Wrap Up

So...obviously I am no longer in Japan anymore--and I really miss it. My last few weeks in Japan were absolutely insane, and the weeks...months following have been very difficult, personally. I do, however, feel that it is my job to wrap up my story.

So, Nikko.

My good friend Lora and I decided that we would miss out on the much-talked-about tokyo baseball game to go and visit Nikko, Japan. Everyone we knew who had gone to Nikko told us that it was amazing. To get to Nikko one needs to take a special Keio train from Asakusa. We both met there very early in the morning (around 8 am I think). We purchased our tickets, which covered our train tickets and local bus use (All Nikko Pass). It turned out to be a really great value!
I can't remember how long the trip to Nikko took because, naturally, I slept the entire way. When i woke up about 15 minutes from the Keio station in Nikko the first thing I noticed was the richly green landscape. Nikko is one of the greenest places I have ever seen in my entire life!
The Keio Nikko Station is located at the center of town--which is very cute and almost European-Ski-Resort looking. The first thing that we did was get food at a very cute family restaurant, naturally I got Stir Fried Veggies!
We decided to take a cab to our Hostel, because when we asked the ladies at the restaurant for directions, they were all lost for words! The Hostel was, as it turns out, very close to the station--but an uphill climb!
The Hostel was called the Nikko Park Lodge, a charming guesthouse located in the middle of a tree reserve area. It was very quiet and cosy inside, and the owner seemed very nice. He asked us if we wanted to have a 'Zen' Dinner (100% VEGAN!)--but the meal seemed pricey so we declined. We did order French toast breakfasts for the next morning. After dropping our bags off in the yoga room (yes, this place offered morning yoga sessions!) we walked back to the downtown (through a lovely rural neighborhood and across a footbridge spanning a river) and jumped on a bus to go and see the famous Nikko shrines!
The Shrines are certainly what Nikko is known for. They are rumored to be the most elaborate of all of the shrines in Japan--and I believe it. Conveniently all of the shrines are located very closely together and tickets can be purchased together at a ticket kiosk in front of Rinnoji Temple which houses 3 massively elaborate statues of three mountain kami (Shinto Spirits). The other temples that have to be seen in Nikko are the Taiyuinbyo, Futarasan Shrine and, the greatest of all: The Toshogu. The Toshogu is the Mausoleum of Tokugawa Ieyasu, Founder of the Tokogawa Shogunate. His Mausoleum was designed to be the most elaborate resting place in all of Japan--and I believe it! The interiors and exteriors of the buildings are dripping in expensive lacquer work and real gold! Less impressive is the famous Monkey Shrine that depicts the "See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil" monkey carving--it was absolutely tiny!
My Favourite shrine was definitely the Taiyuinbyo, or Iemitsu's Mausoleum. Iemitsu was the grandson of Ieyasu, and he didn't want his mausoleum to outshine his grandfather's. Though his resting place is not nearly as elaborate, it is in a breath-taking location and is gorgeous in it's simplicity. It is located on the top of a very tall hill and is completely silent. The familiar sound of cicadas and birds falls away as you climb up to the shrine--and you an enveloped in a blanket of absolute quiet. The shrine next to the Mausoleum is small but lovely. The Mausoleum itself is so tiny you wouldn't notice it at all if you didn't know what it was. The Shrines of Nikko are all amazing, and seeing them all is a bit exhausting. After we were finished, Lora and I decided to go back to the Hostel.
After unpacking and changing clothes, Lora and I decided to go an try a public bath. It was only a short 15 minute walk to the nearest one. Public Baths are a bit unusual, especially if there are already naked women bathing there! All of the ladies were much older than us, and were laughing and gossiping as they scrubbed as if it was the most natural thing in the world! So Lora and I stripped down, sat down in front of a spigot and washed. Here is how to visit a public bath:

1. Buy a ticket outside of the Bathhouse. Usually there isn't a physical person there you need to pay, but it is good form to buy a ticket anyway in case someone sees you.
   
2. Go inside of the Bathhouse and pick a laundry basket to put your clothes into. Before entering the bath make sure you are undressed--completely.
3. The showering areas are really just faucets with hand0held shower head attachments that are located along the wall. Some public baths have private showers and bath rooms, but more traditional ones are completely open.
   
4. Sit on TOP of the bucket, and use the cup to help rinse yourself off. USE SOAP, you are supposed to be clean when you enter the bath!
5. After rinsing yourself off completely, take a dip in the bath! Careful--it is HOT!

The Bath itself was just what the doctor ordered--completely relaxing and pretty fun as well! After our baths we walked back to the Hostel, and it was just getting a little bit misty--perfection.

When we got back to the Hostel, we decided that we were a little too tired to go back into town to get dinner, but when we asked if we could still get dinner at the Hostel our kind Host got a little bit angry with us (he started yelling at us, saying he asked us before and now it was too late!). A bit affronted, we decided to go back into town to find something after all. Word to the wise--businesses in Nikko close EARLY! It was literally 7:00 pm on a Saturday night and every business and restaurant near the station was CLOSED! After walking around for a bit, we finally found a ramen house where I got some fried rice. Full and happy, we walked across the street to Sunkus to pick up supplies for the next day, went back to the Hostel and fell asleep. A Lovely day.

To Be Continued

Yokohama, Mt Takao and Nikko

I won't try to explain myself...everyone already knows what a terrible blogger I am...
lets just pick up where I left off, shall we?

So, Yokohama--After getting a bit lost finding my bus at Yokohama Station I made my way to the Sankeien Garden--a lovely park surrounding a pond which is filled with Meiji-era houses, shrines, tea houses and a pagoda. Though it was raining when I got to Yokohama it cleared by the time I got to the Gardens so I was able to enjoy my leisurely stroll. It was one of the loveliest places I have visited in Japan and I spent nearly 2 hours exploring. Of all of the places I have visited in Japan, I think my mother would have liked the Gardens the best. There were tons of routes through the gardens and lots of beautiful architecture and landscaping to admire.
After the Gardens I traveled to the other side of Yokohama to go to the Ramen Museum, which was a bit of a disappointment. The museum was less of a museum and more of a collection of ramen restaurants (yes people pay admission to this place, stand in line and pay again for their meal). The entire museum was designed to look like a 1950s era Tokyo neighborhood complete with candy carts and dry goods stores and staff members dressed in era-appropriate costumes. I suppose it was pretty cool--but it would have been a lot better if I could actually eat ramen (all ramen broth is meat-based).
After the Ramen Museum I made my way to the famed Yokohama Chinatown. The Chinatown in Yokohama is one of the biggest in all of Japan--but having gone to S.F.'s Chinatown nearly every summer, this Chinatown was a bit of a disappointment also. Trendy shops (Chinese and otherwise) and Tourist Gift Shops were everywhere and surprisingly few restaurants. Everything there was quite expensive (unlike my Chinatown back home) and when the rain started to come down I had no qualms about leaving.
My last stop in Yokohama was to Minato Mirai 21, basically the Yokohama boardwalk area. I wanted to go up to the observation deck of the Landmark Tower and was surprised to discover that the only way to get up was via the second fastest elevator in the world (traveling at 41 ft/s)--we reached the 69th floor in 40 seconds! In the observation deck they had a ton of aquariums, creating an interesting view of Yokohama. The view is much darker than the one from the Tokyo Tower, but seeing the lights from Minato Mirai 21 reflected on the Pacific Ocean was absolutely gorgeous.
After I got out of the Landmark tower (and after getting a bit lost finding my way back to the exit) I walked around Minato Mirai 21 a bit. By this time it was very late and most of the attractions on the pier had closed, but Minato Mirari 21 at night is simply beautiful. I wish I could have shared the experience with someone else--it is times like this that I feel most lonely here in Japan.
Though things didn't go exactly as I had envisioned, I had a wonderful time in Yokohama. The weather was cooler, the sites were lovely and being near the ocean was one of the highlights of my week.

That Wednesday (August 5th) The Tokyo American Club had a Staff Appreciation Day allowing Brittney and I a mid-week vacation. Brittney and Shu headed off for Tokyo Disney Sea and I decided to spend the day climbing Mt Takao. Mt Takao is a small mountain only 50 minutes by semi-express train out of Tokyo, Ryan recommended it to me and I am certainly glad I heeded his advice! Despite being so close to the city, being at Mt. Takao was like being back in Kyoto--green landscapes, cooler weather and lovely shrines. When I arrived at the foot of the mountain I decided to take a chairlift halfway up. It was my first time being in a chair lift and I enjoyed the experience immensely (though I was a bit freaked out--I felt like I was going to fall down constantly!). The climb to Mt. Takao's summit was quite easy and looped around buddhist and shinto shrines--it only took me about an hour and a half to reach the summit. Supposedly, on a clear day, one can even see Mt Fuji--but on Wednesday the skies were cloudy and nothing could be seen except the valley below.
After summiting I decided to have lunch at a restaurant near the summit. After conversing with the owner I was able to order and entirely vegetarian lunch consisiting of rice, pickled vegetables, miso soup and a sticky white vegetable dish that had absolutely zero taste. The meal wasn't unpleasant--but it was probably one of the strangest meals I have had in Japan. (If anyone knows what this mystery dish is please tell me!)
After finishing lunch I decided to climb down to the chair lift using a different path from the one I took up. I chose a path that spiraled down from the summit and joined with my previous path. I walked down the path at a bit of a jog. After about 30 minutes of descending I discovered that the path I was taking had been roped off (the rain from previous days had washed the path away) and I was forced to climb back to the summit of the mountain. By the time I summited again I was starting to get very tired. I decided to take the shortest route back to the chair lift to go home. The path I chose was very steep and had a lot of stairs (you will discover when you come to Japan that there are ALWAYS stairs) but initially didn't seem too difficult. Unfortunately the path became muddier and muddier and Aree the genius decided to wear strappy sandals to climb a mountain. After 40 minutes slogging through the mud I slipped and slid down a particularly rocky and muddy section. Bruised and covered with mud on my backside, I more cautiously climbed down the mountain. A descent that should have only taken 45 minutes max ended up taking me 2 hours.
By the time I reached the bottom of the mountain many of the stores in the area were beginning to close. The chair lift had given me time to rest, and I wasn't ready to end my day just yet. I decided t climb back up the mountain a bit to see Biwa Falls, a famous waterfall that many pilgrims meditate under. I followed the river up the mountain on a rocky and slippery trail. Biwa falls ended up being a rather small waterfall with a shrine attached that was closed. Going through the shrine was the only way to get a close look at the falls and I had missed my opportunity. Tired and rather disappointed I walked back to the train station.
When I got on the train I fell asleep nearly immediately. When I woke up a hour later and was still far away from Tokyo, I realized that I had accidentally boarded a local train instead of a semi-express. A one hour trip became a 2 and a half hour trip. I came home exhausted and collapsed into bed. Despite all of the things that went wrong I still had a great time. I have decided that in travel things will never go according to plan and so it is always good to keep an open mind, remain optimistic and to try to be as flexible as possible. I tried not to let all of the bad things prevent me from having a good time, and at the end of the day I have no regrets about leaving the safety of the apartment.

I will talk about my weekend trip to lovely Nikko in my next post (as well as my reaction to Shinjuku).

Peace like a river~

P.S. I will try to post pics soon!!

Yokohama Today!

It is approximately 9:18 in the morning here in Tokyo. I just woke up about a half hour ago and will be showering soon. Today I am going to explore Yokohama! Unfortunately, it is raining--hopefully everything will be fine.
I didn't make it to Tsukiji this morning because I slept through all 5 of my alarms (only me)...I will have to try to go on Wednesday before I go to Mt Takao/Hakone (I haven't decided which yet).
Yesterday was a bust--I got up too late to go anywhere, DARN! I stayed home and relaxed--it was actually quite pleasant.
I'm off!

Slow Saturday

It has been an awfully long time since my last blog, but nothing has really happened to me this week. This week was Ocean Week at camp which was a lot of fun, and the field trip we took to the Tokyo Sea Life Park was nice as well. I have discovered that I really love water, I have no idea why I haven't moved by the sea yet. Every day I spend near the ocean here in Japan INSTANTLY becomes a better day! In fact, on Tuesday I met Rie and Euma in Odaiba--and I have NEVER been more excited to see the Pacific Ocean! In Odaiba you can go right up to the edge of Tokyo Bay (YES I put my feet in!!) and you can even see the Statue of Liberty (well...Tokyo's statue of Liberty)!!

On Wednesday I met Rie in Harajuku and we visisted the Meiji Shrine. What I noticed the most about the Meiji Shrine was how it combined both Japanese and Western cultures into one. In many ways the Meiji Shrine is the embodiment of the Meiji Emperor himself--a young man fascinated by the culture and technology of the west while simultaneously fully embedded in his own country's history and customs. If the Meiji Emperor could see his city today I am sure he would be very pleased.
After the Meiji Shrine Rie and I strolled around Yoyoji Park where I inexplicably met one of my favourite campers, William! He was with his family and was sweet as always (he went right up and gave me a huge hug!). Yoyoji Park is very pretty--though not as exciting on a Wednesday night as I hear it is on Sunday. On Sunday, I am told, all of the harajuku girls, the Ska kids and all of the other major sub-cultures in Japan come out to display their work, dance and have fun! I am going to try to go to Tsukiji Fish Market tomorrow morning and may stop by Harajuku to see the party for myself.
On Thursday Euma, his friends Christine and Kosuke and I all went to Shibuya for a shopping adventure to Tokyuu hands (imagine an Ikea+Target with nicer stuff and waaaaaaay more inventory...everything you could possibly need and more!) and karaoke!
Yesterday I stayed at the club to relax a bit before going home. I went for a swim and discovered a roomy massage chair in the lady's locker room. I spent about 2 hours in the massage chair watching CNN World News Report.
Today I got a rather late start to the day because I was uploading photos...so my plans to go to Hakone have been called off. I was looking around in my guide book and found another cool city that is closer to me called Kawagoe...except that by the time I showered and got something to eat it was already too late in the day to go (since everything closes by 5:00 in Japan...). So, I have decided to stay home and catch up on my homework--it is the responsible thing to do , but not the funnest thing in the least bit. I may also go to Kawasaki and have a look around there...maybe.

So, I know that I have been awfully bad about posting photos, but I am about to make it up to you all! I have discovered that Facebook is actually the fastest way to upload pictures, and I can share my albums with ANYONE now! So, here we go, a massive photo update:

KAMAKURA
My Day With Rie
The Imperial Gardens and Inside the Imperial Gardens
Ueno Park and Tokyo Tower
ASAKUSA
KYOTO part 1 and KYOTO part 2
ODAIBA
Meiji Shrine, Harajuku and Hachiko Crossing at Night

Kansai Dreams

Hello Friends,

It is late Sunday night here in Tokyo. The weather has cooled down from a HOT HOT HOT Sunday and there is a light breeze on the air. I am very tired from this weekend, but figured I owed it to all of my readers to post.

On Friday night at 9:30 pm I arrived at Tokyo Station. After asking around a bit, I found myself dashing to the other side of the station, arriving with still a half hour to spare before my overnight bus arrived. I met Lora at the bus stop and we had a chance to chat for a bit before my bus came. The Bus I took to Kyoto was a double-decker all-ladies bus run by the JR Group. I was seated in the front row of the top deck, I had lots of leg room a nice foot rest and a fan right above me. The curtains were drawn, but I had one last peek at a drizzly Tokyo night before taking my dramamine and falling to sleep. Thanks to me medication, a sleep mask and ear plugs I successfully slept the entire 8 hour journey arriving around 5:45 in the morning in Kyoto. The only thing I remember is the driver saying that we were 15 minutes from Kyoto. Many of the ladies began to open the windows, and I got a nice frontal view of the Kyoto landscape. For anyone who has seen Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke, you can imagine what the hills of Kyoto look like. Green hills as far as the eyes can see with clouds nestled between them. Kyoto itself was a bustling metropolis in a bit of a basin before us.

I arrived at Kyoto station around the same time as Lora, and we set out to find a bathroom to change out of our sleep clothes. The Kyoto Station is one of the most beautiful buildings I have ever been in. It houses a 5 star hotel and a 6+ Story luxury Mall. The Architecture is just marvelous (my meager photos which I will post later cannot do it justice). Soon afterwards the rest of our group (other Camp Staff from the Embassy) arrived and we breakfasted on fresh bread from a European-style bakery (constant fixtures around Japan).
After a lot of waiting around we finally got our bus pass (only 500 yen!) around 8:30 and set out for the flea market at the Kitano-Tenman-gu Shrine . The painted wood carvings on the eaves of the shrine were exquisite, and the lanterns were beautiful (I bet even more lovely at night). The Shrine was very peaceful, perfectly symmetrical and therefore very pleasing to the mind. Outside of the shrine the noisy flea market droned on, but inside all was still and quiet and slow.
After we had finished exploring the shrine we returned to the flea market. Suddenly, the heavens opened and a huge downpour descended upon us. The rain would not let-up until the end of the day, and the volume was incredible. Shop keepers ran for tarps to cover their wares and customers fleed to covered spaces and buses. We hopped on a bus ourselves to see the Golden Pavilion.

The rain did not mar the immense beauty of the Kinkaku-ji in the least bit. Though the walk around the pavilion and into the surrounding hills was dangerously slippery we made the best of our trip. The Golden Pavilion was probably my favourite part of the trip. I was a bit disappointed to discover that the current building is a recent reconstruction (a mad monk burned it down during the last century), so it is hard to imagine what it would have looked like during it's heyday. After we had finished walking the trail through the Kinkaku-ji's Gardens we had tea and snacks at a small teahouse. It was glorious to get out of the rain, dry off a bit and take our soaking shoes off. The one disappointment was that the tea was cold! On a day like Saturday, hot tea was the only way to go!

Following the Golden Pavilion, we decided to go to the amazing Nijo Castle. The castle was constructed by Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1601, and for its time it was an architectural marvel. The exterior cravings are all symmetrical and elaborate--it is hard to imagine that it was all done by hand! The interiors featured artwork from the famed Kano school. Inside the castle I saw the room where Tokugawa Yoshinobu renounced the Tokugawa Shogunate and returned the powers to Imperial hands. It was amazing to be in a place with so much history--a place truly worthy of being called a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Lora and I spent an hour exploring the Castle's Grounds, and then waited another hour at the entrance of the castle for the rest of the group to come. By the time we were all ready to leave it was already 4:00, and a decision had to be made.

Weeks ago some of the girls from the Embassy were fortunate enough to spend an entire weekend in Kyoto. During their stay they found a "Monkey Park" on the outskirts of town on top of a mountain. All of the kids from the embassy were excited about going to this attraction, but I still wanted to see more shrines and the Gion district (the Geisha District). A decision was made, and since I had to stay with at least one other person, I was forced to race to the Monkey Park with the rest of the group. When we finally reached our destination, it didn't look like we were going to make it (it was 4:45 and the Monkey Park was apparently only open until 5:00). When we tried to get off the bus we discovered that our unlimited bus pass did not extend this far outside of Kyoto and we were forced to pay the full fare. We ran across a river on a beautiful bridge and reached a Shinto shrine which was right next to the entrance of the Monkey Park. 550 yen and a 20 minute hike up later, I found myself on top of a mountain surrounded by Japanese macaques.

I have always admired the adaptability and intelligence of Macaques. Japanese Macaques have learned to wash their food before eating it, and have also discovered the benefits of hot springs in cold weather. They are probably my favourite Old World Monkey next to Baboons. It is because of my great love of Macaques that caused me to become infuriated about the "Monkey Park." I had envisioned a park that allowed visitors to observe Japanese Macaques in their natural environment. The Macaques at the Monkey Park had totally become reliant on humans. Their behaviour was completely changed from the Japanese Macaques I had studied in the past. The thing that startled me the most was the lack of grooming, a habit that all primates take great pleasure in. Instead all of the macaques were occupied with scratching and biting each other in order to get fruits and nuts purchased at a small resting house. The Macaques hung onto the screens on the windows holding their hands out for food, sometimes even batting away their own infants in order to be fed. I am a fond adherent to the idea that animals should be seen and not interfered with, and all I could see was how humans had totally made self-reliance impossible for these Macaques. Macaque babies learn from watching their mothers, and the violence and competition that I saw would mean that for generations these macaques would be dependent on humans for their survival and not each other. I shuddered to think what would happen to these poor animals if the park fell on hard times and closed. Macaques can only learn through observation; therefore if no natural bahaviour is exhibited then no natural behaviour will be passed to the next generation. I was so upset that I left the group early and opted to meet them at the foot of the mountain. I couldn't stand being up there any more.

After Monkey Mountain we walked around a bit looking for a place to eat (We hadn't eaten since our bread breakfast). We finally settled on an Udon restaurant. Udon is a dish native to the kansai region--and my tempura udon was delicious (and fish based as well!). I really wanted to try Shoujin Ryori (Traditional Buddhist Vegetarian Cuisine) which I heard was exquisite in Kyoto, but no one else seemed interested.

By the time we got out of dinner, it was already dark. We walked across the bridge and watched a Cormorant fishing demonstration. In Feudal times, fisherman would catch Cormorants and put metal rings and leashes around their nets. The fisherman would skillfully train their Cormorants to hunt fish as they would normally do in the wild, but the rings prevented the Cormorants from eating the fish themselves. The fishermen would take the fish from the Cormorants--this method required little effort and had a high yield. While seeing birds tied together and forced to hunt food they couldn't eat bothered me a bit, I couldn't deny that I was privileged to see such a time-honoured tradition.

After the fishing demonstration, we got on a bus back to central Kyoto. After paying the fee (again) and transferring, we found our way back to Kyoto station. We had a light snack and the Embassy went on their way back to Tokyo. Lora and I explored the station a bit before our bus arrived promptly at 11:30 pm. We were seated next to each other on the top part of the bus in the back. It was extremely hot with little leg room--nothing like the trip down. I had an uneasy sleep--and was constantly waking up from getting overheated. When we reached Tokyo, Lora and I had a light breakfast and went our separate ways. I got home, took a shower and collapsed into bed. When I woke up I was still lamenting the fact that I went all the way to Kyoto to see only 3 sights and a monkey park--I have to admit I am a little disappointed.

When I woke up I decided to get lunch at my usual Indian restaurant. When I exited the house I was shocked at how hot it was outside. After lunch I retreated back into my apartment where I read until I received a call from Rie. Rie and Euma invited me to join them in Odaiba for the evening.

I took the Yurikamome transit system from Shimbashi and enjoyed one of the best views of Tokyo at night from the train. It was certainly the best public transit system I have ever been on in my life. While in Odaiba I got to put my feet into the Pacific Ocean, and explored the bay side. I also got to see Tokyo's Statue of Liberty, which was surprisingly quite small. Rie took me to the taping of a Fuji Television special (think MTV's Spring Break special every year--but bigger, with different events across Japan and fireworks). I was interested to see all of the excited Japanese girls who waited anxiously for a glimpse of their favourite idol. Euma was very excited about the entire show, and it was cool to be a part of the action (running from exit to exit looking for celebrities, soaking in the culture etc.) After the show ended we went to a mall on the promenade for dinner. I ordered a pasta set and discovered halfway through that the sauce had meat in it. At first it was just the taste that grossed me out, but I felt very ill by the time I got on my train. A dose of pepto-bismol and a can of mitsuya cider later I am feeling much better...but am still grossed out that I actually ate meat (and it tasted awful!).

So, that was my weekend. I hope this long and detailed blog makes up for some of the rather *ahem* brief accounts of late. I will try to post pictures soon, but no promises.

All my love.

Update: I am Alive

Flash-Rainstorm on the field trip to Zoorasia today (An outdoor Zoo)...feeling sick but still alive. Sorry I can't write more, my medicine is making me super drowsy. Tomorrow night I leave for Kyoto--lets hope I feel better soon!

Things are looking up

Ok, sorry again for the long hiatus. Believe it or not, I have been too busy having FUN to blog at all. So I created the ultimatum for myself, only to discover that I really only had one option: I HAD to stay. Let me explain:

Angie, our supervisor, came to see our site on Friday. Before camp began we had breakfast together (just her and I) and we talked about how I felt. Thursday was a rough day because the field trip left me fatigued...and so on Friday I felt ready to call it quits. Angie explained how EXPENSIVE it would be for me to leave early--since it nullifies my contract I would owe back part of my stipend and have to pay to get myself home. I can't afford to do that...so my only option was to make the best of my time here.

Later that day I got another piece of good news. Angie was impressed by the program we are running, she said it is one of the best she has ever seen! As a reward she has removed the buddy rule from our site, this means I can travel wherever I want and whenever I want to all on my own! This gives me a lot more freedom!

On Friday I went to Roppongi to meet up with the embassy kids to celebrate Jeff's 21st birthday! Afterwards we went to Shibuya and did Karaoke, we danced and sang all night! We had SO much fun we had to RUN TO THE STATION to make the last train, and then had to SPRINT to the subway to get on a train to Hiro-o. It was one of the best nights ever.

On Saturday (yesterday) I went to The Pokemon Center and Akihabara with Jeff and his director Hank. It was a lot of fun, and I got to see the Tokyo Bay for the first time (though it was an AWFUL view).

Earlier this week I got to go back to Ueno for shopping, visited the shrine as Asakusa and went to Korea Town with Shu and Brittney. Brittney was in Seoul last year and was craving some Korean BBQ. Shu ordered me some vegetarian fare that was SOOO GOOD (and Kimchee cooked is actually not that bad!). Shu and Britt ordered some bacon something...which was cooked right in front of me. It has been a while since I saw meat cook...so I felt a little nauseated after that.

For about 24 hours, I thought that Autumn might be able to come and visit me. She has always wanted to come to Japan, and having a place to stay the majority of the nights would have made the trip really cheap for her. Unfortunately her parents don't think the trip will be worthwhile because she won't be on a service project or working for school. Personally, I think all forms of traveling are educational and worthwhile....but I suppose there is nothing I can do to change this. I would be lying if I said I was OK that Autumn isn't coming. It really got my hopes up; I started to plan out things that we can do, I made inquiries about booking tours, I walked around Kamata for two hours last night doing research on all of the hotels trying to find the best deals. I really miss her a lot, and imagining how much fun it would be to have her here was so exciting. Hearing that she can't come now is a huge let down.

I do have SOMETHING to look forward to: next weekend I am going to KYOTO! I am so excited, I am so happy I was able to get tickets! I will be going with the Embassy, so it should be a TON of fun. I am also going to try to go with them when they take on Fuji-San at the beginning of August--there is SO MUCH GOING ON.

I need to take a shower soon because I want to check out a festival that is going on at a local shrine here in kamata (I saw them cleaning up yesterday, hopefully it is still going on!). Afterwards I am planning to go to Ikebukuro to see the Female Otaku Capital of the World (i.e. the Shoujo Manga and Anime burrow of Tokyo).

I will blog again and post more pictures soon! I love you all, miss you tons!

Feeling Low

I don't have time for a true blog post (since I am going out the door)...but I dreamed of home last night and I wanted to talk about it. It wasn't even a dream of my friends and family like I have been having lately...it was a dream of my commute to school in Davis. I am homesick, and I am honestly ready to come home. There is still a lot I want to do in Japan (climb Fuji and see Kyoto being the only things really on that list)...but I don't know if I can make it another month waking up in this tiny room and spending my days alone and working like mad. I need a vacation from my vacation.

I have three options

1. Stick it out until the end
2. Request a transfer to a larger site (more people to hang out with, less work)
3. Go Home

please send me emails with advice (ametz@ucdavis.edu)...I am at a really low spot right now...

Told you so

Pics from Yokosuka on July 4th here, more soon!

I am officially the worst blogger in history

It seems that I only ever feel compelled to blog when I feel something good has happened. This week in camp has been so exhausting (only 20 kids! next week we'll have around 25!!!)...and I just want to forget about everything. Today, however, has been something else entirely. We finished camp and worked on some posters for next week (Spy week) and after work I FINALLY got to try some Desi food! I chose a lovely Halal-Indian Restaurant on our way to the station. I had Saag Paneer and garlic nan, and it was AMAZING. It was definitely the best meal I have had in Japan by a looong shot (sad that it isn't even Japanese food!!). It was like a little taste of Kathmandu Kitchen in the heart of Shinagawa.
On the way home I visited a little shrine that is right across from the station. I did the entire process--washed my hands at the little dragon fountain, threw some loose change in, rang the bell, clapped twice, bowed and prayed. I prayed that I would have a better time in Japan than I have been having and prayed that I would be able to last the entire summer without being too homesick (also, did I mention there was a sweet Cat sitting in front of the temple--he was like a little watchman).
After that I went home, bought a cool summer dress and tried to hem it (it turned out to be way too long...I think I can only wear it as a house dress until I obtain a proper sewing machine). I will blog more later...right now I am trying to find out what I am doing this weekend. I may not get to go to Kyoto at all which makes me so depressed (my director would rather go to Hiroshima...but she is going to see a friend and I don't want to pay hundreds of dollars for tickets if I am not going to devote myself to the sights)...and my friends who were coming to Tokyo canceled...so at this point I have nothing to do! :( Hopefully someone will come through...my weekends are so precious, and I definitely want to go somewhere!!! I am uploading pictures now and will post them later (I promise).

Belated News

Sorry it has been such a long time since I posted ( I feel like I have been saying that a lot lately), but I have honestly been very very busy. Let me backtrack and pick up where I left off.

Disneyland was fun, but also really stressful. Even on a rainy Thursday the park was quite crowded, and keeping track of all the kids was a nightmare. The kids seemed to really enjoy themselves despite the rain and having thunder mountain railroad and space mountain (the most popular rides) closed down. After we took the kids back, Brittney, Shu (our Japanese Counselor) and I went back to explore the park for a bit. My overall impression of the park is that it doesn't measure up to the real thing (Disneyland in California), but that it definitely has its charms. There is an AMAZING Winnie the Pooh ride that utilizes some of Japan's most advance transportation tech (I thought Shu was kidding until I actually went on the ride). The ride moves in an indescribably smooth and fluid way, and each car has a different and unique path that it takes through the adventure--it is VERY VERY cool.

On Friday a lot of the kids were still tired from Thursday, so it was kind of a lack-lustre day. On Friday night, however, I received some AMAZING news! My adapted screenplay (for Daniel DeFoe's Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders) was selected by the Prized Writing committee to be published in this year's anthology! The anthology will be used in introductory writing courses--I am SO EXCITED! Published:ME!! When I found out I was so happy I started crying--I wish I could have been home to share that moment with everyone...Brittney was supportive but she didn't really understand what a big deal it was to me.

Saturday, the 4th of July was an emotional and happy day. Brittney and I went to Yokosuka Naval Base and were able to get on thanks to our friends at the Embassy. We had so much fun. There was a Beatles cover band there that made me think about my Daddy...and I cried a little bit (I have been really emotional lately). I also got some Mexican Food (Taco Bell...but who is complaining?) and had my Independence Day fireworks (which also reminded me of home and made me cry). Saturday night I went home with the Embassy and got to stay in their AMAZING hotel (it was seriously the nicest hotel I have ever stayed in--INCREDIBLE!).

On Sunday I met up with my good friends Rie and Euma (Mother and Son) and they took me to a small Japanese festival for international students. I was put into a Yukata (a summer kimono made of cotton) and I learned Japanese Floral Arrangement (actually...the sweet Old ladies mostly did my arrangement for me...I couldn't seem to get the hang of it), Origami and I also participated in a tea ceremony (my legs cramped up and fell asleep because I had to sit on my legs...and boy it was HOT!). My overall impression of the Yukata: hard to walk and sit in, but very pretty and surprisingly comfortable (temperature-wise). I also made a wish for the Star Festival (which is on July 7th), by writing my wish on a slip of paper and tying it to a tree in the garden of the house (did I mention this festival was in an old fashioned Japanese tea house complex?). I would say my wish...but if I do I am afraid it will not come true! The festival itself was amazing, I was so happy that I got to participate. After the festival, Rie took me to Kichijōji, a residential area in Tokyo. We went to a lovely park there that was ENORMOUS and had a part of the Kanda river running through it. The park had lovely vendors and performers, people on the river in row bots and swan boats, kids catching frogs and crayfish, tall and cool trees, a nice temple and a Studio Ghibli Museum (anyone who knows me KNOWS I LOVE STUDIO GHIBLI!). I couldn't go into the Museum because it was closed, but I got some nice pictures of the unique exterior. Rie treated me to dinner and took me to a nice and inexpensive shopping area. She also got me in touch with a few of her friends who will "help me to not be so homesick." I owe so much to Rie, I am glad I was able to see her before she left for the states (which was today), and I can't wait until I see her again at the end of the month.

Everyone I have met in Japan has been really polite and kind to me, but seeing Rie and spending time with her was almost like having a piece of home to keep me company. This whole weekend, in fact, has helped me feel closer to home. Mickey and Minnie, Pirates of the Caribbean, Fireworks and Taco Bell, Italian Food and conversation in English...overall this was the best weekend I have had in Japan...and I think it is mostly due to all of the comforts of home I have experienced. I am still homesick, but there is SO MUCH of Japan I have yet to see, I want to stay and keep my adventure going for now.

I will post some pictures of my amazing weekend and blog more about week 3 of Camp soon! Please keep in touch, I love hearing from you!

Tired...

I am sorry I haven't been writing lately, I am so exhausted all of the time that I usually come home, finish my work and crash. I feel like I am going through the motions everyday...I am not really enjoying myself...

But lets talk about better things first--Kamakura. Visiting the historical city of Kamakura was my first major outing while in Japan. Kamakura was, for a short while, the capital of Japan and has many historic sites. One of the major attractions is the giant Buddah Daibatsu--which is over 750 years old! I even got to go inside!! I also saw a number of large and small temples and tried yakisoba for the first time (made by myself in a griddle that was built into the table). We also visited the fame Kamakura beach...which was quite seaweedy and choppy--not exactly ideal. The weather was great and it was a wonderful trip. We were supposed to go to Yokohama on Sunday, but it ended up raining...not that it mattered, because we slept through all of Sunday anyway. You see, after we left Kamakura we checked out the club scene in Shibuya with some other Camp A-ers...and discovered that the trains stop at midnight and start again at 5 am...I think you can figure out how the the story finishes.
We are almost done with our second week of camp. This week we have a ton of boys who are very loud and have a hard time following directions, but they are all great. Tomorrow is our field trip to TOKYO DISNEYLAND! I am very excited about it...

Sounds pretty good doesn't it? What do I have to complain about? ...The truth is I am awfully lonely (even though I am with Brittney 24/7)...Brittney and I aren't very close and that is making it hard for me to have any fun...we don't really understand each other nor are we very compatible as friends. Work is hard, and I barely get enough sleep at night with all of the programming I have had to do lately. I miss home, that is the biggest thing--I miss my friends, my co-workers, my church and my family. I am awfully miserable right now...but I am trying not to show it to the kids.

Anyway, I hope all is well back home! I am sorry this is such a short post, but I must get back to work! I'll post pictures of Kamakura soon!!! <3

New Pictures

I am catching up on old pictures...then i will blog about Kamakura/Last night

Here are the pictures I took of my commute from Kamata-Shinagawa

Here are some pictures of a random shrine we found in Kamata

Finally: Here are pictures from my Shibuya/Harajuku Adventure--no descriptions/titles yet though...

It's nighttime! I have to get ready for camp tomorrow, beginning of week 2!!! I'll blog tomorrow! <3

WEEK ONE: DONE!

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Week One is OVER! Oh man, I am so glad this week is finally done! Though, truth be told...I would be lying if I said I wouldn't miss the kids--actually, I already do...

So let me give you a quick update:
Yesterday we went on our first field trip, and it was to Children's Land. Children's Land is a huge park located just outside of Tokyo with tons of HUGE play structures, a crazy-bicycle speedway, a pedal-powered roller coaster, a pony ride, a petting zoo (with the CUTEST cows EVER), farm fresh ice cream and MUCH more! We all had a blast--but the kids were EXHAUSTED from all of the walking (I was pretty pooped too!). My favourite part was the pedal-powered roller coaster, I have never been on anything like it and it was SO much fun (the kids were furiously pedalling, so cute). To and From Children's Land we watched the movie Like Mike (since it is Sports week)...and I have to say I got choked up at the end (the kids were RELENTLESS with their teasing).
Today was the last day. While we were doing our rotating activities, our little A**** got his hand slammed in the door by his buddy when they were coming back from the bathroom. His screaming broke my heart--poor little guy. He was a champ though: he came back and played for a little while before his mom came to get him. I saw both him and his brother A*** at dinner tonight, they said they'll be at camp in two weeks (I can't wait!). As a group activity we had a race to see who could make the longest Olympic ring chain. When we put all the individual strands together we had 229 rings total! It was a great way to kill an hour (yes, we spent an hour making and counting chains--AMAZING :) ).
At the end of the day we had our first ever Camp A Presents, which is a show that we put on for the parents. Since a lot of these kids have parents involved in Business, not a ton of parents showed up and some of the kids were really upset. Nevertheless, the kids sang Summer's Here and Camp A Rocks PERFECTLY, and they had TONS of fun Chuggying their parents (Chugi Chugi is a cute dance we do, which involves some poking of audience members at the end--very funny). Britt and I performed the 'Spit Around the World' skit which was a big crowd-pleaser. The parents all joined us for closing--we sang and signed Lean on Me and sang and danced the Alleluia song.
We had a few tearful goodbyes today--a lot of kids were trying to convince their parents to let them stay at Camp for more weeks (I feel bad for them--I wish they could come back too!) As soon as the last kids left it was DOWN with the Sports week posters and UP with the Fairytale/Fantasy week posters. It is AMAZING how fast one can tear down an entire weeks-worth of painting...I was a little sad to see things go. For Fantasy week I painted an awesome turret, a HUGE dragon with disproportionately small feet, a frog prince, a magic wand (with magic), a bubbling cauldron/pot of gold (it is hard to tell which it is) and a UNICORN (which everyone thought was going to be a donkey...). I can't wait for Fantasy week to start...but having a short vacation from Camp is great (though I still have to finish my programming for Week 3: Barnyard Bonanza!).
Tomorrow Brittney and I are going to Kamakura to see the giant Buddha, meet up with some Camp friends and take in some of the history. We're thinking about staying in Yokohama and going there on Sunday (though honestly there is still a lot to be done with the camp room...)...I'll be sure to post more pictures soon (maybe even later tonight!)--thanks for reading (send me more emails!).

P.S. I didn't mention in my last post (I think) but I found a place to exchange money! With the fees and the conversion rate I lost about $20 off of $220...which seems like a lot. At least I have yen now :/

Camp Days 2 and 3

I can't believe it is already Wednesday night--where has the time gone? Things at Camp are going well--the kids are super sweet and affectionate, they all participate in all of the games and everyone seems really happy. Today my little 5 year old A---- finally passed his swim test!!!! He was super excited--now he gets to swim wherever he wants to! The twins are...weird...they're always picking off their scabs and then freaking out when they start to bleed--but they never learn their lesson! God only knows how many band-aids I have had to give them in the last two days (mostly it is happening to the pool so I have been sending them to the lifeguards to have them deal with it, lol). Our 12 year old B-- decided that Camp wasn't for him and left after the first day--the other kids really miss him which makes me sad.
Next week is Fantasy week, and I have already started to paint posters (so far a frog prince, a dragon, a unicorn and a turret). We're basically working at the club everyday from 7:45-8:00 pm...which is quite tiring. I have a hard time getting up in the morning these days because I am always exhausted--hopefully after we get into a routine things will be better.
WE FINALLY HAVE AIR-CONDITIONING! It is amazing! It is so hot and humid here I didn't know how long we would be able to survive, especially knowing that it only gets hotter (but apparently no more humid than it has been, thank God). Hopefully the clothes I have been hanging up will finally be able to dry! Which brings me to another topic--clothes washing. The washers here UTTERLY suck. They do NOTHING for stains, so I have been handwashing A LOT. Squatting next to the hose scrubbing my Camp A shirts makes me feel like a true pinay, mom would be so proud. I invested in a body brush (one side has a pumice stone, the other a brush) which has been great--I have gotten most of my tempera paint stains out of all of my white clothes! Also, I discovered a washer and dryer in the staff locker room at the club, so I am going to try to use that as much as possible to save money (500 yen/wash at the apartment is a lot!).
The club also has a bunk room (with bunk beds, obviously) and a shower with bodywash and shampoo/conditioner in the staff locker room...which makes me wonder why we can't just live there! I know they probably have some security issue...but the commute from Kamata is SO FAR and the trains are always SO PACKED. I don't know if I will be able to get used to this :/
This weekend Brittney and I are going to Kamakura to sightsee and meet up with other Camp A groups posted around the country. I am really looking forward to it! I would like to write more but I am feeling really tired (and I am also SUPER HOT, Brittney was on the phone in the room so I had to go sit in the hall upstairs to write this because someone is having a party in the common room).
I'll keep you posted on anything new that comes up! I miss you all! Hugs and Kisses all around!

Camp: Day 1

Well...I wasn't going to blog tonight because I am SOO TIRED, but since I got a special request (from my lovely auntie) to keep the blog going, I will endure my fatigue.
So yes, today was the first day of camp. Here is the recap: 13 kids (great ratios) ages 5.5-12 (not such a great range), 3 injury reports, 2 unhappy kids, 2 hr pool time (only 45 min of actual swim--the rest was getting the kids in their suits and sunscreened up). For the most part, everything went smoothly and the kids went home smiling quietly. My programming went surprisingly well--I was surprised how closely we stuck to the schedule! Some of the kids weren't digging some of the activities, so I hope they will have a better time the next couple of days. For the most part the majority of the kids had a really good time, at least that is what they told me.
3 injury reports is a lot for one day of camp, but they were all minor--reopened scabs from playing and one hurt thumb (really super minor), we still reported everything which seems to be more than was done in previous years.
There is one little boy who is only five and a half who I really want to try to work on this week. He is the smallest kid and was the only one who couldn't pass his swim test. He was feeling pretty low today, so I tried to hang out with him--my goal for this week is to get him to leave camp with a huge smile on his face.
One other problem--the 12 year old. He is this SUPER COOL kid from Belgium named B** who is 'too cool for camp.' As a 12 year old he is allowed to sign himself out by club rules, but not ours. He left in the homeward-bound rush and we searched the WHOLE club for him, only to find him calmly sitting in the lobby waiting for his mom to pick him up (except that she came to the camp room looking for him!). We'll have to watch that one...
Prior to camp starting, I was feeling pretty burnt out from all of the work and traveling we have been doing--but after camp was over I felt STOKED. I can't wait for tomorrow, I hope all goes well. Like I said before though: I am really tired so I am afraid this is all I can write tonight. Stay tuned for more!

P.S. Finding a currency exchange place in Tokyo is so hard--and I need to get more Yen pronto because we are going to Kamakura on Friday night :/
Also--I need to call my bank to find out if I can withdraw money from the ATMs here with my visa card...this is becoming kind of a big issue for me!

Kamata Rocks

Konbanwa!

So...we didn't go to Tsukiji because it rained nearly ALL DAY. Instead, Brittney and I slept in and decided to go explore Kamata. Kamata, it turns out, is a lot bigger than I originally thought and has TONS of good shopping and restaurants. We discovered a 4 story 100 yen store and bought some things for the apartment (drying rack, some shelving stuff etc.). We had an early lunch at a Sushi Bar! Sushi tastes different here in Japan...I don't know if it is BETTER than in the states, but it is certainly different. We learned all about the fish industry from a documentary on the plane over, so don't worry mom: the fish is all quick frozen and super fresh! The one bad thing about lunch was that the miso soup I had had beef AND chicken in it, and I even ate some chicken on accident :( I was sad, but I suppose it is my own fault for being vegetarian in Japan. I had MUCH better luck with dinner--a salad and some shrimp fried rice, muy bien! The apartment has just about everything we need now (except a dehumidifyer!!) and we are MUCH more comfortable! Camp Starts tomorrow (yay!) and HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADDY!!!

P.S. I am feeling a bit homesick right now...so I got a plant to distract me. I'll post pictures of it later :)

Programming Week: Complete

Sumimasen! Sorry it has been such a long time since I blogged last!
This entire week has been insane. Brittney and I have been putting in 10 hr+ days at work every day for the last week to try to get things ready for Monday. Having only 1 counselor and 1 camp director at a site really sucks. Yes we have GREAT ratios, but we only have 2 people to do the work of 4--and in reality Brittney has a lot of Directing stuff she has to do. Basically, I got the entire Camp room set up by myself (I did all the painting etc.) and ALL OF THE PROGRAMMING for next week. Brittney took care of all the administrative stuff which was great--but I am exhausted.
Today (Saturday) we went BACK to the Club to do some extra posters/finishing touches on the room for Monday. We spent the entire morning there and met up with the Embassy people for just a second in Shibuya (I got to see Hachiko the dog!!). The Embassy people left (they wanted to rest up to hit Roppongi tonight) and Brittney and I hung out with some of her friends from Nigishi--they were totally awesome.
So, yes: Brittney and I FINALLY got to see other parts of Tokyo! We went through Shibuya and Harajuku (some of the most popular tourist destinations). My first impressions: everything here is expensive!!! Mom always told be about how American-Brand crazy Filipinos are and I am starting to think it has something to do with how expensive American imports are (and how exclusive mid-range stores like H&M and Forever 21 are--there was a LINE to get into a 4 STORY Forever 21!!). We found some Uno cards at a gas station that were over 1,000 yen! That is over $10 American Dollars! It is crazy. Brittney's friends Ricky and Duane also got hooked into going to an "upstairs" boutique, thankfully it wasn't too sketch and they both got out with all of their money and no scrapes.
In Harajuku we found a beautiful park with a huge Koi pond (with GIGANTIC koi and turtles!). A Newlywed couple came to get pictures done--it was beautiful. I congratulated the couple and the family (Omedetou-onegaishimasu) and everyone seemed really pleased and happy. I definitely want to go back to Harajuku sometime to see the infamous 5-story 100 yen store--I can't wait.
Tonight we also got to eat in a REAL Japanese restaurant, and the experience was...in a word: awful. Brittney's friends were super nice, but also very hungry. I tried to communicate with the staff to get some Vegetarian food (and there were two customers who knew some English who were very helpful), but everyone was getting impatient, so I just went without food. I felt so terrible--I put everyone through all of that stress for nothing, I really felt like crying. After everyone finished dinner I got some inari at the 100 yen store and we all went back to the apartment. We're getting up SUPER early tomorrow to go to the fish market (the biggest in the world!)...in fact we're actually leaving in about four hours! I guess that is my cue to log off, I'll post again tomorrow!

P.S. I wanted to upload all of my pictures today, but Flickr has a monthly limit--i'll have to get a photobucket account or something instead...

Here are some before and (semi) after pictures of the Camp room. We're not completely done with it--but you'll get the general idea. CLICK HERE!!

And so it begins...

It is Wednesday evening in Tokyo, and we (thankfully) have no rain tonight, just a lovely cool breeze. Today was a very productive day--I did all of the programming for our first week (all by myself!!) and started working on posters for the room, which I will continue to do tomorrow and possibly Friday as well.

Before I say anymore, I have some good news: this quarter wasn't a bust after all. I think I did extremely well considering everything I had to do to get ready for Japan.

Now that that is out of the way, I would like to talk a little about Kamata, the area we live in.

Kamata is a basically-residential part of the city in a ward called Ōta that houses one of the biggest stations on the Keihin-Tōhoku Line. Ōta borders part of Tokyo Bay, but the only parts of Tokyo Bay we have seen are in the rivers and estuaries that dot our neighbourhood. Kamata is an interesting place because of the kinds of people who live here. There are definitely a lot of young people living in Kamata because of it's proximity to some Tokyo U extensions and its affordability. The shops around the station cater to this younger crowd and are generally inexpensive and trendy. Kamata is also a place where a ton of bachelors live--in fact, 85% of the residents in our boarding house are single men ages 21-35. As a result, this area also has its share of Host Clubs, Night Clubs and some of the biggest Pachinko (Gambling) houses in the area.
Walking around our specific area, however, one can see the kind of place Kamata used to be. The houses that are here bear the signs of the poor economy, but harken back to a better time in Japanese history when they were inhabited by young families. There are a lot of apartments in this area now, and the existing houses are either in bad shape or have been converted to boarding houses like the one we live in. There is a small park across the street from us which has fallen into disarray because of lack of use. Most of the current home owners in the area are seniors who purchased their homes for their families, who have been priced out of nicer areas in Tokyo. Now these seniors are forced to cope with the constantly changing landscape and never-ending flow of young and unmarried students, workers and gaijin (foreigners) and all of the kinds of businesses they bring with them.
Despite some of the seedy aspects of this area, Kamata is very safe. Stores close early around here and the patrons of the Pachinko houses, nigh clubs and bars tend to keep to themselves--we haven't heard a lot of noise at night since we came.
So...THAT is Kamata. I will have post some pictures latefir because I don't feel well and am fighting to stay awake. I have had the most terrible headaches since I arrived and have been having a hard time staying up late enough to adjust to the new time...I will have to do something...

Hope you enjoyed my blog today, stay tuned for more of my life here in Japan!

Tokyo American Club

Konbanwa Minna-San! (Good Evening Everyone!)

Brittney and I just got back from the Tokyo American Club--boy did we luck out.
But let me backtrack a little...
Around noon Steve came to pick Brittney and I up at the apartment, he purchased a suica card (metro card) for each of us and put enough money on to last us a few weeks. The train systems in Japan are excellent--always on time, clean and (best of all) convenient. The train station is only a 10 minute walk from our apartment, and the TAC is another 10 minute walk from Shinagawa station (one of the largest stations in Tokyo).
Today we got our first real look at Tokyo proper. Kamata is big and there is tons of stuff to do, but it doesn't even compare to Shinagawa. Huge buildings, 5 star hotels and specialty shops alongside mom and pop restaurants and convenience stores: this is Shinagawa.
The Tokyo American Club, Shinagawa is a temporary club. The club is actually located in Akasaka near the Tokyo Tower and the U.S. Embassy, but the club has been under construction for the last few years. Inside the temporary club there are mock-ups of what the multi-million dollar club will look like. I can't wait to come back and see it, it looks amazing.
The TAC's current location, as I said, is temporary--but you would never guess it. The club's facilities are excellent and clean, the staff is bilingual and polite. Everyone is extremely nice and we have been given TONS of resources. Did I mention that Brittney and I get to eat at a 4 Star restaurant whenever we want, FREE OF CHARGE? Did I also mention that we get free use of most of the club facilities including their extensive DVD library!? Unbelievable, right? I can't believe how lucky we are--it seems like we have the best site in Camp A! Also, the Camp A program here has gone on without an incident for 15 years; Steve says it is mostly due to the high calibre kids in the program!
We stayed at the TAC for a while to take inventory and to do a little programming. Tomorrow we will go back for more rigorous planning and we will meet our Japanese counselor Shuu who is bilingual (which will be a great help since my Japanese is coming slowly).
When we finally left the club it was pouring outside. We've been in a bit of a dry spell in Yolo County, so it has been a while since I have been in such a torrential storm. When we got off in Kamata, though, the conditions worsened and we heard the loudest lightning cracks I have ever heard in my life. Before we left the station we explored the 5-story mall that sits right above it. We found the Japanese equivalent of an Ikea, and though the club said they would reimburse us for any apartment-related purchases, we were reluctant to get anything when we saw how expensive the products were. Tokyo certainly is an expensive place--no doubt about it.
I would write more, but I have a terrible headache (I am probably still a bit jet lagged). I will upload some photos tomorrow before we leave for the club.

P.S. Does anyone know if AmEx cards have pin numbers? I can't recall ever having one, but the atm machines insist that I must!

P.P.S. We moved the fridge today and accidentally unplugged it. There was no food inside but there WAS water everywhere from melted ice. Luckily I brought my shammie which helped a lot, but I certainly won't be using it for personal use until I can get it washed. I still haven't exchanged any money yet, but I need to tomorrow. Ok, my head is killing me--Good Morning, America and Good Night, Japan.

Good Morning Tokyo!

Hello Friends,

It is a beautiful Tuesday morning in Tokyo Japan. Let me tell you about my trip.
As always, things ran a little bit behind schedule on Sunday, but I made it to the airport with lots of time thanks to Amber. :)
Security went off without a hitch (except when I accidentally knocked a bin onto a kid--his mom looked like she was going to FLAY me!), and I found my partner Brittney in the terminal. Brittney seems really nice--she is an Art Ed. major at Chico State with an emphasis in photography. I also discovered that we are both from Paradise, CA--WHAT ARE THE CHANCES? She even knows my Godbrother Chris! It is unbelievable how small this world really is.
On the flight I got a window seat (the first time ever!) and sat next to a nice Korean boy and a guy from San Francisco. They were both very accommodating, though I felt bad making them get up every hour to let me walk around :/ they didn't say anything though. The first vegetarian meal was sub-par, but the second had roasted tomatoes and mushrooms--yummy!!
When we landed in Japan, I was struck by how GREEN the country looked. Tokyo is an urban Mecca surrounded by acres and acres of fertile farm areas and forests.
Immigration, Quarantine and Customs went smoothly (and it is true--people wear masks here ALL THE TIME to protect themselves from the flu). After we got out of the airport we took a 45 minute bus ride into the city and were picked up at the Hotel LaFloret, Tokyo by Steve, our point-of-contact (P.C.).
Steve is from Seattle, WA but has lived in Tokyo for over 30 years. He is a very sweet guy and I look forward to learning about the city and the TAC from him later today.
The apartment was not what I expected. Everyone who told me about the TAC described more...upscale living arrangements, but this is not the case. Brittney and I share a small room in a boarding house in Kamata (here is the web ad for the place: http://www.conveniencehouse.com/). It is certainly not the fanciest place I have ever lived, and it was kind of a let down when were were jet lagged and fatigued, but what a difference a day makes! I feel so fortunate to be here today! I also feel like I am really a resident of Tokyo--I can't wait to start exploring our amazing neighbourhood!

***

Ok, Brittney and I just explored the neighbourhood and there is SO MUCH TO SEE. I had Inari for breakfast and we walked around trying to find a bank (but it was too early in the morning). I am going to be making some vocab flashcards--because my Japanese is really rusty :/. I'll have to learn fast though--no one speaks English!!
So far, Japan is more beautiful than I ever imagined, even the city. It rained last night and our window is letting the cool, damp air into the room. I can hear a variety of bird calls, all of them new and interesting. Steve is going to come and get us soon and we will continue our adventure! Stay tuned!!

P.S. Click Here to see my newest pictures:

In Japan :/

Flight was long, apartment sucks, Aree=Very Tired and will blog later.

Pre-Departure Jitters

Hello Friends,

So...tomorrow is the big day, in more ways than one. At approximately 12:20 pm I will be flying out of SFO bound for the Land of the Rising Sun. At around 9:00 am, my brother will be graduating from UC Davis. To say the least, June 14th, 2009 has been a logistical nightmare. I didn't want my parents to miss out on my brother's graduation, so Amber Winter will be taking me to the airport (God bless her). While I am sad that my family won't be there to send me off, I am glad that my little excursion hasn't ruined my brother's graduation. Tomorrow's schedule will look something like this:

3:00 am-Wake Up
3:15 am-Get out of Bed (lol)
3:20 am-Take a Shower
3:40 am-Get dressed in my LOVELY Camp Adventure uniform
4:00 am-Try to eat something
4:00-6:20 am-Do something to try to stay awake that doesn't involve caffeine
6:30 am-Depart the house
6:40 am-Drop a Flan off at Tio Victor's house for the Holy Rosary Choir party I will be missing
6:45 am-Swing by the house to pick up my lovely Auntie
7:00 am-Drop me off at Amber Winter's apartment (tearful goodbyes to the Fam)
7:15-7:20 am-Depart Amber Winter's House
7:40 am-Starbucks in Dixon
9:00-9:20 am-SFO
9:30-??? am-Tearful Goodbye to Amber
???-11:45 am-?????
12:20 pm-Take-off
12:30 pm-Read/Watch Movies/Play Games with Brittany/Sleep/Eat/Sleep/Listen to Music/Sleep
3:30 pm (Monday)-WELCOME TO JAPAN!

But...as we all know (or at least those of you who kept tabs on me in Australia know), things often do not go as scheduled. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope that everything runs as smoothly and timely as possible tomorrow.

The flight will minimally be 10 hours. While not the longest plane ride I have ever been on, it is a long time to be basically sedentary. Plane rides don't especially bother me though--all I need is some Dramamine, an eye mask and earplugs and I am good to go! I can fall asleep on a dime in airplanes (the same cannot be said about cars...), and I feel especially fortunate in this regard.

So, how did I spend my last day in America? I hung out with Amber Winter, got a Pedicure (which lasted all of 3 hours before chipping...this is what I get for paying $25 for a spa pedi), had some dramatic last-minute baggage issues with Mom, taught Mom and Dad how to use a webcam and skype (HILARITY) and was somehow was able to find a few moments to blog. Now you all know the extent of my love. :)

Well, I am off to bed now--please send me good thoughts and prayers tomorrow, and God willing I will arrive unscathed in Japan at the appointed hour. More updates to come, keep reading!!

Introduction

Ichi-go Ichi-e

"one time, one meeting"

Ichi-go Ichi-e is a saying that comes from the traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony. In English it loosely translates to 'a Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity'; but in Japanese, the term means so much more than that.

In the tea ceremony, every element—the sounds, the colors, the smells, the tastes, the people with you, the circumstances which bring you together, everything—comes together creating an experience that is as close to perfection as a human being can manage. Such an event can never be replicated. The moment, once passed, is gone forever.

-Japan, June 14th-August 22nd-

This is my journey, my Ichi-go Ichi-e