Opinions needed!!

So...in a very hypothetical way...if YOU were to plan around a four week backpacking trip, where would YOU go? And...let's say you really wanted to explore a country as much as possible, so you don't want to jump around too much...

China/Tibet
China/Vietnam
Vietnam/Thailand/Laos
India
Indonesia


So, let's hear it. Where would you go and why?

Another reason why Japanese elevators suck...

Something I forgot to mention in last night's entry that a dream I had reminded me of (OK, how weird does that sound...)

Last night my coworker told me that the service elevator we usually take at night to take out the trash...broke. I mean, at around 9 or 10 am that day, people were taking it from the second floor and it literally dropped to the basement!! I am assuming everyone was OK because there weren't a million Japanese people running around freaking out, but how scary is that?? To free fall for 3 stories?? The scariest part is I work on the NINTH floor and take that elevator almost every night....I don't want to even think about what would happen if the elevator decided to drop and let me free fall all the way down to the basement...like that scene in Speed. Told you, Japanese technology isn't what it's cracked up to be...

Overreliance

I just spent the past five days without a computer due to a really nasty virus basically giving my computer AIDS. I have had plenty of computer related mishaps in my lifetime to understand how overreliant I am on my computer/the internet (especially in university around finals!). However, this week I REALLY realized how utterly important a computer is to me here...it is my lifeline to the world!!! I have the "internet" on my cell phone here, so I can check gmail and facebook (sort of), but it just isn't the same! I use the internet to keep on top of my shows, to read the news, and obviously to keep in touch with everyone! It would be impossible to live here without a computer. Let us hope this never happens again while I am here (ie I just installed an anti virus program--something I sort of neglected to have on my computer for the past year and a half...oops). I am just grateful my coworker speaks computer and was able to fix it (I can just imagine myself at a computer store trying to gesture out my problems)! He also supposedly saved my pictures and music, but at this moment I am unsure where they are? Now I just have that joyful task of redownloading/installing everything I can, except I was super prepared and brought like nothing with me, so I am not sure how I will be getting back some programs...

Over this week, in search of amusement, I actually turned on my TV. I seriously hate Japanese TV because it is a bunch of lame slapstick game shows (exactly that stuff you watch on youtube as a joke). It's so obnoxious it gives me a headache. BUT, my apartment has a satellite package included in my rent, and I discovered this channel that shows all the popular US dramas (CSI, Alias, Lost, etc) --of course like at least one season behind lol--as well as some movies. Most of it is in Japanese, but some shows are in English with subtitles. So that was at least a little useful. I also started a book my friend sent me in...May, I think =) Better late than never!

I am so incredibly busy (and on the tightest budget ever) this upcoming month!
Here is the lineup so far:

September 6-Work party
Weekend of September 13-Camping on Iki Island (sub-tropical island off Nagasaki)
Weekend of September 20- TOKYO!!!
Weekend of September 27-KYOTO/NARA!!!!

Cheers!

On that note...

Does anyone know a thing or two about computers????? I really really don't want to have to venture into a Japanese computer store and try to explain my problem =/. However, it might have to happen as my computer pretty much has AIDS at this point. I have a full extensive explanation of what is going on, that I tried to post on one of those "computer help" forums...only to find I can't post anything (part of my computer's problem)...so if you or someone you know might be able to fix my problem, please let me know and I'll email you the details =)

F for Frustration

I am very frustrated for two reasons right now:

1. I somehow downloaded a really dreadful virus onto my computer. Fast forward to about 6 hours of annoyance and clicking later, and it is somewhat maintained, yet some stuff is still screwed up on my computer. LOVELY.

2. I just got a revised quote for a flight to Thailand over my winter holiday...and looks like I won't be going there anytime around then! Unfortunately, with my job, I get set dates off. I can't pick and choose when I get holiday, and of course I get the actual New Years week off making it RIDICULOUSLY expensive to fly there (the ending price was somewhere around 1,200 USD--no thank you!). This also just kind of opened my eyes and made me realize it would cost this much to fly there/anywhere during ANY of my holidays. You have to travel overseas during off season. Too bad I don't get it off! So, although after Okinawa I started looking more into staying an extra six months for traveling purposes, I am now slowly drifting back to only staying until April, as I am not going to pay ridiculous traveling prices. I think either way I will put off S. East Asia until after my contract is up and then maybe take a trip there before coming home. This is all so frustrating though! So, now for New Years I think I am going to try to go to Korea and China. The ferry to Korea from my city isn't too expensive, and you can actually take ferries to China as well. So screw airfare! UGH. So anyway, back to me staying or going home, what are all of your opinions? Is it worth it?

There is light at the end of the tunnel

as in the weather is actually COOL & PLEASANT! I have been sitting here with my slider open all day and air conditioner off! You have no idea how exciting this is...

Well thats the last time

I go running at 11 pm at night. Not because I saw any creepy Japanese hoodlums (do they even exist??)--there were more police officers out patrolling the streets than normal people--but because I ran through about 5 spider webs. And then every time proceeded to probably look like some crazy white girl trying to dance like she was in an 80s video, as I was freaking out and afraid a spider was on me somewhere.

The Sounds of Summer

When I hear crickets, I think summer.

In Japan, they hear cicadas, they think summer.

What is a cicada, you ask? You probably have your browser open enough to already see the picture of the disgusting enormous bug. That my friends, is a cicada. They are the bugs that live in the ground and come out every 7 years in the Washington DC area. Lucky for me, they come out EVERY summer in Japan! How special! Crickets make that charming chirpingish sound. Cicadas live in the trees and make this awful static mating sound all day and all night long. In fact, when they first started emerging, I was running in the park and thought my ipod was malfunctioning the sound was so harsh on my ears. Oh, and while I was running underneath trees I felt drops of what I thought was water on me. I was later informed that they pee or spit on you or something like that from the trees, so I now make sure to stay away from any known tree. The crickets are finally starting to take over, making summer evenings more pleasant, and the lovely cicada music is slowly drifting away. HOWEVER it is drifting away because they are dying and now leaving their disgusting dead bodies all over the freaking place.

And that is my blurb on cicadas.

J clubbing

I went to see a famous Japanese house DJ last night-Masanori Morita. He's DJed with Tiesto and other big DJs before internationally, so I guess he is kind of a big deal. I don't usually listen to house music but it was a lot of fun, and he was awesome. We spotted him before his gig at the bar. My friend was doing her "shy Japanese" thing so she didn't want to go talk to him. So, I did my "I don't know any better because I am a foreigner" thing and just walked up to him and started talking haha. He was actually really cool and spoke pretty good English.

Clubbing in Japan is interesting. I mean, I hardly ever go clubbing period, so maybe I am just ignorant, but clubs are almost like concerts here. Everyone dances to the DJ. Not with their friends in groups ("I just wanna dance!"). You could technically go to a club alone and be OK. We got pretty close and there was even a mosh pit like thing at the front so we backed off because I didn't feel like having my feet stomped off. And of course, there were glow sticks! Hehehe...

Oh yeah, one more thing...

I forgot to mention in my last post that flying domestically (at least) in Japan is such a joke! I was never once asked for my ID. I even tried handing it over and they looked at me like "why are you putting that in my face?" It definitely made flying super easy and convenient....yet how safe is that really??

Okinawa

I got back last night and had an absolute blast! The people there were so friendly and relaxed, the air was so fresh, and the island was so beautiful (much prettier than Hawaii or Mexico I think)--it was really a nice change from Fukuoka. However, since the cities were kind of run down, it gave the illusion I was in a cheap developing country...except nope, still expensive Japan =).

We spent one night in Naha-the biggest city in Okinawa. Not too much to do there, but we saw Shuri Castle which is a replica of an Okinawan culture castle (pre-Japan take over). The problem with most castles, etc in Japan is they have all been destroyed at some point due to wars, etc. So, a lot of them are replicas. It was still interesting though. Then, we spent the rest of the day/night exploring Kokusaidori Street, which had a lot of bars, shops, and restaurants. I was really excited to eat tacos and other Western style food. In Japan, they are obsessed with food. Every part of Japan is "famous" for some kind of food. Like Fukuoka is famous for ramen, etc. Okinawa is famous for it's pork soba noodles and taco rice--literally like a taco on rice-so good! Okinawa is also famous for snake wine...which is literally a big jug of wine with snake venom in it...and an entire snake coiled up. I tried some at a bar. It was really strong, but not too bad.

Then, we took the bus to Nago for the rest of the trip-the N part of the island. Our hostel was literally on the beach and literally a shack. So, we were practically camping the whole time, it was so awesome. The people at the hostel were all Japanese, but were very friendly, so we spent every night hanging out with them and drinking on the beach. Near Nago, there is an entertainment park that has a beautiful beach, dolphin tanks, and Japan's most famous aquarium. We actually spent two days there because there was so much to do!

On Thursday we went to Sesoko Island, a little island you take a bridge to, and that was the highlight of my trip. The water there was so blue-like koolaid- it looked fake. My camera couldn't really do anything justice. I still can't get over it. We went on a snorkeling tour there, and I am sad I wasn't able to take pictures because it was incredible. I saw some amazing fish. They gave us fish food so the fish would swim right up to you. Then, we had to walk back all the way over the bridge because there were no taxis, but that wound up being great because we caught the sunset and it was just unreal. We returned, and our hostel was throwing a beach bbq party for one of their coworkers so we joined in and partied with the locals. It was a GREAT way to finish off the trip.

The weather forecast said thunder showers all week, but it only rained a little the last day when we were leaving. We had beautiful weather the entire time. Apparently it rained here all week in Fukuoka, so it looks like I really got lucky! So hard to come home though! It was really a perfect trip, and JUST what I needed! My urge to travel has just been kicked up 18 notches though.

I took 634 pictures (yeah, I know), but in case you are really bored or interested, you can see them here:

Album 1
Album 2
Album 3
Album 4
Album 5

Really Random

I needed someone's number, so I dug my US phone out of my "all purpose" drawer. It looked and felt so weird! It was like I was holding a Barbie phone or something, my Japanese phone is SO much bigger and heavier! I took a picture for comparison, but I don't think it really does the comparison justice. But you can at least see the difference in screen size. It's a shame I don't really use my phone's cool features, like high pixel camera, TV, and MP3 player...I just use it to call, text, and check my email. Oh well.


In 24 hours I will be in Okinawa =)

FREE

for nine days.

1 day until Okinawa, and of course like the slacker I am, I have done NOTHING to really prepare for my week long trip, so I will be running around like a mad woman tomorrow getting everything together.

Who cares, FREEDOM!

*I did just realize I have to wake up around 5 am on Monday to leave for the airport. Ew.

Work until you drop dead.

This morning, I was trying to explain to a friend why the Japanese work ethic drives me mad. However, I wasn't feeling super articulate or inspired at the moment and couldn't come up with many examples at the time. Yet, one of our awesome students came in for a private lesson with me today, and he is a PERFECT example of this country's work ethic. So for the person I didn't really try very hard to explain it to, and of course everyone else's benefit, here is why I can't stand it (the title is great foreshadowing)...

The student, who we will just call "Jstudent X" for privacy reasons (ha), is a spitting Japanese image of Alan Thicke (you know, the dad in Growing Pains). This actually has nothing to do with my point, but I just wanted to share. Anyway, Jstudent X is a businessman who works about 800000000 hours a week. I think studying English is the only non work thing he does, although he is also technically learning it for work...Ok, maybe I am exaggerating a tad. But not really. He usually comes to my lessons on Wed nights. I always ask him in the beginning of lesson, "Jstudent X, what did you do today?" I usually get, "I went to Tokyo." Yes, that is correct. In the morning, he flew to Tokyo, and then flew back to Fukuoka, and then still made it to my lesson, God bless him. He actually goes to Tokyo about 4 times a week for day trips. I suppose it is kind of like commuting from Ventura County to LA every day in rush hour traffic, but still. Besides these weekly "trips" he then spends the rest of his week minus his one day off taking clients golfing, forcing himself to drink with them (he is in the .000000000000001% of the J population who hates drinking), and other various schmoozing activities. I found out *2 important facts about him today- he gets about 6 holidays off a year-3 in Aug and 3 in Jan, and while all this time I took him for a busy single older businessman, I have just learned he actually has a wife and two teenage kids in Osaka! Who would have thought, since you know, he like...lives in Fukuoka (2+ hours away from Osaka by plane/train) and spends his entire life working?

Actually this is not so uncommon in Japan. I have quite a handful of businessmen students who have families that live in Tokyo...or women who's husbands live far away and only come home to visit maybe once or twice a month. In the States, if you are transferred or get a new job somewhere else, your entire family usually uproots with you...you don't just move and live "by yourself"-more to come in one second on that- and see your family MAYBE once or twice a month. But, the work ethic is why it is so easy for men to have affairs here. Even if you don't live in an entirely different part of the country than your wife, if you stay out until all hours of the night/don't come home at all because you were out with another woman (girlfriend on the side, random woman, hooker--oh the choices they have!) at a love hotel, she will most likely never suspect or nag you about it, because she will just assume you are working in some way, shape, or form (besides long hours at the office you are also expected to "entertain" your clients which can mean taking them out drinking all night long). Obviously it is even easier if you live in a different region than your wife. Note: I don't think Jstudent X is having an affair just because he is so gosh darn nice, and I don't think he is that kind of person...and I frankly also don't think he honestly has the time! It is all just really sad to me. And for Jstudent X, it is a waste of a nice man's life. (Note-this is just one example of how bad the work ethic is here...I've got all kinds of examples I could use, but then this blog would be too long and no one would read it).

*I actually learned 1 extra thing about Jstudent X, and I am still hoping this was a loss in translation moment, but I am still keeping it filed away in my "evidence this country lives under a rock" drawer. Our lesson today was about the weather. To finish off the lesson, we did a worksheet asking what he thought the weather was like in different parts of the world. We got to S. Africa and he said "very hot." I knew that, duh, but was trying to stall for time, so I asked why he thought so. He replied that it must be hot since the black people's skin is so black. Once again, I am hoping there was a loss in translation there...hoping.

Expensive and unfair

Japan.

Where else can you go out for a dinner with six people and rack up a $300 bill by eating three pieces of sashimi (and no...this is not special imported sashimi from Atlantis), two tiny pieces of over-salted chicken, and two (weak) drinks each? Oh wait, I forgot, we also ordered "Chorizo and cheese" obviously impressed with their international menu. What came- four tiny slices of SALAMI and some teeny pieces of gourmet cheese (Mexico and Italy must be the same thing to them). That alone was $13.00. I wouldn't mind SO MUCH handing over my $40 share if I wasn't still starving....

Ughhhh. I miss Yardhouse =/

By the way, I am now in a Japanese company COMMERCIAL (kind of refer to last post). More to come on that later... I am tired.

Plomotion

No, that is not a typo. Just an example of a stereotypical Japanese person's mistake =)

I looked at my schedule and that was in the middle of my lunch break for tomorrow. I asked my manager what she meant by "plomotion." She told me a camera man is coming to take more pictures of me tomorrow. Oh...pRomotion! (Actually I figured that out quickly, I just liked teasing her).

It's just funny sometimes how some things wind up being translated into English. A lot of it always catches me off guard, but at this point I have gotten used to hearing odd things and instantly making the connection with what was meant.

My favorite, and this STILL catches me off guard, is "Are you OK?" Someone, down the line, must have taught someone at my branch that "Are you OK?" = "How are you?" I used to get asked that ALL the time in the beginning and it would make me stop dead in my tracks in horror that I didn't look happy enough or was making a bad face without realizing it. Because, to me at least, "Are you Ok?" is a question you ask someone when something seems wrong. We have done a bit damage control in correcting this, but I still hear it sometimes, and although I now know what is meant, it still catches me off guard every time.

Another example, a few weeks ago my manager and assistant manager were going to take me around to businesses and have me say "Hi" in English while they offered them discounts for lessons. My manager told me, "Lindsay, I want you to smile!" And I was thinking to myself..."Have I not been smiling when I do promotional (plomotional-ha) events???" Then, I realized she meant she wanted me to be "exciting."

Besides this, there are these set phrases Japanese people just LOVE, yet seem sooo cheesy to me. Yet, I find myself tossing them in all over the place with new student interviews, counsellings, or even lessons, just because I know they LOVE to hear it! Even if it doesn't really apply to what we are directly talking about. I am also starting to use them in my own conversations out of habit. Catchy.

"Do your best." -You can say this to anyone/anywhere and they will give you a determined face and nod in firm agreement, if you're lucky maybe even make a fighting fist. It doesn't matter if you are coaching them to be more enthusiastic about English, or they told you they wanted to buy a pair of shoes. For some reason, it always works.

"Let's study!" or "Let's study together!" (the cheesiest). Honestly, if someone in the US said that to me if I was looking into taking a class, I would be weirded out. But here, they LOVE it (but then again they also like cow intestine soup). Once again, you can just toss it in anywhere. New student interview, a letter to a continuously absent student, a student who HAS been studying with you religiously, a stranger on the street...yeah they love it.

My short blurb on anime

Today I would like to talk to you about anime.

I was very adamant back home about disliking anime. I am still not the biggest fan, but it has grown on me a tad since I have been here. By a tad, I mean movies by one director that is. Before I go into that, I will explain why I hated it/still don't like a lot of it here. I found anime back home to be obnoxious and the animation style was less than desirable to watch...not to mention it is a notorious hobby for geek-dom/Japanophiles. In fact I remember I had this other version of The Little Mermaid when I was little, and watched it so much the tape broke, and then was a little saddened to later be told it was anime. I also don't care for much of it here, because it is very pornographic in many cases. Lots of bondagey things. Just gross (and this is coming from like afternoon cartoons kids watch). On the other side of that, you also can't go into a convenience store without walking by a display of pornographic anime magazines (how anyone could be aroused by a cartoon beats me...oh wait I probably pass by a foreigner or two every day who is-was that mean?). So that is why I dislike it a lot.

Now what I DO like, and I have really started to explore are Hayao Miyazaki movies. Whenever the topic of favorite movies/cartoons/whatever gets brought up in class, students are always raving about them and ask me if I've seen them. Finally I looked them up on IMDB and felt kind of dumb. Miyazaki is like Japanese Disney-except better I think. In fact Disney has retranslated a lot of his movies and released them in the states. Why I felt dumb-because it turns out I have seen quite a few. Chances are you have too. Some of his movies have been nominated for Oscars in the past, like Spirited Away, etc. So lately when I am laying low, I have been watching some of them, rewatching the few I've seen(I remember my mom actually rented one of his most famous ones-My Neighbor Totoro (English title)- for me and my sister when I was little-the fact I have barely ever watched anime in my life gifts me with the ability to remember every single one I have seen), and I am kind of blown away. His movies are so much better than Disney movies! Even if you don't care about the story that much-although some are so touching they've made me cry a little, the animation is just INCREDIBLE. It's art! And that says a lot coming from someone who dislikes anime and also doesn't have much to say about animation, period. I highly recommend watching them, though. Look at the link to see the list of his movies-but like I said, chances are you have seen one or two in the past somehow. A lot of famous people do the voices for the English versions as well. Ok, that was my short blurb on anime. I needed to talk about it sooner or later. =)

カタカナ

I am finally sitting down and actually studying Japanese. Although through osmosis and some very very light studying I have learned maybe 1/2 the katakana (the title of this entry by the way) alphabet, I decided it is time I actually LEARN it, so I bought a book. Katakana is one of the three (yes 3) Japanese writing systems. It is one of the most useful to learn because it is used to say western "borrowed" words, so most menus and other practical everyday things are written in katakana. The alphabet is all syllables that are all pronounced evenly in each word-unlike in English where we only pronounce part of the syllables (besides exeptions). Many words can sound VERY similar to the English/whatever western language word it was taken from, just with the Japanese style sounds (saying the words you pretty much just sound like you have a very thick Japanese accent while trying to speak English to give a better picture). However, you have to know exactly how to say it for it to sound that way. This is difficult sometimes because if the katakana is for two words...like "iced coffee" for example, there is no space/break in the writing like you are used to, so it is up to you to decide where a word starts and ends, that can be more difficult than it sounds. That is the fun part of studying? In the book there are lists of vocabulary and I have been covering up the answer and trying to read the word/figure out what it is. I feel like a retard because I am sitting there sounding it out in every breaking way I can and still have no clue, then I look at the answer and I'm like...OH. Hmm. OK. Then say it again, and it instantly sounds pretty much like the western word.

Here is an example:
ク リ ア
ク=ku (like coo in cool)
リ=ri (re in read)
ア=a (sounds like "uh")

So now try sounding it out. Ku-Ri-A...so naturally I sat there trying to guess this one. My best best was Korea (think about it). Check the answer...OH! CLEAR! DUHHHH. (Except ummmm kuria=clear?? What??). But then try saying it again, it will instantly sound close to "clear" because now you know how the syllables should be pronounced/how quickly they should be said.

Here is my favorite surprise word:
イ エ ス
イ=I (like "ee")
エ= E (like aye)
ス= Su (like sue)

So what does that wind up sounding like? Eeaysu? Wtf word is that???
This one stumped me. Then I looked at the answer: JESUS.
??????????????
But then I read the footnote and saw it is taken from the Portuguese version that starts with "ye" but there is no "ye" sound in Japanese meaning "I" is the next best sound. OK.

So although some katakana is very very similar to English, it sure takes a bit of understanding to really get it.

Oh and by the way- my name is リンジ
(Ri-n-ji)
Very close to Lindsay, huh? =)

PS-I hope you can all see the actual Japanese symbols in this?? I have the Japanese language pack installed on my windows....otherwise I pretty much wrote this entry for nothing. Haha.

I don't know

This has been such an exhausting past few weeks for me, physically and mentally. So many things crawling around in my head. So much inspiration. So many plans. So many realizations. So much work. So tiring.

Oh, this is also my way of apologizing if I have come off negative lately. My brain and body is simply on over drive and it's hard to handle sometimes.

Basically, I am grateful for the weekend just so I can recharge.

I hate having to make decisions

Besides the obvious big one below, here is my current dilemma:

Go to sleep with air conditioner on and possibly die due to lack of oxygen and dry throat (air conditioning all night completely stuffs me up and makes pretend, temporary flu symptoms in my body)

OR

Go to sleep without air conditioner and possibly die of either heat stroke or drowning in my own sweat.

Decisions, decisions...

(Why I am up at 3:02 am before my busiest day at work blogging instead of peacefully asleep)