Catching Up; a very long, multi-day post
Hello All, thank you for taking your time to read my blog.
A little introduction as to what came to pass for me to be here in Japan. In 2005, I studied abroad in Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan for one year. I fell even more in love with Japan then and decided that I wanted to return to live here again. Generally, it is easiest to come teach English in Japan in order to fulfill my goal. So, for about 2 years after graduating from college, I had a variety of food industry jobs, and finally, landed a job as a travel agent. I thought that this would be my life long type of job. Then, as it was, the economy forced my employer to lay me off. Now, I had no job, the economy in the tank, and no desire to return to the food industry. So, with the blessing of my wonderful husband, I began applying for teaching jobs in Japan. I had two interviews, one with the placement company Joytalk. I interviewed with them via Skype and didn't hear back for almost 3 weeks. Then, a week and a half before the end of March, I was offered a position that would require me to be in Japan by the 1st of April. As crazy as it seemed to pack up and leave in a week, we decided, why not? So off I went, and here is the story of that adventure.
March 30th 2009
Today I left for Japan! My flight was at 6am out of Denver. Andrew took me to the airport, and I think I was still in some denial that I was actually going. I had been so busy cleaning the apartment and packing the last few days, it really hadn't sunk in. When we arrived at the airport, it took forever to be able to say goodbye. I cried like a baby. So, after we said our goodbyes, I headed to the terminal. The weather began to turn bad, so I was a bit worried about the flight being delayed. But, we boarded, and took the plane to get de-iced. This took forever, but it was kinda cool, like being in a huge car wash. We took off a little late, and the ride was extremely turbulent. We flew into Houston, where I would be flying out of to Japan. We boarded, and then, upon looking at the flight plan, I realized that we were flying BACK UP NORTH. Meaning, I would get to go through the SAME STORM I JUST flew through. So, needless to say, that part of the flight was awful. Of course, it all could have been bearable, if THE ENTERTAINMENT WAS WORKING. Yep. Absolutely NO movies for a 13 hour flight. It was torture! So, there was a lot of "sleeping" and reading, and playing sudoku, and listening to music. We arrived in Narita around 2:20pm on March 31st.
March 31st 2009
I arrived at Narita with a smile on my face. I was so excited to be back in Japan. I stopped to change into some jeans, and worked through customs. Japan has implemented a new policy for foreigners entering into Japan that involves taking their photo and fingerprints. I thought it might be a process, but right at customs they had a small camera and digital fingerprint slots. So, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I got through customs and purchased a bus ticket to take me up to Utsunomiya. I didn't have more than 10 minutes to wait and to call Joytalk to let them know I was on my way. So, I boarded the bus and sat next to a nice young Japanese man. I attempted a conversation, but my Japanese is seriously lacking the fluency I once had. So, between broken English and bad Japanese, we talked a little and he had been traveling to Italy for work, which was pretty cool. We arrived at Utsunomiya (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Utsunomiya,+Tochigi+Prefecture,+Japan&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.214763,77.695313&ie=UTF8&cd=2&geocode=FWjJLQIdN3FWCA&split=0&ll=36.592376,139.883423&spn=0.525941,1.213989&z=10&iwloc=addr) after a very long and worrysome ride. It just kept getting more and more rural, but upon arriving at the train station, there were lights and people, so I was put at ease. At the bus station, Grant, one of the Joytalk managers met me there in his sweet WRX :) so we went from the station up to Sakura City (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=sakura+city,+Tochigi+Prefecture,+Japan&sll=36.592376,139.883423&sspn=0.525941,1.213989&ie=UTF8&ll=36.713018,139.966507&spn=0.26256,0.606995&z=11&iwloc=addr). We went first to the hotel to drop off my stuff and then to the Joytalk office to introduce me to the staff at that location and to another ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) From there, Kris (the other ALT) and I went back to the hotel where I could finally crash.
April 1st 2009
Today Kris and I started training at 9am. We arrived at the Joytalk office and waited for Grant. Our training was fairly brief, we talked about how to turn our introductions into games and how to stretch it out if needed. We then wrote out our own and got some ideas. We had lunch, and then we finished by looking at some of the English textbooks. It ended around 2pm and Kris and I headed out to Utsunomiya to explore. We went to the station and then to a department store in order to go to an electronics store. As it happens, my laptop's power cord is 3 pronged, and no outlet in Japan is more than 2. So we went to try to find a converter, but apparently those type of converters aren't readily available. So, Kris suggested that I get a two pronged extended plug in that is narrow enough to fit the two prongs on my power cord and have the third round prong just kind of hanging out. So, I did (yes, I know it's bad) and it works just fine. Once I have an address, Andrew will send me a proper converter. :) After we went to the electronics store, we headed across from the station to get some gyoza. Utsunomiya is known for their gyoza, so we tried some, and it was ok, I'm sure we'll have to find a hole in the wall place that has great gyoza. So, after eating, we decided to return to the hotel because it was raining and icky out. It was nice to turn in early because the next day I would be looking at where I was going to live and work.
April 2nd 2009
Today I had to meet another staff member, Mr. Nagaoka, in front of the hotel at 7:15am. Mr. Nagaoka and I then drove up to Nasushiobara and had a nice chat on the way in Japanese. I think my Japanese is slowly coming back, but it's still frustrating to not be at the level I want to be. We arrived at City Hall in Nasushiobara (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=nasushiobara+Tochigi+Prefecture,+Japan&sll=36.713018,139.966507&sspn=0.26256,0.606995&ie=UTF8&cd=1&ll=36.999262,140.045471&spn=0.523155,1.213989&z=10&iwloc=addr) for me to meet with the Board of Education. Mr. Nagaoka had prepped me for all sorts of questions they might ask me, but they barely even spoke with me. We went over the schedule and then they talked for awhile, and I didn't know about what. So, then, they wanted to show me a place that the BOE could rent to me during my stay for about $100 a month. So we went to look at it, and it was in the middle of nowhere and next to a high school. I didn't really think I'd be comfortable being so far away from anything next to a high school where kids could harass a foreigner. It was huge too, like a small house. I wanted something smaller and closer to a train station. After looking, we headed out to the junior high schools. I have 4 schools I will be going to. It seems like a lot, and they are very spread apart. I think I'll only be going to one school each week, but still it's going to be a lot of commuting by car. Joytalk is reimbursing me for my mileage, but I'm really nervous about driving and not getting lost. So the first school we went to was pretty rural, but the English teacher who was in his 40's said that he had graduated from Tokyo International University! (That's the school I studied abroad at!) He also had studied abroad in Oregon at TIU's sister school. I thought it was quite a coincidence! I also had to introduce myself to the teachers and I was so nervous. It was funny because on the way to the second school, Mr. Nagaoka was like "Were you nervous? Because you speak completely different in the car!" and I was like yea....but we visited 3 other schools so I was a bit more comfortable with my introductions by the end. Although, it was strange because the man that was showing us to the schools from the BOE made a comment that I'm going to have to hem my pants even higher because they were too long! How weird is that? My mom had already taken off 4 inches off them before I left. So, yea, I'm going to have to find a sewing kit and hem them before I start work. Grant also said that I might have to take out my rook earring (http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0211623/images/rooktattooart.jpg), but I think I will wear my hair down to cover it and if it's seen and a problem, then I'll take it out. So after visiting all the schools, Mr. Nagaoka and I stopped near the Kuruiso station (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=kuroiso+station+Tochigi+Prefecture,+Japan&sll=37.134045,140.166321&sspn=1.044439,2.427979&ie=UTF8&ll=36.974855,140.059547&spn=0.130831,0.303497&z=12&iwloc=addr) to get some lunch. I ate lunch while Mr. Nagaoka began driving back to Sakura City. After I had finished eating, Mr. Nagaoka suggested that I try driving. So he pulled over and we switched spots. It's so weird to drive on the other side of the road! I adapted pretty easily, but had a hard time figuring out where to center myself on the road and where the blinker was. Practicing put me at ease, but I'm still worried about getting lost. We returned to Sakura City to find out that there was some training for the ALTs that had started around 9. So, Mr. Nagaoka dropped me off at Joytalk and a nice woman (now I can't remember her name) drove me to the bank for me to exchange the rest of my money and then to a community center where the training was. By the time I got there, there was only an hour left. So I started chatting with other ALTs while they waiting to sign their contracts. I met some nice people and Kris and I were looking forward to going out with them, but then Grant informed us that there was going to be another training the next day in Takasaki (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=takasaki+gunma+Prefecture,+Japan&sll=36.974855,140.059547&sspn=0.130831,0.303497&ie=UTF8&ll=36.377068,139.003143&spn=0.527405,1.213989&z=10&iwloc=addr), a couple hours west-ish of Sakura City we would be going to. So we said goodbye to the ALTs and went to the hotel to pack up our stuff to go to Takasaki. We then walked over to Joytalk and waited for Grant. We get some dinner while waiting and I had one of my favorite foods, Katsudon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsudon). We then met up with Grant and Mr. Honda from a different Joytalk office and drove up to Takasaki. I slept most of the way and we arrived around midnight. I thought that the hotel room we stayed in was super cute, so I took a photo.
. Then, I noticed a small bookshelf that had three books and some papers. The three books, in order, were The New Testament, The Teachings of Buddha and How to use the Internet.
:)
April 3rd 2009
So today we had training, which really involved a health check and some advice on how to teach. So we woke up and went had a breakfast of onigiri http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onigiri and croissants. We then walked to the station to meet the ALTs in the area. After everyone had arrived we went to a hospital for the health check. Basically, every teacher in Japan in required to do this. So we had to to the basics of height and weight, a hearing and sight test, pee in a cup and get a chest x-ray. Gotta say, first time for getting a chest x-ray. After everyone had finished (about 2 hours), we went to lunch and three other girls and I went to a buffet, and I had some curry rice and other random foods. We went back and did training and I signed my contract. A girl I went to lunch with, Brittany, mentioned that she was going to a "penis festival" on Sunday. So I told her I wanted to go! And once again, after we had finished training, Kris and I had to go back to Sakura City with Grant and Mr. Honda. On the way back, we passed a store with this name:
April 4th 2009
Today all that was planned was to take Kris to a new place for him to stay and to show me a couple options for apartments. We met up with Grant around 10am and he took us back to Joytalk where Kris got a car. Grant drove in front with me to Mr Honda's house where Kris would be staying. Mr. Honda has a small house behind his house, and Kris will stay there because he is replacing another ALT and taking her apartment. She hadn't moved out yet and it was closer for him to stay there. So we got him settled in, and Kris joined Grant and I in Grant's car for a tour of the area. After a short tour, we started the drive up to Nasushiobara. Grant drove us to the Kuroiso station where two of the apartments I could choose from were. I chose a smaller apartment building that was 5 years old and a little cheaper. Grant thinks that I will be able to move in on Tuesday. Then Grant showed me a nice park, some restaurants and his favorite bar (where he met his wife!) So I feel at ease to where I'll be living. I still am worried about the driving and getting lost. We then went to a different Joytalk office and from there we didn't really know what to do, so Grant and I went to Softbank, a popular and large cell phone company that bought vodaphone. I had had a cell phone before through vodaphone so I went to try to see if they could activate my phone without a alien registration card, but because I hadn't used it in 2 years, they couldn't do anything, so I'll have to wait until I have my alien registration card to get a cell phone. :( But Grant ended up getting an iphone because THEY WERE GIVING IT AWAY FOR FREE. Yea. FREE. But it's only in Japan and you have to sign a 14 or 24 month contract. So after Grant and I came back from Softbank, I met the president of the company. So, that was a little nerve racking. We hung out at the office for awhile, then Kris and I headed back to Sakura City by car. We only took one wrong road, but realized it, so we didn't get too lost. We then parked at the Sakura City Joytalk and took a train into Utsunomiya to meet with the ALTs in the area to go drinking. We all met at the Starbucks in the station and then walked up to a bar called Lion's Head. It was a foreign bar, so there was Guinness and stuff, but I stuck to Umeshu and beer. There were so many ALTs so it was easy to talk with them and hear their stories. The last train back up to Sakura City was around 10:30pm (lame) so although Kris and others were making a night out of it, I had made a plan to meet up with Brittany to go to the penis festival the next day, so I took the train back and crashed.
April 5th 2009
Today I woke up at 7:30am to go to the penis festival. Ok, it's not officially called a penis festival, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanamara_Matsuri it's a fertility festival. But yes, it's what you can imagine.
Shirts
Festival Flag
Black Penis
White Penis
Illustrations on Sex Positions
One of the many colorful penis suckers you could buy.
Procession of penises
4 foot tall penis
So, after the festival we went into Ueno (Tokyo) to eat and to see the cherry blossoms. They have bloomed and are amazing.
We walked in Ueno and did a little window shopping. We came across a vendor selling fruits and vegetables and he had coconuts from Thailand and was selling them for 200 yen (about 2 dollars) to drink the coconut water from them. We tried it. It was delicious.
Then, of course, since I'm not used to the Utsunomiya line, I got on the wrong train home, and had about an hour of waiting around to get home, so, yea, I'm awesome like that. Overall, a really fun day!
Tonight, I'm planning on going to dinner and do some shopping with my friend Lauren that I know from college.
Thanks for reading!
A little introduction as to what came to pass for me to be here in Japan. In 2005, I studied abroad in Kawagoe, Saitama, Japan for one year. I fell even more in love with Japan then and decided that I wanted to return to live here again. Generally, it is easiest to come teach English in Japan in order to fulfill my goal. So, for about 2 years after graduating from college, I had a variety of food industry jobs, and finally, landed a job as a travel agent. I thought that this would be my life long type of job. Then, as it was, the economy forced my employer to lay me off. Now, I had no job, the economy in the tank, and no desire to return to the food industry. So, with the blessing of my wonderful husband, I began applying for teaching jobs in Japan. I had two interviews, one with the placement company Joytalk. I interviewed with them via Skype and didn't hear back for almost 3 weeks. Then, a week and a half before the end of March, I was offered a position that would require me to be in Japan by the 1st of April. As crazy as it seemed to pack up and leave in a week, we decided, why not? So off I went, and here is the story of that adventure.
March 30th 2009
Today I left for Japan! My flight was at 6am out of Denver. Andrew took me to the airport, and I think I was still in some denial that I was actually going. I had been so busy cleaning the apartment and packing the last few days, it really hadn't sunk in. When we arrived at the airport, it took forever to be able to say goodbye. I cried like a baby. So, after we said our goodbyes, I headed to the terminal. The weather began to turn bad, so I was a bit worried about the flight being delayed. But, we boarded, and took the plane to get de-iced. This took forever, but it was kinda cool, like being in a huge car wash. We took off a little late, and the ride was extremely turbulent. We flew into Houston, where I would be flying out of to Japan. We boarded, and then, upon looking at the flight plan, I realized that we were flying BACK UP NORTH. Meaning, I would get to go through the SAME STORM I JUST flew through. So, needless to say, that part of the flight was awful. Of course, it all could have been bearable, if THE ENTERTAINMENT WAS WORKING. Yep. Absolutely NO movies for a 13 hour flight. It was torture! So, there was a lot of "sleeping" and reading, and playing sudoku, and listening to music. We arrived in Narita around 2:20pm on March 31st.
March 31st 2009
I arrived at Narita with a smile on my face. I was so excited to be back in Japan. I stopped to change into some jeans, and worked through customs. Japan has implemented a new policy for foreigners entering into Japan that involves taking their photo and fingerprints. I thought it might be a process, but right at customs they had a small camera and digital fingerprint slots. So, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I got through customs and purchased a bus ticket to take me up to Utsunomiya. I didn't have more than 10 minutes to wait and to call Joytalk to let them know I was on my way. So, I boarded the bus and sat next to a nice young Japanese man. I attempted a conversation, but my Japanese is seriously lacking the fluency I once had. So, between broken English and bad Japanese, we talked a little and he had been traveling to Italy for work, which was pretty cool. We arrived at Utsunomiya (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&q=Utsunomiya,+Tochigi+Prefecture,+Japan&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=33.214763,77.695313&ie=UTF8&cd=2&geocode=FWjJLQIdN3FWCA&split=0&ll=36.592376,139.883423&spn=0.525941,1.213989&z=10&iwloc=addr) after a very long and worrysome ride. It just kept getting more and more rural, but upon arriving at the train station, there were lights and people, so I was put at ease. At the bus station, Grant, one of the Joytalk managers met me there in his sweet WRX :) so we went from the station up to Sakura City (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=sakura+city,+Tochigi+Prefecture,+Japan&sll=36.592376,139.883423&sspn=0.525941,1.213989&ie=UTF8&ll=36.713018,139.966507&spn=0.26256,0.606995&z=11&iwloc=addr). We went first to the hotel to drop off my stuff and then to the Joytalk office to introduce me to the staff at that location and to another ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) From there, Kris (the other ALT) and I went back to the hotel where I could finally crash.
April 1st 2009
Today Kris and I started training at 9am. We arrived at the Joytalk office and waited for Grant. Our training was fairly brief, we talked about how to turn our introductions into games and how to stretch it out if needed. We then wrote out our own and got some ideas. We had lunch, and then we finished by looking at some of the English textbooks. It ended around 2pm and Kris and I headed out to Utsunomiya to explore. We went to the station and then to a department store in order to go to an electronics store. As it happens, my laptop's power cord is 3 pronged, and no outlet in Japan is more than 2. So we went to try to find a converter, but apparently those type of converters aren't readily available. So, Kris suggested that I get a two pronged extended plug in that is narrow enough to fit the two prongs on my power cord and have the third round prong just kind of hanging out. So, I did (yes, I know it's bad) and it works just fine. Once I have an address, Andrew will send me a proper converter. :) After we went to the electronics store, we headed across from the station to get some gyoza. Utsunomiya is known for their gyoza, so we tried some, and it was ok, I'm sure we'll have to find a hole in the wall place that has great gyoza. So, after eating, we decided to return to the hotel because it was raining and icky out. It was nice to turn in early because the next day I would be looking at where I was going to live and work.
April 2nd 2009
Today I had to meet another staff member, Mr. Nagaoka, in front of the hotel at 7:15am. Mr. Nagaoka and I then drove up to Nasushiobara and had a nice chat on the way in Japanese. I think my Japanese is slowly coming back, but it's still frustrating to not be at the level I want to be. We arrived at City Hall in Nasushiobara (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=nasushiobara+Tochigi+Prefecture,+Japan&sll=36.713018,139.966507&sspn=0.26256,0.606995&ie=UTF8&cd=1&ll=36.999262,140.045471&spn=0.523155,1.213989&z=10&iwloc=addr) for me to meet with the Board of Education. Mr. Nagaoka had prepped me for all sorts of questions they might ask me, but they barely even spoke with me. We went over the schedule and then they talked for awhile, and I didn't know about what. So, then, they wanted to show me a place that the BOE could rent to me during my stay for about $100 a month. So we went to look at it, and it was in the middle of nowhere and next to a high school. I didn't really think I'd be comfortable being so far away from anything next to a high school where kids could harass a foreigner. It was huge too, like a small house. I wanted something smaller and closer to a train station. After looking, we headed out to the junior high schools. I have 4 schools I will be going to. It seems like a lot, and they are very spread apart. I think I'll only be going to one school each week, but still it's going to be a lot of commuting by car. Joytalk is reimbursing me for my mileage, but I'm really nervous about driving and not getting lost. So the first school we went to was pretty rural, but the English teacher who was in his 40's said that he had graduated from Tokyo International University! (That's the school I studied abroad at!) He also had studied abroad in Oregon at TIU's sister school. I thought it was quite a coincidence! I also had to introduce myself to the teachers and I was so nervous. It was funny because on the way to the second school, Mr. Nagaoka was like "Were you nervous? Because you speak completely different in the car!" and I was like yea....but we visited 3 other schools so I was a bit more comfortable with my introductions by the end. Although, it was strange because the man that was showing us to the schools from the BOE made a comment that I'm going to have to hem my pants even higher because they were too long! How weird is that? My mom had already taken off 4 inches off them before I left. So, yea, I'm going to have to find a sewing kit and hem them before I start work. Grant also said that I might have to take out my rook earring (http://library.thinkquest.org/CR0211623/images/rooktattooart.jpg), but I think I will wear my hair down to cover it and if it's seen and a problem, then I'll take it out. So after visiting all the schools, Mr. Nagaoka and I stopped near the Kuruiso station (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=kuroiso+station+Tochigi+Prefecture,+Japan&sll=37.134045,140.166321&sspn=1.044439,2.427979&ie=UTF8&ll=36.974855,140.059547&spn=0.130831,0.303497&z=12&iwloc=addr) to get some lunch. I ate lunch while Mr. Nagaoka began driving back to Sakura City. After I had finished eating, Mr. Nagaoka suggested that I try driving. So he pulled over and we switched spots. It's so weird to drive on the other side of the road! I adapted pretty easily, but had a hard time figuring out where to center myself on the road and where the blinker was. Practicing put me at ease, but I'm still worried about getting lost. We returned to Sakura City to find out that there was some training for the ALTs that had started around 9. So, Mr. Nagaoka dropped me off at Joytalk and a nice woman (now I can't remember her name) drove me to the bank for me to exchange the rest of my money and then to a community center where the training was. By the time I got there, there was only an hour left. So I started chatting with other ALTs while they waiting to sign their contracts. I met some nice people and Kris and I were looking forward to going out with them, but then Grant informed us that there was going to be another training the next day in Takasaki (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=takasaki+gunma+Prefecture,+Japan&sll=36.974855,140.059547&sspn=0.130831,0.303497&ie=UTF8&ll=36.377068,139.003143&spn=0.527405,1.213989&z=10&iwloc=addr), a couple hours west-ish of Sakura City we would be going to. So we said goodbye to the ALTs and went to the hotel to pack up our stuff to go to Takasaki. We then walked over to Joytalk and waited for Grant. We get some dinner while waiting and I had one of my favorite foods, Katsudon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsudon). We then met up with Grant and Mr. Honda from a different Joytalk office and drove up to Takasaki. I slept most of the way and we arrived around midnight. I thought that the hotel room we stayed in was super cute, so I took a photo.
. Then, I noticed a small bookshelf that had three books and some papers. The three books, in order, were The New Testament, The Teachings of Buddha and How to use the Internet.
:)
April 3rd 2009
So today we had training, which really involved a health check and some advice on how to teach. So we woke up and went had a breakfast of onigiri http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onigiri and croissants. We then walked to the station to meet the ALTs in the area. After everyone had arrived we went to a hospital for the health check. Basically, every teacher in Japan in required to do this. So we had to to the basics of height and weight, a hearing and sight test, pee in a cup and get a chest x-ray. Gotta say, first time for getting a chest x-ray. After everyone had finished (about 2 hours), we went to lunch and three other girls and I went to a buffet, and I had some curry rice and other random foods. We went back and did training and I signed my contract. A girl I went to lunch with, Brittany, mentioned that she was going to a "penis festival" on Sunday. So I told her I wanted to go! And once again, after we had finished training, Kris and I had to go back to Sakura City with Grant and Mr. Honda. On the way back, we passed a store with this name:
April 4th 2009
Today all that was planned was to take Kris to a new place for him to stay and to show me a couple options for apartments. We met up with Grant around 10am and he took us back to Joytalk where Kris got a car. Grant drove in front with me to Mr Honda's house where Kris would be staying. Mr. Honda has a small house behind his house, and Kris will stay there because he is replacing another ALT and taking her apartment. She hadn't moved out yet and it was closer for him to stay there. So we got him settled in, and Kris joined Grant and I in Grant's car for a tour of the area. After a short tour, we started the drive up to Nasushiobara. Grant drove us to the Kuroiso station where two of the apartments I could choose from were. I chose a smaller apartment building that was 5 years old and a little cheaper. Grant thinks that I will be able to move in on Tuesday. Then Grant showed me a nice park, some restaurants and his favorite bar (where he met his wife!) So I feel at ease to where I'll be living. I still am worried about the driving and getting lost. We then went to a different Joytalk office and from there we didn't really know what to do, so Grant and I went to Softbank, a popular and large cell phone company that bought vodaphone. I had had a cell phone before through vodaphone so I went to try to see if they could activate my phone without a alien registration card, but because I hadn't used it in 2 years, they couldn't do anything, so I'll have to wait until I have my alien registration card to get a cell phone. :( But Grant ended up getting an iphone because THEY WERE GIVING IT AWAY FOR FREE. Yea. FREE. But it's only in Japan and you have to sign a 14 or 24 month contract. So after Grant and I came back from Softbank, I met the president of the company. So, that was a little nerve racking. We hung out at the office for awhile, then Kris and I headed back to Sakura City by car. We only took one wrong road, but realized it, so we didn't get too lost. We then parked at the Sakura City Joytalk and took a train into Utsunomiya to meet with the ALTs in the area to go drinking. We all met at the Starbucks in the station and then walked up to a bar called Lion's Head. It was a foreign bar, so there was Guinness and stuff, but I stuck to Umeshu and beer. There were so many ALTs so it was easy to talk with them and hear their stories. The last train back up to Sakura City was around 10:30pm (lame) so although Kris and others were making a night out of it, I had made a plan to meet up with Brittany to go to the penis festival the next day, so I took the train back and crashed.
April 5th 2009
Today I woke up at 7:30am to go to the penis festival. Ok, it's not officially called a penis festival, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanamara_Matsuri it's a fertility festival. But yes, it's what you can imagine.
Shirts
Festival Flag
Black Penis
White Penis
Illustrations on Sex Positions
One of the many colorful penis suckers you could buy.
Procession of penises
4 foot tall penis
Click to view
So, after the festival we went into Ueno (Tokyo) to eat and to see the cherry blossoms. They have bloomed and are amazing.
We walked in Ueno and did a little window shopping. We came across a vendor selling fruits and vegetables and he had coconuts from Thailand and was selling them for 200 yen (about 2 dollars) to drink the coconut water from them. We tried it. It was delicious.
Then, of course, since I'm not used to the Utsunomiya line, I got on the wrong train home, and had about an hour of waiting around to get home, so, yea, I'm awesome like that. Overall, a really fun day!
Tonight, I'm planning on going to dinner and do some shopping with my friend Lauren that I know from college.
Thanks for reading!