Long time, no blog

This blog has been a bit dead (although I may be reviving some of my better posts for future projects), but I started a new blog that is centered in traveling stylishly, as well as other general travel tips that interest me. Be sure to subscribe! Enjoy!

The Stylish Traveler

Long time no see

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.

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... ;)

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...

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.

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).

5 months

until I am home!!!

Kinda seems like I was counting down 6 not very long ago. Time is flyyyyyying.

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...

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...

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.

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...

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 =)

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 =)

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!

=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 =)

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.

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.

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!!!

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!