Hm I seem to have really neglected this thing huh? I have no idea who still reads this but I have an inkling at least 99% of my "followers" are also my friends on facebook so I almost feel redundant sharing stories on here these days. I decided I like to teach about my life visually, through photos I take . I think if you see what I saw you get a better idea of what it's like rather than me just blabbing about it in paragraph form.
But in case you are not a visual learner/not my friend on facebook/or just plain bored here is what has been going on with me lately in one lump sum...(and also because I have a weird disorder in that I fight the urge to go to bed every single night and instead stay up until all hours doing useless things):
Well now my countdown is actually closer to 2 months and 4 days or something (not like I'm counting down the days or anything....). I bought my plane ticket home last week in fact. I got a great deal on it although I think it's going to be a ghetto flight. But I think it's better to assume the worst so I may be pleasantly surprised when it isn't so bad. Yes, I climbed Mt. Fuji. It was incredible. The sunrise was incredible. INCREDIBLE. Of course it was tiring but it wasn't as difficult or dangerous as the locals made it seem (but of course I am not surprised). Apparently an American and Japanese man died near the top a few days before we climbed it. It worried me until I got to the top and spent the whole time in the back of my head wondering how they managed to do that! If you haven't seen my Fuji pics please take a look, I refuse to be modest when I say they are awesome. However, Fuji was the last big thing I wanted to do/see in Japan so now I feel like I've done/seen everything that was important to me so I am more interested in just going out than planning trips and trying to "experience things" these days. Oh, well I actually still need to eat fugu (blowfish) although EVERYONE (foreigners and most Japanese) tells me it's expensive and tasteless, but hey I need the experience of "putting my life in danger for the sake of expensive tasteless potentially poisonous sashimi". Last week was a 9 day holiday and strangely I pretty much did nothing for it. I went out on the weekends, but during the week I sat home and vegged and IT WAS AWESOME. I needed that break. Work is making me feel like I was purchased rather than I am being paid but it is having that "so busy the time flies by" effect so maybe it isn't the most horrible thing in the world after all. I also have a 4 day weekend next month and might go back to Iki Island or at least just have some more fun. I'm even starting to make plans with friends back home for Halloween (oh yeah I am coming back Oct 25 in case you didn't know).
I was sitting home last night and realizing how random my list of things I am excited to have again in the US is. Some of it includes cheap body lotion (small bottles of regular brand name lotion here cost around 6 dollars), going to a social gathering and knowing should I want to I can communicate with anyone, eyebrow waxing (they only do laser here), Target, and of course there is more but that's some of the random stuff I can think of off the top of my head.
Ok who am I kidding, I think anyone would miss Target.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
3 months!
Coming home in 3 months as of tomorrow (well technically today since it's 1 am here)! Seems like yesterday I was claiming 6 months left! I am getting excited!
Oh yeah, one small detail-climbing Mt. Fuji this weekend. Nothing too big or anything... ;)
Oh yeah, one small detail-climbing Mt. Fuji this weekend. Nothing too big or anything... ;)
Friday, July 3, 2009
rent-a-dog
I have been really busy lately. One of my coworkers went back to the US last week, so we had a big farewell party for him all night long...and from this week I am much much much busier at work because I took over some of his classes/had new classes added so I'm teaching around 5-7 fifty minute classes a day (and don't forget all the prep time/other things I'm responsible for beyond teaching). Boo. It does make the time go by really fast though. Plus this time around I actually like 98% my students-best so far! Besides the work being busy thing, I have been going out a lot with friends and therefore when I am home and have time to do things like update this blog, or write an email I find myself preferring to lie on the couch and pretend I am brain dead for a bit instead--so don't take offense if it takes a while to hear from me. I'm listening to you though. And I will respond in my own due time. =)
So the purpose of this blog and the title...I am teaching a student last night and he starts telling me...
Student: My family and I rented a dog this weekend and took it to my parent's--
Me: Wait, back up. You rented a dog? What?
Student: Yeah, we rented a dog for 2 days.
Me: Like a DVD?
Student: Yeah. Like that.
Me: You can RENT pets???
Apparently he and his family "rent a pet" here and there because they can't actually keep a pet at their apartment. They rent this dog often because his daughter likes it a lot (just like a man may have a favorite escort).
Although I give high fives to the IDEA and CONCEPT...does anyone else have a slight problem with this? I mean...I think we are all aware how attached dogs/other pets can get...so this poor dog is kept in a cage or something at the pet rental shop, and is "checked out" for two days with a family where it plays in parks and gets scratched by the children, and then it is returned to be put back in a cage...until another family checks him out...etc etc. Talk about confusing the poor thing. Those dogs must be so depressed and anxious. I can't imagine how these animals feel with their environments changing every day. I feel really bad for them!!
I wonder if there is a rent a kid shop... PROBABLY...
So the purpose of this blog and the title...I am teaching a student last night and he starts telling me...
Student: My family and I rented a dog this weekend and took it to my parent's--
Me: Wait, back up. You rented a dog? What?
Student: Yeah, we rented a dog for 2 days.
Me: Like a DVD?
Student: Yeah. Like that.
Me: You can RENT pets???
Apparently he and his family "rent a pet" here and there because they can't actually keep a pet at their apartment. They rent this dog often because his daughter likes it a lot (just like a man may have a favorite escort).
Although I give high fives to the IDEA and CONCEPT...does anyone else have a slight problem with this? I mean...I think we are all aware how attached dogs/other pets can get...so this poor dog is kept in a cage or something at the pet rental shop, and is "checked out" for two days with a family where it plays in parks and gets scratched by the children, and then it is returned to be put back in a cage...until another family checks him out...etc etc. Talk about confusing the poor thing. Those dogs must be so depressed and anxious. I can't imagine how these animals feel with their environments changing every day. I feel really bad for them!!
I wonder if there is a rent a kid shop... PROBABLY...
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Miracle Work
Last night as I was wandering aimlessly around my grocery store thinking absolutely nothing sounded good for dinner, I walked by the refrigerated "pizza" area and something caught my eye. So I spun around and found myself staring at it for a good minute thinking I was hallucinating. FLOUR TORTILLAS???? WHAT????? When I finally realized it was reality I snatched 5 packs (I am tempted to go back and get even more, who know how long they'll be there??) and made tacos last night. The whole way I walked home my mind was filled with endless possibilities--burritos, tostadas, quesadillas (although the cheese sucks but hey I've at least got a tortilla!), etc etc. It's a shame I am probably the only person in this area who will appreciate them, as on the cover for the packaging it shows a Japanese style hot dog and lettuce in it. SIGH.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
It's been a while...
1. I am almost at the "4 month" mark...wow!!
2. I am planning on climbing Fuji-san with some of my coworkers the last weekend of July...meaning I should probably start training for it. I asked them where we could go "practice" around here and their response was---like we'd know anything about hiking! Haha should be interesting =)
Besides that this month has just been really busy. Every weekend has been jammed full of different social things, and then of course work itself is kind of busy so that has basically been my month of June! I'm having a lot of fun lately though so it's all good =) The weather is quite nice for late June as well. It should be really humid and rainy but at the moment it is breezy and sunny (knock on wood).
2. I am planning on climbing Fuji-san with some of my coworkers the last weekend of July...meaning I should probably start training for it. I asked them where we could go "practice" around here and their response was---like we'd know anything about hiking! Haha should be interesting =)
Besides that this month has just been really busy. Every weekend has been jammed full of different social things, and then of course work itself is kind of busy so that has basically been my month of June! I'm having a lot of fun lately though so it's all good =) The weather is quite nice for late June as well. It should be really humid and rainy but at the moment it is breezy and sunny (knock on wood).
Sunday, May 24, 2009
5 months
until I am home!!!
Kinda seems like I was counting down 6 not very long ago. Time is flyyyyyying.
Kinda seems like I was counting down 6 not very long ago. Time is flyyyyyying.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
I want to go back here:
If any of you ever find yourself in Japan, PROMISE ME you will go to Yakushima. It is difficult to travel to as a foreigner without Japanese help, and kind of out of the way...but trust me, it is soooo worth it. Truly one of the best and most special places I have EVER visited...
Monday, May 11, 2009
Random but moving
Yesterday, my coworker and I were invited to a bbq party by one of our former students. This student is a really sweet lady who always gave me various gifts ranging from fresh basil from her garden to random magazine cutouts. I even have a drawer at work I nicknamed after her because of all the pointless stuff she would give me that I would then put in the drawer to be forgotten about for months. ANYWAY we went to her house and she had her daughter and some friends over. Nobody's English was too great, and she seemed to forget any of the English that I taught her haha, and my coworker speaks Japanese fluently, so at times I think my eyes might have glazed over a tad. =)
Anyway, long story short but I wound up having to spend the night at her house. At first I was really annoyed and almost angry that I was stranded there, just because I felt kind of uncomfortable imposing on someone I didn't know very well. But of course she was the hostess to end all hostessing and gave me an entire shopping bag full of random gifts (just like old times), which I probably will never keep or use, however I was a little excited she gave me a potted plant of mint. I have been wanting a plant for some reason. She made me breakfast (eggs and salad...don't ask sometimes Japanese breakfast's can be strange) as well as bout 4 different kinds of tea/coffee, found the one random old English movie she had saved on her DVR for me to watch, drove me back to the station and insisted on buying my ticket home. Very sweet woman.
However the whole point of my post was when I was about to leave her house and she was standing behind me. Like I said, her English isn't very good, so I was surprised when I heard her say, "I respect you." I turned around kind of surprised and confused by what she meant. Then she went on to say, "I respect you for coming to a foreign country and choosing to live here. I can travel but I could never do what you are doing. I could never build a life in a foreign country. It is too difficult. I really respect you." It was almost in perfect English, and to be honest, I was kind of lost for words on how to respond. For that, it was worth the inconvenience of being stranded at her house for the night.
I just found her statement so touching and it really hit home to me. Recently it has been feeling a bit difficult again to be over here. I think mainly because of the fact my "year" ended late April with me realizing I could have been home by now had I not extended. But even though I can't wait to go home, deep down in my heart I know extending for the extra 6 months was the right thing to do. The reason for that is still unknown to me, but it just feels right. But to be told that I am respected for choosing to live here and deal with the difficulties it brings was just what I needed to feel like this is the right thing for sure. I assume living anywhere but "home" is difficult, but to do it in an opposite country is beyond difficult. But, I think going through this is making me the person I want to be. I have already learned so much about myself and what I want and who I want to be this year. I know I am going to carry this experience I made for myself with me for the rest of my life.
OK, perhaps that was a little sappy, but hey it's been a while =)
Oh and in case you're wondering I only have 5 and a half months left in this mysterious, beautiful, confusing, frustrating country =) Something tells me the time is going to continue to fly...
Anyway, long story short but I wound up having to spend the night at her house. At first I was really annoyed and almost angry that I was stranded there, just because I felt kind of uncomfortable imposing on someone I didn't know very well. But of course she was the hostess to end all hostessing and gave me an entire shopping bag full of random gifts (just like old times), which I probably will never keep or use, however I was a little excited she gave me a potted plant of mint. I have been wanting a plant for some reason. She made me breakfast (eggs and salad...don't ask sometimes Japanese breakfast's can be strange) as well as bout 4 different kinds of tea/coffee, found the one random old English movie she had saved on her DVR for me to watch, drove me back to the station and insisted on buying my ticket home. Very sweet woman.
However the whole point of my post was when I was about to leave her house and she was standing behind me. Like I said, her English isn't very good, so I was surprised when I heard her say, "I respect you." I turned around kind of surprised and confused by what she meant. Then she went on to say, "I respect you for coming to a foreign country and choosing to live here. I can travel but I could never do what you are doing. I could never build a life in a foreign country. It is too difficult. I really respect you." It was almost in perfect English, and to be honest, I was kind of lost for words on how to respond. For that, it was worth the inconvenience of being stranded at her house for the night.
I just found her statement so touching and it really hit home to me. Recently it has been feeling a bit difficult again to be over here. I think mainly because of the fact my "year" ended late April with me realizing I could have been home by now had I not extended. But even though I can't wait to go home, deep down in my heart I know extending for the extra 6 months was the right thing to do. The reason for that is still unknown to me, but it just feels right. But to be told that I am respected for choosing to live here and deal with the difficulties it brings was just what I needed to feel like this is the right thing for sure. I assume living anywhere but "home" is difficult, but to do it in an opposite country is beyond difficult. But, I think going through this is making me the person I want to be. I have already learned so much about myself and what I want and who I want to be this year. I know I am going to carry this experience I made for myself with me for the rest of my life.
OK, perhaps that was a little sappy, but hey it's been a while =)
Oh and in case you're wondering I only have 5 and a half months left in this mysterious, beautiful, confusing, frustrating country =) Something tells me the time is going to continue to fly...
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Best.Trip.Ever.
Well maybe not everrrr but it was a really really wonderful trip. But even though I have been home for almost 24 hours, I am still too tired to document everything so you will just have to wait to hear stories =)
But one thing is certain, now that I have been to most of South Japan...the more south you go, the better and better it gets. It's a shame it is also the most skipped area when people travel here...but then again maybe it's better that it isn't so touristy.
But one thing is certain, now that I have been to most of South Japan...the more south you go, the better and better it gets. It's a shame it is also the most skipped area when people travel here...but then again maybe it's better that it isn't so touristy.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
I opened the bathroom door and what did I see?
A drunk man passed out on the bathroom floor =)
(You should be saying this entry like the "Popcorn popping on the apricot tree" song)
Oh, those Japanese lushies! ;)
*Yeah I know, the handicapped in Japan get HUGE bathroom stalls. They even come with beds! Hm...
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Official 6 Month Mark
Yes that's right. In exactly 6 months, my contract will be over!!!!!
In some ways it seems quite far away, but in other ways I think it will fly by!--Until then I am really busy!!! Lots of fun things planned in-between =)
In some ways it seems quite far away, but in other ways I think it will fly by!--Until then I am really busy!!! Lots of fun things planned in-between =)
Thursday, April 16, 2009
If you are a lover of alive sea creatures don't read any further
No, don't worry, I didn't eat whale again (it's gross).
Some salary men I teach on Sat mornings asked me to go out with them tonight. We went to a place near the train station that is big on the fresh seafood. So I told them to order whatever since the entire menu was in kanji and I didn't feel like asking them to read every selection off. Anyway, lots of plates came forth, and one was a dish of beautifully plated squid sashimi (including dry ice coming out of a conch shell) that still had the body of the squid on it. But here is the twist--they told me it was still alive! I looked at it and realized sure enough, *he* was breathing. He was very fresh, and I did feel a little guilty, since he was basically watching me eat him. But then I pretended I didn't see him staring at me, and after we ate his sashimi, we sent him away and had the rest of him turned into tempura. He was very delicious. The end.
I know I sound horrible...but that is just how it is done here! And of course, one more "interesting" food to add to my ever growing list =)
Some salary men I teach on Sat mornings asked me to go out with them tonight. We went to a place near the train station that is big on the fresh seafood. So I told them to order whatever since the entire menu was in kanji and I didn't feel like asking them to read every selection off. Anyway, lots of plates came forth, and one was a dish of beautifully plated squid sashimi (including dry ice coming out of a conch shell) that still had the body of the squid on it. But here is the twist--they told me it was still alive! I looked at it and realized sure enough, *he* was breathing. He was very fresh, and I did feel a little guilty, since he was basically watching me eat him. But then I pretended I didn't see him staring at me, and after we ate his sashimi, we sent him away and had the rest of him turned into tempura. He was very delicious. The end.
I know I sound horrible...but that is just how it is done here! And of course, one more "interesting" food to add to my ever growing list =)
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Busy busy busy!
My parents had been staying with me since the 31st. They just left today =( We had a very jam-packed week together though!! Took quite a few trips, went to karaoke with friends (it's good to know they enjoyed it too!), and just had a nice time catching up. They are in love with Japan. But, they also admitted they would never want to live here. So true! Great country to travel around in...but living here...let's just say I never want to do it again hehe. However, I won't lie when I say it is nice to have a little more space in my tiny apt though! ;) I am also kind of exhausted from everything as well. Especially since the day before they came one of my best friends here left to go home so we had an all nighter right before, and then it was jam-packed busy (but fun busy) until today! I'll miss them, but...
I officially declared to my company I will not renew my contract again, so I will officially be returning home in October! Although in some ways 6 months seems like a ways to go...it kind of isn't huh? Plus I have so many plans up until then I am thinking it will fly by! For all you people who actually read this, I am way excited to see you! Let's start making plans =) Haha.
And at the end of this month I have yet another trip planned. Solo this time. Yakushima. Google it. I'm excited. It will be nice to "become one with nature" I think.
Anyway that's about all I've got to say for now. Cheers!
I officially declared to my company I will not renew my contract again, so I will officially be returning home in October! Although in some ways 6 months seems like a ways to go...it kind of isn't huh? Plus I have so many plans up until then I am thinking it will fly by! For all you people who actually read this, I am way excited to see you! Let's start making plans =) Haha.
And at the end of this month I have yet another trip planned. Solo this time. Yakushima. Google it. I'm excited. It will be nice to "become one with nature" I think.
Anyway that's about all I've got to say for now. Cheers!
Friday, March 27, 2009
=D
Ramblings:
This has just been a fantastic week, and I don't think the amazingness is going to run short anytime soon! So far, THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS ARE HERE!!! =) They are just really gorgeous and a welcoming sign of spring and *temporary* warm/not humid weather! I had a "review" meeting with my manager and was a little nervous going in to it, as before I have been caught off guard with random complaints...but...she had nothing but good things to say about me!!! Not like it matters so much since I am not renewing again, but I work REALLY hard there, so it means a lot to know it is appreciated! My parents are now in Tokyo!! We will be reuinted on Sunday and already have a plethora of fun things planned (some they are not even aware of...like karaoke all night hehe) and so forth! I can't wait! My friend is leaving me though =( But we are having one last huge hurrah so it will be a lot of fun this weekend! And...some other smaller but fun things have happened as well ;). Yeah, it is good times over here!! In fact the only "downer" of the week was that I had to wake up at SIX IN THE MORNING (yes that is correct) today to hand out flyers at 7:30 am. And then I worked until 9:30 pm! So I was in zombie mode at work today. But then I went to a "cook your own" okinomyiaki (Japanese pancake thingy) restaurant after work with some coworkers and fun students so that is what has kept me awake until midnight typing away here!
Anyway just wanted to announce that at 2 days past my "7 months left" mark, life isn't too shabby at the moment =)
This has just been a fantastic week, and I don't think the amazingness is going to run short anytime soon! So far, THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS ARE HERE!!! =) They are just really gorgeous and a welcoming sign of spring and *temporary* warm/not humid weather! I had a "review" meeting with my manager and was a little nervous going in to it, as before I have been caught off guard with random complaints...but...she had nothing but good things to say about me!!! Not like it matters so much since I am not renewing again, but I work REALLY hard there, so it means a lot to know it is appreciated! My parents are now in Tokyo!! We will be reuinted on Sunday and already have a plethora of fun things planned (some they are not even aware of...like karaoke all night hehe) and so forth! I can't wait! My friend is leaving me though =( But we are having one last huge hurrah so it will be a lot of fun this weekend! And...some other smaller but fun things have happened as well ;). Yeah, it is good times over here!! In fact the only "downer" of the week was that I had to wake up at SIX IN THE MORNING (yes that is correct) today to hand out flyers at 7:30 am. And then I worked until 9:30 pm! So I was in zombie mode at work today. But then I went to a "cook your own" okinomyiaki (Japanese pancake thingy) restaurant after work with some coworkers and fun students so that is what has kept me awake until midnight typing away here!
Anyway just wanted to announce that at 2 days past my "7 months left" mark, life isn't too shabby at the moment =)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
And I totally just jinxed myself
Maybe what? 10 minutes?? after writing that last post it has started POURING. =/ Well at least it is still warm and not humid! (Let's hope I did not just double jinx myself)
And literally in the blink of an eye
Spring is officially here. Well I am 98% certain at least. When I said in the blink of an eye, I wasn't exaggerating. Last Saturday it was so cold it was slightly snowing a little. Then the following day it was a gorgeous, warm, clear blue sky day (the kind that makes you want to head straight to the beach). This entire week it has been so warm I haven't needed a jacket at all, not even at night. This morning when I walked to work I noticed an ENTIRE tree that was bare the previous day had magically COMPLETELY BLOOMED with gorgeous fragrant white flowers. Annd the cherry blossoms are beginning to bloom! =) Once again, as I sit here at 2am with my window wide open in a tank top, I am having a difficult time believing less than a week ago it was kind of snowing.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
I am starting to get kind of spoiled
Like I said in a previous post, my coworker was gifted with this weekend getaway deal to a hot spring resort in the mountains. We went this past weekend, and it was really great! It was three of us girls, and a perfect quick getaway.
We decided to drive, so we rented a car and first headed to Mt. Aso, which is an active volcano area south of Fukuoka. The sights were really great, and the weather (still going!) was GREAT. Bright, clear, blue skies. So rare! It was funny because I and my other friend who is a foreigner as well thought Mt. Aso was just one volcano (based off pictures we have seen). Turns out it's an entire valley made up of mountains/volcanoes, and the "Mt. Aso" we thought it was was actually quite tiny and we almost missed spotting it while at the lookout point looking at the REAL volcano (smoke and all). We thought it was funny that a while back we were thinking about "climbing it"--ha. That whole area is renowned for its water and hot springs (where I went back in November), so after that we went to this stream area that was ranked in the top 100 best drinking waters of the world, or something like that? You could drink from the stream there. I got a little worried after I took a sip and this little old man came rushing out to us speaking Japanese, afraid he was telling us we drank out of the wrong stream and that the water I just ingested would give me cholera or something. But turned out he just wanted to show us how the water comes into the stream--through the ground, kind of cool, and take our pictures (even though they turned out incredibly blurry).
Then we headed off to Mt. Kuju where our resort was. We were LITERALLY in the middle of nowhere. Like we drove through deserted fields, up a mountain, and there was our resort, and that was it. It was sunset at that time, and just strange to be so removed from everything else (after being in a large city for the past year). This was my first time since being in Japan staying somewhere actually posh and although I am proud of my ability to "rough it" when needed...it made me feel spoiled again. Yeah, it was a nice place =). And I got to sleep in a comfortable bed...which I haven't done since April 2, 2008, the last night I spent in my bed in CA! We had a six course dinner which included wagyu beef (what you consider "kobe" beef--a luxury), we reserved a private onsen (hot spring) that was outdoors, so we got to sit there and relax and gaze at the AMAZING stars. Then we went to the "public" onsen and hung out there for a bit longer. We decided to wake up around 6 to watch the sunrise, but we seemed to miss it. Oops. But we did go to another private onsen at 7am. At first I was thinking, "why oh why did we reserve it for 7 am?!" but maybe that is the best way to start your day ever? It had a sauna, massage chair, 3 different pools with different temperatures, robes, coffee, tea...it was so nice =). Then we had an amazing WESTERN breakfast (this place knew how to do "Western" well, I'll tell ya!). Then we had to go home =(. I didn't want to leave!! The drive back through Oita was really nice though.
*Can I just tell you how RIDICULOUSLY expensive it is to drive in Japan though?? To Aso (about one hour or so of a drive) it cost us 25 bucks on the highway, and on the way home through Oita (about two hours or so) it cost us around 35 bucks. 60 dollars to drive to places not very far away!! Robbery!
And now I am back to "normal life" for...about another week and a half until my parents come and spoil me even more!! Hahaha. =) Life isn't so shabby these days.
We decided to drive, so we rented a car and first headed to Mt. Aso, which is an active volcano area south of Fukuoka. The sights were really great, and the weather (still going!) was GREAT. Bright, clear, blue skies. So rare! It was funny because I and my other friend who is a foreigner as well thought Mt. Aso was just one volcano (based off pictures we have seen). Turns out it's an entire valley made up of mountains/volcanoes, and the "Mt. Aso" we thought it was was actually quite tiny and we almost missed spotting it while at the lookout point looking at the REAL volcano (smoke and all). We thought it was funny that a while back we were thinking about "climbing it"--ha. That whole area is renowned for its water and hot springs (where I went back in November), so after that we went to this stream area that was ranked in the top 100 best drinking waters of the world, or something like that? You could drink from the stream there. I got a little worried after I took a sip and this little old man came rushing out to us speaking Japanese, afraid he was telling us we drank out of the wrong stream and that the water I just ingested would give me cholera or something. But turned out he just wanted to show us how the water comes into the stream--through the ground, kind of cool, and take our pictures (even though they turned out incredibly blurry).
Then we headed off to Mt. Kuju where our resort was. We were LITERALLY in the middle of nowhere. Like we drove through deserted fields, up a mountain, and there was our resort, and that was it. It was sunset at that time, and just strange to be so removed from everything else (after being in a large city for the past year). This was my first time since being in Japan staying somewhere actually posh and although I am proud of my ability to "rough it" when needed...it made me feel spoiled again. Yeah, it was a nice place =). And I got to sleep in a comfortable bed...which I haven't done since April 2, 2008, the last night I spent in my bed in CA! We had a six course dinner which included wagyu beef (what you consider "kobe" beef--a luxury), we reserved a private onsen (hot spring) that was outdoors, so we got to sit there and relax and gaze at the AMAZING stars. Then we went to the "public" onsen and hung out there for a bit longer. We decided to wake up around 6 to watch the sunrise, but we seemed to miss it. Oops. But we did go to another private onsen at 7am. At first I was thinking, "why oh why did we reserve it for 7 am?!" but maybe that is the best way to start your day ever? It had a sauna, massage chair, 3 different pools with different temperatures, robes, coffee, tea...it was so nice =). Then we had an amazing WESTERN breakfast (this place knew how to do "Western" well, I'll tell ya!). Then we had to go home =(. I didn't want to leave!! The drive back through Oita was really nice though.
*Can I just tell you how RIDICULOUSLY expensive it is to drive in Japan though?? To Aso (about one hour or so of a drive) it cost us 25 bucks on the highway, and on the way home through Oita (about two hours or so) it cost us around 35 bucks. 60 dollars to drive to places not very far away!! Robbery!
And now I am back to "normal life" for...about another week and a half until my parents come and spoil me even more!! Hahaha. =) Life isn't so shabby these days.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Bday Weekend
Considering I went into it not expecting anything and not really making any plans I was really surprised and touched by my friends out here! If any of you people read this---thank you!!!
It all started off with Sat night. Went to a yakitori (grilled meat on a stick-one of my favs) shop, then to this fantastic karaoke place.
*Here is something you need to know about karaoke here. It gets VERY expensive! You usually book a room for 2 hours and it's 2500 yen (~$25)...which doesn't sound bad at all, except karaoke is a time vacuum and it feels like 2 seconds later you are being told your time is up...so what do you do? Extend of course. And extend. And extend...until you walk out 4 hours later with a bill of around 50-60 bucks!*
OK, so back to my story. This karaoke place is a little less... "attractive" however, it only costs 2,800 yen all you can drink for FIVE HOURS. AND they have costumes!!! It was so much fun with our big group! Everyone was wearing a costume (there were even costume changes), and was really into it. So we did that until about 4 am. At that point we had been doing it for so long we were kind of out of songs to sing haha. So we went down the street to a bar we go to often and stayed there until around 5 am. Then I went home with my coworker and we stayed up even later talking until I realized it was 7:30 am and insisted we sleep.
Then, I woke up at 3pm, and headed off to my friend's do it yourself sushi party at 5pm. It was just really relaxed with a whole group of friends, and then they surprised me with a really cute cake and some gifts! Like I said, I was really touched! That party wound up lasting until about 11:30, then we headed off to do MORE karaoke (no costumes this time), then went back to my friends and played some games....and then I went to sleep around 4 am.
I spent my actual bday resting lol. But it was a really great time! However...this month is just getting started! SOOOO many fun things planned!!!
It all started off with Sat night. Went to a yakitori (grilled meat on a stick-one of my favs) shop, then to this fantastic karaoke place.
*Here is something you need to know about karaoke here. It gets VERY expensive! You usually book a room for 2 hours and it's 2500 yen (~$25)...which doesn't sound bad at all, except karaoke is a time vacuum and it feels like 2 seconds later you are being told your time is up...so what do you do? Extend of course. And extend. And extend...until you walk out 4 hours later with a bill of around 50-60 bucks!*
OK, so back to my story. This karaoke place is a little less... "attractive" however, it only costs 2,800 yen all you can drink for FIVE HOURS. AND they have costumes!!! It was so much fun with our big group! Everyone was wearing a costume (there were even costume changes), and was really into it. So we did that until about 4 am. At that point we had been doing it for so long we were kind of out of songs to sing haha. So we went down the street to a bar we go to often and stayed there until around 5 am. Then I went home with my coworker and we stayed up even later talking until I realized it was 7:30 am and insisted we sleep.
Then, I woke up at 3pm, and headed off to my friend's do it yourself sushi party at 5pm. It was just really relaxed with a whole group of friends, and then they surprised me with a really cute cake and some gifts! Like I said, I was really touched! That party wound up lasting until about 11:30, then we headed off to do MORE karaoke (no costumes this time), then went back to my friends and played some games....and then I went to sleep around 4 am.
I spent my actual bday resting lol. But it was a really great time! However...this month is just getting started! SOOOO many fun things planned!!!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
All good things must come to an end
Well only a good thing for me that is. In less than one month the yen has dropped 10 yen, and is now at 99 yen to the dollar, so pretty much equal. When I arrived it was 105...but in these past recent months it has been high at 89 to the dollar, making my bills back home discounted.......but now alas that is over and Japan is also attending the downfall of the economy. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if it gets worse as in January it was reported that Japanese export rates dropped 46% (!!!!!!!). So we aren't doing so hot over here either. The economy is a global problem...maybe we can all become homeless due to bankruptcy and foreclosure, and resort to being a caveman world again using shells as currency.
Oh...and my permanent straightening is wearing off too. =( Time for an appointment!
Oh...and my permanent straightening is wearing off too. =( Time for an appointment!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
You know you're slowly becoming Japanese...
when you are constantly craving particular bento boxes (salmon+ rice + sweet potato + various pickled things mmm) and onigiri (rice balls) every day. AND you are now considering making your very own for lunch. AND AND you are considering buying one of those cute, tiny bento boxes with bright colors and a picture of a dancing panda on it to put your home made bento lunch in AND your very own cutesy-matchy chopsticks AND a matchy furoshiki (cloth to wrap the box in) AND, AND, AND... HM. But don't despair. I still don't walk around everywhere squeeling, "KAWAII!!!!!!" (cute) at everything I see. So therefore, I clearly have not fallen over to the dark side of super trendy obnoxious Japanese girls who put tease their hair into beehives and wear shorts in the snow to be fashionable... yet...
You know I am starting to wonder what my reverse culture shock will be like when I do finally return home...
****
And maybe I am a little late seeing this, but here is a completely unrelated, hilarious, inappropriate video for you to watch:
You know I am starting to wonder what my reverse culture shock will be like when I do finally return home...
****
And maybe I am a little late seeing this, but here is a completely unrelated, hilarious, inappropriate video for you to watch:
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
So....yeah...
Looks like I've got another little trip coming up in a month! My coworker was gifted generously by one of our students with this magical ticket that gives 4 people accommodation and a nice meal (I think, the ticket was in Japanese after all) to this little middle of no where mountain area in Oita at this nice ryokan (traditional Japanese hotel) and hot spring. This area is supposed to be pretty beautiful as my coworkers got very excited when told about it. Oita is located East of Fukuoka and is acclaimed for it's beautiful scenery and many many many hot springs. So yay for that. We were going to go over my bday weekend but one of our coworker's can't go then so we decided to go the following weekend--this all makes me somewhat relieved. I have been feeling a little down and ancy about my upcoming bday. I hate hate hate planning things for myself--for the past 4 years I have had a joint bday shin dig with one of my best best friend's ever who's bday is the day before mine-- so I was prepared to just sit this one out and let it *hopefully quickly* pass me by (24 is kinda a ho hum age anyway, right??). Yet, it still made me feel a little sad to spend my bday alone here in Jland. Therefore, even though it won't technically be over my bday anymore, it is nice to be doing something somewhat "birthday related" with good people. =)
Which brings me to my other point...the ticket is for 4 people and everyone at work is now invited which means it isn't free anymore, which means paying for part of it as well as the transport, etc etc. That totally isn't a big deal at all. But, I am starting to realize that perhaps I have been a little too ambitious with this idea of taking a big trip when I finish up here. Because with these new plans, my parents coming soon, other places I wanna go here......saving is just not really an option any time soon! Maybe it is better to just do little things like this every month and enjoy myself more by indulging in local opportunities, and not be broke all the time (it's really starting to get old). Or....maybe I should just tighten my budget belt and be skint in order to save for the greater good of going somewhere totally different in the end? Advice? Suggestions? Right now I am leaning towards the 1st choice, but going somewhere else that is foreign, exotic, and just not here is also tempting as I basically want to go EVERYWHERE now. Please tell me what you think.
Bottom line: Would I be forgoing opportunities or creating them by not planning an extra trip later?
Which brings me to my other point...the ticket is for 4 people and everyone at work is now invited which means it isn't free anymore, which means paying for part of it as well as the transport, etc etc. That totally isn't a big deal at all. But, I am starting to realize that perhaps I have been a little too ambitious with this idea of taking a big trip when I finish up here. Because with these new plans, my parents coming soon, other places I wanna go here......saving is just not really an option any time soon! Maybe it is better to just do little things like this every month and enjoy myself more by indulging in local opportunities, and not be broke all the time (it's really starting to get old). Or....maybe I should just tighten my budget belt and be skint in order to save for the greater good of going somewhere totally different in the end? Advice? Suggestions? Right now I am leaning towards the 1st choice, but going somewhere else that is foreign, exotic, and just not here is also tempting as I basically want to go EVERYWHERE now. Please tell me what you think.
Bottom line: Would I be forgoing opportunities or creating them by not planning an extra trip later?
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Happy Valentine's Day!
OK, I'll actually be honest, but I really don't care much for the day (and that is not just because I am single haha). It's 95% commercial and sort of tacky. Japan makes it even WORSE because they over-commercialize EVERYTHING (yeah and you didn't think it was possible to top the US on such things) and...on Vday only GUYS get presents. The girls have to buy everything! True, on March 14 "White Day" comes around and the guys reciprocate but yeah I don't know about this...
My Vday was actually yesterday (thank you future time zone), and it wasn't too shabby for a commericialized random holiday I don't actually really care to celebrate haha. Even though I am a girl some of my students gave me chocolates. One of them is this really cute old lady and I was touched because she gave me some really expensive ones. It is NOT a custom here to hug or touch people so I asked her if it was OK to hug her (since that's what I am used to doing when touched by a gift) and she didn't really seem to understand what I meant so I made an action to hug her and she cringed away from me like I was going to hit her....then ran away! Haha! Oh well, I tried. =) My friend had a little get together so about 8 of us had some drinks and food and then went out downtown. *At one of the bars we were at there was a "kissing" contest and it was just....absolutely disgusting. Disgusting kissing and realllllly disgusting looking drunk people. But of course I took pictures and videos. In case you were wondering, "Team Ass Crack" wound up winning. We dubbed them that because the girl was this huge ghastly looking thing who was humping her boyfriend(?) all over the stage with her ass crack hanging out the entire time. Classy!
ANYWAY if I were to use the good 5% of Vday, I would use it to express my love to people I care about! So, if you are my family or close friends reading this just know I love and think about you all very much and am very grateful for the constant support you always give me over here!
*How bitchy did that part of the paragraph sound??? Haha! I promise I'm not usually so much of a mean girl =)
My Vday was actually yesterday (thank you future time zone), and it wasn't too shabby for a commericialized random holiday I don't actually really care to celebrate haha. Even though I am a girl some of my students gave me chocolates. One of them is this really cute old lady and I was touched because she gave me some really expensive ones. It is NOT a custom here to hug or touch people so I asked her if it was OK to hug her (since that's what I am used to doing when touched by a gift) and she didn't really seem to understand what I meant so I made an action to hug her and she cringed away from me like I was going to hit her....then ran away! Haha! Oh well, I tried. =) My friend had a little get together so about 8 of us had some drinks and food and then went out downtown. *At one of the bars we were at there was a "kissing" contest and it was just....absolutely disgusting. Disgusting kissing and realllllly disgusting looking drunk people. But of course I took pictures and videos. In case you were wondering, "Team Ass Crack" wound up winning. We dubbed them that because the girl was this huge ghastly looking thing who was humping her boyfriend(?) all over the stage with her ass crack hanging out the entire time. Classy!
ANYWAY if I were to use the good 5% of Vday, I would use it to express my love to people I care about! So, if you are my family or close friends reading this just know I love and think about you all very much and am very grateful for the constant support you always give me over here!
*How bitchy did that part of the paragraph sound??? Haha! I promise I'm not usually so much of a mean girl =)
Friday, February 13, 2009
True Story
This week for one level's lesson we are covering reported speech using asked and told. I had a private lesson tonight, and to start it off I told him to stand up, put his hands on his face, etc etc and then after asked him to report back to me what I told him.
Me: What did I say?
Him: You told me to put my hands on my junk.
I am not really sure how he got to that from "face" but alright...
I am 98% sure it was an honest, yet conveniently awkward and hilarious, mistake.
Me: What did I say?
Him: You told me to put my hands on my junk.
I am not really sure how he got to that from "face" but alright...
I am 98% sure it was an honest, yet conveniently awkward and hilarious, mistake.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Sapporo (Hokkaido)
Yeah, I'm way too tired to tell you about it. I'll let my pictures speak for themselves.
However 4 points to make:
1. I want to go back!
2. I got the best snowboarding package EVER! Round trip transportation to a great mountain/all day lift ticket/all day rental for 5,400 yen (around 60 dollars). You can't beat that! I was surprised since everything else in Japan seems to cost more than the States.
3. I am clearly not cut out to live in the snow. It was fun for a while, but after almost slipping and killing myself 9897987979 times just walking somewhere got old reeeeeallly fast (although I never actually did fall thank goodness). It was still pretty though =).
4. After eating the seafood/sushi there I may be ruined for life, as it was really THAT good. Usually when Japanese people go on and on about regional "famous" food I roll my eyes. Well they weren't bluffing about Hokkaido's seafood (as well as everything else that lovely region has to offer)!!
Email me if you want more details. 'Cuz I do have more believe it or not...
However 4 points to make:
1. I want to go back!
2. I got the best snowboarding package EVER! Round trip transportation to a great mountain/all day lift ticket/all day rental for 5,400 yen (around 60 dollars). You can't beat that! I was surprised since everything else in Japan seems to cost more than the States.
3. I am clearly not cut out to live in the snow. It was fun for a while, but after almost slipping and killing myself 9897987979 times just walking somewhere got old reeeeeallly fast (although I never actually did fall thank goodness). It was still pretty though =).
4. After eating the seafood/sushi there I may be ruined for life, as it was really THAT good. Usually when Japanese people go on and on about regional "famous" food I roll my eyes. Well they weren't bluffing about Hokkaido's seafood (as well as everything else that lovely region has to offer)!!
Email me if you want more details. 'Cuz I do have more believe it or not...
Saturday, February 7, 2009
So I teach business now
Before I run away to Hokkaido for the Sapporo Snow Festival and some snowboarding (!!!), I feel compelled to procrastinate my packing and share this with you:
I was once again pimped out to a company to teach a private English lesson to employees. I was pretty excited about this, as it is from 10-12 every Saturday which means two things: 1. I lost my really low level lesson I taught at 11 (although I did lose a great class as well @12), and 2. Since I will be working starting at 10 instead of 11...I get to go home an hour earlier than everyone else!! Score!
I went to the company for the first time this morning. It's really close to my work so it's convenient. Someone from our head office met me at the train station and walked me over for introductions. I got a little scared when we arrived. The last company I did this for was SUPER casual. When we arrived, we had to call the receptionist on this random black phone sitting all by itself in this giant entry in order for them to open the door, and then we were led to this sterile white room with black leather couches with nothing else at all, to wait for my students. So I sat there starting to wonder if this would be so great as it seemed really formal and strict and super "Japanese business work ethic" mode. To my surprise, in walked three 30 something year old men. Two were in casual clothes. The head office lady left (is it bad I don't even know her name?), and left me with them. I thought this week's lesson would be kind of stupid, as our head office planned it out so we would spend one hour doing "introductions" and then the next hour doing the first unit. Sounds fine right? Um..the first unit was how to do introductions (in a business situation...but STILL). LUCKILY these guys are really chill and hilarious. Their English is so-so but I loved how they would randomly crack up at each other trying to speak. Usually when Japanese people don't know how to do something they just shut up and act like statues. So the two hours actually went by quite quickly.
However, I quickly realized something. Let's see...I am teaching 3 businessmen who work for a large real estate loan company, and I am teaching them how to conduct business practices in English. Like I know anything about this! I mean I know how to make a killer introduction, and how to shake hands appropriately...but when they started asking specific "business talk" questions I found the BS just starting to flyyyy out of my mouth. That is one huge habit I have. I am asked a question I don't know the answer to and before I can even think of some good ways to postpone the question, a BS answer (could be right, could be wrong) comes out. I seem to always leave the students satisfied...but sometimes I find myself after class furrowing my brows unsure of what I just did to their lives with my answer. Ohhh the power I actually have as an English teacher! This company's future of conducting all their business in English kind of rests on 23 (almost 24!)-inexperienced-with business and life-me. Oh well, at least I have taught them how to make a killer first impresion, right??
OK time to pack! I booked this trip soo long ago it still hasn't hit me I am flying out tomorrow...
I was once again pimped out to a company to teach a private English lesson to employees. I was pretty excited about this, as it is from 10-12 every Saturday which means two things: 1. I lost my really low level lesson I taught at 11 (although I did lose a great class as well @12), and 2. Since I will be working starting at 10 instead of 11...I get to go home an hour earlier than everyone else!! Score!
I went to the company for the first time this morning. It's really close to my work so it's convenient. Someone from our head office met me at the train station and walked me over for introductions. I got a little scared when we arrived. The last company I did this for was SUPER casual. When we arrived, we had to call the receptionist on this random black phone sitting all by itself in this giant entry in order for them to open the door, and then we were led to this sterile white room with black leather couches with nothing else at all, to wait for my students. So I sat there starting to wonder if this would be so great as it seemed really formal and strict and super "Japanese business work ethic" mode. To my surprise, in walked three 30 something year old men. Two were in casual clothes. The head office lady left (is it bad I don't even know her name?), and left me with them. I thought this week's lesson would be kind of stupid, as our head office planned it out so we would spend one hour doing "introductions" and then the next hour doing the first unit. Sounds fine right? Um..the first unit was how to do introductions (in a business situation...but STILL). LUCKILY these guys are really chill and hilarious. Their English is so-so but I loved how they would randomly crack up at each other trying to speak. Usually when Japanese people don't know how to do something they just shut up and act like statues. So the two hours actually went by quite quickly.
However, I quickly realized something. Let's see...I am teaching 3 businessmen who work for a large real estate loan company, and I am teaching them how to conduct business practices in English. Like I know anything about this! I mean I know how to make a killer introduction, and how to shake hands appropriately...but when they started asking specific "business talk" questions I found the BS just starting to flyyyy out of my mouth. That is one huge habit I have. I am asked a question I don't know the answer to and before I can even think of some good ways to postpone the question, a BS answer (could be right, could be wrong) comes out. I seem to always leave the students satisfied...but sometimes I find myself after class furrowing my brows unsure of what I just did to their lives with my answer. Ohhh the power I actually have as an English teacher! This company's future of conducting all their business in English kind of rests on 23 (almost 24!)-inexperienced-with business and life-me. Oh well, at least I have taught them how to make a killer first impresion, right??
OK time to pack! I booked this trip soo long ago it still hasn't hit me I am flying out tomorrow...
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Attempt #2
= FAIL.
I tried just natto mixed in with rice this morning, trying to have a well balanced Japanese diet. It took me about 3 minutes to chew down each spoonful. After about 4 spoonfuls I started gagging. Earlier, I thought the disgusting texture was because of the raw egg--guess not! The texture is hard to describe. It's like eating boogers mixed with beans and spider webs and then puking it into a bowl, and then eating it again. I am pretty sure I was accurate with my description. The funny thing is, the taste isn't bad at all...it's just that damn texture! Funny how much of an influence texture has on us! Therefore, I decided I clearly wasn't fit to eat this foul stuff, so in the rubbish it went!
My thoughts: What a waste of rice!
*I FINALLY found brown rice. Expensive but worth the find! You have noooo idea how hard it is to find whole grains here!
My student today pish poshed my use of raw egg previously and told me I must mix the natto with MAYONNAISE and eat it alone... no rice! I asked her, "JUST natto and mayonnaise?!" And she goes, "And soy sauce." Like, duhhhhh soy sauce makes everything delicious! DUH. I threw that suggestion away before her words finished leaving her mouth. My short relationship with natto is OVER. At least I gave it a fair go!
HOWEVER I had my friend Jenny over for dinner tonight (probably the influence to my British vocabulary usage in this blog, ha) and cooked a delicious dinner of Carolina shrimp and gravy over rice. It was delicious, Southern, and 100% non-Asian. I proved real food CAN be cooked in Japan! We ate it all. It took me all morning to de-vein the shrimp (for some reason I thought it would only take me like 15 minutes, ha!), but it was worth it! I was just so excited to find a good non-Asian recipe I could find all the ingredients for. It gets old seeing lots of delicious sounding recipes and reading the ingedient list going, nevermind, no chance in hell I will find half these ingredients here! And, she brought me my Christmas gift from her that I left at her house ages ago. She brought me fresh gingerbread from this famous British shop and this mint cake thing made from pure mint and sugar when she went home to England for the holidays. Miraculously the gingerbread was still good after all this time haha. I had been dreaming about it since she presented me with the gift a few weeks ago. =)
And that is my story about food today!
I tried just natto mixed in with rice this morning, trying to have a well balanced Japanese diet. It took me about 3 minutes to chew down each spoonful. After about 4 spoonfuls I started gagging. Earlier, I thought the disgusting texture was because of the raw egg--guess not! The texture is hard to describe. It's like eating boogers mixed with beans and spider webs and then puking it into a bowl, and then eating it again. I am pretty sure I was accurate with my description. The funny thing is, the taste isn't bad at all...it's just that damn texture! Funny how much of an influence texture has on us! Therefore, I decided I clearly wasn't fit to eat this foul stuff, so in the rubbish it went!
My thoughts: What a waste of rice!
*I FINALLY found brown rice. Expensive but worth the find! You have noooo idea how hard it is to find whole grains here!
My student today pish poshed my use of raw egg previously and told me I must mix the natto with MAYONNAISE and eat it alone... no rice! I asked her, "JUST natto and mayonnaise?!" And she goes, "And soy sauce." Like, duhhhhh soy sauce makes everything delicious! DUH. I threw that suggestion away before her words finished leaving her mouth. My short relationship with natto is OVER. At least I gave it a fair go!
HOWEVER I had my friend Jenny over for dinner tonight (probably the influence to my British vocabulary usage in this blog, ha) and cooked a delicious dinner of Carolina shrimp and gravy over rice. It was delicious, Southern, and 100% non-Asian. I proved real food CAN be cooked in Japan! We ate it all. It took me all morning to de-vein the shrimp (for some reason I thought it would only take me like 15 minutes, ha!), but it was worth it! I was just so excited to find a good non-Asian recipe I could find all the ingredients for. It gets old seeing lots of delicious sounding recipes and reading the ingedient list going, nevermind, no chance in hell I will find half these ingredients here! And, she brought me my Christmas gift from her that I left at her house ages ago. She brought me fresh gingerbread from this famous British shop and this mint cake thing made from pure mint and sugar when she went home to England for the holidays. Miraculously the gingerbread was still good after all this time haha. I had been dreaming about it since she presented me with the gift a few weeks ago. =)
And that is my story about food today!
Monday, February 2, 2009
The grass is always greener on the other side
I am at the point of loathing the rain. The rain used to be a treat for me, as it never rains in Southern California. Well...that has all changed thanks to Japan! I am pretty sure since I have been here (April 4) there have been maybe *32 days of sunshine here, THAT is how much it rains! True, the country is gorgeous and green and lush due to all of this water, however it sure can be hard to appreciate when it is raining too hard to go anywhere!
I can understand the rumor that Seattle has a high suicide rate because it really does get depressing (and also just a pain to get anything done!). Give me dry dead hills and fires anytime!...well maybe not. I think there just needs to be more of a balance. =)
*Possible exaggeration
I can understand the rumor that Seattle has a high suicide rate because it really does get depressing (and also just a pain to get anything done!). Give me dry dead hills and fires anytime!...well maybe not. I think there just needs to be more of a balance. =)
*Possible exaggeration
I miss my Ninnykins
=)
This is my desktop background. Ninja looks so warm and cozy and happy, it makes me smile every time I turn on my computer. =)
I wish there was a way he could be mailed to Japan...he doesn't seem to respond to my attempted skype sessions very well =/
Sunday, February 1, 2009
I'm about 15 years late I guess
I had some free time on my hands today so I decided to watch the newest Simpsons episode. The plot involved Lisa making this creepy friend who she invented an imaginary world with. I totally didn't get the reference so I looked it up online.
It was a parody of Heavenly Creatures-in case you are missing this old pop culture reference (like me up until today)- that is an apparently iconic cult (lesbian?) movie made by Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) in 1994. I saw that one of my most favorite actresses, Kate Winslet, starred in it (maybe her first role?), and it sounded creepy. So, with my interest in creepy/scary films (I know, morbid right?) I decided to watch it. I will say it was incredibly disturbing. It is a true story about two over imaginative teenage girls in New Zealand who became friends and spent most of their time in la la land with an imaginary world they created thinking they were more special than anyone else, but the friendship was over the top intense, and it started becoming homosexual, and their parents became really concerned (especially since it was the 50s and homosexuality was a big no-no), and decided to send Kate Winslet's character to South Africa instead. The other girl's mother was a really sweet, humble housewife who was really concerned about the welfare of her daughter (a total outcast freak), and she was pro the separation as well. Anyway to make a long story short, the girls decide that the only way to be together is to kill her. So, they take her out for tea and act really sweet, the mother is rather chipper believing she is finally bonding with her daughter, they take a walk on a deserted path and start beating her with a brick. Watching the scene, knowing it was really realistic to the real story, of a girl bludgeoning her innocent, unsuspecting mother to death (according to Wikepedia it took 45 blows), and her friend willingly helping her, made me really sick to my stomach. Just knowing she was alive for most of it and aware her own daughter was killing her was really heartbreaking. The movie makes it kind of clear that the girls had romantisized the concept of the murder, not realizing how horrible it truly would be....but it was still incredibly disturbing. (The reason this movie is apparently so accurate to the true story is because the other girl kept diaries detailing every thought she had, and the movie actually quotes her exact words--so creepy!).
BUT the fact that has made me feel SO DISTURBED is after finishing the movie I was curious what happened to the girls, as the credits said they were released from prison in the 60s, and found out Kate Winslet's character actually went on to become a (still current!) best selling MURDER mystery novelist, going by Anne Perry. I don't know...it is just the fact this girl committed a cold-blooded murder, and is now making a living and being internationally praised for writing murder mysteries and not seeming to have much remorse (I watched an interview with her on youtube and she seems rather nonchalant about the whole thing) is just so unrepentant and creepy. (Oh yeah, and she is now Mormon?!)
I guess I am just really intrigued with the criminal mind! So that is my random, morbid two cents to get your Superbowl Sunday going! Haha! You're welcome! I don't know maybe you are all going, "Duh everyone knows this story!!"?? I guess this just happened a little before my time awareness wise (3rd grade). If not, I know I just spoiled the whole story for anyone who hasn't seen this, but actually knowing the story doesn't really affect the feeling the movie gives you. It is a brilliantly directed and acted film...and now I am just sitting here feeling uneasy. Haha. At least I didn't have creepy friendships like that growing up. =)
It was a parody of Heavenly Creatures-in case you are missing this old pop culture reference (like me up until today)- that is an apparently iconic cult (lesbian?) movie made by Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings) in 1994. I saw that one of my most favorite actresses, Kate Winslet, starred in it (maybe her first role?), and it sounded creepy. So, with my interest in creepy/scary films (I know, morbid right?) I decided to watch it. I will say it was incredibly disturbing. It is a true story about two over imaginative teenage girls in New Zealand who became friends and spent most of their time in la la land with an imaginary world they created thinking they were more special than anyone else, but the friendship was over the top intense, and it started becoming homosexual, and their parents became really concerned (especially since it was the 50s and homosexuality was a big no-no), and decided to send Kate Winslet's character to South Africa instead. The other girl's mother was a really sweet, humble housewife who was really concerned about the welfare of her daughter (a total outcast freak), and she was pro the separation as well. Anyway to make a long story short, the girls decide that the only way to be together is to kill her. So, they take her out for tea and act really sweet, the mother is rather chipper believing she is finally bonding with her daughter, they take a walk on a deserted path and start beating her with a brick. Watching the scene, knowing it was really realistic to the real story, of a girl bludgeoning her innocent, unsuspecting mother to death (according to Wikepedia it took 45 blows), and her friend willingly helping her, made me really sick to my stomach. Just knowing she was alive for most of it and aware her own daughter was killing her was really heartbreaking. The movie makes it kind of clear that the girls had romantisized the concept of the murder, not realizing how horrible it truly would be....but it was still incredibly disturbing. (The reason this movie is apparently so accurate to the true story is because the other girl kept diaries detailing every thought she had, and the movie actually quotes her exact words--so creepy!).
BUT the fact that has made me feel SO DISTURBED is after finishing the movie I was curious what happened to the girls, as the credits said they were released from prison in the 60s, and found out Kate Winslet's character actually went on to become a (still current!) best selling MURDER mystery novelist, going by Anne Perry. I don't know...it is just the fact this girl committed a cold-blooded murder, and is now making a living and being internationally praised for writing murder mysteries and not seeming to have much remorse (I watched an interview with her on youtube and she seems rather nonchalant about the whole thing) is just so unrepentant and creepy. (Oh yeah, and she is now Mormon?!)
I guess I am just really intrigued with the criminal mind! So that is my random, morbid two cents to get your Superbowl Sunday going! Haha! You're welcome! I don't know maybe you are all going, "Duh everyone knows this story!!"?? I guess this just happened a little before my time awareness wise (3rd grade). If not, I know I just spoiled the whole story for anyone who hasn't seen this, but actually knowing the story doesn't really affect the feeling the movie gives you. It is a brilliantly directed and acted film...and now I am just sitting here feeling uneasy. Haha. At least I didn't have creepy friendships like that growing up. =)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
24 and cuisine feedback
I was skeptical about this new season...but I must admit it is really good so far. =) Jack Bauer is still such a badass. I <3 him. He is my hero. However, I get frustrated watching this show sometimes when I take into consideration he has saved the country from 3 nuclear bombs and counting, deadly viruses, nerve gas, and so on (all remarkably each in 24 hours!), and also done time in a China torture prison for the country's screw up, and never once complained. Yet, no one ever trusts or believes him when he tells them something, and in fact tend to do the opposite of what he says just to show him "who's boss". I guess if they did listen though, the show would be called "12"...maybe even "3" =). It is kind of annoying watching this show week by week though as each episode ends with about a trazillion (is that even a number?) cliff hangers. Overall, I recommend it to you if you've been skeptical about getting back into the commitment Jack Bauer requires of you. I don't blame you, it is more time consuming than appears (somehow in university I managed to catch up from Season 1-Season 6 in about the span of a few months...which is about 144 hours of TV if you take the "24 real time" thing literally...and somehow still slept, ate, and had a life. I am unsure how I did that either...but I was at the point of dreaming about it. Ok enough of me on a random and unnecessary rant about my ridiculous commitment to a fictional TV show and character in parenthesis!).
I thought I would wake up early today (go me!) and try and be super Japanese by making myself a "traditional Japanese breakfast." This can include: rice, natto, and raw egg mixed with soy sauce. A lot of people hate natto, because it is fermented soy beans and smells kind of weird/has a slimy texture (see link), but it doesn't bother me too much. It is also very very healthy for you. HOWEVER mixed with raw egg was just TOO much for me. Looking at the final product in the bowl, not to be too graphic, but it looked like I just puked up a bowl of snott mixed with some rice and soybeans. And..after a few forced bites, I was eating raw egg. I don't know what I was really expecting...maybe the heat of the rice would cook the egg or something? I don't know. In the garbage that went. And then I spent the next hour and a half dry heaving every time I thought about it. Tomorrow I am going to try it without the egg and see if that is any better, as the egg seemed the be the real deal breaker. Other elements of a Japanese breakfast can include miso soup, fish, pickled things, etc, um yeah basically the same exact things they eat for lunch and dinner =). I think it might be part of the secret to their skininess, so I want to experiment for a little with it, as the portions/food groups make sense as a good way to get the day started.
For dinner I had rich, spicy, delicious, HEAVY Indian curry and beer. Perhaps my day wasn't so balanced nutrition wise =). I did eat sushi for lunch though!
I thought I would wake up early today (go me!) and try and be super Japanese by making myself a "traditional Japanese breakfast." This can include: rice, natto, and raw egg mixed with soy sauce. A lot of people hate natto, because it is fermented soy beans and smells kind of weird/has a slimy texture (see link), but it doesn't bother me too much. It is also very very healthy for you. HOWEVER mixed with raw egg was just TOO much for me. Looking at the final product in the bowl, not to be too graphic, but it looked like I just puked up a bowl of snott mixed with some rice and soybeans. And..after a few forced bites, I was eating raw egg. I don't know what I was really expecting...maybe the heat of the rice would cook the egg or something? I don't know. In the garbage that went. And then I spent the next hour and a half dry heaving every time I thought about it. Tomorrow I am going to try it without the egg and see if that is any better, as the egg seemed the be the real deal breaker. Other elements of a Japanese breakfast can include miso soup, fish, pickled things, etc, um yeah basically the same exact things they eat for lunch and dinner =). I think it might be part of the secret to their skininess, so I want to experiment for a little with it, as the portions/food groups make sense as a good way to get the day started.
For dinner I had rich, spicy, delicious, HEAVY Indian curry and beer. Perhaps my day wasn't so balanced nutrition wise =). I did eat sushi for lunch though!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Snow globe
So I know I have posted here before that it has snowed, but when I said snow, I meant snow falling from the sky lightly...that's it. Nothing sticking. In fact, it was almost kind of a disappointing realization. Growing up in Southern California, I have never lived in the snow and I thought by living in Japan it would grant me that experience...to later find out in Kyushu (my region) it hardly snows. I was a little bummed.
This weekend I was in for a real surprise! I was at work when one of my coworkers exclaimed something and pointed out one of our two windows (haha), and I was amazed to see what I thought kind of looked like the inside of a snow globe falling onto the ground. I felt like a little child running to look out the window every free moment I got, haha. That kept up all day. By the time I got home I was amazed to see white everywhere and trees (I live next to a large, lovely park) covered in snow! For any of you who have lived in snow, I know I know nothing too big of a deal. However, for me this was quite an experience. I realized it was my first time being exposed to snow like this. The only other times I have been around that much snow fall is when I am on a chairlift on a mountain...never in a city! Whenever I've been to Utah/Mammoth, etc there has been small amounts of snow on the ground, but that's it! Anyway, it was very exciting on one hand, yet a little hard to deal with on the other as I was going out into town that evening and wasn't sure how to deal with it. Typical California girl =)
Sadly, fast forward to one day later and there is no evidence there ever was snow. Just back to the same old rain routine. Yawn.
I took some pictures...
This weekend I was in for a real surprise! I was at work when one of my coworkers exclaimed something and pointed out one of our two windows (haha), and I was amazed to see what I thought kind of looked like the inside of a snow globe falling onto the ground. I felt like a little child running to look out the window every free moment I got, haha. That kept up all day. By the time I got home I was amazed to see white everywhere and trees (I live next to a large, lovely park) covered in snow! For any of you who have lived in snow, I know I know nothing too big of a deal. However, for me this was quite an experience. I realized it was my first time being exposed to snow like this. The only other times I have been around that much snow fall is when I am on a chairlift on a mountain...never in a city! Whenever I've been to Utah/Mammoth, etc there has been small amounts of snow on the ground, but that's it! Anyway, it was very exciting on one hand, yet a little hard to deal with on the other as I was going out into town that evening and wasn't sure how to deal with it. Typical California girl =)
Sadly, fast forward to one day later and there is no evidence there ever was snow. Just back to the same old rain routine. Yawn.
I took some pictures...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Really funny day
Several random things happened at work today that had me laughing quite a bit.
1. In one of my advanced classes tonight I only had two students and we were talking about rules and regulations, and somehow the conversation turned towards designated smoking areas. They commented that the areas are getting smaller and smaller. One student said she didn't care because she hates smoking. The other, an older businessman, didn't say anything, so I asked him if he smoked. He said, "I smoke...but not cigarettes. Mine are medical. They kind of look like cigarettes." And gave me a "you know what I mean" look. I was thinking to myself OMG, wow did he just say that? The other student didn't get what he was saying so she asked him what he meant, and he said he carries it around with him in his man bag (every J man has one!) and pointed to it. I was like, "You carry it around with you???" And he goes, "Yeah, you want to see it?" And pulled out a pack of these weird medical cigarettes that are apparently good for your throat? I don't know but I almost fell off my chair laughing at myself and told him I thought he meant he smoked marijuana and then all three of us burst out laughing for a good deal of time.
2. Another university student told me in so many words or less that American Mormon missionaries came to his door and he talked to them for thirty minutes just so he could practice his English. He didn't really get the concept of a missionary, as most Japanese people don't due to hardly any religion here, so I tried to explain a little. I just thought it was kind of funny he talked to them just to practice English.
3. My last class was about making apologies. Someone had made cards for the expansion to practice apologizing. I have a really bad habit of not always looking through them before the lesson, trusting they are fine to use. The tops of the stacks had things like "I drank all your coffee" and other yawn things, but I couldn't really be bothered to make any other cards so I figured they would do. Imagine my surprise 2 minutes into the expansion when I get questions from groups such as "What does 'sat on your hamster' mean?" or "Swallowed your goldfish?" My student asking me about those, after realizing what they meant went "WHAT? When does this happen??!" Jokingly I told him they were common situations and he goes, "Americans do weird things then!" I was on the verge of peeing in my pants from laughter as the lesson went on and I watched students apologizing for burning down eachother's homes, driving their cars off mountains, and vomiting on their shoes. To think I originally thought they would be boring!
And that is all for now!
1. In one of my advanced classes tonight I only had two students and we were talking about rules and regulations, and somehow the conversation turned towards designated smoking areas. They commented that the areas are getting smaller and smaller. One student said she didn't care because she hates smoking. The other, an older businessman, didn't say anything, so I asked him if he smoked. He said, "I smoke...but not cigarettes. Mine are medical. They kind of look like cigarettes." And gave me a "you know what I mean" look. I was thinking to myself OMG, wow did he just say that? The other student didn't get what he was saying so she asked him what he meant, and he said he carries it around with him in his man bag (every J man has one!) and pointed to it. I was like, "You carry it around with you???" And he goes, "Yeah, you want to see it?" And pulled out a pack of these weird medical cigarettes that are apparently good for your throat? I don't know but I almost fell off my chair laughing at myself and told him I thought he meant he smoked marijuana and then all three of us burst out laughing for a good deal of time.
2. Another university student told me in so many words or less that American Mormon missionaries came to his door and he talked to them for thirty minutes just so he could practice his English. He didn't really get the concept of a missionary, as most Japanese people don't due to hardly any religion here, so I tried to explain a little. I just thought it was kind of funny he talked to them just to practice English.
3. My last class was about making apologies. Someone had made cards for the expansion to practice apologizing. I have a really bad habit of not always looking through them before the lesson, trusting they are fine to use. The tops of the stacks had things like "I drank all your coffee" and other yawn things, but I couldn't really be bothered to make any other cards so I figured they would do. Imagine my surprise 2 minutes into the expansion when I get questions from groups such as "What does 'sat on your hamster' mean?" or "Swallowed your goldfish?" My student asking me about those, after realizing what they meant went "WHAT? When does this happen??!" Jokingly I told him they were common situations and he goes, "Americans do weird things then!" I was on the verge of peeing in my pants from laughter as the lesson went on and I watched students apologizing for burning down eachother's homes, driving their cars off mountains, and vomiting on their shoes. To think I originally thought they would be boring!
And that is all for now!
Friday, January 16, 2009
"URASAI!"
I was told to shut up by a Japanese businessman on the train tonight. I was shocked. Like, eyes popping out of my head, jaw on the ground style. Not because I was told to shut up, but because it was by a Japanese person. You have no idea how rare a moment like that is over here!! I felt like I just spotted an Arakan Forest Turtle. I almost wanted to take a picture with him to document it haha. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. ;)
However, since it was Friday night, there is a 99.9% chance he was wasted, so I am not sure if it even counts or not. Speaking of drunk businessmen, it never gets old waiting in my neat, single file line on Friday night and observing completely smashed businessmen, bright red in the face, being practically carried by two or three of their friends. It is even better when their friends decide to trust them a little and set them down...near the stairs...and the drunkies begin to sway back and forth at the top of the stairs until their friends realize what they just did, and proceed to carry them away somewhere. I have seen plenty of drunk people in my life so far, but these people tend to take the gold in that category (the chances of seeing lots of this increases by 600% if Friday happens to coincide with payday--most people in Japan including myself are paid on the same day). My favorite memory so far is when I was walking to a friend's house one night and passed by a man unconscious on the ground near the street. At first I wondered if he was dead, but then I realized two people who were possibly his friends were standing nearby and looked rather calm AND there was a bottle of green tea near his hand so I figured it was all good. Passing out in the street is a popular sport here.
BTW-I am officially declaring Sunday to be "correspondence day" so if you are one of the many that are on my large list of owed emails (yes I actually made a list I have been that slack offish), check your email sometime on Sunday!
*For the record I was not speaking very loudly on the train.
However, since it was Friday night, there is a 99.9% chance he was wasted, so I am not sure if it even counts or not. Speaking of drunk businessmen, it never gets old waiting in my neat, single file line on Friday night and observing completely smashed businessmen, bright red in the face, being practically carried by two or three of their friends. It is even better when their friends decide to trust them a little and set them down...near the stairs...and the drunkies begin to sway back and forth at the top of the stairs until their friends realize what they just did, and proceed to carry them away somewhere. I have seen plenty of drunk people in my life so far, but these people tend to take the gold in that category (the chances of seeing lots of this increases by 600% if Friday happens to coincide with payday--most people in Japan including myself are paid on the same day). My favorite memory so far is when I was walking to a friend's house one night and passed by a man unconscious on the ground near the street. At first I wondered if he was dead, but then I realized two people who were possibly his friends were standing nearby and looked rather calm AND there was a bottle of green tea near his hand so I figured it was all good. Passing out in the street is a popular sport here.
BTW-I am officially declaring Sunday to be "correspondence day" so if you are one of the many that are on my large list of owed emails (yes I actually made a list I have been that slack offish), check your email sometime on Sunday!
*For the record I was not speaking very loudly on the train.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Obstacle Course
Sometimes when I am going through the train station (usually in a mad dash to catch my train) I feel like I am going through an obstacle course made out of stupid, unobservant people. People will just dart in front of me and then STOP, making me have to swerve around them, and even then sometimes they will somehow magically continue to block my path. In front of the ticket gates people just stop and stare at the times blocking the gates. And then, while running up the (extremely steep and never ending) stairs to the actual train people take their dear sweet time going up, keeping that darn path blocked!
Dealing with this on almost a day to day basis has made me think I should invent a role playing video game. The mission is to catch your Japanese train. I envision it to be kind of like frogger. EXCEPT that sounds kind of boring huh? So maybe it should also be a little like Grand Theft Auto or something, and you can carry a *machine gun or other weapon of choice and take people out while you go. I know, it sounds violent and disturbing and you would never let your child play it, I am sure. But I think it has some potential =)
Yeah, these are the thoughts that go on in my head when I have to deal with things like this too often.
*But no, I don't actually fantasize about killing Japanese people.
Dealing with this on almost a day to day basis has made me think I should invent a role playing video game. The mission is to catch your Japanese train. I envision it to be kind of like frogger. EXCEPT that sounds kind of boring huh? So maybe it should also be a little like Grand Theft Auto or something, and you can carry a *machine gun or other weapon of choice and take people out while you go. I know, it sounds violent and disturbing and you would never let your child play it, I am sure. But I think it has some potential =)
Yeah, these are the thoughts that go on in my head when I have to deal with things like this too often.
*But no, I don't actually fantasize about killing Japanese people.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Kind of past the "half way" mark
So, I am in Japan for only around 9 more months now. No, that is not a typo. I really did use the word "only." Now that I am pretty much on the other side of the fence, rather than my end date seeming really far away, I am starting to think about all the things I still want to accomplish before I leave. I have a feeling the time is really going to fly by! On my way back from Korea I got a little sad realizing I wouldn't have another week off until May...but then I remembered how silly I was being! I am taking a 4 day weekend in ONE MONTH to Sapporo! Haha, silly me. Then I started thinking, and realized I pretty much have something great to look forward to almost every month that I am still here!
Feb-Sapporo Snow Festival/snowboarding
March-My bday...and possibly a small weekend trip snuck in somewhere
April-The parents are coming!
May-Golden Week holiday
June-OK, nothing here
July-Once again nothing so far
August-Obon week holiday, hopefully climbing Mt. Fuji
September-Another rare 4 day weekend...TBD what I will do with it!
October-See ya Japan!
See? Looking at it that way it seems rather short, huh?
Hmm and I am supposed to be saving money through all this for backpacking after? Where that will happen I am unsure as well =) Probably where the June/July funds will go =)
Feb-Sapporo Snow Festival/snowboarding
March-My bday...and possibly a small weekend trip snuck in somewhere
April-The parents are coming!
May-Golden Week holiday
June-OK, nothing here
July-Once again nothing so far
August-Obon week holiday, hopefully climbing Mt. Fuji
September-Another rare 4 day weekend...TBD what I will do with it!
October-See ya Japan!
See? Looking at it that way it seems rather short, huh?
Hmm and I am supposed to be saving money through all this for backpacking after? Where that will happen I am unsure as well =) Probably where the June/July funds will go =)
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Highlights of my trip
I thought rather than telling a whole story, I would just list off things I did. If you want more details email me! Or better yet, go there =)
-Made around an extra 200 dollars with the exchange rate in my favor.
-Wanted to eat about every 3 feet I walked because so much stuff looked so delicious (I came back to Japan and was like wahhh there is nothing to eat over here!)
-Might I add everything was insanely cheap? 4-8 dollars for an entire table of food.
-I really appreciated Seoul because it was a lot like Tokyo, except you could actually afford things there!
-Saw some palaces. One has a famous garden, but unfortunately since it is Winter everything was kind of dead haha. I also realized after going to these palaces that they look exactly like Japanese temples and I am templed out, so I couldn't do it anymore. Although I did go to one in Busan and saw monks praying so that was kind of cool.
-I took a hike up this hill to this shrine and mountain that looked like a monk people pray at. It was kind of interesting. You could hear all this chanting from the hills. It was a very spiritual place. But I felt very out of place so I didn't stay for too long.
-Went to a Korean bathhouse a few times. I mean, we have these in Japan with the same exact services but for some reason I felt more adventurous to use them here. I also got scrubbed. And when I say scrubbed, an old fat Korean lady wearing only her underwear scrubs you down raw and then massages you. It was the epitome of one of those kinds of scenes in movies where the person is in pain. But my skin is soft and glowing now. =)
-I wanted to eat dog soup. I have a list of weird things I have eaten now and I really wanted to add that to it. But, I was told it smelled like wet dog. So the thought of sitting in a tiny dog soup shop smelling like wet dog, eating something that smelled and came from wet dog kind of made it lose its appeal.
-I did eat chicken ass though. Not on purpose. I went around the street food carts and this pushy lady made me sit at her cart and she said something about chicken so I thought sure why not. Then she gave me the plate and I took a bite and was like "Oh man this is not chicken!" I remembered a No Reservations: Seoul episode I saw where he eats chicken ass, and it was the exact same dish. So I thought, hey if Tony Bourdain can do it, so can I. It wasn't so bad, just kind of chewy. I had to act like I liked it anyway because she kept walking by to make sure I was enjoying her food. But after eating for maybe 10 minutes I was still eating chicken ass so I pretended I had to be somewhere by pointing to my watch and looking apologetic so I wouldn't offend her, and took off.
-Saw some friends from school in Seoul. We kept going "who would have thought we would all be spending NYE 08-09 together in SEOUL??" So it was nice to see some friends and spend the holiday with them!
-Went to Seoul Tower on New Years day, which was maybe a huge mistake. My guidebook said it was a 10 min walk up the hill to get to the tower. I figured I'd save some money and take the walk. 1o min walk my ass! I basically climbed a mountain for 45 min!!! By the time I got up there it was a zoo. There were hundreds of people. I had to wait about an hour to go up to the tower and when I got up I was like "why did I do this? I could see this view from the hike up!" Oh well. Haha.
-Went snowboarding on Friday. That was probably my biggest adventure as I got some random directions to a resort from the internet. I had to take a random bus about 1.5 hours out of Seoul, get off at a random stop and take a taxi to the resort. I swear the driver never stopped at it! When he finally did make a stop, I noticed the bus stop had a sign saying MY stop was like 2 stops back! So I jumped off and he took off. Leaving me literally in the middle of no where Korea with no clue how to get back there. There was no bus schedule and like 2 restaurants, and THAT WAS IT. Also please note I don't speak Korean at all. I can barely pronounce thank you properly. I really had to pee so I went into a Chinese restaurant (one of the two) and asked for their bathroom. They gave me a key and pointed outside. I walked around and found a staircase and figured it was upstairs. I unlocked the door and found myself in the most bizarre house ever. Yes, it was his house. But it looked like squatters lived there. Cigarette butts on the floor, dirty blankets, no furniture, etc. I was like wtf. Where am I? I tried to find the bathroom as fast as possible but it was hard considering I opened weird doors that led to outside although it was the 2nd floor and there was no balcony! Just a drop! Finally I found the bathroom and got out. Haha it was so weird. But then I somehow got them to call me a taxi, with their limited English and my gestures. Then they were nice and made me tea while I waited. The snowboarding was good. There was actually no real snow in the mountains, SURPRISINGLY considering Seoul was like Siberia. -15 C the entire time! So it was man made. But it was good to get warmed up a little. I hadn't been in a few years, and I'll be going a few times here in Jland where there is supposed to be some very nice snow. And they blasted the Britney Spears Circus CD from all the chair lifts. =)
*However snowboarding made me very sore from using all those weird arm and leg muscles so even now I am kind of sore. But by the time I got to Busan I was just exhausted from the entire week and lugging around my heavy suitcase was murder. Everytime I saw a flight of stairs I wanted to cry.
-I rode the train back with monks.
-I wish I could have seen more of Busan but I was too exhausted and got into town a little too late. Oh well, maybe another time.
Anyway I had a great time. I think it would be nice to go to Korea maybe in the Spring or Summer or early Fall to see more of the countryside. It was too cold to really do that this time, plus most stuff was dead anyway. Being in Korea made me realize how jaded I am living in Japan. For good and bad. Korea is much more internationalized than Japan, which I really appreciated. I was also surprised to see how much Christianity there is there. Tons and tons of churches. Just weird now to me because there is pretty much no religion in Japan. The people are also a lot more friendly. Many people would approach me and try to have conversations with me with their limited English, or go out of their way to help me even if I didn't ask for help and just looked confused or lost. That would NEVER happen in Japan. People don't approach you over here. I mean if you approach them they might help you (especially if they are employees somewhere) but it was a nice change! However on the other hand, the people are also a lot more rude. In Japan, everyone lines up in single file lines to get on a train. No pushing. Apologies if they brush up against you, etc. Um imagine my shock when I was shoved aside by this old shriveled up lady to get on the subway. My jaw dropped to the floor. This happened MANY times and by the end of the trip I had abandoned my Japanese politeness and found myself participating in their survival of the fittest mode, shoving my way out of a train, etc. Haha. So different! Japan is also much more clean. In Korea there was tons of trash everywhere on the ground. There were also a lot of beggars. I felt very bad for them. They would lie on the pavement bowing, ashamed to show their face. In Japan there are no beggars so once again it was just a wake up to how jaded I have become in only 10 months! It is hard to decide what I prefer. Korea seemed more like America so it seemed more "normal" to me (they also drive on the right side of the road!). And Japan's insane politeness/safeness/cleanliness is almost alien, but I guess very appreciated in the same sense. I caught myself many times wandering around with my purse wide open, because in Japan it is totally fine to do that. In Korea it isn't necessarily any less safe but you do have to be a little more wary of being taken advantage of by taxi drivers, etc. However I don't know how much they can really take advantage of you considering it maybe only costs 10 dollars to go all the way across the city. So cheap!
Anyway, Korea was a fabulous trip and I recommend it to you! Maybe not as a single trip, but combined with another part of Asia totally worth it! I also cannot express how rewarding it is to travel to a foreign country alone. It really makes you feel great about yourself when you can navigate around a country where you don't really speak the language, and don't have many mishaps! It makes you feel like you can do anything! I have extreme wanderlust though.
Here are my pics. I edited them down a bit. But also got a little lazy so sorry if some are redundant! Also some might look a litte grainy. That's because I was taking them at night without a flash using a different light source from my camera because I think the flash can ruin what you're trying to focus on sometimes:
Korea pics
-Made around an extra 200 dollars with the exchange rate in my favor.
-Wanted to eat about every 3 feet I walked because so much stuff looked so delicious (I came back to Japan and was like wahhh there is nothing to eat over here!)
-Might I add everything was insanely cheap? 4-8 dollars for an entire table of food.
-I really appreciated Seoul because it was a lot like Tokyo, except you could actually afford things there!
-Saw some palaces. One has a famous garden, but unfortunately since it is Winter everything was kind of dead haha. I also realized after going to these palaces that they look exactly like Japanese temples and I am templed out, so I couldn't do it anymore. Although I did go to one in Busan and saw monks praying so that was kind of cool.
-I took a hike up this hill to this shrine and mountain that looked like a monk people pray at. It was kind of interesting. You could hear all this chanting from the hills. It was a very spiritual place. But I felt very out of place so I didn't stay for too long.
-Went to a Korean bathhouse a few times. I mean, we have these in Japan with the same exact services but for some reason I felt more adventurous to use them here. I also got scrubbed. And when I say scrubbed, an old fat Korean lady wearing only her underwear scrubs you down raw and then massages you. It was the epitome of one of those kinds of scenes in movies where the person is in pain. But my skin is soft and glowing now. =)
-I wanted to eat dog soup. I have a list of weird things I have eaten now and I really wanted to add that to it. But, I was told it smelled like wet dog. So the thought of sitting in a tiny dog soup shop smelling like wet dog, eating something that smelled and came from wet dog kind of made it lose its appeal.
-I did eat chicken ass though. Not on purpose. I went around the street food carts and this pushy lady made me sit at her cart and she said something about chicken so I thought sure why not. Then she gave me the plate and I took a bite and was like "Oh man this is not chicken!" I remembered a No Reservations: Seoul episode I saw where he eats chicken ass, and it was the exact same dish. So I thought, hey if Tony Bourdain can do it, so can I. It wasn't so bad, just kind of chewy. I had to act like I liked it anyway because she kept walking by to make sure I was enjoying her food. But after eating for maybe 10 minutes I was still eating chicken ass so I pretended I had to be somewhere by pointing to my watch and looking apologetic so I wouldn't offend her, and took off.
-Saw some friends from school in Seoul. We kept going "who would have thought we would all be spending NYE 08-09 together in SEOUL??" So it was nice to see some friends and spend the holiday with them!
-Went to Seoul Tower on New Years day, which was maybe a huge mistake. My guidebook said it was a 10 min walk up the hill to get to the tower. I figured I'd save some money and take the walk. 1o min walk my ass! I basically climbed a mountain for 45 min!!! By the time I got up there it was a zoo. There were hundreds of people. I had to wait about an hour to go up to the tower and when I got up I was like "why did I do this? I could see this view from the hike up!" Oh well. Haha.
-Went snowboarding on Friday. That was probably my biggest adventure as I got some random directions to a resort from the internet. I had to take a random bus about 1.5 hours out of Seoul, get off at a random stop and take a taxi to the resort. I swear the driver never stopped at it! When he finally did make a stop, I noticed the bus stop had a sign saying MY stop was like 2 stops back! So I jumped off and he took off. Leaving me literally in the middle of no where Korea with no clue how to get back there. There was no bus schedule and like 2 restaurants, and THAT WAS IT. Also please note I don't speak Korean at all. I can barely pronounce thank you properly. I really had to pee so I went into a Chinese restaurant (one of the two) and asked for their bathroom. They gave me a key and pointed outside. I walked around and found a staircase and figured it was upstairs. I unlocked the door and found myself in the most bizarre house ever. Yes, it was his house. But it looked like squatters lived there. Cigarette butts on the floor, dirty blankets, no furniture, etc. I was like wtf. Where am I? I tried to find the bathroom as fast as possible but it was hard considering I opened weird doors that led to outside although it was the 2nd floor and there was no balcony! Just a drop! Finally I found the bathroom and got out. Haha it was so weird. But then I somehow got them to call me a taxi, with their limited English and my gestures. Then they were nice and made me tea while I waited. The snowboarding was good. There was actually no real snow in the mountains, SURPRISINGLY considering Seoul was like Siberia. -15 C the entire time! So it was man made. But it was good to get warmed up a little. I hadn't been in a few years, and I'll be going a few times here in Jland where there is supposed to be some very nice snow. And they blasted the Britney Spears Circus CD from all the chair lifts. =)
*However snowboarding made me very sore from using all those weird arm and leg muscles so even now I am kind of sore. But by the time I got to Busan I was just exhausted from the entire week and lugging around my heavy suitcase was murder. Everytime I saw a flight of stairs I wanted to cry.
-I rode the train back with monks.
-I wish I could have seen more of Busan but I was too exhausted and got into town a little too late. Oh well, maybe another time.
Anyway I had a great time. I think it would be nice to go to Korea maybe in the Spring or Summer or early Fall to see more of the countryside. It was too cold to really do that this time, plus most stuff was dead anyway. Being in Korea made me realize how jaded I am living in Japan. For good and bad. Korea is much more internationalized than Japan, which I really appreciated. I was also surprised to see how much Christianity there is there. Tons and tons of churches. Just weird now to me because there is pretty much no religion in Japan. The people are also a lot more friendly. Many people would approach me and try to have conversations with me with their limited English, or go out of their way to help me even if I didn't ask for help and just looked confused or lost. That would NEVER happen in Japan. People don't approach you over here. I mean if you approach them they might help you (especially if they are employees somewhere) but it was a nice change! However on the other hand, the people are also a lot more rude. In Japan, everyone lines up in single file lines to get on a train. No pushing. Apologies if they brush up against you, etc. Um imagine my shock when I was shoved aside by this old shriveled up lady to get on the subway. My jaw dropped to the floor. This happened MANY times and by the end of the trip I had abandoned my Japanese politeness and found myself participating in their survival of the fittest mode, shoving my way out of a train, etc. Haha. So different! Japan is also much more clean. In Korea there was tons of trash everywhere on the ground. There were also a lot of beggars. I felt very bad for them. They would lie on the pavement bowing, ashamed to show their face. In Japan there are no beggars so once again it was just a wake up to how jaded I have become in only 10 months! It is hard to decide what I prefer. Korea seemed more like America so it seemed more "normal" to me (they also drive on the right side of the road!). And Japan's insane politeness/safeness/cleanliness is almost alien, but I guess very appreciated in the same sense. I caught myself many times wandering around with my purse wide open, because in Japan it is totally fine to do that. In Korea it isn't necessarily any less safe but you do have to be a little more wary of being taken advantage of by taxi drivers, etc. However I don't know how much they can really take advantage of you considering it maybe only costs 10 dollars to go all the way across the city. So cheap!
Anyway, Korea was a fabulous trip and I recommend it to you! Maybe not as a single trip, but combined with another part of Asia totally worth it! I also cannot express how rewarding it is to travel to a foreign country alone. It really makes you feel great about yourself when you can navigate around a country where you don't really speak the language, and don't have many mishaps! It makes you feel like you can do anything! I have extreme wanderlust though.
Here are my pics. I edited them down a bit. But also got a little lazy so sorry if some are redundant! Also some might look a litte grainy. That's because I was taking them at night without a flash using a different light source from my camera because I think the flash can ruin what you're trying to focus on sometimes:
Korea pics
Everyone should go to Korea!!
Well South at least, maybe not North so much =)
Buttt I am too tired to tell you why. I had a FANTASTIC trip though.
Buttt I am too tired to tell you why. I had a FANTASTIC trip though.
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