So, it was a rocky weekend for me. I got lost. Really and truly, in a small suburb of Ota. Well, lost… I knew where I was and how I got there, but not really how to get back because the bus didn’t show up at the time marked on the schedule. Or at least, from what I could READ of the schedule.
Yeah, there were a lot of literacy issues over the last few days. I couldn’t read the bus schedule as well as I thought I could and missed firework festivals as a result; I somehow switched my air conditioner to heat in plus 30 degree weather and had to go to the school to find an English teacher to help; and I had to get assistance understanding how to use an iron because I couldn’t figure out how to turn it on. In one word, the weekend was frustrating.
But, it’s Sunday night, school starts tomorrow, and I’m feeling better. Mostly because of the strange and wonderful things I keep finding here in Japan. For example, I just had the most delicious whole wheat bread I’ve ever tasted. And this, after my last bread purchase was so sweet, it should have read, “cake” on the package.
Anyway, back to yesterday and the lost bus adventure. Stuck out of town and missing what I have heard is the best fireworks show in the region, I manage though sign language to have a woman at a dry-cleaning shop call me a cab. My night is ruined, my wallet nearly empty, and my mood black. So, I decide to treat myself to a cheer-up – sushi at this conveyer belt place I’ve had my eye on.
On the way to the sushi, I pass a Brazilian import store and café. (This is going somewhere, I promise.) I go inside to check out the place and don't really find much of interest. It’s in another language I don’t understand and I’m not familiar with most of the products. In the cafe, I ask to check out the menu. It’s a very short menu with a small selection of South American and American food (read burgers and empanadas.) But, something catches my eye at the bottom of the page. Just under the empanadas, in fact, it clearly says, “kibe.” Sorry, what’s this? I read it again. It still says, “kibe.” There’s a picture. It looks familiar (I call them kubba.) Here, in Ota?
I head home and straight to my computer to do a little research on the Internet. It turns out that the most popular fast-food chain in Brazil is a Middle Eastern place called Habib's. So popular, I guess, that kibe makes its way on to a Brazilian menu in Japan. I love this planet!
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Stupid, “bleeping” bike! Oh, how I love her.
There she is. That's my baby, parked outside of the Ota train station. (She’s the dark pink one in front. I tend to take lots of pictures of her so I don’t forget where she’s parked.) Okay, so this mama-chari isn’t really much to look at up close. She’s a bit rusty, the basket is caved-in in one corner, the bell is broken, the seat is all scratched up, and the front fender is slightly askew. Not that most mama-charis are anything special. They’re one speed, heavy, and you’re seated low down so that your legs never stretch out for much power or comfort.
But, my bicycle gets me from point A to point B with ease and means I have to spend a lot less time under the hot sun each day. I’ve learned to navigate the often narrow and uneven sidewalks and I have found ways to avoid some of the uber-long traffic lights on my way downtown. I no longer fear sliding into a rice paddy and the cars phase me a little less than they did two weeks ago. I can even scratch my nose without careening into a tree now. In fact, last week I caught myself in mid-“wee” on the way down a slope. Can you believe it? Thank you, zayda for getting me up on two wheels so many years ago.
Ah, but when she’s good, I’m good, and when she’s not, well… I’m a hot, sticky, unhappy mess.
On Tuesday, I hop on my bike and start to peddle from school to the Ota city hall for my Japanese lessons. I ride for maybe about 10 metres when I hear a sound kinda like, “waka, waka, waka.” And, the ride is bumpy as hell. I have a flat. Back to the school, pump some air, and I’m off again. But, I don’t make it to the city hall before, “waka, waka, waka.” Shit! After class I end up walking the darn thing half an hour all the way home. Now what?
Wednesday arrives and I have to walk, WALK, to school where I explain my problem. Thank goodness for the kindness of teachers. They are able to find a bike shop for me that’s not too far way. They even call ahead for me.
So, under the blazing mid-day sun I escort my bike about 30 minutes to the repair shop. The sun is directly above me and it is hot. I have never been as sweaty in my entire life. Pools are somehow collecting under my eyes, on the back of my neck, behind my knees, all over. I stop periodically under the shade of a bridge to try and towel off a bit, but it’s useless.
Finally, I arrive at the bike shop. The repairman is expecting me, which is a good thing, because beyond “punc, punc”, I am unable to communicate much more. Sure enough, her back tire has a puncture. It’s demonstrated for me, several times, in a bucket of water.
With very quick hands, the repair is completed and she’s as good as new. (Or in this case, as good as old.) He charges me 1,000 yen for the repair, which is apparently a discount – yes, likely the regular discount price.
By 12:45 pm, I’m off and riding again. Just in time for my Japanese class and a complement on my cool bike from a classmate.
Oh, so good to have her back. I think I should name her. How’s, Magenta!? With the exclamation mark of course. Magenta!, no more punc, okay?
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Tokyo!
Well, I’m busy, but not that busy. And I’m craving adventure. So, on Sunday I got up, found the train information, and hopped a ride in to Tokyo for the first time on my own.
Tokyo is huge, so first thing I did was search through the pages of the guidebook my sister gave me as a parting gift to find an area of interest. And, wouldn’t you know it, Asakusa was just 80 minutes and one direct train ride away.
Ah, but if only it were that simple. It is one EXPRESS train ride to Asakusa, Tokyo. I hopped on the cushy car with a simple commuter ticket, which was about half the price. Near the end of the ride, I was made to fess, and pay, up. Luckily for me they don’t fine people here, just make you top up.
Asakusa is an area of Tokyo centered around a large Shinto shrine and temple. Tourist shops selling a variety of trinkets abound, as does the sweet smell of sugar from the many food stalls. A feast for the senses.
This was my first time to a Shinto temple and it was fascinating, particularly in the way so many rituals seem similar to those of other religious and spiritual practices around the world. Before entering, worshipers cover themselves with smoke from burning incenses, similar to smudging (First Nations). They wash their hands carefully (Jewish), and toss in their coin donations at the entrance (Christian). At the inner most part of the temple, people pray contemplatively after removing their shoes (Muslim). Practices so different, and yet so familiar. If I only knew more about world religions or the Shinto faith, I am sure there are even more commonalities.
I toured more of the area which revealed a small amusement park tucked back amongst the side streets, a whole street full of shops catering to restaurants and the culinary minded (a favourite of Natalie’s, perhaps?), and very unique building belonging to the Asahi Brewery Company that’s meant to resemble a tall glass of beer.
Pictures tell the story far better than I can at this hour. Click here for photos.
At 6:30 I got back on the train for Ota. This time, I decided to take the peasant’s way via local trains. With a stop at every station along the way and a switch in Tatebayashi, it took more than two and a half hours from station to station. I think I’ll stick to the plush ride from now on. I just need to figure out how to reserve, and pay for, a proper ticket.
Tokyo is huge, so first thing I did was search through the pages of the guidebook my sister gave me as a parting gift to find an area of interest. And, wouldn’t you know it, Asakusa was just 80 minutes and one direct train ride away.
Ah, but if only it were that simple. It is one EXPRESS train ride to Asakusa, Tokyo. I hopped on the cushy car with a simple commuter ticket, which was about half the price. Near the end of the ride, I was made to fess, and pay, up. Luckily for me they don’t fine people here, just make you top up.
Asakusa is an area of Tokyo centered around a large Shinto shrine and temple. Tourist shops selling a variety of trinkets abound, as does the sweet smell of sugar from the many food stalls. A feast for the senses.
This was my first time to a Shinto temple and it was fascinating, particularly in the way so many rituals seem similar to those of other religious and spiritual practices around the world. Before entering, worshipers cover themselves with smoke from burning incenses, similar to smudging (First Nations). They wash their hands carefully (Jewish), and toss in their coin donations at the entrance (Christian). At the inner most part of the temple, people pray contemplatively after removing their shoes (Muslim). Practices so different, and yet so familiar. If I only knew more about world religions or the Shinto faith, I am sure there are even more commonalities.
I toured more of the area which revealed a small amusement park tucked back amongst the side streets, a whole street full of shops catering to restaurants and the culinary minded (a favourite of Natalie’s, perhaps?), and very unique building belonging to the Asahi Brewery Company that’s meant to resemble a tall glass of beer.
Pictures tell the story far better than I can at this hour. Click here for photos.
At 6:30 I got back on the train for Ota. This time, I decided to take the peasant’s way via local trains. With a stop at every station along the way and a switch in Tatebayashi, it took more than two and a half hours from station to station. I think I’ll stick to the plush ride from now on. I just need to figure out how to reserve, and pay for, a proper ticket.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Fire Follow
I arrive at the school this morning just as I always do. And, just as always, I greet the office staff with the appropriate, formal morning greeting and a slight bow. Instead of just the usual hello I normally get back, the window slides open and a newspaper is waved at me. They want to know about the fire.
As promised, I took some pictures of the scene this morning. What the pictures don’t convey is the sound of water dripping from inside.
As promised, I took some pictures of the scene this morning. What the pictures don’t convey is the sound of water dripping from inside.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Kaji da!
That’s “fire!” in Japanese. It’s usually good to find a situation in which to apply a newly learned word. But, not always.
I had a bit of a scare tonight. A big, bright, flaming hot scare just a few houses down the street.
One of the nice things about my apartment is that when I close the doors and window, it’s pretty airtight. But, it also means I’m a bit disconnected from the real world just beyond. Until it starts blaring at me that is. And that’s what happened tonight. I was just getting set to answer a letter and do some writing when I notice that there is a ceaseless din of sirens outside.
I open my front door and realize that the emergency is basically happening right in front of me, around me, everywhere. There’s a large fire burning at the end of the street just a few houses in front of me. Hmmm, interesting. Okay. I stare, I get my camera. I go back inside.
I’m nervous. I take another peek outside my door just in time to spot a huge fireball erupt into the sky just a few doors down. The battle is raging. And, from where I stand it looks as if the firefighters are loosing. So, I panic a little. I try to phone home. No answer. I call my prefectural advisor almost just because I need to talk to someone. It’s hard enough to deal with an emergency. It’s down right scary when you don’t speak the language, don’t know the area, and aren’t sure where you might be able to sleep if your home gets swallowed by flames (yes, a little extreme, but that’s where my mind was at the time.)
Just in case, I pack up my laptop, important papers and a clean pair of underwear and head out, locking the door to my apartment. I think it might be like that waiting for the pot to boil kind of thing, because just as I make my escape, it seems the flames are being brought under control.
I phone my kyoto-sensei (vice-principal) just to let him know I’m okay incase he’s heard something on the radio or whatever. This is a mistake because apparently he tries to drive to my place (which is impossible because every side street around me is closed off.)
Every fire hydrant for blocks is hooked up to giant hoses. I count at least five. Some of the firefighters are dressed in these wild aluminum-foil looking suits. One of them walks by me and looks like he’s about to fall over. He’s pulling off a boot as he walks.
People have poured into the streets and are gawking (myself included.) Kids are out in their pajamas, some even loaded into cars ready to make a quick getaway. But, by now, the orange flames seem to be gone. The black sky is filling with smoke.
I head home and to bed.
Even as I write this, there are some announcements being made in Japanese. I have no idea what’s being said, but as long as the flames are out, I’m okay.
I’ll post some after shots tomorrow.
I had a bit of a scare tonight. A big, bright, flaming hot scare just a few houses down the street.
One of the nice things about my apartment is that when I close the doors and window, it’s pretty airtight. But, it also means I’m a bit disconnected from the real world just beyond. Until it starts blaring at me that is. And that’s what happened tonight. I was just getting set to answer a letter and do some writing when I notice that there is a ceaseless din of sirens outside.
I open my front door and realize that the emergency is basically happening right in front of me, around me, everywhere. There’s a large fire burning at the end of the street just a few houses in front of me. Hmmm, interesting. Okay. I stare, I get my camera. I go back inside.
I’m nervous. I take another peek outside my door just in time to spot a huge fireball erupt into the sky just a few doors down. The battle is raging. And, from where I stand it looks as if the firefighters are loosing. So, I panic a little. I try to phone home. No answer. I call my prefectural advisor almost just because I need to talk to someone. It’s hard enough to deal with an emergency. It’s down right scary when you don’t speak the language, don’t know the area, and aren’t sure where you might be able to sleep if your home gets swallowed by flames (yes, a little extreme, but that’s where my mind was at the time.)
Just in case, I pack up my laptop, important papers and a clean pair of underwear and head out, locking the door to my apartment. I think it might be like that waiting for the pot to boil kind of thing, because just as I make my escape, it seems the flames are being brought under control.
I phone my kyoto-sensei (vice-principal) just to let him know I’m okay incase he’s heard something on the radio or whatever. This is a mistake because apparently he tries to drive to my place (which is impossible because every side street around me is closed off.)
Every fire hydrant for blocks is hooked up to giant hoses. I count at least five. Some of the firefighters are dressed in these wild aluminum-foil looking suits. One of them walks by me and looks like he’s about to fall over. He’s pulling off a boot as he walks.
People have poured into the streets and are gawking (myself included.) Kids are out in their pajamas, some even loaded into cars ready to make a quick getaway. But, by now, the orange flames seem to be gone. The black sky is filling with smoke.
I head home and to bed.
Even as I write this, there are some announcements being made in Japanese. I have no idea what’s being said, but as long as the flames are out, I’m okay.
I’ll post some after shots tomorrow.
The Marvelous and The Mundane
I had a wonderful weekend, thanks for asking.
Friday was a good start with an adventure to Maebashi and a chance to meet some new people, maybe even make some new friends here in Japan.
Saturday was a chance to sleep in a bit and then tucker myself out all over again at a festival in Isesaki. It was a fascinating mix of modern and traditional Japan.
I documented this adventure with my point-and-shoot digital camera, which makes the pictures perfect for sharing (click here).
Today? Today was home day. I did laundry, aired out my futon, and did some cooking and tidying. Oh, and I went out on a scavenger hunt to find that elusive telephone. Success! I located a used one at a nearby shop. The woman wanted $30 for it and basically told me that she wasn’t sure if it would work. I left that as a possible plan B and jumped back on my bike. About an hour later I was at an electronics store. In the fax and telephone department, buried under all the hundred-dollar cordless phones, I found a flyer for a simple little telephone. I used the picture on the flyer to tell the woman behind the cash what I was looking for and she managed to locate the thing for me. Yippee! I plugged in my VOIP line and it seems to work just find.
Sorry, the picture is backwards. That’s an “Excellent Phone.”
The other thing I did today was purchase a $20 futon to put under the one I’m already using. I carried it home about 5 blocks on my head. My bed is so much softer now. And, my home is far homier too. I found a couple of plants and a few postcards for artwork. I’m thinking of investing in a $29 vacuum I found on sale at the nearby home store too. Maybe tomorrow.
The day was so good, in fact, that I thought I would give takoyaki another try. It was better, but still not yummy this time around.
P.S. You can also check out another album (click here) I posted. There are lots of shots of the old house in this one.
Friday was a good start with an adventure to Maebashi and a chance to meet some new people, maybe even make some new friends here in Japan.
Saturday was a chance to sleep in a bit and then tucker myself out all over again at a festival in Isesaki. It was a fascinating mix of modern and traditional Japan.
I documented this adventure with my point-and-shoot digital camera, which makes the pictures perfect for sharing (click here).
Today? Today was home day. I did laundry, aired out my futon, and did some cooking and tidying. Oh, and I went out on a scavenger hunt to find that elusive telephone. Success! I located a used one at a nearby shop. The woman wanted $30 for it and basically told me that she wasn’t sure if it would work. I left that as a possible plan B and jumped back on my bike. About an hour later I was at an electronics store. In the fax and telephone department, buried under all the hundred-dollar cordless phones, I found a flyer for a simple little telephone. I used the picture on the flyer to tell the woman behind the cash what I was looking for and she managed to locate the thing for me. Yippee! I plugged in my VOIP line and it seems to work just find.
Sorry, the picture is backwards. That’s an “Excellent Phone.”
The other thing I did today was purchase a $20 futon to put under the one I’m already using. I carried it home about 5 blocks on my head. My bed is so much softer now. And, my home is far homier too. I found a couple of plants and a few postcards for artwork. I’m thinking of investing in a $29 vacuum I found on sale at the nearby home store too. Maybe tomorrow.
The day was so good, in fact, that I thought I would give takoyaki another try. It was better, but still not yummy this time around.
P.S. You can also check out another album (click here) I posted. There are lots of shots of the old house in this one.
Friday, August 10, 2007
Soaking it all in…
I can’t believe how drenched I got. The only times I’ve possibly ever been wetter would be in the shower or a swimming pool. And, in those situations I am usually not riding a bike in my dress clothes.
I heard the rain as soon as I stepped out of the train station in Ota. It was torrential for most of the twenty minutes it took me to get home. Well, until I was just two blocks from my apartment – then it let up and turned into a gentle shower. My clothes are now hanging to dry and the contents of my bag are spread across the floor of my apartment airing out. I think the cell phone and camera will be okay, but my passport will never be the same.
Today was the official swearing in ceremony for the high school Assistant Language Teachers (ALTs) in Gunma and I made my way to the prefectural capital all on my own by train. It was a good day. I survived my Japanese self-introduction in front of an audience, saw some of the city, ate good food and met some wonderful people.
Generally, I’ve been busy getting settled into my new life in Japan. There is so much to learn and so much to do. I recall some crazy talk about August being a slow, even boring, time for JET (ALTs) because of the summer break. I don’t buy it. I have no shortage of things to do and prepare at school and setting up a new home/life takes a lot of work.
My new home is coming along. I’ve managed to buy a few necessities and even borrow a few things from others. Some of the teachers I work with have lent me an iron for the year and a rice cooker (there was some concern about the rice cooker being so old fashioned but I prefer it because it works just like the one I have at home in Canada.) I even have a futon and blanket on loan from the school.
Obtaining some things has proven to be quite the challenge. In particular, a phone and a knife. In terms of a phone, I can’t seem to find just an old, regular phone that plugs into the wall. I’m not asking for much, just something simple that I can use to set up a VOIP line at a decent price. I found one model at a mall in Ota, but it was sold out. A good, little kitchen knife for cheap was hard to find too. I finally managed to track one down at the grocery store for about $10.50. For that price, I could have bought a whole set from Ikea in Canada. It better slice and dice like a dream.
I’m heading out more on my bike now. I am taking little adventures and trying to get to know the neighbourhood and city where I live. I’ve found a great looking sushi place, some Italian restaurants, a couple of discount shops, a craft store, grocery store, dry cleaners, etc. All things I might need to live comfortably.
And, I’m attempting to learn the culinary side of things too. For example, I’ve discovered that I like agar noodles and other things seaweed, and that I’m not really that into takoyaki (the octopus is yummy, but the dough and mayo are just too greasy for me.)
Tomorrow will be the first morning I am allowing myself to sleep in. It will be a busy afternoon and I’m hoping to take in a couple of festivals in the centre of Gunma. Still getting my feet wet ya know.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Genki Again!
Hey, I’m back. In more ways than one. It’s been a bit of a crazy week since I last wrote. I traveled from Tokyo to Maebashi with the other JET ALTs, met my new supervisor in a funny, little, semi-official ceremony (I say “semi” because the official appointment ceremony is this Friday), I started a new job, moved into a new house… and then, moved again.
My goodness, what a nightmare the housing situation turned out to be. I arrived at my new house on late Wednesday afternoon with my predecessor, V, who was getting set to leave for Thailand the next morning. She was supposed to show me the ropes and help me settle in. I was to take over the house next door to the one she had been living in. Her roommate, R, also an English teacher was going to stay in her place (a situation that was the source of major stress for me while things were getting sorted in the months before my departure.) D, again an English teacher was in the house I was to inherit and getting set to move in with R. Got it? It’s kind of like that puzzle game where you have to move one square at a time using the one empty space until you complete the picture.
Okay. So I arrive Wednesday night, have some lovely tea with the landlady where she tells us she’s almost done cleaning for me and only has to finish up in the kitchen. Bye, bye, and my supervisor and school vice-principal are off, down the hill. And me? I am left behind in the dirtiest house I have ever been in. It was disgusting and so packed full of garbage, I didn’t know where to begin. Honestly, I must have stood there for an hour in my dress cloths, just staring, panicked.
The landlady walked over with the contract for me to sign and I burst into tears. Her daughter comes over to try and translate and, sobbing, I tell them I am not sure I want to stay there, and I must have said something about all the stuff. What stuff? Okay, here’s a bit of a breakdown. There is ripped and broken furniture everywhere, towels and hangers in the doorways, cupboards FULL of dirty and moldy blankets and futons, toothbrushes and personal hygiene products in every corner (the desk, the kitchen), broken appliances, a mattress with a chunk burnt out of the side, layers of old tatami mats, half eaten food items of all kinds strewn about the kitchen, and a layer of grease like nothing I have ever seen covering the cooking surfaces. (I later found a cupboard full of shoes, brown puddles in the fridge, and baskets full of old linens stashed in strange overhead places, but these things were not an immediate source of stress because I didn’t even know they were there.) That night, we manage to remove what amounted to more than three van trips to the dump the next morning. I counted. Oh, and also that night, we encountered a couple of the largest cockroaches I have ever seen in my life. And, they weren’t just in the kitchen either.
I woke up the next morning at 4:30 am and spent another 3 hours hauling shit out on my own and making attempts to clean up. To be honest, I was pretty sure I would try to tackle the dirt and stay. I even went with one of the teachers from the school that day to purchase cleaning supplies. But, that afternoon, when it was time to head home, I just suddenly felt so depressed, so unhappy about the situation.
It wasn’t just dirt, it was damage too. The screens dividing the rooms were full of holes, the paint had been peeled off the walls in places, stickers on the wood doorways, a burn mark in the tatami. The place was a disaster: the victim of years of short-term, foreign tenants. And, when I realized that I couldn’t even bring myself to eat my granola bar snack in the house, I knew I was in trouble. I hid from the landlady and resolved to speak to my supervisor the next day.
But, when I realized my supervisor was going to be away until Monday, well, I just couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. I started to cry in the teachers’ lounge, right there in front of my new co-workers. They sprung into action. And less than three hours later, I had found a new place. If only the paperwork took the same amount of time. For a new gaijin (foreigner) there were many hoops to jump through. So, while a school staff member, who I think is named Jimmy Joe (sounds that way, anyway), went over the many, many papers, I was whisked away in a chariot – not a joke, that’s a car model – to get special papers from city hall and obtain a cell phone which is a prerequisite for just about everything here. In the end our attempts to get everything done in time for a same-day move were unrealistic. I even had to redo my application for a cell phone after the first company decided my temporary gaijin papers weren’t sufficient.
For approximately $10 CND a night, I spent five nights in the house. Finally, move day arrived and an amazing coordinated effort from the teaching staff once again.
I’ve had the keys to my new aparto for about 29 hours now. I am unpacked and happy to be setting up my new, spick and span home. It’s not ideal. It’s very small, there’s no outside space or traditional Japanese touches like tatami mats, and there are all kinds of weird fees for things. But, it’s very clean and it’s mine. I’m home, finally. No more tears. I am now ready to tackle life in the land where bunnies pound rice nightly (a special prize for the first person to guess that reference, excluding people who’ve lived in Japan and my parents.)
It’s a shame you know. That little house had its charm. It was a real, traditional Japanese house perched on the side of a mountain. It could have been really nice. If any JETs, or other foreign teachers are reading this, please take care of the place where you live. It may be only temporary for you, but someone else will have to live there after you, and after that person, and so on. Neglect is cumulative.
Anyway, on to new adventures, like firework festivals that go on for hours, electronic toilet seats, and grocery stores where I recognize less than 50 per cent of what’s on the shelves.
My goodness, what a nightmare the housing situation turned out to be. I arrived at my new house on late Wednesday afternoon with my predecessor, V, who was getting set to leave for Thailand the next morning. She was supposed to show me the ropes and help me settle in. I was to take over the house next door to the one she had been living in. Her roommate, R, also an English teacher was going to stay in her place (a situation that was the source of major stress for me while things were getting sorted in the months before my departure.) D, again an English teacher was in the house I was to inherit and getting set to move in with R. Got it? It’s kind of like that puzzle game where you have to move one square at a time using the one empty space until you complete the picture.
Okay. So I arrive Wednesday night, have some lovely tea with the landlady where she tells us she’s almost done cleaning for me and only has to finish up in the kitchen. Bye, bye, and my supervisor and school vice-principal are off, down the hill. And me? I am left behind in the dirtiest house I have ever been in. It was disgusting and so packed full of garbage, I didn’t know where to begin. Honestly, I must have stood there for an hour in my dress cloths, just staring, panicked.
The landlady walked over with the contract for me to sign and I burst into tears. Her daughter comes over to try and translate and, sobbing, I tell them I am not sure I want to stay there, and I must have said something about all the stuff. What stuff? Okay, here’s a bit of a breakdown. There is ripped and broken furniture everywhere, towels and hangers in the doorways, cupboards FULL of dirty and moldy blankets and futons, toothbrushes and personal hygiene products in every corner (the desk, the kitchen), broken appliances, a mattress with a chunk burnt out of the side, layers of old tatami mats, half eaten food items of all kinds strewn about the kitchen, and a layer of grease like nothing I have ever seen covering the cooking surfaces. (I later found a cupboard full of shoes, brown puddles in the fridge, and baskets full of old linens stashed in strange overhead places, but these things were not an immediate source of stress because I didn’t even know they were there.) That night, we manage to remove what amounted to more than three van trips to the dump the next morning. I counted. Oh, and also that night, we encountered a couple of the largest cockroaches I have ever seen in my life. And, they weren’t just in the kitchen either.
I woke up the next morning at 4:30 am and spent another 3 hours hauling shit out on my own and making attempts to clean up. To be honest, I was pretty sure I would try to tackle the dirt and stay. I even went with one of the teachers from the school that day to purchase cleaning supplies. But, that afternoon, when it was time to head home, I just suddenly felt so depressed, so unhappy about the situation.
It wasn’t just dirt, it was damage too. The screens dividing the rooms were full of holes, the paint had been peeled off the walls in places, stickers on the wood doorways, a burn mark in the tatami. The place was a disaster: the victim of years of short-term, foreign tenants. And, when I realized that I couldn’t even bring myself to eat my granola bar snack in the house, I knew I was in trouble. I hid from the landlady and resolved to speak to my supervisor the next day.
But, when I realized my supervisor was going to be away until Monday, well, I just couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. I started to cry in the teachers’ lounge, right there in front of my new co-workers. They sprung into action. And less than three hours later, I had found a new place. If only the paperwork took the same amount of time. For a new gaijin (foreigner) there were many hoops to jump through. So, while a school staff member, who I think is named Jimmy Joe (sounds that way, anyway), went over the many, many papers, I was whisked away in a chariot – not a joke, that’s a car model – to get special papers from city hall and obtain a cell phone which is a prerequisite for just about everything here. In the end our attempts to get everything done in time for a same-day move were unrealistic. I even had to redo my application for a cell phone after the first company decided my temporary gaijin papers weren’t sufficient.
For approximately $10 CND a night, I spent five nights in the house. Finally, move day arrived and an amazing coordinated effort from the teaching staff once again.
I’ve had the keys to my new aparto for about 29 hours now. I am unpacked and happy to be setting up my new, spick and span home. It’s not ideal. It’s very small, there’s no outside space or traditional Japanese touches like tatami mats, and there are all kinds of weird fees for things. But, it’s very clean and it’s mine. I’m home, finally. No more tears. I am now ready to tackle life in the land where bunnies pound rice nightly (a special prize for the first person to guess that reference, excluding people who’ve lived in Japan and my parents.)
It’s a shame you know. That little house had its charm. It was a real, traditional Japanese house perched on the side of a mountain. It could have been really nice. If any JETs, or other foreign teachers are reading this, please take care of the place where you live. It may be only temporary for you, but someone else will have to live there after you, and after that person, and so on. Neglect is cumulative.
Anyway, on to new adventures, like firework festivals that go on for hours, electronic toilet seats, and grocery stores where I recognize less than 50 per cent of what’s on the shelves.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
Ottawa to Ota - Part II
Wednesday, August 1st
Tokyo, Japan
6:40 AM
Tokyo has been a whirlwind of activity. I wanted to have more time to check out the city while I was here, but jetlag and the JET orientation conference have made that very difficult.
The amount of information here for us is overwhelming. I’ve managed to fill the remaining space in my suitcase with books, maps, flyers, etc. I’ll have to sort it all out another day.
There hasn’t been too much time for exploring Tokyo. Actually, I should say, I haven’t found too much time for exploring Tokyo. I know some of the other people here have managed to sacrifice sleep and information sessions for adventures in the city. But, I live close enough that I expect to be back soon.
I have managed to do a few things around the hotel in the Shinjuku area. On Monday morning, Sonia and I went out to explore and watch people make their way to work between the various shops and skyscrapers. The people were very well dressed and moved in large groups, quickly along the sidewalks. They came by in hurried waves, eyes averted. The stores, restaurants and pachinko parlors lined streets that almost looked like back allies.
In the evening, I went out with other JETs from my prefecture. We ended up at a 6th floor izakaya (Japanese bar) for nomihodai. Nomihodai is basically an all you can drink or eat type thing. We each paid about $15 CND for all we could drink in two hours (beer, whisky and sours – fruity type drinks), and $10 for all you can eat: salads, fish and beef to grill, pizza, beef patties, tofu, sashimi, shrimp tempura, chicken wings… a real feast.
By the time we were ready to head back to the hotel, it was absolutely pouring rain. The sidewalks were just streaming with water and my sandals turned into little portable puddles strapped to my feet. I purchased my first new belonging in Japan, a clear, plastic umbrella for about $2. It did a good job of keeping my head dry, but not much else as the rain came in sideways.
I capped off my visit to Tokyo last night by taking in a view of the city at night. Lovely and sprawling, there is so much more to explore. I’ll have to come back.
Now, it is time for us all to leave the cocoon that is the Keio Plaza Hotel. I’m off to Gunma to meet my supervisor, board and school officials, and see my new home in Ota.
Tokyo, Japan
6:40 AM
Tokyo has been a whirlwind of activity. I wanted to have more time to check out the city while I was here, but jetlag and the JET orientation conference have made that very difficult.
The amount of information here for us is overwhelming. I’ve managed to fill the remaining space in my suitcase with books, maps, flyers, etc. I’ll have to sort it all out another day.
There hasn’t been too much time for exploring Tokyo. Actually, I should say, I haven’t found too much time for exploring Tokyo. I know some of the other people here have managed to sacrifice sleep and information sessions for adventures in the city. But, I live close enough that I expect to be back soon.
I have managed to do a few things around the hotel in the Shinjuku area. On Monday morning, Sonia and I went out to explore and watch people make their way to work between the various shops and skyscrapers. The people were very well dressed and moved in large groups, quickly along the sidewalks. They came by in hurried waves, eyes averted. The stores, restaurants and pachinko parlors lined streets that almost looked like back allies.
In the evening, I went out with other JETs from my prefecture. We ended up at a 6th floor izakaya (Japanese bar) for nomihodai. Nomihodai is basically an all you can drink or eat type thing. We each paid about $15 CND for all we could drink in two hours (beer, whisky and sours – fruity type drinks), and $10 for all you can eat: salads, fish and beef to grill, pizza, beef patties, tofu, sashimi, shrimp tempura, chicken wings… a real feast.
By the time we were ready to head back to the hotel, it was absolutely pouring rain. The sidewalks were just streaming with water and my sandals turned into little portable puddles strapped to my feet. I purchased my first new belonging in Japan, a clear, plastic umbrella for about $2. It did a good job of keeping my head dry, but not much else as the rain came in sideways.
I capped off my visit to Tokyo last night by taking in a view of the city at night. Lovely and sprawling, there is so much more to explore. I’ll have to come back.
Now, it is time for us all to leave the cocoon that is the Keio Plaza Hotel. I’m off to Gunma to meet my supervisor, board and school officials, and see my new home in Ota.
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