Catching Up

Blerg. So I find myself unfortunately with a bunch of pictures that don't fit together super well within the timeline of my life. So these next few posts are going to be informative and scatterbrained. Here we go:

The Japanese Bridge to Terabithia. Pretty right? It is at the Fuji springs place that we went to. 

Here you can see the koi in the natural water...thing. The coins are for wishing and it is about 50 feet deep. The water is super crystal clear, so you can see all the way to the bottom. 

Remember when we went to do that training thing at the rich guys house? This is his garden. That big tree on the right? Some fancy tree from his hometown or something. 

This is in the halls of his giant house. You can see out into the courtyard. The house is a classic representation of mansion during the Meiji Period. The Meiji Period was around the turn of the century.  

You may be asking who did this phenomenal calligraphy. You know who? Me. Yeah, that's right. As part of our orientation at the rich guy's house, we did calligraphy. You may be asking yourself, what do these professional-grade characters mean? The one on the left means summer, and the one on the right means love. I did in in remembrance of the super popular hit by one Justin Timberlake, "Summer Love." 

To be fair, that was the only song title that came up with the characters that they gave us.  

These are the ravenous fish that are in the moat-thing that surrounds the house. Neat as they may be, I think they are ugly as sin.  

Looking in from the front gate toward the house. 

Let me tell you about something else that we did. We learned proper manners for tea, bowing and sitting. That is what they called it. I called it nasty evil torture method of ankle crushing terror. 

Seiza is what this is called. Awful. We didn't have a super cool bench like this guy does. So instead, you just sit on your own ankles until they presumably crack under your weight. This went on for far too long and I would give away my feet before I would willingly submit to any more of this torture. 

After this, we learned how to get on and off the zabuton (the pillow that he is kneeling on). We practiced this method of standing up and down off these about 20 times. It was almost as awful, but at least I wasn't cracking my own ankle bones. I don't know if I have clearly articulated how much I hated this, but I really did hate sitting that way. I just don't understand a society that doesn't appreciate chairs. I would not have survived in the Meiji Period. 

I Have Returned...with Miracles!

Well. I am back. The internet got sorted out a day or two early. So I should be reliably posting again, even though my life is less interesting now. To catch you up since the last time I wrote, I have started actually working and teaching. I just finished my first day in the elementary school and it was actually quite good. I am what some would call a "worrier." Others might call it a sometimes-hyper-anxious-and-prone-to-panic person. I am both of these. Like most people, I worry about things that have not yet come to pass and they cause me (sometimes severe) distress.

I cant put it any other way than to say that I was literally terrified of teaching here in Japan. I have been plagued with thoughts of "What will I do when the teacher doesn't speak English?" "How do I go about teaching Japanese kids?" "How do I team teach with someone when we can't speak to each other?" "How do I go about getting along with my coworkers?" Play these through 1000 bad scenarios and you get an idea of how I was feeling at the start of yesterday and especially today.

Obviously I survived because you are reading the words that I am writing. I don't know if this is the last of this or not. I am sure that the anxiety will creep back and trip me up again, but today I saw miracles in my life. I haven't been sleeping well because of my anxiety over starting this and have been continuing forward on willpower alone. I saw miracles today and yesterday with the concern for my family and their ability to say what I need to hear and keep me going. I saw miracles with the children at the school and the teachers I work with. I cannot explain it other than a miracle. Meanings were conveyed between the teachers and I despite the fact that we couldn't speak. People were kind and generous. Even though you could argue that this would have happened to anyone at any time, to me they were literal miracles that cut through the stress that I was feeling. They were exactly what I needed.

On to the kids. Children are miracles themselves. Period. The kids are quickly becoming my favorite part of Japan. They are so eager to talk to me and look at me and chatter away saying who knows what. Granted, I am a sight for most of them to see, big, bald and white. Kids are so raw with how they do things. At recess we played basketball (which I am awesome at because I can dunk) and freeze tag. 17 2nd graders and I running around after lunch playing freeze tag. When I got tired and sat in the "Free Zone," a little girl came up and sat next to me. After a few minutes, she grabbed my hand and took me back out to play. I am very grateful for these kids and their kindness to someone that they just met today, especially since I needed something like that.

Sappy post for a few stressful days. I will try to stick to pictures and stuff for a while now. :)

Internet Problems

So I know that you ravenous wolves are at the door salivating for the opportunity to read some more observations of mine in Japan. By ravenous wolves, I really mean my family and Liz. Well, here we are. I am having internet problems at home currently. Before you get worked up and storm the offices of the Japanese internet company, it`s ok. I am online now at work with not a whole lot to do (students are testing today). So I am left with some time to update you on what is going on.

Yesterday I went to school for the first time for a full day. Overall, it was good and bad. I met the other teachers, which was good. The unfortunate part was trying to talk to...anyone. It turns out that I don`t speak Japanese. While this is not news to me, it seems to be news to them. Despite my best efforts to tell them that I don`t understand, they just rattle away in Japanese. It is quite frustrating. Consequently, I am trying harder to learn Japanese words and perfecting my blank stare.

On my drive to work, I saw Fuji again, and when I got to work, I was able to see it out the window from where I sit. That only lasted for about 15 minutes before the clouds rolled in and covered it up. They say Fuji is very shy. Whatevs. If I were a famous mountain, everyone would bask in my glory 24/7.

I went to the sunflower festival by myself which was relatively fun. I will upload some pitures, but I think I missed the good part of the festival by a few days because the flowers looked sad and dying. I did have sunflower ice cream and got a few pictures of one field of flowers. Not to be jaded or anti-botanist, but flowers aren`t terribly interesting on their own merits. Did you know that? I suspected, but now I know for sure. Also, we always considered sunflowers weeds when I was growing up. Corn on the other hand, that is a plant! It is delicious, interesting and you can make mazes out of it!

With that corny ending, I will conclude, satistfied that your thirst has been quenched for now.

D-D-D-Double Trouble!!!!

Boom! Here you thought you were only going to get one delightful post to read and savor, but being the kind, modern gentleman that I am, I am delivering double the delight!

 Continuing on. This was the cool looking wall at the Izakaya that we went to on the last night of orientation. It is a cool place. It is usually designed for people to drink copious amounts of alcohol. This methodology is great because it means that the food is cheaper. 

 Also, this is a drink called the Sakura Cherry Blossom something or other. It had glowing ice cubes in it. As you can see, that is Christina (my next door neighbor and new JET) in the background. 

 Gyoza. Delicious.

Yakisoba served on an iron skilled. Also delicious. 

 Ah...the delicacy of Yamanashi. Raw horse meat. Raw horse sushi. The sushi was good, but the meat itself was only ok. It was like greasy beef. Kind of like the difference between chicken and duck. Just greasy. 

 This was at an entirely different restaurant on a different day. It is food, so I thought it would fit. Katsu Curry. Think delicious chicken fried and breaded pork cutlet in Japanese curry sauce. Delicioso (notice that I said delicious in Spanish this time)

 Also in the food category, we got together and everyone made a dish to share. I made the Yakisoba on the left (wasn't my best effort). The middle is Okinomiyaki. Okinomiyaki is a Japanese pancake pizza thing with all sorts of crazy stuff inside. Actually it means favorite things fried in Japanese. It is served with a barbecue like sauce, mayo and fish flakes on top. The fish flakes move when you put them on top because of the heat and it makes it seem like it is moving. On the right is home made Houtou. 

On to the next occasion. Last weekend we had a big party up in our city with a bunch of people in the prefecture. We went to a legitimate Irish Pub located smack dab in the middle of Japan. I got some delicious fish and chips and mint milk. The mint milk tasted a lot like melted mint ice cream. 

 After the Pub, everyone came back and proceeded to get drunk and play Rock Band. I took my leave after a few renditions of good songs. Here you can see all the folk in not too much room.

More folks. Notice the guy in the hat because his birthday was yesterday, and we celebrated in style. 

There is really no easy way to do this...bugs. This is bugs part two. I want you to look at the size of that freaking mosquito that is feasting on the ear of corn in the middle of the photo. Giant. Huge. Mosquito.

 Here is the spider that tried to kill me outside my house a while back. His web was as big as the whole window and I had no choice but to burn him alive. I left just enough life in him so that he could warn any others. It was legitimately the size of a half-dollar.

 These don't look that terrifying, but I assure you. It is because my camera is terrible. These things are significantly bigger than the one outside my window. They are green and they are mean. They hang out in the roof over the train station I use (see used). I counted 8 of these little death-bringers in a 15 foot radius.

 I tried for over 5 minutes to find out what kind they were and got bored. 

 One of our lovely crickets that found its way into the house. Yuck.

 Now THIS is a big bug! As part of the orientation, we went to the Yamanashi Prefectural Museum. It was interesting, and kind of boring. It is less fun to go to museums when you can't read the displays.

 Big Japanese beetles on display.

 This is some armor that they found that dates back to about 1500 A.D.

 Since we didn't speak Japanese, they gave us these laser tag vests to wear that spoke into our ears about where we were in the place. It was interesting, but also mad you look silly. 

 Ah yes, the birthday party. We had a birthday party for James who is pictured above. He has been here for a few years so we wandered out to cheer his birth by going to a bowling alley out in the middle of nowhere. This picture doesn't adequately capture how terrifying the bowling alley looks from the outside. It feels like it belongs in Soviet Russia.

 They did have some wicked fly shoes that were in my size. They came with velcro straps and everything! Eat your heart out Marty McFly!

 A view of the alley

Private karaoke rooms up top because why would you have a bowling alley without karaoke rooms? 

That is pretty much it. Thanks for bearing with me. You may find yourself to be a little too excited by the sheer amounts of delight that you have just finished. So go ahead and take a few minutes to breathe.

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Better? Good.

Getting Orientated

So...It has been like a week since I posted last. Sorry about the absence. I was pseudo-busy with stuff... Anyhoo, this last week I was at the local orientation which was full of adventures and experiences. Here we go! Buckle up!

 Seriously though, you buckled? Cause that right there in the hazy distance is the renowned Mt. Fuji. You can see the lake in front of it as well. This is taken from the Houtou restaurant that we went to (picture later in post).

This is a picture of me looking out over all that I will someday possess. All the way to the Elephant Graveyard.

 We visited a town at the base of Fuji that is known for its water that flows from Fuji, one of the 5 springs or something. I drank it, it was good, but I wouldn't write home about it. I would blog home though...

 Looking into the little lake of Fuji-spring water.

 All the people gathered to look at the water (which is crystal clear) and the Koi that swim around in it. 

 Here, some dragons spit the water out for you to drink.

 Hot mochi. It is like a bun thing...which has sweet red bean paste inside. It is the Japanese sweet of choice, especially during New Years...

 Here is the picture of the Houtou dish. It is traditionally a winter dish. It has squash, noodles, carrots, onions and a bunch of other Japanese vegetables.

 This is the picture of the hotel where we stayed. It was wild, the key was old fashioned and had a keychain attached to it that made it possible to turn on the lights. I can't explain it, but you had to put the keychain part of the key into the slot to operate the power in the room. 

 It was quite small

 That's pretty much it. The only hotel room I have been in that was smaller was in Paris.

The bathroom 

This was laid out for me on the bed. I guess it is Japanese pajamas or something, but it looked suspiciously like a hospital gown/button up moomoo. I didn't fall for it. Jeff 1 - Japan 0

Picture Post

On Saturday I went on a trip to visit Kofu and see what it had to offer. I went down early for the Ping Pong night at church and walked around. First up is the temple that is up the street from the church building. Apparently, we are in the middle of a Japanese time known as Obon (sp?). It is kind of like Japanese Halloween, where they believe that the spirits of ancestors come back and stuff. At the temple, there were monks singing and ringing bells as the families lit incense and left flowers on the shrines to their ancestors. 

 This is on the pathway up to the older shrines. Bonafide bamboo is what you are looking at. I wish I could express how painfully loud the cicadas were in here. The air was vibrating with the sounds of these stinking bugs. 

A sea of shrines 

 This was at the temple site. I am sure there is significance, but I don't know what it is.

 Another view of it.

 This area was closed off. I think this is where the monks are monks at. 

 This was the entry way into the temple

 These are the walls of Kofu Castle, which was built about 1600. These walls represented the pinnacle of scientific achievement and engineering at the time.

 The entire time I walked around the castle, I couldn't help but think of the 3rd Ninja Turtles movie where they go back in time to feudal Japan. On my way out I caught this picture of TURTLES!!! The movies were real...

 Utah isn't the only place to have a statue for a bird

 A view of the lake with the turtles

 A zen path running through a rocky zen-like garden

 This is a big, rather ornate, building on the grounds of the castle. I don't know what it is used for...it didn't have any signs up or anything. 

 Upon further inspection, this was it. A big room with some laundry in the corner. True Japanese memorials.

 These are replica doors from the times when they were built. There is a little door built into the big door. I think this is proof that several hundred years ago, people were small. My backpack is there to show you how small the door is...

 The castle literally just runs into the city proper. It is actually more in the middle of the city.

 Ancent Japanese scaffolding. Rumor is that a project was started here by ancient ghosts and the scaffolding is only visible during a full moon...oooooo....

 Down the steps

There is a big obelisk on the grounds. I don't know why, except to give more rumor fodder for the next Dan Brown novel.  

 This is the lawn up to the watchtower

 Ah...A rare find indeed. This is the actual stone table that C.S. Lewis based the stone table on for the Chronicles of Narnia. It was grossly exaggerated it would seem...Aslan the Lion? More like Aslan the Housecat.

 A shot of the walls and another gate.

 I have already shown you evidence that the people back then were very short. I don't understand why they would make these stairs like this though. These stairs about about 30% bigger than normal sized stairs, making it really difficult to go up and down...and I have long legs!

 Some building...

More walls. 

Well, that was the trip to Kofu Casle. I also went to an outdoor mall and lost in Ping Pong to Sister Watanabe, she was ruthless...