Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Japanese Talking Shit
The teachers looove to talk about the JETS when they’re sitting right next to them. I think I’ve averted a lot of this because they know I have a little skill. The funny thing though is that they forget sometimes, and I know they’re talking about me, so I turn around, and all of a sudden they start being really nice and acting like I didn’t hear what they just said. Another teacher thinks that I’m writing shit in the notebook and talk about how stupid I think Japanese people are. Like he literally said that. How wrong he is… maybe. I’m not sure how I should approach this situation, but we’ll see.
Schools
So far, I’ve been to all my schools, but I haven’t taught at my base school yet. I think my favorite is Katono, because the English teacher has the best English out of all the schools, and the kids are really funny. But, I think that Iwasaki has the most fun students, because they get the most into the games. On top of that I heard a phone conversation where the guy said “hai” 141 times.
I’ve also been hearing from most of the other JETs that there is usually a hot teacher in one of their schools, but I think I got the short end of the stick… or the long splintery, splintery side of the stick because I just got screwed, depending on how you look at it. I’m glad though. The last thing any of the JETS here need is extra temptation. I mean I’m glad I’m not at an elementary school. It’s hard enough at a Jr. High.
Cultural Notes
1. My schools:
a. Yumoto 1st – Over 400 students
b. Katono – 131 students
c. Iwasaki – 410 students
d. Yumoto 2nd – 78 students
I’ve also been hearing from most of the other JETs that there is usually a hot teacher in one of their schools, but I think I got the short end of the stick… or the long splintery, splintery side of the stick because I just got screwed, depending on how you look at it. I’m glad though. The last thing any of the JETS here need is extra temptation. I mean I’m glad I’m not at an elementary school. It’s hard enough at a Jr. High.
Cultural Notes
1. My schools:
a. Yumoto 1st – Over 400 students
b. Katono – 131 students
c. Iwasaki – 410 students
d. Yumoto 2nd – 78 students
Differences Between Western Foods
Hamburgers here are way different than back in the states. Most of the hamburger patties back home are just meat. Japan on the other hand fills it with veggies too. I also think that they are beef/pork mixtures. They taste much lighter and not like real hamburgers. A staple of all hamburger places too is a fried shrimp burger. It’s miniature skrimps battered and fried into a patty shape. I have yet to try it because there is fried shrimp everywhere and I don’t particularly want to try it in burger form.
The tomato sauce/ marinara sauce here is much different too. It’s basically thin ketchup. Pizza, pasta, and any other Italian foods are filled with the stuff. The cheese too is all processed. It’s one thing on a burger, but when they try to use velveeta to pass off as mozzarella, then i’ve got a problem with that. I want some real cheese. Oh, and the pizza here tends to be really expensive. Pizza-La, the equivalent of Pizza-Hut, is like 35 bucks for a large pizza. I’ve had better dog in Korea.
The tomato sauce/ marinara sauce here is much different too. It’s basically thin ketchup. Pizza, pasta, and any other Italian foods are filled with the stuff. The cheese too is all processed. It’s one thing on a burger, but when they try to use velveeta to pass off as mozzarella, then i’ve got a problem with that. I want some real cheese. Oh, and the pizza here tends to be really expensive. Pizza-La, the equivalent of Pizza-Hut, is like 35 bucks for a large pizza. I’ve had better dog in Korea.
Takoyaki Party
So this last weekend, there was a takoyaki party at Carmen’s apt. Ever since I had it the first week in Iwaki, I’ve tried to stay away from it. It’s really just okonomiyaki rolled up into little balls, but then again, I really don’t like okonomiyaki either.
So at this party we could stick anything we wanted in them, that’s what she said… My first thought was that I could make cheeseburger-yaki, but that idea fell through when I couldn’t find ground beef at the store, even though I just didn’t look hard enough. So next idea, Pizza-yaki. Salami (they don’t sell pepperoni) and cheese, topped with tomato sauce. Now I don’t want to toot my own whistle (does it make you gay if you do?), but I’m pretty sure pizza-yaki has to be one of the greatest inventions ever made, next to melon soda. It was sooo hot, I dropped that shit like Snoop.
When I was at the store too, I bought a 6 pack. I drank all of them. Super trashed, but I didn’t stop there. When we went to karaoke, I kept making conbene runs and literally drank 2 or 3 more. I can’t remember the exact tally. I’m pretty sure I didn’t black out but there are some things I don’t remember, like running into cars, poking people, and a few other things. I was definitely, exponentially more obnoxious than normal. I think stage 2 of culture shock may have hit.
I was really hung-over the next day.
Cultural Note
1. Takoyaki- (Taco-ya-key) “Octopus Balls,” battered BALLS of cut up octopus and other things inside. Usually covered in Mayonnaise and a sweet sauce similar to teriyaki, then covered in dried bonito fish flakes
2. Bonito fish flakes – Dried bonito fish flakes that tend to “dance” when on something hot, probably moving because of the steam rising from the food.
3. Okonomiyaki- (Oh-ko-no-me-ya-key) Savory pancake filled with seafood (generally squid or octopus) and veggies. Different areas have different styles. Some with noodles on the bottom, or rolled like a crepe and topped with an egg. Same toppings as takoyaki.
So at this party we could stick anything we wanted in them, that’s what she said… My first thought was that I could make cheeseburger-yaki, but that idea fell through when I couldn’t find ground beef at the store, even though I just didn’t look hard enough. So next idea, Pizza-yaki. Salami (they don’t sell pepperoni) and cheese, topped with tomato sauce. Now I don’t want to toot my own whistle (does it make you gay if you do?), but I’m pretty sure pizza-yaki has to be one of the greatest inventions ever made, next to melon soda. It was sooo hot, I dropped that shit like Snoop.
When I was at the store too, I bought a 6 pack. I drank all of them. Super trashed, but I didn’t stop there. When we went to karaoke, I kept making conbene runs and literally drank 2 or 3 more. I can’t remember the exact tally. I’m pretty sure I didn’t black out but there are some things I don’t remember, like running into cars, poking people, and a few other things. I was definitely, exponentially more obnoxious than normal. I think stage 2 of culture shock may have hit.
I was really hung-over the next day.
Cultural Note
1. Takoyaki- (Taco-ya-key) “Octopus Balls,” battered BALLS of cut up octopus and other things inside. Usually covered in Mayonnaise and a sweet sauce similar to teriyaki, then covered in dried bonito fish flakes
2. Bonito fish flakes – Dried bonito fish flakes that tend to “dance” when on something hot, probably moving because of the steam rising from the food.
3. Okonomiyaki- (Oh-ko-no-me-ya-key) Savory pancake filled with seafood (generally squid or octopus) and veggies. Different areas have different styles. Some with noodles on the bottom, or rolled like a crepe and topped with an egg. Same toppings as takoyaki.
Tokyo Round 2
I went to Tokyo last because we had a 3-day weekend. It was awesome. First I had Wendy’s and I’ve never gotten so excited to eat one of their classic cheeseburgers. I was also ecstatic too see that they have frosties over here which TASTE THE SAME, ahhh. I also ate a fake taco which had authentic insides, but the tortilla was made with rice flower and was the same as a mushu wrap. Fuh-dat-shi. I also had BK, and let me tell you, the fries taste waaay better back home.
On the first night we went out, we went to an “International Party,” which is synonymous with old guys creeping on Japanese women who are mostly gross, or in their late 30’s. The aussie managed to snag two away from this graying balding guy, and his wrinkly cohorts. The brit managed to snag some grandma’s and they showed us a night on the town. They took us to Roppongi Hills where the brit and I decided it was wrong to hang out with grandma’s and ugly girls, and proceeded to ditch the others. From there on, we, the dynamic duo, went from club to club until we got sick and went to a ramen shop for a late night snack. Then paid 50 bucks fro a cab back to the hotel at 4 in the morning.
Later that day, we went to Harajuku to see Gwen Stefani’s hoes and then arrived at a toy store called kiddyland. I thought they actually sold little kids, but I was gravely mistaken. Only toys. Then we went to Akihabara, which is the haven of otakus, and ogled at all the miniature statues of the Dark Knight. We also visited an 8-story sex shop with what I consider highly immoral stuffed underage anime girl dolls, and more bondage leather than the entire amount used in the wild west. I bought two of the dolls, because I figured they needed a friend when I wasn’t around. Then there are the 8-story video arcades. Sooo much awesomeness in one place. Anything you would imagine, even being considered a game, digitized and placed in a box.
Later that night, we made our way to Club Atom, and met up with a French what- rhymes- with-baquette, and another Brazilian dude named Marcelo. Frenchie was a douche, and I think marcelo was gay, mostly because they were “French Kissing,” HAHAHAHA… It was another repeat of Tokyo orientation, except we didn’t get back till 6:30 am. It was amazing. Drunk and sleep deprived we took the first train we could back to Iwaki.
Cultural Notes
1. Hotels charge fore late checkout here
2. Harajuku is NOT filled head to toe with oddly dressed girls
3. Japanese people don’t know what tacos are
4. Its hard to find Red Bull here too. What I’d give to get those sluts from la to bring their mini over here
5. Otakus- (oh-tah-ku-s) – Big dorks
On the first night we went out, we went to an “International Party,” which is synonymous with old guys creeping on Japanese women who are mostly gross, or in their late 30’s. The aussie managed to snag two away from this graying balding guy, and his wrinkly cohorts. The brit managed to snag some grandma’s and they showed us a night on the town. They took us to Roppongi Hills where the brit and I decided it was wrong to hang out with grandma’s and ugly girls, and proceeded to ditch the others. From there on, we, the dynamic duo, went from club to club until we got sick and went to a ramen shop for a late night snack. Then paid 50 bucks fro a cab back to the hotel at 4 in the morning.
Later that day, we went to Harajuku to see Gwen Stefani’s hoes and then arrived at a toy store called kiddyland. I thought they actually sold little kids, but I was gravely mistaken. Only toys. Then we went to Akihabara, which is the haven of otakus, and ogled at all the miniature statues of the Dark Knight. We also visited an 8-story sex shop with what I consider highly immoral stuffed underage anime girl dolls, and more bondage leather than the entire amount used in the wild west. I bought two of the dolls, because I figured they needed a friend when I wasn’t around. Then there are the 8-story video arcades. Sooo much awesomeness in one place. Anything you would imagine, even being considered a game, digitized and placed in a box.
Later that night, we made our way to Club Atom, and met up with a French what- rhymes- with-baquette, and another Brazilian dude named Marcelo. Frenchie was a douche, and I think marcelo was gay, mostly because they were “French Kissing,” HAHAHAHA… It was another repeat of Tokyo orientation, except we didn’t get back till 6:30 am. It was amazing. Drunk and sleep deprived we took the first train we could back to Iwaki.
Cultural Notes
1. Hotels charge fore late checkout here
2. Harajuku is NOT filled head to toe with oddly dressed girls
3. Japanese people don’t know what tacos are
4. Its hard to find Red Bull here too. What I’d give to get those sluts from la to bring their mini over here
5. Otakus- (oh-tah-ku-s) – Big dorks
Speech Contest
About three weeks ago, the city held a Jr. High speech contest for all of the schools in the city. So, for the whole summer prior to us getting here, all of the other English teachers have been preparing their students for this contest. I only helped two students each with only a few sessions a piece, so I didn’t really help them as much as I wanted.
At the contest I realized how intense it really was. There were about 60 speeches with half doing recitation and the other half original speeches. Now the recitation was the painful part. I heard two stories about 8 times each.
“Freddy the Leaf,” a story about life and death, written in an English Textbook. The same textbook that I use to teach the kids. The next story is called “A Mother’s Lullaby” about a tree…which lives in Hiroshima. In this story, it starts out with a mother and child playing by a tree. Then the tree flashes back to when the atomic bomb hit. Two children came to the tree after the blast. The little boy kept crying for his mother, but the young girl kept saying “Mother’s here, stop crying” and started singing a lullaby. The boy stopped crying and died, but the girl kept singing. “Morning came and the sun rose, but the girl never moved again.”…AWKWARD. Not only because it was repeated 8 times, but because I had to read it to my classes. But that’s another story.
At the contest I realized how intense it really was. There were about 60 speeches with half doing recitation and the other half original speeches. Now the recitation was the painful part. I heard two stories about 8 times each.
“Freddy the Leaf,” a story about life and death, written in an English Textbook. The same textbook that I use to teach the kids. The next story is called “A Mother’s Lullaby” about a tree…which lives in Hiroshima. In this story, it starts out with a mother and child playing by a tree. Then the tree flashes back to when the atomic bomb hit. Two children came to the tree after the blast. The little boy kept crying for his mother, but the young girl kept saying “Mother’s here, stop crying” and started singing a lullaby. The boy stopped crying and died, but the girl kept singing. “Morning came and the sun rose, but the girl never moved again.”…AWKWARD. Not only because it was repeated 8 times, but because I had to read it to my classes. But that’s another story.
Vending Machines
There are vending machines everywhere. Probably even more than the conbenes. They sell anything from water, juice, soda, coffee and even drinks with nicotine in them. I have yet to see a food vending machine, but there are some restaurants where you put money in a machine, press the button of what you want and get a ticket to give to the server. They also sell cigarettes and used panties. I don’t think they smell as good as the ones from build-a-bear though.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Students
The kids are pretty cool too. I’m honing the art of my jikoshokai’s. I’ve basically made every question into a game. They go ape shit when they get points and by the end, it’s like watching Maury when the guy finds out he’s not the father. ALL, for a Winnie the Pooh sticker, who they call Pooh-San.
They all ask the same questions too. If I’m teaching with a woman, they ask if I like her. They also ask if I have a GF, and when I say no, they ask if I like boys. That answer changes everytime. Lastly they all ask which sports I like/play. Pocket Pool is the only one that ever comes to mind.
Sometimes after class too, they’ll ask for my signature on their notebooks, or tell me to stay after school so I can play with them. My response that that is, the only game I play with kids is Doctor, and teenagers are waaay too old.
The Jr. Highs here are split up into three grades which are 7th-9th back home, but are referred to as 1st–3rd graders. The 1st are the loudest and roudiest, the 2nd graders are interested and fun, and the 3rd graders are apathetic and quiet.
Overall though, I’m having a blast with the kids. They make the job more interesting & fun.
Cultural Notes
1. Jikoshokai - (Gee-ko-show-chi/kai) Self introductions made usually in Japanese, but for the sake of the lesson and the games, in English
2. Maury Paternity Test - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD78-CCPhAQ
They all ask the same questions too. If I’m teaching with a woman, they ask if I like her. They also ask if I have a GF, and when I say no, they ask if I like boys. That answer changes everytime. Lastly they all ask which sports I like/play. Pocket Pool is the only one that ever comes to mind.
Sometimes after class too, they’ll ask for my signature on their notebooks, or tell me to stay after school so I can play with them. My response that that is, the only game I play with kids is Doctor, and teenagers are waaay too old.
The Jr. Highs here are split up into three grades which are 7th-9th back home, but are referred to as 1st–3rd graders. The 1st are the loudest and roudiest, the 2nd graders are interested and fun, and the 3rd graders are apathetic and quiet.
Overall though, I’m having a blast with the kids. They make the job more interesting & fun.
Cultural Notes
1. Jikoshokai - (Gee-ko-show-chi/kai) Self introductions made usually in Japanese, but for the sake of the lesson and the games, in English
2. Maury Paternity Test - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD78-CCPhAQ
First Month of Teachering
I started teaching at my schools about a month ago. The way it works is that I go to my base school. From there I get shuttled to different schools by taxi every 2 weeks or so. As of now I haven’t even taught at my base school yet, just my satellite schools. I’m starting my first week at my 3rd school.
The teachers so far have been really cool. They speak pretty good English, but they have the standard Japanese teeth. I haven’t seen so much bling in someone’s mouth since Nelly’s music video Grillz. For some reason I also figured all of the teachers would be disgruntled and pissed, but they seem to enjoy their jobs, especially when the hit the kids. But in general, they are really different. Friendly to everyone and not too strict, from what I’ve seen, with the exception of assemblies. If the kids are called out and don’t say “hai” loud enough, then they literally get yelled at from the back of the auditorium. The first time I heard the scream, I raised my hands to the side of my head, palms toward the ceiling and said, “Oops, I crapped my pants.” I was so startled, that it deserved a longer than necessary story to describe the excitement, in my pants.
I was also surprised by the stories of kids getting hit by the teachers. Physical violence seems to be the norm, such as hitting someone on the back of the head. If that happened in the states, whew, all I have to say is, “Rodney King, LA, Riots.” You best berieve
Cultural Notes
1. Base school – the main school that we are stationed at. We go there everyday, and have a proper desk.
2. Japanese Teeth – Sooo many crowns, lack of braces, etc. Usually just the older generations though. I think that most of the kids nowadays get braces and see dentists regularly, because bright white straight teeth are the norm.
The teachers so far have been really cool. They speak pretty good English, but they have the standard Japanese teeth. I haven’t seen so much bling in someone’s mouth since Nelly’s music video Grillz. For some reason I also figured all of the teachers would be disgruntled and pissed, but they seem to enjoy their jobs, especially when the hit the kids. But in general, they are really different. Friendly to everyone and not too strict, from what I’ve seen, with the exception of assemblies. If the kids are called out and don’t say “hai” loud enough, then they literally get yelled at from the back of the auditorium. The first time I heard the scream, I raised my hands to the side of my head, palms toward the ceiling and said, “Oops, I crapped my pants.” I was so startled, that it deserved a longer than necessary story to describe the excitement, in my pants.
I was also surprised by the stories of kids getting hit by the teachers. Physical violence seems to be the norm, such as hitting someone on the back of the head. If that happened in the states, whew, all I have to say is, “Rodney King, LA, Riots.” You best berieve
Cultural Notes
1. Base school – the main school that we are stationed at. We go there everyday, and have a proper desk.
2. Japanese Teeth – Sooo many crowns, lack of braces, etc. Usually just the older generations though. I think that most of the kids nowadays get braces and see dentists regularly, because bright white straight teeth are the norm.
Transpo
In Iwaki, I’ve mostly been using the trains. It’s about a half an hour from my apt by foot or 10-15 minutes by bike, depending if my pants are on, to the station. Then there is this miniature Fuji-San that guards the way to the station. It’s a bitch, but I’m a man… so I got that shit.
The first few weeks of walking was giving me blisters all over, especially in the taint, but also my feet, because we had to wear formal shoes. Then I got a bike about a month ago. It made everything so much easier. So now I’m riding my bike to school and to the station, and my geishas’ pagodas. EVERYWHERE
Cultural Note
1. Fuji-san – What they call Mount Fuji
The first few weeks of walking was giving me blisters all over, especially in the taint, but also my feet, because we had to wear formal shoes. Then I got a bike about a month ago. It made everything so much easier. So now I’m riding my bike to school and to the station, and my geishas’ pagodas. EVERYWHERE
Cultural Note
1. Fuji-san – What they call Mount Fuji
Money pays da billz
It’s way different here than from the states. The only paper money they have is over 10 bucks. Then it’s only 50’s and Benjamin’s. The rest is coins up to 10. 1, 5, 10, 50 cent coins with 1&5 dollar coins. Plus because they are coins you burn through it much quicker, buying stuff, like vending machines, searching for a pikachu cell phone ornament, but just getting ones you don’t know. Fuh dat
Friday, September 19, 2008
Grocery Stores
So the grocery stores here are incredibly different. EVERYTHING IS IN JAPANESE! What the eff?! The food is really different too. Aisles of rice and rice products, huge meat/fish sections, miso base and noodles, small bread sections, random $.99 stores inside the grocery stores.
Another thing is the grocery cart here. So you grab a cart and the main cart part is only sunken in a little bit. What you’re supposed to do is grab baskets and put them in the different sections of the cart. i.e. where you would normally put stuff, and the baby seat.
After you pay, you are given 2 or 3 plastic bags. The first time I was looking at the clerk with the bags clenched in my fists and thinking, what do you want me to do with these bitch? YOU HAVE TO BAG YOUR OWN GROCERIES! Not cool. Not cool. Mostly because it takes awhile to sort and a line starts up at the bagging counter and it gets awkward with people thinking “What is this guy doing? Get your thumb out of your ass and just bag the damn groceries.” BUT YOU HAVE TO STICK THE COLD STUFF TOGETHER. AND YOU CAN’T CRUSH THE EGGS OR THE BREAD. AND YOU HAVE TO PUT THE BUG SPRAY IN A SEPARATE BAG.
Good grief Charlie Brown
Another thing is the grocery cart here. So you grab a cart and the main cart part is only sunken in a little bit. What you’re supposed to do is grab baskets and put them in the different sections of the cart. i.e. where you would normally put stuff, and the baby seat.
After you pay, you are given 2 or 3 plastic bags. The first time I was looking at the clerk with the bags clenched in my fists and thinking, what do you want me to do with these bitch? YOU HAVE TO BAG YOUR OWN GROCERIES! Not cool. Not cool. Mostly because it takes awhile to sort and a line starts up at the bagging counter and it gets awkward with people thinking “What is this guy doing? Get your thumb out of your ass and just bag the damn groceries.” BUT YOU HAVE TO STICK THE COLD STUFF TOGETHER. AND YOU CAN’T CRUSH THE EGGS OR THE BREAD. AND YOU HAVE TO PUT THE BUG SPRAY IN A SEPARATE BAG.
Good grief Charlie Brown
Cooking
I started cooking about 3 weeks ago. I was buying some eggplant, green onions, sprouts, mushrooms, tofu and cooking it all together on the stove. I also of course bought some sex sauce and drenched that shit. It tastes amazing. The problem though, that I was cooking way too much food at a time.
I also tried cooking meat with the vegetables and it got to the point where I was spending nearly 2 hours on dinner, preparing, cooking, eating, and cleaning up. It was a fricken ordeal. So recently I’ve just been making salads and eating out, lesbian style. It’s so much more convenient.
I also tried cooking meat with the vegetables and it got to the point where I was spending nearly 2 hours on dinner, preparing, cooking, eating, and cleaning up. It was a fricken ordeal. So recently I’ve just been making salads and eating out, lesbian style. It’s so much more convenient.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Restaurants & Japanese Food
The restaurants here in Iwaki are for the most part mom & pop shops. It’s usually a hit and miss, but we’ve found some really good places. One of them is a katsu place where they stick cheese in the middle. Sooo fat and good. Also none of the restaurants that I have been to, sell teriyaki or flip food with knives and spatulas or make onion volcanoes. Despite the fact that it is delicious and awesome, I believe that it’s all commercialized Japanese food to appease foreign audiences. So next time you say you want some Japanese food, don’t be ignant and say, “Let’s get some Teriyaki bro!”
One of the best-discovered places is an all you can eat bbq place in the main part of town. It’s about 13 for the unlimited beef/pork and the price increases for add-ons like salad and such. It’s definitely better than Korean bbq, because you don’t smell like you spent half our life in Seoul afterwards. And you don’t feel guilty for eating dog.
There is also this sauce. Absolutely incredible sauce. It’s like sex for the first time, at least for guys, and maybe the 5th or 6th time for girls? You put it in your mouth and are like, WOW! It’s already over? I need more RIGHT NOW! Except it’s every time you dip the meat in the sauce and put it in your mouth, that’s what she said. Frustrating.
One of the best-discovered places is an all you can eat bbq place in the main part of town. It’s about 13 for the unlimited beef/pork and the price increases for add-ons like salad and such. It’s definitely better than Korean bbq, because you don’t smell like you spent half our life in Seoul afterwards. And you don’t feel guilty for eating dog.
There is also this sauce. Absolutely incredible sauce. It’s like sex for the first time, at least for guys, and maybe the 5th or 6th time for girls? You put it in your mouth and are like, WOW! It’s already over? I need more RIGHT NOW! Except it’s every time you dip the meat in the sauce and put it in your mouth, that’s what she said. Frustrating.
Drinking
So it seems as if the Japanese have no problem drinking everyday of the week. After work on a Monday, they go out drinking. They aren’t necessarily getting drunk, but they are getting their fill. It’s almost as if they are alcoholics. Being that as it may, I still try to keep up. I don’t drink everyday, but I was coming close to it the first month I was here. “Eating out” every night and always getting a drink with dinner.
I know this hippy who put it best, “Go to some Izakaya, and just barge on some real authentic Japanese shit. Just keepin’ it real”
Cultural Note
1. Eating out – Lesbian
I know this hippy who put it best, “Go to some Izakaya, and just barge on some real authentic Japanese shit. Just keepin’ it real”
Cultural Note
1. Eating out – Lesbian
Aizu Wakamatsu: Japanese Language Course/ Homestay
About a month ago, all of the Jr. High Jets went to a city 3 hours east of Iwaki. The whole reason to go was to take an intensive “Japanese Language Course” and do a homestay while we were there.
The classes were great. The teachers were better though. Obara was a short older lady with a smoker’s laugh, glasses and short hair. Sakai was a soft-spoken long haired innocent looking woman. I made them both my geishas. Combined with the rest of the other jets in my class, we formed “Team A” (not the A Team) short for “Team Awesome.” We ran that shit. One of our assignments was to interview other Japanese people. I purposely went into the other classes and interrupted them. The teachers were not pleased.
The homestay was awesome too. I was placed with a family of 7. The grandparents, parents, and 3 kids. The first night, we were hanging out and had some world-class tonkatsu and sashimi. We went to meet up with the grandparents too at one point, because they were working at their ramen shop. We then proceeded to go to the store and buy a 6 pack of tall boys and drank at the house. The little girl had nabbed some fish flavored cheese & beef jerky before we left and ate at least 3 quarters of both bags. She was tiny too. Right before I was going to go to bed though, the grandfather called me over to drink with him. After the 4th or 5th 1.5 liter bottle, I called it a night.
Morning came and I ate some natto, fried fish, miso soup and rice. I got a stomachache. Then I got dropped off at the university for the language course and got picked up in the early evening. From the school, we went to a little festival. I was the hero of the night because I caught 12 fish in this fishing game. It’s different though because instead of a net, they give you a magnifying glass looking thing with tissue paper instead of glass. I was about 10 fish in before it started to break. I’m da man.
We left the festival and went back to the house for a feast. We first ate tsukemono, rice, sukiyaki, sashimi, stewed veggies and seafood, and then ramen. I got a stomachache. On top of that, the dad had me drink whiskey and nihonshuu and the grandfather had me drinking beer. I got F’ed, real bad.
By the end of the trip, the kids were calling me big brother in Japanese, and the family waited in the rain at the bus stop for 30 minutes until we left. I obviously made them my geishas too.
Cultural Notes
1. Tonkatsu – Tone-kawt-su, deep fried boneless pork cutlet
2. Natto – naw-toe, fermented soy beans
3. Sukiyaki – a type of stew
4. Tsukemono – pickled vegetables
5. Nihonshuu – knee-hone-shoe, basically what we call sake, except not. Made from rice. What we actually call sake back home is a Japanese made Korean alcohol made from wheat or barley or something. I can’t remember
The classes were great. The teachers were better though. Obara was a short older lady with a smoker’s laugh, glasses and short hair. Sakai was a soft-spoken long haired innocent looking woman. I made them both my geishas. Combined with the rest of the other jets in my class, we formed “Team A” (not the A Team) short for “Team Awesome.” We ran that shit. One of our assignments was to interview other Japanese people. I purposely went into the other classes and interrupted them. The teachers were not pleased.
The homestay was awesome too. I was placed with a family of 7. The grandparents, parents, and 3 kids. The first night, we were hanging out and had some world-class tonkatsu and sashimi. We went to meet up with the grandparents too at one point, because they were working at their ramen shop. We then proceeded to go to the store and buy a 6 pack of tall boys and drank at the house. The little girl had nabbed some fish flavored cheese & beef jerky before we left and ate at least 3 quarters of both bags. She was tiny too. Right before I was going to go to bed though, the grandfather called me over to drink with him. After the 4th or 5th 1.5 liter bottle, I called it a night.
Morning came and I ate some natto, fried fish, miso soup and rice. I got a stomachache. Then I got dropped off at the university for the language course and got picked up in the early evening. From the school, we went to a little festival. I was the hero of the night because I caught 12 fish in this fishing game. It’s different though because instead of a net, they give you a magnifying glass looking thing with tissue paper instead of glass. I was about 10 fish in before it started to break. I’m da man.
We left the festival and went back to the house for a feast. We first ate tsukemono, rice, sukiyaki, sashimi, stewed veggies and seafood, and then ramen. I got a stomachache. On top of that, the dad had me drink whiskey and nihonshuu and the grandfather had me drinking beer. I got F’ed, real bad.
By the end of the trip, the kids were calling me big brother in Japanese, and the family waited in the rain at the bus stop for 30 minutes until we left. I obviously made them my geishas too.
Cultural Notes
1. Tonkatsu – Tone-kawt-su, deep fried boneless pork cutlet
2. Natto – naw-toe, fermented soy beans
3. Sukiyaki – a type of stew
4. Tsukemono – pickled vegetables
5. Nihonshuu – knee-hone-shoe, basically what we call sake, except not. Made from rice. What we actually call sake back home is a Japanese made Korean alcohol made from wheat or barley or something. I can’t remember
Fukushima Orientation
All of the new people have to go to the Tokyo Orientation as well as the prefectural orientation. This is where we hear the same exact things as before. The only exception is the workshops that are held. They tell you about the transportation, recreation, foods, and other things specific to Fukushima. At night though, after all of the formal stuff, it was a complete shit show. All you can drink and a bunch of people who wanted to get wasted equals an intense equation. Like the kind of statistics which incorporates calculus, trig, geometry, algebra, and arithmetic. I of course blacked out for part of the night.
On the way back to the hotel, I got lost and had to get taken back by Birry. Once I got there, I went to the convenience store and bought chicken nuggets and some condoms. But the face the clerk gave me when I asked for them was a mixture of curiosity and utter surprise. He looked at me as if to say “you’re alone dude, why the hell would you need these?” The truth of the matter is that they sell United Colors of Benetton condoms and I really wanted to see them. At school I did a case study on apparel and Benetton was one of the companies, hence I really wanted to see them. Like, are they made of cotton or is it just designer latex? Double you tee eff. Then the next day we went back to Iwaki.
Cultural Notes
1. Prefecture – Same as state
On the way back to the hotel, I got lost and had to get taken back by Birry. Once I got there, I went to the convenience store and bought chicken nuggets and some condoms. But the face the clerk gave me when I asked for them was a mixture of curiosity and utter surprise. He looked at me as if to say “you’re alone dude, why the hell would you need these?” The truth of the matter is that they sell United Colors of Benetton condoms and I really wanted to see them. At school I did a case study on apparel and Benetton was one of the companies, hence I really wanted to see them. Like, are they made of cotton or is it just designer latex? Double you tee eff. Then the next day we went back to Iwaki.
Cultural Notes
1. Prefecture – Same as state
Weather
When we got off the plane in Tokyo and went outside, it was like a “tsunami,” if you will, of hot air that hit our bodies. I thought there would be no way that it would stay like this until late October. But it was disgusting for about a month, with little spurts since. 31 Celsius, 90% humidity. I was walking from my apt to work in regular clothes until I got to work, where I would change into my suit. My clothes were drenched. That’s how bad I was sweating. Our boss put it perfectly while talking to one of the other guys, “YOU BACK IS SWEAT. HAHAHAHA.”
Recently though, it’s changed drastically. The typhoon season hit, and its raining every other day. But its still humid as f.
Cultural Notes
1. Trek – Getting to the BOE would take me about an hour on foot, with only a 5 minute train ride.
2. Late October – weather changes. Winter starts to come in.
Recently though, it’s changed drastically. The typhoon season hit, and its raining every other day. But its still humid as f.
Cultural Notes
1. Trek – Getting to the BOE would take me about an hour on foot, with only a 5 minute train ride.
2. Late October – weather changes. Winter starts to come in.
First 3 Weeks @ Work
When we started working, we trekked to the board of education everyday. They set us up with cell phones, internet, bank accounts, alien registration cards, geishas, and other necessities. During this time, we also had a ton of ceremonial meetings and greetings. Full professional attire mandatory. Everything in Japan has an opening and closing ceremony. Very professional I guess. I’m not so sure. We got toured around the city the last week of being at the BOE. Iwaki is absolutely huge. The land area is about the size of the Los Angeles area with a 10th of the population. Pretty sparse. Unfamiliar. Out of my element. No blacks. No Mexicans. Except for 1 girl who is half of both. Daemon? Maybe. She makes me feel naughty. JK. HAHAHAHA… (: /). Overall, the time at the BOE was a blast because you have constant contact with other English speakers.
Iwaki
We all arrived in Iwaki on the Wednesday after we got here. There was a long ceremony in a city north of Iwaki called Koriyama. I think it’s the biggest city as far as shopping and eating goes in Fukushima. Then from there we got bused down to Iwaki.
A few of us were put up in a hotel for a few days because our predecessors came in the later group, and their contract wasn’t up until a week after we arrived. After the hotel we moved into our apts though. My apt has 1 tatami room, 1 western style room, a large living/dining/kitchen room, with 3 closets, a microwave, stove, washing machine, separate toilet, and a bath/shower unit. The entire place is covered in wallpaper and linoleum floors. The walls are also thinner than tissue paper, and because there is no clothes dryer, I have to hang dry all of my clothes. The Upside though? It costs nothing to live here and its huge and new. Rent is literally a fraction of what it cost at USC. I have a two bedroom apt for the price of cruiser bike, per month. A used cruiser bike that was sold to me by the same Mexicans who stole it. Ridiculous.
I have 5 neighbors, 3 from the states and 2 from Australia. The new girl and I have really gotten a lot of help from them. They have made it really easy adjusting.
Cultural notes
1. Hotels – almost all of the hotels here are like cabins on a cruise ship. The bathroom is elevated from the rest of the room and the shower water sprayer is connected to the sink faucet.
2. Bath/shower units – The baths and showers here are normally in the same unit, but not like the ones back home. There is a standing area just for taking a shower, and then there is a sunken part for the bath. The standard here is to take a shower and rinse and clean off, then jump into the bath to hang out, just like a spa.
A few of us were put up in a hotel for a few days because our predecessors came in the later group, and their contract wasn’t up until a week after we arrived. After the hotel we moved into our apts though. My apt has 1 tatami room, 1 western style room, a large living/dining/kitchen room, with 3 closets, a microwave, stove, washing machine, separate toilet, and a bath/shower unit. The entire place is covered in wallpaper and linoleum floors. The walls are also thinner than tissue paper, and because there is no clothes dryer, I have to hang dry all of my clothes. The Upside though? It costs nothing to live here and its huge and new. Rent is literally a fraction of what it cost at USC. I have a two bedroom apt for the price of cruiser bike, per month. A used cruiser bike that was sold to me by the same Mexicans who stole it. Ridiculous.
I have 5 neighbors, 3 from the states and 2 from Australia. The new girl and I have really gotten a lot of help from them. They have made it really easy adjusting.
Cultural notes
1. Hotels – almost all of the hotels here are like cabins on a cruise ship. The bathroom is elevated from the rest of the room and the shower water sprayer is connected to the sink faucet.
2. Bath/shower units – The baths and showers here are normally in the same unit, but not like the ones back home. There is a standing area just for taking a shower, and then there is a sunken part for the bath. The standard here is to take a shower and rinse and clean off, then jump into the bath to hang out, just like a spa.
Tokyo Orientation
It’s been almost two months since I’ve arrived. Things here have been very very fun.
Tokyo was absolutely ridiculous. We arrived on the July 27th which was a Sunday. That night, I went out with all of the Irish guys. They drink like horses. Literally the equivalent of Mel Gibson, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton put together, at the time of their DUI’s and anti-Semitic facts. And on top of that , they make every Irish person in the States look like little bitches.
So while going out with them, I had this terrible idea of trying to keep up with them. So each of us kept pouring beer into each other’s glasses, and by the end…well I can’t really remember the end, but we each drank about a pitcher of beer, and they weren’t even buzzing. It’s almost as if they have a minimum blood alcohol level of .2. Nuts
The next night was our prefectural night where people from our prefecture all went out together. Obviously. First stop was an izakaya. We ate curry pizza (: /) sashimi noodle salad (: /) and French fries ☺. We were also pounding beer and sake. The most incredible thing here too, is that there are all-you-can-drink bars for like 30 bucks. It has to be the greatest invention of all time. After dinner and drinks, we went out to a karaoke bar. It got even more ridiculous because a few others and me would go to a convenience store and buy beer, sake, or vodka and drink it on the streets. Yes, drinking is allowed in public here. After the first time sneaking the alcohol into the karaoke bar, we felt shitty, so the next 7/11 run we pounded all of the alcohol on the steps of karaoke and then went downstairs. One of the most awkward things of the entire trip thus far was during one of our 7/11 runs, I saw some foreigners. A black girl and a white guy. I assumed they were on JET too and started up a conversation. When I was listening to the girl, I could tell right away she wasn’t from the states or from Canada, so I asked her if she was from South Africa…She was from London. AWKWARD. I can’t remember too much after that, but I did rip off a toilet seat cover holder from the wall in the hotel. The metal part. The next morning I heard stories of eating a rice bowl with no chopsticks, just my face, and getting into intense conversations/ eye stares with homeless people.
The last night, a few of us went out to a club. It was awesome because the clubs here are all the size of Vegas clubs (GIGANTIC), but not quite the same as the ones in Acapulco. All of the clubs are really lax too, and pretty much let everybody in. A funny observation about Japanese clubs is that everyone at the club dances with the DJ, not with each other. Literally what they do is stare at the DJ and dance. There were many instances in which one of us would go up to a girl and start dancing with her. After less than a minute, they would just walk away. FAIL. But later they would come back and gravitate towards you the rest of the night. We were all perplexed, because they seriously keep following us the whole night. But it was a great time. We got back around 5 am, with a stop at another rice bowl place. It was awesome
Cultural notes
1. Izakaya – Japanese style pub with tatami mats and tables on the ground
2. Tabehodai – All you can eat
3. Nomihodai – All you can drink
4. Convenience store – Everywhere in Japan, almost every street corner. AKA Konbini/Conbene ( Cone-bee-knee)
5. Beer – Tall boys are the standard, no little cans
Tokyo was absolutely ridiculous. We arrived on the July 27th which was a Sunday. That night, I went out with all of the Irish guys. They drink like horses. Literally the equivalent of Mel Gibson, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton put together, at the time of their DUI’s and anti-Semitic facts. And on top of that , they make every Irish person in the States look like little bitches.
So while going out with them, I had this terrible idea of trying to keep up with them. So each of us kept pouring beer into each other’s glasses, and by the end…well I can’t really remember the end, but we each drank about a pitcher of beer, and they weren’t even buzzing. It’s almost as if they have a minimum blood alcohol level of .2. Nuts
The next night was our prefectural night where people from our prefecture all went out together. Obviously. First stop was an izakaya. We ate curry pizza (: /) sashimi noodle salad (: /) and French fries ☺. We were also pounding beer and sake. The most incredible thing here too, is that there are all-you-can-drink bars for like 30 bucks. It has to be the greatest invention of all time. After dinner and drinks, we went out to a karaoke bar. It got even more ridiculous because a few others and me would go to a convenience store and buy beer, sake, or vodka and drink it on the streets. Yes, drinking is allowed in public here. After the first time sneaking the alcohol into the karaoke bar, we felt shitty, so the next 7/11 run we pounded all of the alcohol on the steps of karaoke and then went downstairs. One of the most awkward things of the entire trip thus far was during one of our 7/11 runs, I saw some foreigners. A black girl and a white guy. I assumed they were on JET too and started up a conversation. When I was listening to the girl, I could tell right away she wasn’t from the states or from Canada, so I asked her if she was from South Africa…She was from London. AWKWARD. I can’t remember too much after that, but I did rip off a toilet seat cover holder from the wall in the hotel. The metal part. The next morning I heard stories of eating a rice bowl with no chopsticks, just my face, and getting into intense conversations/ eye stares with homeless people.
The last night, a few of us went out to a club. It was awesome because the clubs here are all the size of Vegas clubs (GIGANTIC), but not quite the same as the ones in Acapulco. All of the clubs are really lax too, and pretty much let everybody in. A funny observation about Japanese clubs is that everyone at the club dances with the DJ, not with each other. Literally what they do is stare at the DJ and dance. There were many instances in which one of us would go up to a girl and start dancing with her. After less than a minute, they would just walk away. FAIL. But later they would come back and gravitate towards you the rest of the night. We were all perplexed, because they seriously keep following us the whole night. But it was a great time. We got back around 5 am, with a stop at another rice bowl place. It was awesome
Cultural notes
1. Izakaya – Japanese style pub with tatami mats and tables on the ground
2. Tabehodai – All you can eat
3. Nomihodai – All you can drink
4. Convenience store – Everywhere in Japan, almost every street corner. AKA Konbini/Conbene ( Cone-bee-knee)
5. Beer – Tall boys are the standard, no little cans
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