisbee golf game with Bek & Chris, joking around with punks outside the convenience store in Harimacho with my brother, Sweets Paradise with Caroline...

I'll never forget my first Ghible movie with Ben. Those weekly TV sessions with Tam and Clayton (WWJLD?! and illegal baby). Drinking on the bridge with Tu-chan when he first arrived. Balcony talks with Mibs. Going to the foot doc with Miwa after the marathon, which felt more like a dating show than a treatment visit on several occasions. Mischief at the Re-contracting Conference. Volunteering at the Midyear and Yashiro. The roof and fire extinguisher at Yashiro! Pulling pranks with the Chelsie cutout and all the IFA events. Language classes in Harimacho, then in Kobe with Caoimhe. And almost setting a boat on fire during the 4th of July fireworks! Or then there's the next 4th of July at the park (still hope there wasn't a camera...). My joint birthday with Kelly at Elephant Cafe. Then my wine birthday at Alberta Alberta the following year with one particular guest in the fountain. Hiking through Rokko. Bus and Shinkansen trips to random places in Japan.

It would take me years (maybe about 3?) to tell all the stories.

The point is that the moments truly transcend the experience, leaving me ever so grateful that I was lucky enough to be the normal girl who got to experience all of these extraordinary things.

Coming Back

Starting this fall, I will be working on a master's degree in Boston. I am still playing around with starting a new blog (brendainbeantown), but until that happens, I can tell you that things are going well. The culture shock is pretty much gone and I'm happy to have a new place to explore and be back in academia. I drove out with my family a few weeks ago and live in a house with a few other women. Nice campus, fun setting, beautiful town... and I'm eager to see more.

SO... In closing. Thank you to all of you that have followed along -- even during those times when I wrote out of boredom and this thing was frivolous or boring . And thank you to everyone in Japan who made this experience so exciting and fun. I miss you already and look forward to hearing from you.

Milestone in Minnesota (and beyond)

2009-08-20T18:16:00.004+14:00

Besides the new zombie bar in town and Obama's health care plan, the local blogosphere and general buzz here in Minnesota has also been focusing a lot on a new decision by the (Lutheran) ELCA that (some) same sex marriages will be recognized. Big news!

Shopping Day

2009-08-20T12:43:00.006+14:00

Sitting at my best friend Kristin's house in St. Louis Park right now, showing her how this whole blog thing works :-)

Long day today! We hit up the Wayzata Church sale at 8am, proceeded to go to some other shops for more sales, lunch with my mom and now movies (Time Traveler!) and pizza. Tired, but lots of fun. Also a bit bad because I bought 3 pairs of shoes... but gotta prepare for the winter, right?!

Ok, time to move onto the "publishing post" section of this lesson ;-)

Unpacking to Pack Again

2009-08-18T07:28:00.006+14:00

Unpacking at the moment, so probably a bad time to send an update (still living out of suitcases, but starting to address all the "other" things I didn't send or bring home with me on this most recent move as I prepare to move to Boston in 2 weeks). Wow. I don't even know what to say. I own SO MUCH STUFF.

Started going through all my stuff in storage and I'm slightly shocked (horrified?) by all that I own. Probably a whole apartment worth of stuff at the farm (kitchen stuff, bed, etc), but just the clothing, sentimental paperwork (souvenirs and brochures from travel and Japan stuff I've brought back in past visits) and other random tidbits (especially jewelry, gifts, boxes, frames...). Mammoth amount. Out of control.

I think I need to simplify my life a bit. I've always been a little bad with transition in the first stages (can you tell? haha), but like moving around and like my space and that lifestyle is just not congruent with the massive amount of material things I own. I definitely don't need anything right now, which is a good thing, but I am really considering looking into holding a garage sale before I go!!

Alright, back to organizing (just thought I'd comment)! More later!

All You Need Is...

2009-08-18T07:26:00.003+14:00

Binary heard from xkcd. Love it.

Home in America. Week 2.

2009-08-17T21:13:00.006+14:00

Installment 2 of the transition back to home/America/life as normal (old normal? familiar normal?):

I've come to realize that a lot of the culture shock that's been hitting me is social. Three years is a long time to be gone and there have been a lot of changes, particularly in the last year or so. Minnesota culture sort of stays the same in a charming way, but there is a lot of variance to how things used to be. For one, people are working and are busy now while I'm free (touched on this before, but the concept has permeated further in the last week). When I've been here before, it's been Busyville central - I was running around and on a limited schedule - but now that I have more time and am home permanently (to a degree)... I'm feeling the difference. My friends are more settled in their jobs and careers, which is good, but the free time is sort of a mixed blessing in ways. I'm living at home and am dependent upon my parents for a car (which I have to compete with my college-aged brother for), which adds another layer, especially after 3 years of living alone and being able to hop on a train to go wherever whenever I wanted to. A lot of people have stayed here, but there are also many people that aren't here and I feel that difference, too. Those that are here have also changed in further ways. Again, I said this before, but a lot of friends have gotten married or even have kids. I think this is a wonderful thing, but now the girlfriends I used to talk to a lot or go out with now go home early and hang out with their husbands (formerly the boyfriends we used to chat about) or have to get to bed for work, so they're busier and have different priorities and schedules. You'd think it'd be similar to before, but it's definitely... different.

Maybe I've changed, too. I know I have. I feel older (mature is a better word?) and have all these memories and experiences I'm trying to fit into context and am figuring out how to do it slowly. Minneapolis (while constant in cultural traits) seems smaller than I remember it (literally). Very flat. Very spread out. And not necessarily boring, but the little things that I found exciting before are sort of nostalgic but not necessarily thrilling. Japan is just very unique, so I guess getting back to normal now feels like the adjustment rather than fitting my home culture into a context that I expect to be foreign. I think it matters that I'm not making adventures to do the exciting things and trying to relax, so I'm feeling the burn of slowing down a bit. It probably comes down to the fact that I'm the type of person who likes to be busy and not having something to do (school, works, etc), even with vacation time, gets old after a bit. I haven't just been sitting around but I guess I like purpose and am ready to have one again soon.

All that and way too much analyzation aside, I guess I haven't only been sitting around. Had a really great day on Friday. Met an old coworker and her husband for lunch downtown (realizing the new stadium is well on it's way - huge new complex!?!). This friend left Minneapolis to work for a retailer based in New York around the time I left for Japan and it was fun catching up and hearing about the coast I'll soon be calling home. That night, I went to a bachelorette (for the sister of a friend who now lives in NYC, too) and went rode the pedal pub, basically a bar with 5 bikes on each side that you ride around the city. My butt hurts because I was a little too short and had to reach for the pedals (back to being in the land of tall Scandinavians and Germans!), but it was a really interesting experience and everyone we rode past waved or yelled out, which was pretty cool. The party ended early, so I drove to meet yet another friend from Norway/CLV in town for a wedding who did the Peace Core and also lives in NYC (yeah, I know... NY day?!). We met at a pub, where I ran into a group of college friends and some other camp friends. A lot of catching up and loved seeing them, but that was all in one day alone. Spent Saturday lunching with a girlfriend from school and then spent Sat night at a friend's house, making Japanese food (enough for 20 people to serve 3!), talking politics, sipping homemade beer (the "Brendawisen"... it was great - my friend Chris is amazing!) and then saw a friend from high school again and went to a wedding reception for even more Norway/camp friends on Sunday night. Lots going on.

I'm really glad I have so much time at home, but will probably find myself with a handful of errands to do when it's time to move again in 2 weeks.

Anyways, doing fine and working on getting back into the swing, but I'll check in again soon. I'll probably a few more posts on this blog before I sign off for good (maybe start a new one for New England?), but until then... Coping. Having fun. Loving the time with family. And definitely grateful for the last 3 years, even if it means I'm not "settled down" (that was a joke from last time if the sarcasm didn't translate)...

First Days Back in the US

2009-08-13T18:25:00.006+14:00

It's been about a week since I moved back to the states so I thought I should check in.

Minnesota feels very normal in so many ways. When I arrived, the thing that hit me first was how FLAT it (seriously watched the green farm plots for a good 10 minutes in awe as we were landing and was further awed by what should be a familiar landscape - just devoid of mountainous and smokestack-filled landscapes that I'm used to seeing - driving home) was but otherwise, not too many changes on the surface level. But as time has gone on, I feel like there have been layers of realization and surprised that develop on a daily basis.

Culture shock is one thing most people are asking about. You get a lot of warnings about reverse culture shock when preparing for an international move (especially coming home after being gone for several years), but to start with, the toughest part of coming back has honestly been the jetlag. It's taken me a full week to get used to the time difference, but I'm finally sleeping through the night here. I think I was so focused on visiting people and doing stuff while I was here the last 2 summers that I've been home to visit, that I just pushed through the issues that come with a 14 hour difference (total day/night flip), but this time was a bit rough. I was up at 4am pretty much every day for the first few days and found myself feeling very tired during the day. I tried Nodoze (safe sleeping pills from the drug store) after day 2 without sleep, but they didn't help much, and it took about 5 days before I was able to safely take a nap during the day without my body thinking it was bedtime. Before that, it just felt like doing all-nighters day after day and my body trying (unsuccessfully) to catch up on sleep in between. I tried to just take it slow and take the first few days off, but even that plan was more of a struggle than I remembered with my family wanting to do things now that I'm BACK, and the process seemed longer than it did when I came back from 6 weeks in Asia in 2004, when I taught in China.

I thought I would be exempt from actual culture shock this time, or at least only encounter it in small doses, since I've done it before with Norway but it's funny how it hits you in the smallest ways. Japan is just so different from home, but so normal to me in so many ways and the small situations that come with readjusting to a life without those differences in my day-to-day had definitely caught me off guard a few times. I went to get my computer fixed at the mall this week and was stunned when the people at Apple (5 employees standing near the door) didn't overtly (and overly) express their profound gratitude to me for stopping in the store. I waited for it, but they just stood there and didn't even smile when I was obviously leaving with purchases from the store. I stopped in the Gap for a second to check out what's "in" here and was halted when I didn't get a face cover to try on clothing in the dressing room or have to take off my shoes (for nice carpeting) in the changing rooms. I had trouble with my first few showers here because I'm now so used to taking baths, but I find myself wanting to take baths more than showers now (because that's what I had to adjust to in Japan) and was a little uncomfortable getting soap in the water when I did run a bath (or realizing I can't run the bath water in advance and cover the tub so the water stays warm and can be reused because you clean your body and wash your hair before you even get in so it stays fresh). Finally, on a different occasion, I went out to dinner with two girlfriends from high school and felt uncomfortable taking a sip of my wine when we didn't do a kampei (cheers) beforehand. Strange.

While Minnesota feels normal (though not necessarily like a place I LIVE still, like it has in the past), a lot of my friends have gotten married or had babies since I left which has also presented a major lifestyle change. I'm living with my parents, getting directives on planning my schedule, borrowing a car (my old car, which I now share with my brother - and need to get around because there's no real public transport) and am getting all these questions about my life plans and when I'm going to "settle down" (in Minnesota) to a degree I've never experienced before... when I'm really still in a phase where I want to tell stories from all these cool experiences I've just had. So yeah, I guess culture shock is hitting. I do realize that life goes on here, though, and that even though I'm on vacation and just got home, other people's lives have gone on and that people don't necessarily want to hear all of my stories at once (or can't relate to all of them), but it's also a change from the expat community where most people I associate with do travel internationally a lot and have similar lifestyles. It's something I guess I need to adjust to (because I'm the one who needs to relate to people at home). It's just a reminder I've been gone a long time and life goes on... maybe has so more than I realized, even though I've tried to keep up with here while I'm gone.

I have about 2 more weeks in Minnesota before I leave for grad school in Boston and I am looking forward to them and am really, really happy to be here. It feels nice to be around family and friends. Hard to believe I was running through rice fields a week ago when I'm napping with the cat now, but both lives have their charm. I am ready to be here and feel like I left Japan content and at a good time... just adjusting :-P

Moving On and Moved out

2009-07-30T01:02:00.003+14:00

It's been a pretty full on couple of days, but I'm officially moved out and met my successor today. She seems really nice in person and actually a really excellent fit for my school, which makes me happy.

It might also be a good thing that the moving (out/on?) process was so enveloped and has been ongoing, because I think it really helped on the emotional front, especially with such a big move. The new girl moved into my place today and while it was my home in Japan for 3 years here and will always feel like it, I am actually OK with passing it along... maybe it helps that I feel like it's going to a good person, though?

Or maybe this is what they call true closure ;-P

Mission Packing - Complete.

2009-07-27T20:25:00.003+14:00

Somehow I pulled it off and packed up everything in my apartment. The space is really not that big and I had nothing when I came, so not really sure how I managed to take out 22 bags of trash, but the place is looking good.

I finally finished everything around 3am last night (furniture in the kitchen for the floors to be replaced, etc) and have been cleaning most of the day today. I went into Harinan, my visit high school, for the morning since it's my last day, but I had to get back to the apartment to meet a coworker from my normal school who helped me when the gas, electricity, water and tatami people came so I could pay my last bills in cash.

As for packing and getting things home, I thought I was going to make it without sending anything, but after actually putting things into the suitcase, I realized I am better off sending my books and papers home since the book rate is so ridiculously cheap (and I can't really be bothered to cut the pile down further anymore). Other than that, even the shoes are good to go!

Feeling pretty good about this feat right now. Even though it's a sad goodbye, it's also a happy one in some ways as I'm sad because I've had so much fun here. Getting cheesy, so I think I'll end this here. But packing is checked off the list!

Packing - Round 2

2009-07-24T23:17:00.002+14:00

Wow, so much stuff. Still going.

Fit all my clothes and DVD player into my big suitcase and it's at the weight limit.

One more for SHOES, papers, books and whatever else... actually doing OK (for now). Taking a break for some brazilian BBQ and birthdays in Kobe. Back tomorrow!

New Fave Japanese Word

2009-07-24T17:05:00.001+14:00

Gokatsuyaku (ご活躍) = I wish you an active and successful future ("I wish you many more wishes")

ESS Farewell Party

2009-07-24T16:23:00.008+14:00

After a week, I was finally allowed access to my classroom again by ESS.

The surprise farewell party was supposed to start around 9 (was tipped off by another teacher...), but I got pulled into the Principal's office in the morning for a small ceremony when I was on my way to the room. The situation was actually sort of funny. The prefecture gave me an official certificate of appreciation for spending 3 years in this school, so Kocho Sensei (the Principal), Kyoto Sensei (Vice Principal) and the head officer all stood in a line and congratulated me formally while I bowed and accepted the document. It was just the 4 of us and I kind of wanted to giggle because it was so formal for just a small ceremony, but I kept it professional and did my bows before running off to find the ESS girls.

When I got to the classroom, I knocked on the door, it opened a crack and an eye peered out to see who was there. I heard some shuffling and then the door was opened all the way so I could come in.

I was so impressed by my girls! Wow! They bought a ton of food for us to have while we hung out with, painted a sign, decorated the chalkboards and even prepared a little speech and had presents for me. I was especially blown away when Rachel and Hiroko gave me LUSH bath bombs (with rose buds in the middle) - LOVE them!! Awesome. Tsutsumi Sensei also gave me a really cool windchime and some playing cards with scenes from Japan on them. Treasures. They will definitely be moving to Boston with me. We went through all the places on the cards, too, and I think there were only 3 or 4 famous sites in the deck that I haven't seen yet... good icebreaker for home if anyone wants to know more about Japan:-p

I was talking to the girls about their new foreign English teacher (who will be replacing me) and some thing they could do with her, when I realized I still had 2 of the pinatas I made in Febrary left that we never used. I told them they should throw a welcome party and use them, but the girls didn't really know what a pinata was so we ended up filling it up with snacks, sewing up the bottom right then and there and using them ourselves. I put a bunch of pennies inside it, too, and each girl that got a penny also got a nicer prize (some candles, soap and candy I had never used but picked up on my travels here). I actually already had a hook on the ceiling from when I first planned to do the activity with the club last February, but the adhesive wouldn't stick with the humidity and it kept falling, so we improvised and I stood on a desk and held up the string while the girls swung the bat. Fun times!

After about 3 hours, we ended the party with one last hour of scary stories (lights off, curtains pulled... just like a middle school slumber party... haha). Most of the Japanese stories they told were pretty similar to the ones we told growing up in the States (guy with the hook in the back of the car, etc, etc), but everyone was a little jumpy after a few of them. Even I jumped and screamed at the end of one of them!!

When it was time to say goodbye, I think it hit me for the first time that I was really saying goodbye to my students for the last time. I almost started crying, but gotta say I am so lucky to have such awesome students. Great party. And an awesome 3 years.

Farewell Ceremony at Harinan

2009-07-24T16:23:00.004+14:00

Just gave a farewell speech at my 2nd high school. Nailed the Japanese (memorized) and wasn't even nervous even though it was 1,000 people. It helps that I gave almost the same speech a week ago and didn't know these kids as well (slightly less emotional, even though I am going to miss my Global and ESS kids a LOT. Right now I'm actually feeling like I've actually accomplished something here :-p

Packing is INSANE. It looks less like a tornado ripped through the middle of my apartment at this point, but progress is slow. Probably taking out 20 bags of trash (10 down, the rest in the kitchen) and I have a ways to go, but getting there. I have to be ready on Sunday, but have a birthday party tonight and wedding tomorrow. Whoosh! Things have hit the fan!

I also recently found out I might not have to be in Boston until September, so may have an extended stay in MN. You know me... was immediately disappointed that I could have stayed or traveled more when i found out, but now thinking it'll be WAY less stressful. YAY!

Need to go. They forgot about our speeches to the staff this morning, so we're going to give them during lunch (soon).

Packing - Round 1

2009-07-23T06:57:00.003+14:00

I just spent over 5 hours packing up my little apartment. It still feels like home, but it's starting to look a lot more empty. Took out TEN bags of trash tonight (mostly papers and brochures from travel) and all the cabinets, closets, drawers and boxes are emptied out. Granted, there's a huge pile of stuff on my bed (sleeping on the futons again for the night), but it's in piles and not as bad as I expected.

Have a lot to do tomorrow, but am off to take a bath and get some sleep. Getting there...

The Darkest Hour

2009-07-22T07:16:00.007+14:00

Or 5 minutes.

So cool! We're experiencing the biggest solar eclipse of our lifetime in Japan today (over 80% coverage where I am). School staff, students and neighbors are all outside to watch it and a coworker brought in safety glasses so we can see it better.

Check it out... heading outside:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2266.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/07/22/solar.eclipse/index.html

The One & Boom Boom POW...

2009-07-16T03:17:00.006+14:00

I listen to a lot of different kinds of music, but definitely love me some pop/hip-hop from time to time (great for the running mix!). This could be a sign that maybe I spent too much time with teenagers, but I guess that happens when you work in a high school...

Anyways, I really like the new Mary J song... check it out:

One more silly folly, BOOM BOOM POW by the Black Eyed Peas (might be a little behind on Japan on this one - don't know it from the radio waves over here yet)...

Wallet & False-Alarm Warning...

2009-07-15T20:35:00.002+14:00

So I got called into the principal's office yesterday and I was really worried it was about the fight this weekend. He was really serious when he asked me to come in, so I asked a coworker to come with and translate, hoping it wasn't a serious conversation about my social life and not getting involved in certain situations (think my mom has already given me enough of that lecture...). Turns out it was just about the speech I am giving on Friday (to about 1,000 people in Japanese!!). Whew ;-)

The principal basically wanted to check some details about what I've done at school and with my volunteer work for the non-profit and the prefecture for the introduction and farewell speech at our closing ceremony. The best part of the meeting was definitely when then moed onto discussing my going-away party (or how I might not have one because time is limited and people will be traveling on school trips or attending other work parties soon). The principal was really adament that I should get a "beer party" (yes, a beer party) outside of school, so we might have a big shindig at my colleague's house sometime next week. Can't wait!!

Just one class today, but I've been really busy. I spent a few hours trying to call NTT (the phone company) this morning and was really annoyed when the line was busy about 15 times. I finally got through and arranged to turn off my phone, though... which means I am officially set for leaving Japan. Wow. Tatami, visa, gas, electricity, phone, internet, pension refund, address change at the post office -- it's all arranged.

It's a little weird that I won't have a "home" here in 2 weeks time and all these comforts will be officially cancelled before then... but I guess that's just part of moving on (and trust me, there's a lot of moving on and cancelling to do after 3 years).

We had a small surprise party for my neighbor's birthday last night and I spent all evening in my new jimbe, the gift from my coworker. Fits perfectly and is really comfortable. Just when I thought I was the luckiest gaijin around for that present, though, I got yet another surprise gift that brought me to tears in the afternoon today. All of the female teachers pitched in and bought be a HIMEKAWA wallet. Himekawa (Hime for Himeji and Kawa for leather) is a really famous type of leather from this region. The wallet is beautiful: white with flower and butterfly designs. I'm almost afraid to use it and am so impressed. I like my wallet now, but my other leather wallet was stolen last winter, so I was pretty happy to get a replacement for it -- and one that means so much. Will have a lot of thank you letters to write over the next few days.

Right now I'm working on that speech for Friday. It's not that long and I've already decided what I want to say, but I'll have to practice the Japanese translation tomorrow...

DSLR advice

2009-07-15T14:59:00.005+14:00

I've been thinking about investing in a "real" camera for a while (especially for travel, etc). I know other people here in the same boat (want to invest, wondering if they should spend the money), so I thought I'd pass along some really good DSLR advice a friend just sent me.

I might still wait to get one, but I'd definitely go with the Canon. Anyways, enjoy:

Without further ado, on to the camera stuff.

First off, either a Nikon or Canon camera will be a great camera. A lot of people squabble about which is better but it really comes down to investment and personal preference. I have always used Nikon and find them a little more comfortable to hold and use so I will continue on with them. Again, this doesn’t make them superior or inferior to Canon.
Secondly, the best sites to buy camera equipment are www.adorama.com, www.bhphotovideo.com, www.jr.com, www.tristatecamera.com, and www.calumet.com. Amazon and ebay are also good resources.

My camera is a Nikon D70 introduced in 2004. It was the second tier entry-level amateur camera back then. Since then Nikon and Canon has added three or four tiers to their product lines. The top tier is professional, next a high-end amateur, then mid-level amateur, then an entry-level amateur. The D70 was really one of the first really good, affordable DSLRs. The Nikon D70 was replaced by the similar Nikon D70s (really the same with a larger screen) in the spring of 2005 and a 3rd tier camera was introduced (Nikon D50) about the same time. The D70s was replaced by the D80 in August 2006. The D50 was replaced by the D40 in November 2006. The D80 was replaced by the D90 in August of last year. The D40 was replaced by the D40x in March 2007 and is not as good of a camera. Why am I telling you this? Because it matters, a year in digital cameras is equal to 25 regular years. A camera introduced 2-1/2 years ago may as well be 62 years old. It's completely obsolete.

There are two generations of cameras. The difference between generations is so significant that the best Gen 1 camera, the D2Xs, can't make pictures as good as the cheapest Gen 2 camera, the D90, in most real picture-taking situations. The most recent generation 1 camera is the D40 (we’ll forget the D40x because it stinks). The first generation has only primitive picture and white balance adjustments. Generation 1 cameras have an Optimize Image menu with crude controls allowing only two rudimentary options of "Enhance (+)" or "Moderate (-)" for saturation, and WB trims that extend only to ±3. There is no green/magenta adjustment for WB, which is too bad. Second generation cameras offer the potential of significantly better real image quality because Gen 2 cameras add Nikon's Adaptive Dynamic Range (ADR). ADR allows Gen 2 cameras to render most real scenes much closer to the way our eyes see them, without a bunch of added contrast, blown highlights and blocked shadows common on film and Gen 1 cameras for most people. Generation 2 cameras are sweet and do a whole bunch of other stuff that is really nice. But I know you want an entry-level camera for cheap so you can play around and get comfortable with it then move up. That’s fine. The argument I’m trying to make is don’t get my camera because it is so obsolete and you can get a much better camera for about the same price. Get a D40 (and yes I know that it is 70 years old according to what I told you before but it is still the best Gen 1 camera). It is the camera you want. It has a great screen, which is more important than you would think because that is how you can tell if your pictures are nice or not, it is light, fast and can do everything my camera can do but does it better. I know you are worried about the price, but hey are only 450.00 with a lens NEW! The ‘buy it now”s on ebay for a D70s with lens are 450.00. Why not get the newer better camera for the same price?? Do not get a D70, the screen is way too small. If you want a refurbished camera the price drops to 375 and without a lens it drops to 330 (all prices quoted are from adorama). Boom, done!

The extras. I’ll do the lenses first then move onto a lens cover and flash. The lens that will probably come with your camera is a 18-55mm DX, a very nice lens. If you are looking for more lenses that will cover a wider range consider these: 10-24mm DX, 35mm f/1.8 DX and 55-200 VR DX. The 35mm is a tougher faster lens than the one that comes with the camera. That allows you to shoot in lower light levels without the picture becoming blurry. The 10-24 is a real wide sharp lens. It will allow you to fit more in the frame. The 55-200 is a zoom lens that will allow you to blow up objects further away. You could also get a 18-200mm VR DX, which is the lens that I was shooting with most of the time.
The thing about lenses is you never really want to carry more than three lenses. If you want to cover everything you want a low light lens (35mm f/1.8) one that is really wide (10-24mm) and a zoom (18-200mm or 55-200mm). You do not want the lenses ranges to overlap and want to try and keep the weight down. So if you do buy a 18-200mm VR DX then don’t get a 55-200mm DX. You also want to keep the weight down and that is a disadvantage for the 18-200mm, it is kind of heavy and expensive.

The last two accessories I would recommend are a flash and a lens cover. The lens cover protects the lens and depending on which one you get acts as a filter too. They never loose their value and are much less expensive to replace than a lens. I like Hoya for a protective UV filter. The flash I have is a Nikon SB-400. It is tiny and really nice and adaptable. It is also pretty inexpensive if I remember correctly.

Brenda Brew

2009-07-14T15:58:00.005+14:00

I'm going to be very, very sad to leave here. Japan has become my normal in so many ways and it's going to be painful saying goodbye to many of the people I am leaving when I leave here.

But at the same time... I have to admit I'm a little excited, too.

Change is one thing. I kind of want a new challenge.

Here's another reason. Check out the "Brenda Brew" my friends Chris and Bekah made for when I get back!!:

Wow... Homemade beer! YES!!

The Otsuka Museum of Art

2009-07-14T15:42:00.002+14:00

How did I get by without ever hearing about this museum... and it's so close!?!?!

Looks awesome, but don't think there's enough time to check it out before I ship out... let me know how it is if any of you can go: http://www.o-museum.or.jp/english/index.html

Goodwill Envoy, Double Bachelorette & Kabuki

2009-07-14T14:57:00.005+14:00

Well, there were obviously some unpected turns along the planned social route this weekend (if you read my last post about the bruise, you know what I mean), but the bachelorette party before all the trouble went down went exactly as I hoped it would and I had a great rest of the weekend.

I didn't go to work on Friday, but rather headed to the regional immigration office in the morning (yes, my favorite place in Kobe... not) to change my visa to tourist status. I had everything prepared before going in so it went pretty smoothly, but I'll have to go back once more before leaving to pick up and pay for the actual visa. After 3 years living here, it feels a little weird to become a "tourist" again... but thus marks the end of a chapter, I suppose.

After the errands, I met my friend Chris for lunch and then we headed toward the Board of Education buildings in Motomachi for a ceremony inducting us as Goodwill Envoys for Hyogo Prefecture at the Hyogo House. The Governor of Hyogo Prefecture was intended to present the awards, but he couldn't make it, so we met the Vice Governor instead in sort of a typical accept-and-bow ceremony with a beautiful little reception afterwards. As an Envoy, I will basically represent the prefecture when I talk about Japan (have snazzy little lapel pin and fancy new Powerpoint to help), but it was honestly fun just getting to explore the Meiji-era building where the ceremony was held (have always wondered about it, actually) and catch up with other recipients in attendance.

After the ceremony, hung out and chatted some more with Chris before he headed off for a boys night and I ran some errands before calling it an early night.

On Saturday, I was up early to prepare for the double bachelorette party I was hosting that day. Started off with a run (it's getting really hot outside... the air is so thick with humidity that it's almost hard to breathe) and then hopped a train with Deyi to Costco for lunch and to pick up supplies. We decided to do catered, Western food from Costco so we didn't have to cook and were able to get some cheaper wine and champagne bottles at the chain as well.

We spent the next couple hours preparing for the party, which started off at Dave's house. I had sent a couple of text messages during the week, telling the two bride-to-be's (Emi and Katie) where to meet, then follow-up emails to the rest of the group letting them know the real plan for the big surprise event. Dave and Bob cleared out the backyard for us (before they had to leave for their own guy's night), while Deyi and I set up a beautiful little dinner table surrounded by candles. Most of the girls arrived around 5:30 and then Maki went to meet Emi and Katie at the bus stop to blindfold them, crown them with veils and sashes we'd prepared and then kidnap them in a taxi so they wouldn't know where they were actually going (a few blocks away). Katie had suspicions about the party being held close to home (even though they drove around for 20 minutes and she also thought the cab driver was also Dave for most of the ride), but the plan went off without many hitches. When the guests of honor arrived, we led them around Dave's house to the backyard and took off the blindfolds with a big SURPRISE. Priceless. They were totally fooled in the end (even Katie, I think). There was a champagne toast, lovely dinner, fun conversations, gift opening, a few games (think pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey with red lipstick and the grooms pics, a bridal gown TP competition and how-well-does-your-fiance-know-you drinking game/quiz). It was awesome.

Emi had never been to a nightclub before and Katie had never been to one in Japan, so we decided to pack up and head into Osaka for a few hours before taking last train home. I haven't danced that much in really long time and the club manager at Sam & Dave's gave us some deals for the special ladies, so it turned out to be a really awesome time.

When we got back, the fight happened and I got a bit bruised when I tried to get in the way (again, silly)... and then proceeded to fall into a muddy rice field when I tried to walk across the partition instead of going around it... but overall, I had an excellent night. I think we all did.

Sunday was a pretty lazy day, just hanging out and watching movies in Amagasaki. In the evening, I met Bob and Katie for a Kabuki play at the famous Ninagawa Theater in Namba. This was the last of the 4 main forms of Japanese traditional theater that I had yet to see (Noh, Kabuki, Bunraku & Rakugo) and I was very impressed. Some call kabuki the Japanese version of musicals because of the elaborate sets and costumes and all of the colors were truly stunning. I couldn't understand a lot of the Japanese (much of which was in formal Japanese -- so I caught words and sentences), but it was actually a rewritten version of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night so I got the gist of what was going on... and spent most of the evening admiring the costumes through the privileged lens of my monocular :-p The play lasted for over 4 hours, including an intermission for dinner (huge, formal sushi set in the theater restaurant -- another experience on it's own).

It was a late night with the trip home (almost fell asleep on the train... lucky I set the alarm on my phone!), but definitely a very satisfying experience -- and weekend :)

Big Bruisin, Jimbe & Ball Games

2009-07-14T14:25:00.005+14:00

In today’s paper there’s a big story on the front page about 6 junior high school students in Kakogawa who were arrested on Saturday for getting in a fistfight. Two of them were fighting, and it sounds like the others were maybe just accomplices, but my coworkers were talking about it when I came in. Ironic timing...

I was sort of involved in a fistfight this weekend (or trying to prevent/stop one) myself.

I basically tried to stop two drunk men from fighting on Saturday night (drunk with rage, drunk with beer... I don't know, doesn't matter) and one of them BIT ME in the spot where I tried to hold them back. The bruise is a few inches long and there's a big white circle with teeth marks in the middle so it's a site for sore eyes, though.

My efforts to stop this fight obviously didn't work -- I'm just too small to hold off men -- and if someone bites, they are pretty determined to fight. So, of course, the fight happened I got caught in the middle, pushed down and now also have a few puffy scratches on my arms to boot. None if it hurts that much. Just looks really, really bad and is sore if I hit it or move too much, like running. But I was mostly worried about what my coworkers would think if I came in with bruises...

Anyways, when I arrived at Takanan today, my coworkers said their hellos and then immediately started to bombard me with concerned questions about the giant bruise on my arm. I was going to try to cover up the bruise and avoid issues and embarassment, but it's honestly just too hot for sleeves (I caved and took off my sweater when I started sweating) and the bandage I tried to put on it wouldn't stay. After explaining the story to one coworker (head of the English Department, actually), I ran off to the nurses office to get ice and a bandage to cover it up before the kids saw it, too.

When I got back to my desk from the nurses office, one of the teachers had told 2 more coworkers about the incident and my injuries (then asked her to keep it a secret, so think the chain stops there), so they wanted to see the bruise, too. Took off the bandage and showed them -- more gasps.

Given those reactions, I was worried that it would sound pretty scandalous (and maybe be bad professionally) that I was involved in a fight at all (especially where the police were called, like the headline today), but my colleagues thought the whole thing was funny and told me I was brave for trying to stop a fight ("like a white angel"), but that I should be careful in the future. Trust me... I don't need the advice. I will NEVER get involved in something like this again..

So in the end, I guess things went better than expected with my school, but I hope this bruise goes away soon. It seems to be getting darker :-(

The other thing I wanted to tell about is my brand-new, pretty JIMBE!! A jimbe is a traditional Japanese outfit, mostly for men, that sorts of looks like pajamas. They are really popular at festivals in the summertime in Japan because the cotton is light and they are really comfortable. One of the English teachers that missed my farewell luncheon last week gave me one as a going-away present today. It's black with pink polka dots and red and pink roses. I have always sort of wanted one, so I was really stoked... and can't believe the kindness! I guess this coworker's daughter has the same one, so he told me I should use it when I get to the states, as PJs if nothing else. And I definitely will!

Today we are having "ball games" (sort of a mini-Sports Day) in the morning so no actual classes. I totally forgot to bring gym clothes, so I can't participate much (and it's for the kids anyways), but I am off to watch the volleyball and kickball games in the yard... more soon.

The idm kid

2009-07-10T03:35:00.002+14:00

Really random, but kinda cool (song starts around a minute, 30 seconds). Idm kid:

Down to 3 weeks...

2009-07-09T06:01:00.018+14:00

These days I'm not sure if the weeks are a break from the weekend or if the weekend is a break from the week.

The official farewells have commenced! And I'm down to less than a month until this Japan experience is a "was" instead of an "is". It's setting in...

**************************

Thursday was my last day for several classes and in the evening, I headed to Osaka to meet up with Serene, a close friend from home whom I've known since 6th grade. I met her and her friend David at the "Big Man" (popular meeting spot near the Hankyu Station) in Osaka. We headed to Shinsaibashi and had a lovely night at an izakaya, trying some Japanese goodness and plum wine, and exploring Namba. David (or "D") was so immersed in the culture, lights, style of the place. Wanted to go in so many shops and took so many pictures. Loved him. Love Serene. Catching up was a lot of fun and I had almost forgotten how far we go back. Like our big fight in middle school because of one Mr. Fisher (first kiss, same guy = drama)... and all I remembered was passing some not-nice notes in the hallway.

One of those friends you'll have forever and felt like no time had passed since I saw her last :-) I think it'll always be like that.

Friday didn't go as well. All of the female teachers always have lunch together during exams, but I wasn't feeling great (women stuff, don't ask) so I skipped the ladies lunch. What I didn't realize in skipping the lunch was, however, that it was supposed to be a surprise goodbye party for me... and I missed it :-( Oops. Stayed at school all day, but it was a slow day and I was a little disappointed and felt bad (this time, emotionally) in the afternoon.

On Friday evening, however, things did look up when I went to a birthday/farewell party for my friend Ann at Lock Up, a jail/dungeon-themed restaurant chain in Kobe. I think this was my 6th time at Lock Up (they have them all over: Shibuya, Kyoto, Osaka...), but I never get sick of the place. Their food presentation is really funky, the food is pretty good, the drinks come in fun containers (like science beakers), they handcuff you to take you to your cell (um, table). There is a point in the night when the lights go off, black lights go on and monsters run around. SO RANDOM. So Japan.

After dinner, we went to karaoke for a while then called it a night. Then my friend Kate came over so we chatted for a while before heading to bed. Really good time and I think little Ann had a good birthday celebration!

On Saturday, I brought Kate to the station and rode over to Uozumi to meet with my old ladies. They sent me a message on Friday asking if we could push the time back and meet at a different location. Glad they did. When I arrived to meet them, they led me to one of the most wonderful cafes I think I have ever been to anywhere. Gourmet food for very cheap, amazing atmosphere. Took a million pictures because I was really inspired to try to recreate some of the decorating ideas at my family's farm someday. I'll try to post some.

We had so much fun chatting... I am really, really going to miss this group. At the end of the lunch (about 3 hours after I came), we were sort of browsing through this little boutique area at the back of the shop and the women saw me admiring this little, shiny, white dress. It's pretty Japanese in style (ie - maybe weird in the US but really cute here?) so I was hesitant to buy it (and ok, I have too many clothes and am moving soon anyways), but when I went to the bathroom, the ladies snuck off and bought it for me as "one of my goodbye presents". I was so surprised and didn't want to accept it. They wanted to know what else to get and I told them I didn't want or need anything, so I told them I would LOVE some of the artwork that the woman who runs a shodo (calligraphy) school has done... and they said OK! I am so excited. The whole present culture in Japan still seems foreign to me in some ways. It's hard for me to accept all of this, but I know it's cultural and normal when someone leaves. Honestly, though... the company was enough of a gift. Great afternoon. I'll see this group once more before I go, and know I've been so lucky to have them in Japan. Hanging out with older women can teach you a lot, but there is another layer in being abroad (or especially a broad in Japan) and I think my experience and time with these women really enriched my view of this country.

Saturday evening was another goodbye party, this time the farewell event at the Harimacho International Association. Not all of the people leaving could come in the end, so it was essentially just AJ (my coworker at my Monday school) and I. We did a potluck in the beginning (made homemade chinese dumplings for it, but was chatting so much wouldn't have been able to try anything else if Takiko hadn't brought me a plate) and then speeches at the end.

My speech was very short after last year (struggled through my prepared speech and cried in front of about 50 people saying goodbye to good friends!), but I almost got choked up a few times... this time combined with laughter, though. I haven't been active at the IFA for a while (too busy), but they were so, so supportive and helpful when I arrived and I met so many beautiful people through that organization. They gave me a collage with pictures from a few events I attended through the years here and it brought back so many memories. I hope I can come back and visit this little town someday and think what this community does is great :)

After the event, I was hoping to do fireworks for the 4th, but everyone piked at the last minute so I ended up just going to a bar with AJ, Brayden and James. The bar turned into another bar and a fun night, but I had to take the next morning off (no, not because I was THAT drunk... mostly because I had a bike accident on the way home -- rode my bike into the "gaijin trap" - huge open sewer) on the way home. It happens to many of us here sometime or another, but I was sort of hoping I wouldn't be one of those people so close to the end :-P

Despite the hiccup, the weekend finished on a glorious note with a Hanshin Tigers game at historic Koshien Stadium on Sunday evening. Serene and my friend Kate met me and we rocked the opposition (Swallows) section with about 30 other foreigners in our group. Songs for each player, crazy fans, stadium-wide balloon-releases... I LOVE baseball in Japan. It was obvious the other team wasn't going to be able to gain enough points by the beginning of the 9th, so they actually ended the game early (didn't know you could do this??)... but we won!!

Anyways, after such a busy weekend, I was pretty tired on Monday morning, but I made it through a full day of last classes (pretty much cried - in class - when my 3rd year girls and one of my favorite coworkers gave me a sweet goodbye card :-p), ESS and maybe the longest listening test recording ever. We recorded part one twice. Then again. Then the tape ran out and we did the WHOLE test over. One take. I actually gave AJ an "otsukaresama" afterwards... and it was deserved. After school, I just relaxed for most of the evening, cooking, running errands and reading (in the bathtub... maybe it's weird, but so relaxing).

Was back at Takanan on Tuesday. We have exams at my normal school this week, but Tuesday afternoon was my official goodbye lunch with the English department. I was really impressed! Maeda Sensei's wife found this really cute new cafe near where we work and the food was spectacular. Sort of a trendy, jazz/eco-inspired place. Had a big laugh (and probably turned the brightest shade of red I've ever been) when I accidentally showed one of the older male teachers a picture from a recent joke-photo-shoot we took in my shower (accidentally bought a black light and it looks like a club, so my neighbors and I put on "going-out clothes" and took "clubbing" pictures one night...). Always a story.

After work, another one of my all-time favorite coworkers here that couldn't make the luncheon came to school to say hi and catch up. She sort of took on the role of coach with me (sometimes being very strict, but always teaching me so much). I did find it funny that most of what we talked about found it's way through the gossip chains and to other schools & friends there (who messaged me abou tit) by the time I reached home (this teacher and another teacher like to gossip - especially about the foreigners - and then tell us about each other), but it wasn't anything harmful and sort of reminded me of older times in Japan when this teacher and I would talk more. We'll have one final dinner before I go, so it's wasn't the final goodbye here with Ms. M, but it was nice to see her... and I'm grateful for how supportive this work community is and has been.

At night, a few ladies came over to make crepes. Wanted to perfect the recipe before I go since they are so accessible here (yes, in Japan...) but more difficult to find at home and had a lovely night. Great leftovers for breakfast, too ;-)

Serene was supposed to come out and stay at my place today (Wednesday) and tomorrow, but her brother has a concert & a farewell party in Kyoto, so I'm just going to catch up with her again in the Minnie when I'm home in a few weeks. It was fun seeing her and I was excited to have her out and give her the tour of my little corner of Japan, but to be honest, I'm secretly a little relieved to have more free time.

Especially since work has been busy. I did a few practice STEP interview tests with kids in the morning at work today (when they finished their tests for the day), but really spent most of the day preparing for leaving Japan and it's wearing me out. I think the visa situation, tatami replacement details and pension refund are settled and we're dealing with closing my gas/electricity/phone/water accounts tomorrow, but after 3 years here, it's hitting me how much there is to do (beyond just normal closure and PACKING). I had a little argument with the office when they didn't have record of selling me my air conditioning unit and insisted it belonged to the school and I couldn't sell it (have the receipt for about $500 from when I got stuck with the bill my first week so it's OK...), but otherwise, things are going well. I spent several hours going through papers, lessons and books, deciding what my replacement will need, what I will need and what can go. I threw away a huge bag of paper and shredded much more already, but there's just SO MUCH stuff. I have a ways to go, but feel like I'm making progress. Maybe three weeks (well, actually only 2 full weeks) doesn't sound like a lot of time, but I'm glad I have it and feel like I'll be ready (and will be able to offer a pretty comprehensive hand-over to my predecessor) when I finish.

Whew... things are getting crazy, so the distraction from the fact that I'm about to say a pretty big goodbye (to Japan!) is probably a good thing, but wish me luck. I might need it :-p

I spent the evening working on preparations for the bachelorette party I'm throwing this weekend with friends. So excited. I love throwing dinners/parties, but haven't had as many opportunities to do so in Japan because of limited space, and this is going to be a good one!

Finally, in other news, I've been following the situation in China as well as all the MJ memorial coverage (and won't even comment about Sarah Palin stepping down... yappari). I can imagine there's much more about MJ on the TV at home, but it's been nice to be able to keep up with pop culture here via the international news sites. Michael Jackson's death definitely had an effect in Japan. A lot of my students have been talking about it and his name came up in tests and homework over the last week (true global media focus). He was definitely talented and it's amazing how one person can change the world in different ways, but it's also interesting how such a complicated figure will be immortalized because of this untimely departure vs. how his legacy would be remembered if fate had taken a different turn. I've also finally been trying to be more forward-focused lately (because I have to be!?!) and I also think I found a place to live in Boston. Had a mini panic attack seeing pictures of the place with all the SNOW (real winter? what's that again?) and info/details to follow in upcoming weeks, but I'm looking forward tonew adventures to come.

I need to get to bed, but in closing, I want to say hello to everyone at Skogfjorden right now and say I wish I could be there this weekend. Our dean, Tove Dahl, is being knighted. I was invited to the event (my fam is going) and this woman has been such an influence and role model in my life... there in thought and spirit if not in person :-)

Exchange Student at Takanan

2009-07-02T15:19:00.006+14:00

Sitting in the staff room while my IS kids do their writing test right now and just heard some very interesting news. It sounds like my school is going to try out having a long-term exchange student. And where are they from? FINLAND!

I'm so annoyed because it would be so much fun having a european kid here, especially in my classes. Not to mention that most people in Finland speak Swedish, so I could totally rock out the Swedish (actually Norwegian...) with him/her.

But they're coming in September, so not going to happen. Haha, maybe I can at least send the welcome letter? Weird to send it in Swedish (ok, Norwegian... but... )? ;-)

Gay Marriage on NRK

2009-07-02T07:17:00.005+14:00

This is kind of funny in an "amazing what a small world it is" kind of way. Someone just sent me a link to a story done by NRK, Norway's BBC, when it became legal to marry in Iowa. They followed a gay couple for two days, recording their experience as they prepared for and said their nuptuals.

What makes it funny is that there's only one degree of separation between me and this couple... the friend (from MN) that sent it on knows them well.

Anyways, the segment lasts about 8 minutes and was aired to millions of viwers about two Sundays ago in Norway. Interesting peice. Thought it was worth sharing -- Enjoy!: http://www1.nrk.no/nett-tv/indeks/174675

Note -- Just a warning that it might take a bit to load this video (no worries if you see some text in the beginning) and the interviews are all in Norwegian (with subtitles when the couple is talking).

Planning, Games, Kobe & the FSOT

2009-07-02T06:29:00.005+14:00

Today I went over the paperwork with my supervisor for changing my visa. The application is 17 pages long (really? do they need to know that much?), but looks like I'm going to go in and get everything settled next week. I also have to make an appointment to get an estimate on getting the tatami mats and sliding doors in my apartment replaced, as well as starting to think about closing all my accounts here (bank, internet, phone, gas, etc, etc...). I wish I could just leave all of them and let the next person take over, but Japan loves paperwork (ok, and it's all in my name and I'm going to be gone) so it's going to be another little adventure getting all this done (assuming that I'll be doing it in Japanese and going to try to do it on my own... wish me luck).

Last OC Class
Today was also the very last class with my 1st year students. The Oral Communication structure I've had for the last several years changed this year, and we're doing a Cambodia lesson (based on the current reading class textbook) instead of the normal textbook curriculum (greetings, body parts, directions, food, shopping... that kind of stuff) so I already feel like I finished these classes -- in their normal form, at least -- a while ago. Still, I wasn't really that sad to be done. I feel bad saying this, but I was actually kind of happy. After doing the same lesson for a minimum of 14 times (sometimes 3 or 4 times a day), it gets a little repeditive and the classroom experience loses it's luster. I think the saddest last class for me will be with the Intl Studies kids or maybe Eigo Hyogen.

Impromptu SOGO Awesomeness
Did do one kind of cool activity with my 3rd years, though. Check this out. We were doing Interview training for the upcoming STEP ("eiken") test and I realized that many of the kids in my group (of 8) had finished all the practice tests I had. I ran to the staff room and tried to find a new book for them, but I couldn't and didn't want to keep them waiting, so I thought we would try something new to give them some speaking practice...

While I was gone (searching for the book) I had each kid write down their 3 favorite words in English, and when I came back, I told them to choose their favorite of the 3 and we wrote all the words on the board. Then I had each student choose an adjective (after explaining what an adjective is...) off the top of their head, and we added those to the list.

Here were their words: courage, strawberry, challenge, orange, peace, (cherry) blossom, dream, hope, luck, hot, high, happy, beautiful, lucky, great, interesting, best & difficult.

We practiced saying all the words together and then played a miniture game of Scattergories (I think that's the game I'm thinking of???) where I gave them words related to the word on the board I was thinking of (like 'soldier' or 'brave' for courage) and they had to come up with the word on my mind as fast as possible. To my slight surprise, this game actually worked out alright and they were actually into it, so we broke into 2 teams (boys vs girls, of course) and did a few rounds. My favorite was definitely when one of the 3rd year boys used "puffy" to describe dog.

After a few rounds of the game, we moved onto a new activity (actually the idea I had first). Starting with me, we used the words on the board to make stories, with each person adding a sentence to the story using one of the words. It was pretty cute and I was surprised it worked. The kids even tried to get the grammar right and everyone broke out the electronic dictionaries.

Here are two versions (my sentence is first):

STORY 1: There was once a beautiful princess. She likes strawberries. She has a dream. Her dream is to have world peae. And she has a hope. But it is difficult. She tried to challenge the dream. But it is difficult. Luck was with her. As a result (yes! they're using STEP test vocabulary!!), she succeeded in her dream. She became a great person. There was peace. The end.

STORY 2: There was once a great dog named Andy. The dog can't eat oranges. But the dog likes strawberries. It is happy. The dog lives in a beautiful house. It is happy. It is very lucky. The city there is peaceful. The dog's dream is to become a human. The dog is hot.

(note - Yeah, I know... anyone else notice it sounds like they've been listening to a few Obama speeches lately with all the hope/dream talk... haha)

Anyways, awesome impromptu English practice (as well as speaking, which I suppose is sort of related to the STEP test...) and we had fun :-P

Movie Night in Kobe
After work, I headed to Kobe and met Dave for a quick bite and a movie at Cinelibre, this really cute movie theatre in Motomachi. The 1st of the month is always half-price movie day, so a group of friends by me went to see Transformers, but we opted to see The Wrestler instead (based on the reviews). The film was actually pretty good, but I would say it's merits lie in the acting ability, character development and artistic value... not necessarily the entertainment factor if you're out for a laid back night. The film itself was a little slow or depressing for a Wednesday, but I'd recommend it under the condition that you are in the mood for that kind of flick.

On my way home, I decided to walk from the rapid station about 10 minutes from home, rather than going to the closer, local stop. Partially because I left my bike there (bike park was closed so getting it tomorrow -- bummer), partially because I broke a necklace this morning and needed to find a part of it I didn't have (found the clasp - whew) and also partially to get some air.

Well, on the way back, this huge, black "stalker van" (convention vans that a lot of locals drive) with tinted windows drove past me a few times, cat-calling the second or third time. I ignored the two guys and put on my headphones, but when I turned down a side street by my house, the van was suddenly beside me with the guys calling out again. This time I said hello and told them to please go away (all in Japanese). They kept trailing me for a while and when it was obvious I wasn't going to talk to them, they drove on. When I turned the corner onto the block I live on (now walking down dark, residential streets), the van was parked in the middle of the street and one of the guys was walking towards me. He was about my age, but still bigger than me; I think he was coming to cut me off on my path. On their own and in the van, these guys didn't seemt that threatening but now I was honestly a little scared because this van was now blocking my path and it was dark. I stopped walking and told the guy I had a boyfriend and wasn't interested to get them to go away. I was friendly enough, but I think he sensed I was getting annoyed (and maybe tht I was a little nervous or that the situation didn't come off too well), so the guy gave up after about another minute or so, told me I was cute and got back into the van and drove off again.

I didn't see the van when I got to my apartment, so I don't think the guys know where I live -- and this sort of thing happens to girls here more than it should!! (it's a sort of tactic to pick up girls called "nampa") -- but kind of scary. Lucky it stopped at that, but any more and I would have called someone from my apartment to meet me down the block :-p

FSOT
Finally, when I got home and logged into my computer, I also discovered some surprising news waiting for my in my inbox: I passed the US Foreign Service Exam! I was a little shocked to be honest. I thought I'd take it to see how it was, didn't really study that much (read a book about the US Government that the embassy gave me when I came and reviewed some other things, but nothing too serious) and didn't think I'd pass it the first time (as I've heard most people don't), but I am pretty stoked. Now I have to fill out some personal narrative essays, the whole process takes about a year and there's an interview in D.C. that I would have to perform well on before I was offered embassy employment... but yeah... still happy about this :) Who knows if I'd do it, but it's an option. And an intriguing one.

I've got to get to bed, but finally going to meet up with Serene, my friend from growing up who lived here when she was a child (her family was sort of my introduction to Japan, in fact), in Osaka tomorrow. Serene's here for about 3 weeks with another friend and we've got some fun plans for the weekend... so more to come soon. Until then... 'night :)

Congratulations to Senator Franken!!

2009-07-01T14:33:00.001+14:00

Finally!

http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/senate/49520987.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU1yDEmP:QMDCinchO7DU

The Day Facebook Changed - NY Times Article (re: privacy)

2009-07-01T04:40:00.004+14:00

This is an important article to read if you're a facebook user regarding privacy settings and personal messages soon being made available to the public.

It makes me think I maybe should keep my kids off this network, not add them (or do anoteher ESS activity at Harinan next week about how to pump up their security settings even more on their brand new Facebook accounts)...

http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2009/06/24/24readwriteweb-the-day-facebook-changed-messages-to-become-18772.html

Time Traveler Trailer

2009-06-30T22:21:00.004+14:00

I can't wait to see this!

(anyone else catch the Marshall Field's bag in the beginning? Big time Minnesota love!)

The Packing Commences...

2009-06-30T20:59:00.006+14:00

I realized today that my replacement will be here and I will no longer be a “resident” in Japan (officially changing to tourist status!) in less than a month. Wow. It’s still a little surreal to me that I’m leaving Japan because life is so comfortable here, but at the same time, I definitely think I am in a good place and am ready to go. I got an email from a good girlfriend that left Japan last year, asking how it was going with all the last minute trips, planning and lists. Honestly, this sort of just made me think, “Lists? What lists? Should I be making lists? I actually don’t think I need lists.” And I don’t. I know it’s weird that with a month left I’m not freaking out and trying to do as much as possible, but I am actually pretty satisfied and content with my experience in Japan. I feel like this last year has given me the closure I need. I might be back one day, yes (and by that, I mean to live for another stint; visiting is a given), but for now, I’m ready for the next adventure.

Luckily for me, I’ve had my brother, a friend from college and now a friend from high school all visit this month. They’ve all been amazing with their willingness to lug my belongings across oceans in my name... and I think I’m actually going to make it home without having to ship anything! I went into a little packing phase last night and also started to put away pictures and things, thinking I’d get a head start… but my apartment feels so different without everything up now. Should have stopped at the “Vinternatt I Rondane” print. Think I’ll wait a little while before I do too much more. I’m not gone yet!

So other than the rainy season (and humidity!!) hitting full force, things are going alright :) Yesterday was one of my last days of actual classes at the visit school. My coworker is gone for the week, so I was alone with the English club after school and had some fun setting them all up on Facebook (bad influence? Or good English communication resource?) and teaching them to chat with each other in English a bit. I was going to go shopping with Deyi after school, but had to run home to meet a plumber after my friend Caoimhe's ceiling (which happens to be under my kitchen) started flooding... again. About 2 months ago, there was water dripping down and the wood was really warped. It was worse this time, but the biggest concern (other than that we're both moving next month and don't want to get slammed with the bills for the damage) is that the leak is right next to the circuit breaker. A little worrisome, ne?! The guy checked all my pipes, toilet, shower... and found nothing. The leaking also happened while I was gone, so not sure if it's coming from my apartment and is just internal or what, but hopefully they figure it out.

Had a really lovely evening with the unexpected free time last night catching up on some reading a nice long bath. It's going to be funny going back to a culture that doesn't appreciate the ofuro (bath) as much as they do here... but gonna try to get as many evenings like that in as I can while I'm here :)

Last Listening Test & Amusing Distractions

2009-06-30T20:59:00.004+14:00

I gave my last listening test to the International Studies students today. I was here working on it pretty late on Friday and have gotta say I’m proud of how that sucker turned out, especially all the matching and pictures I added. I’ll still have at least one more class with these students (who I see the most) after exams and before I leave, so I’m not devastated about this “last” quite yet, but it is a little weird. Come a long way, learned so much about teaching in these last few years. Amazing it’s going to be over-over so soon!

So now that the test is over, I have a bit of grading to do, but I’ve been really distracted all afternoon. I found out who is going to be replacing me when I leave! I probably shouldn’t put all of her information up here but I’m pretty psyched. It’s an American girl who seems fun, really interested in culture and Japan, a little experienced (some life experience out of college).

I have a gut feeling she’ll be great… and I’ve only just sent her a welcome letter :-p

Random note – it was announced today that the annual school trip to Australia will be cancelled this year due to Swine Flu. Still? Silly.

I Know All Too Well...

2009-06-30T15:44:00.007+14:00

Maybe my search parameters are slightly different, but Wikipedia sessions definitely tend to last longer than the 5 minutes you plan for them...

www.xkcd.com/214

From Beks & Chris ---> Sayonara Beer Garden

2009-06-29T20:51:00.006+14:00

Monday AM. I’m at the visit school today, but my coworker is gone, so it’s really quiet. Kind of strange not to have to compete with him to use the computer, actually.

Had another excellent week and weekend (visit from friends and one of the first big going-away parties), but I couldn’t sleep well last night and am definitely feeling rather zombie-ish today. I tried to sleep without the air-conditioning on last night. Didn’t work so well – it’s just getting too humid. I think finally succumbed to hitting the on switch and taking a sleeping pill just after 3am. Forgot how groggy the pills can make you. Good for jetlag, but think I’ll stick to the lesser of the two evils (air con) to help me sleep from here on out.

Alrighty, it’s been about a week so let’s just start where I left off.

June 14-20
Two weeks ago was the week of culture… or cultural festivals, I should say!

Monday was a normal day at the visit school, except for going to Takanan afterwards to work on ESS stuff. Tuesday was our big prep day at Takasago Minami High School (no classes in the afternoon) and Wednesday was the big day. Went really well, and all of our cookbooks were gone by the end of the afternoon! Thursday was back to normal classes and Friday was the cultural festival at my other/visit high school. The festival at my second school is two-days long (vs just one at my regular school), so I missed all the dancing and performances the first day, but the food and concerts were still awesome. One of my ESS girls even rocked out on her guitar in the school courtyard -- and it was a really good concert. The visit school actually reminds me more of an American school in some ways. I think the variance in the general school culture is due to the fact that the rules are less strict and the kids can therefore be less formal in their everyday interactions in a way. I definitely have closer relationships with the students at Takanan (esp those in the International Studies course) because I see them far more often, but I also feel like I can be a bit more laid back with the kids at my visit school (off the bat.. and there’s an awesome group of 3rd year students in English club), so it was nice to be able to hang out with them a bit outside of class. Culture Festivals are fun so I was glad I got to go to both, but it was also a really valuable experience just for the fact that I could definitely compare the two.

After the cultural festival on Friday, I headed straight to Kobe, where I met my friend from college, Bekah, and her boyfriend Chris at the airport bus-stop. They’d been traveling around China for a few weeks so they were tired (and had some big bags with them!), but we decided to hit up an izakaya (Japanese pub) before heading home. Great night, great guests. I was laughing so hard at dinner that the tears were coming down and Beks and Chris were open to trying anything and everything on the menu.

June 21-22 (or some weekend in June…)
Despite the fact that these two have been ON.THE.GO. – all over China and Hong Kong – for the last few weeks we kept things in regular fashion and started the first full day of the visit to Japan with… what else?... a trip to Kyoto. We had some bad luck with things being closed, closing early (& closing early as we arrived…grr), but the highlights were definitely going to Kiyomizudera (14 times at the temple now…I think I need help!) and catching a glimpse of a few real geisha in Ponto-cho.

Chris is really into plants and bonsai, so we also had this amazing little experience where we were wandering around these charming, empty back streets in Kyoto and stopped to admire a Japanese garden and the bonsai on the side. We’re peeking through an open-door when the woman who owned the house spotted us and let us come inside to look around and admire her plants more closely! I did a LOT of translating last weekend, but the woman had some great stories and such a beautiful garden. It’s personal touches on an experience that really make it.

After Kyoto, we hit up a BBQ in Amagasaki for a bit before taking last train back to my house.

The next morning, we were up somewhat early again, and this time started the day with a bike ride to Hamanomiya, a town about 3 train stops down from where I live. In addition to plants, Chris is also really into Frisbee golf. We were looking at the international FG websites, only to discover one of about 20 courses in the country (and one of the biggest) was only about a 20 minute bike ride from my house. Go figure.

We arrived at the park, strewn with beautiful trees, and started to look for maps or find the beginning of the course. We spotted a few older men playing, so I stopped to ask one for help and this guy asked us if we wanted to play with him. Neither Bekah or I are really into the sport (although I was fascinated by it... first time!) so Chris ending up playing a half-course with the guy and made a good buddy in him by the time we left. It was really cute. They were both pretty good and kept saying things to each other in their respective languages, nodding and agreeing even though they didn't know what each other said, while Beks and I tailed behind them, chatting (and me doing the occasional translation for Chris). Big points for internationalization.

After the game, Chris, Bek and I raced back to my apartment to change and make a picnic lunch for the Hanshin Tiger's baseball game. The game had sold out a few weeks in advance, so I wasn't able to get tickets beforehand, but we decided to go anyways to see if we could scalp tickets or still get in somehow.

Unfortunately, the game that day was a popular one and the stadium was packed. We hit up the ticket office (no luck) and walked around basically the whole thing before realizing we weren't going to get in. I stopped a few groups and families that were leaving early (for who knows what reason) to ask if they would sell or give us their ticket stubs, but nobody was willing (probably because they were nervous about illegal scalping), so we finally gave up and decided to head to Osaka to catch the rest of the game at a sport's bar over a beer.

When we got to Osaka, we decided to ditch the plan, however, and headed first to dinner (okonomiyaki in Umeda) and then Spa World for some re-lax-in. SOOOO nice. The co-ed area on the roof was under construction, so we never got to all soak together in the outside, roof-top baths, but the women had the Asian floor this month and Beks and I got a chance to catch-up and chat for a while in the traditional outdoor onsen. One of them had this large mesh bag with a mud-like substance inside that some old ladies (who were really taken with us... kinda funny when you're naked and all strangers) told us was medicine and that we should hold to our stomachs in the water. Not sure what that was all about, but totally, totally relaxing, soothing evening.

So much more...

Exploring with frisbee

We hit up Namba to see the lights (and famous GLICO Running Man) sign before heading home

Frisbee date but not the next day -- Himeji and Yukata Matsuri, izakaya, yankiis galore and cop brigades at the festival

School with Beks and Chris (think some of my kids are in LURV with beks), buying ninja shoes

Could write another 10 posts about the visit, but overall, amazing weekend. So much fun! Can't wait to see those guys at home.

After the visit, more fun including....

Dinner at buffet with neighbors & cool waitress (might hang out with us next week...haha), no spring rolls (WORLD BUFFET will never be the same), funny posing for pictures and freezing in place in the restaurant (Tu's plan... hilarious reactions from small children). Then even more neighborly delights with cheap sushi so next night, stopped at second hand store and biked around with Deyi and Tu (random adventures). On the weekend, visited Emi at the original Gankozushi then Kobe with Deyi, Beer garden at SOGO for a huge farewell, Karaoke in Kobe, then after-Karaoke Karaoke with Kate, Tu & Miwa in Futami. ITO all day Sunday with ice cream, a bike ride, hanging out in the area and just taking it easy.

My life is ridiculous. I should not be allowed to have this much fun, but am happy that I do. Anyways, that's a condensed, quick rundown, but again... pics on Facebook. Off to class!

From KIX to Kobe... with the bags in tow!

2009-06-17T20:08:00.003+14:00

I've typed up these directions for a few people now, so I thought I would put it out here in case anyone ever needs them.

If you're flying into Osaka's Airport (Kansai Intl) and need to get to Kobe, here's some helpful hints on how to get the bus. If you're going straight to Osaka, the directions are the same, only look for the bus to Osaka (or "Umeda"):

You will arrive in the Arrivals area of the airport (obviously). Once you are in the main airport, go straight and outside. There will be buses lining up. You need to take the bus to SANNOMIYA, and I believe they call the bus an airport limousine, but just make sure you are on a bus going to this location. If you are looking at the street (with the building behind you), the bus you need will be toward the left and center. There should be a sign (maybe electronic), but just ask for Kobe “Saw-no-mee-yah” if you don’t see it.

To buy your ticket (BEFORE getting on the bus), use the ticket machines on the outside wall, near where the bus to Sannomiya is. There should be someone around to help you buy a ticket, but there should also be an English button on the machines. You are going to Kobe, so it MIGHT say this, but - again - SANNOMIYA is the name of the area/stop. The ticket will cost 1,900 yen (about $19). Just put 2,000 into the machine and they will give you a coin back for change.

When you get in line, the bus guy will take your bags and give you a ticket for them. They will actually check this ticket when you claim your bags, too, so make sure you hang on to it. The bus will drop you off in central Kobe, across from the JR train station. The bus ride is 65 minutes long, but the final stop (or only – might be two depending on the bus you get) is yours, so it’s ok to sleep or read. You can’t miss it.

Also of potential interest -- how to get your bags when you get off the plane in Osaka (this one has come up, too):
As for the lugguage check...When you get off the plane, at KIX, you will walk down a big glass building and might have to take a little shuttle train to the lugguage area, but everyone will be going to the same place and the signs will be in English. You'll pass immigration first (Japanese people get to go to the many desks on the right when you get there - foreign passport holders will be on the left... you'll see it right away). Make sure you fill out the customs forms they give you on the plane before you get in line and just FYI that they will probably electronically fingerprint you and take your pic.

Once you leave customs, you go downstairs and look for the lugguage carousel. Your flight # should be listed and there are free lugguage carts to the far right of this room. Grab your bag(s) and head toward the doors. There will be stations for the customs agents to check your stuff. Sometimes they waive you through and sometimes they quickly peek in your bags. They should speak English and don't worry if it seems like you are getting checked more - I once got questioned about drugs for 30 minutes (was coming from Cambodia & Laos and looked pretty rugged)... it's all random but you shouldn't need to check anything.

Oh, and don't feel the need to buy tax free or anything if you're coming from the states. Alcohol and everything else is pretty cheap here :)

More Bunkasai Prep = Cookbook

2009-06-16T12:38:00.004+14:00

So I swung past Takanan (my base school) - and by "swung by" I mean biked 45 minutes - to check up on the English Club and help out with our School Culture Festival prep. I was gone on Friday and with only three days left, I knew we'd have a lot of work to do.

When I got to school around 5:30pm, however, I was totally blown-away by everything the girls had accomplished in my absence. The seniors have done an amazing job with taking a leadership position and everyone is working together so well. I know I had a lot of fun with prom and the Native American exhibit the last two years, but considering the amount of actual language practice and how hard everyone is working right now... I honestly think this might be the best Culture Festival activity yet.

I will have pics of the final results of our project in a few days (after tomorrow, actually), but here are some sneak peaks at how things are going...

Here are the girls going over the photocopies for the cookbook. They updated and formatted the English versions of the recipes in the last few weeks (changing ingredients where we thought they needed to change) and THEN also translated it all into Japanese and added pictures.

Here are two of the 2nd years working on one of the posters - a world map explaining what countries and areas of the world the food we made comes from:
Working on large posters that show our recipes, pictures and ESS members' comments about the process and end-result of our cooking:
Cookbook waiting to be assembled...We took "purikura" (photo stickers) that week for the book and some ESS badges we'll wear at Bunkasai tomorrow. The girls blew up a few of them and printed them off.... check it out. Also not sure I should be teaching them so much keitai (cell phone and chat) slang vs. sticking to the basics of English. .. ha, gotta say I love the alphabet magnet creativity either way ;-)
Not from school... but thought I would include this one because it's kind of cute. Lucky for me, my friend Ann was hosting taco night at her place (literally down the STREET from my school), so all I had to do was walk 10 minutes to veg out a bit, eat din and hang out with friends after ESS :) Great food and company!

FSOT, OKINAWA & the spiral of life

2009-06-15T20:49:00.009+14:00

I am at my visit school today and have to go to my base school afterwards for - what else - ESS. Actually really excited about Bunkasai on Wednesday (and how much hard work all the English Club kids have put into our project), but we're down to the last hours of prep now and it's definitely "girigiri" as we say in Japanese :-P Luckily for me, a friend that lives down the block from school is hosting a dinner party at her place tonight so all I have to do is scoot over there for dinner and some unwinding with friends. TACOs ala Emi (one of my favorite cooks...and foods...cheeeya!).

I was just outside and feel the need to remark that it seems like this weekend was also the official time for the-planting-of-the-rice. All the rice fields are proudly displaying fresh little rows of green sprouts that weren't there last week. It's rather beautiful. I've taken the rice season for granted for a while, but I love the cycle and am happy to see it one more time. I guess my neighbor Miwa even paid $30 to watch people plant rice at a famous temple in Osaka this weekend... so I'm not the only one :-p

SO, the weekend. Wow, where do I start? I took vacation time on Friday morning and headed into Osaka around 6am for ... surprise... the US Foreign Service Test! Most people don't pass it their first time, and I don't know if I will (some of the questions in the JOB KNOWLEDGE section - about stuff like Jazz?! - were tough), but I'm really glad I sat it and found the whole experience kind of fun and exciting. I could definitely see myself in the foreign service, which is funny because it feels like a bit of a step back from where I've been going (back to old thoughts)... but we'll see. Definitely excited about doing more policy and education stuff, though. But yeah, that's another topic. One to save for later :-p

The Foreign Service Exam & Science Museum in Osaka

Overall, Friday was definitely a long day. My test was actually scheduled for 12, but there was a mistake in the scheduling process (that apparently happened to a few people) where the organizer forgot to change the drop-down box telling the examinee (me) what time to arrive. Because of this, I got to the consulate at 8am (my report time) - in time for the 12 PM appointment - not knowing I didn't need ot be there until about 4 hours later. It was OK in the end because I taking the test early in the morning (with about 3 other people) probably helped for focus, but it would have been nice to get up at 10am on a day off... instead of 5am :-p

After the test, I realized I was basically on the man-made island near Umeda, so I decided to walk down the street to finally check out the Osaka Science Museum. LOVED it! One of the guides spoke excellent English and walked around the space and physics floor with me, explaining the exhibits and even doing some of the experiments with me. We talked a bit about the solar eclipse happening next month (July 22nd) and he showed me some pictures that he'd recently taken of Saturn from the Himeji-area. We're apparently in a position so that you can't see the rings right now - something that happens every 15 years.

Nerdy, but I got a huge kick out of the museum and had a really relaxing afternoon walking around in the sun and also seeing a show at the Science Museum's IMAX theater.

OoOoOoOoOOOOOO- kiiiiiii- nawa Ahoy!

In the evening, I headed out to the airport to meet David for our flight to OKINAWA, one of the tropical islands of Japan (the southernmost island in Okinawa Prefecture is actually only 100km from Taipei... pretty far from the mainland!).

In one word, I would have to say the trip to Okinawa was EXCELLENT. Japan can kill any budget and many travelers are afraid to come here because of it, but if you know what you're doing (or can read Japanese and book tours online), it's amazing what travel deals you can find. Everyone is getting their economic stimulus checks now, for example, so there are some wicked Shinkansen - bullet train - deals (4 legs in Western Japan for $120 - unbelievably cheap) to try to get people to spend it on travel. The tour package we got came via a recommended Japanese travel agent. Three days, two nights with hotel and car rental for about $350. Dave was joking about how you usually take the pictures of the hotel from the internet and cut your expectations in half to get a realistic idea of what the place will be like, but the reality of this package was extroidinary. Beautiful, luxury hotels, nice car, tropical beaches. Extroidinary. Also, the islands are pretty cheap (at least compared to the mainland), so you don't spend much on food. You can try the local specialities as part of the huge breakfast/brunch buffets if you want, too. Ok, I am going to stop going on about how happy I was with this tour, but I have to mention that we flew down on JAL and back on ANA (nice airlines) and that this trip was seriously cheaper than going to Tokyo... and did I mention it's tropical?!

On the whole, I found Okinawa itself to be rather interesting. People say it's really different from the rest of Japan, and it's true. Even without seeing or experiencing much of the massive US military bases I know are there (beyond military goods for sale and American products being available all over the place), Naha island did feel like another country... but then - at the same time - there are so many familiarities from "my Japan" that it still felt comfortable.

The road signs were the thing that struck me first. Naha isn't a huge city, but it reminded me a lot of Kobe, some of the street scenes (at least from a car) could even be confused for Kobe streets. We tried to see as much as we could while we were there, but also did a pretty good job of not pushing it too much and enjoying the time. The first night was basically just getting settled in, the second day was visiting Kokusai (International) Street in downtown Naha, seeing the famous Shuri Castle, experiencing Okinawan dance and trying Okinawan soba noodles (which were more like ramen than soba...), driving along the coast in the pouring rain!, stopping at the amazing Aquarium to see the exhibits about architecture, a fun dolphin show

and the aquarium itself (which houses the world's largest tank and has 3 whale sharks), and a stop at an old fashioned A&W drive-in. The next day, we also visited the site of the last big

battle in Okinawa, which is now a war memorial, Okinawa world (with an amazing, giant cave) and cultural explanations from the region, and at the Himeyuri museum, detailing the story of the students of a female girl's school near Naha who's students were forced to become heavily involved in the war during WWII.

This last experience was more rushed than I would have hoped it would be and was very sombering. If you don't know, Okinawa was very heavily bombed during WWII; many of it's inhabitants still have bitter resentment for the fact that they took the brunt of the brut force used again Japan in the war, yet do not receive equal treatment as Japanese citizens or recognition for this. I could write a whole post about that issue, but this is long, so I'll leave you to Wikipedia to explore that subject more. Of additional historical significance, the islands were also the base for Commedor Perry when he "negotiated" with Japan to open it's borders. It's also one of the biggest breeding grounds for humpback whale migration (high season is in February) and, in addition to the Japanese influence abound, you will also find almost more Chinese influence so it's definitely a visual treat (a lot of bright, strong colors).

Luckily the biggest hitch in the whole trip was honestly just when my Ofoto account (the one with all the pictures on the side of this page... and pics from Norway, China, Minnesota, Japan...) was going to expire (with little warning) unless I bought x dollars worth of goods and I couldn't get to the internet to order prints. Or I found internet, but it took an HOUR (and about $7 in internet fees) to order the 15 prints that would save my thousands of photographic memories. Anyways, looks like I'll be continuing to upload to Facebook albums and not so much here from now on... and glad there was a beautiful distraction out the door to take my mind off of Ofoto :-p

I should get back to real life (whatever that means) -- have to get some stuff done before I head out -- but, in short, definitely check out Okinawa if you have the chance. Great time. Great place.

Palin vs. Letterman

2009-06-12T01:37:00.018+14:00

So David Letterman apparently made a few jokes about Palin on last night's late show. I just saw clips, but this is the statement Palin released:

"Concerning Letterman's comments about my young daughter (and I doubt he'd ever dare make such comments about anyone else's daughter): Laughter incited by sexually-perverted comments made by a 62-year-old male celebrity aimed at a 14-year-old girl is not only disgusting, but it reminds us some Hollywood/NY entertainers have a long way to go in understanding what the rest of America understands – that acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone's daughter, contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others."

Longest sentence ever!

Ok, I can understand the invasion of privacy issue with children and completely agree that it's invasive. I also think the joke was inappropriate. But at the same time, this woman is a public figure (by her own doing) and she has more than put her family on the front line.

Anyways, random but does make you think... curious if Letterman will apologize or how this one will pan out.

Tu's Birthday Party - Surprises all around...

2009-06-12T01:37:00.017+14:00

Last night was definitely the night of surprises! My neighbor, Tu, had a birthday this past weekend. Since most of us weren't able to celebrate with him, a few of our friends planned to surprise him with a gift. I bought chocolates separately, but then we decided to actually lure Tu to Deyi's place and throw a mini-surprise party... so I decided to make a choco-banana cake to boot.

Here's the cake I made...

(it's double-layer and turned out well - thanks to the Joy of Cooking website - but the frosting picture of Tu-chan sort of looked more like Skeletor by the time I finished. At least the flowers around the sides were edable!! Got them in the fruits section.)

In the end, Tu was really tired when he got home and decided to skip Deyi's... SO, the four girls I was with and myself decided to surprise Tu at his place. I'd say it went pretty well.

The group - our little community :) Deyi made a FABULOUS little book for Tu (far left) in addition to the cake. He is such a good friend and always has the most amazing birthday cards and presents for others... was really happy someone finally did it for Tu :)
Ok, so finally... the other big SURPRISE of the night...

As you know, I am moving back to the States at the end of the summer. I'm actually not alone in this (quite a few people in our area are leaving), which makes it kind of weird for people that are gearing up to say goodbye to a huge chunk of their circle of friends/support network/everyday routine and lifestyle in Japan.

Unless you're here for the long-run, 2-3 years is sort of the average cycle for expats so this is common. I went through a big transition when a lot of the people I came with or had gotten close to took off last summer & fall, so I can understand why Deyi, our friend (in the plaid, above), was a little sad and worried about so many of her friends departing soon.

Well, the funny part is that out of everyone - especially her good friends - that she thought was moving... not all of them were. Tu has been playing a prank for MONTHS, telling everyone BUT Deyi that he's staying for a 3rd year here, while Deyi (also Tu's coworker) has been really sad about him leaving.

Tu was in a good mood (and there was cake... haha) and a lot of us where together, so he decided to reveal the secret. HILARIOUS. Deyi was pretty shocked, and her reaction was priceless. The best part was also when she found out that pretty much all her friends (even the Japanese girls that live far away) have known about it and we've all been keeping up the charade since January. Excellent punk. Fun evening.

Let's just hope Deyi doesn't try to get us back ;-)

Visual Stimulation, Japan

2009-06-11T18:01:00.014+14:00

As I am preparing to leave this life in Japan next month, I have realized I'm starting to wear more nastalgic-lensed glasses when walking around than I may in everyday life. Having the Americans stay with me this weekend was also a big eye-opener to just how different life at home can be.

I had my camera with me while I was running an errand for work today so thought I would share some of those moments, observations, and beloved (or strange/funny) occurances that I now consider normal - and was able to capture.

Enjoy:

Supermarket. There is more tea than any other drink in the cold bev.

(including pop juice, etc) section of the grocery store.

The price of fruit. $7.80 for a small bunch of grapes.

$3 for an apple... but they come wrapped and were grown this way

Many products are the same... but different.

(wish I had found the babyfood a few weeks ago!)

Presents and free gifts. For buying things like beer.

Unique and funky clothing is cheap. Basics are not.

Safety and trust. This alcohol vender left a full truck just sitting
outside for at least 20 minutes. He was nowhere around.

Internationalization. Not quite there, but they try.

"German" Barber Shop in Takasago.

Art appreciation.

I mean, calligraphy is a REQUIRED SUBJECT in public schools.

You are not a hippy just because your main

mode of transportation has 2 wheels.

America could stand to walk/bike more.

People cleaning up the neighborhood... just because.

Japanese malls / Shopping arcades.

Powerlines

Sometimes all the housewives seems like 1950s culture.

But the moms do seem to spend a lot of time with their kids.

No dryers (even during winter) and keeping your

washing machine outside. I thought this was really

weird when I moved here.

Then I realized it's a new/different "normal".

At home, I think graveyards are creepy. Here I think they are kind of beautiful.

Local temples and shrines. I guess it's like a neighborhood church,

but it has more character to me.

OBACHAN WAS HERE.

There she is! Old ladies gardening & taking care of

plants wherever there is space...

...even if it's not theirs.

Barbed wire. In really random places.

I will never not hang my onions again and think it's awesome that

everyone does it. They last for so, so much longer.

Tanuki: part raccoon, part dog.

Life Update - Bunkasai, Tokyo (long post)

2009-06-11T18:00:00.009+14:00

Alright, finally a free period at school so gonna try to catch up here a little more. You might have noticed, but I’m trying to get back into writing and keeping updates of what’s going on in Japan... it’s just hard when you’ve got too much going on to write.

The last few weeks have turned out to be pretty busy. There have been lags of time, yes, but most of them when I’m not at home to just veg out :-p I’ve been averaging 3 hours of English Club (ie – after school time in addition to my regular work hours) everyday lately as we prepare for the school cultural festival, too, which had probably had an effect on this time strain.

BUNKASAI
As you probably know, the school culture festival (“Bunkasai” in Japanese) is a day where each class/homeroom performs or makes a display. Sort of like a Japanese pepfest and one of the biggest events of the year. Seriously... one of the seniors that had a solo in it last year got a perm so he looked good for the day (can say a few things about that, but moving on...).

In addition to all the classes, clubs and teams can also present stuff. Two years ago, the English Club held a prom with a full-size Prom King and Queen (cutout faces) for prom pictures (posted on the web) and a DJ booth. Then last year, we made a full-size totem pole (with each kids’ animal on it and an eagle at the top), full-size teepee and a sky-colored backdrop with posters about Native North Americans. I was sort of stuck on what I wanted to do this year, but then someone told me about their school doing an international food poster and the lightbulb went on: *COOKBOOK*!

We decided (or I decided, tried to sell my "vision" and the girls - luckily - liked the idea) to do an international cookbook, featuring foods from 5 different parts of the world. I found recipes - mostly on the internet – of culinary treats I was aware of and have enjoyed and then transcribed the recipes into easier English for the kids. The senior girls translated all of the info into Japanese while I was in Tokyo last week (wow! so impressed!) and we’ve been spending almost everyday after school cooking our butts off so we can try all the recipes. I even came back to Takanan after a full day at my other school so we could work on it.

The five dishes we decided to make are from: 1) ITALY (homemade pasta sauce & bruschetta), 2) UK, AUSTRALIA & NZ (fish’n chips), 3) the MIDDLE EAST (homemade pita bread, 2 kinds of hummus & baba gannouj), 4) USA (christmas cookies – no xmas cake here, baby!), and 5) MEXICO (homemade flour tortillas, tacos & two kinds of giant nacho dishes).

We can’t actually serve the food AT the festival (too many hoops to jump through – including fronting money for all the materials and sending in stool samples to the Board of Education to prove we’re healthy to handle food), but we decided to make everything we’re recommending so we know if the recipes are any good and so that we can include pictures and offer comments/opinions about the cooking process. Had some longer days at school, but it's going REALLY well! We have so much food, it's been pretty much enough for dinner every night, too!

Anyways, now that we’re done cooking, we’re choosing what pictures (from the over 600 I’ve taken) we want to use and starting on the posters. We get a whole classroom in the middle of school for the exhibition part of the project (big world map with coordinating strings going to each food poster & poster boards). We’re also thinking about setting up a fake table with pictures of the foods we made. And the kicker is sort of the goal of the whole thing... our little “omiyage” cookbooks that everyone can take home (basically a present for visiting our display).

Bunkasai is next Wednesday (and again on Friday, at my other school), and we have a lot of work to do before we're ready to present, but everyone is really into it and working hard so I’ve been really inspired and motivated to keep going. Even if it means being at work until 7:30! We’ve also attracted a few more ESS members through the process (food always works wonders for these things...), so I’m excited because the person who replaces me next month will come into a pretty good-sized club, with members from all three grades.

SLEEP, TOKYO & the big fat run-around
Sleep. Yeah, I need some. Things have been so amazing, fun, crazy and adventurous lately (literally flying by the seat of my pants), but yeah, also busy... even for me.

So about 2 weeks ago, I did a one-day roadtrip to the Iseshima, home of Japan’s most sacred shrine, Isejinju . I've really wanted to see this shrine and the roadtrip portion of it was really great (wish I had done more of them while I've been here in Japan), but it was also sort of too long of a drive for a daytrip and I didn’t get home until 2am. Don't get my wrong. I'm glad I went. I'm glad I saw the shrine. But man... long day :-P Got home from the road and needed to finish a PPT for work the next day (since the copy I made earlier on my Mac wouldn’t open on a PC) so I probably got to bed after 3, getting less than 4 hours of sleep. Ouch. Had a full day the next day and was up late again packing for Tokyo, cleaning the apartment for my brother and his friends (who would stay there while I was in Tokyo) and finishing up another PPT for our presentation at the Opinion Exchange, so things kept going on par course. Friday was full of classes and I snuck out of work early to get to the airport for my flight to Tokyo. Waiting on the roof of Kobe Airport was relaxing (truly a treat – they have some beautiful gardens and views up there if you ever find yourself there) and I had a fun, lowkey night going to Tokyo Tower and hanging out with my brother and friends. Just a lot of late nights. That was last week. And then it got crazier.

Over the weekend, I had national committee changeover meetings on Saturday and Sunday with ENKAIs (dinner ceremonies) for new and old council members both nights and some extra karaoke madness in Shibuya on Saturday night. I'll skip the nijikai details, but ALMOST missed last train out of Shibuya because we were having an ice fight with some new Japanese friends and I pulled my leg muscle doing 3 cartwheels through the Shibuya intersection. Wise, I know :-p

The outgoing council had some later meetings on Sunday, so I did get a chance to sneak out alone on Sunday morning and finally check out the “cozplay” (costume play, where a following of younger Japanese people dress up like baby dolls and stuff) near Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine in Harajuku. I’ve tried to see the groups of people dressed up on Sundays a few times and was really excited that it finally worked out. I asked to take a picture with one of the gothic-themed cozplay guys and was surprised to find that he was really friendly and nice -- even gave me a souvenir keychain that matched his goth outfit! I also quickly ran through an exhibit on royal ornaments (mostly hair ornaments form the Mieji and Edo periods) at the Meiji Shrine complex, but it was all meetings and prep for Monday and Tuesday from there on out.

Monday and Tuesday were our Opinion Exchanges with CLAIR (the Council for Local Authorities and International Relations) and the three other government ministries responsible for education in Japan. This was my third Opinion Exchange and I think it went pretty well. I remember being pretty nervous at them in the past, especially the first one ("oh my gosh... what if I forget the keigo Japanese in my self introduction in front of all these people" type of silliness). But now -- no problem at all. We presented 5 reports, with my team focusing on the new effect of the new curriculum for 5th and 6th graders rolling out nationwide as mandatory curriculum. We did a survey based on teh reactions of foreigners working at the 614 pilot schools to the program, wrote up the results and the reported on our findings via powerpoint at the meeting. I basically just helped make the survey, edit drafts of the report and made the English Powerpoint (with we translated into Japanese), but my role at the actual exchange was posing our follow-up questions to MEXT. I had a translator, but I was shocked to discover that I actually knew one of the MEXT representatives from a non-related event and thought the whole thing was pretty straight-forward. The banquet that night was nice, I finally got to talk to some of the government guys I've been so intrigued by all year (especially the Ministry of Foriegn Affairs diplomat with 3 different kids from 3 different wives in 3 different countries - charming fellow, but crazy dayo). A lot of people from the government offices came out for the nijikai (after party) - defiitely more than were invovled in our Opinion Exchange event - which also made for an interesting night, but I thought it was the perfect end to the experience.

After the meetings on Tuesday, we had the traditional post-meeting pizza party at the CLAIR office (Dominos eggplant and Ceaser Salad pizzas are my favorites -- going to miss 'em!) and then headed off for some quick galavanting/shopping/people watching in Harajuku before people had to trickle off to catch trains, planes and automobiles taking them back to all corners of Japan.

I spent the evening meeting up with an old friend from Chiba Prefecture, Shinya. I've been to Shinya's house before and he and my friend Jessica stayed with me for a few days when I FIRST moved to Japan (literally my first or second week - I don't know what I would have done if they hadn't given me a tour of the grocery store and told me tips about Japanese food), but it was still a little sad or funny to chill with him and not have Jess there. We went to an area in Tokyo called Tsukishima, which is famous for monjyayaki, sort of a half-cooked version of the Kansai or Hiroshima Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancake??). I was a little scared when I first saw it, not liking the raw look of the stuff, but it turned out to be really delcicous. We even ordered seconds!

NIKKO AND GHIBLI
On Wednesday morning, we said our goodbyes and otsukaresamdeshita's to new and old council members and I headed out for my hotel in Shinjuku. My boss was really awesome about missing an extra day of work to do some final sightseeing in Tokyo and then my friend Emi helped me find some really good deals to make it happen financially. I've always really wanted to see Nikko, a temple complex about 2.5 hours north of Tokyo (by train) because so many people say it's one of their favorite places in Japan. I only planned one day for the trip, but gotta say... I was not disappointed.

Nikko is actually on the edge of a national park and the area around it is so beautiful. Mountains, sleepy town, not too busy. I took a very early train, so I slept most of the way there in the morning, but the scenery on the way - mostly rural - was also very picturesque.

I arrived at Nikko early in the morning, followed a huge group of Japanese people onto the wrong bus (next to my bus... almost went hiking with them!!) and after some more walking (and some laughs when I figured out what happened), I made it to the temple complex. I bought the multiple entry pass, thinking (because I'm so accustomed to spread out Kyoto) that I'd try to hit as many places as I could, but acepting that I couldn't... and headed out for the first temple on the pass, Rinno-ji Temple. It was pretty much empty and resembled the scene you'll find in Nara, but I was so blown away by this area. I actually made it to see everything, even spending extra time to admire details (and make my way through the swarms of Japanese school children once the field trip groups arrived a bit later) and was so stunned. Completely charming, relaxing. Stunning. There was definitely more color and detail (especially on the ceilings) to what I am accustomed to seeing in other temples. It was like Kyoto set in an 8-block radius, set in a huge forest.

After exploring Nikko, I caught a train back to Shinjuku and spent some time at the Ghibli Museum. Ghibli is like the Disney of Japan. The place was not exactly Disney World, but it's actually more of what I was looking for. The magic in the detail with displays showing Miyazaki's workshop and a really cute small feature film about a girl going hiking for the day.

Definitely a satisfying trip and splendid goodbye to beautiful Tokyo. I have a feeling it'll be a long time before I'll be back, but I felt content with my goodbyes to that lovely metropolis.

CELL PHONE
On a random note, also some drama at work last Friday. My cell phone got stolen (I think...)!! At school!

I never would have believed it, but it was basically in my purse when I went to class (and my coworker saw me put it there), but missing when I got back. I was trying to call my brother right before class and planned to try again when I got back, so I was certain of where I put it. I sit next to the staff room door and my purse is usually open under my desk, by the door. The phone was sitting in the middle of the bag and would be easy to grab, but since most of my coworkers just leave their phones on their desk anyways and I trust people at school, I would never think twice about locking stuff away.

Anyways, I realized it was missing and immediately thought, “oh crap. Ok, where did I put it now?” Searched my purse. Searched my desk. Searched under the desk (on hands and feet). Called it about 4 times. Nothing. Then I started to get nervous, so I asked 2 other teachers to help me. I literally checked every bathroom to make sure it wasn’t there, checked my classroom (all the desks, etc), dumped out the garbage in both my classroom and the other one, and crawled around on the staff room floor looking for it a bit more before I started to believe maybe someone DID take it from my purse. The teachers that were in the staff room at the time said no strangers had been in the room. So great, a student?! We called a few more times and then decided it was time to tell the Vice Principal.

Well, I think a lot of students saw me walking around with the usual chipper expression (or "genki" hello to match it) and thought something was up. When my ESS girls came to meet a bit later, I told them I couldn't meet with them until I figured out what happened, so they decided to help me look, too... and then... we found it!

The phone was on the floor, one row over. OK, I know I could have missed it, but it was literally right next to the desk of one of the coworkers that was helping me look for it (and also called the phone a few times). I hate to think a student would have taken it, freaked out when we realized it was missing so fast, and then dropped it. But that is what probably happened.

Still trust my school and am really, really relieved to have the phone back (phone plans are expensive here... it would have been a nightmare to lose all my info and try to find something to use for the last month and a half here). But I am also closing up my bag from now on and making sure it's out of the way. Yikes.

GOOD NEWS and CHANGES
This post is getting long so I'll cut, but a few other random tidbits. Recently won a National Service Award (2nd year in a row). I thought it was just for volunteering this year and that everyone on the AJET National Council (the non-profit I’ve been working with) was going to get one, so I was sort of goofing around when I went up to accept the certificate and only later realized only a few of us were nominated for it. Oops. Have no idea who nominated me, but I guess thank you if you are reading this! I was also chosen as a Hyogo Prefecture Goodwill Ambassador. I think this basically means I’ll represent the best interests of the prefecture when talking about Japan (post-Japan) and that the prefectural government can contact me if they need to enlist someone abroad to help them out. I plan to be involved with the Japanese community in some way when I move back to the states in the fall, anyways, so I suppose having a connection to my temporary home here is an even better reason to do it. And I get a cute little lapel pin to wear ;)

Wow, yeah. So much to tell. I'm going to Okinawa and also have another friend (Bekah Kiecker and her boyfriend Chris) coming next week so I'll try to keep it shorter, but keep this updated. Until then, good vibes from Japan :)

Kyoto with Sven

2009-06-10T04:41:00.003+14:00

After a few more hiccups in meeting up and getting around, had a great weekend with the bro. We ended up staying in a capsule hotel in Shinsaibashi on Saturday night (with a few little adventures, including getting drinks taken away for not having IDs... and then getting carded at the convenience store... in Japan?!) and checked out out Kyoto in the morning. My bro headed off pretty early for a temple stay on Koyasan, the holy Buddhist mountain in Wakayama Prefecture and part of the Kii Mt. range pilgrimage. Pretty proud of him - love the spirit! I had a really peaceful afternoon and evening, though, just doing stuff in Kyoto I have never "had time" for. Visiting museums and the craft center... no temples ;)

Today was a little full on. First 5 periods (first years with a rather serious PPT about Cambodia, second year Story contest, third year Philippines discussion with the student teachers surveying, second years again for a different PPT and then Cambodia again; discussion session during lunch and yet another super English Club session - over 3 hours!). I didn't get home until 8:30 tonight. Exhausted, but went for a run, discovered an AMAZING and huge Japanese garden along the route that I never knew was here (seriously blown away) and ready for bed.

Will have to write more later because I'm going to crash, but it's a good kind of tired. Gotta catch up on some ZZZs. Until next time, goodnight :)

Kyoto eki

2009-06-07T00:50:00.003+14:00

I'm in Kyoto at the moment, waiting for my bro to arrive from Nara. I think I mentioned there were some glitches in the the travels plans for him and his friends before, but this seems to be a trend that's continued - unfortunately. Long story, but the kids ended up only being at school on hour on Thursday and then didn't get home until really late so karaoke was cancelled. They went to an onsen and get a chance to see the Osaka and Kobe lights from Rokko, though, so I suppose any adventure is good. And especially if they discovered it on their own.

Late night last night biking around with the bro but today I had to jaunt to Kyoto to meet him. Beautiful city and amazing new station, but after the last few hours I know it way better than I thought I would.

Alright, exciting Osaka and hopefully a geisha spotting tonight (fingers crossed). More soon.

Internationalization

2009-06-05T02:00:00.006+14:00

I find it funny how some foreigners straight up expect other countries to conform to their home-culture's standards, and then get frustrated, upset, disappointed and sometimes even angry when it doesn't happen. Especially Americans. You would think international travel would help provide exposure and help alleviate this problem. *sigh*

Whether the current approach is working or not, I have to give Japan props for at least trying to educate and/or internationalize (and at a grass-roots level) to help avoid such misinterpretations.

Tokyo and Life Abound

2009-06-05T01:02:00.008+14:00

Wow, alright, so much to tell. I met my bro and his friends in Tokyo last Friday, spent the weekend at Changeover meetings and ENKAIs for the new National Council for my non-profit (time flies!) and our Opinion Exchange with the government on Monday & Tues went super well. Could have done more to write the thing, but did the PPT and presented the English. Really easy, which is funny considering I remember being so nervous at the first OE last spring.

Took vacation time on Wednesday (yesterday) and checked out Nikko. AMAZING! SOOTHING. RELAXING. Imagine Kyoto jammed into an 8-block radius, set in a luscious forest. Wow. Somehow also got in the Harajuku cozplay crew on Sunday (4th time's the charm), monjyayaki (think less-cooked, Edo period-style okonomiyaki that's a Tokyo specialty) with a friend from Chiba and the lovely Ghibli Museum (cat bus is no longer freaky - believe I have come full circle). Whirlwind tour, but happy and content until the next time I visit Tokyo... even though I know it will be much later than sooner.

Even though I got back late last night (to an almost mask-free Kobe), it's almost 8 pm and I haven't been home long from work today (over 12 hour day). Full morning of classes, then some planning, hosted the bro and his friends for a few classes and then a super-cooking-English-club-Bunkasai-planning extravaganza. But things are good.

In the last few weeks things have been kinda intense, but my body is finally starting to have mercy and I've loved some of the small adventures (Japan wishlist... check!) at Spa World (AWESOME loc - can't wait to see the Asian floor if it's as good as the Europe floor & they even had "Dr. Fish"!!), exploring Osaka's Orange Street with a Japanese girlfriend and Ben on two occasions, BBQ and a whirlwind roadtrip to Ise Shrine and the Mie Prefecture coast for a day last week (thanks midterms <3).

Now I'm waiting for the kids to get back from their Rokko exploration to do some karaoke. It's a bit later than expected (pretty much on par with the rest of their trip) and the apartment is PACKED... BUT, still nice to have them here.

Also came to some conclusions - and surprising, life-changing, and inspiring ones - about my next steps recently, too. Headed to grad school in the fall, most likely Boston bound. That's way more info than I've been willing to share recently, but it's amazing how you never expect when and where some big leads and lessons will come from. Tokyo was great for this. Some of the schools I've been in dialogue with have been even better. I can't wait until I can share more ;)

I'm going to head to the electronics store so I don't have to shower in the dark anymore (silly weird-sized lightbulbs that you can't buy anywhere... argh), but hopefully more details coming soon and lots of love. 'til then...

Target Boutique

2009-06-05T01:01:00.002+14:00

Not a bad list and interesting timing... was just talking about an idea the other day: http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/dealspotter/2009/06/02/hey-target-could-you-do-these-10-things-for-us/?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUsX

Cheap Flights and Pig Flu in the News

2009-05-28T15:56:00.005+14:00

Oh great. Just when I thought the end of this chapter was coming down to the closing pages and my travel lust was going to cool for a while so I thought I could focus on school and spend some time back in the states... this happens. Looks like a new US low-cost carrier airline called JETAmerica is looking to become the US equivilent to Ryan Air in Europe. Yep, about $9 for inter-city flights. And this has to come at a time when I'm moving to a new part of America, won't be working, and really want to see more of my country? Not good. ;)

Wow, so it's been quite a week. This sounds insane, but my stomach is still on the fritz. Just really grumpy. I can eat normally and am starting to crave food again, but when I do eat, there are consequences. So it's still basically breads and bananas for me at the moment. Went to the doc here 3 times now so i think I'm OK for meds, etc. Taking it baby steps at a time.

School is back open this week, as well, and the swine flu frenzy has also cooled down. One of my friends from home mentioned how it's so surreal that I'm in the middle of all this influenza epidemic craziness, while it seems so removed when you see it on the news. I know what she means, but it's also a little removed and funny when you're in the middle of it all. The media depictions of life here make it seem surreal while life continues as normal...

Last Day of Swine Flu Closings

2009-05-22T18:28:00.002+14:00

After a few days hiatus, I'm back at work again today and things are returning to some semblance of normal. We had a really long all-staff meeting this morning and then another long speech from the principal later this afternoon and it has now been officially decided that schools will re-open for business next week. My home school has exams Monday - Wednesday, however, so it'll be about a week until regular classes begin again.

Despite the hysteria (and trust me, people were freaking out), the swine flu hasn't been as bad as expected. Some stores are sold out of mask because there is such high demand and the number of cases in Kobe continues to climb, but I think people are starting to calm down a bit. On of my coworkers told me a bunch of restaurants in the Mosaic Building on the Kobe Wharf (sort of the main shopping area in that part of Kobe) were closed, but I also read that Kobe city isn't testing for swine flu if not specifically requested to do it now. They realize life needs to go on.

Another really funny thing happened this week - I made my first Japanese friend in Boston (where I will probably be moving ... but more on that when I have made a final decision)! Nozaki Sensei (my "twin" at work) came to the dentist with me to discuss pulling my wisdom teeth and some other stuff, but she decided to bring along her friend Mika, who is visiting from Boston at the moment. She's told me stories about Mika before, but Mika also used to be a school nurse and knows a lot of medical terminology in English, so she thought she might be better for helping at the dentist. Well, other than the dental stuff, it turned out to be a super fun day of just talking with Nozaki and Mika. After the appointment, we were going to go to a cafe, but ended up just going to the grocery store and making smoothies at my house so we could talk there. It was a lot of fun and it'll be nice to know someone from this area of Japan if I do moving closer to where Mika lives. Goes to show you really never know who you're going to meet!

The dentist visit itself was another story, but for as messed up as teeth can be here (seriously... it's considered cute when they point different directions sometimes because it adds character), the one I found is seriously amazing. He took x-rays in minutes, replaced a filling (with the new, clear type) in 15 minutes and was really good about keeping me informed about what was going on. The place is also really modern, and I cannot believe how cheap dental stuff is here. I'm going back for another cleaning before I go!

Yeah, so not a ton to report right now. It's rainy, I'm sick and it's been a slow week. At the moment, I'm just working on my volunteer stuff (catching up on emails, writing an article, making a PowerPoint for our presentation in Tokyo and then starting to clean stuff up for my hand off in 2 weeks), but all of my coworkers are busy calling all the students in their homerooms. I didn't realize earlier that they are expected to call on their cell phones (and aren't reimbursed!)... both the level of expectations and the workplace milieu of teaching here seem so different from America. Makes me wonder what other differences lie below the surface in other countries.

Gotta get back to the article but have an excellent weekend... and watch out for the pigs ;-p

Funny 'Commen Cement' Speech :)

2009-05-20T15:59:00.004+14:00

After Obama's speech last week, this is probably one of the funniest things I've watched in a while.

I'm already a closet Ellen Show lover, but this speech is just too cute:

Doc Again? Seriously?

2009-05-20T14:58:00.005+14:00

Ok, this is getting a little ridiculous. In Japan, you are not supposed to use your vacation time. It's considered rude or a faux pax, even though teachers don't get the summer off here and they can only use the vacation time during breaks when students aren't there anyways. It's so extreme that if you use all 40 allotted days, you will have 20 the next year and get a bad reputation.

Well, the same goes for sick leave. Normal teachers don't have it, but it's part of their vacation time package (that they aren't supposed to use). They do use it if they are REALLY ill, but will generally come to work sick (just wearing a mask) as to not use the time or let down the group.

This is probably one of the biggest cultural differences and biggest sources of tension when it comes down to contract differences (or how we view contracts) with foreigners working in Japan. We see time off as part of your compensation, while they see it as you abusing the system (even if it was negotiated). Hate the we/they speak, but it's the best way to describe it. Anyways, most foreigners will use their vacay time anyways, and will usually get away with it as part of the "clause" that non-Japanese people can't be expected to follow all the rules that are set for Japanese people. (just like the manners, such as bowing)

This is obviously a very basic, general explanation of the system, but I've even had some issues with it before and it seems I might today, too.

My neighbor just called me to see how I'm doing and also to urge me to go to the doc today. It's not her fault - she's the messenger - but there's apparently an issue with taking sick time (which I am allowed in my contract) without a note (even though my contract says I can have 2 days off before I need a doctor's note... AND I have a note). The thing that I think it funny is that I have a note and prescriptions from yesterday!! For the same issue. It's just not from today and since I have been sick SINCE going to the doc (again, same issue as 5 hours earlier when I got the note), they want me to go in again.

OK, I know these are cultural differences, but I cannot understand the logic behind it.

I am paying for these doctor's visits and they aren't always cheap, so going again will be time (both mine and whomever brings me), money, and pretty much just plain silly.

This doctor I would have to go see is also the same doctor that asked me what *I* wanted *him* to prescribe the first time I went (instead of him knowing what to give me) and also the same guy that didn't know what was wrong when I had to go in again yesterday (literally... he stroked his chin for 10 minutes and drew this really simple diagram of the two things it could be and crossed them both out). I don't mean to be rude, but what's the point? It's not going to be different this time either (the doc will probably think it's weird I'm back) and it's also annoying that this is the same exact line of thought as making the staff come into school even though we closed it to students for swine flu. You can't bend rules, even if it's logical to do so. I can't believe that "Japanese logic" (a term I've heard before) can be that naive or different from "western logic". I just don't get it. It's like, "work hard" comes before "work smart".

Anyways, I know I sound peeved (and don't mean to offend with this post), but I really do love Japan and understand the rules. I just don't agree and am def going to argue this one if they get aggressive about making me go to the doc. Once in 24 hours for the same thing is enough. Right now, i need to just stay home and rest. Or, I guess if they make me go to the doc, I'm going to the foreign hospital. Done.

Home Again and a Bit of Randomness

2009-05-20T13:25:00.008+14:00

Growing up in the Midwest, I always thought it was funny when people that came to visit from other areas of the country would complain about the weather. Yes, it was really extreme (hot, steamy summers and freezing cold winters), but I think I assumed it was just them complaining too much.

Today I looked at the temperature for Minneapolis. While it's still a reasonable 17 degrees C here, Minnesota is currently 36. 36!!!??? That makes no sense when it snowed the week Krystal came a month ago. It looks like they are going to level off and have temps closer to what we have here this week, but I think I am starting to understand what all those people were complaining about. I mean, is that even natural?

***************************************************************

Well, I have been more updates from the local government on the swine flu situation and it looks like the government is starting to accept/admit the may have overreacted a bit. The US embassy is advising people to stock up on 2 weeks worth of food (and to not come to their office if they have any symptoms - ha), but it seems that since 1.2 million kids have no school this week, the lines at karaoke joints have been out of control.

A few local festivals have been cancelled though (Peron Matsuri in Aioi, for example) and I heard they might cancel upcoming concerts, even the big names from abroad.

I was talking to one of my friends in America about it and she thought it was so funny how she sees all the hype about it, but it seems so removed for her. I guess we are sort of that American generation that has grown up never experiencing major illnesses, extreme economic hardships or war on home soil (just seeing it on TV), so this might be the first time that something like this is really relevant to me in my daily life (vs going to another country where I can experience traces of these effects on other people). It's not war, no, but it's big enough to close the schools.

***************************************************************

This is becoming a tragic case, but I'm home sick again today, too. So in Boracay, we had some issues with bedbugs, food poisoning and bronchitis. I came back to Japan from that trip in pretty sore shape, not having slept for a whole night because I was so uncomfortable, hadn't eaten for close to 48 hours because I couldn't hold it down (threw up the water I tried to drink behind a chair at the airport... or, erm, I mean someone did... pretty nasty) and then there were the coughing attacks. I had gotten sick 10 times in one night on a different night, so I had already been to a doctor for antibiotics, and thought it was a matter of time until I got better. My school, however, had just been informed that swine flu had arrived in the country and made me see a doctor again upon my return (even calling the airport to try to contain me before I came in) to confirm that I was safe. And - of course - I was.

Well, this last week all the swine flu stuff has hit, but I have started to get better. The coughing is gone, but for some reason, my appetite is not back and when I try to eat... well, it's not working out so well.

I went back to the doctor yesterday since two weeks isn't normal for not being able to hold down food (or having it come back at ya in unpleasant ways), but they can't figure out what's wrong. I got a PILE of pills AGAIN, but last night I got sick when I took them. Thankfully my neighbor Miwa was amazing and both helped me out when I was glued to the bathroom floor (couldn't hold down the cup of tea I drank - wtf?!) and then called my work supervisor to explain (even though it was late). Feeling OK today, but this probably means no food quite yet :-(

Starting to wonder if it's really a SE Asian bug of some sort (like a worm!).... maybe the kind you get without the benefit of losing all the weight? Otherwise, while I know it isn't swine flu with all the hype around it (no fever), I'm going to request to go to the foreign hospital next week if this doesn't go away by then.

Getting sick has also definitely made me realize how much my life in Japan revolves around food, though. Going out to eat with friends, all-you-can-eat/drink at work parties, dinner at neighbors houses, going to the cool foreign stores to get food you can't usually find here, and - of course - cooking. It's not just Japan, it's me... but not really being able to eat and not even craving food almost seems like a cultural shift!

An Ode to Food (I have too much free time right now...)

The Philippines was grand.
Greek, sandwiches and shakes abound.
But then things changed to a lesser note,
and my once-so-hungry tummy just completely turned around.

Oh how I miss the feta,
Now how I miss the fruit.
I miss banana pancakes,
and the meat served in a chute.

Since getting back to J-land,
The piggy illness found.
Still no yummy goodies for moi,
but I think I could still hunt them like a hound.

Oh how I miss the cocktails,
Now how I miss the fruit.
I miss adobo chicken,
and even crappy natto (smells like a filthy BOOT)!

***************************************************************

This has to be one of the most random posts I have ever put up, but I thought I'd share two more small things that are sort of funny.

First, I thought I would mention that I finally figured out what the "Fairytale" comments about Syttende Mai were all about. NORGE VANT GRAND PRIX!!!! Norway came in first place in the Eurovision Song Competition 2009, the biggest music competition in Europe. I watched all of the performances on Youtube at work the other day, and while some of them were sort of funny and cheesy (classic Eurovision), I definitely see why Norway won.

Instead of being over the top, Alexander Rybek, the main singer is cute, charasmatic, seems really authentic/real, and he even plays the fiddle (ha! so norsk!). The song itself is upbeat, catchy, Rybek has beautiful background singers and the gig has entertainment (awesome dancers) for the audience... it's just fun.

Check it out for yourself:

Finally, I have been getting more comments about my resemblance to a certain Japanese girl (not the same one from before). Mona Yamamoto is apparently this half-Japanese, half-Norwegian model who had a scandalous affair with a politician a few years back.

I can sort of see it (in the video on the above link) and sort of not. What do you think of this one:

School is a Ghost Town

2009-05-19T14:17:00.003+14:00

Here we go... another little update on the crazy swine flu frenzy over here. A few days in and overall mask count is definitely on the rise. As of yesterday, the number of confirmed swine flu cases in Hyogo (my prefecture... sort of like a state) is at 53 people and the total number in Japan is 96. I don't exactly know where they get the number, but the Japanese National Infectious Disease Surveillance Center (our CDC) estimates there are probably 1000 cases in the country.

While there were no kids at school yesterday, work at my visit high school seemed pretty normal... just a bit boring with nothing to do. Today at my regular high school, however... GHOST TOWN. There are probably a total of 15 people in the staff room (all the rest are using vacation time to stay home) and Hyogo Prefecture has closed all prefectural schools until the 22nd, so I assume it's the same everywhere else (1440 schools and 640,000 students!).

While most of the cases have also been teachers and students, a bank employee in central Kobe just came down with swine flu and I heard yesterday the library and local government offices in my town are also closing.

Living here sort of feels like being in a movie right now. I mean, people aren't wearing full on medical suits or anything, but they are wearing masks and there's nobody around. I haven't been to Kobe yet since this happened, but I've heard 80% of the people there have masks on and now they might even try to close the department stores. Creepy!

I'm doing alright, but I think I might have to go to the doctor with a coworker (and go home sick?) - again - today :-( My stupid stomach is still a mess. Tried to eat again last night and not feeling so well because of it. I actually love the Philippines but am starting to get annoyed by the backlash of that visit... Beyond sick of being sick, but I guess this is a good time for it to happen (thanks piggies). I just like food and would like to have some again :-p

OH... and this is kind of hilarious but my coworker just told me I have the wrong kind of mask, too. Apparently, the style I am wearing is for sinus problems, but there is a different style for virus (which we got for free at school). Are you kidding me? I don't think any of them make THAT big of a difference... but really had no idea there are different styles for different purposes.

***************************************************************************************

While the news and even social messaging boards are aflame with chatter about swine flu, there are some other things going on. I was way too tired when I got back to finish the Philippines post (which is sort of huge and monstrous now, anyways, so not sure if I even should post it!), but I saw the new Star Trek movie the last night in Singapore. Totally cheesy, but I really loved it. I saw it in a really nice mall in Cebu City, Philippines and i have to say it was SO nice to just sit and relax in a huge, cool movie theater. They were pretty aggressive with anti-piracy (checked our cameras, told us there were undercover anti-piracy officers in the theater and then played about 5 commercials about why piracy is bad), but I suppose a lot of the rip-offs come from the Philippines so I can understand why.

As for the movie itself, cheese galore as I said, but for someone who used to watch the old 50s show (and a bit of the Gen X stuff) as a kid, it was really fun to see where the characters came from, especially with such advanced special effects in this film. I also loved the whole space-time crossover theme and all the pop-culture-historical references. I can only imagine how excited the klingon-speakers of this world (real trekkies) were ;-p

Also finished a few books over the last week (usually like Sedaris, but loved his new book... check it out!) and finally got caught up on LOST. The show was really good in the beginning, then sort of stupid, then bad... and now it's getting good again. The season finale wasn't as amazing as I thought it was going to be after everyone raved about it, but the twist at the end did sort of get me. And even I was a little emotional about it (<>). I also watched the last half season of 30 Rock (been a while since I've watched TV... lots to catch up on!), which I am now craving more of, too. The show is really clever, often in really witty and subtle ways.

***************************************************************************************

I just looked around and I am literally the only one in the staff room, so I'm going to go see if I'm supposed to be somewhere. Going to the doc when my coworkers meeting is over, too, so prob more tomorrow....

grrrl powerrrr

2009-05-18T18:11:00.004+14:00

In other (than crazy swine flu is in Japan!!!) news...

What a week for girl power!

Have more time with the news this week and have to point out that: Lithuania has it's first female President, women were elected to the National Assembly in Kuwait for the first time in history and Ruth Padel is the first female Oxford Professor of Poetry.

Rock on - amazing to think of what that means on a global level compared to 100 years ago.

School Closed This Week (Swine Flu)

2009-05-18T14:49:00.004+14:00

Well, the suspected cases of swine flu in Takasago were confirmed and both of my schools have been closed for a week.

It's a little bit funny because we were supposed to have midterms this week (so no class this week, midterms next week and I'm in Tokyo the following week), so I'm not really going to have seen my kids in class for about a month and a half once I do see them again (and this was not long after spring break and the beginning of the school year!). There have been several other reported cases (now 8 in Kobe and in other universities and high schools in the area), but the most ironic thing is that even though school is cancelled, the staff still needs to come in. If you ask me, there isn't much logic behind it as teachers could spread any infectous disease that students could (and would have been present in the same situations as the students when the flu was contracted - takes a week to incubate so we wouldn't even know!), but I guess that's Japan. I asked about it and was told it was the rules and we'd have to take vacation time to stay home... it's a group society thing (and the reason why teachers come to work during all breaks, even when there are no students). I understand it, but I guess I just don't really agree.

Anyways, so teachers are calling students with homework assignments but we're basically just hanging out all week. I have a friend at a Junior High in Takasago and she said her coworkers have to go visit each student and give them their homework (which seems to defeat the purpose of them being home at all!?), but otherwise, I think people are just taking it easy... and hopefully calming down.

Midterms are also postponed until next week, so to be honest, I'm going to have a lot of free time coming up and am not sure if it's a good thing or bad thing. The year started in March, then we had spring break for a few weeks, then about 2 weeks of school before the Golden Week holidays (two weeks I was in the Philippines)....and I was pretty sick and missed a few days when I got home. So I basically haven't really had real classes in several weeks, and with no classes this week, midterms (no classes next week), and then me being gone in Tokyo for meetings Friday - Wednesday the next week... wondering if these students are going to remember my name! :-p After that, we only have about 3 or 4 weeks of classes before summer holidays, too.... and then I'm done. Pretty crazy (which seems to be quickly becoming the tagline of the day).

At least the new schedule this week will give me a chance to bike to school. I don't need to be there to prepare for classes in the morning, can wear what I want and the weather is beautiful. Good to get some exercise since I haven't been running in a bit, too.

Today, I've just been on the internet reading the news and watching Facebook and the message boards here blow up with the buzz about swine flu. People are definitely talking and more schools are closing (even since I started writing). A teacher also gave me this really amazing series of Japanese Fairy Tales (that I think I might go buy this week, actually) so I have spent some time learning all about the Bamboo Princess, why the sea has salt and Sleepyhead Taro. Very, very strong similarities to the nordic folk tales (Asbjornson and Moe, in addition and close parallel to the brother Grimm). Reminds me of my camp counselor days when I used to read them to the girls in my cabin every night ;-p

I'm gonna go grab lunch (still on ramen) but more later. Things seem to have calmed down a bit now that everyone has a sick mask and feels safer (the stores are sold out!) but it's strange to see. Willing to bet $10 the convenience store workers (and people at the grocery store) will all be wearing them!

Japan Swine Flu count up to 80 - more news:
http://www.asianewsnet.net/news.php?id=5758&sec=1
http://www.newsonjapan.com/html/newsdesk/morenews/Education_News/
http://www.japanprobe.com/?p=10308

Announcement Delayed...

2009-05-17T22:27:00.002+14:00

It's 5:30 and people are starting to look seriously bored as we wait for a decision from the Board of Education. I think we might be waiting on official test results from the CDC in Tokyo (about the Takasago Swine Flu outbreak), but they originally told us we would know by 4:30, then 7 and now people are saying 8. I think some teachers have to wait around, but I talked to a coworker and I'm going to head home soon. Chances are good school will be cancelled for the week, but the official announcement will be posted on our school website by 8pm and someone is going to call me to let me know what's up later. So much for a 9am meeting, though, eh? Shoganai...

I guess even if they cancelled one day, I would be at my visit high school tomorrow so it doesn't really matter, but I just spoke with a coworker from there and they've also been in meetings at work all day. I suspect most of the schools in the area are doing the same, and I heard the nearby (Kakogawa) elementary schools and junior highs have been shut down. At least all the kids (about 30) and the three teachers that went to the hospital from my school today are alright. One girl had a really high fever and people were nervous (kind of seemed like everyone FREAKED OUT if someone had even a trace of a fever for a few hours), but she's OK, so now it's just a matter of making sure nothing spreads more than it needs to. The principal wants to tell the kids to stay inside this week (and, hey, they get an extra week to study for midterms if school's cancelled, so maybe they will...) but I'm not as worried about all of this.

Anyways, yeah, I'm going to head home. Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend.

And a Happy Syttende Mai...

2009-05-17T15:29:00.005+14:00

I almost forgot!

Gratulerer med dagen til alle i Norge! Vet ikke hva alt dette med "Fairytales" betyr, men kos dere med feiringen✮

Swine Flu in my District - At School for a While...

2009-05-17T14:40:00.008+14:00

Wow, so things are kind of crazy right now. Already this morning, I have noticed a lot more people wearing masks and there was a huge info board in front of the ticket machines at my station this morning about influenza and how to protect yourself.

When I arrived at work, there was a table waiting by the shoe lockers providing us with sick masks, ethenol spray for our hands and they even had a box of thermometers to check our tempature (immediately) if we haven't been feeling well. Pretty intense...

I am still at work and we just got out of the emergency staff meeting that the principal called yesterday. I unfortunately took my school laptop home with me Thursday night so I could use it for the presentation in Aioi on Friday but I am using a coworkers computer to check the Japanese news in English (and thought I'd also jump on here... shh).

So here is the situation as it stands. Three kids in Kobe (or it sounds like maybe 4 now?) have been confirmed as having swine flu. We just finished the Golden Week holidays, probably one of the most popular times to travel abroad in Japan, so I am not that suprised that the first case of swine flu would come immediately after we resumed a regular working schedule nationally (or at the end of the holiday, as with the cases in Tokyo), but what makes the Kobe cases strange is that the infected kids never left Japan. My friend Kym works at the school that these kids go to and it sounds like they have quaruntined anyone that is slightly sick (including my friend) and are cancelling school trips abroad for now.

The problem and reason for the worry at my school right now, however, is that it doesn't stop with those three or four kids for our area. The kids in Kobe are apparently all on the same volleyball team and last week, they played in a tournament in Takasago, the town I work in. As of last night, there seem to be approx. 6 more swine flu cases (maybe confirmed?) from students at Takasago High School, which is about a 15 minute walk from Takasago Minami, where I work. This was also a prefectural volleyball tournie, so there were teams from all over the prefecture, not just my district, which is also fueling concern on the part of the Board of Education and teachers in general.

I didn't understand all the announcements during our meeting today (which involved the principal just giving us news - in very fast Japanese - for 20 minutes, followed by a review of our handouts and procedure explanations), but it sounds like a teacher somewhere in the prefecture is also sick, as well as kids at Hyogo High School (?) and Harima Minami, also in my immediate school district.

So what are we going to do? Well, one week ago, the Hyogo Board of Education and greater Ministry of Education published a statement telling school staff to prepare for 3 days of provisions because school would be cancelled for one week (and they would be potentially confined?) if one case in Kansai was confirmed. The government is now changing it's stance, but they are definitely taking a very professional, stern and swift approach.

Right now, the staff room is sort of buzzing as student phone networks are being iniated and all 1,000 kids at my school are called. If anyone has not been feeling well, they will be asked to come to school between 10 and 11:30 today to get tested. Anyone that has gone abroad must also be tested. Not sure what they are going to do if people aren't home, but for now, that's the game plan.

I asked a coworker if I was included in the group to be tested since I came back from the Philippines last Sunday, but I am fine because the doctor confirmed I am clear of the pig flu last week.

I still stand by the statement that I am getting sick of the media drama surrounding swine flu (not to mention I have counted three pretty major spelling errors in CNN.com's articles this week), but it is interesting how the story keeps getting closer to home. On the other side of the Pacific, even my mother was given Tamiflu yesterday because she isn't feeling well and they didn't want to take any chances. Another friend here in Japan came back from Singapore not feeling well last week and was detained in Tokyo and put on an IV because they suspected she could have swine flu, but she was eventually cleared and let go. Personally, I am still not feeling perfect myself (stomach is still a mess, but I could finally eat vegetables at dinner last night - yay!), but because I do not satisfy all 3-4 symptoms of swine flu (which includes a cough, but always a fever as well), it's thankfully not considered a threat.

That being said, I got a message from a friend early this morning asking if my illness started with a sore throat and headache (which it did...). Turns out I had given someone the half bowl of ramen I couldn't finish at dinner on Friday and now they have whatever I have, too, so I should be careful.

Anyways, I have a book and my iPod with me, so think I am going to read the news for a while and then finish my book before our next staff meeting after the kids are tested (around 12). We were told we should also have a decision and announcement from the Hyogo Board of Education by then, telling us if school - and what schools - will be closed. We've been informed that we will most likely be closed for a week due to our proximity to the latest cases, but this whole situation is obviously developing (hmm, and hopefully it's cool that I'm sharing this information...). I am just curious if we will still have to come to work if the kids don't.

This is definitely a new situation for me - for any country, I suppose - and I have to admit that while it's really terrible that people are getting sick and I really hope I/we don't get quaruntined, I am also a little jazzed up about the excitement and having something new going on...

Updates later. Off to read the news...

Click here to read more about the Kobe cases. Surprised they closed 75 schools in the prefecture already, but also shockingly progressive that Kobe city has established a hotline for non-Japanese speakers seeking more information on the flu and health services available (080-6115-9901, 9-5). Love it.

Swine Flu Meeting Tomorrow

2009-05-17T07:51:00.003+14:00

About two months ago, I was sitting in the monthly staff meeting, somewhat listening and going over the large stack of handouts in front of me, and someone reading the book under the table (hey - other teachers were sleeping - no joke!), when the phone tree came up. They just announced that the pattern has changed and even made a special note of that fact that a new person was to call me if anything happened. So we get back to the staff room after the meeting and I ask a teacher what the phone tree is actually used for (literally, "so we just use this if the school burns down, right?"). Well, apparently it's used about 6-10 times a year, particularly to inform people of weddings, funerals, etc. Except nobody has ever called me. The teacher I had asked was shocked when I told her this.

And then tonight... my first call.

Three cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Kobe (the first domestic cases in the country). Earlier in the week, my school was really concerned I had contracted the sickness when I returned very ill (bronchitis & food poisoning combo = not fun) and wouldn't let me come in for 2 days, telling me that the Board of Education would close all schools for a week if any cases in Kansai were confirmed. I wasn't told that school will definitely be closing, but the coworker that called me said we have a staff meeting at 9am tomorrow (Sunday) morning to discuss what to do.

Curious to see what they will say tomorrow... especially since it's midterms week. Can you imagine if we did have a week off this week, then the make-up midterms (ie no classes) the next week.... and then I'm gone for a week in Tokyo for my volunteer organization? Crazy. I'm never going to see my kids!

Anyways, I've had a long day so I need to get to bed, but all of this swine flu frenzy seems a little out of control. I've thought the media was overreacting, but I suppose it is spreading and it's good to be cautious. We'll see what they say, though.

Other than that, speech contest and interesting night in Himeji last night and tonight I was out at this AMAZING cafe in Osaka. Had a really excellent time (new favorite part of town - Orange Street!), but the train schedule I was using was wrong (do.no.trust.JORUDAN!) and I just spent the last 2+ hours walking home from Nishi Akashi station ($50 for a cab). I'm spent.

More soon...

Acupuncture Alley

2009-05-14T23:13:00.001+14:00

Feeling a bit better today, although I haven’t been able to start eating normal foods again yet. I actually considered trying to just go on Japanese baby food for a while (hoping it resembled apple sauce, like in the states), but after talking to my coworkers and realizing it was more of a porridge-like mush that you add water to (and apparently tastes like crap), I’m sticking to the bananas, crackers and hopefully a peanut butter sandwich today.

ANYWAYS, so I know I just came back from vacation and all, but I’ve been totally exhausted from being sick and all the planning for next year that has really culminated this week. So I decided to go out and do something I’ve been dying to try for a long time… ACUPUNCTURE!

A lot of people are skeptical about Chinese medicine, especially acupuncture and new age stuff, but part of me wanted to see what it was like and another part of me figured that – since insurance will cover part of it here anyways – what did I have to lose if I just went in to see if they would help with the cough (and sore shoulders, etc etc).

I went to this orthopedic doctor that a Japanese friend of mine recommended that I think Tam used to go to for her back. You don’t need an appointment, so I called ahead to see when they were open and went in around 6pm.

The check-in process was fairly straightforward and easy (or at least enough so that I was fine with the Japanese on my own). The nurse at the desk asked me what the problem was and then asked me the questions on the form, rather than giving it to me, which was awesome because it’s the kanji that gets me. Then I basically just read Japanese women’s magazines (which are mostly pictures of different fashions) until it was my turn to go in.

I didn’t actually take my whole shirt off, just stripped down to my camisole, which I was a little surprised about with acupuncture and the doctor I went to see spoke a little English. He asked me a lot of questions about being sick recently and then made sure I wanted the hari (needles) and not just a massage, which is apparently what Tam got. Then he showed me what the needles look like so I wouldn’t be scared (basically two thin and hollow plastic tubes with a long, need-sized pin sitting in the middle) and had me lay down. To my surprise, and delight, I got a massage for about 15 minutes while the doctor located the sore muscles that he would focus on with the needles. He had me lay on my side and I felt him put the plastic tube on my neck and sort of hit it with a hammer.
Then there was a slight pinch (that I could hardly feel), we’d wait a second, and then he’d do the next one down the row to my shoulders. About 10 minutes later, I was sitting up again and they put a self-adhesive menthol pad on my shoulders that gave both a strange hot and cold sensation simultaneously. And I just had to pay (an apparently reasonable fee since insurance covered a lot of it) and I was on my way home.

So did it work? Well, I’m not sure. I felt so mellow when I got home that it was almost like I was either on drugs (I've heard) or drugged, but it wore off later on and today I feel about the same if not a bit better. They were worried I’d have some pain today, but things seem totally normal.

Glad I tried it either way and I have more of the menthol patches, so maybe I'll stick with those before I go under the needles for a while... fun stuff.

Back to Work after GW

2009-05-13T21:24:00.002+14:00

Back at school. To be honestI am kind of glad to be here. I was sort of worried about coming back to Japan when we left the Philippines for some reason, but the moment I hit Kobe, I felt a little refreshed because it’s familiar and I’m happy to have more time here, even though I definitely feel like the end of this chapter is near.

The same goes for school. I haven’t seen the students yet, but there are so many kind and supportive coworkers. When I walked in before the meeting today, gave my greeting with a bow and sat down, everyone looked a little shocked to see me. I guess it has been over two weeks since I was last at school, but once the meeting finished, so many people came up and asked how I was because they had all heard I was sick. Ok, some might have also told me I still look like crap and look "weak", but that’s cultural and I’m used to it… suppose I could look at the positive side and say at least they’re paying attention?

I am actually feeling a little weak today and was sick both last night and this morning, so not quite at 100% or ready to eat normally again yet (which makes this bronchitis & stomach stuff officially suck), but they told me I can take even more time off if I want/need it and I think getting out of the house isn’t a bad thing. They’re being really careful about my classes, even doing a prep-course about the Philippines before my Philippines presentation to give me more time to rest and canceling all my lunchtime discussion sessions for the next two days. Pretty sweet, especially considering I was gone for two weeks, sick for two days and I am supposed to do a presentation and judge a speech contest at another school on Friday, so I’ll miss all those classes, too.

There’s also been a bit happening outside of work lately. I wish I could tell you running (the weather is so perfect and beautiful – not humid yet), but not so much. I have heard back from most of the schools I applied to for graduate school and am now trying to make some big decisions about where to move next year. I definitely have options, so I shouldn’t complain, but I can’t believe how tough this year was. Plans may be quite different than I originally thought they would be (maybe even if you had asked me last week), but it’s still TBD on exactly where I’ll be moving in August. Definitely America, though.

I am also finishing up my tenure on the National non-profit. In addition to regular things, like my Block Rep, Advertising stuff and national e-Bulletin stuff I do, lately we’ve also been working on reports for the Opinion Exchange with CLAIR and the three ministries responsible for education in Japan. My group is focusing on the new mandatory English curriculum for elementary students. I can’t take credit for doing much work on the report, as I helped with creating the survey and editing drafts, but didn’t do much by way of writing, but I am still looking forward to the meetings and might be presenting the English version. Before the Opinion Exchange, which will last two days, we have two days of changeover meetings with the incoming council and I’m planning to pad in some extra time on both sides to meet-up with my brother (who will be in Tokyo with friends) and personal time exploring the Nikko temple complex. Should be good.

Anyways, I am going to plan some lessons and start looking at stuff for Friday (America presentation again - yay), but not so bad to be back ;-)

We're onto you, M... Boracay Travel advisory

2009-05-11T17:49:00.005+14:00

This is very random, but after an appalling experience at a guesthouse/hostel in Boracay, Philippines, I feel the need to make a note for anyone going there.

After going through the motions of arguing with "Claus" (not his real name, but the european owner of said establishment) at Melinda's Garden on the main beach, we've only found more evidence for the bed bug prognosis (also diagnosed by the Boracay hospital doctor) for all the little red bites we got at the resort! According to the stuff Emi found in Japanese, the bites aren't even always visible. So Emi probably had them, too.

I should have gotten paid back for that Lysol we had to buy in the nights before we could switch hotel... but since that isn't going to happen, I feel some solace in providing a tip to beware of Melinda's (who seems to have stopped trying after being included in the Lonley Planet) if you go to Boracay. Just not worth it on vacation.

The Philippines- Part 1

2009-05-11T13:52:00.011+14:00

Back in Japan from the Philippines! There were a few changes to the master plan, but overall, I have to say I left with fond feelings for the Philippines and it is definitely a place I would return again. If I was to compare it to another place I've been, I'd probably say certain aspects of the culture or landscape reminded me of Cambodia, but there was definitely a strong American influence (obviously...) and - even though I am returning a bit ill with bronchitis - I also feel really refreshed and am glad to be back. There was some stress along the way, but this trip was the break I needed, way more than I realized.

THE TRIP
So I went to SE Asia with a group of 6 others, mostly teachers and all friends. We had originally decided we wanted to go to Korea, but when we found the insanely cheap airfare on Cebu Pacific Airlines ("less than the price of tickets to Tokyo for a warm location?... hello Philippines!!"), we were swayed to changed location plans. The trip lasted 12 days in total and we visited several cities, including the capital city of Manila, the rice paddies in Banaue, beautiful Boracay and (briefly) the bussling city of Cebu.

MANILA
The trip started with me leaving for the airport straight from school on a Tuesday, with only my little school-style backpack and a purse in hand. I met the rest of the group at the airport and we checked in and headed to the gate. The flight to Manila took a little less than 4 hours and there were a few other acquaintances on the plane ride over (no surprise as cheap tickets are making the Philippines a hot spot this year), but we were all really impressed by the cheap beer and food on the plane (at least compared to Japan). The journey didn't seem that long as we played cards for most of the ride over (sort of funny with a group of 7 on a plane). I would definitely recommend Cebu Pacific to others.

When we arrived at our destination, Manila, we exchanged money (the rate was the same pretty much everywhere in the airport & even the rates in Japan weren't actually that much worse) and then looked for our pick-up to get to the hotel. The guy was sitting on the chairs right outside the arrival gate and had a tiny sign with our names on them, but it was actually over an hour (and a phone call to the hotel) before we connected with the driver and loaded into two cars to take us to Malate, the area of Manila we were staying in.

When you drive into Manila for the first time, things you may notice immediately are the lights - bright, multi-colored and everywhere, the variety of stores and restaurants (food from everywhere!) and the perplexing automobiles zooming through traffic that look like a taxi-meets-jeep-meets... submarine (?) hybrid, jeepneys.

The jeepneys (which, in my mind, are almost a symbol of the country) are an evolution of the surplus of jeeps that the Americans either sold or gave to the Philippines after WWII. The front looks like a jeep, but the extended-back more like a covered vegetable truck sheethed in metal (pretty much the car version of a mullet). The jeepneys operate like buses (going certain routes) and it would be an understatement to say that each one has personality (let alone it's own name, like a boat, always proudly displayed on the side).

The stay in Manila was actually really nice. I liked the city. Our hotel was located in an area called Malate, with a lot of restaraunts and clubs, located near Manila Bay, the CBD and Intramuros, the old walled city. I got the lodging recommendation out of the LP and was pretty pleased. The woman running the place told me the house was built before the war (rare for a city that was essentially leveled) as a city apartment for a very wealthy family with 5 children. They even had a parking garage and staff quarters, all of which have now been converted into hotel rooms. I especially loved the wood everywhere, and while it hasn't been confirmed, I was also sort of excited when the women told me the building was also the local headquarters for the Japanese military during the war. Pretty cool.

We only had a few days in Manila did a fair bit while we were there. We got in sort of late the first night and landed at the pub across from where we were staying, but it turned out to be an amazing American-style bar, with good music, fun customers (people were so relaxed and would sing along, etc), excellent food and good beer (bottle of Red Horse for about 80 cents and you could get it in a bucket of ice). Loved it... we even went back several times. We spent one day checking out Rizal Park and all the monuments, although I think a few of us were disappointed that the Butterfly and Orchid Gardens were gone. We also went to the National Museum for the History of the Filipino People, basically the national museum and probably one of the most well-presented, thorough and interesting museums I have been to (on par with the National Museum in Shanghai if you've been). I especially liked an exhibition showing artifacts from several recovered shipwrecks and an interactive athropological exhibit talking about sub-cultures, regions and traditions in different parts of the country (amazing prep when you've just arrived). The building was also the old Ministry of Finance and had been restored to it's prewar state... stunning!

Other highlights included, well, food (land of buffets!), the Manila Zoo (got to hold a crocodile and a python!), the Mall of Asia (Mall of America has it beat, but was still cool to see an American-style mall again)...

Voting Rights

2009-04-22T06:18:00.006+14:00

I was just messing around on the net earlier and found myself reading Peter Sunde's blog (one of the founders of the ThePirateBay.com, recently indited for copyright infringement)

Have to say I didn't know the voting restrictions in Sweden (particularly concerning voting without being a Swedish citizen) seem to be surprisingly more lax than expected: http://blog.brokep.com/2009/04/19/good-european-news/

I love Scandinavia.

Random Thoughts from a Run

2009-04-21T05:41:00.004+14:00

went running in the forest this weekend and have come to the conclusion i need to not live by the smoke pipes for a while. just a change of scene, ya know? it's like I'm homesick for a place I haven't lived yet... or I'm not even from.

it's funny how you wait so long to get somewhere, then you get there and you get to a point where you want to go back to where you were? or to somewhere new? i was talking to a college girlfriend for a while tonight - someone who thinks too much like me and understand all too well - and she thinks it's a good sign, it means you are ready to go back.

sometimes i think this feeling means it's a good time to go. been here before. you don't want to have regrets or look back and not see how great things are.

anyways, i'm looking forward to upcoming adventures. viva las (america).

2009-04-21T05:05:00.003+14:00

Hey all! Been a little behind on the blog and there is a lot to catch up on, but I guess that's what happens when you're too busy doing stuff to write about it. Whoosh!

Alright, so things are going... yeah, alright. Been a lot going on, with Krystal's visit from home, a trip to a beautiful, very old, very large Japanese house in the Japanese countryside (Okayama Prefecture, to be exact) this past weekend and then just dealing with some of the boring old hum-drums and ups-and-downs that come with life. I won't go into all of it in too much detail have talked about it a little bit on here, but I guess I've been a bit stressed out about figuring out where I'm moving next year. I'm definitely coming back to the States and am psyched about grad school, but I have yet to decide 100% where I am going and am getting impatient about waiting on information that I need before that decision is possible.

Work has been really slow, but is now gradually picking up again, and I will admit I have also hit the "Wow, I'm leaving my newest home-away-from home" shock state (slash realization mode) in the last several weeks, which - at least for me - is not always good. Awesome with starting in new places. Hate leaving them. After three years of doing the same job and living in the same little, bamboo-lined apartment, I'm ready for change. I love Japan and will be sad to see it go, however, not to mention saying goodbye to the friends, links, connections and relations that I've made over the years. Yes, some pretty important "connections" have already left, things have changed (they always do) and I don't see everyone I will miss as much as I could, but I will miss knowing I can see them whenever. You know how it is. It's like college - just transition. I'll be back here and will now always have a more intimate connection with Japan, but it'll be sad to have that Ocean between us...

Alright, so yeah, onto the "busy" stuff. I think the last time I wrote, Krystal and I had made it about halfway through the week and I was enkai-bound. As I wrote before, Krystal spent Thursday in Tokyo and Friday in Hiroshima. We were going to go to Mie-ken on Friday night to ease up some of the travel pains, but decided to spend the weekend at Dave' house so we could get Katie an extra ticket we had. It turned out to be a bit of a blessing that we did in some ways, because it granted us the opportunity to check out the "yozakura" (evening blossom viewing) in what I consider one of the best hidden gems in Japan - Nishimukonosokoen ("kotsukoen")! Everyone I know that has done a cherry blossom viewing party there has raved about the location, the atmosphere, everything. Great time! During the weekend, we actually made it to Kyoto, were professionally dressed in Kimonos (the whole shibang - all three layers with ties and towels, purses, penguin socks & tabi shoes!) and had our hair done. We then proceeded to the famous Kyoto Temple featured on the 10 Yen coin before traveling all the way to Mie Prefecture to visit the Ninja Festival in the town where Ninja are from. Yes, in kimono - about 7 hours on trains overall. We did it all, with some kinks along the way (like our train line being shut down and having to take some detours), but it was fun and I don't think I have so thoroughly enjoyed a ramen and beer as I did afterwards. We didn't get a lot of sleep that night, but Krystal made it to the airport safely the next day and - despite the fact I was exhausted - I was convinced to join a hike on a new path on Rokko... and think I discovered a new favorite route. Was also awesome to get in one more day outside with the beautiful blossoms before they were rained out the following day (and are now just pink and brown memories on the sidewalks!).

The next weekend was also pretty busy. We rented a van from Nishi Akashi and a group of nine of us met up at the supermarket next to my house to get groceries for a weekend adventure in Okayama prefecture. We've been to the Okayama International Villas, a series of really amazing houses that are rented out to foreigners at a low cost to promote tourism, before but I definitely think the place we saw this time - Hattoji - tops the list of my favorites. The house was a traditional, thatch-roof farmhouse, over 120 years old with a firepit in the middle and an old, metal bathtub (the kind you light the fire under). The main areas of the place were also essentially one big tatami-covered room with sliding doors dividing them, but I absolutely loved it. They give you yukata, bedding and even bikes, so we did a little exploring, taking the bikes out on the local country roads and trails, then during a short run I went on and via a few small hikes in the woods with Dave. I definitely love cities and think I'm a city girl, but being in nature is so soothing. What I needed and it was fun to BBQ with the group and see some stars for once. On the way home, we also stopped to see the first public school in Japan, try some soy sauce flavored ice cream (not bad) and check out the famous bizenyaki pottery in the nearby city of Bizen.

It's crazy that we'll also be in the Philippines in a week (haven't even thought about packing), but this break made me realize that maybe a break is what I need. I know 3 months isn't a long time to go without a vacation under normal circumstances (and you could consider these weekend trips vacations), but I think it's different with Japan. With all the other stuff going on, getting away and just relaxing (or embarking on some adventure) - in warm weather! - will be nice. I know of one guy who just came to Japan for an engineering job at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and even his supervisor told him he should try to travel, maybe leaving Japan everyone 3-5 months. Not a very Japanese thing to say, yet still...

That's the short version of a long story, but I feel so busy and yet have so much free time at times at work that I'm also so bored. Shouldn't whine... amazing situation and so lucky to be in Japan (just need to get away for a few days to appreciate it..ha).

Summer Salad

2009-04-21T00:58:00.004+14:00

Whenever I head to a potluck, I usually bring a salad. I think it's my favorite food and it's sort of turned into "my thing".

The "cooking" process usually involves cutting up whatever fruits and veggies that I like at the moment and throwing it all into a bowl, so it's not exactly difficult, but I guess the combos just work. Maybe it's luck?

Anyways, just made a really good one and thought I would share the recipe ;-)

Currently Eating (Summer Salad):
Chopped Lettuce
Peeled & Finely Chopped Cucumbers
Sliced Tomatoes
Shredded Swiss Cheese
Sliced Chicken Breast
Sliced Strawberries
Sliced Mandarine Oranges (from the can)
Crunched up frosted flakes for croutons

Ranch Dressing (altho I usually make a balsamic & olive oil blend)

You should try it... especially with dried cranberries or raisins... yum, yum.

Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls

2009-04-17T15:01:00.002+14:00

My friend Adela sent this on and I think it's worth checking out:

We just heard that President Hamid Karzai has announced he will review the draft of Shia family law that would strip Afghan women and girls of their basic rights. Karzai is responding to the worldwide outrage over the draft law including President Obama who called the law “abhorrent”.

Afghan women leaders in Parliament in the Afghanistan Human Rights Commission, and in non-profit organizations have been fighting the proposed law. We must lend our voices in support of our Afghan sisters.
While Karzai is reconsidering, let him hear from you and as many people you can reach. Urge him to withdraw the draconian law that would restrict women from leaving their homes, working, going to school and obtaining medical care without their husbands’ permission. The law also includes provisions that grants child custody only to men and revokes women’s rights to refuse sex with their husband.

And please join our Campaign for Afghan Women and Girls. As the Taliban have gained strength in Afghanistan over 1000 girls' schools have been destroyed. Teachers have been murdered - some right in front of their students. Acid is being thrown on girls’ faces on their way to or from school. As US shifts it attention to Afghanistan, we must do all we can to make sure Afghan women and girls are not forgotten!

Take Action: http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1400/t/900/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=685

Photo essay of life inside Guantanamo Bay

2009-04-17T14:51:00.007+14:00

I recommend checking out this short photo essay of life inside Guantanamo Bay: http://www.time.com/time/photoessays/guantanamo/.

Not extremely revealing, but interesting nonetheless. I also particularly enjoyed reading the accompanying article about the interrogation experiences of one detainee ("Inside the Interrogation of Detainee 063"). Some of the brief details are haunting and I get the feeling that things are definitely left out that were not flattering to record. The article mentions that the interrogation log, which was recently released by the Obama Administration, was stamped SECRET ORCON, a military acronym for a document that is supposed to remain with the organization (ie - never be made public), so it's probably worse if the administration running these institutions and keeping the logs didn't feel comfortable revealing this information internally.

As for the tactics used, the use of religious taunting ("They suggested to their captive that he had been spared by Allah in order to reveal the true meaning of the Koran and help bring down bin Laden") annoyed me, or even made me a bit angry, because it crosses lines that could constitute "humane" treatment according to the Geneva Conventions, forbidding any outrage on personal dignity. It's OK if you don't agree with religion or even want to debate it, but to taunt someone repetitively seems intrusive, rude, harassing and a way to just kill morale.

While the interrogation log gives a rare window into the techniques used by the U.S. military (actually the first internal look at the Gitmo interrogations since the camp opened 4 years ago), the article also suggests that the documents show that - at least in this case - disclosures were sometimes obtained not when al-Qahtani, the detainee, was under duress but when his handlers eased up on him. Ironic when the major focus of these reports is the intorrogation techniques used and how they work vs the fact that the whole system could be improved by focusing more on methods of using zero or less tactics, but this is partially just media hype.

The End of Hanami Season 2009

2009-04-15T19:41:00.003+14:00

The rainy day yesterday stripped the sakura trees of most of the robust blossoms they have been handsomly displaying for the last week, marking the official end of Hanami season!

I was hoping to get one last picnic in before it was all over, but I have also really enjoyed the beautiful trees and energetic atmosphere over the last few weeks.

I don't think it would be as special as it is (with people really making an effort to get outside and appreciate nature) if the Cherry Blossoms graced us with such spectacular beauty for much longer than they already do. Just gonna miss it!

Krystal's Crazy Visit to My Japan - Part 2

2009-04-15T19:37:00.003+14:00

Le Finale!

As you know, my friend from college, Krystal, was here in Japan last week... and we hit the ground running!

To spare some of you, I won't go into ALL the details of our Friday - Wednesday adventures, but if you made it through the entire first post, you get the idea of how busy, fantastic, crazy, invigorating, adventurous and touristy it all was (um, and congrats.... you're probably about as tired as I was from doing all the stuff from reading that book)! Well, you'd think things would slow down after such an intense schedule those first few days, but they really only got more busy.

Krystal is one of the biggest Japan-visitor-jetsetters I know. She spent a day in Tokyo, a day in Hiroshima, a day at school, a day in Mukonoso for yuzakura (night viewing) and we even did a full day in Kyoto AND Mie Prefectures... when we were professionally dressed in kimono and visited the offical ninja festival in "the home of ninja".

Dave was awesome for letting Krystal and I crash at his house for the weekend (another big slumber party in one bed since it's too cold to use the other rooms just yet), and we both had a lot going on in other areas that maybe could have been stressing us out a bit, but overall... soooo lucky to have such great friends, and especially to have them come visit. Will miss having Krystal here and have so much more to tell, but the pictures on Facebook will have to suffice for now. Please check em out. I'm off to recoup :-P ;-)

Train Pass...

2009-04-15T14:15:00.004+14:00

So for the last two and a half years, I've spent $120 a MONTH to get to work (about $6 each day for the train fare, plus about 15-20 minutes of walking time). Yeah, I know, my school or the Board of Ed should pay for it. They do for all my coworkers and force me to live where I do (the distance from work...), but there is no stipulation in my contract that says they have to and I tried - trust me, I did - to no avail to get them to take mercy and help me out on this.

So on Monday, I was talking to a student at my new/visit high school (conveniently located near my house) who lives near my regular/base high school. Turns out she has a one-month pass on the Sanyo Line that costs her about $40 (which is a WEEK for me). I went to the station yesterday to check out the train pass situation and the reason this student's pass is so cheap is that they are cheaper for children and students (but, as an adult, I would end up paying about the same amount or slightly less than I do now).

However... I am now starting to wonder if I could get one of my kids to buy the pass FOR me. Can't believe I didn't think of this sooner... I have spent over $3,000 on trains to get to work. Hmm.

Word.

2009-04-15T14:08:00.001+14:00

When you get a, "GIRL, you have GOT to get it together" from your MOTHER... you know it's time to make some changes.

Ceremony Central

2009-04-15T14:01:00.011+14:00

As I mentioned earlier, we had quite a few ceremonies last week (as is to be expected in Japan!). Here's a glimpse into a few of them...

First is the Farewell Ceremony for the teachers who will leave our school this year

About eight teachers will move schools this year (one is retiring) so this is the ceremony for them to say goodbye to the students, at the beginning of the new year. This is with only the upper class students that have actually had these teachers in class (second years on the right, third years on the left) and they form an isle down the middle of the gym for the teachers to walk down to get to the stage.

The departing teachers each give a speech to the students. There is usually a bit of crying, adn one teacher even did magic tricks!

And finally, the Principal leads the teachers out of the gym in a line. Everyone claps as they walk out, some students ran up and gave their coach flowers (in addition to the bouquets they received earlier) and the rest of the staff usually crowds around the door to say goodbye to their former coworkers and give them an extra big applause...

Then, later that evening, we had a hello/goodbye party for just the teachers.

Lots of drinks and a 5-course dinner at a fancy hotel in Himeji...

There was an opening ceremony, a toast, and then each departing teacher gave a speech. This is the math/IT teacher...
After all the speeches were finished, we had some time to eat before the next sound of speeches. Each departing staff member would go back up on stage (one by one) with a coworker that knew them well, who would then give them a present on behalf of the rest of the staff while telling a story about them or giving them an additional thank you speech. This particular teacher (Mr. Morita) was retiring, so he got a golf club :)

Most teachers are given special envelopes with money in them, like this one...

Later in the evening. This is about as empty as a glass of beer gets at these parties. You're not allowed to pour your own glass, so people are constantly topping it off (especially the big drinkers, because then you fill their cup in return)...

And finally, the evening ends with a representative from the new/incoming staff members (replacements) giving a speech. Most people go to after-parties with smaller groups, but my friend from home was here, so I skipped out and went back to see her...

Next, this is the induction ceremony for the first year students.

First, all the upper classmen sit in the gym and are given instructions while the freshman wait in the hall...
Then the freshman enter the gym, class by class, lining up (in order) in the front of the gym.

Then the Student Council president gives a speech, welcoming them to our school and offering encouragement. Notice the upper classmen and new students are facing each other...

A representative from the freshman class then greets the upperclassmen and accepts their welcome, giving a speech about how they are excited and will work hard...

Finally, the ceremony ends with some reminders about rules and discipline, announcements, and finally a little game of Telephone/"Chinese Whispers"...

The students had to give the message through a cup to make it more difficult and there were two teams per class...

The whole school (900 people) playing the telephone game (awesome!)...

After each team had finished, the homeroom teacher would read the message (and the real message was written on the board). The message was a story about two of the teachers and some of the things the kids came up with was HILARIOUS (even with my level of Japanese)...

Lastly, here are a few pics from the Sports and Club Expo we held for the freshman late last week, presenting all the acitivites offered at school.

This is obviously a promo for track and field (hence the tank and running shorts)...

Men and Women's Handball presented together, giving demonstrations of cool passes and shooting (throwing) at the goal...
These are the board and posters lined at the back of the gym. Art Club had some pretty cool paintings (and I loved their huge sign). Our English Club board, with pictures of parties and stuff we've done, is near the door...

Next Destination - CUBA

2009-04-14T08:45:00.005+14:00

I think this is a positive move in the right direction.

On a more selfish note... after visiting Megan while she's still in Prague, catching up with friends I haven't seen in a long time in Norway, maybe traveling S. America by bike and finally making it to Victoria Falls (sadly, the Transib/Africa plans are definitely out for the summer), Cuba may actually be a possibility for my travel wishlist someday!!!!

I know the article says travel restrictions for Americans of non-Cuban descent will remain in place, but at least things are changing sooner rather than later.

Krystal's Whirlwind Visit to My Japan - Part 1

2009-04-09T19:30:00.016+14:00

It's still been less than a week since Krystal arrived in Japan, but we've been so busy that it feels like longer. She's seen SO much and is already comfortable venturing out on her own while I'm at work (the new school year started this week). I almost feel like I'm on vacation in Japan, too, though we've been doing so much sightseeing. It's really nice to have a girlfriend from home, here, though. The fact that it feels really normal also makes me think the transition back to my home culture ain't gonna be so bad this summer :-p I'm just going to miss Japan - a lot...

So on Friday night, everything went pretty well with Krystal catching the airport bus from KIX to Kobe on her own. I met her at the bus stop across from Sannomiya Station around 10 and we took the train back to my house. We probably didn't get back until 11:30 and understandably were in bed not long after.

It usually doesn't feel like jetlag at all for people coming east for the first time, but Krystal was up at the crack of dawn on Saturday morning (about 5am), totally awake and ready to go, as expected. I got up a bit later - although still early for me - and we spent a few hours having breakfast, chatting looking at maps of where I live, etc, before we finally made it out the door and on a train to Himeji (for the annual Himeji Hanami / flower viewing party). My friend Matt had arrived early with the tarps. In most years, you need to arrive hours before the official Hanami event (hosted by Himeji city) begins to secure space on the large lawn-area in front of the castle, especially since our party usually consists of around 40-70 foreigners spanned across several large tarps. Probably due to the terrible weather forecast, however, we arrived to find Matt sitting completely alone on the new, shiny big green tarp we had bought for the party :-( Better yet, when the rain started coming down, the other people packed up and left so we were pretty much the only tarp on the lawn for the most of the day.

More people eventually came, anyways, and we sort of stood around for a while chatting with them, then going into the Japanese Tea Cermony tent to try real matcha (powdered green tea) and Japanese sweets (my kids were helping serve!), heading to the beverage tents to try interesting variations of true Japanese sake (straight from the barrels - the sakura flavored one was the best) and finally visiting the adjacent zoo.

We had plans to meet friends in Kobe later that night and were going to sit out all day it was time to go, but we were getting so wet by the middle of the day that we decided it was time to just tour the castle and move on.

It's been quite a while since I've actually been inside the Himeji Castle, and I was really impressed with how beautiful the sakura were during the day (had previously only seen them at night). The trees inside the castle walls seemed to have bloomed much more than the trees on the lawn and looked almost succulent against all the white castle wall backdrop.

I was also surprised to find that they've renovated or changed parts of the inside, too. The toilet area was open, they have now opened the princess's quarters (and added tatami!) and the route is different than it was on my prior tours (although this could have been a one-day thing because of the large number of hanami visitors). It was sort of fun to give Krystal a little tour, too, though... telling her stories about the kitchen girl that was drowned in the castle well and haunts the castle (people say you can hear her counting plates) and some of the stories behind props on display and architecture inside the main tower (mostly stuff that I've picked up from people in the area).

After the castle, we headed to the station (wearing ballerina flats was a bad idea - my socks were drenched and feet got blistered - OUCH - so it was a very hasty... and somewhat akward... retreat) but we did make one more little stop on the way to Kobe. We got off a train stop early to see the wharf and Meriken Park, which is the memorial for the damage caused by the Great Hanshin Earthquake (that destroyed Kobe in 1995). It was a cloudy day so you couldn't see the whole harbor that well, but it was still a beautiful scene :)

When we made it to the center of town, Dave, Chris and Emi had already gotten reservations at the kushi katsu place, a joint where you deep-fry your own food at the table. Dinner was pretty delicious and the two hours of karaoke (with Bob, Katie & their friends from America, too!) was a lot of fun.

Saturday wasn't the earliest night, but I woke up in pretty rough shape on Sunday morning and almost had to change plans for the day. It's a little embarassing, but I had accidentally taken a pretty big gulp from a cup that I thought was water - and was actually clear liquor - right before bed on Saturday night and spent about 3 hours on the couch in the middle of the night, trying to resist the urge to run to the bathroom and loose my stomach. Not a good mix with fried food and it wasn't very pleasant, but I finally fell back asleep and felt better when I got up. Good thing because we went hiking for most of the day!

This was maybe the 6th time I've done the hike over Rokko Mountain to Arima Onsen, but Emi wasn't feeling well so she and Chris backed out in the morning and it was honestly a little strange doing it without Chris leading the way for the first time. Dave, Krystal and I made it, though, and had a lot of fun hiking the hills for the morning. I probabaly should have been more realistic about how strenious the trail can be (Krystal was expecting an easy path, but the trekk takes 5-6 hours and there are some pretty steep bits), but I was really glad Krystal got to see the views of Kobe, Osaka and the bay from the top of the mountain... and at least it wasn't raining!

When we finally made it to our destination, Arima Onsen (a famous hotspring town over the mountains from Kobe), we headed straight for the normal hotspring that we finish each hike at. Krystal was a lot more comfortable than I expected about the concept of public bathing (we go naked in Japan!) and it was personally one of the best parts of the day just being able to soak and relax the muscles for a while.

After about an hour, we met Dave in the lobby of the hotel (baths are sex-segregated so we had split up) and walked down through the charming town to the Arima train station. My friend Claire and I also visited Arima when she came to visit, and the town had really reminded her of a Swiss ski village. I think Krystal liked it equally as much, so it was nice to see some scenery, too, before we caught a ride back to central Kobe via the Kintetsu and Subway lines.

Once back in Sannomiya, Dave and I decided to introduce Krystal to izakayas, traditional Japanese pubs, and went to not one - but TWO - of the 280yen places before all heading back home. Fun night, but I'm pretty sure we were good with only going to the first place and could have gone home then... gotta stop leaving places too full to move!! If only the mochi cheese cakes weren't so good!

I had to work at Harinan, my second high school, on Monday morning so Krystal hung around my house for a while in the morning and then we took a field trip to the train station to get her JR Pass stamped. Our school year starts this week so I pretty much have to be at work during the day (lots of planning and especially ceremonies... more on those soon) and Krystal has been awesome about venturing out and exploring on her own. I wish I could show her around, but considering she doesn't know the language (and we use a different alphabet here), I'm pretty impressed with how she hit the ground running and how much ground she's actually covered... on her own!

Monday is a great example of that actually. After we got the pass stamped (and ran into Bob & his guests), I headed back to work and Krystal went the opposite direction, to the old capital city of Kyoto. I gave her a map and some direction/advice on what to see, but she made it all over (Golden Pavilian, Philosopher's Path, Silver Pavilian) before meeting me at the Heian Shrine. Not bad.

I had come to Kyoto after work so it was already starting to get a bit dark out and we decided to head to Kiyomizu-dera, which is open a bit later than the other temples, to see the sunset and famous sakura (cherry blossoms) in the area. We definitely weren't alone in that plan - or in sightseeing in general, however - and we watched packed bus after packed bus drive by (some wouldn't even pick anyone up at the bus stop because there was no room!) before deciding we should just grab a cab. The car ride to Kiyomizu was about $10 and traffic was bad, but at least we got dropped off at the top of the hill. Unfortunately, the temple had just stopped letting people in when we arrived (30 minutes before closing), but they are doing special yozakura (nightime cherry blossom viewing) hours at the moment, so we decided to stick around an hour until the temple re-opened. It was probably a good idea we did because the time gave us a chance to look in the cute little tourist shops, sample some of the local treats (like big Chinese dumplings and sesame rice patties) & explore some of the more quiet allyways also lined with hanging sakura. It was so beautiful!

So when we left the temple to explore, there was already a line forming for the night viewing, but we got in right away when we came back aroun 6:40. Now, I have to say I've been to Kiyomizu a few times - 13 to be exact - but I was totally blown away when we walked into the lantern-lit temple complex. I've seen the place at night before (in the fall), during the snow, with cherry blossoms (during the day), during the rain and during the summer... but seeing it at sunset blanketed with scores of beautiful, blooming cherry blossoms was definitely a treat.

We explored the temple for a while, got our fortunes (which were both "the next to best") and took the obligatory sips from the Otowa waterfall that contains the famous healing /theraputic water. Don't ask me how I didn't know this before now, but I just learned that some people believe that the three streams that you drink from confer wisdom, health and longevity. You can drink from two streams, but if you are greedy and drink from all three (and there's no way to tell which is which), you'll actually bring bad fortune upon yourself.

I also learned that the popular Japanese expression "to jump off the stage at Kiyomizu" is the Japanese equivalent of the English expression "to take the plunge". The stage is actually the huge balcony/veranda that overlooks the city, but it's kind of a cool tidbit of random info.

Anyways... after Kiyomizu, Krystal and I wandered down the sidestreets, stopping at Kodai-ji to see the yozakura there and try takoyaki (octopus balls) before getting to Maruyamakoen to see the most famous sakura tree in all of Kyoto.
We spent a little time at the park, which was PACKED with people picnicing under the trees, checked out Yasaka Shrine and then wandered towards Gion.

Luckily, we saw three Geisha (or Maiko-san, the more elegantly dressed apprentice Geisha, actually) down a famous Gion street called Pontocho before deciding it was getting late and we needed to get home. It was past midnight by the time we got back to my station and started the 25 minute walk to my house, but overall, I'd say it was more than worth the trip for such an awesome evening!!

The next day, Tuesday, was sort of similar. Krystal went to explore Nara, the ancient capital, while I went to work and I met her in Osaka in the evening. I arrived earlier than expected, so I took a stroll through Osaka Castle Park to see the 4,500 cherry blossom trees and sunset there before meeting Dave and Krystal in Umeda.

We grabbed okonomiyaki for dinner at this really good restaurant Dave knew about in the Yodobashi Camera building and then went to Shinsaibashi to show Krystal the lights and check out a bar before we all went home.

It was another past-midnight walk home from the eki and I was pretty tired the next morning, but we had fun.

So, yeah.... busy! The last two days have basically school stuff, though. Krystal came to our opening ceremony on Wednesday morning. My coworker was really cute and bought her a bento, box lunch, but she was pretty fried from all the running around so she went home to take a nap in the morning and I went to the ceremony for the first years in the afternoon before coming home and crashing myself. In the evening, we went to the 100 yen shop and Sushiro, a conveyer belt sushi restaurant near my house, for dinner. I somehow got short-changed at the 100 yen shop around $40, so there was some drama when I went to pay for dinner and had no money, but otherwise, it was nice to have a quieter night (or at least one closer to home!). After chatting and relaxing with wine, Krystal and I went to bed. Today has been more ceremonies, one to introduce the new students to the 2nd and 3rd years, one for just staff where the transferred teachers come back and give speeches, and then a third where the old/transferred teachers say goodbye to the students and the new teachers are introduced.

Tonight is also 0ur hello/goodbye party/ceremony for all the new and departing staff members, but Krystal is in Tokyo for the day (yes, the day!) and will be in Hiroshima tomorrow, so it's at least a good time to be busy while she's gone.

This post is MASSIVE and I have even more I could share so I'll stop now... but we've got some fun stuff up our sleeves for the weekend so more coming soon!! The weather is absolutely georgous out (sunny and above 70 degrees) and the cheery blossoms are everywhere and in full-bloom so I think I need to get outside anyways.

Hope you are all well... and more to share once we slow down enough for me to write again!

Going to Meet Krystal at the Bus...

2009-04-04T01:05:00.002+14:00

Today was pretty slow at work (hence all the back-uploads!), but I'm looking forward to a great weekend.

It's Friday evening and I'm heading out soon to meet my friend Krystal in Kobe, who is coming to visit from America for the next week and a half. I talked to Krystal when she was the airport and she was a little nervous about not speaking the language or being able to read anything once she got here, but I am pretty confident she'll be more than fine.

It was sort of funny, though. I had planned a day itinerary for Krystal today, completely forgetting about the time difference and the fact that even though she LEFT on Thursday morning in America... she doesn't arrive here until Friday evening. Oopsies. I guess it's OK, but I hope Krystal is up for a big weekend. Tomorrow is the big cherry blossom festival at Himeji Castle, another hanami event in Amagasaki and then dinner and karaoke in Kobe. We're actually going to stay in Amagasaki and then go hiking on the Rokko chain on Sunday (fingers crossed the rain - if it comes - has at LEAST stopped by then!!), ending at Arima, the famous hot spring town. Claire absolutely adored Arima when she came (even though bathing naked with other women is sort of weird your first time, especially for Americans), so I hope Krystal also enjoys it.

Anyways, I'm going to do a few more things and head out but I'm sure we'll be running around - and have lots to report - in the next 9 days! Oy!

Picture of the Day: Kakogawa Sunset

2009-04-03T21:21:00.001+14:00

Stripes & Platforms on Parade

2009-04-03T17:21:00.005+14:00

Here is another sort of frivolous commentary piece... but feel like it has to be said.

The headline on Yahoo’s homepage today is all about Jlo’s “sassy stripes” – or the outfit she wore to a recent Samantha Thavesa (purse designer) event in Tokyo.

I quickly saw this picture on some news or trend site the other day and didn’t think anything of it. To be honest, she looks like half of the women in Kobe and sort of even LOOKS Japanese to me (am I alone here people in Japan?).

The American press seem to have since gotten hold of the Assoc. Press shots, however, and are having a field day with the apparently bold statement of this wardrobe choice.

I fear I'm getting a little out of touch. This outfit is trendy, yes, but really nothing out of the ordinary. Even the shoes. They’re pretty big and I might make a comment if I saw them on the street – but again, wouldn’t even be surprised to see them... nor shy or embarrassed to wear this myself. Maybe Japan is a bit ahead or I've just been here too long and am used to it?

Here's the address for the article if the link didn't work: http://omg.yahoo.com/photos/2-hot-2-handle/2779?nc :-p

Leave it to the Beav

2009-04-03T15:08:00.002+14:00

This has got to be one of the most hilarious political photos ops I have ever seen.

Check out this group photo from the recent, historic G-20 meeting in the UK...

Doesn't Obama sort of remind you of the Beav? At least it's candid.

CHANGES at WORK for the new year

2009-03-31T06:10:00.003+14:00

Each spring (April 1st), the entire staff changes where they sit. Each grade sits together and teachers usually move grades with their students so they have the same classes for the entire 3 years. I am losing some good friends (and mentors) on staff with the upcoming change and will have a new supervisor (who is awesome!) and Department chair, but there were also some really strange and unexpected changes.

Changes in my Immediate Zone
The first one concerns one of the 1st year English teachers who was held back for another year with the new 1st years. Being a 1st year homeroom teacher is stressful and a lot of work, and all the other gakunen (grade group) homeroom teachers were moved up without her - meaning the students will stay with all the same teachers through high school, except for this teacher. Maybe you have to be in the system here to understand how it was sort of a shocker for some people, but I'm pretty sure it's something the teacher staying behind might not be happy about.

Another 1st year biology teacher also got held back in the same grade, but that one was less unusual as she didn't have a homeroom. The biggest change, however, is probably that they are dropping Oral Communication (a mandatory course that I teach) all together.

This news has apparently been circulating around a very exclusive group of English teachers since last winter, but I just found out about it last week and was pretty surprised - especially since our new classes start in 2 weeks and this means a total change to the system.

Issues with Dropping OC
I think dropping "OC" will equal less in-class time for me at my base school, but I don't particularly agree with the change. The government is currently pushing this "teach English IN English" initiative to get Japanese teachers of English to actually use English in their classrooms, but I almost feel that the initial approach is going to restrict the success of the whole project. It's really unexpected considering the major role Japan plays in the international community and the fact that English is mandatory (and most students take it for at least FIVE years), but there are so many English teachers don't use any English when they teach the subject. They only teach the grammar (but in Japanese)... and now the problem with the initiative is that this change will allow for some schools to drop Oral Communication (the time that focuses on actually speaking English in class) because they assume it'll be done in all classes. But it just doesn't happen.

Long story short, I can understand if authorities don't need there is a need for curriclum to focus on speaking with a native speaker in the classroom, but the reality is that some Japanese teachers (of English) rarely use English in class. Others are just shy to use it - so they don't - and their skills have gotten rusty (and pronunciation is off). I have met trained and licensed public school English teachers in Japan who can't understand me when I speak slowly and ask simple questions, yet who are promoted at their jobs and are very popular/powerful at work because they teach (ie - make the kids memorize) the regimented grammar that is used on entrance exams. I'm not saying that is the case at my workplace, but I have definitely encountered several of these staff members and it's like a big secret that nobody will admit or really wants to change.

Back to the Point
It's crazy to me, but the biggest concern (and point with this whole little rant) is that my school has built a really strong international program and there have been positive results... I just don't want to waste all that opportunity! Even if a kid can pass an English section on an Entrance exam, is it really success if they then turn around and can't have a very simple conversation (literally anything beyond "Fine, thank you, and you?") after over 6 years of studying the language?

The Weekend Review - from Yakiniku to Rokko

2009-03-31T05:30:00.010+14:00

We are still on spring break right now, maybe the first one that I've completely stuck around for since I came. Work is very quiet (meaning I have zero responsibilities but still have to go), so I have been spending most of my time on the net, reading 0r else essentially just organizing stuff (like my desk, classroom, etc) for the new and upcoming school year and for the person who replaces me this summer. Even with that, though, it can still get a little boring. Sounds like a dream job to have as much freedom and flexibility, but gets to you after a while when there is literally nothing to do and you still have to be here. I personally think I'm alright at finding projects and things to do (and could always be studying Japanese...), but I now remember why I usually travel during these times... and am counting down the days until classes start :-p

Outside of school, though... just had a pretty awesome weekend. The weather still isn't that nice yet, but spring is coming quickly and it's allowed for us to spend quite a bit of time outside :)

On Thursday evening, I started the weekend festivities early by going to my friend Emerald's house for yakiniku (Korean BBQ) with some other friends. Emerald - who's mom is a famous food critic in Taiwan and who wants to go to cooking school after Japan herself (talent runs in the family)- made a delicious pumpkin soup, tofu & onion salad and several amazing glazes for the chicken, pork and LAMB we roasted on her yakiniku plate (see pic below). We also played Chinese chess and Idiot, my favorite card game, before most of us had to bike home. Great night!

Friday was also pretty laid back. I watched 'Road to Perdition' (good movie) for the first time while I was decorating my classroom and then I biked home from work and caught a train to Himeji for the opening of Emerald's photo exhibition at Treehouse, a cute little cafe/gallery in the main shopping arcade. Dave met me at the station and had planned to go with, but he was still pretty sick from a bad bug he caught and had to go home to get to bed early. I stayed for a while longer, however, to chat with some of Emerald's friends from Osaka and listen to her friend Doug play some of the music he composed for the Biwa (a traditional Japanese instrument). It was pretty cool!

I tried to upload a video of the Biwa performance, but for some reason it's not working (security issues on the work computer perhaps)? I'll either upload later or put on Facebook. I had never heard of the Biwa before Emerald told me about Doug's music a few weeks ago, but I really liked it!

On Saturday morning, I was up respectable early and met the old ladies for our session. Afterwards, I grabbed some Subway (only chance I get to have turkey around here!) and biked home so I could get to Amagasaki for the first HANAMI of the season! Hanami literally means 'flower-viewing' and is a cherry blossom party (usually picnic under the trees), but I would call it a national pastime or sub-culture in Japan rather than just a definition. Actually, Hanami is one of the best things about Japan!

A group of us went to Nishimuko Park, and it was pretty fun just sitting and chatting. It's unfortunately a little too cold to stay out for too long yet, but we ended the night with a BBQ at Dave's house. Makes me really excited for summer!

And that was about it! On Sunday, I went for a shorter hike around Mt. Rokko with Dave and Chris. We just did a little loop this time, but the walk included amazing off-trail exploration.

We all got kind of muddy (Chris fell into the river, I almost missed when I jumped from one bank to another & Dave slid down a hill), but we did it in pursuit of finding the perfect picnic spots... and I think we might have been successful :)

After the hike, we headed straight for Umeda (Osaka), dirt and all, to meet up with the rest of the group to celebrate our friend Emi - who not only just finished the TOEFL that morning... but also got engaged to Chris this week! Hurrah :) As usual, we went to Himalaya (the all-you-can-eat-Indian place) and left almost unable to walk after filling our bellies with much naan and several a mango lassi. What bliss!

Tokyo Marathon 2009!

2009-03-31T04:34:00.009+14:00

I have been biking to school everyday (about 50 min each way) since the marathon so I at least get a little exercise and time outside into my daily routine, but I've been putting off the big "get back into it" day. Today was supposed to be that day, but I've been sitting at home reading the net: blogs, news and grad school forums (I should probably start an account on some of them - I feel like a stalker for how much I check in on some of them recently). I had the best intentions to start today, but it was pretty much over when I went outside to hang up some laundry hit the cold.

So speaking of the last week and running... big news: I finished the Tokyo Marathon!!

Tokyo Marathon

In the end, my finish time was about 5 hours and 13 min with a chip time (ie - real time or time from when I actually passed the start line) of about 5 hours and one min. My pace was way slower than I had expected or hoped, but I am happy with the result.

I did all the training - maybe five 35k-ish runs and one 41k long run - and have gotten used to running on my own, but my running shoes (which I LOVED and planned to keep for Tokyo and replace after this race) hit the final tipping point the WEEK of the race and I had to get a new pair 3 days before. Anyone who runs races will tell you that replacing your shoes within two weeks of a marathon is a major sin in the religion of running, but I think my regular shoes would have done more damage (ie- potential injury) than the new ones so I took the risk and hunted down the same brand, style and size that I had before. Finding the shoes themselves was not an easy task (even though they were Asics and are made in Kobe), but I was pretty lucky that the marathon went alright! I had some problems walking down stairs the first day after the race, but no blisters this time and I kept all the toenails for once. The weather forecast was also pretty crappy the day of the run and this was also my first long run in the rain, but it didn't start pouring until after I finished. Lucky!

Details about the Event
I was honestly pretty impressed by how well organized this event was and definitely had some company along the way. This was only the 3rd anniversary of the Tokyo Marathon but there were 30,000 full marathon participants and 5,000 entries for the 10k. The large participation size also meant that approx. 2 MILLION people came out to cheer us on. I was amazed by the fact that there seemed to be almost zero gaps in the wall of people formed by the lining the course's sidelines. The cheering never seemed to cease for the entire 5 hours I was running.

Something else I was impressed by was how the runners were grouped. I had to submit my estimated time when I applied for the race and was then grouped with people that had submitted about the same time. I am guessing the Marathon winners (professional runners) were in group A, I was in group F and those who just hit the (7 hour) time limit were probably group K or so. This ability-bracket system really works well because by the end of the morning, I realized that I actually had been following the same people ("pink twisted-tanktop girl" and "nike running shirt guy" ) for pretty much the entire course from the whole race and saw even more people I started with when I was waiting in line for my goody bag after the finish.

This was my first marathon in Japan where we weren't allowed to bring our own food and place it at food stations (which I was a little nervous about at first - you gotta put some fuel back into your system as you go!), but they had a really steady supply of water and energy drinks along the way and a ton of food (raisins, bananas that they peeled for you & bread) after about 25 kilometers. I did end up going with the Power Bar strategy in the morning and even drank two gel drinks (yuck, yuck, yuck) along the way, but I almost felt too full and couldn't even take any of the bread by the time I got to it!

My Favorites & The Course

In hindsight, I'm just proud I finished this run and finally did a major city race, but I would say the best part of this marathon was just getting to run around a car-free Tokyo, exploring many of the big sites on foot. If you are familiar with Tokyo, the course basically started in Shinjuku (at the government buildings & near the Keio Plaza Hotel), took us around the Palace, past the Tokyo Tower and had us make a big loop around Shinegawa. Then we headed up through Ginza (again - no cars - wow!) to Asakusa Shrine, ran back down almost parallel to the river and came all the way back down to the Tokyo Bay (the Big Site convention center) for the finish. I was luckily staying at the Washington next to the finish line, which was truly great for just finding Dave (who was there to cheer me on - so sweet!) and getting out of the crazy crowds fast... not to mention being able to get out of my running shoes and into that hot shower quickly!

The worst part of the whole experience had nothing to do with running, but was probably just spending 10 hours on trains getting home from Tokyo! Dave came with me and we used the "Seishun 18 Kippu" pass. It wasn't as bad on the way up because we met my neighbor Deyi & her friend Ken in Hamamatsu for lunch and then stopped in Shizuoka for a night, but - even with my computer (and movies) - it's amazing how wasted those long journeys leave you.

I should go but more soon. Here some pictures from the race for now...

When you entered the race area (restricted for runners only), there were giant signs directing you where to go. The streets were totally packed, not to mention filled with massive lines for the porta potties, and there were a lot of stands offering sports drinks and water.

Once I got in, I headed straight to the medical center (inside one of the buildings) to get my knees taped and was then off to find my baggage truck and starting block.

Here is a picture of one of the baggage trucks. They gave us all bags labeled with our number, so we could leave things at the starting lines and then pick them up at the finish. Excellent idea! I was really happy I didn't need to come back to Shinjuku after the race to find my stuff in a locker or leave stuff with Dave before I was ready to get rid of it...

I took this picture when we were waiting to start the race. Those are the government buildings around us and you can see the big TV screen in the back. It was so packed - we could hardly walk and it took over 10 minutes to even get to the starting line because there were so many people (hence the fact that most race participants had to watch the opening ceremony and start from the giant screens).

Finally approaching the starting line! The race had already started by this point, but we were still moving pretty slowly... there were just a LOT of us crammed into that one little space but everyone seemed pretty jazzed up and ready to go!

Five hours later... I arrived at the finish line! I did it!! I was really surprised when the people sitting in the bleachers that lined the street leading up to the finish line started cheering for me as I picked up the pace and started to sprint the last little leg. Huge rush! I also jumped up and clicked my heels together as I passed the finish line, as is the tradition, but I have since seen a video of that little manuever and it was defnitely far less graceful than I thought it was at the time (then again - I had just run 42k and was a little tired, so whatcha gonna do?).

If you want to see more pictures of me running during the race and the video from the finish line, you can enter my race bib number (51446) on the Tokyo Marathon website :-p I just won't give you the link to get there to save a little face...haha.

These are the lines of runners, trying to leave the area after the finish line! Craziness! After getting our medals, we had to turn in our timing chips, collect our participation towel and goody bag (mostly filled with fuit, water & muscle spray) and were then herded into the baggage pick-up and "family reunification" areas. Like I said - I was really glad my hotel was across the street (you can actually see the tower on the right of this pic!) and I could get out of this area as soon as possible. Whoosh!

Tokyo Marathon 2009 Time Checkpoints (race was 9:10 - 16:10):
Iidabashi Central Plaza / Approx. 5.6km / 10:30 / 10km
Uchisaiwaicho / Approx. 10.5km / 11:04 / 15km
Shinagawa Turning Point (Takanawa 3-23) / Approx. 15.5km / 11:49 / 20km
Uchisaiwaicho Intersection / Approx. 20.4km / 12:33 / 25km
Higashi Nihombashi / Approx. 25.1km / 13:16 / 30km
Asakusabashi / Approx. 30.0km / 14:00 / 35km
Mannenbashi-Nishi / Approx. 34.6km / 14:42 / 38km
Toyosu Station / Approx. 38.1km / 15:31
Finish - Tokyo Big Sight / 42.195km / 16:10

Finally, here is a map of the course:

WBC - Japan vs. Korea

2009-03-24T19:02:00.004+14:00

The WBC (World Baseball Championships.... don't worry, 82% of Americans haven't heard of them either...) are on right now and half the staff is crowded around the TV in the middle of the staff room to see the Japan/Korea game.

Even the principal and vice principal are in on the action. Funny afternoon!

Blast from the Past - Korea flashback!

2009-03-13T14:57:00.006+14:00

My friend Brianne just sent me this picture she dug up when backing up photos. It's from our trip to Korea two years ago, with our new friends from a temple stay in Gyeongju.

I guess this wasn't that long ago (even if it feels like it), but goes to show you never know who you are going to meet! I still keep in touch with most of these goons ;) Hong, the girl in the middle, even came to visit in Akashi a few times last year after we met at this temple and I hope I get to hang out with her if I ever make it to Cali. Small world!

Drunk Finance Minister Quits

2009-03-13T14:13:00.002+14:00

Oh, dear Japan. I saw this on the news a few weeks ago, but thought I would share in case you missed it. I posted a link to an article below, but there is a lesson to learn here: don't mix cold medicine, drinks... and work! People don't take too kindly to public servants being drunk on the job and/or at press conferences, no less.

* Japan PM hit hard by minister's gaffe * The BBC's Roland Buerk ">looks at how the resignation of his finance minister could be a blow to far for embattled Japanese leader Taro Aso.

Back at Work after a week in Yokohama

2009-03-13T13:09:00.004+14:00

I'm at school really early today for our state-wide entrance exams. I luckily don't need to mark them (most teachers will be here from 7am until midnight!!), but it means a full day of sitting in the staff room without much to do. Looks like the Hyogo Times (the newsletter I write for) is going to actually get their article early - and maybe even two! - this month. At least the tests mean we also get really fancy bento (box lunches) provided by school, as well.

Anyways, I know I have a lot of catching up to do on here, but I feel like I can hardly remember last Saturday, let alone what I've been doing the last few weeks. I actually just got back from AJET meetings (National Non-profit I am on the national council for) all day Saturday and Sunday and then a CLAIR conference in Yokohama (near Tokyo) for people returning to America soon.

Once the AJET stuff was officially over and I finished my last long run on Saturday morning (Tokyo Marathon is next week - ahh!), it was all about the conference. Met people for meetings all week, random dinner jaunts around Chinatown and finally a night out with an acquaintance from New Zealand who manages a restaurant here and a really awesome friend from college.

I thought the conference was really interesting and offered a lot of good information (resume help, panel discussions with successful and prominant individuals from all over the world, career information, grad school advice, etc), but more than anything, it was really beneficial to pair with people similar to myself who have been living in Japan for a while and are preparing to make the move back to a western country.

Back from Nagano

2009-02-23T14:23:00.003+14:00

It’s Monday morning and the morning meeting at my visit school just finished. My worker, AJ, is out today and all the teachers have run to homeroom, so it’s relatively quiet in the staff room. I am pretty tired, but there is still something sort of cool about the fact that I came straight to work from Osaka and was on the slopes in Nagano at this time yesterday.

So this weekend was my first trip to the Japanese Alps in Nagano. As I explained last week, snowboarding and ski trips are pretty cheap and the views were stunning!

I'll have to get pictures up soon but just checking in (yes, no broken bones, mom) ;)

Japan's Economy

2009-02-23T14:22:00.005+14:00

As Japan shows, thrifty isn't always a good thing,

an article by HIROKO TABUCHI for the Star Tribune

TOKYO - As recession-wary Americans adapt to a new frugality, Japan offers a peek at how thrift can take lasting hold of a consumer society, to disastrous effect.

The economic malaise that plagued Japan from the 1990s until the early 2000s brought stunted wages and depressed stock prices, turning free-spending consumers into misers and making them dead weight on Japan's economy.

Today, years after the recovery, even well-off Japanese households use old bath water to do laundry, a popular way to save on utility bills. Sales of whiskey, the favorite drink among moneyed Tokyo residents in the booming 1980s, have fallen to a fifth of their peak. And the nation is losing interest in cars; sales have fallen by half since 1990.

The Takigasaki family in the Tokyo suburb of Nakano goes further to save a yen or two. Although the family has a comfortable nest egg, Hiroko Takigasaki carefully rations her vegetables. When she goes through too many in a given week, she reverts to her cost-saving standby: cabbage stew.

"You can make almost anything with some cabbage and perhaps some potato," says Takigasaki, 49, who works part time at a home for the disabled.

Her husband has a well-paying job with the electronics giant Fujitsu, but "I don't know when the ax will drop," she says.

Japan eventually pulled itself out of the Lost Decade of the 1990s, thanks in part to a boom in exports to the United States and China. But even as the economy expanded, shell-shocked consumers refused to spend. Between 2001 and 2007, per-capita consumer spending rose only 0.2 percent. Now, as exports dry up amid a worldwide collapse in demand, Japan's economy is in free-fall because it cannot rely on domestic consumption.

In the last three months of 2008, Japan's economy shrank at an annualized rate of 12.7 percent, the sharpest decline since the oil shocks of the 1970s.

"Japan is so dependent on exports that when overseas markets slow down, Japan's economy teeters on collapse," said Hideo Kumano, an economist at the Dai-chi Life Research Institute. "On the surface, Japan looked like it had recovered from its Lost Decade of the 1990s. But Japan in fact entered a second Lost Decade -- that of lost consumption."

Economic stimulus programs have been hampered in Japan by deflation, the downward spiral of prices and wages that occurs when consumers hold down spending -- in part because they expect goods to be cheaper in the future.

Economists say deflation could interfere with the 2 trillion yen ($21 billion) in cash handouts that the Japanese government is planning, because consumers might save the extra money on the hunch that it will be more valuable in the future. The same fear grips many U.S. economists and policymakers.

America's Educational Future - Another Sign of Change?

2009-02-20T17:56:00.004+14:00

Very excited and interesting changed going on in Washington. This is one that I think will do us well. Check out this interview with Jackie Norris, Michelle Obama's Chief of Staff (found on a National Education Foundation Blog):

Iowa Teacher Named Michelle Obama’s Chief of Staff

When government and history teacher Jackie Norris agreed to work for the Obama campaign in 2007, she knew she was working for change, she just didn’t know how much that decision would change her future. Norris was named the First Lady’s Chief of Staff late last year and is joining the new Administration in Washington, DC, this month. The ISEA Communiqué staff asked the former Iowa State Education Association member about her views on education and her new role.

Why did you become a teacher?

My background was in political science. In 2000, I decided that I wanted to combine my two passions: my love of working with young people, specifically high school students, and the content knowledge that I so enjoyed—politics, government, U.S. history. I returned to Iowa State to work through the teacher certification process and went on to teach at Perry High School, Ames High School, and then Johnston High School.

How did you become involved in the Obama campaign?

When I was teaching at Johnston High School, several friends of mine that I had worked with in the past, approached me when they thought Sen. Obama might be considering running for President. This was in January 2007….I kind of laughed and thought, well, you know I’m a mother of three, I’m teaching full-time. I’m so interested but what does this look like, how does it work, could I ever do it?

I spent some time reading speeches and learning a little bit more about Senator Obama and, really, talking to my students. They were, in some respects, the way I got a better sense of how and why I wanted to do this. I saw young people excited about Sen. Obama, more interested in the political process, and for me that was the turning point. I recognized that it didn’t necessarily mean they would vote, it didn’t necessarily mean they would vote for Barack Obama, but there was interest in the office of the President that I had not seen in the past several years.

What did you do for the Obama campaign?

I served as the senior advisor through the Iowa Caucus process. What that means is somebody who is an integrated member of the team without a specific job description whose sole purpose is to look long-term, look at all of the pieces of the puzzle and see how they fit together. [My job was to] think through how to maximize the organization, the candidate time, communications plan, field plan, things like that. In doing so, I also spent a lot of time with Sen. Obama and Mrs. Obama.

What will you be doing as Chief of Staff?

Well, a lot of the job as Chief of Staff is management of three different aspects of Mrs. Obama’s office. One is the White House residence, the second is management of her personal office, and the third is management of the social office, which handles all of the social functions. And, really, thinking through the role she will play to support her husband and support the Administration.

Are there any life lessons you learned in teaching that you will take with you to this new career?

One of the things I learned from teaching is listening. It’s really important. We teach our students to listen, to respect different opinions, and to use all those thoughts and opinions as you come up with an idea…. [Recognizing] that everybody learns differently is something that applies to the public and private sector anywhere you go.

Will education continue to play a role in your new position?

One of the most interesting things I saw was how Sen. Obama developed his education policy. A lot of it was shaped by Iowa teachers. We had policy experts come in and talk to Iowa teachers; Senator Obama sat and talked with Iowa teachers and listened to them. I think education is an issue that will be talked about and that will be moved forward in the public policy dialogue in the next four years. …It’s something I know Mrs. Obama’s very passionate about, especially as it relates to young people 0-5 and then onward. My sense is that we’ll also be paying some attention to the D.C. public schools and thinking of ways we can support D.C. public schools while we’re residing there.

Do you think you’ll have any influence with Obama on education issues?

Sen. Obama listens to a lot of different people. It’s important for him to hear from the trade, from the profession, from the people who walk in those shoes each day. So whether it’s me or it’s other teachers, I know that teachers will have a voice in the discussion about education policy.

What is your opinion of No Child Left Behind and what influence, if any, do you feel you might be able to have?

With influence, I don’t think I can speak to that. With regards to what I’ve heard, and what I’ve seen, and what I’ve experienced myself, is there really does need a to be a thought process about how we accurately measure a child in terms of academic skills. I think we all recognize that an individual test is not the solution. That’s one thing that Sen. Obama heard loud and clear—that assessing a child needs to be not just an individual test. It needs to be a compilation, whether it’s a portfolio or a variety of different things. It needs to be a conversation that includes teachers, principals, and people at the local level making those decisions about the best way to assess a child. So the concept is assisting our children in doing better in the schools, but I think the specifics need to be thought through again in a different way.

We Can Riiide.... Baby Girl, We're standing on an electric Field...

2009-02-20T02:54:00.011+14:00

What a weekend. So, as you know, last weekend was Valentine's Day (and, yes, I went to a dance party in a big, tacky, poufy dress to celebrate said event - as you already know if you are on Facebook).

In the name of such kitsch and grandeur, thought I'd post something else that might bring a few smiles... a few videos of stuff I've been into recently! Hope you enjoy:

Songs that make me want to get up and dance...

No joke. This will literally get me out of bed and on my feet. The video is pretty cute, too (get it?... his friend is supposed to be an iPod!)

This isn't the official video, BUT... if you do catch the original on You Tube: 10 points if you can tell me where the "creepy animal band" is from. Totally old school - brings me back to the pre-K days ;)

Good song anyways...

This one is by a Maori (native NZ) singer named Tiki, who's famous for being a member of a different band called Salmonella Dub. The song's a bit slower, but the rhythm is just so smooth - there is something about it that makes me smile.

Snack Attack

2009-02-17T20:32:00.002+14:00

OK, I have a confession to make. I’m totally hording candy and snacks in my desk.

Each month, I pay into a snack fund at work to buy snacky foods like rice cakes (senbei), pretzel sticks, nuts, candy & chocolate, tea, coffee, gum, etc, etc. Each grade group does this and we keep all the snacks in a cabinet near our area, so you can just take whatever you like when you like it. One person is responsible for going shopping for the stuff every month I think most people pay somewhere between ￥1,000-2,000, but since I leave earlier than the homeroom teachers (who can be here until 10pm sometimes) and thus snack less… I pay less and consider it a pretty good deal.

I definitely take advantage of the tea, but the problem is that we keep the snacks in a cabinet and all the good ones go really fast & usually after hours, when I'm not here. I think they're just hiden in the cabinet so the kids don't know we have food (because they're not supposed to eat during the day, outside of lunch). Anyways, just feeling a little guilty because these treats are the healthiest (even if it's rice) and I really don't need to hoard... but... maybe it doesn't hurt if my share is just hidden in my desk... just in case I do want some...

Happy Valentine's Day!

2009-02-17T07:41:00.004+14:00

So first of all, a huge HAPPY VALENTINE's DAY to everyone!

I had an absolutely excellent weekend, hosting some friends at my place and going to Prom (again) of all things. I also got probably one of the best presents I have ever gotten (since last year, at least) - homemade out of construction paper, markers and glue - so I'm pretty happy:)

I don't have a ton of time to write at the moment (and will elaborate on that gift later), but I was just catching up on some friends' blogs and I was absolutely blown away by my friends Megan and Tom (a couple) and their tribute of love to each other over the net. I guess it got me to thinking and I just wanted to drop a note to say hello and send warm wishes to everyone out there that I know follows this thing.

I understand and will agree that V-day is a very commercial event and I get the feeling that - even though Valentine's Day is truly celebrated around the world - it is largely the Americans that consider the day a big holiday. But there is something nice about taking a day to tell the people you love and care about what they mean to you. You should do it everyday, but if you don't, I like the concept of setting aside time to recognize the small things and appreciate the people that matter most.

So, I will quickly say: I hope you have had a lovely weekend. I hope you are safe. I hope you are happy. And I am very grateful to have you (all of you know who you are) in my life - I've been so lucky to have known so many beautiful people that have influenced me in so many amazing ways! And leave it at that!

Happy Valentine's Day 2009 with love from Akashi! xoxo

Picture of the Day: 掃除 (そうじ, cleaning)

2009-02-12T19:49:00.003+14:00

Japanese students are expected to respect and clean the spaces they use at school. Here are some shots from our daily cleaning time, held after the afternoon homeroom meeting:

National Foundation Day at the Museum

2009-02-12T19:02:00.008+14:00

It's been a pretty slow week since the Valentine's Day party on Monday. I've been working on applications a bit and the biggest excitement of the week came when I secured a heater for my classroom. It's supposed to start getting warmer now, but I don't care. It's the principle that counts and will benefit the person after me!

At work, we also hosted several speakers from the Takasago International Association on Tuesday and yesterday was National Foundation Day, so we all had the day off for the public holiday.

I still had Japanese class on Tuesday night, but I spent the free holiday biking from Amagasaki to Osaka with a group of friends and going to see an exhibition at the National Museum of International Art titled "The Concrete Poetry of Niikuni Seiichi".

The exhibition was wonderful. This artist, Niikuni Seiichi, essentially used kanji and words to create artistic pictures, but embeds messages and meaning within the words. While some of the images have more obvious messages, other are like riddles or a game of Pictionary and take time to figure out.

Here are several examples (click to enlarge):

I won't explain all of these, but you do need some background understanding of characters (kanji) to understand the meaning of some of these pieces. The next one, for example involves two kanji, 川 (kawa, or river) and 州 (shu, or state). Strikingly similar, Seiichi combines the two words to form a visual embankment between water and land - literally consisting of the words themselves:

The word 触る (sawaru, or touch) consists of the main kanji and one character from the hiragana alphabet (る). I interpreted this piece as showing what happens when you smack something or as showing how molecules spread when you touch another surface. I can't tell what the small kanji in the upper left-hand corner means, however, and I am sure it is relevant - I could be wrong:

雨 is the kanji for rain:

Finally, I really like the tatami-themed picture on the lower right. Tatami are the bamboo-grass floors found in most Japanese homes. The picture is laid out in the way a standard tatami room would be laid out. The main flats of the picture consist of the kanji for tatami, while the other kanji - seen in the middle of the open space - is the word for a fire hole (for hot water, used for traditional tea ceremonies, etc). Pretty cool, huh?:

This form of art saw some popularity in the 1960s, but Seiichi's popularity faded and his work essentially went into obscurity after his premature death in the 1970s. I tried to do a little research on the artist and talked to several coworkers about the exhibit earlier today, but was stunned by a) how little information is available on the web about Niikuni Seiichi and his work (especially in English but also in Japanese) and b) that my coworkers weren't familiar with the work at all.

I really recommend visiting the exhibit if you are in the Osaka-area.

More on the Concrete Poetry movement, from the NMAO website:

As part of the wave of modernism that swept over all fields of art in the 20th century, poets boldly began to analyze language structurally instead of merely concentrating on its semantic content. Among these writers, some began to approach their work with a special emphasis on its visual and phonetic aspects.

In Japan, Niikuni Seiichi (1925−77) was the foremost figure in this movement, but fell into virtual oblivion after his death. Niikuni, who began conducting avant-garde experiments in poetry in his hometown of Sendai in the 1950s, arrived at a poetry that dealt with language in terms of both its visual and aural elements. After producing "seeing poems," in which kanji (Chinese characters) were scattered around the page to form graphic images, and "listening poems," consisting of hiragana, katakana, and numbers, Niikuni's work came to fruition following a move to Tokyo and the publication of his poetry collection "Zero on". In Tokyo, the poet discovered "concrete poetry," an international movement of poets who arranged various written elements into "constellation"-like forms. Not long after, Niikuni came up with the unique method of repeating kanji in a grid pattern in poems such as "Ame" (Rain), and received acclaim both in and outside of Japan. During his years in Tokyo, he formed alliances with foreign poets as the leading figure in Japanese concrete poetry, and published countless poems in the official journal of the ASA (Association for Study of Arts), a group which he also founded, and showed his work at exhibitions throughout the world. Though he was fond of using kanji that were related to the body, such as "lip" and "blood," and life and death, there was also another side to Niikuni. He had studied contemporary music and deserves to be recognized for his ingenuity in recording sound poetry prior to his involvement in this global poetry movement. In this exhibition, we reexamine the work of Niikuni Seiichi, a poet who not only evolved a Japanese version of concrete poetry but opened up a unique world that unexpected took root in the cultural climate of foreign countries. Based on a survey of extant documents, this event should provide an important opportunity to reconsider the interactive relationship between art, music, and poetry.