Japan_Bound
Sunday, October 26, 2003
Hi guys! As I haven't really been up to much lately this won't be my most exciting installment (and I know they've all been exciting and interesting in the past - ha ha!). Ali and I did not end up taking a day trip this past Thursday as it was threatening to rain. We did, however, sign up for and start taking free beginners Japanese lessons at a community center in Osaka. The lessons are taught by volunteers, and the woman assigned to us is so sweet and so kind that it made us feel a little less homesick for a while - she's a housewife in her mid to late 50s (a guess) and you can tell that she's raised a passel of children because she made us feel so good and cared for. We're really looking forward to our next lesson and have been studying like mad (scratch that - I've been studying like mad. Ali's been whooping it up every night and is now paying for it!). I wasn't sure when I got here whether I'd take lessons or not but I'm really glad I decided to. Another step in my Japanese training - I have been eating and really enjoying sushi (not sashimi with raw fish, just the normal rolls of stuff). That's about the biggest adjustment I've made, as you all know how horrendously picky I am.
Special thanks to Laurie before I sign off, who has been sending parcels every week - so far I've received episodes of Friends, Survivor and Will & Grace (so good not only to see my shows but to see commercials from home - in English - that didn't show completely disgusting foods!) and a box for Hallowe'en with 4 giant chocolate bars. OK - I am not going to tell you how many are left, but I can guarantee that there are no longer 4! (smile)
Special thanks also go to mom who has been sending lots of mail as well. To the rest of you: remember what I said about presents. I wasn't kidding.
Special thanks to Laurie before I sign off, who has been sending parcels every week - so far I've received episodes of Friends, Survivor and Will & Grace (so good not only to see my shows but to see commercials from home - in English - that didn't show completely disgusting foods!) and a box for Hallowe'en with 4 giant chocolate bars. OK - I am not going to tell you how many are left, but I can guarantee that there are no longer 4! (smile)
Special thanks also go to mom who has been sending lots of mail as well. To the rest of you: remember what I said about presents. I wasn't kidding.
Saturday, October 18, 2003
Ali and I went to Kobe on Thursday and had a really good, relaxing day. We had lunch with my room mate and her boyfriend, one of their Italian friends and one of their Japanese friends. The restaurant we had planned to go to (an all you can eat meat, salad bar, chinese food, and fruit place for only $9!!) was closed for renovations! So we improvised and found a really cute Spanish restaurant by the harbour. Kobe harbour is beautiful, by the way, and my top choice of cities to live if I had the chance. Very quiet and slow paced, and just what the doctor ordered as I've really been missing the ocean. We stopped to see the "Great Kobe Earthquake" memorial (very sad) where they have left some of the damage untouched - you can see where the roads buckled and they are now underwater. I sincerely hope we don't have a big earthquake while I'm here. I know that sounds selfish, but they really terrify me!
Kobe was also great because it looks alot like Victoria (the harbour is similar and many of the buildings look like ones from downtown Vic). Plus Kobe doesn't have lots of neon signs and electrical wires going every which way like the other cities here, and everything is within walking distance. Oh well, I chose Osaka, so here I be . . . sigh . . .
That's all that's new, but I'll post again when I have something worth telling! Miss you guys!
Kobe was also great because it looks alot like Victoria (the harbour is similar and many of the buildings look like ones from downtown Vic). Plus Kobe doesn't have lots of neon signs and electrical wires going every which way like the other cities here, and everything is within walking distance. Oh well, I chose Osaka, so here I be . . . sigh . . .
That's all that's new, but I'll post again when I have something worth telling! Miss you guys!
Saturday, October 11, 2003
Well, Ali and I managed to find our way to Nara on Thursday and had a really fantastic day. Nara isn't nearly as exciting as Kyoto (we are really obsessed with Geisha right now and didn't see any in Nara although we were hoping to), but is much slower paced and much more relaxing. As promised, there were deer roaming freely all over the place, so I spent alot of time feeding and petting them (they're so tame!). As I'm missing Tigger very much it was really nice for me to have animals around for a change! We spent the better part of the day meandering through the many parks and had a much needed day of relaxation. We did see some traditional architecture; lots of temples and shrines for starters, as well as a temple which happens to be the largest wooden structure in the world (that also houses the world's largest Buddha statue). I was the most overwhelmed there than ever before, as it is a massive structure and hard to describe with mere words. What was most overwhelming for me, I suppose, was thinking about how long this structure has been there (since the 700s) and how many people over the centuries have gone there to worship and pray and pay their respects. Of course it's mostly just a tourist attraction now, and surrounded by lots of souvenir stands, but it's still possible to imagine away the years and picture oneself standing there in satin robes surrounded by the shogun, the emperor, and all their minions and samurai. It is, in a word, breathtaking.
One of the most interesting parts of the day were the many thousands of school children who were also there on class trips. Dozens of groups of children ran up to Ali and I to ask us questions in English and ask if we'd pose for pictures with them. That was really overwhelming too; at first it was really exciting and flattering but eventually because we couldn't get anywhere without having to stop again we started to imagine we finally knew what it was like to be a celebrity in Hollywood (and constantly being hounded by the paparrazzi). This is not mentioned to imply that we weren't flattered by their attention and curiosity, or that we weren't happy to pose for pictures (we had lots taken with them as well because they were so cute in their matching school uniforms), but to point out just what a rarity "the foreigner" still is in some of the more untouched cities left in Japan. Sadly, there are few, but our popularity attests to the fact that, however many foreigners we think are here, we still comprise a small percentage of the 127 or so million people that populate Japan (less than 1% are foreigners, or geigin as we are "lovingly" called by the locals).
After about 5 hours we decided to have some lunch and call it quits. We were both really tired and overwhelmed by all the attention we'd received. I went home and crashed at 9PM and didn't wake up until 11AM the next morning; that's how tired I was.
We have plans to go to Kobe this Thursday which is a little ocean-side town with mountains and trails; no temples or shrines which is fine by us because we've had our fill for a little while. Which is not to say we don't appreciate them, but it's really been alot to take in all at once. I'll be going back to Kyoto as soon as possible, but until then am more looking forward to getting out of the city just to enjoy some nature and escape the hustle and bustle for a while.
Hope everyone has an enjoyable Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends; have that extra piece of turkey, second helping of mashed potatoes, and third (oh you know you'll indulge David) piece of pie for me. I love and miss you very much.
One of the most interesting parts of the day were the many thousands of school children who were also there on class trips. Dozens of groups of children ran up to Ali and I to ask us questions in English and ask if we'd pose for pictures with them. That was really overwhelming too; at first it was really exciting and flattering but eventually because we couldn't get anywhere without having to stop again we started to imagine we finally knew what it was like to be a celebrity in Hollywood (and constantly being hounded by the paparrazzi). This is not mentioned to imply that we weren't flattered by their attention and curiosity, or that we weren't happy to pose for pictures (we had lots taken with them as well because they were so cute in their matching school uniforms), but to point out just what a rarity "the foreigner" still is in some of the more untouched cities left in Japan. Sadly, there are few, but our popularity attests to the fact that, however many foreigners we think are here, we still comprise a small percentage of the 127 or so million people that populate Japan (less than 1% are foreigners, or geigin as we are "lovingly" called by the locals).
After about 5 hours we decided to have some lunch and call it quits. We were both really tired and overwhelmed by all the attention we'd received. I went home and crashed at 9PM and didn't wake up until 11AM the next morning; that's how tired I was.
We have plans to go to Kobe this Thursday which is a little ocean-side town with mountains and trails; no temples or shrines which is fine by us because we've had our fill for a little while. Which is not to say we don't appreciate them, but it's really been alot to take in all at once. I'll be going back to Kyoto as soon as possible, but until then am more looking forward to getting out of the city just to enjoy some nature and escape the hustle and bustle for a while.
Hope everyone has an enjoyable Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends; have that extra piece of turkey, second helping of mashed potatoes, and third (oh you know you'll indulge David) piece of pie for me. I love and miss you very much.
Saturday, October 04, 2003
I know it has been a looong time since I last updated but life has been crazy and I always feel obliged to respond to your emails personally since I really appreciate hearing from all of you so often. I'll use this opportunity to remind you that Laurie is the only one who has been sending snail mail, so keep that in mind when you think about who I said would be getting the best souvenirs!!
Work has been really great - my students are wonderful and respectful and I spend the better part of each day laughing hysterically. This doesn't even feel like a job because I'm enjoying myself so much. I've also been eating lots of Japanese food and speaking lots of Japanese every day - hope I retain all of it when I get home.
So far I've been to the Osaka Aquarium which was really fun but not as big or full of wildlife as the one in Van. The highlight of the day was seeing two sea otters mating in front of a whole class of elementary kids with their noses pressed up against the glass. Definitely worth the entire admission fee just to have one of the better and most memorable laughs of my life.
This past Thursday I went to Kyoto with Ali (a Canadian friend from work) and had what was undoubtedly one of the best days of my life. Seriously!! We saw temples and shrines, a solid gold statue of Buddha that's bigger than the living room in our house, lots of nature etc. We took part in a tea ceremony at one temple and were served in a tatami room overlooking a waterfull. Very peaceful and meditative, until we got a massive case of the giggles over the hideousness of the tea - we call it a cross between pond scum and seaweed cappuccino; it was that bad. But, you'll be proud to know, I drank nearly all of it out of respect. That should be greater evidence than anything how much I've changed already as I would never even have attempted to get it near my mouth before now. Later at another temple we found another waterfall and sat beside it in silence for about half an hour just enjoying the nature; we didn't want to come back to the hustle and bustle of the city at all but have vowed to return ASAP.
The highlight of the day though was when we found Gion (the geisha district in Kyoto) and saw several on their way to the tea houses to entertain for the evening. I even had my picture taken with two geisha and about passed out from excitement. I don't know why I'm so fascinated, but I'm now reading anything I can get my hands on about them and can't wait to go back and see more. They're just so beautiful and exotic - maybe ethereal is the word I'm looking for. I had the feeling that I had been transported to another time and that I was finally witnessing something traditional about Japan's culture. It's possible to see some of it in Osaka if you really look, but it's very difficult to interpret what you're seeing. In Gion I felt no need to interpret or consider anything; I just was. And I don't know if I've ever been so at peace.
Anyway, we have plans to return ASAP, as I've said, and to take day trips every Thursday which is one of our days off. This Thursday we're going to Kobe and the following Thursday to Nara (or is it the other way around?). Anyway, we plan to travel together alot because we seem to go at the same pace and be interested in the same things.
Will update you as soon as there's more news!
Please send mail! It's really exciting to come home to!
Work has been really great - my students are wonderful and respectful and I spend the better part of each day laughing hysterically. This doesn't even feel like a job because I'm enjoying myself so much. I've also been eating lots of Japanese food and speaking lots of Japanese every day - hope I retain all of it when I get home.
So far I've been to the Osaka Aquarium which was really fun but not as big or full of wildlife as the one in Van. The highlight of the day was seeing two sea otters mating in front of a whole class of elementary kids with their noses pressed up against the glass. Definitely worth the entire admission fee just to have one of the better and most memorable laughs of my life.
This past Thursday I went to Kyoto with Ali (a Canadian friend from work) and had what was undoubtedly one of the best days of my life. Seriously!! We saw temples and shrines, a solid gold statue of Buddha that's bigger than the living room in our house, lots of nature etc. We took part in a tea ceremony at one temple and were served in a tatami room overlooking a waterfull. Very peaceful and meditative, until we got a massive case of the giggles over the hideousness of the tea - we call it a cross between pond scum and seaweed cappuccino; it was that bad. But, you'll be proud to know, I drank nearly all of it out of respect. That should be greater evidence than anything how much I've changed already as I would never even have attempted to get it near my mouth before now. Later at another temple we found another waterfall and sat beside it in silence for about half an hour just enjoying the nature; we didn't want to come back to the hustle and bustle of the city at all but have vowed to return ASAP.
The highlight of the day though was when we found Gion (the geisha district in Kyoto) and saw several on their way to the tea houses to entertain for the evening. I even had my picture taken with two geisha and about passed out from excitement. I don't know why I'm so fascinated, but I'm now reading anything I can get my hands on about them and can't wait to go back and see more. They're just so beautiful and exotic - maybe ethereal is the word I'm looking for. I had the feeling that I had been transported to another time and that I was finally witnessing something traditional about Japan's culture. It's possible to see some of it in Osaka if you really look, but it's very difficult to interpret what you're seeing. In Gion I felt no need to interpret or consider anything; I just was. And I don't know if I've ever been so at peace.
Anyway, we have plans to return ASAP, as I've said, and to take day trips every Thursday which is one of our days off. This Thursday we're going to Kobe and the following Thursday to Nara (or is it the other way around?). Anyway, we plan to travel together alot because we seem to go at the same pace and be interested in the same things.
Will update you as soon as there's more news!
Please send mail! It's really exciting to come home to!
