The Beginning

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Well I finally started looking for a job after wandering around the streets in a daze for the last week getting lost in the maze of neon and bicycles.

I remember someone once told me that in Japan you have to go to the zoo to see a dog, well those days are definitely gone! The little fluffy dog@is the latest fashion item, @of course it must be dressed in the local baseball team jackets or little fluffy dresses. There are whole stores devoted to dogs' and cats' fashion anaccessorieses.
I feel sorry for the little buggers, most of the apartments here wouldn't be big enough to spin a mouse let alone keep a dog.
Hotel rooms must be very expensive here I have often seen business men at the 24hr internet cafe, sleeping in their little booth, it is only about 100 yen per 15 mins so they nip in for a little snooze when they need one.
The area I am in now is called Azabu-Juban, it's pretty funky, just a 5 minute walk to Roppongi and Roppongi hills (I thought there must be Hills there but the idea is to sound flash like Beverly hills)
Roppongi is a busy place to go out and there are quite a lot of young people around here. I am staying in a guest house with 12 beds in my room (1 bathroom!) there is a communal lounge with free internet but often there is someone else lined up wanting to use it so it is best to go to a cafe.
I still have't worked out what heaps of food is or even how to order so I normally just go to places with pictures and plastic food displays and point and cross my fingers that I get what I want or at least something I like.

Beer is everywhere, there are millions of vending machines all over the place. They even have people on the street offering free cigarettes for you to try, smoking is allowed everywhere and often when you are trying to eat you get smoked out.
I went out the other night with Kosei and got very drunk, he made sure I got back to the guest house alright but I spent the whole next day in bed.
Anyway I applied for a nanny job today for an 8 month old baby, her parents are American and move to Japan in a week or so. I would really like the job and then I can also teach in my time off. It is live out position so I can have my own life as well.
Anyway take care....lots a love Monique
Please write and let me know what you are up to.
Well hi again, just a quick update....
I am still living in a guest house, looking for an apartment or at least a private room in a guest house. It is soooooooo expensive.
Kosei is taking me out to dinner on Tuesday night for my birthday, at least I won't be by myself. The food is great, we went to a beautiful restaurant on Saturday night and ordered about 7 little dishes to share, wow, delicious. Then went out to a club in Daikanyama (Spelling?)
The fashion here is wicked, anything goes, you can get away with anything, however I am yet to hit the shops as I need to make sure I don't spend too much money before I get a job and apartment. You often need a few thousand dollars to move into an apartment so I might be at the guest house for longer than I planned!
the toilets are still amazing me, the other night at dinner I couldn't work out how to flush it, I accidently satrted changin the radio station on the loo, then the lid and seats stared going up and down! There is also a butten you can press and it is a recording of the exact sound a toilet makes when you flush it??????????? Strange!
I am planning on catching a train somewhere in the next day or two just for a bit of practice when I actually have to be somewhere! Hopefully I don't end up miles away.
The bus systm is pretty good, pretty squashy too.
I have an interview this weekend for a job as a nanny and also an English school wants to meet me. There is also hopefully a job at a daycare cetre for expat children, the pay is pretty good and it is located nearby so wish me luck.
Anyway, I must go, next time I'll try not to mention toilets!
Take care, lots of love from Monique.

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