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
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
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.
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.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
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!
Saturday, July 18, 2009
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!
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!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
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
I have three options
- Stick it out until the end
- Request a transfer to a larger site (more people to hang out with, less work)
- Go Home
Friday, July 10, 2009
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).
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).
Monday, July 6, 2009
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!
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!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
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
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
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