Yoshi's Bento Bits

goodbye #1: my apartment

2011-08-10T01:50:00.000-07:00

All packed up and ready to turn in the keys :(

If you asked me what my first week in Japan was like back when I arrived in Tokyo in August 2009, I wouldn't be able to describe it at all; it was all a blur, a whirlwind of new information, sights, sounds, and faces. It was as if the fast forward button on the remote control of my life was stuck. My first clear memory of being in Japan was the first night I spent alone in my apartment, after the craziness of orientations had subsided. I sat there on my living room floor in sort of a daze, blankly staring at my opened suitcase, listening to the crickets chirping outside my window. My family had each written a letter and hid it in my suitcase; letters filled with memories, encouraging words, advice, and prayers. It was enough to get the waterworks running.

Oh my gosh, what the heck have I done? There's no going back now. Oh my gosh, where the heck am I? Oh my gosh...oh my gosh.

Enter 2-inch, black cockroach. (I think they make it a tradition to welcome the new ALT to their new home on their first night in Oshima.) As I screamed and climbed to the highest peak of the apartment (my couch) analyzing the situation and my distance from said cockroach, reality hit me like a ton of bricks. For as long as I lived in Japan, I was on my own. Washing dishes, doing laundry, buying food, cooking the food, paying bills, and yes...killing bugs...I was going to be responsible for everything. EVERYTHING.

Fast forward two years, and there I was again, sitting on my living room floor, packing my last remaining suitcase for the trip home. The last of the boxes had been packed and shipped. My closets and drawers had been cleaned out and a bleach/windex smell lingered throughout the apartment. I checked and double-checked that every possible area had been cleaned. I looked out my window one last time. I closed my eyes and envisioned past shadows of cooking my first (and unsuccessful) batch of frozen gyoza on rice my first night, successfully capturing an enormous spider from my living room and setting it free outside (while yelling, "I saved your life! Don't you ever come back! And tell your friends to stay out too!"), huddling in front of my heater as I changed my clothes for work in the freezing winter mornings, and setting down bedding for the many friends who came for an Oshima sleepover.

This had been my first experience living on my own. This was my first apartment. This is where I learned independence.

my kids :)

2011-07-06T06:13:00.000-07:00

I want to write about how amazing my kids are. I have over 600 of them and each one is special. Each one has a personality, a story, a favorite hobby, and a food that they despise. Some are super energetic, others sleep during class. Some are tall and sporty while others prefer to chill in the music room during lunch recess. Getting to know all of these different personalities and life stories has been such a blessing during my time here in Japan.

I've made connections with a number of students here; I've watched them grow up right before my eyes. The cute little 4th graders in elementary school that I met when I first came to Japan two years ago are now the "big dogs" on campus. My original elementary 6th graders are now 2nd graders in junior high school. And finally, the little 1st graders in junior high school are now the kings and queens of the school, the almighty 3rd graders. I can hardly wrap my head around everything.

Saying goodbye to these many schools that I've seen grow and change, fill and empty, has been quite the emotional roller coaster. It all had to end someday. For me, the realization that it IS ending, came as a bit of a shock. The end came out of nowhere. And yet, here I am, saying goodbye to the very kids who welcomed me to Oshima on my first day on the job.

I wanted to write about how amazing my kids are, but rather, I'll show you.

I came home one night to find these handpicked flowers outside my apartment door. They were from one of my JHS 1st graders, Hinata. The next day, I went to her school for the last time. After class, I asked her when she came to my place. She stopped to think and then replied, "At 7:00pm. And then at 8:30pm." Poor girl came twice just in case I was home :( That really touched me.

After a class of rushed interview tests, I came into the class to find the chalkboard filled with messages and pictures for me. The JHS 2nd graders had been working on it the entire 50-min period while I was out. An amazing class, one of my favorites :)

Yuta is a JHS 2nd grade boy who loves English and making the class laugh. I was so touched to receive a letter from him on my last day at his school. An awesome kid indeed.

This card just about sums up my feelings right at this very second. A JHS 2nd grade girl, Suzuka, whom I had become friends with during the Suo-oshima English camp back in August, had written a letter for me. She is one of the bubbliest people I know. I will miss her terribly.

a place to think

2011-05-31T06:21:00.000-07:00

This is my thinking place. I picked it because (1) it reminded me of the final scene of "Free Willy", (2) it is about a 10 min walk from my apartment alongside a beautiful beach called 'Katazoegahama', and (3) it is the most serene and magical of all places in Japan. I often stop here to think during my weekly (sometimes bimonthly) running routine. I've done some pretty good thinking here, too. On some days, I would try to figure out just how I came to be here on this tiny island of Suo-oshima. I'd think about the future. When I was homesick I would think about my family and friends back home. At the end of my first year in JET, I would stare out at sea and wonder how I would last another year without my friends who had just left.

Today, I gazed at the late-afternoon scenery as a video montage played in my head. I sat there, breeze to my back, and reminisced about the past 2 years in JET. It's almost over. I can't believe it's almost here. Starting tomorrow, I will be visiting schools for the very last time. Every week, from now until I leave Japan, there will be at least one goodbye. I'm not good with goodbyes, as cliche as that may sound. The thought of saying goodbye to a group of people that I may never see again makes my heart drop.

I needed today to mentally prepare myself for such upcoming events. I sat there at my thinking spot, pondered if a killer whale really could jump over the dock, and smiled. I had found my peace. The past 2 years here in Suo-oshima really have been nothing short of amazing :)

the shishamo CHALLENGE!!!

2011-05-26T22:39:00.000-07:00

School lunch in Japan has always been quite the adventure for me. I've seen it all: dried squid head, natto, fried blowfish, iriko (tiny fish they put in the salad)...the list goes on. I'm sad to say I've probably eaten whale meat too without knowing it. (I don't usually ask about what I'm eating. I just down the hatch.)

I've never been much of a seafood eater. Back home, the only seafood I touched was shrimp, crab, fish sticks, and kamaboko (the pink & white stuff in bentos and saimin.) I NEVER ate fish. NEVER. My family is more of a chicken-eating clan ;) That being said, to be able to say that I now eat sashimi, sushi, and the previously stated seafood dishes is quite an accomplishment for me.

Today during school lunch, the unimaginable (for me) appeared. *dun dun dun* SHISHAMO. It wasn't the first time I've met this aquatic opponent. I had been served many of his relatives at other schools over the past 2 years here in Japan. Usually, I would swiftly hand it off to a hungry-looking boy next to me without anyone noticing. Today, however, I had no opportunity as I was seated in the front of the class, with everyone...EVERYONE...watching me.

It was time for the SHISHAMO CHALLENGE!!!

Alongside the shishamo was a bowl of rice, a small plate of crunchy spinach, a banana, a bottle of milk, and a bowl of soup filled with mushrooms, carrots, and fish meatballs.

I looked at him. He stared back at me. "All?" I asked a student as I scanned my finger from his tail to his mouth. The boy nodded with a smile. "Delicious?" Another happy nod. The other kids were just chowing down on the meal as if it were a slice of pizza. I've never been a big fan of eating things that were staring back at me. His mouth open, as if calling out to me saying "Please don't eat me Tiffany sensei!"

After about a 5 min mental battle with myself, I proceeded to the first bite. I could feel the texture of his open mouth on my tongue so I quickly added some rice. I looked down on my plate and realized that the fish's stomach was FILLED WITH EGGS! It wasn't a HE afterall! It was a SHE!

My stomach began to churn and I could feel my gag reflex kicking in. No Tiff, you can't throw up here! Don't do it! That would not be good! Just chew....chew...chew...chew...think about something else...oh, cute! That kid has a Pokemon pencil case!...chew...chew...chew...

With the aid of some milk and soup, I eventually got the entire fish (head and all!) down. Although I finished the entire meal about 10 min after everyone else, I was able to claim victory over the shishamo challenge. Never again folks...never again. Praise the Lord there was only one ;)

congrats young skywalker!

2011-05-24T06:58:00.000-07:00

I was given the amazing opportunity to return to Hawaii for just 5 days and see my brother graduate from the University of Hawaii. I'm so very proud of him :) He's worked so hard on his bachelor degree; hours and hours of studying, writing up papers, undertaking internships, all while having a part time job and fulfilling scholarship obligations. Did you know he had over a 3.8 GPA!? That trumps mine for sure! A brilliant young man with a bright future ahead of him, an incredible computer and video game expert, and the greatest brother I could ever ask for. CONGRATS LUKE!!! :D

sapporo revisited

2011-04-26T01:19:00.000-07:00

Meet Shimo (means "frosty" in Japanese), my very first snowman! :)

Nestled in the cold winter weeks of Japan is a wonderful 3-day holiday, perfectly situated as to let people visit Sapporo for the annual Snow Festival. I had been looking forward to this weekend for quite some time, ever since the previous year’s trip. Hostels were reserved in November, plane tickets were booked in December, and plans were finalized months before the actual event. Sapporo, here we come ;)

For me, February in Yamaguchi was spent curled up in front of a heater cursing the essence of winter while movies like Blue Crush and Lilo and Stitch played in the background. Fast-forward to our Sapporo trip, where thousands of people joined together in celebrating the beauty and wonderment of winter. A very different spirit indeed.

Who knew cold could be so much fun? At the many festival sites were assortments of ice sculptures resembling that of beloved cartoon characters and famous buildings. We also tried our hand at snow tubing –a not-so-popular pastime in Hawaii ;) There was even a snowman building booth at one of the snow sites, where I aided the Canadian in the construction of my very first legitimate snowman. His name came to be Shimo (“shimo” means “snowball” in Japanese). The Canadian was pleased :)

There was so much fun to be had. A dinner buffet every night (the first being crab, the second being mutton), snowboarding at the magnificent Teine Ski Resort, a trip to the Sapporo Beer Museum (well…to the tasting section at least), soup curry with friends, and the most amazing display of snow and ice artwork I have ever seen…an amazing time indeed.

a wake-up call

2011-04-04T00:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a relaxing couple of weeks here in Yamaguchi. Between March and April, time goes into a sort of limbo: the school year ends and a new one awaits, teachers are shuffled and reassigned to different schools throughout the prefecture, and winter slowly fades into spring. I've found myself relaxing at home, watching movies, and saving up for the vacations to follow in May.

In the spirit of money-saving, Kyle and a Japanese friend of ours decided to go out for bowling and drinks Saturday night. Bowling was a great success, 1,050 yen (about $12) for 3 games. I racked up a whopping 144 points...my total of the 3 games :P Feeling good and realizing it was only 10:30pm, we head to a favorite bar spot in Kudamatsu. The bar is a small, intimate 15-person space, where customers sit together on 2 benches cornering the bartending area. Customers will sit and drink together as ABBA soundtracks and cigarette smoke fill the air.

The perfect setting for a relaxing Satuday night, right?

The only problem with having such an intimate setting is when all the people just don't fit right. My friend is Japanese-born and raised-but moved to Europe for many years. His English is amazing. After hearing our English conversations, one of the drunken barmates kept asking him things like, "Are you really Japanese?" and "You're not Japanese! Where are you from?" I began to wonder if things like that bothered him. To be told such a thing. The drunken barmate continued his interrogation, asking him where he worked. I coud tell he was uncomfortable and quickly stepped in to change the subject.

We were just about to leave when the drunken barmate offered to buy us drinks. In Japan it's considered an insult if you refuse someone's offer, and since the man was clearly drunk, we stayed for one more. Finally, the drunken barmate's friend walks in and sits down. He notices Kyle, as his friend pushes him to speak the English he knows.

And then, the wake-up call. He says in Japanese, "We're in Japan, (I order you to) speak Japanese!" He's clearly speaking to Kyle, as I'm always assumed to be a local. The thing is, I'm just as foreign in Japan as Kyle is. I can't speak fluent Japanese. I don't know all of the Japanese customs. I'm not Japanese. What the man had said really bothered me, so much that I couldn't stop thinking about it all the way home. We're in Japan, (I order you to) speak Japanese! Those words rocked me to my core. It was the ugliest thing I had ever heard in my life. Are there really people who still think like this? There was nothing I could do about it. Even if I had wanted to give him a piece of my mind, I couldn't; one, because my Japanese language skills aren't good enough and two, because it wouldn't have change anything.

It was truly a wake-up call for me, that hate exists in the world. All I can do is positively influence the future generation of Japan, one student at a time.

safe in the Guch

2011-03-14T06:36:00.000-07:00

Praise the Lord I am fortunate enough to begin this blog with such a title. First and foremost, I want to reassure everyone back home that I am safe and sound here in Japan. Your emails and facebook messages were truly touching as I could feel your concern and prayers from thousands of miles away. I am so very blessed to have people like you in my life who love and care for me.

Again, blessed by God, I was far from the chaos and destruction caused by the earthquake and tsunami. Here's a map made by my friend Brandon to help better clarify my whereabouts.

Being so far away from everything, it almost feels as if nothing has happened. Construction workers were still out early Saturday morning, building up a new set of houses; families were out to the malls and grocery stores of Yamaguchi. Honestly, if I hadn't been at the BOE on Friday afternoon, I probably wouldn't have even known there was such a tragedy. I recall my boss getting a phone call at around 4pm on Friday, March 11, 2011, and then frantically barking orders to my supervisor and other office mates. Before you knew it, everyone was running around every which way, calling up the different schools to let them know the news while at the same time dialing up their loved ones on their personal cell phones to make sure they were alive and well. Then came the haunting sounds of the sirens which echoed throughout the streets and a direct announcement completely in Japanese. It felt like we were in a war. I had no clue what the announcement was saying but followed everyone downstairs where a TV displayed the unbelievable footage from the tsunami.

As of right now, it is believed that over 10,000 people have been killed. Many people are missing and many more are being found dead on the northeastern shores of Japan. The earthquake is said to have measured 8.9M, the greatest magnitude ever recorded in Japan (in comparison, the Great Hanshin earthquake of 1995 measured 6.8M), and the tsunami about 10 m high (33 ft). There's already a wikipedia article entitled the 2011 Sendai earthquake and tsunami. Hundreds of thousands of people are without food, water, and shelter, all the while searching for loved ones.

Praise the Lord all my friends are safe and accounted for. Two of my friends were at Tokyo Disneyland together during the earthquake. They were kept overnight in the park and had to sleep in a restaurant relying on cardboard boxes and garbage bags as bedding. They've since returned to Yamaguchi and are safe.

It's crazy to think that that earthquake/tsunami could have hit anywhere. I could have been teaching a class and pondering my dinner plans one moment, and then be gone the next. It's times like these that remind me that every day is a precious gift from God.

Please keep the people of Japan in your prayers.

Before-after shots of the Tohoku region of Japan:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/03/13/world/asia/satellite-photos-japan-before-and-after-tsunami.html

American Red Cross relief efforts for those who want to help:
http://www.redcross.org/

サザンセトロードレース (Sazan Seto Road Race)...CHALLENGE #2!!! :D

2011-03-02T05:14:00.000-08:00

Brandon, Michelle, me, and Choruru - Yamaguchi's mascot - before the race.

The day had finally come. Exactly one year ago I had found myself in the same predicament: running 21.097 km in under 2 hours 10 min for the half marathon portion of the Sazan Seto Road Race here in Suo-oshima, Yamaguchi, Japan (my hometown). My BOE had made me a special T-shirt with everyone's signatures. I was pumped and ready to fulfill the dream I had set for myself one year ago as I crossed the finish line 2 min after the allotted time. I was not to be defeated this time.

5 min to race time. I lace up my shoes. I take time for one last stretch. I tighten my ponytail. I am set. Cue Eminem on the iPod. I soak up his words like a sponge. If you had, one shot, one opportunity, to seize everything you ever wanted, one moment...would you capture it? Or just let it slip?

Bass pounding, the gun sounds, and we're off. This year I had a new strategy to ensure my success, 10-1-10, which is where you run 10 min, walk 1 min, and continue to do so throughout the race. It made sense. During the 10 min run, you would be using different muscles than the 1 min walk. I could give certain muscles a rest, thereby allowing me to run more efficiently with less fatigued muscles. Gold.

Gosh there sure are a lot of old people running this. One by one, participants donning orange 'Hiroshima Senior Citizen Club' jerseys pass by. I push myself and continue to run according to the 10-1-10 strategy. At first it takes me a while to adjust to the time-keeping with my stopwatch but finally get the hang of it at around the 6 km mark. Time passes and the 10 km mark is in sight. Oh the 10 km mark. I look down at my stopwatch. A little under 60 min had already passed. Perfect. Or so I thought. In order for me to finish within 2 hours 10 min, I would have to run 10 min miles. I naively assumed that I had ran 10 MILES (in accordance with 10 km), and would finish the race with time to spare. I had calculated wrong. At that point, I had ran a little under 6 miles. The clock was ticking.

I pass by a group of grandmas and grandpas that had lined the sidewalks to cheer. Gambare! Makenaide! they shout, waving their little Japanese flags and clapping. I flash them a winner's smile and continue on. Oh thank God! The turn around point! A big, orange cone welcomes me to my reality. Wha...!? I realize my amateur mistake. 50 min to run the remaining 10 km. It was do-able...for Olympians...but for me...hmm...I begin to panic.

Oh gosh, I'm going to let everyone down. All the people at the BOE! And my friends who came to cheer me on. Focus. Focus, Tiff. It's not over till it's over. Given that I had been running for a little over an hour, I felt pretty good. My legs weren't yet burning and I felt like there was enough "gas in the tank" to make it back to the 2nd water station. Run like the wind, Tiff! 10-1-10. Stick to the plan. I make it to the water station and grab a cup from an elementary school kid. I hear him say (w/English translation), "Hey! I know her! She's my English teacher! Hang in there!" That がんばれ was all I needed to pick up the pace. Here we go.

I begin blogging in my head as I look off into the beautiful Seto Inland Sea. I wonder if at the end of this blog entry, I'll have a picture of me jumping for joy as I cross the finish line or passed out on the ground defeated? Focus Tiff! Left leg...right leg...left...right...just keep putting one foot in front of the other. I make many analogies between running and my JET experience; getting through hard days, enduring and overcoming challenges to become a stronger person, all the while keeping up with my 10-1-10 strategy.

I glance at my watch and take time to do correct math. 30 min left with 6 km to go. Things began to look grim. Doubt started to set in. Fatigue. Disappointment. Pretty much everything and anything that you would find in a goodie bag from the devil himself began to trickle in. I see a runner pass me by, #508. We had been playing tag the entire race. As much as I wanted to leave her in my dust, I did hold her in the highest respect. She appeared to be in her 60s afterall. Yes, my pacing buddy was a 60+ year old lady, no shame in that. We run together, up the last remaining mountain, through the last remaining fishing town. Every second that passed by brought me closer and closer to defeat. I was exhausted at this point. 10 min was all that remained for me to finish 2 km. It was not going to happen. The 10-1-10 system began to break down. I found myself starting a new method, the 5-1-run-whenever-you-can-feel-your-legs-again method. I can assure you you won't find that one in many running magazines :P

I'll have you know that I finished. I managed to escape the First Aid bus that picks up people who seem like they've had enough. I ran my little heart out till the end, passing #508, and ending on a high note "sprint" (I'd call it more of a "flying wobble.") A part of me was disappointed that I hadn't finished in time and another part of me was content that I hadn't given up. I pondered the meaning of the day as I waited for my friends at the finish line. Suddenly I hear, "Tiffany-sensei!" I turn and see a group of elementary school kids that I often teach. They had come to cheer on their classmates in the 5 km race. And then, the meaning of the day, the resolution, became clear. When I leave Japan, no one is going to remember my race time or that I didn't finish in time. The important thing is the friendships: the friendships that led my BOE to make me such an amazing T-shirt, the friendships with the teachers and kids who passed out water and cheered me on, the friendships that were waiting for me at the finish line. My impression on the people that I will soon say goodbye to is what's truly important. As much as I'd love to post pictures of me victoriously crossing the finish line here at the end of this blog, I'm just as happy to end it with these :)

Kyle and me :)


Yamaguchi JETs represent! (L to R: Brandon, Kyle, Steff, me, Christina, and Michelle) Photo courtesy of Steff Y :)

My awesome T-shirt signed by my BOE coworkers.

Thanks Nakamura, you were right! :D

Hawaii Take 2

2011-02-16T22:05:00.000-08:00

Dad, me, and Mom performing a Christmas tradition: Christmas lights!

Golly wolly I can't believe I haven't touched this thing since Nov 25, 2010! It's an entirely different year now! 2011! Something tells me it's going to be a great year ;) I apologize to all 10 of my readers :) Sadly enough, my 1.5 year old laptop BROKE so I'm in the process of buying another one. Until then I'm forced to rely on the computer at my BOE between the hours of 8:30 and 4:30. Outside of that, I've been reading, putting together a Totoro jigsaw puzzle, and watching HOURS of TV. A tech-cleansing experience indeed.

Since my Nagasaki adventures in November 2010, I visited my island home of Hawaii for a second time since coming to Japan with JET. It was an entirely different experience I found to be back home. I was there for 3 weeks (3 WEEKS!) from Dec 18 - Jan 9. I had an incredible time seeing family and friends, going to favorite hang out spots and eateries, appreciating the warm Hawaii weather and cool trade winds, and of course...driving on the right side of the road ;) It was my first Christmas back since being on JET. Last Christmas was tough on me, what with the absence of a true Christmas celebration, SUPER cold weather, and even shorter days (I remember the sun setting at around 4:30pm!). Worst of all, Japan has no Christmas holiday, so I found myself surfing the internet on Christmas Day at my desk at the BOE. Definitely not recommended :(

Aside from all the negativity that I was feeling that year, I did take to heart the true meaning of Christmas: spending the holiday season together with cherished family and friends. That's all I really wanted. When you take away the tall Christmas tree, shopping extravaganzas, and present wrapping, it was really the traditions with loved ones that I really missed; baking Christmas cookies w/my mom, watching old Christmas specials that were tapped on VHS, going to see the Christmas lights in Pauoa and on King St., and going to Christmas Eve service with the family. It truly was an amazing Christmas :)

The Yoshida family in front of the Christmas tree on Christmas Day...as it should be :)

I caught up with lots of friends and got to hit up a lot of local restaurants including Shokudo, Zippys, Banana Leaf (good osusume Steph!), Manoa Sandwich Shop, Tsukijis, and Kaka'ako Kitchen. DELICIOUS! Activities included hiking, karaoke, pizza day with Luke (Papa Johns FTW!), the Palafox Christmas party, and pyromania with the Tabios/Shiroma families on New Years Eve.

The CAS group at karaoke :P

Some friends from Japan were also visiting, so it was nice to take them around. One of the head teachers I taught with last year visited with his family. We took them surfing for the first time at Waikiki Beach (his son even stood up and caught a wave! AMAZING!) and had dinner at Buca di Beppo. Afterwards, we took them to D&B. The kids had an awesome time and were really liking the ticket redemption idea. (In Japan, most of the toys are won through the crane games. I've rarely seen a ticket redemption station.)

Mr. Ueda and me at Buca di Beppo. Look at all that delicious food!

One of the principals from my elementary schools also visited with his wife. We went for dessert at Big City Diner. They were impressed with the size of the desserts (and coffee)! It was really nice to see them, especially since they were wearing aloha shirts (which they had bought that day!). I usually see him in a full suit at work!

The Nakamuras sporting their おしゃれ aloha shirts.

Another highlight was our short visit to Hilo to see my grandma and grandpa. My dad and me went for 2 days and 1 night. It was really nice to see the Yoshida family and spend time with grandma and grandpa. I was glad to see they were doing good. Very げんき :) Since I moved to Japan and they moved to Hilo (a different island from where I live), I've become even more appreciative of each second I have to spend with them. I can't wait to see them again in May for Luke's graduation.

Gma and Gpa Yoshida :)

Being away from Hawaii (and having to endure the evil winters here in Japan), my love for the Islands has grown that much more. To call a place like Hawaii home is something truly special, in a way that I cannot adequately describe through this blog post. (Although I'm sure any place you can call home is equally as special.) The funny thing is, I consider Yamaguchi, Japan my home as well. I guess the saying rings true: home is where the heart is.

a moment in Nagasaki

2010-11-25T03:55:00.000-08:00

Peace in Nagasaki.

I was given an amazing opportunity to visit the picturesque city of Nagasaki last weekend. It had remained on my list of things to see in Japan for quite some time. Traveling there, I anxiously anticipated my visit to the Nagasaki Peace Memorial, the final location I had wanted to visit that held strong ties to the Pacific War (Pearl Harbor, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki). It was almost like obtaining that final baseball card that completed a dream team collection for me; a check waiting to be placed on my sheet of folder paper. I had no idea what lessons God had waiting for me in Nagasaki...

I found myself on a park bench at the Atomic Bombing Epicenter Monument at just after 11:30am. Some peaceful Chris Tomlin music was playing on my ipod. I ever so carefully began to fold a paper crane out of some scratch paper I found in my purse. I noticed a pack of Japanese tourists following their guide around the park. Two European men posed for a picture as their friend shouted to them in French. An older man bent down to clean up a mess his dog left for him by the water fountain. I looked up at the bright blue sky; the brilliance of autumn leaves caressed the young day. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine how, amidst the beauty and peace that surrounded me, such a disaster could have devastated such a place, at just around the same time of the day, almost 65 years ago. Just as I looked up to the black monument, Chris Tomlin's words sounded through: "I will rise on eagle's wing, no more suffering, no more pain." That moment was enough to trigger the waterworks.

I look back at all the pictures I took of Nagasaki during the trip and my mind can't help but wander. I ask myself what someone who experienced the atomic bombing on that day would say if I were to show them one of the pictures I took. If I were to somehow travel back in time and, amidst the chaos and sorrow following the explosion, show a picture of today's Nagasaki and say, "this is what Nagasaki will look like in 65 years." Would they believe me? How could one see past such turmoil and destruction? How do you even begin to rebuild a city that has seen so much devastation?

The view of Nagasaki's city lights from Mt. Inasa.

The beautiful Nagasaki skyline.

The pictures and videos in the museum paint the picture, in my mind, of hell on Earth. People whose bodies are charred with scalding burns, wanting to die but not being able to, searching for loved ones amongst mountains of debris. Today I see junior high school students on a school trip touring the same location with cameras in hand, old Japanese couples feeding birds under the cooling shade, and children laughing as they chase each other through the soft, green grass of the park. Peace lives in Nagasaki. I tucked my checklist away in my pocket, almost ashamed, ashamed of my attitude coming to the park. I came with the intention of getting some nice snapshots for my album and I left with a new understanding of the word peace.

When I grow up, I wanna be a fox...

2010-11-04T23:44:00.000-07:00

Me pretending to help carry the big, heavy omikoshi shrine ;)

In Japan, November 3 is National Culture Day. I found myself at the Kudamatsu Fox Wedding Festival, which is a celebration for a successful rice season. Food and game vendors lined the narrow streets of Kudamatsu's small town of Hanaoka. There was a bunch of festivities, including a parade of omikoshi hand-carried shrines (which I was blessed to be a part of), Japan boy scout performances, a kid marching band, handmade floats, and finally, the Fox Bride and Fox Groom, signifying good fortune. Every year, two people are picked in secret, and their identity is kept hidden from the public throughout the festival.

The couple of the hour! The Fox Bride and Fox Groom! Do you know who it is?

I've heard a bunch of different versions of the story upon which this festival is based. One of my teachers I teach with said that long ago, a priest found a pair of white foxes in the forest. He raised them as his own children and in return they brought good fortune to his village. And so every year there is a festival in their honor.

The amazing people who let us join in the parade.

It was really cool to have the chance to actually participate in the omikoshi-carrying down the street. Kyle's friend from City Hall, Nakamura, invitied us to take part in the tradition with a group of his friends. We all hoisted this heavy wooden structure up on our shoulders (well, not me really because I'm so much shorter than everyone else) and yelled out "washoi!" in time with a whistle. They even let me have a chance at riding the shrine! I will admit, it was quite scary being up that high, while being carried by a bunch of drunk and happy men :) I had an amazing time laughing and chatting with the other omikoshi carriers. Many people drank lots of sake before the actual parade (and even DURING!). I don't know how we managed to carry that thing all the way to the end. We even got hoppi coats to wear...and FACE PAINT! We were true Japanese foxes :)

Kyle and me in our "fox" outfits.

During the festival, I took a step back and watched the festivities around me. There were hundreds people around me, both young and old, who were gathered here to celebrate their culture, my culture. I am Japanese afterall. Never before had I felt such a strong tie to my Japanese roots. It was an indescribable feeling. I was almost moved to tears as I watched a traditional dance team perform in front of the Hanaoka Shrine. This is stuff my ancestors must have done a long time ago, I thought to myself. Finally, I've begun to feel like a part of the Yamaguchi family, and a part of Japan.

I am proud to be Japanese.

Rafting with the Power Rangers

2010-10-27T22:10:00.000-07:00

The Oshimatsu gang: (L to R) Michelle, Brandon, me, and Kyle :)

The reservations had been set, tickets purchased, and I had (by some miracle) managed to reverse my car onto the ferry that would take us to Mitsuhama Port in Matsuyama, Shikoku. The short weekend getaway came at the perfect time, and the Oshimatsu gang was ready for some white water rafting excellence. After about an hour ferry ride and a 2 hour car ride full of 90s hits, we found ourselves in a quiet, super inaka (countryside) town called Otoyo at around 10:30pm. We met the owner of the rafting company, a cool Aussie named Mark, who then loaded us up into his tiny Japanese pickup truck and drove us to our hostel. The hostel had a worn-down, old log cabin feel to it. Our futons had already been laid out on the tatami floor. It felt like we were high school kids who had just been dropped off by Mom and Dad for an unsupervised weekend :D I could barely close my eyes from all my excitement, but somehow managed to drift into a deep sleep...

We woke up bright and early, grabbed some food from a local market, and met up with the other rafters at the Happy Raft office. It was a special day for rafting, geared towards veterans who had rafted with the company many times before. In the spirit of Halloween, many people were dressed up, including our rafting guides, the POWER RANGERS! :)

"Oh, Japan..."

I got to sit in the VERY front! AHH!

Emergency contacts were exchanged, safety waivers signed, and before you knew it, we were geared up and loaded onto a bus for Yoshino River. We met our rafting guide, Gordon aka. the Green Ranger w/dreds, who gave us a safety shpeel before getting us into the raft. The water was FREEZING. Like Jack-Dawson-floating-in-the-Atlantic-Ocean FREEZING. It was quite beautiful though. A lady I met in an onsen told me that the rocks on the river floor have a blue tinge to them, making the crisp, clear water appear even more blue.

The next 4 hours rafting down a 9km segment of the Yoshino River can only be descibed as "bizarre". IT. WAS. AWESOME. Guides would randomly pick up and throw rafters into the blistering cold water, creating chaos amongst the boat. No one was safe. Just as you were helping a fellow raftmate back into the boat, you yourself would either be pushed or pulled in! The Blue Ranger was dropkicking people off of their rafts, people were splashing each other with their paddles, and the Scream Ghost was doing backflips off the edge of the boat. Incredible. At times I needed to take a step back and breath just to process the craziness before me.

The rafting itself was both exciting and terrifying. Since we had come the 2nd to the last week of rafting season, the water level was lower than usual, exposing many rocks and affecting the water flow around certain areas of the river. On some of the higher grade rapids (level 4), the current was super strong and our boat seemed to be almost vertical at times. Despite the playful mannerisms of the rafting crew, when things needed to be taken seriously, they were superbly professional, making me feel safe 100% of the time. At one point, a rafting crew got stuck amongst the rocks and current. It was cool to see the other guides band together to help them out. (What was even COOLER was that they were dressed as Power Rangers, there to save the day!)

Battling one of the grade 4 rapids.

We all survived the adventure and concluded the day with a delicious bagel sandwich buffet and a nice onsen bath. The crew was kind enough to invite us to a party at one of the guide's house for dinner and drinks. We partied the night away; meeting fellow rafters, learning about the area through broken Japanese/English, feeding dogs, eating crocodile and kangaroo BBQ, watching people fool around in their Halloween costumes, and enjoying the beautiful scenery of Tokushima.

Success! We made it through! Thank you Green Ranger! :D

I wish I could have stayed in that moment forever. It will definitely be a highlight during my stay in Japan :)

Life Lessons with Mr. Matsuoka :)

2010-10-12T07:11:00.000-07:00

It was 3-1, Red Hats. Victory was within our grasp, we just needed to hold our ground for a bit longer. It was a gorgeous day for soccer. Thy sky was as blue as ever and a refreshing breeze generously graced the field. Mr. Matsuoka and I had been leisurely playing offense for the past 20 min with the kids of Shimanaka Elementary School.

We Red Hats were just about to end the slaughtering of the White Hats when suddenly, things took an unexpected turn. Enter Yoshiki and Ayana, the 3rd grade powerhouse duo. In a flash, the score had transformed: 4-7, White Hats. The boys on our team were getting a taste of defeat and they did not like it one bit. How silly, I thought to myself as I watched a kid on my team kick up some dirt. I was then reminded of my own elementary school basketball games and the gutt-wrenching pain of defeat I had once endured. This wasn't just a leisure lunch recess soccer game, it was a war.

The White Hats were throwing in goals left and right. Each time a goal was scored, the boys on my team would begin grumbling and complaining, motioning for a trade in team members. "Give us Shinji for Toshiya!" they'd call out, shamelessly sacrificing a team member. Step in Mr. Matsuoka. He huddles the kids together and passionately exclaims, "When you lose a point, you just gotta stand right back up and play that much harder!"

Doesn't that work on so many different levels? I paused for a moment to absorb what Mr. Matsuoka had said. When it came to kendo, work, my busy schedule, and anything and everything else buzzing around in my head at that particular moment, Mr. Matsuoka's words put me fully at ease.

Mr. Matsuoka and I decided to step up our game a bit to try and show the kids that their new efforts would not go to waste. Unfortunately, despite their age and height, Yoshiki and Ayana were just too strong a force and the White Hats won, 6-17. I'm not sure if those boys were able to fully appreciate the important life lesson given by Mr. Matsuoka that day, but I'm sure they will have plenty other opportunities to learn it. One thing's for sure: Tiff needs to get better at soccer.

カープ,　カープ,　カーウ　広島!

2010-10-05T08:03:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day for some baseball!

I have never been a huge baseball fan. I'm more of a high intensity, full contact type sports fan, namely football and hockey. My parents tell me they took my brother and me to local games when we were little, although the only thing I remember from these "so-called games" is the hot dogs :) So when there was mention of going to a baseball game here in Japan, I was a bit reluctant.

I'll just say it now: Japanese baseball games are the greatest things EVER. This game we went to would easily make my 'top 10 favorite moments on JET' list. The energy of the crowd is amazing. Think of it as being a combination of the excitement of an 8-year-old running to the Christmas tree on Christmas morning and the insanity of walking up the various levels of a Don Quixote in Tokyo (just google image 'Don Quixote' and you'll see what I mean). The amount of loyalty and dedication Japanese baseball fans have to their favorite team is beyond description. Let's just say, if our NASA rockets could utilize such dedication as a means of fuel, we'd be having tea with Chewy and Han everyday at 4pm.

It wasn't the most memorable game in the world. The Hanshin Tigers dominated the Hiroshima Carps, 11 to 4. Each batter took their turn at the plate, hitting foul balls, 2-baggers, and even 3-baggers. We even witnessed a home run :) For me, the noteworthy part of the day was being fully immersed in the same moment with the thousands of people in the stadium. We all came from different walks of life, and yet, in these few hours, the game was all that was on our minds. Disregarding the mountains of paperwork due on Monday or the lesson planning for the week, all we cared about at this exact moment in time was whether Kokubo would strike out or not.

Oh, Japan. You never cease to amaze me.

There are some interesting components to Japanese baseball that have no American equivalent. One being the 7th inning stretch tradition of inflating falic-shaped balloons and shooting them into the air while singing a team's fight song. Also throughout the game, drums and trumpets would lead the fans in special chants specific to the players at bat. They even sell special sticks to help aid in keeping the rhythm. I have yet to learn the various motions and chants associated with the Hiroshima Carps, but have made it a goal before opening season next April.

My baseball commentator/slang educator, Kyle :)

I had such an amazing time at the game. Who knew baseball could be so exciting? Even though our seats were in the Hanshin Tigers cheering section by mistake (hehe, a bit awkward at times, especially when the Carps made a hit), we still managed to cheer our little hearts out (Japanese style) and have a grand ol' time :)

Hiroshima Carp Cheering Section (These guys are intense! Check it out!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rY5RgphWMVg

Carp Fight Song (My goal is to learn the words to this song, and sing it w/all the passion in the world at the next game I attend!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B1gqR3AKKo

Checklists

2010-09-27T07:13:00.000-07:00

2 months have passed in this, my 2nd and final year with the JET Program. It's a strange feeling because now, when I take a trip to a far away place in Japan, I catch myself thinking how it may or may not be my last visit. I don't blog out of sadness or dismay, but rather, anticipation of the countless adventures yet to be had in this amazing nation in the remaining 10 months!

With that, I present to you my checklist of things I want to see/do in the next 10 months while in the JET Program (not in any particular order):

1. Capture the 100 Shinsengumi Memorial near Itabashi station in Tokyo through artsy photography.
2. Run down the riverbanks of the Arakawa River in the Adachi area just like they do in Kinpachi Sensei.
3. Hug the Hachiko statue at Shibuya Station.
4. Leave a paper crane in the Peace Memorial Park in Nagasaki.
5. Snowboard a black diamond slope in Hokkaido.
6. Slurp down a meal at an outdoor ramen stand.
7. Tokyo Disney and Disney Sea. (At least one day per location!)
8. Ikebukuro Gyoza Stadium and Ice Cream City. 'nuff said ;)
9. Cheer at a kendo competition.
10. 2010 Saga International Balloon Fiesta. Again, 'nuff said :)
--------------------Edit-----------------------
11. Slurp down some ramen at the Ramen Museum in Yokohama (credit to Dad...hehe)

hawaii sweet hawaii (part 2)

2010-09-13T06:53:00.000-07:00

Me and my brother enjoying shave ice in Hilo.

I had survived the grueling 13 hour climb up Mt. Fuji and was now enjoying the reward of being home for 2 weeks. What was my first meal being back in Hawaii? Go on, guess ;) The answer: RUBY TUESDAYS! 2 turkey mini burgers, a side of steamed broccoli instead of fries, and their endless salad bar. Delicious. The next couple of days were filled with dinners, surfing, parties, Ala moana trips, and other outings with friends and family. I surprisingly got back into driving on the right side of the road pretty quickly. (There was one incident early on where I annihilated the 'no parking' sign in our driveway but besides that, everything was cake.)

Mom and me at TACO BELL! (My 2nd meal back in America!)

It was so nice eating the food in Hawaii! (At one point when I was very homesick in Japan, I made a list on my laptop about all the eateries I wanted to go to when I returned home.) Although there wasn't enough time to go to all of them, I did manage to go to the following: taco bell, L&L drive inn (spam musubis....thanks Erickshin!), subway, shokudo (honey toast mmm...thanks Colin!), yamaz fishmarket, zippys, island burgers in manoa, buca di beppo, cheesecake factory, big city diner, kincaids (thanks Heather&Brandon!), and kaka'ako kitchen. Notice, no Japanese food! Yeah, I made it a point not to eat Japanese food...

Buca di beppo w/Kai, Allie, Heather, Brandon, Steph, and Kele. Oh...and Myles ;)

Cheesecake factory w/the family :)

I was blessed to have the chance to celebrate my champagne birthday (24 on the 24th!) back home. A small handful of people came over to my house for a home-cooked spaghetti and pizza dinner. Seeing as how my house is an alcohol-free zone, we moved the party to Toma's and drank&sang well into the night. にじかい (2nd party after the main party) was at Ocean Sports Bar where James and friends took good care of us ;) I had such a great time. Thank you again to everyone who came out! You guys ROCK!!! Doomo to James, Shelby, and the gang at Ocean! (Let's party it up in Japan next time!) :)

The gorgeous ladies of the evening :)

During my trip, my friend Cyndi (a fellow ALT from Yamaguchi who was ending her contract) came for a short visit. It was really cool having my life in Hawaii mix with my life in Japan. Cyndi got to meet my friends, people that I had talked about all year, and see me in my natural habitat :) We did a lot of touristy things (things that I had been wanting to do after finding this new sense of excitement for my island home!) like Ala Moana, Waikiki, surf lessons (sorry Cyndi! I am a BAD instructor!), and North shore. Jamie (a 3rd year JET this year) also came down for a visit! The time flew by and before I knew it I was packing up and heading to Hilo.

Cyndi and me at Waimea Bay, North Shore.

The final highlight of my trip was going to Hilo to see grandma&grandpa. It had been one roller coaster of a year and I was so happy to finally be able to go and see them in their new home. They were the main reason I came back this summer. We spent time on my uncle's deck, looking out into the beautiful surrounding landscapes, and talking about anything and everything that came to mind. It was nice having the entire immediate family (with the exception of my older cousin Ryan) all under one roof. We were like one big, happy family. We had an amazing local dinner one night with everyone eating together at the table. That moment could not be beat. One day, my mom, dad, brother, and I went to Akaka Falls and did the 30 min hike (which only took us 15 min). It was nice just spending time with everyone, laughing about stupid things, and being "tourists" for once.

The Yoshida family in Hilo.

The best grandparents a girl could as for.

I'll never forget my trip home to Hawaii. I'm so glad I decided to go home. The time spent there really refreshed me and gave me a new perspective to bring to this new upcoming JET year. That no matter where I am in the world, I'll always have Hawaii and it's amazing&beautiful people to call my home.

---
It was awesome seeing you all! To those I didn't get a chance to meet up with, I hope to see and spend time with you when I come back for good! Love you all so much! :)

Hawaii Sweet Hawaii (part 1)

2010-09-10T02:16:00.000-07:00

It had been one whole year since I had last been home. I was nervous about what I'd be coming home to, about how much things may have changed. I had read literature on reverse culture shock and was apprehensive about my own dealings with it. There wasn't much time to worry though, as I needed to be at Narita airport just 5 hours after hiking Mt. Fuji. (Don't worry, I bought some hand wipes and cleaned up before boarding the plane! Hehe...) Praise the Lord I made it to the check-in counter just as they were closing up! As I entered my terminal, I caught myself looking around to see if I recognized any familiar faces - an old Hawaii habit if you will. I smiled and laughed at the ridiculousness of my actions.

My plane-mate was a girl traveling from Thailand to visit family before continuing on to Oregon for her freshman year in college. That's about all I gathered from her. I was exhausted. I had just spent a 13 hour all-nighter on Mt. Fuji, cut me some slack :P I remember explaining to her about my Fuji adventure and how I was ready to pass out, hearing the fasten seat belt chime, and then...zzzzzzzz. At one point I do remember waking up to the pilot warning us about some extreme turbulence approaching and then...zzzzzzzzz. Next thing I know, we're landing at the Honolulu International Airport. I said goodbye to my plane-mate (who I learned had to crawl OVER me to get to the bathroom after many failed attempts to wake me) at the baggage claim and walked through the immigration gate.

The sensation following this moment can best be described as a combination of college graduation, finishing my first half-marathon, and eating a pizza pocket. Let me explain: College graduation. This was the culmination of 5 years (yes, 5) of hard work, dedication, and persistence. I can honestly say that I have never worked that hard at something ever in my life. Just like in JET, there were so many times I was ready to pack it in, break contract, and return to the comfort of my parent's house. But I didn't. I stayed the course, grew as an individual, and became that much stronger of a person. Finishing a half-marathon. This component embodies the idea of a complete cycle. After 2 hours and 12 min of running, I returned to the same place from which I had started, but returned having accomplished something amazing. I had survived on my own in Japan for one entire year --quite an amazing feat if you ask me. I walked through the same airport that had seen me off a year ago. Me, a naive little island girl taking on the world alone for the very first time. The airport no longer seemed very intimidating. (Probably because NOTHING compares to the chaos of Narita airport.) Eating a pizza pocket. When I was in elementary school, my mom would take my brother and me to 7-11 every Wednesday just before Japanese school classes (yeah I was cool, I know) started in the late afternoon. She would let us pick out one treat, whether it be a slurpee or a spam musubi. I would sometimes settle on a pizza pocket. Just that feeling of holding a freshly microwaved pizza pocket is, to me, the epitomy of comfort. I would look forward to Wednesdays, spending special time with my mom, and getting the chance to eat junk food. It was a good way to get over the hump of a long week of cursive practice, fractions, and art projects. In the same way, I was so excited to be back in the comfort of my island home to see my family and friends and to visit places I had daydreamed about during those long monotonous days at the BOE.

I anxiously pushed my suitcase through the corridor and was met by my happy and smiling family :) No better feeling in the world. It was an amazing reunion, like the lost son returning to his father. I was home.

hello goodbye

2010-08-29T07:27:00.000-07:00

My next blog was suppose to be about my trip back home to Hawaii, but I found it hard to write when there was something else weighing on my heart. Hello--what an interesting concept. It's a form of change that I tend to deal with much better than with goodbyes. And yet, should it not be just as scary? In a first meeting, impression, or interaction, you find yourself still in this state of vulnerability, where new ideas and experiences flow freely from one person to another. Fear of being judged or rejected can easily keep people from experiencing everything that a hello has to offer. Why then, is it so difficult for me to say goodbye at times? Should I not just be grateful for the hellos that started each amazing adventure in my life? What am I holding on to?

Coming into my second and final year as an ALT in the JET Programme, I often think of the inevitable goodbyes waiting for me at the end. Like a criminal making their way through the crowd towards the guillotine, I find myself thinking more and more about the sadness and heartbreak that awaits. With every pure moment I come across, whether it be sipping coffee in the teacher's room laughing with the staff or gazing at the stars from a friend's balcony at 2am, I find my heart feeling heavier and heavier, unable to fully appreciate the full significance of the moment for fear that someday it will cease to exist. A memory forgotten, a time that can only be revisited in my dreams where nothing's real.

It wasn't until recently that I realized how dangerous this way of thinking was; how such dark undertones could severely affect the second half of my JET career. This past weekend, we had a big JET beach party for the new incoming ALTs of Yamaguchi. It was a weekend full of hellos. I got to know a lot of new people, their backgrounds, their ways of thinking, their dreams and aspirations. It was a really refreshing experience for me, after having said goodbye to so many friends in July. And in these moments, I found myself revitalized as I was not thinking about the goodbyes that would someday be associated with each hello. Instead, I found myself excited for all the hundreds upon thousands of adventures waiting to be had, as though each hello was like a portal to a new world.

With this new mindset, I find myself looking forward to this new year: to the sleepovers at friends' houses, to the traveling across Japan, to the 6am train rides after a night out in Hiroshima, to the midnight 7-11 chuhai runs, to the situations that make my jaw drop and leave me with the words "Oh, Japan" to explain the ridiculousness of it all, to the moments where I stand in amazement that I'm actually living in Japan, and finally, to the day that I'll say my final farewell to Japan and it's amazing people, and thank it for an amazing and life-changing 2 years.

L to R: Brandon, me, Alice, and Michelle. Brandon&Michelle are awesome Oshima-mates :) Alice is the new beautiful Yanai JET.

Me w/the new Kudamatsu team: Steph and Kyle. I heart Steph's quirkiness and Kyle's genuineness.

Another eastsider, Nate...snow, cars, and wine...instant win ;)

Mt. Fuji: The Agro Crag of Japan

2010-08-11T17:27:00.000-07:00

Just arrived at Fuji train station, ready for some adventure!

As a child, I remember sitting on my living floor, staring up at the TV screen, and watching in amazement as participants of the Nickelodeon GUTs show raced up a massive mountain-like structure known as the "Agro Crag" while combatting falling styrofoam rocks and gusts of smoke. I never imagined that someday I, too, would be doing the same type of ascent, only my Agro Crag wasn't made of cushions and polystyrene foam. Nope, mine was comprised of volcanic rocks and blistering cold temperatures. Agro Crag, meet Mt. Fuji.

The Agro Crag and Mt. Fuji. Which would you choose to climb??

The top of Mt. Fuji is the highest peak of Japan, standing at 12,388 ft (3,776 m). Wikipedia tells me that about 200,000 people climb Mt. Fuji every year. A small climbing window exists during the months of July and Aug. Climbing during any other month is highly discouraged. We decided to embark on our Fuji adventure on Sun, July 18, 2010. The meeting place: Fujinomiya station. Of the 10 stops that make up the grueling ascent, buses take people to the midpoint 5th station for about 3,000 yen RT. There are 4 main climbing routes to the top on different sides of Mt. Fuji: Fujinomiya (the one we did), Kawaguchiko, Gotemba, and Subashiri. The Fujinomiya 5th station starts you at an elevation of about 7,874 ft.

Cyndi, Callie, and me at 5th station, 10pm.

My 2 adventure-mates included Ms. Callie Seymour of Shimonoseki and Ms. Cyndi Waite of Hikari. This would be our last HAZAH, as they were both returning home at the end of the month. We took the bus to 5th station, backpacks stuffed w/energy bars, water, and clothes, energy overflowing for the adventure ahead. After 2 hours of acclimating to our new altitude (about 10pm), we began the 4,514 ft (0.85 miles!) ascent to the top in high spirits.

I must admit, the view from Fuji was spectacular.

I won't lie to you, the climb was hard. I tried from the beginning to pace myself, stay hydrated, and give enough time to rest between stations. The path was roped off, so it was easy to manage. I also had on a headlamp freeing up my hands. Callie and I even bought the popular Fuji stick (from 7-11 hehe), a walking stick that you can get branded (like a cow) at each station. The higher you ascend, the more seals you'll get burned into your stick marking your progress. Each seal was about 200 yen ($2). I would definitely bring a walking stick with you, as it made my ascent and descent much easier.

Posing with my cool walking stick.

The hardest and longest part of the trip was between 6th station (8,169 ft) and new 7th station (9,120 ft). It took us about 1.5 hours to complete. The higher you go, the harder it is to breathe because less oxygen is available. Because of this, I would find myself taking 25 steps or so and then having to stop, bring my heart rate back down to normal, and just breathe. I was scared of getting altitude sickness because I heard once you reach that point, you need to start your descent back down. I had made quite a journey just to get to Mt. Fuji, and was not going to accept defeat. I was getting to the top no matter what. NO. MATTER. WHAT.

We made our way to 7th station (yeah, there are two 7th stations...weird) at 9,875 ft. The stations really are what keep you going. You can stock up on liquids, use the bathroom (costs about $1-$2 to use the toilets!), and take shelter at each. The higher you go, however, the more expensive things cost. Makes sense considering how difficult it is to transport goods up there. Most people start their ascent at about 5pm, reach 8th or 9th station, and then sleep there for a bit before continuing their climb to the top in time for the sunrise. But not Callie, Cyndi, and me. Nope. We were troopers. Some would call us "amazing," others would call us "idiots." We planned to do the whole hike in one night. Up in time for the sunrise and then back down in one swift motion. Sunrise was at 4:30/5am so time was our real enemy. And altitude sickness. And low blood glucose levels. And cold. Yeah, there were a lot of forces acting against us.

We had reached 8th station (10,662 ft). It was cold. I had layered clothing over the past couple hours. I now boasted 2 layers of pants, 4 layers of shirts, plus my snowboard pants and jacket. (We Hawaiians DO NOT like the cold!) I was tired. And hungry. And needed to pee. I was NOT in a good mood. But amidst my grumbling and unhappy spirit, I remember turning around to look at the spectacular surrounding nature. It was an incredible sight. Fuji's silhouette against the backdrop of city lights boasted its true grandeur. We were above the clouds, bringing me back to days of playing Super Mario World, leading Mario across the elevated pathway of clouds separating him from danger. I could see hikers just begining their climb at the bottom, flashlights and head lamps illuminating in the dark. Following the path up in single file, it looked like a necklace of lights ringing around Mt. Fuji. And the stars. It was as if God had made a gigantic cluster of stars just for Mt. Fuji to look at. I contemplated reaching out to see if I could actually touch one and bring it home, but fought the urge :)

We had just reached 9th station (11,351 ft) and it was already 4am. It looked as though sunrise at the top was no longer a realistic and attainable goal. We were tired. And hungry. I bought a small styrofoam bowl of udon for about 800 yen ($8 for a tiny bowl!). I was so cold, I didn't care about the cost. We commandeered a table inside the hut and sprawled ourselves on it. Cyndi wasn't feeling good and we had to figure plans out. To go or not to go? We had come all this way. We all took mini naps for a bit. All-nighter - what was I thinking!? My body was hating my decision and making damn sure I knew it. I vaguely remember waking up to Callie asking me if I wanted pictures of the sunrise. "Shhrr..." I murmured. I was seriously concerned whether continuing to the top was a good idea. We had about 3 hours more to go, and not to mention the 5 hour hike BACK DOWN.

A beautiful sunrise picture from 9th station, compliments of Ms. Callie.

After much debate, Callie and I decided to continue on to the top while Cyndi rested at the lodging facilities of 9th station. We had come too far to call it quits. Plus, I knew I'd regret it for the rest of my life if I turned back. And I'm all against regret. With this new found sense of determination, my body began doing something amazing: it started producing adrenaline. We made it to 9.5th station (11,778 ft) pretty quickly and before you knew it, the peak was in sight. A lot of people had started their descent back down, making it hard for us to continue at the pace we had began with since both the ascent and descent paths were the same. As inconvenient as it was, it felt like everyone on that mountain was tied by a common bond. People descending would lend words of encouragement to us like, "Keep it up!" and "You're almost there!" which was really cool.

6:00am. Callie and I make it to the top. The top of Mt. Fuji. MT FUJI!!! Thoughts? In this order: This is incredible. Wow, there are a lot of people here. A POST OFFICE!? I need to pee. There was a lot of activity at the top. People were taking pictures, getting their sticks stamped, buying stuff from the souvenir shop, eating food at the little shop, mailing post cards, and just basking in the accomplishment that is hiking Fuji. Callie and I did all of it, from ordering a 600 yen ($6) cup-o-noodle, to mailing postcards to our family.

The torii gate at the top of Mt. Fuji.

Callie and me at the TOP!!!

And thus began the descent back down. Start time: 6:30am. End time: 11:30am. It. was. hell. Although a lot easier since resting wasn't as big an issue anymore, the sun slowly stole away our energy, and fatigue from the all-nighter was beginning to take a toll on my body. We picked up Cyndi, who was feeling a lot better from a couple hours sleep, at 9th station and continued downwards. I didn't even think to bring sunscreen and was regretting it with every step. Somewhere along the way I had dropped my big 2L container of water and was now depending on what little water I had left in my water bottle that Callie and Cyndi had so graciously given me. Towards the end of the journey, I was scrupiously spending money on small 500 yen ($5) bottles of water just to stay alive. My head was now throbbing due to lack of sleep. My energy level was low, it was hot, and time had become an issue once again. We needed to make the 12:30pm bus so that I could make it to the airport in time for my flight back to Hawaii. Cyndi also had to make a night bus back for Yamaguchi. Oh how I regretted my decision to do this all just before my trip home. But it was too late for regrets, all we had to do was focus on getting to the bottom. And that we did.

I prayed, asking God to take away my headache. Come 6th station, Callie overhears a tourist couple passing around Tylenol, and they share some with me. MIRACLE! (Stores in Japan don't sell painkillers. You actually have to go to a hospital or pharmacy to buy them. So there would have been NO WAY of me getting rid of that headache without the help of those tourists!) Hope was back. We kept at it, sliding down the volcanic gravel, trying not to fall off the path. Finally, we came to the starting point, 5th station. I looked up to the peak of Mt. Fuji in disbelief that we had been there, just 5 hours earlier. It looked so much different from where I was standing now having climbed it. At first it was this massive, unconquerable beast of a mountain. The Agro Crag of Japan. And now it was...nope, it's still this massive, unconquerable beast of a mountain. "But Tiff," you may ask, "why do you still consider it unconquerable? You've done it once already." True, but I doubt I could ever do it again. And I don't think I'd ever want to. As the old proverb goes, "A wiseman climbs Fuji once, a fool twice."

Reaching the top was worth it. I really did feel like I was on top of the world.

For more info on the trails and background of Mt. Fuji, check out these helpful links!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mt._Fuji

http://mountfujiguide.com/guide/Fujinomiya_Trail

Goodbyes, a time to reflect

2010-08-09T18:54:00.000-07:00

**Gosh, has it really been over 2 months since I last touched this blog? So sad. I promise to do much better this upcoming year. So much has happened within that span of time, I think I'll break it up by major events. I'm at the BOE everyday this week, so expect LOTS of updating!**

L to R: Chris, Sarah, Isaac, Erin, me, and Al at our YES English Society farewell party

The JET Program works in 1-year intervals, allowing a participant to decide whether or not to recontract for a 2nd, 3rd, etc... year. Many of my close friends in the Guch decided to return back to their homes this summer. June and July was full of last dinners, packing dates, and goodbye parties. I have never been a big fan of goodbyes, but realize it's necessary and important role in my life. Change is an unavoidable force that often brings about hardships, but also growth. And you know me, I'm all for the growth.

The first day I met Whit, I was in tears because I had learned I would be staying at a hotel by myself away from everyone. She must have thought I was freaking CRAZY!

Reflecting back on my first year in Japan, I can see exactly how much growth I managed just living on my own in a foregin country. When I first arrived in Japan, I had never lived on my own before. Those first few weeks of washing dishes, taking out the trash, combatting BUGS in the apartment, and budgeting for food/bills/fun really did a number on me, but I got through. I remember sitting at my desk at the BOE, staring at the calendar on my desk, flipping through the months, and thinking, "How the heck am I gonna survive this?" Once I started visiting schools, participating in activities on my island during the week, and hanging out with friends on the weekends, the months just flew by.

Before you knew it, winter was here and the only place you'd find me was 5 inches away from a heater. Again, I remember sitting under my kotatsu in my living room, layers of blankets and clothing shielding me from the cold, heater just inches from my face, staring at a picture of Hawaii on my wall, and thinking, "How the heck am I gonna survive this?" (You see, we Hawaii people are a tropical species and HATE the cold...well, at least I do.) Once I started layering up my clothes, bought some snowboard gear, and started hitting the slopes, the months just flew by.

Whit and me at the Leaver's Party. Saying goodbye after a year of friendship is never easy.

Finally, after 6 months of COLD, spring came with all it's sakura beauty. And with it, hope. Hope that I really could survive and succeed in Japan. I think it was at this time that I truly reached a balance in my JET life. I had gotten into a good rhythm teaching at my schools, "working" at the BOE, seeing friends, and exploring Japan. But just as you reach this new level of acceptance and comfortability, God throws you a new set of challenges, and you find yourself saying goodbye to many friends that helped you along the way.

Seb and me on the shinkansen to Fukuoka where Seb was catching his airplane home :(

I had the greatest support system a 1st year JET could ever ask for. To say goodbye to such wonderful people was really difficult; however, I know it's a confirmation of the sincerity of our friendship. This past year was full of challenges and hardships for me personally, and these people pulled me out and saved me a lot of the time. I could enjoy their company, vent out my frustrations, sleep on their couch, cry in their arms, and discover Japan together with them. Yamaguchi did experience a great loss from them leaving, but I have no doubt in my mind that it will gain a lot with the new JETs coming in this summer. (And hopefully I can provide that sort of support system for the new JETs.)

Rather than sulk on my losses, I choose to rejoice in the memories of last year, and hopefully bring that positive energy with me through to this next year. Oh the adventures to be had!

The new JET year has arrived! BRING IT ON JAPAN! :)

Check out the short video I made for AJET! It recaps the 2009-2010 AJET/nonAJET events!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fC-ZIacMjM

kimchee, mr. park, and military fun!

2010-05-13T15:46:00.000-07:00

One of the benefits of being in the JET Progamme is the opportunity to travel the world. Not only have I visited many prefectures in Japan (including Hokkaido, Fukuoka, Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Oita, Hiroshima, Shimane, and Shikoku), but I have also been blessed to go to Thailand and now...Korea. South Korea to be exact ;) The world is so much bigger than we are shown in geography class in Hawaii. I remember watching the game show “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” when I was little and thinking to myself, “How do these contestants know all these facts about the world?” “How do they know where all these countries are?” I never imagined having the resources to travel throughout the different parts of Asia and see these places and experience their cultures myself. My philosophy on travel: If not now, when? South Korea was an amazing adventure full of good fun, onolicious food, and unforgettable experiences.

Right now, a SUPER rough conversion estimate is about $1 to 100 yen to 1250 won. A 10 min cab ride costs about $4. AND you don’t tip in South Korea. When we went out for shopping we could barter w/the shopkeepers. The streets of Seoul (in the Hongik University area where we stayed) were lined with small family-run boutiques, each holding their own style and identity. There was also a street market called Namdaemum market which boasted blocks and blocks of street vendors selling everything from socks, to fruits, to fake LV goods. (It reminded me of Thailand’s night market.) We also shopped in the Myongdong district, which was full of American shops like H&M, Forever 21, Puma, and Gap. In Busan, the city had a more New York Times Square feel, with tall buildings, bright lights, and a younger crowd walking the streets well into the night. Stores were still open pass 10pm. An amazing energy filled the streets wherever we went.

Shinkansen vs KTX
The shinkansen is Japan’s pride and joy. The equivalent in Korea is called the KTX (Korean Train Express). It is very similar to the shinkansen in that the Koreans take much pride in it. There are even stores that sell KTX merchandise. We took the KTX from Busan to Seoul, an approximately 3 hour ride costing us a little under $50 one-way. Although a bit narrower and having more seats per car, the KTX was a good way to see the Korean countryside. If I had to pick one, however, I would choose the shinkansen. Why? Because nothing can beat the awesomeness that is the Nozomi 700 :)

On our ride to Seoul, the “Yoshida curse” (as my family refers to it as) was upon our traveling group. Whether it be at a movie theatre or on a bus, a commotion always ends up sitting behind one of us Yoshidas. And that’s exactly what happened. During our 3-hour ride, a lady and her son apparently snuck on board (yeah, you read that right...they don’t always check your tickets) and thus the Yoshida curse was upon us. Her son would sporadically burst into whining and crying, bang what sounded like coins against the fold-down table, and kick my chair. I’m not sure how others managed to sleep, but it was the longest 3 hours of my life. At one point I stood up and stared at the mother, waiting for her disciplining mode to kick into effect. A rider w/the correct ticket thankfully replaced them a bit later. May I just say, that would NEVER happen in Japan...

kimchee, Bibimbap, and Korean BBQ
Oh the food! What an amazing difference there is between Korean and Japanese food. Throughout my 5 days in Korea, I found myself sweating and gulping down gallons of water to combat the spiciness that is Korean food. Unfortunately for us, the Korean speaking abilities of our travel group were minimal. The two words I did manage to pick up while there were “pap” meaning rice and “mul” meaning water. Our first night in Busan, we chose to eat at a Korean BBQ restaurant. Unbenounced to us there were no menus. The waiter handed us a paper listing the various foods (in KOREAN) and their prices. We ended up pointing to random foods and waited to see what we ordered. Moments later, our tiny table was filled with plates of meat and small side dishes full of vegetables, noodles, and soups. The idea seemed self-explanatory: grill the food until they look ready to eat. Apparently we were doing something wrong because often times our waiter would take the tongs out of our hands and flip/cut the meat in his own professional way. We watched him grill everything in amazement. The food was incredible. I have never had such juicy and tender beef in my life. (Well, Hy’s is QUITE good...hmm...)

Look at all those tiny dishes. It must suck being a dishwasher in Korea!

My favorite Korean food is kimchee-chige (kimchee stew) and I was SO EXCITED to have authentic kimchee-chige while there. It was HOT. Very hot, but so good. Another dish I wanted to try (but never got a chance to) was the bibimbop. My friends ordered it for brunch once, however, and it looked amazing.Not the most tourist-friendly place, but an unforgettable experience nonetheless.

North & South: A Push for Peace
We booked a tour from 8am-2:30pm which took us to major areas of the demilitarized zone separating North and South Korea.The 3^rd Tunnel was found in 1978, just 52 km away from Seoul. The North Koreans are said to have dug 20 tunnels in total, all for the invasion of South Korea. To date, only 4 have been discovered. The 3^rd Tunnel is 1,635 m in length, allog an army of 30,000 North Korean soldiers to pass through in 1 hour.

Yeah, it was kinda weird taking pictures at a DEMILITARIZED zone...but when in Rome, do as the tourists do!

We had to wait in line for a hardhat to wear when walking through the 3^rd tunnel. Finally it came our turn and Rachel (my 5’7” friend) got a hardhat first. I was just about to receive one when the lady in charge pointed at me and said “pass.” I thought she meant she was passing me...because I was Japanese? I don’t know...but I was like, “Wha...? How come? Aww man.” She pointed at my head and said “PASS!” Apparently I was so short that I didn’t need a hardhat and could proceed without one. Bleh :P And it was true. I didn’t have to bend down once throughout that tour. We traveled through the tunnel and got to the end blocked off by barbed wire.

We also went to the northernmost observatory in South Korea, where you can see into North Korea. Unfortunately (fortunately?) for us, it was really cloudy that day, so nothing could be seen from the lookout. They were super strict about pictures being taken too. Just before the lookout was a painted yellow line where cameras could not be taken past. They even had a Korean soldier standing guard enforcing the rule. Well, that didn’t mean we couldn’t take pictures with him!

Our friend, the Korean soldier. (Notice how cloudy it was!)

Our last stop was the Dorasan Train Station. It is the northernmost international station. The Koreans hope that once North and South Korea reunite, trains leaving this station in South Korea will be able to continue their journey to Pyeongyang station in North Korea.

Korean Massage Day
In Thailand, my friend Rachel and I opted to get an authentic Thai massage for half a day. We thought it be cool to make it a tradition and try the different types of massages throughout the world thereafter. We decided on a small spa in a hotel in Seoul. We were taken into a locker room by an old Korean lady who didn’t speak English (or read numbers as it was hard for her to match up our locker keys with their corresponding lockers). After observing other customers there, we realized it was the same procedure as onsens in Japan. After a shower and a 20 min wait in the “Korean onsen” (which was so hot I almost got a heat stroke) we then proceeded to the massage section of the spa. This is when things took a weird turn...

We were instructed to lie on a padded table. Totally normal right? Wrong. Out came our masseuses; I had a middle-aged lady and Rachel had the lady that led us into the spa earlier. Only thing was, they were in their underwear...I think one of them may have been completely naked but I’m not completely sure. She proceeded to scrubbing me down with some rough mittens she was wearing on her hands. And she scrubbed her little heart out...and she scrubbed everywhere...EVERYWHERE. Even in places I never knew I had :P Once that was done, she doused me with warm water and went on to rub lotion on me. Everywhere. EVERYWHERE. At one point, I almost fell off the table because it was so slippery. Then came the massage. They cup their hands and hit the different parts of your body, producing a popping sort of sound. She would also lay hot towels on me and then pop-slap me. It was a very interesting experience. Would I recommend it? Well, if it were up to me, I would opt for the Thai massage...but that’s just me ;)

Hostel Fun
We stayed at 2 hostels, one in Busan and one in Seoul. In Busan we stayed at Blue Backpackers, a family-owned hostel located very close to the heart of Busan. It was quite tricky to find but we eventually found it. Unfortunately, the hostel is set right next to some train tracks, but I guess it doesn’t really matter when you crash from a long days trip. The facilities are a bit on the older side, but the rooms were all full and the customer service is great. They booked us our KTX tickets, wrote down instructions to take us to the train station in Korean, and let us use their phone. It is also located pretty darn close to the crazy Busan nightlife (True! It does exist!)

Mr. Park rocks. Period.

The hostel we stayed at in Seoul, Guys and Dolls Guesthouse, was an amazing hostel located in the heart of the Hongik University district. The people were young, the atmosphere creative, and an energy unlike any I’d ever felt before pulsed through the lights and chatter of the evening. The owner, Mr. Park, was an avid Broadway musical lover, and so rightly named the hostel after his favorite production. He was my favorite memory of the trip. A simple and entertaining character, Mr. Park was the key to our fun in Seoul. He arranged our tour of the DMZ, took time to educate us on Korean culture and practices, and made sure his hostel was always cozy and presentable.

I’ll never forget the day when we were trying to figure out which day to take the DMZ tour. Mashing it out in the guestroom, I recall being in deep conversation with my friends when all of a sudden I see Mr. Park sweeping up dust past our door. He peeked in, duster in hand, and asked, “DMZ? Tuesday ok?” and continued on his way. I broke out laughing. Maybe you just had to be there...Another day, we were decompressing after a day of shopping and had decided to go to one of the nearby coffee shops.I turned to Mr. Park and asked him if he wanted coffee (thinking that I would bring him back some if he said yes). Mr. Park did say yes, however, threw me off guard when he proceeded to grab his jacket from the nearby coat hanger :) We all ended up going out for coffee with Mr. Park and he taught us all about life in Korea: from education to mandatory military service, his own personal background and his future plans for the hostel. I had a great time :)

Unfortunately, Mr. Park decided to close down the hostel and move to a quieter neighborhood. Guys and Dolls Guesthouse had been opened for 10 months and was closing the following Monday from when we stayed there. “Too much work” was what Mr. Park said about the hostel business. All the best to you Mr. Park! Thank you for making our stay in Seoul an amazing and memorable one!

Nighlife
The nightlife in Korea was very refreshing, especially when you live on Oshima in Yamaguchi. There were tons of little bars and clubs in the Hongik Univ area where we stayed in Seoul. The clubbing reminded me of Happy Cock in Fukuoka, tons of people squished into a small area with loud music playing. It was so hard to get around! At one point, I had to go outside and get some air because it was so hot! It was definitely a lot more fun than clubbing in Thailand. The crowd seemed a lot more energetic for some reason?

On our last night in Seoul we set out to find the infamous Subzero Icebar, a bar where everything (and I mean EVERYTHING, from the counters to the drinking glasses) are made of ice. For $15 you would receive a rental jacket, mittens, scarf, and one cocktail. They even had a challenge for the person who could stay in the bar the longest without leaving. If you had to go to the bathroom, you needed to pee in empty bottles in the bar. If you surpass the record holder, they would take the bottles of your pee and showcase it in its frozen state. Unfortunately for us, the bar had closed down :( When we were outside looking for it, a cute little asian lady was walking down the street, guidebook in hand, wearing a thick jacket and a scarf. You can guess where she was looking for ;)

Goodbye Korea...till we meet again!
Korea was an amazing place that I would love to visit again before I leave Japan for good. I would definitely recommend Seoul to anyone going to Korea. God has been so awesome in providing me with the resources to do these trips. There are so many other places around the world that I want to visit (which includes Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines again, and of course...all of Europe), and can’t wait to see where I end up next!

A Taste of Hawaii in March

2010-04-27T07:26:00.000-07:00

Golly wolly, these months have been flying by super fast! I can't believe it's almost May! I have seriously been behind on these blogs. To my faithful readers, I'm so sorry! I will try and do better! :)

March came and went like my pink phase as a child. Why did it fly by you ask? I was priviledged to have family and friends from Hawaii visit me throughout the month. It was the perfect timing too, as I was slowly creeping into a "I'm sick of this cold weather I want to crawl into a hole and disappear" mode.

Fukuoka meets Yamaguchi and then runs away to Hiroshima

Jamie, Lena, Me, and Jonjon enjoying some purikura magic

Three of my favorite people in Fukuoka came to visit during the first weekend of March, Lena, Jonjon, and Jamie. They were troopers. On Friday after work, the three of them jumped on a shinkansen and endured the 1.5 hour ride to Obatake Station. It was pouring rain when I met them at the station at about 10pm. We then began our adventure in search of the great Sanzoku restaurant of Kuga, a famous Japanese restaurant known for their large cuts of roasted chicken served on long, wooden sticks, and their giant musubis filled w/3 different fillings (ume, tuna, and seaweed). After a quick stop at a gas station and Jamie saving us w/her amazing Japanese-speaking skills, a beacon of light emerged from the vast, dense darkness of the night. It was an incredible sight amidst the pouring rain. We had made it just in time and enjoyed a night of fun, food, and yes, "beverages." (Well, not me...drivers can't drink :P)

The next day we headed for Hiroshima (a 1 hour train ride from my place). There, we enjoyed shopping, okonomiyakis, shopping, shopping, and more shopping!!! At night, we met up w/some fellow Guchi JETs for a night full of "beverages," food, fun, and dancing! It was a great night, which ultimately ended w/us all sharing a small hotel room (yes, 4 people CAN fit in a king-sized bed!) I remember waking up in an intricate configuration. We looked like human tetris pieces, sprawled out on the bed.

Me, Jonjon, Lena, and Jamie on the infamous Kintaikyo Bridge!

On Sun, we returned back to Yamaguchi, where we enjoyed yet another rainy day touring the Kintaikyo Bridge in Iwakuni. It was my first time actually walking across the bridge (it's 600 yen to do it, so I would always cross the free, non-special one...I know, I'm cheap hehe) and it was such an amazing experience! Long ago, only samurai were allowed to cross the bridge. (Not sure how pesants got across?) We also took the ropeways up to the castle and enjoyed the view from the mountaintops. At the bottom, we enjoyed some weird flavored ice creams, including curry, ume, and ramen ice cream!

Father-daughter time

My dad came to visit me the following weekend in the middle of his business trip to Tokyo. He arrived at Obatake station on Sun and we met up with my friend Mr. Ueda (the vice principal at my favorite school) and his family. They are such amazing people! They drove us to see the famous caves in Yamaguchi City (Akiyoshidai) and the famous pagoda (Rurikouji). We ate lunch at...Sanzoku (where I took my Fukuoka friends..hehe) and dinner at this amazing Japanese restaurant in Kuga. The Ueda's are such hospitable people, I don't think I could ever fully repay them for all the kindness they have shown me since I arrived in Yamaguchi.

Mr. and Mrs. Ueda and their adorable kids :)

Dad and Me in the famous caves of Yamaguchi

The next day, I brought my dad to the BOE where I work so he could meet my coworkers and supervisor. It was neat to see him talking with the people I previously descibed via skype. I was scheduled to work that day, but for some reason, I didn't need to go to a particular school. When I introduced my dad to the BOE head honcho, Mr. Hirata, he told me I could take the day off and show my dad around! AMAZING!!! (They are usually super strict w/my vacation days...) So thanks to Mr. Hirata, I was able to spend the whole day with my dad. And where did I end up taking him? To KINTAIKYO BRIDGE! Hehe...yup, we went yet again, but it was a lot of fun. It was still raining, but just to hang out and catch up with each other was really nice.

The umbrella is blocking it, but we're in front of the Kintaikyo Bridge!

Hiro in the Guch

The following weekend, my amazing friend Lori made her way to Yamaguchi. I met her at Shin-Yamaguchi station and we had dinner at this cool kaitenzushi restaurant (like Genki Sushi except BETTER because you order sushi w/a remote that kinda looks like the remote in karaoke rooms, and the food is brought to you by a little shinkansen on train tracks!). My friend Eric was kind enough to let us stay over at his place that night. The next day, we picked up my friend Seb and we all drove up to Nagato (north-west coast of Yamaguchi) to go exploring and to help celebrate our friend Tom's birthday. We toured Nagato's beautiful beaches, played at one of the cool playgrounds (which includes a slide consisting of rollers that you slide down w/the provided foam board), and ate at a make-your-own-okonomiyaki restaurant for dinner.

Lori enjoying some Nagato playground fun. (Not sure how these things get safety approval...)

Luckily, it was a three-day weekend, so I awoke Sun morning w/lots of energy and excitement for the adventures yet ahead. We drove back to the east side of the Guch and enjoyed some tempura at a restaurant in Tokuyama. After getting lost and more driving, we eventually reached our destination...I'll give you a hint to where we went...it's a bridge. YES! KINTAIKYO BRIDGE! It was already kind of late, so we crossed the bridge but didn't go up to see the castle. Then we walked around Iwakuni for a bit before returning home. For dinner, we went to an all-you-can-eat-shabu-shabu place on my island Oshima. DELICIOUS! We ate so much meat...I bet the cooks were thinking "WHAT!? All those platters were going to the table w/those 2 GIRLS!?" Hehe ;) After a long day, we got to my house and went to sleep :)

The final visit to...you guessed it! Kintaikyo Bridge!

I wasn't scheduled for a school on Tues, so I took the day off and Lori and me caught the train to Hiroshima for a day of okonomiyakis, shopping, and fun. The okonomiyaki stand that I usually take my friends to (and which is arguably the BEST okonomiyaki stand in Okonomimura) was the only one open! (The owner said it's usually empty after a holiday.) I had been there 2 weeks before w/Lena, Jonjon, and Jamie (and countless times before) so the workers knew me well. We ate and chatted about Hiroshima and Hawaii. After walking down the entire shopping arcade, we returned to Yamaguchi. We arrived just in time for dinner, and there was a place I wanted to take Lori...yes, you guessed it, SANZOKU! This was the first time driving to Sanzoku from Iwakuni, however, so it was a new adventure. Again, the beacon of light shown through the darkness, and we found ourselves enjoying our last meal together. Chicken on a stick and huge musubis never fail :)

I am so blessed to have family and friends willing to visit me here in the middle of nowhere. It really brought my spirits back up, after having tasted a bit of my Hawaii. I've noticed that people from Hawaii have a certain comfortableness, a familiarity that I can quickly pick up. To Lena, Jonjon, Jamie, Dad, and Lori...it was great seeing you! I hope you had an amazing time in Yamaguchi! Thank you for the wonderful memories! To my friends and family back home, you are welcomed here anytime. And if you do visit, we will most likely go to Kintaikyo Bridge and yes...Sanzoku :)

my fun-filled february

2010-03-09T16:47:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I last wrote here. To my brilliant and amazing readers, I'm SO sorry!!! I did not abandon you! I will not be lazy like that ever again! :) February was full of adventure. The 2 big highlights: my half-marathon and SAPPORO!

Seb, Rach, Daryl, Isaac, me, Erin, Cyndi, and Whit celebrating my survival after the race.

On Sun, Feb 7, 2010, I participated in my first ever half-marathon, the 26th Annual Sazan Seto Oshima Road Race. The goal was to run the entire 21.097km (13.1 miles) in 2 hours and 10 min. Once time is up, they close the gates and you don't get a certificate of completion. I had never attempted a run of this magnitude before. My practice runs consisted of only about 15km at most. Luckily, it was on my island, so I knew the course quite well. Also to my advantage was the group of friends who stayed over the night before to cheer me on during the race. The shirt I was wearing bore the signatures and artwork of my friends, teachers, students, and BOE coworkers, thereby giving it super powers.

The run began like any other. I turned my stopwatch on and tried to find my pace right at the start. Burning all your energy at the beginning is a rookies mistake, of course. I saw many interesting things while running: a man throwing up on the side of the road, grandmas and grandpas standing outside of their houses cheering on the runners with drums and noisemakers, and MANY men stopping to pee RIGHT IN FRONT of me. Water stations were like car jumpstarters, surging much-needed energy into me via a misty white fluid called Aquarius (the Japanese version of Gatorade). It felt as though it took forever to finally find the halfway point. My ankle was throbbing as I had previous rolled it days before the run. Upon my return route I calculated that I had 1 hour to run the remaining 10km. After another surge from a water station, my spirits were uplifted once again and I was on my way. I found myself passing many runners who had started off faster than they should have. Things were looking up :)

The final 2km to go. 10 min on the clock. I had resorted to a limp-like hop because of my ankle. I could see the finish line at the end of the final long stretch of road. I passed by crowds of people lining the street, screaming "GAMBATTE!" (do your best) at the top of their lungs. The final push! I ran through the throbbing sensation in my ankle and managed to the end. A man greeted me...not to give me a hug for completing...but to tell me to step aside because the next event was about to begin. At first I couldn't believe it. 2 hours and 12 min. 12 min. My gosh. My friends found me aimlessly walking around the parking lot like a zombie in disbelief that I didn't make it in time, but they embraced it as a win and honored my prowess. People would congratulate me on completing the race but I would humbly decline saying that I didn't do it under the given time limit. After taking a few moments to contemplate the race, I determined that my friends were right, that I had ran all 21.097km and that I technically did finish. It was an amazing day that yielded many great memories. I will never forget that moment as I was sitting on the artificial field with my friends under the blue Sunday afternoon sky, chugging cups of water down while waiting for feeling to return to my legs. The certificate of completion hanging on my refridgerator may be a makeshift one that my BOE coworkers gave to me for fun, but I know deep down that I earned it.

Me, Cyndi, Knand, and Ryan taking some time to enjoy some "tea" w/our ice table.

Eric and me chatting w/our snowman friend. (They had these little snowmen on sale behind us. They fill them with Hokkaido snow and you can take it back home with you! I should've sent some home to Hawaii...)

What better way to celebrate the miracle of snow than by going to the coldest part of Japan during the coldest month in Japan for YUKIMATSURI (Snowfest)!!! A handful of my friends and I went to Sapporo, Hokkaido during the 3-day weekend in Feb. It was my very first snowfest. Who knew you could do so much with a big block of ice!? We went to a mini-snowfest that had a big slide that you could go down with innertubes. Very fun. At the most famous snowfest in Odori Park, entire street blocks were dedicated to ice architecture. There were literally BUILDINGS made of ice with stages set in front for singers and performers to use and entertain the crowd. There was an ice skate rink that kids (including some JETs) could skate on, street vendors selling hot foods and drinks, and many sculptures of cherished childhood characters such as Totoro, Mario, and my mom's favorite, Capybara! Since my ankle was on vacation (having been abused during my half-marathon the weekend before), my friends were awesome enough to rent me a wheelchair to roll around in during the festival. It was interesting to see the world through the eyes of a handicap person. A Japanese guy even waved to me as I passed him by ;)

Christina braces herself for the 10 sec sled ride.

Me and Mario readying for our Rainbow Road race.

It's PONYO!!!

My friend described the city of Sapporo the best with the word "charming". It is quite a charming place. White snow lined the streets and roofs ever so elegantly (something I am not used to seeing) and people walk with an ease and sophistication unlike that of other big cities such as Fukuoka or Hiroshima. There are many big, well-known stores as well as a shopping arcade, but the atmosphere is just different for some reason. It was like I was transported into a winter wonderland snow globe :) We did manage to see a whole lot of the city in the 4.5 days that we were there. Highlights included eating dinner at an all-you-can-eat mutton yakiniku restaurant, breaking into a snowball fight right after dinner (it just so happened that it was between members of the USA and members of Canada...luckily, the results did not follow that of the 2010 Olympic men's hockey finals...hehe), experiencing the famous Hokkaido king crab (in nabe form), singing karaoke to 80s themed music, going to the Shiroi Koibito Chocolate Factory (famous chocolate only made in Hokkaido), and trying the popular Hokkaido vanilla ice cream (and going to the bathroom 3x thereafter).

Seb and Me. Pre-snowball fight...1-0 America ;)

This stage was HUGE. And so was Mr. and Mrs. Mickey Mouse.

I had an amazing time in Sapporo and plan on going back next year as I was unable to go snowboarding because of my ankle. February, although the coldest month, flew by with all the craziness and fun that was packed into it. I am now into the 8th month of my JET experience and cannot believe how fast it has gone by. I can only embrace the time I have left and continue to enjoy every day that comes.

New video up!

2010-01-27T22:58:00.000-08:00

I finally finished my 1st video in Japan! It's quite short and of slightly bad quality (I'm still playing around with my settings) but it documents my first couple weeks in Japan, including Tokyo orientation and arriving in Yamaguchi. Enjoy! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l5qUR1eQbU

Goodbye Chiang Mai...Hello Bangkok! (2 of 2)

2010-01-26T03:57:00.000-08:00

The funny story behind this picture is that we didn't know this couple AT ALL. It turned out that their Thailand vacation almost perfectly matched up with ours. We saw them at the airport leaving and returning to Japan and at the Chiang Mai Sunday Market. What a small world!

It was around 8pm and we had just boarded the double-decker bus for Bangkok. The chairs were small, my feet couldn’t touch the ground, and a funky aroma circulated the bus. I was just about to fall asleep when suddenly…music from a popular Thai boy band concert began blasting through the speakers. I grabbed my ipod, put it on max volume, and continued my attempt to sleep. No luck. After what seemed like an eternity, I found myself in a semi-deep sleep. Just 1 hour later (AHH!) I was awakened by what appeared to be 2 Thai military men dressed in uniform. The bus had stopped and was being “searched” for fugitives, terrorists, and illegal immigrants (or so I think). Everything checked out and I found myself in the same predicament I had been in 1 hour earlier. We eventually reached a truck stop and were given 15 min to get food and use the bathroom.

Sweet! A bathroom! I thought to myself. I entered a stall and noticed the jug of water and cup next to the squatting toilet. My past experiences in the Philippines reminded me that that was used to flush the toilet; however, there was no toilet paper. I moved to the next stall and again saw that there was no toilet paper. Huh?…OOOOH. I realized there was no chance on finding any toilet paper. Eww. I looked on the ground and noticed a black necklace. Someone must have lost this. I went in for a closer look and realized that it was actually a mass of dead bugs lining the floor. AHHHH!!!! I did my business and dashed right out of there. We were at the bus stop from hell.

Hours and hours later, we arrived at Bangkok. 5am. I vowed, after coming off that bus, that I would NEVER take a night bus in Thailand ever again. A taxi took us to our hostel, Lub d Bangkok—an amazing hostel in the heart of Bangkok. The staff was nice enough to let us shower and use the internets, even though check-in wasn’t until 2pm. We left our stuff at the hostel and went out to explore Bangkok. There was a marketplace full of activity. We walked past food vendors, massage parlors (both the good kind and the dirty kind), temples, and hotels. We settled on eating a small breakfast back at the hostel and embarked on our spa day mission.

Sipping some interesting-tasting tea after our relaxing day at the spa.

Did I mention it was Rachel’s 23^rd birthday!? We went to a spa far away from our hostel and I had a 3-hour massage (1 hour foot massage, 1 hour shoulder/back massage, and 1 hour body scrub) for about $40! I felt so relaxed that I fell asleep during my 1-hour foot massage. (The lady said I was snoring!) Our bodies were nice and relaxed, our skin smooth as a brand-new Tupperware…what better way to continue the day than lunch at Cabbages and Condoms! Yes, there is a restaurant in the outskirts of Bangkok dedicated to promoting safe sex. Mannequins sporting clothes made out of condoms greet you as you enter. There was a Christmas tree adorned with condom ornaments and the gift shop had all sorts of condom paraphernalia. We ordered so much food! I had an amazing Thai noodle dish (which would later be ranked #2 on my top favorite meals in Thailand list) and a whole bunch more, which sadly was left uneaten. (Thanks for the recommendation Cyndi! It was SO worth it!)

Drinks all around at Cabbages and Condoms!

After lunch, we explored Bangkok a bit more, visiting a Muslim (?) temple nearby the hostel and completing the spa day by getting our nails done at a massage parlor. (Apparently it was the “dirty” kind because we saw a group of 3 men follow some girls upstairs and never saw them again. Gross.) Dinner was at a fancy Italian restaurant across of the highlight of the night: Bed Supperclub. This club was where the party was at in Bangkok. It had a very contemporary/sheik feel to it, what with the changing color lamps, white architecture, and BEDS aligning the walls. A sign outside read, “No drugs, No weapons, No sex.” :) We danced the night away (even though we were the only ones dancing in the beginning). Eventually, everyone joined in and it was a night to remember. We even met 2 Australians…girls of course…who were also there just to party and have a good time.

Me looking blue while sitting on a bed in Bed Supperclub.

Our 2 Australian friends who also live by the motto: "Dance like no one's watching."

We found ourselves waking up to the last day of our Thailand adventure. It had gone by way too fast. The excitement and fun from the night before had persuaded us to sleep in, so it was nearing lunchtime when we woke up. We checked out of our room and went to an amazing Thai restaurant nearby called Taling Pling. I had green Thai curry (#3 on my list) and some delicious ice cream-filled cream puffs. (Note: Meal #1 would be the Kao Soi I had in Chiang Mai for breakfast!) We then embarked on a tour of the amazing architecture of River City, Bangkok via…you guessed it…ferry boat. We all know how seasick I get…even when I go surfing…but this ride was actually fine on my stomach. We saw the Sleeping Buddha, a whole bunch of temples, and shopping areas. Sadly, the palace of the king of Thailand was already closed, so we just sailed past it. It looked amazing even against the gloomy, gray cloud backdrop.

A pretty Thai temple that looks like it's on fire (with gold that is).

I wasn't feeling so hot in the middle of the day. So I sat under a tree and hung out with this little guy. He had the right idea ;)

This was our cool ride through River City. Looks like a storm is brewing!!!

We needed to be at the airport by 11pm, so we decided to squeeze in our final Thai meal. The destination: a restaurant called Le Lys, which got wonderful reviews in all the tour books. We began our walk passing through a street lined with strip clubs and ping-pong shows. (I’ll let you figure out what ping-pong shows are.) That’s when it started. First the lightening. Then the thunder. Then thousands of gallons of rain water fell from the sky! We commandeered a little 7-11 on the corner as our haven. Unfortunately, we only had one umbrella between the two of us. Rach went out in the chaos to find another one, as our 7-11 was without an umbrella supply. Rach came back unsuccessful so I tried my hand at it. I found a 7-11 and was faced with the same problem. Using my thrifty shopping skills, I came upon a bag of rubbish bags. Just as I was about to hand the guy my money, Rach came rushing in with 2 ponchos! I bought them anyway and proceeded to make rubbish bag shoes to complete the outfit. We were set and ready to find Le Lys!

Poncho: check. Trash bag shoes: Check. Style: check.

We walked. And walked. Over bridges, down streets, around puddles, and through backroads. The sun had gone down and all hope seemed lost. After about 45 min of walking in search of the restaurant that was supposedly only 15 min away, we were saved by a nice high school student who spoke amazing English. He took us to the street we had been originally and that’s when it appeared: the sign that said Le Lys had MOVED and the whereabouts of its new location. I was tired. I was hungry. I was…drenched—not with rain (cuz let’s face it, my poncho/rubbish bag shoe outfit ROCKED) but with SWEAT. But there was no question about it…we needed to find this place. Le Lys had become the Holy Grail.

We took a cab (a good thing, because it would have taken well over an hour to walk to!) and had an AMAZING and SPECTACULAR last meal at Le Lys. It was a cute yet elegant restaurant owned by a Frenchman. The outside patio had a bookshelf lined with books, a bar counter, and mellow music playing in the background. I had a fried rice type dish that was delicious. We laughed and joked about the adventure that was Le Lys. It was a great ending to an amazing vacation in Thailand :)

WE FOUND IT!!! HAZAH!!!

Oh Lord why did we come back here?! It's FREEZING!!!

Goodbye Osaka...hello THAILAND!!! (1 of 2)

2010-01-24T19:34:00.000-08:00

Fri, Jan 1, 2010 – Thurs, Jan 7, 2010

Rachel and Me w/our flowers that received upon arrival in Thailand.

With the smell of Kansai-style okonomiyaki still on my sleeve, I found myself on a 2.5 hour Shinkansen ride to Fukuoka. I made my way to the Hakata Green Hotel and met with my amazing travel buddy, Rachel. (I met Rachel at Tokyo orientation in August and we immediately clicked. She’s a JET in Hagi, Yamaguchi…far away on the west coast of the Guch.) We toured the streets of Fukuoka that afternoon and noticed that NOTHING was open. Finally it came to our attention that it was Jan 1, oshogatsu…New Years Day. It’s like the Christmas Day of Hawaii. The Superbowl Sunday of America. The Tour de France of…France? After aimless walking, we headed back to our hotel and picked up some food from the neighboring market.

5 hours and 1 chicken bento later…it happened.

No sleep for me…as I was awakened every hour with a pain in my stomach, matched with a trip to the toilet. (This would be the only time on our trip that I would have food poisoning, despite the spicy foods and lower health codes in Thailand. Go Japan!)

We woke up bright and early the next morning and headed for Fukuoka Airport. We stuffed all our winter clothes into a locker there and got set for our departure. 6 hours, 1 junk movie, 2 hours of Bejeweled, and 1 connecting flight later, we were met with beautiful and warm weather in Chiang Mai, Thailand. We didn’t need a jacket! No boots or socks required! Only T-shirts and shorts!!! A MIRACLE HAD HAPPENED! :)

Mama, Me, Rachel, and Top hanging out in the lobby.

The sun had already begun to set, and we found our way to our hostel, Bed and Terrace Guesthouse Chiang Mai. It’s a cozy little hostel in the heart of Chiang Mai and managed by the sweetest family (“Mama” and her son Top helped us in every way they could.) The location was great too…being only a 5 min walk to the infamous Night Bazaar. (We even paid the extra $3 a night and got the SUPERIOR twin private ensuite. I know…I’m fancy.) We had dinner at this restaurant called John’s Place. That’s when I had my first Thai meal (I had never had Thai food before in my life!) It was called Pad Thai, a combination of stir-fried noodles, chicken, egg, and a whole bunch of other stuff. I also had a side of roti (unleavened flatbread). Hard as a rock, but DELICIOUS!

Rach and Me about to partake in some delicious tropical drinks.

Thumbs up for Thai food!!!

We then headed for the Night Bazaar, Chiang Mai’s most AMAZING shopping square, full of street vendors ready to bargain prices with you. There were all kinds of goods, from silk ties and T-shirts to fake Tiff&Co and Gucci bags. After conquering only 1 side of the bazaar, we called it a night and headed back for the hostel.

Me, Suwan, and Rach enjoying the warmth and relaxation of Chiang Mai.

On Sun (1/3), we were chauffeured around by Mama’s cousin, Suwan. He was the sweetest man ever, and would call us his “Japanese daughters.” Suwan used to be a Thai boxer, but hung up his boxing gloves to become a private driver. He took us to meet the Longneck tribe of Chiang Mai. When we got there, we were asked to pay 500 baht (36 baht = 100 yen = about $1.11) to see them. Thinking they were playing us as fools, we left to find Suwan and asked for his opinion. It turns out that that really was the admission to get in, and we did the walk of shame to the village.

It really was like walking into an episode of National Geographic. There were huts stretched out amongst the trees and foliage. Each hut was maintained by a tribe member and filled with handmade goods such as silk scarves, jewelry, and toys. I found the situation to be quite sad. Long ago, this tribe was capable of caring for themselves and living off of sufficient resources, while preserving their sacred customs and rituals. Now, it seemed as though they were on show for the public, relying on tourist to buy their goods and take their pictures. I don’t judge them for doing so, as I understand how the world has changed, in both financial and ecological fields. I, too, can empathize with them, being from Hawaii—one of the top locations for tourism.

I learned that the brass rings they wear actually distort the growth of their collarbones and collapse the vertebrae, making it appear as though their necks are unnaturally long.

This lady wanted us to buy these hats...but we opted not to :P

We said our goodbyes and then headed for the next prominent activity in Thailand: elephant riding. At Maesa Elephant Camp, we got the chance to ride an elephant for 30 min through the Thai forests. It was an amazing experience. Once we began to descend down the mountain, Rachel’s water bottle dropped on the ground. The elephant was so smart that it picked it up with its trunk and proceeded to hand it to his trainer. He threw it into the trees, as it was covered in elephant poop.

Our elephant was the coolest one in the park. He was strong. He was cool. And he was quite the showman :)

The elephants looked happy and healthy (as much as captive elephants can be), and we even watched them take baths in the river during lunchtime. Then there was a talent show put on by the elephants, which included their painting, dancing, kazoo-ing, and soccer playing skills.

We left for a lunch buffet (200 baht = about $5!) at a nearby tiger park. I felt sorry for the tigers because they looked drugged up and just walked around like zombies as tourist took pictures with them. Yeah, easy to look cocky when the tiger you’re with is all drugged up, I thought to myself as I ate my DELICIOUS Thai food.

My favorite Thai food EVER...ladies and gentlemen, the amazing Kao Soi.

That night we hit up the Sunday market and the Night Bazaar (yet again!), returning to our hostel with bags full of souvenirs and goods. We jumped on a tuk-tuk (open-air moped-like vehicle) and had a crazy ride back…I think our driver was trying to show-off ;)

The next morning, we met up with Suwan who took us on a tour of…I’m not kidding about this…the sweatshops of Chiang Mai. We saw everything from fake purse shops and silk clothes to big paper umbrellas and woodcarvings. It felt weird having salespeople follow me around and being constantly barraded with questions like “Do you like that one?” and “How much will you pay?” It was funny when we went to the silk sweatshop because they took us on a tour of the silk-making process. We saw the entire lifecycle of a silkworm, from larvae to cocoons. I asked, “What happens to the silkworm when you need its cocoon for the silk?” The reply: “We boil them in water.” My response, “But won’t that kil…oh, I see. So they go into their cocoons and never see the light of day ever again. How sad.”

This man paints umbrellas for a living. I'd say he's quite good at his craft. I hope it doesn't rain.

After the long day of shopping, we took Suwan to another Thai buffet and engaged in good conversation over delicious food. Then we proceeded to a beautiful golden temple high in the mountains of Chiang Mai. Finally, the time had come to say goodbye to Suwan, who had become more of a father (maybe uncle?) to us. He surprised us with some small souvenirs to take home. I was really touched by his generosity because, given his circumstances, he could have used that money to take care of his family. I learned that everyone in the area loves Suwan because of his generous and caring nature. We went got some breakfast at a small eatery near the hostel and then visited the Night Bazaar ONE LAST TIME so I could grab some last minute souvenirs, said our final goodbyes to Mama and Top, and then left for Bangkok. Little did I know that I was in for the bus ride of my life…

Ooo a golden temple! Sweet.

We decided to fly around a bit before getting on the night bus ;)

Next on Tiff Goes to Thailand: The Soviet Union Bus Stop; Clubbing with Couches; Don’t Wake the Buddha; and Storms & Trash Bag Shoes: The Search for Le Lys.

Tiff's Christmas/New Year Adventure: The Osaka Chronicles

2010-01-13T23:34:00.000-08:00

My world has opened up since coming to Japan. Through the JET Program, I have been given the opportunity to travel all across Japan and Asia. Here are the accounts of my Christmas and New Years adventures...

I was sadly found at my desk, starring off into space with no actual "work" to do, on Christmas day. Once 4:30 struck, I was overcome by a sudden sense of excitement and energy. I knew that my long-awaited vacation had finally arrived.

My fake Christmas tree stood 3 feet high and was adorned with Totoros :)

On Saturday night (12/26) at about 11pm, I caught the night bus from Iwakuni station to Osaka station (about $70). I kicked off my shoes and proceeded to fall into a deep sleep. 7 hours later, I was awakened by my bus driver telling me that we had already passed my stop. I thought to myself, 'well why didn't you wake me up?' I was still a bit groggy...but then it hit me...where the heck was I?! I missed my stop!? Did I go all the way to TOKYO!? I started to freak out. Luckily, a couple other people had missed their stops too AND we were just at another station in Osaka. phew.

I finally managed to meet up with my friend Travis, a cool Hawaii JET in Uwajima, Shikoku. After getting off at the wrong station and wandering the streets of Osaka in search of our hostel (easy to think you're going the right way when the landmark you're looking for is a 7-11), we finally managed to find Guesthouse U-en, our cozy hostel for the trip. I was then given the privilege of meeting my uncle, Benji, and his daughter Remi, who both live in Kobe. We went to an all-you-can-eat shabu-shabu restaurant for lunch, and then went on to tour the temples of Kobe. THANK YOU SO MUCH UNCLE BENJI AND REMI! I HAD SUCH A WONDERFUL TIME!

Me and Travis outside of Guesthouse U-en.

Remi, Uncle Benji, and me at the Granvia Hotel in Osaka Station.

I then met the rest of our traveling group: Matt, a Hawaii JET in Fukuoka, his friend Anthony, and Anthony's sister Asia. That night we went to a karaoke place where $15 got you an hour of karaoke, all-you-can-drink alcohol, and all-you-can-eat ice cream! AMAZING! And thus began the adventures of Osaka...

Travis, Matt, and Anthony showing off their muscles at our mochi cooking class :P

Asia and me...the 2 girls in the group gotta represent!

The next day (12/28), we met Travis' Japanese friends in Kyoto. They had gone to Hawaii for a school-exchange type trip and met Travis there. They were a super friendly and spunky group of girls. They took us to a famous temple/shrine first and then we went to a small sweets shop where we learned how to make fancy Japanese desserts. There's a lot of techniques and tools used to make these little things! A lot harder than it looks...

Our wonderful Kyoto mochi cooking group!

It's like a mini Oscar the Grouch in mochi form.

My sensei who apparently liked my style of cooking...we be cool ;)

That night we went to a fancy izakaya and ate the night away! THANK YOU ERIKA, MIWA, RUIKO, AND YUKA FOR AN AWESOME TIME!!!

On Tues (12/29), Travis, Asia, and I decided to conquer Universal Studios Osaka for an all-day all-night extravaganza! We got there at around 10am only to find the front of the lot crowded full of people. After about 30min of line hopping, we got our tickets and embarked for heaven. My parents had taken us to Universal Studios in California when I was 10 years old, when my memory cells were still learning to walk, so I was super excited to experience the rides as a "grown up". We paid the extra $45 to get the express pass, which lets you go in the express lane of the 7 most popular lines, cutting the waiting time down by half. (A very good investment if you plan on going to USJ during peak tourist times.) The rides were awesome! I felt like a kid again :) We saw Spiderman kick butt in The Amazing Spiderman 3D Adventure, drove the DeLorean in Back to the Future, met Jaws, rode a crazy rollercoaster (which lasted for about 20 sec), watched the Terminator battle enormous 3D robots, got drenched after being attacked by dinosaurs in Jurassic Park, and then dried off during the presentation of Backdraft. Everything was in Japanese, but it was so much fun! I also used this opportunity to eat as much American food as I could...including a slice of potato-curry pizza, some spaghetti, and a cheeseburger. So bad but so worth it ;)

I be rollin' w/my Ford Explorer, complete with night vision goggles on the front seat!

I bought a Snoopy beanie at USJ. The ears keep your head really warm. Philippe had his first sake shot that night!

That night we met up with some other Fukuoka JETs in Dotonbori for some drinks. We headed back for the hostel and hung out in the lobby with some cool cats from France, Philippe and Simone, late into the night. Good company, good fun ;)

Me, Philippe, Simone, and Asia hanging out and playing some BS.

Wed (12/30) came around, and I found myself gazing into a huge tank filled with fish, mantas, and 2 ENORMOUS WHALE SHARKS! We were at the Osaka Kaiyukan Aquarium. I love aquariums, I always have ever since I was little. There's something about them that just calms me. This aquarium is gigantic, and has you spiraling downwards around this huge tank, with different exhibits on the opposite side. I saw sea otters, dolphins, spider crabs, capybaras, and so much more! I even bought a little souvenier whale shark to take home :)

Oh c'mon, how can you NOT dig the super saiyan haircut and the fluffy eyebrows!?

WHALE SHARKS are big.

I overheard a little Japanese boy asking his dad whether these crabs were tasty! Oh Japanese and their seafood...aquariums must make them hungry!

Travis and I rode the enormous ferris wheel nextdoor to the aquarium. I wanted to jump and rock the car...but I was vetoed. It was probably a good thing that we didn't because that ferris wheel was REALLY high up. It did give us a nice view of Osaka though!

1000s of feet above the ground...let's rock the car!

That night I met up with my friend Sunny and his friend Hiro for an incredible dinner. Sunny is a Canadian JET in Oita, and Hiro is mad cool ;) We had a 7+ course Japanese meal and all-you-can-drink. Uh-oh. After who knows how many cups of sake, we proceeded to a nearby arcade where we spent altogether approximately $25 trying to win a little capybara from a crane machine. It's quite a feat when you have sake circulating in your veins! The quest proved successful, and now the little capybara sits on my speakers at home. THANK YOU SUNNY AND HIRO! I HAD AN AMAZING TIME!

Hiroumi is the BEST crane machine engineer in all of OSAKA! Thank you for my capybara Hiro!!!

I met Sunny at Tokyo orientation, and we've been friends ever since :)

New Years Eve day (12/31) had finally come. In the daytime, Asia, Travis, and I went shopping in Amerikamura. Then I met up with some friends, including Rachael, a JET in Shikoku. We had the BEST Osaka okonomiyaki at a restaurant near Ueda station. I had always wanted to try Osaka-style okonomiyaki, and I had finally gotten my chance. (Hiroshima-style consists of layers of noodles, batter, egg, toppings, etc. whereas Osaka-style is a mixture of ingredients that are then baked in a pancake form.) We then met up with some other Shikoku JETs at the sweets museum and talked the night away. I found myself outside of Universal Studios Osaka once again, with a drink in my hand, looking up at the night sky, and counting down the final seconds of 2009. The promised firework show consisted of 3 small aerials that lasted about 10 sec in total. Can't beat the Hawaii firework shows that try to destroy anything within a mile radius!

Apparently a Spiderman gang decided to grace the streets of USJ on New Years Eve!

AMAZING!

My Osaka adventure came to a close the following morning (1/1). I quietly packed up my stuff, said goodbye to the Osaka crew, said my parting words with the hostel front desk man, Ryo (super chill guy who speaks amazing English..and French..and German...), and caught the Shinkansen from Osaka to HAKATA in FUKUOKA! There was no time to rest or even to think...my Thailand adventure was about to begin!

My final moments with Ryo :(

Next time on Tiff's Christmas/New Years Adventure:

Bartering: Mindgames of the Thai, Touring the sweatshops of Chiang Mai, What not to do when riding an elephant, Kao Soi: Heaven in a bowl.

a season of change

2009-12-03T04:37:00.000-08:00

The leaves are changing colors here. At first I thought someone was going around Oshima painting the leaves for fun! But no, apparently this happens every year, at around the same time. Amazing.

I never imagined having to put on a thick jacket, socks, and long pants just to hang up my clothes outside. The other night my apartment thermometer read 13 degrees Celsius (55 degrees Fahrenheit!) And so now I type this while my legs rest under my kotatsu (a heated Japanese-style table). I tried hooking up the gas heater in my apartment the other day, but when I turned it on, my whole place smelt of kerosene. I nervously approached the heater, ready for it to explode in my face at any given second. Luckily, for me, it didn't. But I decided that freezing might be better than dying of gas poisoning or a possible fire breaking out. I have about 4 thick blankets that I sleep with. On top of that, I wear a jacket, socks, and stockings to bed.

I close my eyes and think back to my tropical island home, further down south than the islands that make up Japan. I see myself sprawled out on my bed, with the screen windows in my room letting in the cool island breeze. I have a thin quilt that my friend's mom made for me covering my legs. My TV is on, but I can still hear my mom and dad watching TV in the living room. As eco-friendly as I may be, I would always fall asleep to the sounds of a favorite movie playing through my sound system. My mom would come in to turn it off as quietly as possible so as not to wake me.

This will be my first holiday season away from my family and friends. It's funny how some of the things I miss the most since coming to Japan aren't the obvious things I would have thought of back at home.

Things I miss the most (not in any particular order):

1. Eating dinner with my family at our dining room table with the drapes pushed back so that the neighboring grass fields and mountains can be seen in the background.

2. Watching movies with my brother in my room on my couch at 12am.

3. Seeing my friends on campus or walking into Bale to see friends hanging out at the bar.

4. Going to Walmart for no particular reason and leaving Walmart with a bag of stuff.

5. Watching a movie at an actual movie theatre.

6. The ability to drive to wherever I need to be at whatever time I want. (So dependent on the train here!)

7. Netflix

8. Cranium/alcohol nights at Heather and Brandon's house.

9. Wearing slippers

10. Yogurtland (there's only ice cream here!)

11. Running with my dad in shorts and a T-shirt (I now wear an undershirt, shirt, jacket, gloves, hat, stockings, and pants whenever I run!)

12. My mom's 10 million chicken recipes.

13. Getting text messages from my friends. (I can only use Facebook, gmail, or skype now.)

14. Church services at New Hope.

15. The ability to read the instructions on the back of food products. (I now guess what the instructions are saying by interpreting what the pictures mean.)

16. My pillow

17. Studying at Sinclair Library until 1am with my friends. Searching for a vending machine. Going on 711 food runs. And taking random naps on my cell&molec biology book.

I know this is not the extent of my homesickness. I know it comes in waves. I know that it will get worse as Christmas approaches. But for now, I'll just close my eyes and picture myself sleeping in my own bed. I feel closer to home when I do it.

sumo + onsen = pure joy :)

2009-11-26T04:42:00.000-08:00

sumo: the art of balance

sat nov 21, 2009

I was given the greatest opportunity of a lifetime: going to a sumo tournament in Fukuoka with my friend Dustin. It was an amazing experience that I would definitely do again if given the chance. You'd be surprised how many local Japanese people have never been to an actual sumo tournament. I learned so much about this great sport, deeply rooted in Japanese history. The tickets were about 47,000 yen (about $50) per person. Our seats were awesome too! Thanks again Dustin for putting everything together!

Me and Dustin about to undertake an all-you-can-eat yakiniku dinner ;)

So the basic gist:

Sumo wrestlers are organized into 3 main classes: the beginners, the juryo class, and the highest of them all, the makuuchi class. Within these classes, there's a division between wrestlers of the east (higashi) and those of the west (nishi). A sumo tournament lasts for 15 days. Everyday, an eastern sumo will face-off against a different western sumo in their division. That's it. You only get one shot for a win per day. They keep track of your wins and losses. We went on the 7th day of competition. The day starts off at 8:30am with the beginner sumos and concludes at 6pm with the yokozunas (the highest ranking sumos in all of Japan). Pretty exciting stuff. It was a one-time entry sort of deal, so Dustin and I stayed in the arena from 9am to 6pm!!! 9 hours of sumo!!! YAY!! :) The stadium was pretty much empty when we arrived, but was packed with people by 5pm.

This is what the arena looked like at about 5pm. Super crowded!!!

Main idea of sumo, don't step out of the circle. The first person to place any part of their body outside of the circle (or over the line marking the circle, or inside the circle) loses. It was interesting to see the different strategies of sumo. Some would try to lift up the other sumo's belt and hoist them out of the circle. Others would use their size. And others would use their quickness and flexibility. I saw many smaller sumos defeat their larger-set counterparts. Amazing! Oh, and E. Honda's 100 hand slap move really does exist! Some of the fighting was pretty intense!

Check out this low-quality video of a sumo match! I call it "The Walk of Shame"...you'll see why ;)

These were the makuuchi division sumos. That thing they're wearing was specially made for each of them.

It was awesome when the yokozunas faced off against their opponents. I learned that in order to get the ranking of yokozuna, you have to meet a whole bunch of requirements. In the past 300 years of sumo since the title was made, only 69 sumos have received such a ranking. I think it's amazing how such a sport has been maintained throughout the years. I saw many young people at the tournament holding up signs for their favorite sumo. Simply awesome :) I would definitely do this again. There are 6 major sumo tournaments held every year, so maybe I'll get a chance once more!

my trip to hell

sat nov 21 - mon nov 23, 2009

The girls (Kris, Me, and Hozumi) after an awesome time at the onsen!

Following sumo, I proceeded to Beppu, Oita on Kyushu via the Sonic Expressway. There, I met up with my friends Hozumi, Kris, Ryan, and Eric. We had a great time exploring the city of Beppu. We stayed at the Koraku Hotel, which had an amazing outdoor onsen on the roof. Good times :) They served us a super delicious nabe dinner on the second night. On Sunday, we went to the "hells" (jigoku) of Beppu, which are actually 9 hot springs situated near each other (well, 2 of them are a bit aways) and maintain their own unique characteristics. One was known for providing good conditions for crocodile breeding, another had a blood red coloration to the water, another made a rumbling sound like a "sleeping demon", and another one is like a geyser that shoots up water every 30 min. Check this out for info on the others! http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4702.html

Me, Eric, Kris, Hozumi, and Ryan in front of hot spring #1.

Unfortunately for me, they were just for viewing and picture taking, as they can reach temperatures of over 90 deg Celsius. A little too hot for my taste ;) I originally had thought we would be partaking in each hot spring, so I wore pants that were easy to take off and opted out of wearing stockings, as it would be easier for me to dry off between hot springs. To my dismay, there was no need to dry off, as we just walked around and did the touristy thing. Although it was raining that day and an onsen would have felt amazing, we managed to have an awesome time! One had a zoo, another had a mini aquarium filled with non-colorful and scary looking fish, and another had a huge crocodile collection!

On Monday, we decided to play tourist and went to Umitamago Aquarium and Mt. Takasaki. The aquarium was great! It's way bigger than Hawaii's mini aquarium. They had an exhibit dedicated to sardines. We saw a dolphin show, the cutest little sea otter, and a whole bunch of colorful fish! At Mt. Takasaki, right next door to the aquarium, there was hundreds of wild monkeys! They walk about freely, and every hour, the staff feeds them food. It was cool...for about 10 min...then I just started getting scared that they were gonna organize themselves and attack us.

The dolphins were sooo cute! My most favorite animal!

I swear, them monkeys were organized!

I also got to see my friend Sunny, a cool Canadian kid that I met at Tokyo orientation. Great seeing you Sunny!!! We ate Japanese food w/everyone before heading off for the aquarium. Aquarium = EPIC WIN!!! :)

Me and Sunny after our onolicious (delicious, for all you non-Hawaii people!) lunch!

All in all, it was a very eventful, long, weekend. I'm so glad I went! Can't wait for all the other adventures Japan has to offer!

matsuyama adventures and marathon fun :)

2009-11-10T02:56:00.000-08:00

matsuyama adventures!

mon nov 2 - tues nov 3, 2009

Me and Rachel on the ferry bound for SHIKOKU!!!

So my friend Rachel and I had this semi-spontaneous idea to go to Shikoku for a 2-day, 1-night adventure. We awoke Monday morning bright and early in time to catch a ferry from Yanai Port to Matsuyama on the island of Shikoku. Roundtrip for 2 people and 1 car costed about $220, so we ended up paying about $110 per person. Not bad at all ;) The first sight we decided to hit up was the Kotohira Shrine in Konpira (a 2.5 hour drive from the ferry port!). The cool thing about this place is that you need to hike up 785 steps to get to the shrine. Crazy stuff. It took us about 30 min oneway. The stairs are lined with cool little stores and things, so it wasn't too bad of a trek.

A journey of a thousand miles (or 785 stairs) begins with a single step. Confucius knew his stuff.

So there's this cool service for old people (and I guess lazy people), that if you pay about $36, you can get carried up the stairs by a team of men! ($56 round trip...it's more expensive going up and down...go figure) An amazing feat, seeing as how the guys carrying people aren't the youngest. They literally carry you on poles resting on their backs. Extraordinary!

On our way back to the car, we stopped off at this little cafe place for some ice cream!!! They had a mini hot water bath for your feet! It felt soo good considering it was freakishly cold outside! Getting our feet out and putting our shoes back on (soaking wet) was the downer part :( But it was a neat experience!

Me and my green tea ice cream. My hands were FREEZING but my feet were warm :)

After, we drove back west to Matsuyama and went to Dogo Onsen...a bath house famous for being the model for the main building in Hayao Miyazaki's movie "Spirited Away". And to tell you the truth, while we were inside, it really felt like I was in the movie. For some reason, Miyazaki was able to capture the essence of that bath house. Simply amazing. It was my first experience in a public washroom. I had to take my glasses off so I didn't see any naked women up close and personal...but it was awesome! Outside was freezing, so when I went into the hot, cleansing waters of the onsen, all my worries and cares literally melted away.

Dogo onsen...a spectacular sight!

Rachel and me in our hoppy coats, all clean and happy ;)

We then had dinner in Matsuyama and then spontaneously drove down to visit our friend Pete (cool kid from New Zealand!) who let us crash at his place for the night. Thanks Pete for the AWESOME accommodations! You are an awesome host! The next day we checked out some cool sights around his town and then drove to Uwajima to have lunch with another JET, Travis, who's from HAWAII!!! It was cool seeing another 1st year Hawaii JET. Glad to know I'm not the only one freezing in this autumn weather ;) On the way there we drove through a small little town...a freaking AWESOME town called "YOSHIDA"!!!!! I wonder if I'm related to anyone down there....?

Pete, me, and Rachel hanging out at a cool, secluded shrine up in the mountains.

This is where little Yoshidas are made!

All in all, an amazing trip! We got to see all kinds of cool things and ride a ferry! Lots of fun...I hope to do it again soon!

marathon fun

sun, nov 8, 2009

Daryl, Rachel, and me getting pumped up for the race the night before!

So my friends Daryl, Rachel, and I decided to participate in the 2nd Annual Shimonoseki Kaikyo Marathon. Daryl did the full marathon (just under 5 hours! SWEET!!!) and Rachel and I did the 5K. It was an awesome experience...I'm so happy we did it! The night before, Rachel's uncle and aunty took us out to eat at this great little Japanese restaurant. We ate soooo much food! The sukiyaki (kinda like nabe, but you dip the food into a bowl of raw egg) was freaking amazing! Then we went back to their place, crashed, and woke up at 5:30 AM!!!! Got to the starting site, registered, changed clothes, and then got ready for the race! There was over 9,000 people competing in the different events! When the 5K event was ready to begin, Rachel and I got to our places and waited for the horn to blast. After what seemed like an eternity, the horn blew and we all started running like crazy. When I was running, I was really touched by the support of the community. The streets were lined with people who came to cheer on the participants. Store owners stood outside their stores, waving and shouting "Gambatte!" While we were waiting at the starting line, an older lady motioned to Rachel and I and said "gambatte". So cute :)

Got our numbers on...bring on the run!

Didn't do as well as I had hoped...as I was aiming for under 25 min. I ended up with 26:59, which is pretty much 9 min miles. I placed 39th in my age class...out of a total of about 253 people. All in all not a total fail...just means I gotta do better next year! Rachel did AWESOME! She placed 13th in our age class! Fast like the wind ;) Daryl did awesome too...he ran the full marathon (his first marathon ever too!) in just under 5 hours. Pretty awesome in my book!

There were some pretty famous characters running that day...Mario was one of 'em! He may seem slow in the video game, but in person...he's runs like the wind.

It has been a great and memorable couple of weeks in nov thus far. Can't wait for thanksgiving! ;)

Me and my 600+ Kids :)

2009-10-21T02:51:00.000-07:00

So you may be thinking, "What do members of the JET Program actually do??" This is a very good question, as it varies for each individual. I am an 'assistant language teacher' (ALT). I assist 'Japanese teachers of English' (JTE) in the classroom. I, unlike most ALTs, have 19 schools at which I teach at. I travel to a different school on the island everyday. Some are a 5 min walk from the BOE, while others are a 30 min drive away. 2 of my schools are located on totally different ISLANDS, and so I must wake up early and take a 20 min ferry ride to get to them. While this may be tiring to some, I think that it's an AMAZING ADVENTURE! My atmosphere is constantly changing and I get to meet many, many people! It's hard to memorize all 600+ students on Suo-oshima Island, but the students are very friendly and genki (lively)!

I visit 14 elementary schools, each 3x a year. Some JTEs will have me run games and activities whereas others will just use me as a human CD player, saying words in the native English tongue and having the students repeat after me. Sometimes I will just stand in the back of class and gaze off into space because I have nothing to do. I guess some teachers don't really know how to utilize an ALT? But I'm fine with it. I do whatever I can to support the JTEs and the students. For the past 2 months, I've been introducing myself at the various schools. I'll start off by showing pictures of my family and friends back in Hawaii, then I'll play pictionary using my hobbies as cues, then I'll teach some Hawaiian words and talk about life in Hawaii, then I'll dance the hula to a Keali'i Reichel song, and finally I'll answer any questions the students may have. I've got some crazy questions, ranging from "What is your favorite animal?" to "Are you a virgin?" (at Jr. High schools only!) LOL...awkward is what it is :P The elementary kids are SUPER cute and energetic! They are always asking questions and trying to speak English. Whenever I leave, I can see them peeking out of the classroom window and waving goodbye :)

There are 5 Jr. High Schools that I visit. These kids are a little less energetic, but some really do like learning English. Others don't. Some will sleep in class and others will talk to their friends...while the teacher is talking!!! In this way, the work of an ALT is difficult. It's hard to motivate a student when you can't effectively communicate with them. I find it hard to connect with them on certain levels. This is why I try my best to get to know them during less academic times...such as PE! One day at Towa Jr. High I joined them for a PE session of volleyball and running. It was great :) I think in this way, the students can see that I really am a "kid at heart" and just want to work with them and teach them English...that I am no threat.

Aside from all the grammar questions and "CD player-like tasks," I also get the "privilege" of eating school lunch! School lunch usually costs around 230 yen (about $2.50) Every meal usually consists of a bowl of rice, a bottle of WHOLE milk, vegetables, and a main dish (fish, meat, curry, etc.) Me not being a big fan of fish has proved quite the dilemma. I've been forced to overcome my dislike of fish and have eaten everything from bony fish (bones and all!) to rice w/tiny fish hidden inside. BLEH :P I've also tried new things like NATTO!!! Stink stuff but not bad when gulped down with rice and milk!

(Taken from kennethgbevan.blogspot.com)

Lunch is treated almost like a big ceremony or production. Students rotate who serves lunch on which day. They dress up in these smocks and a mask that covers their mouth. Sometimes you'll see kids with a piece of scratch paper scotch taped to their faces because they forgot their mask at home! They take turns placing an equal portion of food into each bowl and distributing it amongst their classmates. One day one tray was missing a bottle of milk, and everyone was frantically searching for it! They are really serious about lunch I tell ya! If someone is missing a banana, the class goes into almost a chaotic whirlpool until it is resolved. Good times :) And I have observed that it is bad to waste food. No leftovers. Kids will be kept inside the classroom away from recess outside until they've finished all their food. If you know beforehand that you can't eat, say, all your rice, you are expected to pass some off to a friend before you begin. This is what I've noticed at least. I will often pass off half of my rice or my packet of mayonnaise to a nearby student. Gotta watch the carbs and calories :P

Teaching at the elementary and Jr. high school levels has been a very interesting transition for me. I don't think I could see myself teaching English...maybe biology? At the high school or college level? I've learned so much about teaching within my 2.5 months here in Japan and I can't wait for the lessons yet to come!

Partying the "Japanese way": Enkais and Silver Week

2009-09-28T04:50:00.000-07:00

Enkais = PARTY!!!

The coolest cats of Suo-oshima's Board of Education! (I had them do shaka's!)

In Japan, it’s customary for your new workplace to take you out to a fancy dinner and drink with you well into the night, a custom known as an “enkai.” I went with my coworkers at the Board of Education to a nice all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink Japanese restaurant. It was excellent; the food was AMAZING and the drinks kept coming and coming! It was fun to see people in my workplace, usually quiet as a fish (?), getting all crazy and talkative. Even my supervisor was a bit tipsy! Empty sake and beer bottles filled the tables and my coworkers’ laughter could be heard throughout the restaurant. I learned a lot of new Japanese words…words that can’t be mentioned here :P Nicknames were made for everyone…I can’t actually remember mine ;) Someone was called “Buso baba” and another guy was called “sukebe”…I’ll let you all look up those in the dictionary!

Beer, sake, shochu...you name it, we drank it! (Well, I only drank some sake...)

Culture note:

In Japan, there is a zero-tolerance alcohol law for driving. If they find even 0.01% of alcohol in you when they pull you over, your license is revoked. For JETs, this means getting kicked out of the program. Not only do you feel the hit, but people who may have been around you that night are also subject to a penalty, such as the bartender serving you and even your friends drinking with you. Accountability is key here in Japan. If you see your friend about to drive home drunk, it is your responsibility to stop them or else you yourself may be in trouble. With this in mind, my coworkers arranged for a bus to pick us up from work and take us to the restaurant. Then a family member would pick them up, drunk, after the party. So awesome I tell ya!

Silver Week = SHOPPING + MONKEYS + DEER

Silver Week is a string of holidays in September, which happened to fall consecutively this year (Sept 19-23). It was an awesome break to a busy month.

The Kamikubo's were the greatest EVER! (L to R: Mika, Shinji, Mina, Uncle Shoji, and Me!)

The Kamikubos are the most hospitable, friendly people EVER!!!!

Some friends and I stayed over at a family friend’s house, the Kamikubos, in Hiroshima from Saturday to Monday. They were so welcoming and hospitable! My father once did a home stay with the YMCA program back when he was in college. He stayed with the Kamikubos and became friends with their son, Shoji. My father and Shoji have been friends ever since, and it was Shoji (now Mr. Kamikubo) who let us stay at his house. He has three children: Mika (29), Shinji (27), and Mina (24). His wife made the best food EVER! We had such a great time seeing all the sights of Hiroshima, including the Peace Memorial Park, the Atomic Bomb Dome, and even Miyajima Island!!! We ate at an enormous kaitenzushi (rotating sushi bar), went futon shopping (hooray!), and did a lot of sightseeing.

By folding 1,000 paper cranes, it is said that one wish of yours will come true. Sadako Sasaki was a little girl who suffered from cancer following the A-bomb. She began folding 1,000 paper cranes in hopes for a full recovery. She did not reach her goal, and passed away on Oct. 25, 1955. Her classmates persisted and finished folding all 1,000 cranes.

The Peace Memorial Park was an amazing experience. I think everyone should go to it at least once in their lifetime. When we were walking in, a kid was running out screaming; the images can be quite traumatizing--especially for little kids. It was really crowded, it being Silver Week and all, but I managed to see a majority of the exhibits and displays. I thought it was incredible that they were able to salvage things from that dreadful day. The walls were lined with stories, stories that gave life to the antiques encased with glass. Looking at a tiny worn-down shoe, I had to remind myself that a little girl or boy was wearing that shoe when the bomb hit. Thousands of people died instantly, some suffered from unimaginable burns and wounds, others suffered with the pain of searching for lost loved ones, and many suffered from diseases decades after that faithful day. It was a true blessing to go and pay respect to the life of Hiroshima.

In low tide, you can actually walk to the torii gate!

In high tide, it's a little harder to get to on foot.

We also went to Miyajima, a small island off the coast of Hiroshima, which is known for it's famous torii gate (it's built amongst the ocean!). It was AWESOME fun, complete with wild deer and MONKEYS! We took the rope ways up to the top of Mt. Misen, where the monkeys were waiting! Apparently you're not suppose to look directly into their eyes, or else they'll charge! There were so many! Seb and I hiked it 0.7km up to the top and when we came back down the monkeys had disappeared! I still don't know where they went to this day...

I caught this guy giving his friend a massage :)

This was my first time seeing a deer in person! This guy was munching on a pack of cigz...hope he's not addicted.

The Kamikubo family is amazing! They took really good care of us and were really generous. THANK YOU SO MUCH KAMIKUBO FAMILY! I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AGAIN SOON! :)

My cool travel buddies: Sebastien (Canada) and Daryl (England)!

On Monday, Daryl, Seb, and I REGULAR-trained it to Kawatana, Shimonoseki (Daryl’s part of town), instead of Shinkansen-ing it, which was a BIG mistake because it was about a 5 hour transit! We all passed out on the train after a “deep bonding conversation.” Once we got to Kawatana, we ate at Joyfun (kinda like a Denny’s) and then went to a nearby snack bar (which meant alcohol, karaoke, and snacks!) It was a great night full of Green Day, shochu, and “Barbie Girl.” Daryl and Seb can truly “rock the mike” so to speak. Green Day watch out!

We were cruising it in Hakata and saw another haole guy! He was standing outside this chicken restaurant...odd?

On Tuesday, we trained it to Kokura for some shopping with Rachel and Ryan! We ate at an Indian restaurant (they even had an Indian guy making Indian bread in a glass room!) and explored the enormous department stores near the station. Kokura has this super cool monorail system stretching out of the train station, making the town look like something in Back to the Future or the Jetsons. Hawaii is so behind the times man!

Wednesday was used for recuperation and laundry ;) It was a great Silver Week, which yielded 2 coats (one of which I bought for 990 yen—about $10!), an uber comfortable futon, a hairdryer, and some omiyage for home and work. Now it’s time for me to save money for the next big vacation: Thailand! :)

Living it up in FUKUOKA

2009-09-15T05:14:00.000-07:00

It's Tuesday night and I'm still recovering from this past weekend! My legs are sore from clubbing and I've lost my voice from screaming on the roller coasters in Spaceworld. Worth it? I would redo it all in a heartbeat ;)

So on Sat, Sept 12, 2009 I hopped on a train to Fukuoka (a prefecture on the north tip of Kyushu). 3.5 hours later, I arrived at Hakata station only to be met by my BEAUTIFUL friend Lena (2nd year JET from Hawaii). We went shopping all across town, stopping off to have some DELICIOUS ramen, and checking out every mall we came across. It was every shoppers dream :) We had dinner at an Italian restaurant and topped off an entire bottle of white wine with another Fukuoka JET, Jon. It was the beginning of an unforgettable evening.

The amazing team of Jon, Tiff, and Lena that took Fukuoka by storm!

We met up with a great band of Yamaguchi JETs at the "hottest club in town" called HAPPY COCK. (No worries Mom, the mascot is a chicken...) It's located on the 9th floor of downtown Tenjin. And get this: 2000 yen (about $20) for women ALL-YOU-CAN-DRINK. It was $30 for guys...but again, ALL-YOU-CAN-DRINK!!! That covers drinks, cover, and a souvenir towel! Hilarious :) Why can't Hawaii have deals like that?! We partied the night away with local Japanese kids and foreigners alike. It was packed! I thought I was gonna get swallowed whole by the crowd. Cyndi, Callie, and I joined some other local Japanese girls on this raised platform and danced our little hearts out, while hyping up the crowd. We should have got paid...I hate to admit it...but we were a hit :)

Cyndi, Me, Jamie, and Callie (and Christina's in the corner!) celebrating Happy Cock's 14th anniversary!

5 hours and one-too-many-drinks later, we left the club...tipsy...but with the taste of sweet victory on our lips. We had conquered the club.

One of the cool roller coasters. You can see this huge replica of a NASA spaceship from the train!

The next day Lena, Jon, Caitlyn (yet another cool Fukuoka JET!), and I hit up Spaceworld--a slightly lower equivalent to Knott's Berry Farm in California. Their version of Mickey and Minnie Mouse are these two rabbits dressed in astronaut suits. Don't believe me? Check out their website at www.spaceworld.co.jp/english/ The overall feel was pretty tacky/corny, but it was a lot of fun! We rode a couple of fun coasters and had some ramen (surprised?) There was even a mini Splash Mountain (which was about 1/4 the size of Disneyland's!) that yielded an interesting photo op. (I'll try to post that on my facebook later!) The loss of my voice is evidence that it was an awesome day!

Lena, Caitlyn, Jon, and Me about to embark on our Spaceworld adventure.

I LOVE Fukuoka! Everyone I met was super nice and fun to hang out with. THANK YOU LENA FOR EVERYTHING!!! You are the coolest ever!!! I will definitely be back for another great time in Fukuoka :)

Stopping to Smell the Mocha

2009-09-08T04:24:00.000-07:00

A reflection on where I've been, where I am, and where I'm going...

The orange juice in my cup is almost gone. I turn to the fridge and realize that I just finished off my 2nd carton. Then it hits. I'm on my own. I can't just add 'orange juice' to the grocery list for Mom to get on her next trip to Foodland. I need to go to the market by myself. Realization sinks in. Whoa...I really am on my own.

Not only do I need to go to the grocery store on my own, but I've also had to cook for myself, clean the apartment, take out the trash, wash the dishes, and do laundry; luxuries that I easily took for granted back at home. (Yes, I suppose you could say I was spoiled.) I've learned to fend for myself in the presence of large, black, Japanese roaches and have learned how to tell when milk in the fridge is bad. (If I have to rush to the bathroom 15 minutes after drinking a glass, then I know it's time to throw the milk out.) Living on my own, I have come to appreciate this new stage of my life...a transition towards adulthood.

Me, Mom, Dad, Luke, Grandpa, and Grandma at my college graduation :)

The JET Program has introduced me to so many new experiences, sights, smells, personalities, and lessons. 3 months ago I was sitting in a library at 12 am, reading over some powerpoints and notes that I had taken in my biochemistry class. Between chapters I would sip on some coffee, joke around with friends (who were also in the same boat as me), and gaze off into the distance wondering what new adventure life was going to throw at me next. My main concern was passing my final exams. My logic was: pass final exams --> graduate from college --> JET Program. For me, the JET Program was a long ways away because without a diploma JET would not even be an option (ie. fail an exam = fail a class = be shy 3 credits of graduating). I was so relieved to have made it this far...finally bringing my GPA up to a level worthy of graduate school, passing the interview stage with JET, finding a job with the ACE Program at UH that offered exciting challenges and experiences...little did I know that I would be embarking on an adventure of a lifetime.

Coming to Japan has opened my eyes to exactly how big this world really is. Hawaii's diversity, in all its beauty and excellence, cannot compare with the diversity on an international level. This may seem obvious to most, but I was blown away at the representation of countries at the JET orientation in Tokyo. I had never been in a room with so many people of different cultural backgrounds. Just to initiate a conversation with people of varying accents and dialects was a milestone in itself. (I may be coming across as an uneducated, ignorant "islander"...but just know that I am extremely sheltered, and most people from Hawaii are not as naive as I am.)

Yamaguchi JETs hanging out at Oshima Beach

(L 2 R: Al, Whit, Kris, Michael, Isaac, Erin, Sarah, Sarah, Me, Chris, Cyndi)

I have met the greatest group of JETs here in Yamaguchi. Everyone has their own backgrounds and stories; experiences and friends back home. This is what makes each and every one of them unique. I love learning about their traditions and cultures, as well as their interests and hobbies. I think we all get along well because we acknowledge that everyone is different; everyone brings something special to the table. Maybe it's the fact that we're thousands of miles away from our loved ones and loneliness is what's keeping us together. Maybe JET has a good system of finding exciting and personable people to participate in the program that our personalities just mesh well. Maybe it's because we've only been here for a month and a couple more months down the line we're all going to engage in 'Battle Royale'. Whatever the reason is, I can truly say that I appreciate the relationships and friendships that have been established thus far here in Japan. I learn new things everyday, and my perspective of the world continues to grow.

Yamaguchi JETs watching the Shimonoseki fireworks

(L 2 R: Al, Dustin, Chris, Tom, Amy, Tiff, Zile, Sarah, Erin, Me, Chris, Isaac, Callie, Rachel)

I know that it is going to be an amazing ride, despite where this new perspective takes me. Whether I end up going to film school in New York, getting my Master of Science degree in Educational Technology in Arizona or California, or backpacking in Europe after my stay here in Japan, I know that I will be that much stronger of an individual. There may not be any orange juice left in my fridge, but I know I'll be okay. I'll just get some in the morning ;)

Welcome to my Crib ;)

2009-09-04T06:29:00.000-07:00

All right, so here is the long-awaited post! Now you get to see where I be living at!!!

Yamaguchi is located on the western-most tip of Honshu, the main island of Japan. You see that little island off the east coast of Yamaguchi? The one that looks like a goldfish? That's Suo-oshima island...my island home :) I live on the base of the "tail" of the goldfish. The island is connected to mainland Yamaguchi by a land-bridge (thank goodness! I get super seasick!) It's about a 30 min drive from my house to the bridge. I usually drive to Yanai city, which is another 10-15 min drive west towards Tokuyama. Just up past Iwakuni, more up north, is Hiroshima...so I'm actually pretty close!

Suo-oshima is a merger of 4 towns (Oshima, Kuka, Tachibana, and Towa) as of October 2004. I live in Towa! There are a lot of old people on the island...lots. But they are all really friendly. When I go running, they will acknowledge me by bowing and yell out "Gambatte!" which means "Do your best!". So cute :) As of 2008 there was an estimated 20,163 people living on the island. Towa, where I live, used to hold the Guiness Book of World Records title for most old people living together. Yeah, my town sure knows how to party!!! :)

The island is known for its production of oranges and sashimi. It also has a bunch of cool stuff including a Jamaican restaurant, hand gliding center, Hawaii Visitors Center (lots of people immigrated from Suo-oshima to Hawaii to work in the sugarcane fields), Ryuzaki onsen, and good camping grounds and beaches. Haven't gotten to explore all of it yet, but I am definitely going to try out that hand gliding! There are 2 supermarkets (that close at 7pm I think...), 3 7-11s (the closest one to me is a 10 min drive!), and 1 little store for shopping (it's really small!).

Me and Erin at the Jamaican 'rhasta'raunt! (The jerk chicken was excellent)

So now, onto the crib...

My apartment is pretty nice, thanks to the countless female JETs who preceded me. I was happy to find lots of blankets, towels, soap, toilet paper, pads, etc. in the closet. I was also provided a printer, TV, washing machine, iron, hair dryer, and heater, and nabe table (!!!) which was excellent. I only pay $150 per month for rent, so that's not too shabby either! I'm on the 2nd floor which is great because I hear there are a lot of centipedes on the ground floor! EEK! I also have a BED! Some of the other JETs that have let me crash don't have beds, they have to sleep on the tatami floors. I'm still looking for a super soft comforter and pillow (Japanese pillows are made of ROCKS I tell you!) but I have a couple more months before it starts getting super cold.

So yeah, take a look at my place...hope you enjoy!

This is my living room! Notice the new speakers on my desk? Hehe, yeah, that was a gift from me to me :)

My bedroom...yup, my stuffed animals are there too! A spider lives in the closet by the mirror there on the right, but we have an agreement: If he stays in the closet, then he gets to eat all the bugs and I won't kill him.

This is my mini hallway. Once you enter the apartment, take a left, and this is what you will see! The shower is straight ahead, while the toilet room is on the right, as well as the sink room. Why are they separate anyway?

Oh yeah, TOP CHEF baby! So no oven, but I do have a mini toaster-type thing sitting on top of my microwave on the right side of the picture. Tiny fridge (which I accidentally unplugged one night and had to buy everything all over again!), gas stove, sink...yup, this is where I make my masterpieces!

And this is my toilet room. It's one of those super cool Japanese toilets! There's a little electronic box above the toilet paper that controls it. It can spray your butt with water, blow dry it, massage it, and of course...flush the toilet, all at the touch of a button! I love technology :)

Can't forget the Japanese-style bathtub. It's tiny, but at least there's hot water!

And lastly, onto the wheels...

This is Koji, my 1997 Suzuki Alto. He may be old...and not too fast...but he's super small and cute. The muffler light goes on and off occasionally and the CD deck is always on repeat and only plays when it wants to, but the AC works and I get to wear one of those cool JDM driver stickers :P Yeah, I top off at 80 km/h...sweet? I know ;) I got him for $1100 and had to pay an extra $700 for insurance (2x year). Gas up here is around $6.36 per gallon. We'll save my driving adventures for another post!

This is Koji. I named him after this really cute little boy from English camp. Koji was smaller than all the other boys there, but he was one of the coolest and had a big heart. Good comparison eh?

Yeah, I'm all JDM out...I know ;)

This place may seem small and in the middle of no where, but the sunsets are to die for. I love to just drive towards the setting sun on my way to Yanai and admire the beautiful scenery and beautiful people of Suo-oshima. I am happy with my placement here! :)

Oshima Camp!!!

2009-09-01T04:33:00.000-07:00

The staff and kids of Oshima English Camp 2009!!!

So I was given an incredible privilege to help out at a summer English camp from Sunday, Aug 23 - Tuesday, Aug 25 at Tachibana Wind Park. 13 students from middle and high schools all across Suo-oshima Island (where I live!) came for a time of fun, games, food, beach, and...English! The purpose of the camp was to immerse the kids with English conversation. A whole bunch of other ALTs came too, making the camp lots of fun!

Sunday, Aug 23, 2009

We got to meet all the kids and played a whole bunch of fun games. There was a scavenger hunt game, as well as an obstacle course game. We also broke up into "families" to prepare a skit that would be performed on the last day of camp. The theme was centered around Disney stories. My family was awesome! Except we only had one kid...Keiju! He's the best! Poor thing though...I'm sure he wanted to be with his friends. We also had this kinda creepy Japanese English teacher, Makoto, but I guess he was ok. Heh.

Me, Keiju, Kota, and Yuki

Monday, Aug 24, 2009

The next day was awesome! We made posters about different questions that the kids had to ask each other in English. We also had to give speeches (kids in English, staff in Japanese) to the other campers. My speech partner was Ibuki, a super smart and sweet girl from Kuka Jr. High School. She was so great, and her English is super good! We talked about all kinds of stuff and she taught me some cool games and Japanese phrases.

Ibuki was by far the coolest kid EVER!!!!

We also played a whole bunch of rounds of DODGEBALL. Odd, no one here calls it 'shambattle'. Isn't that strange??

For lunch we all worked together to cook some grilled chicken enchiladas...or were they quesadillas? A real Mexican treat for the kids, complete with guacamole and tortilla chips. Delicious. Hehe, some of the kids didn't even touch the guacamole. I don't blame them...if someone offered me green Japanese mush, I'd probably pass as well ;)

We then headed for the BEACH! It was so much fun! The water was nice and clear and there was a wall that you could jump off of. Only junk thing was that you had to use the rope to climb back up...and the wall was full of sharp barnacles. So worth it though ;)

Mitsuko, Al, Yumi, Me, and Ibuki hanging out at the beach

Me getting ready to launch myself off the wall! (Thanks Cyndi for the awesome pic!)

For dinner we had Korean style BBQ...yakiniku! That was my most favorite meal! There was chicken, beef, pumpkin, cabbage, hot dog (it was actually fish though...weird stuff), and so much more! For dessert, we made smores with the smallest marshmallows in the world...and ritz crackers as a substitute for graham crackers (which was freaking DELICIOUS by the way!)

Our camp "family"...Makoto, Me, Al (Well, Al wasn't in our family...he wanted to be w/us though..hehe), Isaac, Keiju, and Kris

We worked on our skits for the rest of the night before going to sleep. We also got a chance to write letters to the kids of our families and game groups. So cute!

Tuesday, Aug 25, 2009

We had fish for breakfast...but it actually tasted pretty good! Then we went about exchanging our letters. 4 kids wrote to me! Awww I felt so special! I was only suppose to get 1...from Keiju! After, each group performed their skit. Ours was about Aladdin (played by Keiju) trying to get away from Jasmine (played by Isaac) by asking the Genie (played by Makoto) to send him to different places around the world, including Indiana, Hawaii, and Japan. Jasmine follows him everywhere...but Aladdin is over her because she just let herself go after the real movie. Aladdin ends up staying in Japan since Jasmine is scared of "mukade," which is Japanese for centipedes. (I played the centipede..hehe) Kris was the narrator. We did an awesome job! Too bad we didn't get 1st place :(

After, we played...you guessed it...MORE DODGEBALL! Some of the kids were really good! I was impressed :) Then there was a closing ceremony with the vice principal of Oshima High School. They also handed out prizes to the different groups that won certain challenges. Our group won the relay race prize! Whoo hoo Elmo bandaids rock! Then it was the end of the camp :( So much fun...to bad it ended so soon. The kids were the greatest EVER. I really hope I get to see and work with them again!

Kayo (a Japanese English teacher) and Me at campfire

Shrimp HO!!!!!

2009-08-31T02:51:00.000-07:00

So I was able to experience something very different and unique here in Japan...the 19th Annual World Shrimp Catching Championships at Chudo Beach in Aio of Yamaguchi!

The whole team ready to catch some SHRIMP!

On Sat, Aug 22, 2009 a whole group of us went down to an amazing beach just south of Yamaguchi City to participate. It's an amazing event with hundreds of shrimp-catching enthusiasts lining the beach, ready to catch as many shrimp as possible within 30 minutes.

First, everyone lines up and helps carry crates full of shrimp to the ocean, which is netted off so that the little guys can't escape.

It's a team effort getting all 100,000+ shrimp into the water

Then, everyone makes a line and gets ready for the fun! When the alarm sounds, everyone does a mad dash to the ocean!

Whoever catches the most shrimp wins! The average person can catch 7-10 shrimp. If you catch 60+ shrimp, you're advised to count them all so that you can enter in for a chance to win some SWEET prizes. The record is around 118 or so I believe.

Me and Daryl looking for shrimp in the murkiest of waters!

These little critters are HUGE! At least 6 inches long. And they have a little horn sticking out from their head...like a unicorn shrimp :) Apparently, they use this horn to burrow under the sand. All you have to do is run your hand through the bottom of the sand bed and pull 'em out (kinda like weeds!) and place them in your bag. We got plastic bags, bandanas, and gloves for the event. Some people had snorkel masks, nets...all kinds of stuff!

It was such an amazing experience! AND we got interviewed by TV crews! So cool! Didn't see the segment air but I'm sure it was excellent.

So how many did I end up catching? 10? 50? ...lOl, no, I just caught one. And here he is!

I named him Willy...but sadly, I did not free him...he was delicious tho :)

And they said we could eat whatever we caught. So yup, I got to eat...one :) Delicious though! They just washed 'em and hopped 'em on the grill! It was soooo much fun! I definitely want to do it again! So glad I went! :)

Gloves...check...bandanas...check...plastic bag...check...LET'S GO!

live from japan...it's WEDNESDAY NIGHT!!! (Lame? Maybe just a bit...)

2009-08-26T06:21:00.000-07:00

ALOHA FROM YAMAGUCHI, JAPAN!!!

Me, Erin, and Isaac goofing off at karaoke

It has been one crazy month here in Japan! I just recently got internet, so now I can tell you all about it! And I have the pictures and videos to prove it! I'm so grateful for this opportunity to see the world and get in touch with my "Japanese" side...heh.

TOKYO ORIENTATION

Aug 2 - Aug 5, 2009

Matt, Me, and Travis snacking outside of Lawsons

The Hawaii JETs at breakfast at Keio Plaza

The greatest roommates EVER!!! Nicole, Robyn, and Me :)

My airplane buddy Jenna and Me snacking before our tiny Keio dinner

The JET Orientation in Shinjuku, Tokyo was INCREDIBLE! I got to meet people from all over the world. The Keio Plaza where we stayed was beautiful and surrounded by incredible restaurants and shops. We went to various workshops and lectures designed to help us with our transition to life in Japan. We were given the option of choosing which workshops we attended to personalize the orientation to our own needs. I attended workshops like 'Driving in Japan', 'Independent Japanese Study', 'JETs Teaching at Multiple Schools', 'Elementary School Visits for ALTs', and 'Travel as a JET'. Some were great...some were...uh...zzzzzzz.

I met so many great people there! I had the greatest roommates EVER! Both Robyn and Nicole are from Hawaii. I also met a whole bunch of other JETs from Hawaii, Canada, the States,

England, Antigua, New Zealand, ...everywhere really! Did you know England is on an island?! Yeah...so did I...yeeeeah.

The workshops ended by 8pm, so we were free to do whatever we wanted after. On the 1st night, I went with my roommate Robyn and some friends to eat dinner at this cool joint where you put your order in a machine and wait like 4 min before they bring out your food. It was EXCELLENT! Plus, no tip to worry about!

Robyn and Me eating our $5 donburi!!!

The greatest prefecture EVER!! LOL...this is us sober before the haunted house event.

(L to R front: Me, Monica, and Rachel)

(L to R back: Michael, Isaac, Amy, Daryl, Chris, and Sarah)

On the 2nd night, I got to hang out with the people who would be living in Yamaguchi...with me! They are incredible people with diverse backgrounds! We went to a "haunted house" themed bar/lounge. There's this thing called "nomihodai" which is pretty much all you can eat/drink for $40. Every hour or so, the lights will turn off and people dressed up as monsters come in and try to scare you. The drinks were served in test tubes, medicine bottles, beakers, ...a scientists dream come true! It was corny but lots of fun. The service was a tad bit slow...but again, it was lots of fun!

Test tube shots!!! :)

Rachel, Me, and Daryl at the haunted house bar/lounge

The last night I went out with my roommates and a friend from the Yamaguchi prefecture, as well as his roommate. We walked around looking for places to shop and eat. It was lots of fun! I wish we could have stayed in Tokyo longer! Guess I just have to go back when everyone comes to visit me from Hawaii *wink*

Alejandro, Robyn, and Nicole pausing for a picture

Me and Sunny having a chopstick battle (we got kicked out of the restaurant for doing this btw...j/k! No but seriously...)

WELCOME TO THE GUCH!

Aug 5, 2009

We left for Haneda airport SUPER early in the morning...like at 7:30am I think. We flew from Haneda airport to Ube airport in Yamaguchi. It was like an hour plane ride, not too bad. My supervisor, Okamura-sensei, picked me up from the airport and drove me 2.5 hours to my island home...Suo-oshima! (I'll have another post about my home later!)

Okamura-sensei and Me at the airport! Our 1st meeting! How special!!

YAMAGUCHI JETS ARE THE GREATEST BUNCH OF KIDS EVER

Aug 6 - Aug 7, 2009

I only had one day to settle in before I was rushed back to the main Yamaguchi City for Yamaguchi JET Orientation, geared specifically toward living and working in Yamaguchi. It was a 2 day, 1 night event. A lot of what was covered in Tokyo was covered again here. I got to meet a lot of the repeating JETs living in Yamaguchi. That night, we all went to a nomihodai event and then on to KARAOKE! Lots of fun...lots of drinks...good times ;)

Dustin, Daryl, and Sherese...some of the coolest JETs out there representing 3 different countries (Canada, England, and Antigua!)

The Suo-Oshima team: Whitney and Me! Whit does high school and I do elem/middle school

Christina, Rachel, and Me...y'know how some ppl just click when they meet? Exactly so.

Group B representing!!! I love my group :)

The following day, I got to hang out with some of the repeating JETs. Whitney, another JET living on "the Island" picked me up and we all road tripped it to Iwakuni...about a 30 min drive from the island's bridge. We went to a castle in Iwakuni, had curry flavored ice cream, and skipped rocks along the river tops. It was a great day and the water was beautiful.

Skipping rocks and having a blast

Me, Whit, and Zile posing in front of a very historic bridge

SHIMONOSEKI VS MOJI...ROUND 1!

Aug 13, 2009

The following week a bunch of us met up in Shimonoseki to watch the big fireworks show (one of the biggest in Japan I hear!) Every year apparently Shimonoseki competes with Moji (in Fukuoka on the other side of the waterway) to see who has the bigger, better fireworks show. I think Shimonoseki won ;)

Zile, Amy, and Me w/our authentic yukatas. Amy ties bows very well (u just can't see it in this pic tho)

The whole Yamaguchi JET gang at the Shimonoseki Fireworks Festival

We went to a karaoke place afterwards and then a bunch of us slept over a fellow JET's (Dustin's) house. The next day, a couple of us took the train to Hakata, Fukuoka for a day of udon, shopping, and temples. We took the Shinkansen back home...it was SOOOO FAST! A 3 hour ride easily turned into a 30 min ride. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. It really is like riding an airplane...except it's on the ground.

Erin and Me outside of a very historic temple in Fukuoka...we hungry in this pic...and HOT!

Me and Alejandro riding the SHINKANSEN!! I wanna go fast! :)

Stay tuned for more of Tiff's incredible Japanese adventures! I'll have a post about my island and the Aido Beach Shrimp Catching Festival real soon.

Challenge: The average person catches around 7-10 shrimp. Guess how much Tiff caught! The answer when we return! :)