*long post is very long*
And so, with the encouraging words my mother just gave me being 'GET A SWEATSHIRT!!!' I shall now begin my portion on Japanese sanitary customs. Mainly, the topic both you and I love, toilets. Well, okay, maybe not just toilets, but you get the idea. This is bathroom talk, and not as in foul language and dirty jokes. This is complete, thorough, and absolute first hand observations on all my lavatory experience in Japan.
Now, for those of you reading this and going 'what the hell is she on? Toilets? What's so different about toilets?' allow me to explain. Japan, like many other countries outside of the American sphere of intelligence, has different bathing and toilet customs. For example, in some places in Europe, they don't bathe, they shower. Also, you crap in a hole in a floor, not a toilet. Toilets are, in those cases, for rich people. Just like central heating, dishwashers, and cars. For those fancy people with their frilly umbrellas. In Japan, you poo in either a tricked out toilet that does everything or in a hole in the floor.
First, I'll explain the toilets. And I don't mean the hole. I mean the crazy impressive toilets that people either rave about or scratch their heads over. These toilets look mostly normal, the structure similar to American style and, what I would imagine, European style. However, unlike Western toilets which have one feature (flush), Japanese toilets have lots of interesting perks. One, which I've come to appreciate due to the recent weather, is the sensory seat. Now, while in the hotel for one night, this seat was actually a bit startling. *Prepare yourself, for, though details will not be graphic, they will be details.* When sitting down on the hotel toilet (which had a remote by the way), the toilet immediately began a preemptive flush. For some people I know, this could be a way to actually help them use the bathroom, as they are sometimes self conscious of people knowing when they pee and for how long in public bathrooms. I could never understand it, but hey. However, once you sat down and the toilet went "whoosh!" the toilet made some sort of purring noise and began to warm up.
This feature, though seemingly absurd because, honestly, heated toilet seats?, is now my favorite thing about these toilets. I say this because, in Japanese houses, there is no central heating system. Instead, in each individual room there is a heater which is turned on and off depending on whether you turn it on or off. You can also adjust the temperature so it's nice and pleasant in your room *like now where my room is lovely.* However, your room may be lovely and warm, but the hallway just outside isn't, meaning that morning or evening run to the toilet is cold. And sitting on a cold toilet seat isn't exactly a swell thing. Thus, having a toilet, upon registering your weight, begin to warm up so you aren't shivering in the morning, is indeed a fine thing.
So, the toilets flush, heat up, but what else do they do? Well, oh curious one, they also come with many other exciting features, for both men and women! Not only can you control the volume of the flush (whether what you've just completed is a small work of art of a large one), the volume of water can be controlled by turning the flusher one way or the other. AMAZING! And that's not all! These toilets come with a full bidet! Designed for both male and female use so you can ensure yourself to be squeaky clean when you leave the bathroom.
That is, after you've washed your hands in the extremely small skin built into the wall that has no soap and, usually, no paper towels. Interesting, no?
Now, for those of you who have heard of the holes that Japanese people call toilets, don't freak out. Yes, they do have these toilets, but they're not actually just holes in the floor. Originally, when I heard that Japanese use a hole in the floor to do their business, my immediate mental image was that of a wooden floor with a hole cut in it leading to a metal pipe which then, at some point, ended in a septic tank or sewer. To complete this mental image, the floor in question was the fifth floor of an apartment complex and the pipe branched off of another larger pipe and every room in the apartment complex had a similar hole in the floor. Basically, I imagined an extremely elaborate and yet crude outhouse in someone's home.
This is not what a Japanese toilet looks like. In fact, calling it a hole in the floor is, though mostly accurate, an extremely misleading way of describing it. Instead of a hole, it is actually an oblong porcelain basin like structure set into a slightly raised floor with a small hood at one end. Water rushes through at one end to the drain at the other, thoroughly cleaning up whatever you've just done. Gives a whole new meaning to the term 'pop a squat' don't it? Anyway, in Japan, these toilets are actually considered the most sanitary because no part of your body actually touches the toilet, meaning all you have to do is make sure you're clean and go... a feat which isn't always easy, especially considering some Japanese public bathrooms don't have toilet paper. Or paper towels.
However, if you're freaked about having to squat to do your duty, fear not. Thus far, in every bathroom I've been in, it has either been Western style or, in the case of multiple toilets, had the option of either Japanese style or Western style. Nice, huh.
So, if that whole spiel on toilets didn't freak you out and have you learn something, please, let me try to further entertain you. With the topic of bathing. And I don't mean sit in a hot soapy tub until your hands and toes get all wrinkly. For those who don't know, the Japanese are very clean people. It's reflected in their dress, their manners, and even their cities. I haven't seen streets this clean since I was in Disneyland. Honestly. In leu with this, the Japanese are known for their baths. The hot springs, known as Onsen, are famous around the world for their relaxing baths and traditional customs and services. However, bathing is a very serious business. To take a bath, you must be clean. Therefore, you get yourself squeaky and nice BEFORE entering the hot and relaxing water of the bath. How is this done you might wonder. Easy. Three things. Stool. Basin. Shower.
Well, those three things and soap of course.
What you do is fill a the small plastic basin with hot water, douse yourself (upper and lower body NOT YOUR HAIR) with water a few times to get nice and wet before sudsing up. Then, when you've finished process one, you rinse. At a public bath house, you won't have the shower option of turning on the water and just hosing yourself down. However, at home, this is an option. Once you've got all the soap of, then and ONLY THEN can you actually enter the bath. May it be noted that you DO NOT allow your hair to get into the bath. This is considered rude and very bad manners. So, after sitting and enjoying the lovely hot water in the Japanese baths, you get out and, once again, shower off. NOW you can wash your hair and finish your cleaning process.
Now, taking a bath is COMPLETELY optional. Thus far in my stay here, I haven't really had much time to actually take a bath and, since I typically shower in the morning (trust me, bed head doesn't begin to cover the chaos), I haven't been able to actually enjoy a good soak in the tub. Therefore, the process is simple. Get up, go to the toilet, then enter the bathroom. *Yes, the toilet and bathroom are separate* Now, here comes the REALLY COOL PART! Unlike Western homes, the Japanese don't have a water heater. This is EXTREMELY important to know, because if you don't know that you have to turn ON the hot water before trying to take a shower, you're in for one cold experience. Trust me, it's not a great way to wake up. Because they do not have a hot water heater, the Japanese heat the water while it travels through the pipes, meaning you never run out of hot water. However, you pay for the hot water depending on how much you use, so don't just assume you can use as much as you want.
Now the fun part: actually bathing. The space where the actual bath is located is in a water sealed room, meaning anything and everything can get wet. So, once you're all nice and nekkid *naked* (do this in the adjourning room. No one wants to leave a shower in wet clothes), you enter the actual bath area and sit down on the small stood. Now what? Now, you turn on the water until it's hot and do just as I previously described. Basin. Douse. Soap. Again, you don't have to take a bath, therefore instead of keeping your hair dry so as not to be rude, you can also just wash your hair while soaping. Then just switch the faucet to shower and hose off. Simple and quick. And I mean that. At home (America), a shower or bath takes time. You have to get all wet, soap up, do your thing, rinse off, and all this time waiting for water to do it's cleaning thing. Here, you throw some water on yourself, make use of soap, and rinse off. 1. 2. 3. Not only does it conserve water, but it's also extremely effective. I don't know if I ever really want to go back to the Western style of bathing at this point.
So, now you're all nice and clean and can leave the shower. So grab your towel, wipe down, slip on your house slippers, grab your clothes, and TURN OFF THE HOT WATER! Seriously, don't forget to do this.
And there you have it in simple, yet elaborate terms (because I always talk/type too much). Now, you can bring something new and exciting to those boring dinner table conversations and awkward car rides. Amaze your friends with the strange but exciting technicalities of Japanese lavatories and bathing rituals! You can even throw in some ornamentation, like the fact that the Japanese companies all hand out tissues. Why? Well, public bathrooms typically lack toilet paper. You do the math.
Next blog? Ramen and being foreign.
*God I feel like some sort of annoying television show. With the horrifically stereotypical white male who's so hyped on steroids and caffeine he looks like he's peeing himself in excitement. Yeah, that show.*
Ai out-
Monday, March 29, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Word of the Day: さむい[samui]
Okay, well, technically, it's the word of yesterday. Though today counts as well.
For those wondering what on earth 'samui' means, it's simple. It means 'cold,' which was the weather yesterday and has been for the past week or so. Honestly, it hasn't gone over 55 degrees here and I'm beginning to wonder if I'm still in Kansas, Toto.
Yesterday was, to put it bluntly, absolutely amazing. With the WIC (Waseda Internation Club) all of us who wanted to got to go on a 'Tokyo Tour'. Or one of two Tokyo Tours. As it was, I went on the Asakusa and Akihabara tour. And MAN was it fun. Starting in Akihabara (the tour left at 11:30 in the Amdizzle), we, all 30 of us) crammed into the small upstairs of a restaurant and had lunch. Which was an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. Sitting about 8-10 to a table, no bigger than an average computer desk, we had food prepared in front of us by, no joke, us. The wait staff showed us what to do and, with the help of the Japanese students from the WIC on the tour with us, we managed to make monjayaki, okonomiyaki, and other yum yums.
After that, which was awesome and delicious and fun, we hopped back on the Subway and traveled to Asakusa. If you're wondering why we didn't spend more time in Akihabara, it was because lunch took around an hour and half to get through. This was because we were over 30 people and because it was a long meal. Starting with monjayaki, then okonomiyaki, then some potatoes and spicy sausage, and another round of monjayaki for fun.
So, after a few more subway rides and introductions (we all got very good at saying 'hajimemashite' [nice to meet you *used to begin introductions*] and 'yoroshiku onegaishimasu' [nice to meet you or please be kind to me *used at the end of introductions*]), we traveled to Asakusa. Asakusa is one of the older parts of the city. Host to a large temple, shrines, and lots of shopping and food, the section was pretty much throbbing with activity. That, and we saw more foreigners there than anywhere else in Tokyo. Because of all the historical stuff and shopping, it's pretty much a tourist trap.
There, we were allowed to explore and investigate. Which we did happily, easily running into our friends yet again and then all traveling, en mass, to get some of the most delicious snacks I've ever had. Known as 'melon pan' 「メロン パン」 it's a sort of bread or pastry snack which is both hot (thank god because we were all so cold) slightly sweet, and fluffily delicious. I know that's technically not a word, but, given the circumstances, I hope you'll let it slide. And, not only is it delicious, it's cheap. The bakery we were in was actually famous for it, working in a small shop and literally a hole in the wall. However, it's fame was obvious as there was a never ending line outside the door and everyone seemed to want to get their own portion of 'melon pan' before leaving. It's something I would happily take back to the states with me and eat every day. Though I doubt they'd ever taste as good.
So we explored, enjoyed, and then, after a ton of group photos, hopped on the subway yet again, and traveled to komagome (I think) for another round of Ohanami. Which, originally, all of us were dreading, but which turned out to be better than any of us had expected. The city is host to one of the most spectacular gardens I've ever seen, with beautiful trees, bushes, grounds, landscaping, and, especially, lighting facilities. This was key as we were there at night, around 7:30 pm to be exact, and looking at Sakura in the dark isn't nearly as impressive as when it's lovely and sunny. However, the trees illuminated in the darkness were actually more impressive and breathtaking. The blossoms stood out in stark contrast to the darkness and the whole place seemed to take on a kinda of ethereal presence.
To say it was beautiful would be an understatement. I wish I could give you guys a good idea of what it was like with pictures, but my camera isn't that great in the dark and most of the images came out blurry. Also, a photograph could never really express what it was actually like to be there. It would be like trying to compare a piece of construction paper to a Monet.
After we froze ourselves looking at the pretty flowers, our group finally returned to Takadanobaba for either a farewell or dinner party. Give you three guesses which I chose to do and, considering there's only two options, none of them should count. :P
And thus began my first experience eating Japanese style Italian food. We went to the local Italian restaurant (which I annoyingly can't remember the name of) for a dinner of yum, friends, and good spirits (not the alcohol kind). Since we had basically been doing nothing but eating all day wherever we went, I wasn't particularly hungry, therefore ordering a DELICIOUS but small dish (again, can't remember the name. I'm gonna go back, because it was both good and CHEAP and find out the name) which consisted of rice, a cream and cheese sauce, and meat sauce over that. Basically yum in a bowl/crock place thing. By the time we finished dinner it was late and, after spending another twenty minutes with all of my new Japanese friends clammoring to get my number, I bid them farewell amid many cries of 'KYOUTSUKETE!' [be safe!] Bed never felt more lovely.
Now, in case you are wondering why I titled this entry as being cold, it's because it was. Freezing, white stiff hands, runny nose, and convulsive shivering cold. Honestly, when I packed to come here, I didn't expect to be entering the same weather, if not cold, from what I left in Maine. And I mean it. Talking with all my new Japanese friends (yes, I've finally made some Japanese friends), they've all said that this is unusually cold for Japan and, typically, it's a lot warmer and the weather is a lot nicer. Zannen desu ne? [too bad, right?] I'm already thinking of investing in a sweat shirt or two and may, if the price is right, invest in a jacket as well. I have a trench coat but, for those group trips and traveling excursions, a simple jacket might be worth its weight in gold. Or cold, which ever way you want to weigh the benefits.
As for my Japanese friends, I have a suggestion to make for anyone who comes to Japan. DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH while you're here. If you want to, it's very easy to get by just with acting naive and only speaking in English. However, communication takes a long time and, though a lot of people here DO speak English, a lot of other people don't. So, if that's not incentive, I'll give you some more. While I've been here, I've been speaking both English and Japanese and, as much as I can, trying to speak in as much Japanese as possible. Of course, I made a lot of friends yesterday who also spoke English, but about half way through the day I began making more Japanese friends. End result? For almost the entire rest of the day I was speaking in Japanese. If anyone says repetition is ineffective, hit them, because they're wrong. The more I've been speaking Japanese and only hanging around Japanese people, speaking in Japanese, the more I'm learning. Also, a perk from this, you feel much more comfortable. It can be incredibly intimidating hearing everyone around you only speaking in a language you can't understand, if not scary. However, if you immerse yourself in it, you begin to pick up on manners of speech, words, intonations, and conversational cues you'd never get in classes. To top it off, your own Japanese gets a lot better. It may seem like the norm to speak more Japanese than English here, but, surprisingly, I've seen a lot of people speak more of their native tongue than Japanese. I've only had about a year and a half, but I'm pretty much doing everything to only speak in Japanese, only using English when someone looks at me like I've grown a second head.
Also, I've never been more thankful for my habit of gesticulation. As one of my friends, who has had almost no Japanese, it can sometimes be like a game of charades.
So, that's my update from yesterday. Today I have a bit of time and may FINALLY write about bathrooms and toilets and showers or other such topics. However, I figure I might give it a few hours before I shove something else down your throats.
Again, for those who didn't pick it up, I love Japan. Even if it is crazy cold. :D
Ai out-
For those wondering what on earth 'samui' means, it's simple. It means 'cold,' which was the weather yesterday and has been for the past week or so. Honestly, it hasn't gone over 55 degrees here and I'm beginning to wonder if I'm still in Kansas, Toto.
Yesterday was, to put it bluntly, absolutely amazing. With the WIC (Waseda Internation Club) all of us who wanted to got to go on a 'Tokyo Tour'. Or one of two Tokyo Tours. As it was, I went on the Asakusa and Akihabara tour. And MAN was it fun. Starting in Akihabara (the tour left at 11:30 in the Amdizzle), we, all 30 of us) crammed into the small upstairs of a restaurant and had lunch. Which was an experience I wouldn't trade for anything. Sitting about 8-10 to a table, no bigger than an average computer desk, we had food prepared in front of us by, no joke, us. The wait staff showed us what to do and, with the help of the Japanese students from the WIC on the tour with us, we managed to make monjayaki, okonomiyaki, and other yum yums.
After that, which was awesome and delicious and fun, we hopped back on the Subway and traveled to Asakusa. If you're wondering why we didn't spend more time in Akihabara, it was because lunch took around an hour and half to get through. This was because we were over 30 people and because it was a long meal. Starting with monjayaki, then okonomiyaki, then some potatoes and spicy sausage, and another round of monjayaki for fun.
So, after a few more subway rides and introductions (we all got very good at saying 'hajimemashite' [nice to meet you *used to begin introductions*] and 'yoroshiku onegaishimasu' [nice to meet you or please be kind to me *used at the end of introductions*]), we traveled to Asakusa. Asakusa is one of the older parts of the city. Host to a large temple, shrines, and lots of shopping and food, the section was pretty much throbbing with activity. That, and we saw more foreigners there than anywhere else in Tokyo. Because of all the historical stuff and shopping, it's pretty much a tourist trap.
There, we were allowed to explore and investigate. Which we did happily, easily running into our friends yet again and then all traveling, en mass, to get some of the most delicious snacks I've ever had. Known as 'melon pan' 「メロン パン」 it's a sort of bread or pastry snack which is both hot (thank god because we were all so cold) slightly sweet, and fluffily delicious. I know that's technically not a word, but, given the circumstances, I hope you'll let it slide. And, not only is it delicious, it's cheap. The bakery we were in was actually famous for it, working in a small shop and literally a hole in the wall. However, it's fame was obvious as there was a never ending line outside the door and everyone seemed to want to get their own portion of 'melon pan' before leaving. It's something I would happily take back to the states with me and eat every day. Though I doubt they'd ever taste as good.
So we explored, enjoyed, and then, after a ton of group photos, hopped on the subway yet again, and traveled to komagome (I think) for another round of Ohanami. Which, originally, all of us were dreading, but which turned out to be better than any of us had expected. The city is host to one of the most spectacular gardens I've ever seen, with beautiful trees, bushes, grounds, landscaping, and, especially, lighting facilities. This was key as we were there at night, around 7:30 pm to be exact, and looking at Sakura in the dark isn't nearly as impressive as when it's lovely and sunny. However, the trees illuminated in the darkness were actually more impressive and breathtaking. The blossoms stood out in stark contrast to the darkness and the whole place seemed to take on a kinda of ethereal presence.
To say it was beautiful would be an understatement. I wish I could give you guys a good idea of what it was like with pictures, but my camera isn't that great in the dark and most of the images came out blurry. Also, a photograph could never really express what it was actually like to be there. It would be like trying to compare a piece of construction paper to a Monet.
After we froze ourselves looking at the pretty flowers, our group finally returned to Takadanobaba for either a farewell or dinner party. Give you three guesses which I chose to do and, considering there's only two options, none of them should count. :P
And thus began my first experience eating Japanese style Italian food. We went to the local Italian restaurant (which I annoyingly can't remember the name of) for a dinner of yum, friends, and good spirits (not the alcohol kind). Since we had basically been doing nothing but eating all day wherever we went, I wasn't particularly hungry, therefore ordering a DELICIOUS but small dish (again, can't remember the name. I'm gonna go back, because it was both good and CHEAP and find out the name) which consisted of rice, a cream and cheese sauce, and meat sauce over that. Basically yum in a bowl/crock place thing. By the time we finished dinner it was late and, after spending another twenty minutes with all of my new Japanese friends clammoring to get my number, I bid them farewell amid many cries of 'KYOUTSUKETE!' [be safe!] Bed never felt more lovely.
Now, in case you are wondering why I titled this entry as being cold, it's because it was. Freezing, white stiff hands, runny nose, and convulsive shivering cold. Honestly, when I packed to come here, I didn't expect to be entering the same weather, if not cold, from what I left in Maine. And I mean it. Talking with all my new Japanese friends (yes, I've finally made some Japanese friends), they've all said that this is unusually cold for Japan and, typically, it's a lot warmer and the weather is a lot nicer. Zannen desu ne? [too bad, right?] I'm already thinking of investing in a sweat shirt or two and may, if the price is right, invest in a jacket as well. I have a trench coat but, for those group trips and traveling excursions, a simple jacket might be worth its weight in gold. Or cold, which ever way you want to weigh the benefits.
As for my Japanese friends, I have a suggestion to make for anyone who comes to Japan. DON'T SPEAK ENGLISH while you're here. If you want to, it's very easy to get by just with acting naive and only speaking in English. However, communication takes a long time and, though a lot of people here DO speak English, a lot of other people don't. So, if that's not incentive, I'll give you some more. While I've been here, I've been speaking both English and Japanese and, as much as I can, trying to speak in as much Japanese as possible. Of course, I made a lot of friends yesterday who also spoke English, but about half way through the day I began making more Japanese friends. End result? For almost the entire rest of the day I was speaking in Japanese. If anyone says repetition is ineffective, hit them, because they're wrong. The more I've been speaking Japanese and only hanging around Japanese people, speaking in Japanese, the more I'm learning. Also, a perk from this, you feel much more comfortable. It can be incredibly intimidating hearing everyone around you only speaking in a language you can't understand, if not scary. However, if you immerse yourself in it, you begin to pick up on manners of speech, words, intonations, and conversational cues you'd never get in classes. To top it off, your own Japanese gets a lot better. It may seem like the norm to speak more Japanese than English here, but, surprisingly, I've seen a lot of people speak more of their native tongue than Japanese. I've only had about a year and a half, but I'm pretty much doing everything to only speak in Japanese, only using English when someone looks at me like I've grown a second head.
Also, I've never been more thankful for my habit of gesticulation. As one of my friends, who has had almost no Japanese, it can sometimes be like a game of charades.
So, that's my update from yesterday. Today I have a bit of time and may FINALLY write about bathrooms and toilets and showers or other such topics. However, I figure I might give it a few hours before I shove something else down your throats.
Again, for those who didn't pick it up, I love Japan. Even if it is crazy cold. :D
Ai out-
Saturday, March 27, 2010
待った明日[Matta Ashita] / おはなみ[Ohanami]
For those wondering that in God's name the title of this entry means, I'll make the explanation short and simple (strange, I know). It means 'until tomorrow'. Which is exactly the focus of this entry.
Initially, I had intended to be able to write about my experiences with toilets, showers, and all other sanitary related topics today in this post..... okay, that's a bit of a lie. But it was a good intention none the less. Either way, I was hoping to be able to get that post up sooner rather than later. As it is, the time is now nearly 11 pm, I have to walk all over Tokyo tomorrow, and I'm tired. Therefore, Long post will not actually be long. In fact, hopefully, short post will be just that, short.
Today's topic? Ohanami.
Ohanami is the Japanese tradition of getting together a group of family, friends, or both and sitting in a park, under the sakura blooms in spring, while eating, drinking, and basically being merry. It's like Christmas except without gifts, over eating, and Uncle Joe telling you all about his back surgery. The sakura blooms, or cherry blossom blooms for those completely ignorant of anything related to Japan, are incredibly symbolic in Japan. They represent the brevity of life and importance of every small little delicate thing in that time period. Since the flowers only bloom for about one week, it is typical to find ohanami parties in almost every park. People will sit out under the trees on tarps, gathered around a pile of food, a portable grill, or just sitting together, laughing and having fun. Around the area are food stalls and other such small short period booths (pretty much just food stalls) for people to get food from.
And, one of the most important aspects of this tradition, everyone (of age or about) drinks. And I don't mean 'let's raise a glass of beer and get drunk my friends,' I mean a really delicious osake (Japanese alcohol) that everyone enjoys while chatting and enjoying life.
Today, I got to go to an ohanami which was hosted by one of the International student groups at Waseda. Sadly, we went at night, meaning the sakura didn't have the best lighting, but, none the less, it was still extremely fun. There was food, osake, and extremely good company. The fact that it was freezing didn't deter anyone as we all laughed and attempted to communicate in both fragmented English and Japanese with each other. I can easily understand why this is one of the most enjoyed traditions in Japan. That feel good feeling you get after helping someone or the unexplainable joy at seeing a litter of kittens? Yeah, that sort of thing. Just happy all around.
That's Ohanami.
Just a side note though. The osake which tastes like a sweet almost syrupy drink? Yeah, be careful. Because, even with just one glass, I could tell it could knock you on your ass and laugh at you when you tried to get up again.
Keep that in mind for when you come to Japan. That and walking on the left side.
Basically, an end to a great day.
Ai out-
Initially, I had intended to be able to write about my experiences with toilets, showers, and all other sanitary related topics today in this post..... okay, that's a bit of a lie. But it was a good intention none the less. Either way, I was hoping to be able to get that post up sooner rather than later. As it is, the time is now nearly 11 pm, I have to walk all over Tokyo tomorrow, and I'm tired. Therefore, Long post will not actually be long. In fact, hopefully, short post will be just that, short.
Today's topic? Ohanami.
Ohanami is the Japanese tradition of getting together a group of family, friends, or both and sitting in a park, under the sakura blooms in spring, while eating, drinking, and basically being merry. It's like Christmas except without gifts, over eating, and Uncle Joe telling you all about his back surgery. The sakura blooms, or cherry blossom blooms for those completely ignorant of anything related to Japan, are incredibly symbolic in Japan. They represent the brevity of life and importance of every small little delicate thing in that time period. Since the flowers only bloom for about one week, it is typical to find ohanami parties in almost every park. People will sit out under the trees on tarps, gathered around a pile of food, a portable grill, or just sitting together, laughing and having fun. Around the area are food stalls and other such small short period booths (pretty much just food stalls) for people to get food from.
And, one of the most important aspects of this tradition, everyone (of age or about) drinks. And I don't mean 'let's raise a glass of beer and get drunk my friends,' I mean a really delicious osake (Japanese alcohol) that everyone enjoys while chatting and enjoying life.
Today, I got to go to an ohanami which was hosted by one of the International student groups at Waseda. Sadly, we went at night, meaning the sakura didn't have the best lighting, but, none the less, it was still extremely fun. There was food, osake, and extremely good company. The fact that it was freezing didn't deter anyone as we all laughed and attempted to communicate in both fragmented English and Japanese with each other. I can easily understand why this is one of the most enjoyed traditions in Japan. That feel good feeling you get after helping someone or the unexplainable joy at seeing a litter of kittens? Yeah, that sort of thing. Just happy all around.
That's Ohanami.
Just a side note though. The osake which tastes like a sweet almost syrupy drink? Yeah, be careful. Because, even with just one glass, I could tell it could knock you on your ass and laugh at you when you tried to get up again.
Keep that in mind for when you come to Japan. That and walking on the left side.
Basically, an end to a great day.
Ai out-
Friday, March 26, 2010
Mah, mah, Mah Telephone!
For those wondering, the title of this blog is taken from the Lady Gaga ft. Beyonce song 'Telephone' where Lady Gaga goes all gangster and starts trying to rap the lyrics "my telephone" in her own Lady Gaga fashion.
Which has nothing really to do with this post except for the word 'phone.' A device which allows for verbal communication between people over far distances without direct contact. It operates through radio waves and transmits signals which travel through the air and eventually are received and result in the newest form of human communication. The term 'cell phone' is used in reference to these small mobile devices which have established a significant popularity in the current day and age, especially among the youth.
And especially in Japan.
Where the phones are so tricked out that, really, you may never need another gadget again.
Here, let me give you an example or analogy. Japanese phones are to American phones as Rocket ships and space exploration are to the Caveman's wheel. Yeah, that intense. Overall, they look normal, pretty basic structure and design, until you try to do something. Then the simple key pad suddenly becomes complicated and intense. No joke. On American phones, basic ones I mean, not the crazy advanced iPhone, we can call people, manage contacts, occasionally text, and keep data. On a BASIC Japanese phone, you can call people, send texts, manage contacts, keep data, send emails, listen to music, watch tv, hold a video chat, take pictures, take movies, send those pictures and movies to friends, manage dates and schedules, use a calculator, check the weather, look at maps, use a GPS, and charge it in the sunlight.
That's just some of the things my phone does. And it cost me 0 yen. Of course, I'll be getting the bill for the plan later but, according to my host father (who is amazing), I got a really good deal and relatively cheap plan.
Now, you may be wondering how I got all of this and for 0 yen. Allow me to tell you a story about the kindness of Japanese people. It's a slightly long story, so you may want to go get a cup of coffee/tea and a biscuit if you think you may get hungry.
Start the day I meet my host family. After my school's representative left, having joined us for lunch (a jolly affair), my host mother and father took me to the local area of Jiyugaoka, a shopping district and lovely setting, where there was a docomo shop. For those wondering, docomo is one of the primary phone companies and manufacturers in Japan. This particular shop is big and extremely friendly. The store employees all greeted us with a happy 'irrashaimase!' upon entrance (the equivalent of 'welcome' in America, except happier and they all say it while bowing) and we swiftly were directed to wait on comfy chairs before we could begin the phone acquisition process. Of course, sitting was interrupted by the curiosity of the phones everywhere all looking extremely shiny and pretty and interesting.
And then, after about 20 minutes, a gent in a puffy blue jacket comes up and politely asks what's going on (in Japanese. Thank God for my host father) and begins to immediately point out the best phones and deals. We chatted (meaning my host family and he chatted) for a good more 20 minutes before our number was called, taking down notes and getting all sorts of juicy tidbits. And so, when sitting at the counter and attempting to pick out some of the rapid fire Japanese, we discover that this man, Mr. Blue Jacket, has not only just made it so that I can get a decent phone which would usually cost about 6,000 yen, but I can, through deals and discounts, get the phone for 0 yen. Not too shabby.
For those wondering why I had to go with my host family to the phone store, in order to get a Japanese phone you must have a sponsor to indicate you won't be a jerk and just run off with it and be irresponsible. Therefore, I couldn't get a phone without the help of my family acting as my sponsor/proxy.
So now we're looking at this snazzy little phone for 0 yen and almost done wrapping things up when the clerk brings over this big wheel thing and sets it down in front of me. Confusing? Yes. "You turn it to find out your prize," says my host father. Disbelief was rampant. Yet, when I turn the crank and a little yellow ball pops out, both my host father, Mr. Blue Jacket, and the clerk all make excited vocalizations and next thing I know I'm being given a gift pack from the Body Shop FOR FREE along with my phone which I paid 0 yen for and a free phone charm.
Talk about perks.
Not only that, but when we left the shop, Mr. Blue Jacket immediately tells me he can set up my phone for me and does so, swiftly clicking through menus and buttons and setting up the foreign object for use. Honestly, this guy was amazing. He came up to complete strangers, one of them foreign, tells them the best deals and ways to get absolute discounts on the phones, and then helps the ignorant foreign girl set up her phone. For nothing except a thank you. Which I kept saying over and over and over because, really, it was more kind that I could ever imagine.
"Kindness is not for other people," Mr. Blue Jacket said, gesturing to me and my host father after saying something in Japanese. Then he smiled. "It's a Japanese proverb. Kindness is a not for myself, but for other people. When you are a kind to other people, you feel good. And kindness comes back to you. Kindness is never for yourself."
And that, ladies and gentleman, is probably one of the biggest lessons anyone can learn in their lives.
And I was told it the first day of actually being in Japan by a random guy in a blue puffy jacket who, out of completely blind kindness, helped me in more ways than I can describe.
"This is a my hobby," Mr. Blue Jacket said, gesturing to the phones. "All the time, I read these [insert gesture to phone magazine]. Every day, I in here [insert gesture to shop]. Ofuro mo [translation: Also in the bath]."
Explanation I got later? Mr. Blue Jacket was what my host father referred to as an otaku. He had one focus and interest, and that was the phones. He read all the fine print, knew all the deals, the details, and ins and outs of the industry and products. Talk about a fortunate encounter.
It is customary in Japan to give gifts to people. Something I was aware of when I was preparing to come here. So, I was lucky enough to have a small little magnet in my bag with a picture of a Maine light house on it. When we were leaving, I bowed low to Mr. Blue Jacket, holding out the magnet with both hands (don't forget to always use BOTH hands when presenting something) and saying "Doomo arigatou gozaimasu!" [Translation: thank you very much (formal)]. He took it, saying 'Oh?' and looking at in with interest. "What is this?"
"A magnet, from my hometown in Maine," I told him, my face probably turning a lovely shade and feeling extremely self conscious (how could I not? It was peanuts compared to what he had just given me).
"MAGNET!" He yelled, suddenly getting extremely excited. "Wow! I love magnets! Also my hobby!" Surprise surprise! He pointed to the small picture. "Maine, right? Steven King!"
Yokatta means 'that's good,' or 'I'm relived' or 'I'm glad.' Upon saying it here, I meant it in all forms. Granted, a small magnet of coastal Maine is really nothing compared to a phone for 0 yen and free set up done completely out of kindness, but I was at least glad he liked it so much.
And that is just one example of the kindness which is practically ubiquidous here. No joke. Everyone is so kind and patient and helpful, it's like being in Disney land without all the crazy costumes and synthetic imagery.
And so, I have a phone which does pretty much everything except brush my teeth and a Japanese proverb I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
If only I can remember what it was in Japanese.
-Ai out.
Which has nothing really to do with this post except for the word 'phone.' A device which allows for verbal communication between people over far distances without direct contact. It operates through radio waves and transmits signals which travel through the air and eventually are received and result in the newest form of human communication. The term 'cell phone' is used in reference to these small mobile devices which have established a significant popularity in the current day and age, especially among the youth.
And especially in Japan.
Where the phones are so tricked out that, really, you may never need another gadget again.
Here, let me give you an example or analogy. Japanese phones are to American phones as Rocket ships and space exploration are to the Caveman's wheel. Yeah, that intense. Overall, they look normal, pretty basic structure and design, until you try to do something. Then the simple key pad suddenly becomes complicated and intense. No joke. On American phones, basic ones I mean, not the crazy advanced iPhone, we can call people, manage contacts, occasionally text, and keep data. On a BASIC Japanese phone, you can call people, send texts, manage contacts, keep data, send emails, listen to music, watch tv, hold a video chat, take pictures, take movies, send those pictures and movies to friends, manage dates and schedules, use a calculator, check the weather, look at maps, use a GPS, and charge it in the sunlight.
That's just some of the things my phone does. And it cost me 0 yen. Of course, I'll be getting the bill for the plan later but, according to my host father (who is amazing), I got a really good deal and relatively cheap plan.
Now, you may be wondering how I got all of this and for 0 yen. Allow me to tell you a story about the kindness of Japanese people. It's a slightly long story, so you may want to go get a cup of coffee/tea and a biscuit if you think you may get hungry.
Start the day I meet my host family. After my school's representative left, having joined us for lunch (a jolly affair), my host mother and father took me to the local area of Jiyugaoka, a shopping district and lovely setting, where there was a docomo shop. For those wondering, docomo is one of the primary phone companies and manufacturers in Japan. This particular shop is big and extremely friendly. The store employees all greeted us with a happy 'irrashaimase!' upon entrance (the equivalent of 'welcome' in America, except happier and they all say it while bowing) and we swiftly were directed to wait on comfy chairs before we could begin the phone acquisition process. Of course, sitting was interrupted by the curiosity of the phones everywhere all looking extremely shiny and pretty and interesting.
And then, after about 20 minutes, a gent in a puffy blue jacket comes up and politely asks what's going on (in Japanese. Thank God for my host father) and begins to immediately point out the best phones and deals. We chatted (meaning my host family and he chatted) for a good more 20 minutes before our number was called, taking down notes and getting all sorts of juicy tidbits. And so, when sitting at the counter and attempting to pick out some of the rapid fire Japanese, we discover that this man, Mr. Blue Jacket, has not only just made it so that I can get a decent phone which would usually cost about 6,000 yen, but I can, through deals and discounts, get the phone for 0 yen. Not too shabby.
For those wondering why I had to go with my host family to the phone store, in order to get a Japanese phone you must have a sponsor to indicate you won't be a jerk and just run off with it and be irresponsible. Therefore, I couldn't get a phone without the help of my family acting as my sponsor/proxy.
So now we're looking at this snazzy little phone for 0 yen and almost done wrapping things up when the clerk brings over this big wheel thing and sets it down in front of me. Confusing? Yes. "You turn it to find out your prize," says my host father. Disbelief was rampant. Yet, when I turn the crank and a little yellow ball pops out, both my host father, Mr. Blue Jacket, and the clerk all make excited vocalizations and next thing I know I'm being given a gift pack from the Body Shop FOR FREE along with my phone which I paid 0 yen for and a free phone charm.
Talk about perks.
Not only that, but when we left the shop, Mr. Blue Jacket immediately tells me he can set up my phone for me and does so, swiftly clicking through menus and buttons and setting up the foreign object for use. Honestly, this guy was amazing. He came up to complete strangers, one of them foreign, tells them the best deals and ways to get absolute discounts on the phones, and then helps the ignorant foreign girl set up her phone. For nothing except a thank you. Which I kept saying over and over and over because, really, it was more kind that I could ever imagine.
"Kindness is not for other people," Mr. Blue Jacket said, gesturing to me and my host father after saying something in Japanese. Then he smiled. "It's a Japanese proverb. Kindness is a not for myself, but for other people. When you are a kind to other people, you feel good. And kindness comes back to you. Kindness is never for yourself."
And that, ladies and gentleman, is probably one of the biggest lessons anyone can learn in their lives.
And I was told it the first day of actually being in Japan by a random guy in a blue puffy jacket who, out of completely blind kindness, helped me in more ways than I can describe.
"This is a my hobby," Mr. Blue Jacket said, gesturing to the phones. "All the time, I read these [insert gesture to phone magazine]. Every day, I in here [insert gesture to shop]. Ofuro mo [translation: Also in the bath]."
Explanation I got later? Mr. Blue Jacket was what my host father referred to as an otaku. He had one focus and interest, and that was the phones. He read all the fine print, knew all the deals, the details, and ins and outs of the industry and products. Talk about a fortunate encounter.
It is customary in Japan to give gifts to people. Something I was aware of when I was preparing to come here. So, I was lucky enough to have a small little magnet in my bag with a picture of a Maine light house on it. When we were leaving, I bowed low to Mr. Blue Jacket, holding out the magnet with both hands (don't forget to always use BOTH hands when presenting something) and saying "Doomo arigatou gozaimasu!" [Translation: thank you very much (formal)]. He took it, saying 'Oh?' and looking at in with interest. "What is this?"
"A magnet, from my hometown in Maine," I told him, my face probably turning a lovely shade and feeling extremely self conscious (how could I not? It was peanuts compared to what he had just given me).
"MAGNET!" He yelled, suddenly getting extremely excited. "Wow! I love magnets! Also my hobby!" Surprise surprise! He pointed to the small picture. "Maine, right? Steven King!"
Yokatta means 'that's good,' or 'I'm relived' or 'I'm glad.' Upon saying it here, I meant it in all forms. Granted, a small magnet of coastal Maine is really nothing compared to a phone for 0 yen and free set up done completely out of kindness, but I was at least glad he liked it so much.
And that is just one example of the kindness which is practically ubiquidous here. No joke. Everyone is so kind and patient and helpful, it's like being in Disney land without all the crazy costumes and synthetic imagery.
And so, I have a phone which does pretty much everything except brush my teeth and a Japanese proverb I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
If only I can remember what it was in Japanese.
-Ai out.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Picture post and video
Hey guys. Well, considering I woke up today around 5 and it is now nearly eleven, sadly a long post will not be produced at this time. Instead, allow me to completely devour your bandwidth with pictures and labels and, for your viewing pleasure, some videos of the train ride into Tokyo.
Warning: vast number of photos.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Awesome
**Warning: Long entry is VERY long. Also, this is one of the last posts directed at my family for updates, not so much adventures. From here on out, posts such as these will be clearly marked and few. All other posts will be simple, short updates and things found interesting. Like phones, bathrooms, etc...**
My original plan was to update this on a day to day basis on the first few days I spent in Japan and then gradually post at longer and more in-between intervals.
My original plan obviously failed. I blame jet lag, overstimulation, and the surplus of things to do. Not that that's a bad thing.
Okay, to start things off, after staying for the first night in a hotel very near Narita airport (the hotel was awesome by the way), my friend, our school's rep, and I all took the early bus to catch the early train into Tokyo. By early, I mean we all woke up around 5 in the morning. Meaning my friend and I, who were sharing a room, lagged around since 4 because we had jet lag and our bodies didn't function on Japan time. After an interesting learning curve with the shower, we went downstairs, had our first Japanese breakfast, and hopped onto the bus.
Which brings me to my first comment. You know how in America everyone drives huge cars and SUV's and Hummers which can easily kill people and leave no damage to the car? Yeah, not the case in Japan. The cars are much smaller. I don't mean they look miniture like the smartcars from Europe, I mean they're just not as big. They're, first of all, not as wide (fat people sorry, but the seats wouldn't work for you), and not as long (see: trunk space). All in all, I think that's probably the coolest thing ever. Not only are the cars compact, but it makes for better travel.
Which brings me to my second comment. Unlike in America, where everyone drives on the right, sitting in the left side to drive, and we have two lane traffic, everything here is done on the LEFT side, while you steer from the RIGHT. Driving, walking, biking, all of it. The roads are also primarily ONE WAY to drive, so don't make any wrong turns. Basically, it's like England, except in Osaka, where it's the same as America and they drive on the RIGHT and steer on the LEFT. And yes, the capital letters were necessary. How else and I supposed to express emphasis?
Anyway, continuing on my recap of the adventure so far. So, after getting back to the airport, our little posse hops on the train (with all our typical American luggage) and we take an awesome ride to Tokyo. An awesome hour or so ride to Tokyo. Now, Tokyo, unlike many American metropolis (I dunno how to make that plural. :P) is not all roads and buildings. In fact, for the majority of the ride, it was open farm land with buildings scattered in between. Of course, when finally getting into the city the bare ground/buildings everywhere ratio changed dramatically but that didn't completely negate the fact that, in Tokyo, there's a lot more vegetation than in American cities. For example, there are trees EVERYWHERE. And I don't just mean the little bonzai trees. I mean huge 30ft trees all over the place. This is awesome, because not only does it provide for a great scenic and pleasant atmosphere, but it also provides the basic air purification which trees provide and which most US cities lack. Because we love big metal structures and battling with nature. That's the American way. (insert eye roll here)
So, we get into Tokyo. Which, in and of itself is extremely exciting. However, first thing to know. Everything everywhere all the time is busy. And not just rush hour busy. Busy as in you more your little tuckas (see: behind, butt, posterior) to get places and don't dawdle. If you do, you'll get lost and cause a traffic jam of people. This is especially important in train stations, which are always thronging with people. The trains themselves are ALWAYS on time and extremely fast and efficient. Amazing systems I wish we had in the States.
Mind you, the second day were were there (the 23rd) was the day we all met our host families.
So, finally arriving at Shinjuku station, we meet my friends host family and send her on her way. She was met with about four people who all were so excited that the school rep and I were pretty much just left to go meet my family. Which we did with pleasure. After a few more transfers, train rides, and quiet info sessions on the train, we arrived at the Tamagawa station. Where, just at the gate, stood two very enthusiastic people who immediately, upon seeing me, yelled happily (my host mother jumped a bit and waved her arms. She is, quite possibly, the cutest thing since baby rabbits). Getting through the gate to meet them (we hugged and everything), they insisted my school rep come back home for lunch.
The walk from the station to the house consists of a lovely jaunt through a park, up a small hill, and down a few streets. Not a long distance at all. Well, unless you have a near 50lb backpack on your back, but, really, not so bad.
Which brings me to my house. Or, my families house I should say. Which, unlike everything else in Tokyo, is huge. Of course, this isn't American standards. By American standards, it's a normal sized house. From what I was expecting, it's enormous. There is a large living room with a beautifully set dining room and wonderful kitchen. There are TWO toilets, a very spacious bathroom, and four bedrooms. One is a spare (my host parents sleep separate because my host father snores. My aunt and uncle do the same thing, so it isn't that weird), which is right next to mine. I have a bed, a desk, a closet larger than any one I've had before, and my very own pair of house slippers.
It is, in simple terms, absolutely fantastic.
Lunch was amazing. And huge. I've never eaten so much for lunch in my life (except for brunch, but that's a different matter). Extremely welcoming, my host family also are amazing cooks and (a real perk) speak English very well and we all have a great time trying to speak each others language. Me in my limited knowledge of Japanese and their English. Actually, during dinner between myself and my host mother last night (papa was out with some friends), I learned that she can write English almost perfectly. Apparently, in high school and college, they were taught to write in English for almost all examinations. Her cursive is better than mine. However, she never really learned how to speak English. We both agreed that, while she helps me improve my Japanese, I will, in turn, help her learn easy conversational English so that she can verbalize all that she knows. During lunch, I was shown all the emails my mom and dad have been sending to my host parents as well as the house rules. My expectations are extremely simple. Clean up after myself. Be respectful in the bathroom. Be on time for meals and call ahead if I'm going to be late. Very basic stuff. I have a curfew of 10-11 pm (very reasonable) and am to call if I'm going to be later. Basically, it's like being at home. Except I don't have to clean the cat box and make dinner.
After lunch, they sent me upstairs to unpack, after which we were going to go get a phone. (Note: I am not going to talk about the phone in this entry. I'm going to do that separately along with talking about bathrooms, because this post is going to be long enough as it is). After getting the phone, we came home and I got to meet more of the family. My host sister and her son to be exact. A four year old who delighted running around the living room yelling 'RIIIIIIIIIIZU!' really loudly and enthusiastically. It was almost impossible to get him to talk slowly and he seemed to find the fact that I spoke fragmented Japanese extremely entertaining. As did I. So we both had something in common. Their daughter was lovely, both fun to talk with and interesting. Dinner was extremely pleasant and, after a good meal, they practically pushed me up the stairs to bed.
Onto day two (yesterday) which consisted of a wake up at 6am so I could shower (again, bathrooms come later) and get ready to board the 7:30 train to meet my school's rep to travel to Waseda for the first day of Orientation. My commute is around 45 minutes to an hour (extremely normal for a student in Japan and not as long as it sounds), and, upon arriving on campus amid the rain, we found the orientation building (my friend met us there) with the help of our rep, and began our time at Waseda. The orientation was primarily student led, amazingly enough, by Waseda students already there. The students there who are currently on exchange were about 60-70+ including myself and my friend. We sat at a table with two other students, one from New Zealand and one from another university in Japan. Both lovely chaps.
Then began Orientation. Really, there's nothing much interesting to talk about for Orientation aside from that we had it and it was cool. It's all school based stuff. It was in both English and Japanese in case you were wondering though. And, apparently, people think my Japanese is very good. I think they're just being nice, because I know for a fact I'm not very skilled. The kindness is appreciated however.
Orientation also did not last very long. Since my friend and I are both in homestay, we ended up going to a different orientation meeting which was just for the homestay students on the program. To be exact, four students. Myself, my friend, and two other students who we quickly befriended. After that orientation, we were basically free to go. Which we did, all five of us (another students joined our group as well) and we proceeded to wander about Tokyo, finding the stations on foot and purchasing rail passes in our weak Japanese. Weak, but effective, as everyone here is extremely patient and kind. Thus, returning home earlier than usual, I met my host mother and chatted for a while before being sent upstairs to rest for a bit and to look over all the information for orientation the next day (today). After reading for a while, we did another run through of how the Japanese baths work, the toilets function, and how to turn on the heaters (it's actually quite cold right now. I'm extremely glad I brought all the sweaters and such my mom insisted I bring. Thank you mom!). Then, we had dinner (Japanese Curry which I absolutely LOVE and which my host mom delightedly agreed to teach me how to make) and retired for the night. After a quick goodnight from my host papa, we pretty much all crashed and had a lovely sleep.
And then woke up today to begin anew. Which I shall do by exploring and seeing everything around me.
And so, with that, I'm off to the train station and another day of excitement!
Ja ne!
Ai
My original plan was to update this on a day to day basis on the first few days I spent in Japan and then gradually post at longer and more in-between intervals.
My original plan obviously failed. I blame jet lag, overstimulation, and the surplus of things to do. Not that that's a bad thing.
Okay, to start things off, after staying for the first night in a hotel very near Narita airport (the hotel was awesome by the way), my friend, our school's rep, and I all took the early bus to catch the early train into Tokyo. By early, I mean we all woke up around 5 in the morning. Meaning my friend and I, who were sharing a room, lagged around since 4 because we had jet lag and our bodies didn't function on Japan time. After an interesting learning curve with the shower, we went downstairs, had our first Japanese breakfast, and hopped onto the bus.
Which brings me to my first comment. You know how in America everyone drives huge cars and SUV's and Hummers which can easily kill people and leave no damage to the car? Yeah, not the case in Japan. The cars are much smaller. I don't mean they look miniture like the smartcars from Europe, I mean they're just not as big. They're, first of all, not as wide (fat people sorry, but the seats wouldn't work for you), and not as long (see: trunk space). All in all, I think that's probably the coolest thing ever. Not only are the cars compact, but it makes for better travel.
Which brings me to my second comment. Unlike in America, where everyone drives on the right, sitting in the left side to drive, and we have two lane traffic, everything here is done on the LEFT side, while you steer from the RIGHT. Driving, walking, biking, all of it. The roads are also primarily ONE WAY to drive, so don't make any wrong turns. Basically, it's like England, except in Osaka, where it's the same as America and they drive on the RIGHT and steer on the LEFT. And yes, the capital letters were necessary. How else and I supposed to express emphasis?
Anyway, continuing on my recap of the adventure so far. So, after getting back to the airport, our little posse hops on the train (with all our typical American luggage) and we take an awesome ride to Tokyo. An awesome hour or so ride to Tokyo. Now, Tokyo, unlike many American metropolis (I dunno how to make that plural. :P) is not all roads and buildings. In fact, for the majority of the ride, it was open farm land with buildings scattered in between. Of course, when finally getting into the city the bare ground/buildings everywhere ratio changed dramatically but that didn't completely negate the fact that, in Tokyo, there's a lot more vegetation than in American cities. For example, there are trees EVERYWHERE. And I don't just mean the little bonzai trees. I mean huge 30ft trees all over the place. This is awesome, because not only does it provide for a great scenic and pleasant atmosphere, but it also provides the basic air purification which trees provide and which most US cities lack. Because we love big metal structures and battling with nature. That's the American way. (insert eye roll here)
So, we get into Tokyo. Which, in and of itself is extremely exciting. However, first thing to know. Everything everywhere all the time is busy. And not just rush hour busy. Busy as in you more your little tuckas (see: behind, butt, posterior) to get places and don't dawdle. If you do, you'll get lost and cause a traffic jam of people. This is especially important in train stations, which are always thronging with people. The trains themselves are ALWAYS on time and extremely fast and efficient. Amazing systems I wish we had in the States.
Mind you, the second day were were there (the 23rd) was the day we all met our host families.
So, finally arriving at Shinjuku station, we meet my friends host family and send her on her way. She was met with about four people who all were so excited that the school rep and I were pretty much just left to go meet my family. Which we did with pleasure. After a few more transfers, train rides, and quiet info sessions on the train, we arrived at the Tamagawa station. Where, just at the gate, stood two very enthusiastic people who immediately, upon seeing me, yelled happily (my host mother jumped a bit and waved her arms. She is, quite possibly, the cutest thing since baby rabbits). Getting through the gate to meet them (we hugged and everything), they insisted my school rep come back home for lunch.
The walk from the station to the house consists of a lovely jaunt through a park, up a small hill, and down a few streets. Not a long distance at all. Well, unless you have a near 50lb backpack on your back, but, really, not so bad.
Which brings me to my house. Or, my families house I should say. Which, unlike everything else in Tokyo, is huge. Of course, this isn't American standards. By American standards, it's a normal sized house. From what I was expecting, it's enormous. There is a large living room with a beautifully set dining room and wonderful kitchen. There are TWO toilets, a very spacious bathroom, and four bedrooms. One is a spare (my host parents sleep separate because my host father snores. My aunt and uncle do the same thing, so it isn't that weird), which is right next to mine. I have a bed, a desk, a closet larger than any one I've had before, and my very own pair of house slippers.
It is, in simple terms, absolutely fantastic.
Lunch was amazing. And huge. I've never eaten so much for lunch in my life (except for brunch, but that's a different matter). Extremely welcoming, my host family also are amazing cooks and (a real perk) speak English very well and we all have a great time trying to speak each others language. Me in my limited knowledge of Japanese and their English. Actually, during dinner between myself and my host mother last night (papa was out with some friends), I learned that she can write English almost perfectly. Apparently, in high school and college, they were taught to write in English for almost all examinations. Her cursive is better than mine. However, she never really learned how to speak English. We both agreed that, while she helps me improve my Japanese, I will, in turn, help her learn easy conversational English so that she can verbalize all that she knows. During lunch, I was shown all the emails my mom and dad have been sending to my host parents as well as the house rules. My expectations are extremely simple. Clean up after myself. Be respectful in the bathroom. Be on time for meals and call ahead if I'm going to be late. Very basic stuff. I have a curfew of 10-11 pm (very reasonable) and am to call if I'm going to be later. Basically, it's like being at home. Except I don't have to clean the cat box and make dinner.
After lunch, they sent me upstairs to unpack, after which we were going to go get a phone. (Note: I am not going to talk about the phone in this entry. I'm going to do that separately along with talking about bathrooms, because this post is going to be long enough as it is). After getting the phone, we came home and I got to meet more of the family. My host sister and her son to be exact. A four year old who delighted running around the living room yelling 'RIIIIIIIIIIZU!' really loudly and enthusiastically. It was almost impossible to get him to talk slowly and he seemed to find the fact that I spoke fragmented Japanese extremely entertaining. As did I. So we both had something in common. Their daughter was lovely, both fun to talk with and interesting. Dinner was extremely pleasant and, after a good meal, they practically pushed me up the stairs to bed.
Onto day two (yesterday) which consisted of a wake up at 6am so I could shower (again, bathrooms come later) and get ready to board the 7:30 train to meet my school's rep to travel to Waseda for the first day of Orientation. My commute is around 45 minutes to an hour (extremely normal for a student in Japan and not as long as it sounds), and, upon arriving on campus amid the rain, we found the orientation building (my friend met us there) with the help of our rep, and began our time at Waseda. The orientation was primarily student led, amazingly enough, by Waseda students already there. The students there who are currently on exchange were about 60-70+ including myself and my friend. We sat at a table with two other students, one from New Zealand and one from another university in Japan. Both lovely chaps.
Then began Orientation. Really, there's nothing much interesting to talk about for Orientation aside from that we had it and it was cool. It's all school based stuff. It was in both English and Japanese in case you were wondering though. And, apparently, people think my Japanese is very good. I think they're just being nice, because I know for a fact I'm not very skilled. The kindness is appreciated however.
Orientation also did not last very long. Since my friend and I are both in homestay, we ended up going to a different orientation meeting which was just for the homestay students on the program. To be exact, four students. Myself, my friend, and two other students who we quickly befriended. After that orientation, we were basically free to go. Which we did, all five of us (another students joined our group as well) and we proceeded to wander about Tokyo, finding the stations on foot and purchasing rail passes in our weak Japanese. Weak, but effective, as everyone here is extremely patient and kind. Thus, returning home earlier than usual, I met my host mother and chatted for a while before being sent upstairs to rest for a bit and to look over all the information for orientation the next day (today). After reading for a while, we did another run through of how the Japanese baths work, the toilets function, and how to turn on the heaters (it's actually quite cold right now. I'm extremely glad I brought all the sweaters and such my mom insisted I bring. Thank you mom!). Then, we had dinner (Japanese Curry which I absolutely LOVE and which my host mom delightedly agreed to teach me how to make) and retired for the night. After a quick goodnight from my host papa, we pretty much all crashed and had a lovely sleep.
And then woke up today to begin anew. Which I shall do by exploring and seeing everything around me.
And so, with that, I'm off to the train station and another day of excitement!
Ja ne!
Ai
Monday, March 22, 2010
Welcome to Japan and Jet Lag
29 + hours awake and a half hour of sleep later and I'm sitting on a hotel bed, a fresh yukata on, and feeling like I've been on an extremely strange boat for seven days straight. Considering an airplane is just another form of transportation, this shouldn't be so surprising. However, since this is only my second time traveling through the air, I consider the fact that I didn't get cabin fever admirable.
So, the day began at 4:30 in the morning in the USA, on the road and meeting at the airport by 6:30 to board our 9:05 flight from Logan to Dullas to Narita. Overall flight time? around 14-15 hours. Which was impressive, considering all our flights were on time and got in earlier than expected.
But before I get into the fun stuff about stepping onto an Airplane bound for Japan, let's go over the stupid stuff.
Things I learned about airplanes:
1) The air is extremely different. Up at high altitudes for long periods of time (flying to the other side of the world for example), your nose gets all weird, throat dry, and basically you don't feel 100% hunky dory. It also turns whatever they feed you into a rock in your stomach that makes you wonder what's really in it.
2) Airplane food isn't all bad. Granted, it's not gourmet fare, french posh restaurant that goes all out, but it's not bad. Of course, I may have been lucky, but the food I had wasn't really that bad. I can imagine worse, but, well, there you go. I was lucky. I also ate four meals today plus energy bars and snacks, so I suppose the rock in my stomach might have just been from excess of food.
3) All that research they did on how light effects your melatonin levels? Yeah, absolutely true. As soon as people pulled down those window shades, I was screwed with trying to stay awake. Of course, I only snoozed for about 30 minutes in toto, but still, it was a sure confirmation of all that scientific work.
and finally 4) though I can completely understand the advantages of flying, I much prefer my feet on the ground or on a boat.
Now, for the fun. Sometime around the fifth stupid movie they played and the woman by our window finally opened the shade, something I had been itching to do again since she closed it on the icy Russian landscape and the Arctic Ocean, we finally saw Japan. Well, Japan at about 40,000 feet and fogged by a lot of clouds. But JAPAN!!! It was there below us and if you think the earth all looks the same at 40,000 feet, sorry, you're wrong. Japan, though obviously terra, is definitely not the USA... nor Canada or Russia or Alaska. It's Japan.
First thing noticed? The ocean scape, it's flat towards the coast... well, flatter, but quickly ascends up into mountains that look nothing like they do on the East Coast. Sadly, I didn't get pictures of the hazy mountains, but god was that awesome. It was around then that my sleep deprived brain began to register the fact that I was in Japan and slammed me with an euphoric high. Though that also might have been the altitude. Either way, once that window shade was up, not much else could get me to look away from that window.
Second thing noticed? Masks. They all wear masks. Okay, well not all of them, but you know those photos and tv clips of the Japanese and they're all wearing masks? Yeah, that's absolutely real. Especially since they're paranoid about the H1N1 (they were talking about it when we walked through the terminal into Narita) and, frankly, it makes a lot of sense. You're on an airplane, you're in a throng of people, what better place to spread germs? Hello breeding ground. Truthfully, they're miles ahead of us. And not just in relation on the earth's surface.
Third thing noticed? Toilets. All the stuff about toilets, yeah, it's also true. Though I wasn't so adventurous to immediately pop a squat in the Narita airport and instead opted to use one of the American adapted facilities, they were there. And the one in the hotel room I'm currently sitting in has as many buttons as a telephone. If not more.
I would keep the list going, but, not only would it become boring, but I would probably fall asleep on my keyboard. Which wouldn't be good for any of us. Just know that, through all of this the general message is "I love this country."
All I can say is, sitting here on a very firm bed in a hotel by Narita airport, fresh yukata on as my feet wiggle in complimentary slippers, excited doesn't even begin to cover this.
And on tv, they're showing a Japanese cross country skier with one arm. I repeat, I love this country.
Ai out-
So, the day began at 4:30 in the morning in the USA, on the road and meeting at the airport by 6:30 to board our 9:05 flight from Logan to Dullas to Narita. Overall flight time? around 14-15 hours. Which was impressive, considering all our flights were on time and got in earlier than expected.
But before I get into the fun stuff about stepping onto an Airplane bound for Japan, let's go over the stupid stuff.
Things I learned about airplanes:
1) The air is extremely different. Up at high altitudes for long periods of time (flying to the other side of the world for example), your nose gets all weird, throat dry, and basically you don't feel 100% hunky dory. It also turns whatever they feed you into a rock in your stomach that makes you wonder what's really in it.
2) Airplane food isn't all bad. Granted, it's not gourmet fare, french posh restaurant that goes all out, but it's not bad. Of course, I may have been lucky, but the food I had wasn't really that bad. I can imagine worse, but, well, there you go. I was lucky. I also ate four meals today plus energy bars and snacks, so I suppose the rock in my stomach might have just been from excess of food.
3) All that research they did on how light effects your melatonin levels? Yeah, absolutely true. As soon as people pulled down those window shades, I was screwed with trying to stay awake. Of course, I only snoozed for about 30 minutes in toto, but still, it was a sure confirmation of all that scientific work.
and finally 4) though I can completely understand the advantages of flying, I much prefer my feet on the ground or on a boat.
Now, for the fun. Sometime around the fifth stupid movie they played and the woman by our window finally opened the shade, something I had been itching to do again since she closed it on the icy Russian landscape and the Arctic Ocean, we finally saw Japan. Well, Japan at about 40,000 feet and fogged by a lot of clouds. But JAPAN!!! It was there below us and if you think the earth all looks the same at 40,000 feet, sorry, you're wrong. Japan, though obviously terra, is definitely not the USA... nor Canada or Russia or Alaska. It's Japan.
First thing noticed? The ocean scape, it's flat towards the coast... well, flatter, but quickly ascends up into mountains that look nothing like they do on the East Coast. Sadly, I didn't get pictures of the hazy mountains, but god was that awesome. It was around then that my sleep deprived brain began to register the fact that I was in Japan and slammed me with an euphoric high. Though that also might have been the altitude. Either way, once that window shade was up, not much else could get me to look away from that window.
Second thing noticed? Masks. They all wear masks. Okay, well not all of them, but you know those photos and tv clips of the Japanese and they're all wearing masks? Yeah, that's absolutely real. Especially since they're paranoid about the H1N1 (they were talking about it when we walked through the terminal into Narita) and, frankly, it makes a lot of sense. You're on an airplane, you're in a throng of people, what better place to spread germs? Hello breeding ground. Truthfully, they're miles ahead of us. And not just in relation on the earth's surface.
Third thing noticed? Toilets. All the stuff about toilets, yeah, it's also true. Though I wasn't so adventurous to immediately pop a squat in the Narita airport and instead opted to use one of the American adapted facilities, they were there. And the one in the hotel room I'm currently sitting in has as many buttons as a telephone. If not more.
I would keep the list going, but, not only would it become boring, but I would probably fall asleep on my keyboard. Which wouldn't be good for any of us. Just know that, through all of this the general message is "I love this country."
All I can say is, sitting here on a very firm bed in a hotel by Narita airport, fresh yukata on as my feet wiggle in complimentary slippers, excited doesn't even begin to cover this.
And on tv, they're showing a Japanese cross country skier with one arm. I repeat, I love this country.
Ai out-
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