well, i just posted a lot of pics and some reflections... make sure to check em all out if you haven't seen any yet... there are quite a few :) enjoy them!
we will be going to tokyo tomorrow for new years celebrations. we're going to be taking the bullet train... it should be pretty awesome :)
all is going well
i dont know if i'll be able to update in tokyo, but i will if i can.
i hope all is going fine and dandy back home... enjoy your new years celebration, whether it be sleeping before midnight or staying up and watching the countdown. it's kind of weird to think that i am going to be entering the new year 17 hours before you...haha, i still cant get over this whole time difference :)
hooroo
Friday, December 30
a trip to the conbini store (convenient store, circle-k)
after a quick trot down to the corner and jog across the busy street, i’m greeted by a wall of warm air and the nasal Japanese greetings from the cashiers behind the counter (the nasal voice is customary and required of people in the position of service to others, like cashiers and greeters/hosts at resturaunts and stores...). I quickly bow my head and smile (not having a clue as to what they said) and I make my way to the hot drinks and breads. after grabbing a few things, i walk up to the cashier… another nasal greeting and some additional phrases as she rings up my hot green tea and bread—430 yen… that’s about $4.30 in US currency. I rummage through a bunch of coins in my pockets and pull out 500 yen (i’ve got the yen down now) and place it in the plate (you never hand money directly to the cashier).
she grabs the yen and is talking in that nasal voice the whole time as she grabs the change… my bro says that they are explaining what they are doing with your money, you know, “I’m taking your money, you gave me this much, you get this much back…” and so on. she places the money and receipt in my hand and I am off, back to the house.
who would know that a solo trip to the circle-k down the street in the mornings would prove to be such a fun adventure to me :)
now, here are a few things that are different about the service here in japan compared to the service in america. in america, we have the saying “the customer is always right.” in japan, they say this saying too. but when you translate their saying from japanese to english, it literally means “the customer is god.” and let me tell you, they take this to heart, and they will do anything to satisfy the customer. I could go so much further into this, but this is getting long. I’ll talk more of this later.
time for the list of lessons learned!
-the automatic doors are a little more delayed and slower than back home… I have walked straight into two because of this reason.
-another door had my face smashed into it because of its being semi-automatic… you have to push a button that’s on the door…I’m telling you, the button is disguised as a part of the door.
-it’s very difficult to tell the difference between the guys and girls clothing department
oh ya, this is random, but I had a dream that I was covered in cactus last night… weird.
anyway, hooroo for now!
she grabs the yen and is talking in that nasal voice the whole time as she grabs the change… my bro says that they are explaining what they are doing with your money, you know, “I’m taking your money, you gave me this much, you get this much back…” and so on. she places the money and receipt in my hand and I am off, back to the house.
who would know that a solo trip to the circle-k down the street in the mornings would prove to be such a fun adventure to me :)
now, here are a few things that are different about the service here in japan compared to the service in america. in america, we have the saying “the customer is always right.” in japan, they say this saying too. but when you translate their saying from japanese to english, it literally means “the customer is god.” and let me tell you, they take this to heart, and they will do anything to satisfy the customer. I could go so much further into this, but this is getting long. I’ll talk more of this later.
time for the list of lessons learned!
-the automatic doors are a little more delayed and slower than back home… I have walked straight into two because of this reason.
-another door had my face smashed into it because of its being semi-automatic… you have to push a button that’s on the door…I’m telling you, the button is disguised as a part of the door.
-it’s very difficult to tell the difference between the guys and girls clothing department
oh ya, this is random, but I had a dream that I was covered in cactus last night… weird.
anyway, hooroo for now!
Thursday, December 29
lots of pics because of lots of time
my mum and bro wanted to go shopping for some stuff, so i asked if i could go on my own and stop by the internet place to put up my pics since pics take a long time. ere go, i am here, posting pics.
this is inside the dressing room...
This is japanese graffitti
octopus tentacles... prepare to be eaten
this is inside the dressing room...
This is japanese graffitti
octopus tentacles... prepare to be eaten
the foreigner
well, I didn’t have a chance to say all I wanted to say, or show all I wanted to show from yesterday… so a lot of this is leftover. and this one did get a little long, so you can just skip to the list and pics if you don’t want to read two paragraphs :) actually, i dont have enough time to post pics, so i will do that later.
image means a lot here in japan… not that it doesn’t in California too… but here, it’s to another extreme. I mentioned earlier that the fashion here is mini skirts with boots. when I am walking in this freezing cold weather and see this, I figure that they are just used to it. however, this is not true. my brother mentioned to me that he had asked someone he knew about this, and they said that the girls here will put themselves through the miserable cold just to look good. wow… I could never do that… mini skirts in cold weather (or any weather :) just aren’t my thing.
I was thinking about how I have never been the foreigner before… I have seen foreigners before and observed them, but I have never taken on the role as one. Now, far from home, I notice that I am really enjoying the role as a foreigner…it’s actually a lot of fun. trying to communicate, learning new customs, taking in the different lifestyle, learning the way around a place that’s not home…it’s so awesome. being a foreigner isn’t so bad… I can’t quite explain why, but I just love being out of my element and adapting to the new one. however, I do miss having my friends around. next time I take a trip, I am definitely taking my friends with me :)
more things I learned today:
-check out the prices on these fruit (in US currency): 1 cantalope=$94.50 ; 1 orange=$85.00 ; 1 mango=$21.00… getting some yummy fruit= definitely not priceless
-octopus tentacles do NOT taste good
-the graffiti here is not so hard on the eyes
-the massage chairs here have people inside of them… well, at least it feels like it :)
-everyone either walks or rides bikes/scooters and uses the train (we walk and use the train) the bikes and pedestrians are on the same sidewalk, causing a lot of close calls
-almost all the stores in japan will play the song “Auld Lang Syne” at closing
-america isn’t the only place that have starbucks within a mile of eachother
there’s a ton more, but I can’t quite remember some things at the moment… so I will tell some more later.
image means a lot here in japan… not that it doesn’t in California too… but here, it’s to another extreme. I mentioned earlier that the fashion here is mini skirts with boots. when I am walking in this freezing cold weather and see this, I figure that they are just used to it. however, this is not true. my brother mentioned to me that he had asked someone he knew about this, and they said that the girls here will put themselves through the miserable cold just to look good. wow… I could never do that… mini skirts in cold weather (or any weather :) just aren’t my thing.
I was thinking about how I have never been the foreigner before… I have seen foreigners before and observed them, but I have never taken on the role as one. Now, far from home, I notice that I am really enjoying the role as a foreigner…it’s actually a lot of fun. trying to communicate, learning new customs, taking in the different lifestyle, learning the way around a place that’s not home…it’s so awesome. being a foreigner isn’t so bad… I can’t quite explain why, but I just love being out of my element and adapting to the new one. however, I do miss having my friends around. next time I take a trip, I am definitely taking my friends with me :)
more things I learned today:
-check out the prices on these fruit (in US currency): 1 cantalope=$94.50 ; 1 orange=$85.00 ; 1 mango=$21.00… getting some yummy fruit= definitely not priceless
-octopus tentacles do NOT taste good
-the graffiti here is not so hard on the eyes
-the massage chairs here have people inside of them… well, at least it feels like it :)
-everyone either walks or rides bikes/scooters and uses the train (we walk and use the train) the bikes and pedestrians are on the same sidewalk, causing a lot of close calls
-almost all the stores in japan will play the song “Auld Lang Syne” at closing
-america isn’t the only place that have starbucks within a mile of eachother
there’s a ton more, but I can’t quite remember some things at the moment… so I will tell some more later.
Wednesday, December 28
first day in town, experiencing the culture
well, first of all, the girls here... CRAZY... absolutely crazy... here i am, wearing long underwear, and two jackets, and gloves... and then these girls in miniskirts and boots come walking down the street... crazy!
some fun things i learned:
-you have to take your shoes of when you go in the dressing rooms
-i had no idea that they drove on the other side of the road
-they seperate all the trash
-the toilets are in the floor
here are some pics of what i saw today:
i would put more, but my bro and mum want to leave,.. more fun pics later!
planes trains and automobiles
ha, it's wednesday morning here and it's 4 pm tuesday back in CA... i think
i am adjusting just fine... i didnt notice the time difference at all...
maybe that's just because i was exhausted :)
well, three airports, two planes, one bus, and one train, and a quick walk later, i am in nagoya, japan. you know what, i can do this traveling stuff... i really like airports and changing planes and what-not.
my brother's place is sooo small... i love it! i don't know why but i just
love tiny places. now, i am not exagerating about how small it is... you'll
see in the pictures. the entire bathroom is so small, that i can't fully
extend my arms in any direction. his kitchen is a little under a yard wide,
and the place where i sleep (on the floor) is about one and a half of my
body lengths. he has a loft... that's where my mum sleeps. also, his
heater is broken, so he has this little space heater that actually does a
decent job. i didnt really need it, though, with all the layers i was
wearing :)
anyway, i have decided to just start using pictures with captions... it's a
ton easier and a lot faster to read... and probably more interesting. i
haven't had a chance to connect to the intrenet yet, so i have just been
typing out the stuff and will post it all at once... along with some pics.
well, we are off to check out some convenient stores and what-not.
i am adjusting just fine... i didnt notice the time difference at all...
maybe that's just because i was exhausted :)
well, three airports, two planes, one bus, and one train, and a quick walk later, i am in nagoya, japan. you know what, i can do this traveling stuff... i really like airports and changing planes and what-not.
my brother's place is sooo small... i love it! i don't know why but i just
love tiny places. now, i am not exagerating about how small it is... you'll
see in the pictures. the entire bathroom is so small, that i can't fully
extend my arms in any direction. his kitchen is a little under a yard wide,
and the place where i sleep (on the floor) is about one and a half of my
body lengths. he has a loft... that's where my mum sleeps. also, his
heater is broken, so he has this little space heater that actually does a
decent job. i didnt really need it, though, with all the layers i was
wearing :)
anyway, i have decided to just start using pictures with captions... it's a
ton easier and a lot faster to read... and probably more interesting. i
haven't had a chance to connect to the intrenet yet, so i have just been
typing out the stuff and will post it all at once... along with some pics.
well, we are off to check out some convenient stores and what-not.
seven hours in...
lets see... i have been inside a big chunk of metal with wings on it for
about 7 hours. so far, i have slept a ton (with a little help from
dramamine) while listening to my ipod. my music has been keeping me sane.
i just got done watching "fantastic four"... a lady in front of me and to my left has watched "wedding crashers"about three times... when i saw that we each had individual tv screens, i
thought i would be glued to it. i am happy to say i have only watched one movie, and have been reading and sleeping the rest.
luckily, i don have a five year old kid behind me kicking my seat. also,
the food is delicious... they are full-on meals. i had terryaki chicken with
rice and a salad for lunch... i'm wondering if we get dinner soon.
well, i am thinking i am going to sleep some more... hope all is going well
on the earth below outside of this chunk of metal!
about 7 hours. so far, i have slept a ton (with a little help from
dramamine) while listening to my ipod. my music has been keeping me sane.
i just got done watching "fantastic four"... a lady in front of me and to my left has watched "wedding crashers"about three times... when i saw that we each had individual tv screens, i
thought i would be glued to it. i am happy to say i have only watched one movie, and have been reading and sleeping the rest.
luckily, i don have a five year old kid behind me kicking my seat. also,
the food is delicious... they are full-on meals. i had terryaki chicken with
rice and a salad for lunch... i'm wondering if we get dinner soon.
well, i am thinking i am going to sleep some more... hope all is going well
on the earth below outside of this chunk of metal!
at the airport
well, i am sitting in a chair at a window in the airport near the food court
and being attacked by the strong smell of McDonald's. after spending a very
long time in line to check in our baggage (not carry-on stuff), i am
interested to see how i will handle this very long flight. i am tired, so
hopefully sleep will come easy.
christmas yesterday went well... my family got a kick out of my christmas
movie, but sometimes i wonder if they are just easily amused :) also, the
desert i made, eclair cake, was a hit (thanks for the recipe!) i'll be
posting pics later when i have a better internet connection.
packing last night was a blast... jenny and i spent a lot of our time seeing
how much we could fit our own bodies into my bag. we both fit fairly well..
those pics will be posted as well :)
hooroo
and being attacked by the strong smell of McDonald's. after spending a very
long time in line to check in our baggage (not carry-on stuff), i am
interested to see how i will handle this very long flight. i am tired, so
hopefully sleep will come easy.
christmas yesterday went well... my family got a kick out of my christmas
movie, but sometimes i wonder if they are just easily amused :) also, the
desert i made, eclair cake, was a hit (thanks for the recipe!) i'll be
posting pics later when i have a better internet connection.
packing last night was a blast... jenny and i spent a lot of our time seeing
how much we could fit our own bodies into my bag. we both fit fairly well..
those pics will be posted as well :)
hooroo
Friday, December 23
some random pics
well, i was cleaning out the pics in my digital camera, and somehow, i found some pictures from all the way back in april and some others in between. some of them are pretty good, so i'll put a few up. 
(you can click on them to make em 
bigger)
On the left is when we went snowboarding back in april... of course, this is afterwards. Then, on the right is my pumpkin pie i made for our tennis anquet... that's when it was about half deflated... it was really weird... i thought it was going to explode.
Here is when we went to manhattan beach on wednesday (when school got out... half day). The waves were so huge! Nobody was aloud to go on the pier because the waves were so big that water was spilling over onto the pier... it was pretty crazy. I'll be puting up some more pictures soon...
i hope everybody's breaks are going well...
ta-ta
(you can click on them to make em 
bigger)On the left is when we went snowboarding back in april... of course, this is afterwards. Then, on the right is my pumpkin pie i made for our tennis anquet... that's when it was about half deflated... it was really weird... i thought it was going to explode.
Here is when we went to manhattan beach on wednesday (when school got out... half day). The waves were so huge! Nobody was aloud to go on the pier because the waves were so big that water was spilling over onto the pier... it was pretty crazy. I'll be puting up some more pictures soon...
i hope everybody's breaks are going well...
ta-ta
Tuesday, December 20
Simply Genius
Well, this year i decided to make my Christmas Movie a little bit different. Last year, it was more of a pretty picture show... this year, i tried (key word, tried) to add some humor by making a movie of the rush on Christmas morning if one decided to procrastinate. Most of you have seen/will see the movie, but just to make a smooth transition into my next topic, i will say that it was done in the style of an old silent film... it was kind of inspired by this fellow:
yup, charlie chaplin. I have been having a blast watching some of his films the past few days. This stuff is just genius... it's where it all originated. You can't help but laugh when watching his films. When you can laugh as hard as you do without the dialogue, that says something about the acting and the writing. Good stuff, good stuff. If you ever have the chance to see some of his films, go for it... seriously, they are great.
well, i am off... tomorrow is my last day of school before break, and then i am done... it's nice to have my college friends around. i look forward to the next two weeks with them... who knows what we'll get into...
yup, charlie chaplin. I have been having a blast watching some of his films the past few days. This stuff is just genius... it's where it all originated. You can't help but laugh when watching his films. When you can laugh as hard as you do without the dialogue, that says something about the acting and the writing. Good stuff, good stuff. If you ever have the chance to see some of his films, go for it... seriously, they are great.
well, i am off... tomorrow is my last day of school before break, and then i am done... it's nice to have my college friends around. i look forward to the next two weeks with them... who knows what we'll get into...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)