A couple more photos

Here are photos taken from Christmas day.

A sunrise, this is the most natural picture I took. I have some that make it look red, but it don't think it was a true representation - rather just how my camera perceived it.



Also, this is facing the other way, these are the Suzuka mountains I think. Taken at the same time (approximately 6.30/7am).



The third photo is a bad example of the small cars that are popular here. You may notice how small the roads are from my other photos. Also fuel is expensive apparently.

Boxing day

Hey all,

Its 1.26pm Japanese time at the moment, I would have waited to the end of the day to write something, in case I did something fun in the interim, however, my flatmates computer seems uncharacteristically fast at the moment, so I shall make the most of it, and the fact he is asleep and not using it.

Since my last post - the next day I didn't go to work, as I was too sick - I have a cough, and a sore throat, I had almost lost my voice, so I decided that the prudent thing to do would be to have the day off, as it was a half day, and go to work on Saturday. You don't get paid for sick days here, so it was in my best interests to be able to work Saturday, and I don't think my students would appreciate me making them sick, and they have enough trouble understanding my accent as it is. I wasn't feeling like my usual banana's and yoghurt for breakfast, so I went around to my American friend's place for breakfast. He owns a restaurant. (His name is Ronald McDonald) That hit the spot nicely. The food and the hot chocolate was just what I needed. The call hot chocolate "Hot Cocoa" and they say "hot coco-a".

So Saturday (24th) I went to work - 10-5.40, and then I went to Nagoya, to have some fun. I went to the foreigners bar called Shooters, because I had heard they were doing Christmas dinners. Anyway, that night "they weren't" it was a Christmas eve party instead - 3000yen cover charge, (approx $35 NZD) and you got 3 tokens, you could use a token for a drink, or for food. It was a bit of a rip-off, the food portions were typically Japanese small. Anyway, I met some Japanese people who wanted to practice their english on me, so we ended up going to another bar, and then onto a darts bar. The last train was at 11pm so I had to stay in Nagoya the night, I ended up catching the 5.50am train back to Yokkaichi.

When I got back to Yokkaichi, I invested in breakfast at a scottish restaurant, (scottish/American) (it was Christmas you know) and then hit the hay. I woke up about 11.30, and had bacon for lunch, and then had some phone calls from Mum & Dad, and Suzanne & Bevan, and then opened some presents. Then, I went to Nagoya, to attend a Christmas church service. In my true fashion I was 50 minutes late, but slow internet connections (I had to email the directions to my phone) and the train timetable can be blamed. I managed to be there for about 30mins of the service anyway, so it was OK. I then came back, went and brought things for my secret santa gift, and then made my way to another teachers flat (via a short train ride, and a long walk) for a party (where we did the secret santa). Lucky for me on the way back I managed to catch the last train home.

Today, I am not sure what I will do - probably just tidy stuff up, and sort stuff out, like how I am going to get to Kanazawa on Wednesday, and my phone. I got a call from the vodafone shop in Nagoya, where I got my phone from, telling me that I had given them an invalid address - they had copied it off the business card I have, which has it in english and Japanese. She had copied the Japanese, which I am guessing isn't right as they have used 2 different sets of symbols/characters for Unimori and Unimorikusu, ie logically, unimorikusu=unomori+kusu, but the unimori uses some kanji instead. Why she couldn't just ask my for my address again I don't know.

Anyway, next couple of weeks should be more fun.

We have contact

Hey just a short one,

I am at a internet cafe, so I figured I may as well make the most of it. I got sick of using my flatmates computer, as the internet explorer on it is really slow and tempermental. I had some email addresses to transfer to my phone, and emails to reply to. Funny thing was, I was walking home from the ATM (where I had got some cash out, to pay for the Tokyo trip, and my trip to Kanazawa etc - apparently my bank will be closed, including ATMs over the Christmas/New Year break, which sounds really dumb to me) anyway, I was mucking around with my phone, and somehow took a wrong turn, and found myself heading towards the place I had been to a few nights earlier (Superfreaks - it has pool tables, dart boards, internet etc). Anyway considering I had been thinking of going there, I decided to stop and email etc.

Today we went and organised our bus tickets to Tokyo, and a hotel.

Some of you will notice this entry has been completed - while I was typing it at the internet cafe, it started typing in Japanese, so I had to save and quit. I have finished it off for you. Kind of defeated the purpose of going somewhere else to email, but hey.

Hi to everyone reading this - it seems my blog has gained popularity, heaps of you are emailing me about it - so thanks - I enjoy the emails, it is good to hear news from home, and gives me something to look forward to after work. I will eventually use my phone for most of my emails, and will check my yahoo address less often, but that will be later - I use my flatmates computer now, so I check it almost everyday, he goes home in February.

Since then (that was last night) it snowed hardcore overnight - everything was covered. It was cool! Today at work, there wasn't many students, many cancelled due to the snow, so I had two free periods. That was cool. Tomorrow I have to start early (10am) because it is a public holiday (which of course we don't get off.)

I have taken quite a few photos of the snow with my phone. I have found out how to text them to the blog, so I will do that soonish. Also, my Japanese friend in Kanazawa has emailed my phone, so now I can contact him easier - I am going to see him on the 28th - 30th. Also my NZ friend in Osaka has just called me, and I will visit him on the 7th-9th, as he has Sundays off, and that Monday is a public holiday (I have Sunday/Monday weekends). So finally I aren't an exile anymore.

I have also made progress towards finding an english-speaking church, I emailed a few, and a couple of them emailed back, one has given me directions how to get to his church, so I will probably go on Sunday, at 4pm. Usually my policy is not to go to church on Christmas/easter etc - as I feel that I go most (some) Sundays, and Christmas/Easter services are for those who don't go regularly and want to redeem themselves... anyway, it falls on a Sunday this year, and I think God is probably missing me - and 4pm is an OK time to have church - no early morning, which is all good.

Losing my voice, I have a sore throat, and a cough. Which is weird for December (in NZ).

Looking forward to Christmas and my days off. There is apparently a Christmas dinner in Nagoya, there is one at the Hilton, and one at Shooters (a foreigners bar) both on the 24th. Will attempt to go in for (one of) them. Failing that, a trip to Nagoya and its nightlife might be a nice way to celebrate Christmas anyway. Or maybe a visit to the 48 waterfalls (really 24, but you see them from the other direction on your way back - dodgy marketing again) or the spa-land - I guess that is one good thing about Chirstmas not being a public holiday here - things are open to enjoy - good when you are by yourself.

This maybe my last email before Christmas, so Merry Christmas! and remember the reason we have Christmas - I am a bit annoyed at how we are made to teach the Japanese kids etc about Christmas (I want a bike - what do you want? - I want a bike) yet all it is to the Japanese is a marketing promotion, most won't celebrate it, let alone respect the true reason behind it. Im a bit jaded about that...

Walking in a winter wonderland

Wassup?

1 month down, 11+ to go.

Yeah, things are OK here. It has been a productive weekend. I have washed my clothes, tidied my bag and room, organised stuff, found out important stuff, and finally got a cellphone.

It has been good to achieved all this, but I came to the conclusion tonight that I haven't really been enjoying myself since I have been here. Yeah I have been out with various people, but I haven't had fun so to speak. I haven't been able to properly relax and have fun. Like usual I have been the silent observer - I am the odd one out - the new guy. And organising stuff is a mission. Anyway, enough of the negative stuff.

On the positive side - got my library card on Sunday - and on my way there - I noticed it had snowed! it was wicked! I was a big kid, jumping in the snow, making snowballs etc. It snowed a little later on as well, snow is not like I expected to be like, I thought it would be like hail, rather it is like tiny feathers.

Last night I went to the Italian restuarant again, but not much meat there either.

Today I found out how to register my flatmates bike to my name when he leaves, where an english speaking Doctor is, contacted and got replies from some English speaking churches in Nagoya, and finally got a cellphone. The Vodafone here didn't have the english speakers there today, so I went into Nagoya. Where I was going to go would have been closed by the time I got there, so I went to the vodafone across from the station to try my luck, luckily one of the people spoke good english. By the time I had finished though It was about 9 O'clock, so I couldn't really go to anywhere fun (as I would have to catch the train at 11pmish, and it is a bit of a walk.) Hence my moan about not doing anything fun.

Anyway Christmas next weekend. Thankfully I have it off. I would have been a little annoyed if I didn't - the Japanese exploit the Occasion for all it is commercially worth, yet don't have the day off. Probably heading up to Kanazawa 28th-30th, and then Tokyo via nite bus on the 30th, New Years, then back on the night of the 2nd (back 6am of the 3rd). Will go to Osaka at some stage soon. Now I have a phone I should be able to organise things easier.

Have fun, and a good Christmas.

A visit from the clean team, and move into #2 position

Hey there,

This week has been somewhat uneventful. Work and chores.

Today we had a flat inspection - because my Australian flatmate left on Saturday morning. So last night was the time for vacuuming and tidying up. I also went through the cupboard and fridge, and got rid of old stuff - some pretty old, and because it is all in Japanese - undistinguishable. Anyway the inspectors came - a cross between professional cleaners and the FBI - they cleaned the things with plug/drain holes, and took photos of things - like a crime scene. Anywhy, the end result was that it was OK. Yesterday wasn't much to write home about - woke up at 12, despite getting a nice and early night - it seems Saturday nights I am so worn out I go to sleep early on, but then I also sleep in. I am wanting to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier, but my body clock won't allow it. For example last night, I didn't get to sleep until 5. Maybe its the lack of physical work, that I had got used to at Gilmours.

Anyway, today I moved my stuff into the vacated room - now I have a cupboard, and access to the balcony, and am on the sunny-side of the house (I presume). Other than that I have done some washing, and ironing, and some dishes (so domesticated - ladies, I will be back in NZ late 2006/ early 2007 - entry forms for a date will go online shortly.) I had intended to go to Nagoya, but oh well. While I was doing the ironing, a movie called "The Hunted" was on - about an American guy in Japan, who becomes the target of some Ninja assassins, and it began in Nagoya. Interesting stuff. Last night I saw "Karate Kid III" - which was set in Okinawa (a southern little island) - but if you read the credits you discover it was actually filmed in Hawaii. Which is kind of funny. Coming to think of it, Im not sure if my students actually appreciate it when I tell them the "Last Samuari" is filmed in New Zealand. Anyway, may head out with my flat mate when he comes home to a karaoke bar with some of his mates. Maybe going to Tokyo with him for New Years. That would be cool. About time I start looking around, instead of doing household chores.

I have a couple of stories, but due to their content I won't tell them here, If you want to know, remind me to tell you the Ching ching story, and/or the biker dude story.

Yokkaichi Photos

An example of the colourful manhole covers,

Nova Yokkaichi branch, my workplace







McDonalds, Japan style.
And Yokkaichi lights, in the LaLa park.



T

These smoke stacks are why in the '80s there was a diease named after Yokkaichi - a form of asthma I think.

The service station I thought was interesting, as the things hanging down are the pumps, and there is no shop inside, however there are plenty of convienence stores here, Cirlce K's (one down the road from here - I remember Circle K used to be in the Shell stations in NZ, Family Mart, AmPm, Lawsons.

This is Yokkaichi from the top floor of my building.

Photos of Nagoya

These 2 pictures (the Twin towers, and the Milky way light display - are taken of the JR towers (Japan rail - ie they are on top of the central Nagoya station.) Imagine you have just looked up at the towers, then imagine you have lowered your vision - the light display is what you would see. If you lowered your vision further, you would see the entrance into the train station, ie the trees are on top of the "forecourt" roof.

The vodafone and chintai ads would be behind you. An example of the Japanese affair with lighting everything up. The picture of the street is from the other side of the station - from the branch where I did my orientation, and kids training. Yes, that is a giant LED screen, playing advertisments

Another weekend in the big smoke.

Thats the kind of title you get when I am uninspired. I feel a bit like Doogie Howser( circ 1989-ish), how he always wrote on his computer at the end of the episode - I think of that as at the moment I have just been watching Felicity (think circ. 1998) and she always talks to her dictaphone. Anyway, I digress.

I left it until today to write something, in case something interesting happened today. Not a lot, but I'll get to that soon.

This weekend has been my first full weekend. Saturday I worked, and when I got home I cooked myself a decent-sized feed of spaghetti bolognaise, minus the mince, however the tomato pasta sauce actually had some in it, so that was a bonus. However after that I felt a bit nausous, so I had an early night, which was good (despite the fact I wasn't feeling good.) Yesterday I decided to explore, and see if I could find the churches here, and if they have english services. I found them (well, the ones in the direction I was going), but none looked like they had english services. No one was there to ask either. After finding them, I carried on until I got to the port. I ended up doing about 12,000 steps. Anyway, on my way back I decided I would go to the all-you-can-eat italian restaurant - in the hope I would get the iron I think I'm lacking, and to actually feel full for the first time in 2 weeks. Well, I certainly felt full, but the amount of meat in the food left something to be desired. I thought it would be a good idea to use the self-service (soft) drink machine to see what various things tasted like. Bad idea. Everything except the obvious (Coke and fanta - albeit lime fanta - which was radioactive coloured and tasted wrong) were iced tea - I almost gagged, not good when you are really full too. Anyway, it was 1640 yen well spent.

Anyway today I went and opened my bank account, finally. That was a bit of an effort, with the language barrier and all. After that I had to fax and phone my head office (ie they need my bank account details, otherwise I don't get paid).

Following that, I went to find the library and the museum. Found both, both were closed (it was after 5pm by this stage). It was real cold outside, especially on the way there. Anyway, went to the shopping centre after that, had a big look around, discovered the 105yen shop (like the 2 dollar shop back home) brought some stuff, went to the supermarket and brought up large, including some mince to have with tonights pasta (spaghetti again, but with a cheese sauce.)

Anyway thats about it. Walking and eating. the joys of Japan.

Fast times in Yokkaichi

Hey again.

Another short one.

That may have been a waste of a good title, but anyway.

Today I went to open a bank account. But bank closes at 3pm. AHHHHH. Luckily my employer wasn't too worried - I need a bank account before I can receive my advance, and my pay. Oh well have to wait until Monday.

After that disappointment, I went and enquired about Japanese lessons, and then at the Vodafone shop, to make sure someone there spoke english. It was a long process, making me wish I was still in NZ, not having to fight the language barrier.

Last night we went to a Karaoke bar, did karaoke, ate some food, etc. It was alright, but a little expensive. The tight guy within is starting to pull rank.

Just some little thoughts on Japan so far:
It is very tidy, which is strange, considering the lack of rubbish bins around.
Not many people speak english.
There are some sick weird people, I won't go into details
They are polite, Im probably the biggest person Ive seen here, yet none of the Japanese has taken any notice of that.
The thing about Japanese girls liking white guys? its rubbish. None have looked my way at all.
Japanese children are not any more better behaved than NZ kids.

Now where did I leave my comfort zone?

Thats right, I forgot to pack it. It is still in the middle of the Pacific ocean.

I thought of that title after teaching 2 kids yesterday. They were really hardwork - jumping off cupboards, climbing the walls etc. They made my cousins seem like little angels in comparsion. It blew my stereotype of Japanese kids being well behaved out of the water completely. I was thinking while singing one of their songs (and they weren't) that usually I would feel such a dick doing that, but it seemed ok. So I guess that is a good sign.

After the kids class the rest of my lessons seemed so easy. Had a voice lesson (basically a chat) with a guy, that was cool, he told me about Ninjas and Samauris, and his travels.

Yesterday I also managed to get my alien registration done. Now I can open a bank account etc.

Not sure what the weekend brings, but I will enjoy the full two days off, and probably just explore.

Arohanui.

JT