I think it's ok to eat whale meat. There are still a lot of whales. Part Two

today was a really busy day! i had two private students and my japanese lesson.  i hopped about nagoya noting that many of these places were now quite familiar to me.  today i got off the train and realized that i made it to my exit without actually looking where i was going. kinda weird. when i got out of the station i had no memory of how i got from point a to point b... this is especially strange because i was coming from a direction i dont normally take.

i must say that my one very regular private student has been most excellent. he is very kind. he has two daughters my age, so he always checking in on me to make sure i have everything i need and that the things in my life are going smoothly.

 this is a picture of us at ishiyama dera.

Ishiyama Dera is beautiful! it's a very old place.  "ishi" means "stone", "yama" means "mountain" and dera is a temple.  so i guess, stone mountain temple is a fair translation. it is believed by most people that this is where murasaki shikibu began writing tale of genji... before she was plucked away by the emperor to write in the court. soooo romantic! *swoons* murasaki shikibu is quite famous- as one would imagine- and there are statues of her sprinkled throughout the region.

we went with my friend cara at the beginning of golden week. it takes about 2 hours by car to get there... and i think it might be one of the most beautiful places ive been to in japan. i highly recommend going if you're in the area.

it was so green i could hardly believe it was real. 

the markers around the tree are called shimenawa. basically, this marks the location of something sacred/pure in the shinto religion. if you're interested in some of the random shinto things i take pictures of, you can look at a decent list here. japan guide gives a decent, short, explanation of what the items are and what they mean.  

we also went to byodoin temple. its on the ten yen coin... and was build in the heian period. the heian period is probably my favorite period of japanese history to study.  there was a really long period of peace in japan, and just like any culture that has a long period of peace, culture flourished.  tale of genji is one of my favorite stories of all time because (in my opinion) it gives one of the most thorough accounts of ancient peoples. of course we are only talking about the aristocratic society here, but its still a pretty in depth account. 

if you clicked on the link for the byodoin temple, youll see that there is a picture that looks just like the one i took here. ^_^ and if you didnt, please click now. ^_^

its amazing how far back history goes here. i can feel the age of this culture, much like i did when i was in france. its odd but i dont feel the same way when im in china. china is very old but the way the government is set up, its hard to feel the presence of age the way i do in japan... 

like i mentioned in my last blog, i also went to ise to see the shrine. that was pretty freaking awesome, but it was rainy, so i didnt get to see the actual shrine. its actually a very famous shrine dedicated to the most famous of all the gods, amaterasu... but i know it mostly from the poems we read called "tales of ise." i hope to go back soon though... 

in kyoto, i stayed with ariel and nicky. im sure ive mentioned this before but their apartment/townhouse is pretty freaking AH-mazing. coincidentally, the japanese dont have a word for townhouse. they call it an apartment... but its a big ol townhouse. with a super duper awesome bathroom. and lots and lots of space.

while i was there, we met up with jennifer and (of course) went to the genji museum! that was awesome. i took a million and two pictures, but since jennifer and ariel also take tons of pictures, i actually have some with me in them! and we have tons of pictures between the three of us... ^_^ here are some highlights:

heian era picture on display...

us with the lady herself.

in front of the 16 generations of tea making store!

its not raining YAAAAAAAY!!!

*shush* im not supposed to be noticing ariel was taking a picture!

ariel took some great shots! ^_^

me with the owner of the famous tea shop!

not gonna lie. we pretty much owned the town.

genji with his love murasaki. <3

since pictures are worth a 1,000 words, you now have roughly 12,000 words of my experience. it was a magical day for me.  

the next day was saturday and i left kyoto to visit osaka with my friend- and coworker- james. we hit up all the major shopping areas in osaka, a couple of really cool temples and cemeteries. there wasnt enough time to explore it properly... but it looks like my other good friend will be moving there soon, so there will be plenty of time to stay and visit it properly. ^_^

back to real life... 

so blog points. i almost always go through my blogs the next day or the day after to check for spelling/grammatical mistakes in my writing. i type fairly quickly and once i start writing, the thoughts tend to flow and i dont really stop and go back for any reason.  sometimes though, i will change my thought in the middle of writing said thought, and i will miss something really obvious. so i go back and check and fix things that might be incorrect. hopefully if you go back through my blogs, you wont find any spelling or grammar errors... lol. 

also since my arrival, about 6 months ago now, ive dropped 4 dress sizes. i walk a LOT and my job is very physical. that coupled with a japanese diet, and ive had to do very little to lose weight. to be honest, i havent dont anything at all. just existing is causing me to lose weight. its good though. it needed to happen. its about time to shed that bad karma i was physically manifesting in myself.

if youre wondering, yes, i still have a headache. well, not currently. i had one earlier and took asprin, and currently i am headache free... but the same thing seems to happen every day... headache about 3pm, take asprin, and it goes away until the following day... 

im seriously thinking of taking on a fashion blog. fashion here is quite the site. i feel like im in a fashion bubble. all the girls seem to shop at the exact same store in nagoya. they all have the same color browns, beige, blues... same color high heels... same dyed brown hair and fake eyelashes... but i guess that makes for a boring blog! haha. the fashion here is nonsensical. well, im from l.a., and realize that most of the time, the best looking fashion is totally impractical... BUT style is always so different in so cal. we have so many different personalities and cultures that we dont really have one set style at any given time.  i feel like i woke up one day and everyone had an entirely new outfit titled "spring." lol. somehow though, i missed the fashion memo.  

japanese guy fashion too is a mystery to me. yohsuke flat out dresses better than i do. we have a picture together where he is wearing a hat and my friend said that is the current *in style* of hat. HOW DOES ONE EVEN KNOW WHAT THE CURRENT HAT STYLE IS? my mind boggles. also, japanese men take a LOT of care in their hair. like a LOT OF CARE! there are so many hair care products specifically for men...!!! please see this website for more info.

current mens fashion in japan.

*in style* hat

yohsuke has rings, bracelets, necklaces, an earring, hats, a green leather jacket - and various other stylish jackets, bedazzled pants in all sorts... and he's THE NORM HERE! please see above picture. when we go out, i take extra care to make sure i am on top of all these things. i will not let him have more accessories on than me at any given moment. -.- (please note the abundance of jewelry on me for this picture...) thankfully, this is already my kind of thing anyway... 

my biggest complaint is that people are always complaining they are hot. many many many people here wear long sleeves, vests, boots with tights... then complain they are hot. -.- yohsuke asked me what we wear in california when it gets hot... and i said.... t-shirts and jeans. he seemed shocked and slightly doubtful. ^_^ 

one last note on mens fashion... i saw a guy the other day wearing mens dress shoes - obviously work shoes, with a 2 inch heel. AND i could tell his feet hurt because he was walking like a girl who's been wearing her high heels too long. lol. knees extra bent, kinds dragging along as he walked... and he was already almost 6 ft tall.... it was quite an interesting sight for me... 

theres a myth here that girls who come to japan can never find a date. whereas guys who come here tend to find girls to date quite easily.  theres even a whole comic genre around it. charisma men they are called. 

the geek who comes to japan and then is overwhelmed by how suddenly cool he is... women throw themselves at him. he is, charisma man.

my theory on this is two fold. first, about 70% of the people who come here are male - according to my ecc personell informants. many of them come here to find girlfriends. its *cool* to speak english (for many people), and girls find it fashionable to date foreign men... girls also tend to be a bit more agressive here.  they have no problem flirting with guys for drinks, etc. i am in no way knocking them for it... they have foreigners flocking to their every whim- even the ones who hurt the eyes... these girls get free conversational lessons and most of the time free drinks! the guys who lacked attention in the states or wherever, dont seem to mind this attention one bit.  they enjoy having these girls show them around and all the attention they get from the exchange. 

on the flip side, japanese guys tend to be shy. not just shy... VERY SHY. but ive found many guys to be super fun and easy to talk to, as long as i speak to them first. jason shared a pretty good link to another theory taking shape in japanese society called herbivore men. its a really good article and i highly suggest reading it. its something i can actually say ive noticed quite a bit around here.

also, my coworkers seem to think that one of my high school students has a school boy crush on me! its my first! its cuuuuuuteeeeeeee! he always comes to my class early and asks me tons of questions about california... then lingers about unnecessarily. haha. aah to be young again! he works very hard at english though... and he wants to study abroad in college... taking lots of lessons with me will help him learn english hopefully! ^_^

and last but not least, the title. we have these grammar books that we use during lessons... and one of them is on giving opinions. its quite the controversial lesson. topics include: gay marriage, working mothers, eating whale meat, nuclear power, etc. so we teach them, "what do you think about X." and then, "i think X is X. because X." so the sentence is, "i dont think eating whale meat is so terrible. there are still a lot of whales." HOW TERRIBLE IS THAT?! je nais pas logic! there is no logic there whatsoever!

of course, as an american - vegetarian no less- its not generally a topic i want to discuss with japanese people... as they will almost always unanimously agree that eating whale meat is apart of their culture and OK. on one hand i find this mortifying. on the other hand, they make a good point. if you can eat a cow, or a pig, or any other sentient being, why not a whale? why not a cat or a dog? 

but now im just getting preachy... 

after asking around a bit though, many people have told me that the japanese have been eating whale meat for a long time but that the younger generation doesnt really like it.... and one student said, as soon as the old generation finally dies off, there will likely be little market for whale meat. i think that was supposed to be slightly comforting... lol. ^_^

and there you have it! i have hit all my talking points! BAM! 

i hope you enjoyed reading this installment! 

oyasumi! good night! 

What do you think about eating whale meat? I think its ok to eat whale meat. There are still a lot of whales.

so ive been neglecting my blog for a while.  not really by choice though... the week before last was golden week and those of you who are also friends on facebook will note that i have been running all over the middle and southern part of japan lately.  i went to kyoto, osaka, ise, shiga (which is a prefecture, not just a town) and of course more nagoya exploration.

also, for the past 8 days or so, ive been battling a headache.  not your average run of the mill headache, but like a migraine followed by vomiting, dizziness, and sight/sound sensitivity. this headache morphed into a tension headache thats lingered now for 8 days. 

that brings me to the first point of news. going to the doctor in japan. not nearly as crazy stressful as one would think. actually, it was quite easy. the doctor i went to see spoke english. pretty much fluently. the nurses and the reception area only spoke japanese but all i had to do was fill out some forms and thats all fairly easy to do in japanese. really, if you live in japan and have any japanese, you learn to fill out forms. japan is all about the forms! the doctor checked my head... since i am not tingly, my brain is fine. since i have no infection in my sinus area, my headache isnt caused by allergies. he thinks its a migraine and tension headache combo.  i guess thats possible, though i dont feel like i have any reason to be tense. my work isnt stressful at all. i dont have any long periods of stress... i am not in any way unhappy... and trust me! i know unhappy! i had quite a long period of unhappy when my family members were dying away on me... but now, i am refreshed. ive reawakened. this headache is weird. 

that leads me to my second point. i also got a massage! prices are about the same here as they are in america.  it was a good massage too. the lady was super cool and i feel very relaxed from it all. though massages always weird me out a little bit because they make me feel like im getting tenderized... kind of like a piece of meat getting ready for bbq. the face that i opted for the aromatherapy massage makes it seem even more that way... as she lathered me in jasmine... lol. hrm... it was easier than i expected in japanese too. maybe my confidence is upping... or maybe its my ability, or both. lol. hrm. 

to that end, ive been taking private japanese lessons once a week with a certified instructor. basically what that means is we meet for one hour every week and discuss the things i am having problems/difficulty with in japanese. the other 7 days of the week i study a couple of text books on my own for roughly 1-2 hours a day.  yohsuke says hes going to stop speaking english to me at all now... -.- but... i protest. 

yohsuke has been working really hard the last couple of weeks and so i havent seen him much. i know my headache is really worrying him though and he checks in on me regularly, but i have not actually spent time with him since the beginning of golden week.  though he has promised that once his company is done moving locations he will visit me EVERY DAY! ^_^ its strange... like i said previously, dating a japanese guy is interesting because i am subject to the whims of his work schedule.  after dating guys like bobby (where work was maybe his 4th priority), it has made spoiled... but i dont begrudge yohsuke either. i am somewhat of a workaholic myself and when i am with a workaholic we tend to bring each other up and thats always good. ^^

believe it or not, i am always thinking about blogging. i dont just write randomly. i write thoughts down in my notebook and save them for when i have time to really write some decent thoughts.

my current note list contains the following:

√ tastebuds

√ headache

√ donut

√ new school

4 dress sizes

whale meat

japanese guy fashion

nagoya beauty

√ blog writing

why girls cant find boyfriends

school boy crush

i enjoy writing a blog. its an easy way for me to keep track of the interesting things ive done. i want to be able to look back on this adventure intimately. blog writing does that for me. if you read this, then i am happy. i am happy that anyone cares to share my thoughts and experiences with me. ^_^

also, my tastebuds are changing. lately i have been finding things sweeter than they used to be! when i got here, i thought most japanese sweets were bland and tasteless. then one day i realized the super sweet peach/apple cobbler with ice cream was TOO SWEET! i think a part of my heart died a little. but that also means that i am able to enjoy japanese sweets for once! i had red bean with my tea at tea ceremony AND IT WAS ACTUALLY SWEET! OMG! really really amusing. also, when i first got here, mr donuts was terrible. their donuts were soooo tasteless... and now im finding them to be uber sweet.  strange. i guess it comes with living here... 

my furthest school, tsu, just moved to a new location. it takes me just over one hour in each direction... its kinda far but totally worth it.  i sit on the train and play on my ipad, study japanese and relax. the staff at tsu are super awesome... barry is the best. he helps out so much. the people there are really kind, and the students are good. well, i have one class with two boys and they are the laziest group of kids ive ever encountered but overall its a good day. ^_^ ill be going there tomorrow - or later today.  

ok, its time to sleep. i will leave you with a few pictures from my trips... 

**p.s. i will explain the title in the next blog! ^_^

this is the shopping area in ise... its so rustic and old looking! i really need to go back!

as you can see... it was absolutely pouring that day. it was still fun but i got drenched!!! 

this is uji. where tale of genji takes place <3 so pretty!!! 

this is the four of us. my besties. the reason i am so happy in japan! <3 

random temple in osaka... ok, its really famous, not random at all but i cant remember the name! oops!

the osaka sky tower! osaka is such a pretty place! i love the fashion, the food, and the people! such a quirky bunch! just like meeee!

this is me just after i made my promised prayer for nancy! <3

Do all Americans own guns? Yes they do.

Classes have begun! And ZOMG I am getting my dose of children for a very long time.  You think I was hesitant to have children before (hesitant meaning loathe), well I have seen enough bodily fluids ejaculated from enough children to serve me well for another few years.  Sometimes children make me want to vomit. I mean, its not their fault really... but theyre SO GROSS!!!

That being said, I am actually enjoying my kid's classes.  I had 11 classes when the schedules were first created and now I have *15*. I hear this is high, since most of my friends have about 10.  I am also going to really far schools- as I pointed out in my last blog.  Nonetheless, I have gotten my Ipad up to speed and can play games and chat with a speedy interweb connection and I am happy on my lengthy commutes.

I've learned the more I prepare the easier the classes are.  Kind of a DUH thing to say really, but I want to procrastinate then I remember how much better they are when I don't and I get myself to buckle down and get things done.  Thus far I can honestly say that I have good kids.  Only one kid sticks out in my head as being annoying- kinda unruly- and one as completely shell shocked when it comes to speaking out loud.  Otherwise, if they see I am trying to keep them entertained, they usually go with the flow.  I've had no serious mishaps with behaviour yet.  Please knock on wood now.... Also, I must say, KEW training (kid's training) really kicked my arse but I am falling back on it tons now that the madness has begun.  Props to my trainers. ^_^

2 students of note: One is a Voyager level 1 student.  That is the highest level you can be at ECC.  He studied here at Waseda U. which is one of the best colleges in Japan, then went to England to get his Masters and PHD in Engineering.  His is an ENGLISH MASTER! Actually, he is just a boss at life.  And you guessed it, he's my age.  I feel SO STUNTED when I talk to these people! *jealous pout* Anyway, he's interviewing for a position at the top local university so I said I would edit his powerpoint presentation this week.  Welp, I just read it.  It's really good.  A few errors here and there but no more than I would find editing a native speaker's paper.  Ah genius.  I love it.

Second student is in her 40's.  She's a factory worker.  Didn't go to college.  She says she didn't really have ambition to do anything.  She's been studying English off and on for a while now and SHE'S REALLY GOOD! It's so rare that you find someone that's only been learning a language from a book, that can speak it so natively.  Anyway, she's been a level 3 since I've met her and I'd been trying to get her to level up to 2- also Voyager level- but she's been nervous.  This past Saturday though, she came in to take the test WITH ME! ^_^ She lives a good 40 minutes from the school I was teaching at on Saturday but she spoke to the other school, found out where I was, then set up a lesson specifically with me. ^_^ She said had one point left that she could use for a lesson or a level up test, and she wanted to take the test.  Also, she wanted to take it with me because she knew my English better than anyone else's.  She passed the test easily.  Now she's a Voyager! To think, she's a factory worker.  She has such an aptitude for language though... it's amazing.

So psychology says that after about 4 months in a place you start to get homesick.  The place no longer seems magical and you start to notice flaws.  Well I certainly do not feel homesick.  However, I've been keeping a list of things that I find odd about Japan.  I think because Japan in particular is really a developed and advanced country in so many ways, these anomalies catch me off guard in a way that is shocking and most times humorous.  like hysterically humorous. like, i dont want to laugh in your face japan... BUT WHAAA? THAT kind of funny.

Question: "Do all Americans own guns?" Answer: "Yes." Its almost a resounding "yes" for Japanese people.  They have seen so many of our movies and news shows that they honestly think we are living in some sort of wild wild west.  Japan just doesn't have shootings. When they see our gang shows or news shows or movies... they think we're all gun wielding folk.  When I tell them I am from California and in California... most people do not own guns (unless they own illegal guns)... they are confused.  Some have even SCOFFED AT ME! LIKE I'M LYING! It's pretty hilarious.  Then I explain that only people in backwards states... like Oklahoma or Kansas or Alabama or something own guns in abundance. ^_^

Next question: "Do you like McDonalds hamburgers?" Answer: "Yes" So I told a girl that I was a vegetarian... Then we continued with the lesson and she came to this and asked me, "do you like McDonalds hamburgers?" To which I replied, "No, I am a vegetarian and don't eat hamburgers.  And when I did, I didn't eat McDonalds." She was confused two fold.  First, she didn't make the connection that being vegetarian meant not eating hamburgers.  Then once she did, she didn't understand how I still did not enjoy McDonalds hamburgers.  BECAUSE ALL AMERICANS MUST LIKE MCDONALDS HAMBURGERS!! She's just one example though. I've had many just like this.

Other random stereotypes: 

- All Americans eat sandwiches- all the time and always for lunch.  Not a bad one really.  Honestly, I didn't realize just how much I like sandwiches before moving here. hahaha. 

- A Japanese student asked my friend if blond hair actually grew out of her head. Naturally. lol.

- If you are living with a roommate of the opposite sex, you either are having sex with them OR you WILL BE! OR if you have no intention of having sex with them, and you are female, you'll probably just get raped. True story.  I polled like 30 people. lol

Things I've noticed about Japan thus far: 

- They use a LOT OF MAYO. WHY?? ITS SOOO DISGUSTING! EEEEWWW!!! but they do. they use it a lot. and copious amounts of it.  ugh.  On random things, like french fries! or salads! 

- A LOT OF THE GIRLS ARE PIGEON TOED! wth? is that something you're born with? I didn't think so! is it learned?? why?? do they think its cute? I keep waiting for one of them to trip on their own feet.  When I finally see it happen, I will laugh.  Then possibly take a picture or two.  

- All the girls look like they've walked out of the SAME STORE! James said this is called "fashion" but I refuse to buy anything in a beige, light brown, or dark brown this year.  THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME! LIKE THERE'S ONLY ONE STORE IN ALL OF NAGOYA!!!

- Bad fashion. I don't know who thought it was a good idea to promote McHammer pants in 2012 but they're here.

This was then. 

This is now.  

Arguably, she is much prettier and thus the pants don't look like a -90 on the ugly scale... but whoever thought this was a good idea should be slapped.  It's like when girls thought it was cute to wear rompers.  If you're older than the age of 3, you should not be wearing a romper!

Ok. Rant over. lol.  Anyway, moving on... speaking of moving on! I am moving! Soon! lol.  I am still looking at Osu Kannon... because that's the area I enjoy the most... but I am looking at a bunch of places really.  I turned down the room in Freebell with the hopes of finding a place in Osu even... Freebell is in Nagoya and its referred to as the gaijin (gaijin = foreigner) ghetto because of all the foreigners who live there... It's not completely off my list but it's near Nagoya station... which is a bit further away from Osu than I live now... Still keeping my fingers crossed for that perfect place though!

Dating news.  Yohsuke was over other the other day and he tried cheez-its for the first time! He didn't want to try them because he said the box looked boring. -.- He also said if he saw them in the market, he'd walk right past them! Well! He was wrong! He loved them! lol.  Ah yes, it feels good to share the joy of cheez-it.  I feel like I have done a good deed.  

Speaking of which.  I went through 4 bags of Goldfish AND 2 boxes of cheez-it in 2 weeks! *gasp!*

I can't tell if I am supposed to refer to Yohsuke as my boyfriend.  Relationships scare me a bit... and I am a bit hesitant to jump into one... but its been a good long while since my last... but ugh... relationships. UGH. Between the two of us, I'm the one holding back... but people here get into relationships and then just get married or something! That's too intense for my feble mentality.  Donno.  

The other day I got to sample what it's like to date a working Japanese man, when his work meeting ended up running *6* hours OVER and ultimately canceling our plans.  He ran to my apartment to give me something he'd bought for me, then ran back to work. Literally.  I'd forgotten what it's like to date a workaholic.... you know, I've been dating slackers as of late. muwhahaha.  lol.  And really, Yohsuke isn't even a workaholic... but by American standards he probably would be.  

And done.  Ok, so that was super long. Still planning things to do for Golden Week... but I hate people... and crowds.... hrm.... Oyasumi! (good night!)

where are my red ruby slippers?

in one of my lessons, i asked my students to ask me some intro questions but the stipulation was that they couldnt ask me anything generic like; when did you come to japan, do you like japanese food, etc. i got some really interesting questions.... like:

what was the happiest moment of your life?
who do you admire the most in this world?
if you could adapt to land, sea, or air, what would it be?
if you could spend a day with your favorite actor or actress, what would you do?
if you could meet anyone living or dead, who would it be?
and of course, if you could have one superpower, what would it be?

some pretty good questions from my mid level english students. i had to really think about some of those questions... but the super power question is something that i always know the answer to. id want time travel. no question. i always want to do so many things... and can never find the time to do them all... imagine... i could nap during my ten minutes between classes! i could make it to my sisters graduation without having to take any vacation time! oh the things i would do! lol.

last week was pretty awesome. i finished the end of my stint at kariya and i got to talk with the guy who is taking over my shift there. gave him a bit of a heads up on the students so he would have an idea about what ive been teaching the kids and how he can effectively take over. i was sad to say goodbye but i was so very excited when the kids were able to introduce themselves and follow my commands easily. ^_^

i went to the midland party last saturday night! it was fun! =) i got to say goodbye to a bunch of friends there and hang with some people that i am fairly certain will continue to be close... yohsuke was my date for the night. it was kinda funny since we were at an izakaya (tavern) and neither of us drank at all. he drove and like a good boy he did not even take a sip of alcohol. he was really responsible. i was impressed. it is especially difficult with all the pressure there is to drink! ...not to mention we *were* at an izakaya... lol. i did a toast but since i am also not a fan of alcohol, i drank mostly oj. there was tons of food and some party games. quite a lively event. =)

after the party yohsuke and i hung out for a while more... he drives - which isnt so rare in aichi since many car manufactures are in the area. i must admit though, driving in japan scares me. they also drive on the wrong side of the road. yes, them. not us.

i am pretty sure we are dating now... though i am not so good with things unless they are explicitly stated clearly, plainly, and without confusion... and i am pretty (very) dense when it comes to guys, but i have gathered this is the case. yes i know, i like labels. it keeps things straight in my head and me free from potential mishaps. we took a nice photo on saturday night but its on my phone and i am too lazy to upload it at the moment. ^_^ donno where this will go but i am keeping an open mind... its been like 6 years since ive dated anyone really - officially anyway - so its different. but change builds character right? i think hes a nice guy. aside from communication errors, we seem to get along well.

communication error example: in japan they use a thing called mixi. its like facebook but people are not required to use their real names and people are always using mixi to hook up with other people.... so if you have a lot of mixi friends and youre single, chances are youre a play girl/guy... yohsuke just started using facebook and doesnt have too many friends... anyway when he saw my profile, he thought i was a playgirl. -.-" yep, he thought i was hooking up with all the random people on my facebook. could you imagine me a playgirl? i would be such a TERRIBLE playgirl... i can barely keep information straight on one person! on myself even! it was funny. we laughed.

in other news, i might have found a roommate. its odd because here in japan people dont really have roommates since most people live at home with family. its even stranger when a guy and girl room together... so more than one person has commented on the idea of me having a male roommate here in japan. ive always had male roommates though... guys are so easy to live with! lol. now that jennifer has made her way back to kyoto though, i need to figure out what i am going to do... and soon!

also my schedule is mostly finalized for next year. it is as follows: mon- kuwana, tue- ozone, wed- handa, thurs- tsu, fri- off, sat- handa, sun- off. i am including a map so you can see what this means actually. kuwana and handa are about 40 min away in different directions. tsu is 80 min away. T_T and ozone is about 20 min away.

i am looking into plans for my ipad... hopefully i can find a cheap enough one for my journeys. on the nights i work in tsu, i wont be home until like 1130 which is crappy but at least i dont work the next day. i also really like handa school. yohsuke lives in mie prefecture also (where kuwana and tsu are) so maybe i can hang with him while i am there... ozone is cool too. its a smaller school but the staff is very nice. =) all in all, it should be an amusing adventure!

its now officially wednesday. i have training later today and tomorrow. then one more week of shuffling around and the new year begins! i am really excited! ^_^

ok, i didnt study japanese tonight but i should sleep now so i am not too tired tomorrow... because i will need to study japanese tomorrow... -.-

happy hump day!

through the looking glass.

the weeks here fly by faster than i can keep up with them really. i am so very happy that life here is so easy... i keep hearing, especially recently, how very difficult it can be for people to adjust, especially girls. i'd like to think that i am the type of person who could adjust relatively easily to any place - well no, given that its a first world country- i'd like to think i can adjust easily to any first world country... given that i spent a whole lotta time in france and learned to like it, i am assuming so! ^_^ but i understand that japan is very different from what we are used to in the states and for some people, getting with the program is just not something they can easily do. so for everything i have now, i am grateful.

to that end, i feel like im finally on the other side of the looking glass... i am finally living what i studied... and i am actually using both majors and using them to the fullest of my potential. what a really freaking awesome realization that was. dream come true, check.

jennifer has been staying with me off an on for a couple of weeks now but shes finally leaving to her new life/job/residence in kyoto next week. its been so much fun having her here with me. i say this a lot but the period of time from losing my dad til my move to japan was a really difficult one for me. having all my close friends in one location is so much more comforting than i could have imagined really. if only i had my sister and chibi... im pretty sure if i had chibi with me id never leave japan. -.-

this saturday is the midland end of year party. i am pretty excited about it. i am really looking forward to hanging with some of the staff and friends that i have made here. next year i am going to be hanging out in a completely different part of town, so i am going to be saying goodbye to some really awesome newly made friends. thankfully most of these relationships are solid and i dont feel like its a goodbye... in preparation for the new year/end of the year, ive dyed my hair, cut it, new coats of nail polish, a new pair of shoes (heels), and a new skirt. the shoes i can wear to work and since all my pants are tailored for heels, this purchase is actually quite handy. have i mentioned that ive walked through *2* pairs of shoes already?! also, the skirt was on sale, so i dont have too much guilt about it. =) i am going with yosuke though the jury is still out on this part of the story. i will let you know in the follow blog. ^_^

last weekend was mandys birthday! it was so much fun shopping for a birthday present for her. i like shopping for presents for people... i think we all know this... its like a scavenger hunt for something you think the person will like the most... i dont always find exactly what i am looking for, but when i do, its a really great feeling. i initially wanted to get her a scarf, since i figured it would be small enough for her to keep when she leaves japan, but i couldnt find one that i thought suited her style well enough... so i ended up with english tea, some very tasty truffles, and some hand lotion from the place that i like. side note, hand lotion is expensive here! why?!!

so part of the birthday celebration was to go and see mars! thats right! me! mars! little people! it was a lot of fun. there were 7 telescopes set out. 6 were pointed at various stars and the last one was massive and was pointed at mars. mars looks like a circle. just like all the other stars... but its red and that somehow makes it cooler. ^_^ we looked at a few of the other stars as well. one telescope was pointed at the north star... and i have no idea where the others were... lol. also itd been raining off and on the whole day so we were really lucky that it cleared up just as we were starting the viewing!

then we went to dinner at this italian place nearby. they pretty fantastic food. in japan, its common for restaurants to change their menus with the season... spring is here so the italian restaurant changed all of the dishes on the menu. kinda through us a curve ball there but the dishes that we ordered were both equally fantastic to what we'd eaten before. =) then we went to a little cafe in osu and had dessert. have i mentioned how lucky i am to have mandy? i am so glad i have someone to hang out with who enjoys all these random things with me... =)

also, i had a special taiyaki today! ive inserted a link in case youve forgotten. it really is all goodness. since its spring, theyre offering strawberry and mochi filled taiyaki! omg! the best! if i remember, i will upload a picture. =)

also, if i am speaking in cliches lately, its because lately ive been helping various people with english idioms. knowing idioms really is the only way to be fluent in a language... and lately ive been helping people with them. so if i sound like a walking cliche, thats why.

i am still looking into moving. once i get the info on this place ive been looking at, i will probably put my notice in to move.... but i soooo dont want to leave my area! fushimi is the best location in nagoya! -.- alas, its expensive and i need to get a better handle on my finances.... *sad face*

also still trying to figure out golden week! eek! so much i want to do... so little time/money to do it all! my normal MUST DO IT ALL NOW isnt quite working in this situation... ive also included a link for golden week in case you're curious.

ok, ive got a couple of hours of studying ahead of me tonight... again i must ask WHY AM I NOT FLUENT ALREADY??? ugh. why is my brain so slow?! i will continue beating it into submission until it submits to my will. -.-

thanks for reading. =)

besties at play

so its been a while since ive written (or maybe it just feels that way). i have been on a whirlwind the last few weeks. jennifer came to stay with me after she escaped the mountain. =) her job was absolutely terrible though and i am so glad she was able to leave that place... and so now she is with me.... at least until thursday. on thursday she is heading back to kyoto to start a new job at a macha cafe. macha is green tea, so a green tea cafe. =) i am super excited for her... and it looks like she has an apartment lined up when she gets there. things are finally looking up for her and i am really hopeful that she will finally get to experience the japan that i experience.

that brings me to another thought. i was slightly hesitant to move into a new apartment with very little knowledge of who i would be staying with, etc., but after having jennifer here with me the last ten days, i know i am going to be sooooo bored when she leaves. thus i have decided to move. i am going to put in my notice just as soon as she leaves. i am looking forward to the change. its time i had a roommate anyway. =)

like i said, the last ten days or so have been quite exciting! ive been all over random places in nagoya with mandy and jennifer! last tuesday i made kabocha soup and had mandy over for dinner. then i had a random knock at my door. seems bruce (the landlord) told one of the new girls that i lived in the same building and she came to say hello. of course we fed her and gave her some pointers about the city and such. it was really a nice dinner. my kabocha soup recipe is getting better too!

i also got a fantastic care package from my step sister christi! its my second care package to date and it was filled with all sorts of chips and crackers! i am soooo happy. hehe.

i also got a copy of the ultrasound showing my new nephews face. ^_^

otherwise, the end of the year is approaching and next year is just around the corner. i have my new schedule, new classes, and a whole slew of things on my to-do list for spring. i feel so lucky to have so many awesome things happening right now...

today was lunch date round two, with jennifer. we really had a lot of fun... dinner was about 2.5 hours again and we chatted and spent a lot of time discussing random finer points of language. after lunch jennifer and i went to take purikura.

i have some friends who really bring out the child in me. they allow me to relax and not be so uptight. i dont have many of these friends because i can only relax when i feel completely at peace with someone and if i feel completely assured of his/her competence. jennifer is one of those people. when i think about it, its probably one of the highest compliments i can give someone (because as everyone knows, i am a stress case usually!). =) this is the other shot:

after lunch, jennifer and i went to a PRINCESS CAFE! only in japan do they have such a thing... you go in, pay for lunch/dessert and dress up like a princess. ^_^ it was soooo much fun! of course, here are a couple of pictures for you to see!

and this one:

man, it really was the perfect way to spend the day... it was pretty much a fantastic day. =) oooooo! we also went and had pho! it was sooo good! slightly different from pho in america... which is still the best ive had, but it was good nonetheless. they didnt have siracha which was a bit annoying... but it was pho, and it was good... and it was cheap and relatively close by. ^_^

i also met the newest members of ecc, 7 guys. eeeek. it was funny because usually my friends are male... but upon walking into this training room filled with testosterone, i felt quite out of place. also, just being here for a while you start to blend in with japanese culture... these guys felt SO WESTERN! it was an initial bit of culture shock for me. but theyre all super nice guys and after the initial bit of shock, i was able to mingle a bit more and get comfortable with them. i think theyll all do well here. itll be interesting to see how much they "blend" with time.

saturday is mandys birthday. we have tickets to go and see MARS from the observatory on saturday! i really hope the sky is clear... the weather is so bi-polar here! today it was nice and sunny... and warm even... but the forecast calls for heavy rain tomorrow. lame. i guess this is what the rest of the world calls "spring." i wonder if i will ever not miss california weather... its sooooo beautifu1! lol. side note, you know the song "save me san francisco" from train? i used to think that song would make me feel homesick or nostalgic while i was here... and it does a little, but not in the way i thought it would. i am finally at peace with things. that is such a good/refreshing/new feeling and a relief.

alright, time to study some more japanese. i study every night now... uuugh. why am i not fluent already?! *grumbles*

also, must decide on golden week at some point... i am running out of time! only 5 weeks to go! eeeek!

春(haru): spring

i cant believe its finally spring!!! i felt like the cold weather was never ever ever going to end! the last couple of days have been slightly cool (about low 50's) but NOT FREEZING! i hear this is a bit early for spring weather as warm as this... and that hay fever is particularly bad this year but i am lucky that i dont suffer from allergies really. spring spring spring spring... aaaaah. *breathes*

so if you have a facebook, you know i went strawberry picking last week. mandy and i had a fantastic time with akemi! she was such a great host! we met at the station in handa, then went to a little farm just outside the city. strawberries were planted in a greenhouse in double decker rows. it was all very neatly organized. also the raised flowerbeds meant that i didnt have to bend down to pick any strawberries... nope! they were all there perfectly positioned for me to eat them. all of them. for like 2 hours. i might have strawberried myself out a bit... but we got these little plastic containers and condensed milk/chocolate sauce to dip them in... and im not gonna lie, it was a little slice of heaven. ^_^

that day i got a call from jennifer and she hopped on a train and came to nagoya to spend the night with me! it was sooooo great seeing her again! i missed her soooo much! i havent seen her since she popped in at my dads funeral to give me flowers and a hug. that was easily one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me. i am in awe sometimes of the kindness of my friends. i often have no clue how i survive without them... unfortunately, it seems as though her job really really sucks... which is horrible, but it also means that i might gain a roommate. ^_^ shes supposed to quit this week and come stay with me! yay! its gonna be sooo exciting! ^_^ thats jennifer below. ^_^

i also got my first private student! he is really cool and our plan is to meet every other week for 1.5 hours. i am really looking forward to some conversation and cultural learning. we met last sunday and the interview was a bit intimidating. you can tell he is a well educated man with a lot of life/work experience. he is very smart and asked me a lot of very direct questions. he said he chose me for my education... wow! my education actually means something!

that night we met some of the new teachers to celebrate a birthday. we went to a small restaurant across from my building. the owner was sooo nice! seriously guys, ive never had such freaking amazing hospitality as i have had in japan. if youre nice, try hard, and play by the rules, life is so easy going. of course those things arent always easy... some of the rules are *interesting* but nonetheless, i have met some really really nice people here and have had some unmatched life experiences.

after dinner we went to karaoke! its the first time ive actually gone since ive been in japan. omg... first, it was funny cause we sang only english songs. second, we had two australians... and they sang all the stereotypical australian songs... like men at work. it was fantastic! lol!

last week i also went into a used clothing store and found this really old, really awesome english grammar book from about 1905! it was 2000Y (about $20) but i had to get it. it has two dedications in it! one from about 1915 and one from about 1958! its sooooo cool! this little book is all mine now...

while i was there, i met this guy. we have a lunch date on tuesday... lol. hrm... i really dont understand japanese guys though... they are a complete and utter mystery to me. i have a really hard time playing any sort of game and dating for me... is such a pain. this is why i am single. i want a relationship but i really dont want to have to go out and date anyone. what happened to the good old days of high school when a guy says he likes you and then done!? yea. i need more of that. OH! and one more thing. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND GUY JAPANESE TO SAVE MY LIFE! ive been hanging around too many girls... and really guys use different slang... and slur their words differently... its like a whole different language. WTF?! i feel like im on the short bus every time i talk to a guy. i have to ask them to slow down and speak clearly... ugh. it adds a layer of complexity my feeble little mind continues to struggle with...

on sunday i went to dinner with my friend. shes moving to santa barbara next month... im sooo excited for her. shes the sweetest girl... and has such potential. shes also sooo pretty... and really innocent... i have a feeling the guys are going to be all over her. thankfully, shes got a fairly good head on her shoulders and i think she will be ok. dinner was fun though. we went to a bookstore and i helped her pick out a book that she would be able to read in english. ^_^

also, i ran into a friend on my day off tuesday! it was quite serendipitous! she was coming out of a cooking class nearby and also had the day off... so she took me to her cooking school and i got a brochure! i am going to start cooking classes in may! once a month... on tuesday morning. its going to be sooo much fun! i have always wanted to take a cooking class... and theres no better place to do it than japan! we also went by a jewelry making school... we are going to take a short 3 hour class on the 27th.. im going to learn to make a new type of necklace! im sure there will be pics to follow!

i love school.... i love learning.... if only i had more money and more free time... i go to school forever... and ever... and ever...

finally, i am really stoked about this weekend! mandy and i are going to see a live show! its going to be fantastic! i have all my rocker chick clothes ready! Nagoya Mag. has all the info for the show online! and its in english! lol. im soooo excited...

ive been slowly plugging away at the japanese.... studying it more and more now. sooo... much... work.... uuuugh....

anyway... i guess this blog ended up longer than i had intended... but i think they always do... lol.

"be excellent to each other"