I JUST HAVE SOMETHING IN MY EYE, THAT’S ALL.
2 Comments »|June 21, 2010|7:50 am
Every time this commercial comes on the TV I almost cry. Almost! It hasn’t gotten me yet. It’s just really kind!
alphabet ocean
a – b – seasJapan – The Strange Country
1 Comment »|June 5, 2010|4:20 pm
More Stuff on my TV
1 Comment »|March 11, 2010|9:57 pm
Japan’s definition of macho. I actually like the drink. It is kinda like yogurt.
Heat and Eat
1 Comment »|March 4, 2010|10:31 pm
Good: Eating some soup on a rainy day.
Better: Eating some turkey pot pie soup.
Best: Eating some turkey pot pie soup in Japan and having it only be 200 calories.
Going to Kagoshima this weekend. March is mad busy.
Jerry Been
4 Comments »|February 21, 2010|7:03 pm
Commercial for new cell phones that has been on the tv. I have no explanation to offer.
My hair is red brown now.
3 Comments »|February 17, 2010|7:18 pm
Taken while waiting for the bus in Matsubase
So, this is my new haircut/colour. I’m friends with a stylist in the city who rang me up a few weeks ago and asked if I had interest in being a hair model. So, this is stage one of a contest she is entering me in. Next week is pro make-up and a few more highlights, then professional photos! I was nervous because it’s the first time I ever dyed my hair, but I really really love the colour.
One month until my parents are in Japan! PRESSURE. (just kidding*)
*kindaValentine’s Day
1 Comment »|February 11, 2010|4:29 pm
It is almost Valentine’s Day in Japan, which means downtown has turned into a war zone of Japanese girls looking for the perfect chocolate to give to their boyfriend/love/crush/etc. This year I too decided to “go Japanese” and am making chocolate for my co-workers. The cooking store that normally has 2-3 people in it had no less than 30 when I stopped in today. And the foreign import store was like Black Friday, if all the shoppers wore four inch heels, fake eyelashes, and talked like mice on helium. (I am being mean because all I wanted to do was get the hell out of the store and 90pounds waifs with stupid furry hats and ten shopping bags kept cutting in line in front me of).
But I did buy these. Adorable! They also had frogs and hippos.
So maybe you’re wondering why I am gearing up to give chocolate to people. It’s because in Japan, as with most holidays, is totally different! Let’s see what wikipedia has to say:
“In Japan, in 1960, Morinaga, one of the biggest Japanese confectionery companies, originated the present custom that only women give chocolates to men. In particular, office ladies give chocolate to their co-workers. One month later, on March 14, White Day was created by the Japanese National Confectionery Industry Association as a “reply day”, where men are expected to return the favour to those who gave them chocolates on Valentine’s Day. Unlike western countries, gifts such as candies, flowers, or dinner dates are uncommon. Many women feel obliged to give chocolates to all male co-workers, except when the 14th falls on a Sunday, a holiday. This is known as giri-choko (義理チョコ), from giri (”obligation”) and choko, (”chocolate”), with unpopular co-workers receiving only “ultra-obligatory” chō-giri choko cheap chocolate. This contrasts with honmei-choko (本命チョコ, Favorite chocolate); chocolate given to a loved one. Friends, especially girls, may exchange chocolate referred to as tomo-choko (友チョコ); from tomo meaning “friend”.”
Yup, women do all the work and have to wait an entire month hoping they didn’t make a huge fool out of themselves. Oh wacky Japan, what will you come up with next?
Speaking of which , if I have to read one more article about capsule hotels and tiny rooms on the Internet, I am going to SCREAM.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
It has come to this
2 Comments »|February 5, 2010|12:02 am
I am going to have to bring a bottle of nail polish to WORK tomorrow to get a MALE co-worker to open it for me because I do not know my neighbors nor do I own the tools necessary to pry it open myself nor do any of my guy friends live close enough to not spend 6.40$ round trip to get them to do it.
Ugh.
Hey 2010, get loose
3 Comments »|February 3, 2010|9:05 pm
Passed my Japanese exam. I only passed it by seven points, but passing is still passing!
Giving Back
2 Comments »|January 24, 2010|8:07 pm
Today I was an active member of my community and volunteered to help raise money for Haiti. I stood downtown for four hours and asked people to donate money IN JAPANESE. The best part was seeing parents give their small children money to donate, or the middle and high schoolers stopping to donate of their own will.
Yesterday: I celebrated Australia day with a BBQ at a friend’s place. Later, I went downtown and was treated to drinks and karaoke by some handsome Japanese men. I discovered that karaoke rooms now have “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga and that I can not sing it at all.
A few days ago: I said goodbye to my seniors at A-school. The school year ends on March 1st for them, but at A-school they finish at the end of January. It’s really sad for me, because they are my favourite students there. In the writing class we had a party and talked about the future. One girl is majoring in English and told me it was because I got her interested in it and believing that she could reach her dream of going to America. I discovered that I make more of an impact than I think I do and that I still hate saying goodbye.
A week ago: I went to the park to play wiffle ball with friends. We were challenged to a game of soccer by some middle school kids and agreed. We lost. I discovered that when you are playing sports against middle schoolers, you really don’t need to feel like you should go easy on them. Because they are playing to win and will throw elbows.
Happy New Year