Saturday, October 19, 2002

*... climbing the walls ...*
Literally. Since they changed my school hours, I now get off work at 11:15am on Fridays (whee!) so I decided to go to a climbing gym. Why? I don't know... we had a climbing gym at UCSD and never once did I get the desire. But this gym is right by my school, and curiousity got the best of me. Apparently, I am a natural, b/c the instructor guy kept setting me on harder and harder courses, and after all of that he told me that even he wouldn't have been able to do those first time. Aww yeah. All in all it was quite fun, especially jumping off the wall (no ropes/harnesses) onto these big fluffy mat things that I kept begging him to let me take home. I felt like my old self (which means this guy was probably thinking "this girl is a NUT!") and I will probably go back, although not for a while since my arms and fingers hurt so much right now that it is taking me 3 times longer to type than normal. According to my instructor-guy, my forearms will hurt for the first 2 months, then my shoulders will hurt, then my back, etc etc. He said it is rumored to take about 6 years to get the perfect climbing body. So by that calculation, I am 1/2190th on my way there!

By the way, no matter how long I stay here, I don't think I will ever get over how beautiful the sunsets over the Sea of Japan are. Colors dyeing the sky that I cannot even describe. I could take rolls and rolls of film, and have 365 different prints, each one as dazzling as the next. Unless it's raining. At the same time, I don't think I will get over the copious amounts of old men walking around with their zippers down and/or peeing in the streets...in broad daylight, towards traffic. (A phenomenon that I am NOT taking pictures of, in case you were wondering.)
2:16 PM

Friday, October 18, 2002

*... life in the fishbowl ...*
Raise your hand if you're a gaijin who has ever lived in Japan? And I am talking about permanent residence, registered as an alien, have roots and contacts and a job here, and not "I lived there for 2 weeks... as a TOURIST."

Let me tell you a little secret 'bout myself: Contrary to popular belief, I don't (always) like being the center of attention (I know, I know, hard to believe). But the fact of the matter is there are times when I would rather step out of the spotlight, blend into the crowd, have some "just-me" time. But here I am not allowed that, and it is quite trying.

This morning I was walking with one of the English teachers on our way to class, and he noticed I looked sad. I told him that it is sometimes very hard to live here, and he looked quite puzzled, so I told him how it is sometimes just a challenge to put the blinders on and get to work and try to ignore the people blatantly staring at me. He was quite amazed that this was even going on. So I further explained that even I, the picture of bouncing happiness, have my limits, and a lot of times I snap "NANI GA MITTEIMASUKA?!" at people ("what are you looking at??"). I can't help it.

It doesn't help that yesterday I got into an argument with the other teacher that speaks English well, my supervisor, about the dangers of America. This is the fool that keeps asking me, in front of his class, if America is going to start bombing people. Thus far I have been able to avoid answering by simply saying, "I don't know, I live in Japan now." I just don't want to be seen as the political representation for America. Yesterday, I was foolishly venting my frustrations and fears about the political state of the world today, and this baka said that it is too dangerous for him to live in America b/c everyone has a gun. Uh... nani? He argued that Japan was safer b/c they were required to get a license to have a gun. I just couldn't believe it, the crudest of stereotypes coming from the mouth of the guy that lived in America for a couple of years. I asked him how many people he knew at that time had a gun? Well... none. Then I told him that the only people that I know that own guns are pretty much all of my dad's side of the family, since hunting is in the blood, and I believe they get a hunting license at their christenings... But he wouldn't let it go, so I started saying that my suspicions about the chauvanistic ways of the Japanese were confirmed when I saw that the emaciated girls made up like dolls were allowed no more than typing jobs and serving tea, teetering around in ridiculously high heels and bleached blonde hair. He, of course, took great offense at that, but I think it eventually proved my point.

And if any fool who does not fit the above resident-of-Japan description makes any inane comments along the lines of "been-there, done that", I will have to fly back state-side and bite you in the ear, b/c living here and visiting here, no matter if 2 weeks feel like a year, are NOT the same thing. And now I have said my piece and am going to climb on a wall.
1:30 PM

Wednesday, October 16, 2002

*... it's raining, it's pouring ...*
Actually, I think it's doing more than just raining! I was woken 3 times last night by the rain and wind and lightning and thunder, and I had to keep getting up to shut windows that I had forgotten to shut. My apartment was only slightly flooded this morning. Yay for impending mildew!...??

On the walk to school, I had my trusty umbrella, flipping it all color-guard style (something this side of the pond has NEVER seen. I swear, I almost caused car crashes!) when all of a sudden it started to POUR. So much that even the kids, the natives, were SCREAMING!. If an unlucky soul didn't have their umbrella open in 2.5 seconds, they were drenched. Do the gods of the sky not realize that I am made of sugar and spice and everything nice, and that that combination, although fabulous in sunny weather, does not fair well soaked? It simply melts. And yes, I am aware that the Wicked Witch of the West suffered the same fate, I would rather like to think I am more like a PowerPuff girl and made up of only the finest ingredients. Do you ever see the PowerPuff girls in the rain? No, I didn't think so.

The way home was a dry but sadly happy one. I got a call today from Ko-shin JHS, the school I will be switching to in just over a month. They wanted to arrange a meeting. And it made me very very sad to have to leave Miyaura and start all over. That, coupled with many people asking me about the US's plans to attack Iraq was very trying to the soul. But then I met Miss Itoh, who I had seen come in before, but very sporadically. Turns out she's a counselor, comes in once a week, and speaks English BRILLIANTLY. So I chatted with her for a good hour and had to go home. And although I am delighted to have made her acquaintance, I am sad that I will be leaving her and the other young, fun teachers at Miyuara who are just now starting to talk with me, and I was hoping we could get together outside of school.

Speaking of which, I went to dinner last night with Kelly and a retired eigo no sensei at one of her schools, plus 2 other teachers. The retired teacher ended up leaving early, which left me to interpret. Between the 4 of us, we were able to understand Japanese and English, and now next week, Kelly and I will be going to one of the teacher's houses for dinner with her and her family. It's funny to be adopted like that because you speak English.
5:57 PM

Tuesday, October 15, 2002

*... if I knew then what I know now ...*
I would invest in 3 things:
Squeeze bottles ... since apparently nothing in this country, with the exception of mayonaise, comes in a squeeze bottle.
ZipLoc bags ... since they are no where to be found, or are touted as these very special, vegetable saving phenomenon. Riiiight.
((these 2 coming to mind after a rather disastrous attempt to make and pack for the road a peanut butter and honey sandwich... I will be finding honey in my kitchen, on my face, in my hair, for days, I am sure...))
Mascara ... A girl sitting across from me on the bus put on no less than 6 layers of mascara, top and bottom, using 2 different tubes of the stuff. I could see each individual lash after that, and I swear she would be a danger if her face acidentally ran into someone they were probably so dang sharp.
3:04 PM
*... oh, the places you'll go ...*
I have been all over Niigata like a ant at a picnic. This morning started out with a little trip to the Immigration office at the airport so I could get a re-entry permit in my passport. The thing with the Japanese is they will let you leave the country, but without this permit, they won't let you back in, regardless of what your visa says. It almost turned disastrous since I forgot my passport at home, and had to run (literally) home to get it, then run back to the bus center, then run back to the bus once getting the permit, as it was about to take off. Whew! Workout! Run, gaijin, run! The funny thing is at the Immigration office, they didn't say "To-ro-jii-saaaan" like I usually get, or even wave me down. Instead, I hear "Aah-may-ree-kaa-jin" and I instinctly popped up. Maybe because I looked like the only American in the joint.

Back at the bus center I hopped another bus to Furusato Village, on the outskirts of Niigata. Essentially it is a tourist trap, intended to introduce the non-native to the wonders of Niigata. Mostly I just got a kick out of all the free samples of these "wonders". In case you're wondering, they weren't all that wonderful.

From there, back city-side to Hakusan park, where there is supposedly a festival going on all this week. Kelly and I tried to be festive on Saturday, and I tried again today, but strike 2 and I am out. There was NOTHING going on. What a crock!

Then I padded my piddies back into Furumachi area to sign up for a Japanese language class at the Friendship Center (if anything, it will give me something to do, tho I do believe I am supposed to be in Intermediate, but am taking beginner b/c Kelly and James-the-Laddy are. He is known by that name b/c there are like 50 James here, it's hard to know who's who.) Besides, I am sure my language skills are developing quite nicely as I was actually able to have an argument with a bus driver!:

Me: Kono basu wa Furusato ni ikimasu ka? Is this bus going to Furusato?
Driver: Sado ka? Sado basu wa naka desu. Sado? The Sado bus is inside.
Me: Iie, chigaimasu. Furusato ni. No, not Sado. FURU-SATO.
Driver: Sado basu WA NAKA NAKA desu. The Sado bus is inside. Inside!
Me: Iie... AAH! Kekko kekko deshita. Kono basu juu-ni ban desu ka? No... Ah, enough of that! Is this bus number 12?
Driver: Iie. Sado basu wa naka ni roku-ban desu ne. No. The Sado bus is inside at gate 6.
Me: (rolling eyes)Hai, arigatoo... (under breath) baka desu ne.. Okay, thanks... idiot.

Yay for language skills! Maybe since the Center was closed, it's a sign that I don't actually need the lessons?
2:59 PM

Sunday, October 13, 2002

*... do re mi fa so ra shi do ...*
Today was the Miyaura Music concert, and boy what a time it was. Starts out with all 18 classes singing a different song, and I (along with some other teachers) were supposed to judge them on things like image, voice, harmony, and, get this, pronunciation. I gave everyone a 10 on that one; I couldn't tell the difference anyway. Then it was our turn, and I marched onto stage with the rest of staff and some parents for the PTA part. I kept protesting not to be in the front, but not only was I shoved into the front of the group, I was told as I was walking on stage that I had to do a solo part in English while the rest of the staff "doo doo doo'd" there way along. Ah yes, that is me, the soloist. In case you are curious, here is the first verse of the song:
ue o mu-u-itte
aa-ru ko-o-o-o
na-mi da ga ko-bo-re
aa ru yo-o-o-ni
o-mo-i da-su
ha-ru no-hi
hi-to-ri bo-o-chi no yo-ru

It's all because of you
I'm feeling sad and blue
You went away, now my life is full of rainy days
I love you so
How much you'll never know
You took your love away from me

Then it was time for the drummers (they were cool), the girls chorale (which sang 3 songs in English, none of which I could understand. Thankfully I wasn't judging them at the time) then the regular chorus, and a brass band with all the bells and whistles (literally. Can you imagine? "yeah, I'm in the band." "Oh really? What do you play?" "Oh, I play the whistle." Out of the 50+ members of the brass band, only 3 were guys. 1 in percussion, 1 trumpeter, and 1 on the baritone. 3 cheers for the all-girl trombone and sax sections! After that was some pan flute and shamisen artists, which put everyone to sleep, including the teachers on either side of me. The only ones seemingly not effected were the hyper ichi-nen-sens (1st years, which would be 7th graders to me and you), but they were subdued at least a little.

After the concert, I headed downtown and wandered around some outside market festival in the Furumachi area. Sampled lots of tasty local treats, but there were way too many people to move very far. BUT, I did get some cotton candy... (I forget what they call it here...) hot off the spinny-thing. Kris, you would have LOVED it. Better than Disneyland's.

*... and speaking of bananas ...*
(in a round about, delayed sort of way) I have fallen under the spell of the love of bananas around here. Not that I didn't adore them before, but I find myself compelled to choose the banana flavored items over others (okay, so green tea ice cream sounds less appetizing...). I had a banana shake, banana ice cream, banana chips, and the other night at dinner, a chocolate banana cream cake to perfectly compliment the garlic-rich Italian food Kelly and I and 5 other people feasted on.

By the way, anyone considering coming to Japan should have a diamond-hard and just as glittery self-image before they come. Today I was asked if I was dieting (b/c I didn't eat as much lunch as some other teachers) then told maybe I should (!!!) Uh, NO. Then I was told that my feet are too big, my hips are too big, my chest is too big, and did I have to bring all my clothes from America.

Well, no, I just shop in the 'ugly man' section, as a matter of fact.

5:03 PM