Blogs from Chiba, Japan, Asia - page 12

Now that I've been here for a month, about, I started thinking about how it really is to be here and so on. I've gotten to see lots of things I never would have if I'd stayed in America, and met some really awesome people. But contrary to what colleges usually tell you, it's not always fun or easy. Difficulty is something that you can anticipate but I don't know if anyone really thinks about what happens when it's not fun. There are a lot of embarassing moments and times when you simply don't understand. This morning I thought it might have been better if we could have elementary school teachers because that's the kind of education we really need at certain times. The good parts of my stay are numerous. I mentioned seeing all sorts ... read more

I had my first class at Meikai yesterday, and that class is TINY. Over half the people in it dropped because they don't want to go out to Shin-urayasu. But we get reimbursed so I would rather take the classes I like. So, my real, graded Japanese class is fun. The teacher, Yahagi-sensei, is really cheerful. I think that woman must down about a pot of expresso before school every day. But she's patient and is allowing us to ask her questions in English if we don't understand. The structure of the class is a little odd, so I'll explain. It's "Jissen Nihongo" which means practical Japanese. Instead of learning in a linear fashion, we study 5 topics while I'm here, each about two weeks. Our first topic is "making friends." In that topic, we learn ... read more

I decided to write an entry about upcoming events and what they currently mean to me, then write again once they actually happen, to see how being there affects me. I also am throwing in random thoughts that don't particularly fit anywhere else. Next week, on Saturday, my class is taking a field trip to Asakusa, pronounced "Ah-sak-sa" (as best as I can put it). This place is so full of history it's absurd, although I suppose that is true of many places in a country as old as Japan. In any case, while there the planned events are to eat a Sumo-style lunch in a restaurant and watch a Sumo game. But I have several other things I'd like to do. Asakusa was first known to me through Kawabata Yasunari's work, The Scarlet Gang of ... read more

As promised, the pictures I have taken are now on my computer and so are posted here. Essentially it's a tour from the train station to the house I am at, and if you look at it backwards, you have my route to the station from the house. So please enjoy it. Or not, whatever floats your boat. On the downside of today, my host mother asked me to not use my towel more than once. I think this is slightly odd. I am not allowed to use my bath towel more than once at a time, even if I hang it up to dry. This bothers me for 2 reasons - number one, I don't feel comfortable using her things. But since she doesn't feel comfortable with my using the same towel, and it's her ... read more

Hey everyone! As most of you know i left Melbourne bound for "The Land of the Rising Sun" (Tokyo) on Friday at 9:30am. As i type this, the first of many blog entries, im sitting in a crowded internet cafe in Qingdao China. So much has happened in the past 48hours, hopefully i will be able to give a basic run down in this first entry. Firstly just like to thank all my friends, family and wellwishers who saw me off the week prior to my trip. Token phrase i know, but those cats from Counting Crows were onto something, 'you dont know what you've til its gone'. Was laying in my wooden bed last night and i have never felt so alone from everything i have ever known in my life. Perculiar feeling indeed. So... ... read more

Today I go to get my Alien Registration card. Other than that I've only had classes. I'm planning to post pictures from the ceremony tomorrow. But the real reason for this short post is that the Princess had her baby by C-section today! This is a big deal because the Crown Prince only has daughters and the other Prince has a daughter too. The law in Japan is that the throne must go to the next male heir, so currently, there has been a lot of concern over the line of succession. But if the Princess's baby is male, there will be much partying in Japan.... read more

So, now that I've had a probable typical day, I feel more in the swing of things. This morning Okasan went with me on the train to Makuhari station, which was really nice of her. Tomorrow, I'm flying solo though. Today we had brush-up Japanese, and they definitely put me in the wrong class as I am learning new things, not reviewing old. Oh well. I walked to school with 6 other people, so I didn't get lost and it seems like we're meeting every day now. So that's good. I got lunch in the school cafeteria and there was another "aha" moment where I noticed all the benches, or stools rather, are hinged and so you just pull it out from under the table to sit and when you get up, it swings back under ... read more

So much has happened since I left. I can now say with experience that I hate long flights. And I have also discovered the cure for jet lag. Now, my past few days, chronologically, from Monday when I left will be described. The flight was alright but my carry-on was really heavy in addition to the no liquids nonsense. The flight to Chicago was fine, but the plane was tiny and I wanted to strangle the small child that screamed for an hour and a half. I barely made the flight to Japan, though, because the plane from Cleveland was late. I was literally the third to last person on the plane. But I did make it. And I now envy those first class seats on American Airlines. They flipping RECLINE into a bed. A bed. ... read more

Doing the soft shoe shuffle 31/07/06 We sleep for most of the 6hr flight to Narita but still arrive feeling knackered, we stagger like zombies through immigration and customs and find a space to rebuild the bikes near the bus stops. People keep wandering up to have a look (see the silly Gaijin getting hot and sweaty). Next to us is the pick up point for one of the buses to Tokyo, each time a bus leaves the porters all bow to it which is really weird to see. As we are about to leave they approach us and the best English speaker asks us where we have been and where we are going, she then translates for the others, there follows a short Q and A session about touring with the bikes then they wish ... read more