tokyo tidbits
The secretaries and legal assistants in my office run a lot. I always hear a lot of frantic pitter patter outside my office. I'm not quite sure why. Our office is really small so I can't imagine where they're running to. Does it save that much time, or is it a maeum geuphan thing? I never see/hear the attorneys running anywhere...
***
I know I say this every time I come to Tokyo, but seriously, I marvel at how clean the city is. The only comparable place is Singapore. But I didn't really take the subways or go exploring around Singapore on my own that much (no time) so I don't really know. But that's what people tell me. Unlike NY, the subways are really well air-conditioned (the platforms), I always know when the next train is coming so I can either run for it or take my time, you and the train are divided by glass paneling so it traps the hot air and you can't see whatever dirtiness accumulates from the train, the trains never lurch so you hardly ever fall when it stops and starts, everyone is so quiet and polite - you could drop a pin in the subway cars. The streets are even clean - you'll never smell urine or sewage anywhere.
I sometimes feel like I'm walking through a fake world. A movie set, if you will. That's how unreal the cleanliness seems.
***
My neighborhood (within Azabujuban) is very very quiet and residential. It's quite nice, actually. And a mere 7 minute walk to the bustle of Azabujuban's main shopping area. See what I mean by convenience?
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I sometimes wonder if I'll do the NY thing for a few years and relocate here for awhile. Or maybe after I start a family...(ok, that's WAY into the future...)
***
It costs me approximately $25 each time I use the gym. Therefore, I don't use the gym. However, it is almost impossible for me to NOT go to the gym and feel ok about myself. SO I've come up with an alternative. I know everyone's going to snicker at me, b/c I sort of snicker at myself...but whatever. I wake up each morning about 45 minutes early and run around my apartment doing various ab/arm exercises and my Turbo Kickboxing rounds. HAHA...ok, I know. I probably look ridiculous. But it's ok...I keep my blinds closed and try to do kicks/moves that don't require too much jumping that will disturb my poor neighbors at 7:45 am. I sorta wish I would've brought my actual cds and dvds from Turbo Kick so I could have ppl "doing it" with me on TV. But alas, I am going by memory, pumping up the Gwen Stefani, Blackeyed Peas and doing whatever I remember from class. teehee~ I'm actually REALLY sore today. I think I make up for not actually being AT the gym in intensity. Yikes...
***
I realized that the konglish I so know and love is not quite applicable worldwide. Some things I don't even realize are konglish...apparently do not translate in Japan. So I was watching goong (more on that later) and she was heartily munching on a huge tray of ddukbokki. Naturally, my mouth started watering for ddukbokki. (I think half the time my cravings come from watching korean shows. I was craving sangchu for days after I watched her eat loads of gogi and sangchu in one episode) There's a korean restaurant literally 2 minutes down the street from me, so I pause my dvd, head over there and ask if "to go" is ganeung hae. Of course I say "to go" in a fobby accent, thinking that translates to pojang (who the heck actually says pojang??) and the dude looks at me all puzzled. I repeat myself to the second lady and am met by another blank stare. Finally when I say pojang, she gets it. Uh dur...these ppl prob only speak Korean and Japanese. Good one, jyu. Oops...at an rate, I ordered an astonishing $18 SMALL SIZED ddukbokki (uh...the big one was like, $25) and despite cringing as I handed over my money, the craving was fulfilled. =D
As a sidenote, I HIGHLY recommend Goong, for your korean drama addicts. (shut up, don't lie. no need to be ashamed - we know you exist. ) Jenny - perk your ears! Watch it! It's sooo good. A little of everything, a very atypical storyline, you laugh, you cry, you love, you hate...it's great! [end plug for my new favorite korean drama]
***
On a completely unrelated note, I find myself purchasing and ordering a lot of food for one these days. Whenever I go to check out, I imagine the lady behind the counter feeling sorry for the young 20-something yr old girl who apparently has nobody with whom to share her insta-noodles and conbini (convenience store) tonkatsu or sushi. Oh well. I should be used to meals for one by now.
***
I know I say this every time I come to Tokyo, but seriously, I marvel at how clean the city is. The only comparable place is Singapore. But I didn't really take the subways or go exploring around Singapore on my own that much (no time) so I don't really know. But that's what people tell me. Unlike NY, the subways are really well air-conditioned (the platforms), I always know when the next train is coming so I can either run for it or take my time, you and the train are divided by glass paneling so it traps the hot air and you can't see whatever dirtiness accumulates from the train, the trains never lurch so you hardly ever fall when it stops and starts, everyone is so quiet and polite - you could drop a pin in the subway cars. The streets are even clean - you'll never smell urine or sewage anywhere.
I sometimes feel like I'm walking through a fake world. A movie set, if you will. That's how unreal the cleanliness seems.
***
My neighborhood (within Azabujuban) is very very quiet and residential. It's quite nice, actually. And a mere 7 minute walk to the bustle of Azabujuban's main shopping area. See what I mean by convenience?
***
I sometimes wonder if I'll do the NY thing for a few years and relocate here for awhile. Or maybe after I start a family...(ok, that's WAY into the future...)
***
It costs me approximately $25 each time I use the gym. Therefore, I don't use the gym. However, it is almost impossible for me to NOT go to the gym and feel ok about myself. SO I've come up with an alternative. I know everyone's going to snicker at me, b/c I sort of snicker at myself...but whatever. I wake up each morning about 45 minutes early and run around my apartment doing various ab/arm exercises and my Turbo Kickboxing rounds. HAHA...ok, I know. I probably look ridiculous. But it's ok...I keep my blinds closed and try to do kicks/moves that don't require too much jumping that will disturb my poor neighbors at 7:45 am. I sorta wish I would've brought my actual cds and dvds from Turbo Kick so I could have ppl "doing it" with me on TV. But alas, I am going by memory, pumping up the Gwen Stefani, Blackeyed Peas and doing whatever I remember from class. teehee~ I'm actually REALLY sore today. I think I make up for not actually being AT the gym in intensity. Yikes...
***
I realized that the konglish I so know and love is not quite applicable worldwide. Some things I don't even realize are konglish...apparently do not translate in Japan. So I was watching goong (more on that later) and she was heartily munching on a huge tray of ddukbokki. Naturally, my mouth started watering for ddukbokki. (I think half the time my cravings come from watching korean shows. I was craving sangchu for days after I watched her eat loads of gogi and sangchu in one episode) There's a korean restaurant literally 2 minutes down the street from me, so I pause my dvd, head over there and ask if "to go" is ganeung hae. Of course I say "to go" in a fobby accent, thinking that translates to pojang (who the heck actually says pojang??) and the dude looks at me all puzzled. I repeat myself to the second lady and am met by another blank stare. Finally when I say pojang, she gets it. Uh dur...these ppl prob only speak Korean and Japanese. Good one, jyu. Oops...at an rate, I ordered an astonishing $18 SMALL SIZED ddukbokki (uh...the big one was like, $25) and despite cringing as I handed over my money, the craving was fulfilled. =D
As a sidenote, I HIGHLY recommend Goong, for your korean drama addicts. (shut up, don't lie. no need to be ashamed - we know you exist. ) Jenny - perk your ears! Watch it! It's sooo good. A little of everything, a very atypical storyline, you laugh, you cry, you love, you hate...it's great! [end plug for my new favorite korean drama]
***
On a completely unrelated note, I find myself purchasing and ordering a lot of food for one these days. Whenever I go to check out, I imagine the lady behind the counter feeling sorry for the young 20-something yr old girl who apparently has nobody with whom to share her insta-noodles and conbini (convenience store) tonkatsu or sushi. Oh well. I should be used to meals for one by now.