Real quick

First off I want to thank my family for the wonderful care package. There are somethings in the states they don't have here, and I am well stocked up now. Thank you so much for the love! ^_^
So, I meant to comment on this before as I discussed it with someone a while ago, but I want to say something about the concept of "life moves on." The concern was posited about how cold it was that life moves on when one leaves a place, group, or the living realm. No matter how popular or hated and individual may be, life does in fact move on after that person makes their exit. Does that seem sad and hopeless? If you want it to be; but there is something else to keep in mind.

If one makes some sort of exit, they leave with having changed the people and place they were involved with; even if in the smallest way. Even though life moves on when one makes their departure, they are not forgotten necessarily. Take myself for example. When I left In N Out, it did not shut down and my friends did not quit out of respect for my memory. Life went on as usual and I am certain that the store will be a completely different place the next time I see it again. This could be sad in the sense that I go back and things look like I was never there, but what I choose to dwell on is the fact that even though they are moving on with their lives, my friends/coworkers remember me and have shown it. I do matter and did make some sort of difference and am confident in that.

If you face this consideration when you think about the past or feel like you didn't make an impression on those or the place around. Think about who remembers you or what is different and will never be the same at that place left behind because of you. Life may have gone on there, but you have set life to take a different direction than before. Feel comforted by that. Life will always go on and on and on, but if you change its course in the slightest way, it will never forget you.

Weights

Recently, as I ponder why I like it here so much, mind has been mulling over all sorts of considerations. I do admit this post has hit early as the culture shock is said to take about one to two months to set in, but I can not help to comment on the fact how much I like life in Japan and why. Reason for my confusion is that I am working here full time just like I easily could in the US and there are plenty of places to see in America as there are in Japan. Why should I like it here so much when I have the same opportunity in the US where everyone understands and can talk to me?

As I ponder further, I realize that 2 main things explain why I have such high satisfaction (bordering on infatuation) with my current situation. The more minor of the two is that, though my opportunities were the same between the US and Japan, I took and still take the sites to see in America for granted. I admit there are cool things to see and do in the US, but a good portion of it never really appealed to me. This coupled with the fact that the US is spread way far out and expensive to travel makes my motivation fall to practically nothing.

On the other hand, I want to see everything here if I am provided with the opportunity. From certain types of stores to historical landmarks, if I am offered to go somewhere with someone, I will go and even also plan to do exploring of my own. I don’t know how else to explain the fact that I just am innately more interested with what Japan has to offer in terms of experiences than my home country. It is more than likely due to a vast combo of factors ranging from the fact that my cultural/familial disconnection from Japan makes it exotic and more alluring, to sentiments of disappointment I harbor towards certain personally perceived shortcomings in my home nation (yeah that aint fair, but neither was the dismissing the spread of AIDS as the “gay plague” in its early stages or telling a Rwanda refugee that “America doesn’t have friends, it has interests”). Yeah, Japan may not be perfect, but until my home nation shapes up, I have no right to criticize another nation.

The other reason I like it here so much is that I have a lot more faith in and respect for my present job as well as a far deeper sense of satisfaction. All the hurdles I may face in working for AEON were made clear to me or AT LEAST hinted at. My prior experience with National Guard B.S. has trained me how to interpret these subtle hintings and how extensive a headache they could be. I have yet to have an unpleasant surprise. It also helps that Aeon primarily wants me to be a good teacher and takes good care of me for the purpose of providing a good service and that all those above me have treated me with (at least) an acceptable amount of respect.

Moreover, the role I am performing and trying to perfect really suites me. I am working everyday to help individuals master a task that will help them understand others of a different culture. At the moment, I believe this is how I can best make the world a better place. How much better would this world be if everyone could understand one another better? My ripple in the ocean of life may be miniscule but it is better than the absolute stillness that I felt I only managed to cause up to this point in terms of my work. I finally believe my job makes a positive difference and that is mostly why I freakin love working here.

Monday

So now that I have been in Japan for a month, there are two things I know that I really want to do as soon as possible. The less important one is to find a good place to get margaritas, and I think I have. There are TGI Fridays here!!! One of my friends here has been there and she says they are good and the size is legit. I just checked the Internet and there is one about 10 minutes away from me by train 0_0 I am definitely hitting there soon. Though their giant (or supreme?) margarita costs 13 bucks more or less . . . It better be big and it better taste freakin good. LOL. The other thing I need to accomplish here is to finally “go big.”

My predecessor introduced me to this term. When explaining to me how the trains operate here as well as the clubs, he explained that (since the trains stop around midnight) either one goes home early, or one “goes big.” The term basically means that you stay out and up until around 530AM when the trains start up again. Staying up till around 530 in the morning has been my style of going out for quite a while and I hope to get the opportunity to “go big” soon. Ending a day of exploring at 830 or 9 is kind of a bummer -_- Hopefully my first night of “going big” provides a good story or two to share with you.

Yesterday, work was good. I did my first prospective student interview and it went ok. I had rehearsed and practiced a few times up to this point, but there is no training like doing the actual task for real. There were plenty of things to improve on, but my manager sat in on the interview and indicated later on in the day that she was satisfied with my over all first time performance. Whew! The prospective student did smile and laugh a bit, which also put me at ease. I know I am a loser to admit this, but I look forward to the next opportunity. This is something else I want to be good at. Making a good first impression . . .for myself as well as the company I am representing.

Sorry it took so long!

Wow, it was quite the weekend. Even though I work through Saturday, my weekend did in fact begin on Friday night. A lot has gone down since I last posted and I apologize in advance for how long this may be. Friday: As I always say, and will try to say less often now, slowly but surely my teaching is improving in the sense that I am more comfortable with it and on top of all the steps I have to attend to in class. Other than that I have no real news of a serious nature, but there is once again a funny situation with the same kids class as I had that one awkward moment with last week. This time, I am actually trying to teach and am in the middle of doing a game activity with the kids. One of the girls is already done and out and I let her draw on the board behind me while she waited. No biggie. The problem presented itself as she turned around and touched both my butt cheeks with her hands and rubbed em for about a second till I stopped her (in a playful kid way I guess though) . . . Man those kids. I will be on my top guard for this class on Friday. Who knows what I face next with them?

After school, two co-workers (later to be joined by our manager), two students, and myself headed over to a local izakaya to wind down. It was a fun and relaxing dinner as we got to know each other and laugh over life’s simple or exciting pleasures. Nights like that are one of the many things that keep me smiling at work ^_^

Saturday:

As usual, Saturday is a busy day but it was a good one nonetheless. This was somewhat entertaining also. So, my head teacher needs to watch me teach a lesson and sits in on a lesson I am teaching to an 18 and a 20-year-old girl. For those of you who know me, stop laughing cause this isn’t going to be what you think . . . Jerks. Anywho, the class was about calling people on the phone and for the most part it went really well and while I am at the last ten minutes of class, I have one of the girls pretend she is calling a guy’s house, but he isn’t home while the girl (other student) is and she is his girlfriend. I didn’t even consider where they were gonna take this -_-

So here is the convo:

Student 1: Hello? This is (can’t say her name) . . . is Wes there?

Student2: No this is ___. I am Wes’s girlfriend (“oh geez” I thought to myself) Why are you calling here? (OH IT GETS BETTER)

Student1: Oh . . . I am also Wes’s girlfriend . . . (and the skit goes on, but that’s the funniest part)

So I got a little red, but we all got a good laugh out of it. Things like this definitely keep work rather interesting haha. In terms of my head teacher observing me, He liked me better that I expected. I did manage to forget a big chunk (which I had never done up to that point), but it wasn’t too big a deal. There are some preparation things I need to work on and a couple other fine details, but other than that, I am doing ok. I now have a better idea of how to improve and am grateful for it. He says he plan to watch another class this week. Hopefully I knock his socks off =P

After work, three of us teachers and one of the students went down to Yokohama city to have a night in the town. We got there around eightish and had ourselves a good time. We went to this pizza joint that is pretty popular here called Shaky’s. I guess it's a US based company with all the English and American culture that was all up in the place. The pizza was quite good though. Of course we had some pepperoni, but we tried some terriyaki chicken also, which was quite delicious.

From there we went and did some karaoke for about an hour and later took the show to a local arcade. It had several floors and all sorts of games you would and would not recognize. There were also a lot of those claw games where the prizes were anything from food to watches. Some of my friends would have never left hehe. I played this game that is like guitar hero but for Taiko drums (Japanese style drums). Very fun, and I posted pictures of it on the profile. Before we headed home, we went to this department store called Don Quijote. Its like the Wal-Mart of Japan 0_0 they had everything there >_<>

Sunday:

I met up with an old friend who actually lived next door to me in my first year at college. She was an exchange student doing a home-stay and I saw her quite often before I got deployed. It was nice to see her again after so long. We met in the city of Asakusa and initially checked out the Sensoji shrine that was there. It was an amazing site (pics posted). The structures of the gates and buildings were very impressive, and so was the long network of souvenir/snack shops between the inner and outer gate buildings. Not to mention there was a ton of people there that day. My friend said that over the New Year holiday, it is so crowded that one can’t even move around in the crowd. Crazy. Even though the place was hella crowded, I still felt the same way around this shrine as I did the one back in Omiya. It was amazing. We then proceeded to just walk around town to watch people and catch up on the 4 years we were out of the loop with each other. There were plenty of interesting people as well as sights. For instance there was this 4 or 5 story building dedicated to televising horse races for gambling. I never guessed it was so popular here. We also walked by a movie theater where I was surprised to see provocative pictures of scantily clad women in the middle of what seemed to be “romance scenes.” When I asked my friend what that was about, she told me that XXX theaters do exist here and that they call them “pink theaters.” I thought that was funny. Then, we just chilled by the river for a bit next to the Asahi headquarters building and enjoyed the peaceful and pretty afternoon. Gosh, Japan is so peaceful at times!

Next, we stopped a few cities over in Ueno. There is this big shopping center there called “Amayay okocho.” This place was also hella crowded, but that had pretty much anything you needed in terms of shopping. I managed to get myself this really handy coin-organizing wallet. Now I won’t jingle like santa clause with all the change I carry here.

We then bought a couple of bento dinners and cans of umeshu for ourselves and ate lunch in Ueno park. It was very relaxing as well as entertaining. There were plenty of people to watch and we also had to intimidate some crows that were intent on snatching our food. My friend said that this park is a prime spot for Sakura watching during April. She pointed out that basically all the trees lining the walkway would blossom. It sounded breath taking. Maybe I will make a stop there during April. Once we finished our meals, I then got to experience my first movie in Japan . . . Transformers 2!! It was in English and I liked it a lot better than the first one. Also, theaters in Japan are a little different but not really so much as to make for the necessity to comment more on it than this.

That was pretty much the excitement of my weekend. On Monday I just did errands and took care of ish at home. I guess I just need one of those days to relax. Work was fine yesterday and more or less uneventful. Though one of the staff is having her birthday on Saturday and we may do something after work. We shall see. You know I will keep you informed.

Lonely?

I was asked recently if I was homesick yet and I have also even questioned myself as to why I am not lonely here. I have come to believe that this blog is the answer to that. as I type these words I am speaking from my heart to yours and that makes me feel closer to you. Knowing that my friends and loved ones care enough to bother to read my simple ramblings makes my heart content at its deepest point. I admit there are the moments where I would like to be able to reach out and hug you or something at will, but the knowing that you care is enough right now. Thank you.

Also, I was pretty unhappy with myself and who I was during the end of my senior year in college and the year I waited to to get out here. As my college career came to close, I didn't want to attempt grad school right away and I lost a lot of respect for my job. I was living everyday with no real tangible purpose, until I decided to come here. Even then, I had to wait to have that purpose for almost a year. I had things to work toward, but I couldn't help but feel that I was in a holding area and my life was sort of on pause (though i did live it up hehe). Now that I am here though, I feel that sense of purpose again and it makes me a lot happier with myself and life in general. It is really nice to have a positive (but realistic) spin on most things around me again.

So am I homesick . . . at times, but not in the way you think. You are my home and you are always with me. I just wish you were here sometimes.

Lunchtime thoughts

Part of this was written on my lunch break today . . .

Yesterday went well. I woke up and took care of everything I planned to and was rested. Work was good as well. No real news on teaching, but everyday I feel like I am improving upon the day or week before and that is good enough for me. One of my students said something interesting though. She told my head teacher that compared to another teacher from a while back, I am starting off more confident. Apparently when this guy first began to teach, he would drop his materials often during class cause he was so nervous. I haven't been doing that and I guess I had impressed this particular student. This encourages me; not in the sense that I am starting off better than the other guy, but that I am starting off confident. I have one less hurtle to overcome before I can call myself a good teacher. . . Smooth.

Other than that, yesterday was a good and more or less average day until I went to bed. Today, is going along in the same vein. Though I did forget to mention last Thursday, but was reminded today, that one of my student's husband got his MBA at UCI. What a small world!! I told her to go home and do the "zot zot zot" to him ad see what he did. She said he was surprised and and laughed about it. Funny stuff eh?

It has been mentioned to me by some that I should talk about how I feel out here a bit more in detail in terms of emotion. I usually do, when it comes to excitement and happiness, but I will try to avoid complaining on this medium if I have problems. I don't want this blog to ever be mistaken for a bitchy one. Why would I complain or even take the time to write about negative emotions when all that will do is take time and energy away from the good ones or overcoming the challenges? I have and will be facing adversity here for sure and I will document those experiences, but you will be hard pressed to catch how upset or sad I am about something. Though, I admit now that if foreigners come here and piss me off and make me and other well behaved foreigners look bad, I will probably vent and get all crazy bout it here. so watch out for that hehe . . .

With that said I actually need to talk about the movie "Lost in translation" and how it relates to how I regard my situation here. But after I get back from work . . .

So . . . I have owned this movie, "Lost in translation" for the last 5 years or so and didn't sit down to watch it till last week. Basically the film follows the experiences of two exceedingly unhappy spouses (not to each other) as they cope with their general dissatisfaction with their marriages as well as life in general, in the town of Shibuya (Tokyo). A lot of the directional moves in the film seem to poke fun at or mock Japanese culture as Bill Murry or Scarlet Johanson's characters seemed to predominately receive the Japanese experience with ill affect until they meet each other and have their emotional affair. I initially wanted to be annoyed with the movie, but I soon realized that my interpretation of the film is probably far from universal and the problem I had from what I saw lies somewhere else.

"Lost in translation" could easily be proclaimed as a commentary on the fact that satisfaction with one's location is a reflection of one's satisfaction with life. This can be seen in the movie as the outlook of Japan seems to improve as the Bill and Scarlet get closer and coping with everything that is different from America in a more positive fashion. Like Bill is still consistently condescending to non english speaking Japanese people, but he starts doing it with a smile on his face with a air of playfulness rather than frustration as the movie draws on. So yeah, take the movie as you see it I guess.

BUT . . . here is what that film awakened me to; which is one of my quick switches actually. For anyone not of Japanese descent and unable to speak Japanese, please recognize the cold hard fact that you are a fucking guest in this country (an uninvited guest at that). Sure Japan allows people to visit so they can spend their money here, but the US is the same way or it wouldn't be so damn hard for foreigners to get a green card or US citizenship. Thus, as an uninvited guest, we need to act the part.

Here we go . . .

DO NOT COME HERE EXPECTING THE JAPANESE TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK ENGLISH!!! If you plan to vacation here, you had better study up on Japanese and their writing systems or get a sufficient guide (person) to help you around the country. To think that or act as if the people of Japan exist to serve your trivial recreational needs while you are on vacation is absolutely absurd. Please do not come here and start randomly talking to people that don't understand you and then get frustrated because they don't. How do you like it when someone gets in your face and starts blabbering in some language you can not understand?

HERE, JAPANESE CULTURE IS NOT WEIRD . . . YOURS IS! Do not come here and complain about how things are not the same as they are back home. The Japanese have several customs and other details of life, ranging from how one puts food in their mouths to how one views life, that differ greatly from your own. Get yourself informed of these differences, adjust if you failed to, and get over them. No one here is interested in your complaints except for maybe all the other babies that should have stayed in their home countries. And if your being in Japan was not a circumstance you wanted for yourself and you are stuck being here, do not burden your hosts (the Japanese people) with your problems and frustrations as they probably have their own to worry about. The depression is global after all at present.

Though you are an uninvited guest, I am more than confident that you will, more often that not, be treated quite graciously and with respect wherever you go if you make the slightest effort at being a pleasant guest. That means trying to comminucate in Japanese or just merely being considerate. Its really too easy to be treated well here. I have been here for a month and have yet to have a direct negative interaction with any Japanese person and am not planning to as long as I stay.

Whew ok . . . I'm over it and stepping off the box. Sorry.

Japan is different and definitely a destination not for everyone, as is any other country on this globe and some things I have seen or heard here from Non Japanese people have not settled well with me. "Lost in translation" randomly provided me the oppertunity to reflect on and articulate how I felt about the things I have been seeing.


and note that I am not speaking to anyone one in particular with this. I just wanted to vent this and let you know.

Another work week

Well it is the start of my third week in Nakayama and things are well. I finally got my alien registration card in the morning and there is nothing I can not do here unless it is privately owned and the owners declare their service/good for Japanese people only. Thus, my assistant manager faxed the card to the internet guys and the are gonna be installing my internet between the 23rd and 26th. With that said; heads up as I may lose connectivity until then any day now =[

Work was well. I taught kids for real in every kids class I had and it went alright. I need to increase my arsenal of class games in order to prevent boredom and memorize the flow of ids classes, but other than that everything was satisfactory I think. The kids were all actually really good yesterday, so I am super thankful for that. Everyone in my adult class in the evening canceled, which was a bummer, but I got to chat with my staff and get closer. So it all worked out I guess. I did teach one adult in the morning though. Turns out he is a Japanese professional rugby player 0_0 The biggest Japanese guy I have ever seen. He is really pleasant and kind though and having a bro that played rugby made it really exciting to chat and get to know him. It would be cool if he could meet my bro. Maybe sometime . . .

OH! so that holiday going down this month that has the city being all decorated as the pictures show is callad Tanabata or 七夕(たなばた）. For the history of the holiday, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanabata. Presently, one of the main customs of the holiday is to write wishes or poetry on a peice of paper (any color and small in size) attach it to Bamboo and hang it or put afloat down a river. It is an interesting holiday, and like I said, I like how the city looks all decked out as it is ^_^

When my class was canceled in the evening, I was thinking to myself for a bit and stumbled on a realization. Whether or not I like it, I am out of control of the fact that all of life (in and out of the army) is a game of hurry up and wait. I prep and then rush to the train station with a hightened sense of urgency just to sit there and idly wait till I arrive at my location. I rush to work to be there at the appropriate time just to prep for classes or wait for instructions from other staff Or I rush to get to a party/meet up on time and end up chillin till everyone else arrives. There are countless examples of this in my own and other's daily lives that I have witnessed. Therefore, I think that those oppertunities where one is forced to wait after a stressful period of rushing are the perfect time to recover from those stressful moments. When you get on that train, when there is a lull at work, or when there is nothing to do, take that time to chill out and release that stress from your system you have just recently been undergoing. Life gives us plenty of oppertunity to chill out amidst life's chaos, but it is my and your own responsibility to take advantage of them. This is how I lived for the longest time till this very moment and have, at present, found a happy balance in my own life. I wish the same happiness for everyone around me.

I hope all is well!