J*THOUGHT - SAME PRICE BUT SMALLER

This will be the start of my random thoughts about japan while i live here. Everyday i think of something, but now i will write it down to share with you. I will name this section J*THOUGHT. Not very original, but hey it gets the point across. Kinda like short stories by Jack Handy on SNL.

Anyways, everyone says things are a bit more expensive in japan. Most of the times i would have to agree, because there has been many a times i have blown $20 to even $50 on a meal. Totally unheard of if i lived in the USA back home. I know back home if i spent more than $7 on a meal that would be pushing it, and if it was $50 i would have gone to the MET or Palisades for a bling bling bling dinner, and we know those dinners dont come very often at all. So why am i spending so much money on food at times? Well, heck i dont really know??? Is it because the Yen looks like Monopoly money to me??? I cant even count how many times i have eaten steak this year, and i know each time was not cheap .... mmmm ...

Anyways back to the topic, as this is kinda some random writing or typing anyway. Things in Japan arent always more expensive but merly just smaller!!! ... for the same price ... Take for example something that can be compared in both countries. My favorite example, McDonalds. A Big Mac set will run you about $6 bucks or so in the USA. But here in Japan you can get that same regular set for around $6 too, just that your fries would be a bit smaller, moving from something like a large size to a medium size by default, and that is the same for the drink. And even if you do so called super size in japan, it basically just rounds it to about a little less than a large size in the US. So drinks and fries (potato they call it here) are a bit smaller, but luckily the Big Mac is about the same size, thank the lord for that. I cant live without my BigMac.

Then other things such as sandwiches, yup, much smaller, much smaller, and where is the meat? Steak, ha ha ha ... same price or more, but less steak, even half the steak! yikes! Where is the beef!!! As the list can continue on and on, i am sure anyone can imagine a case of "Honey I Shrunk Everthing in Japan" being a good description of my life here.

NO INTERNATIONAL CLASS???

Ah it was thursday again, and it was the funny 2nd grade class coming up. I always miss there class for some reason, be it a meeting, or a typhoon. But they are always cracking me up with the crazy things they do. For example, they like getting extra points so they are always screaming to get picked. Usually in other classes i feel like i need to take out a bat to get the kids to raise their hands, but nope, not in this class. One day, one of the boys even went out of his way to trace out and cut out a copy of his hand to use it as a call me, call me item. Too funny. And then there homeroom teacher is also the teacher i teach with, so they are always calling him names such as Mr. Ishihara teacher! Mr. Ishihara teacher! ..... ah the joys of that class.

Then today, sadly had to tell them that we wouldnt be having a regular class, but a review for their test next week. Then Mao, one of the girls in the class burst out saying in japanese ... "oh no international class today? that is the most enjoyable class ... " , ah i felt bad to break it to them, but the fun continued on as we took the test words and played what else, but BINGO !! All in all, it was a good day at work.

Afterwork, i was off to the Kamae Center to help out the little elementary kids with a little Christmas hand crafts.

mm... went all the way to fukuoka to eat hokkaido ramen ... yum

big tatsuno sumo

AN UDON THANKSGIVING

Ah Thanksgiving in japan is not quite the same as back home. First of all in japan they dont really do the thanksgiving thing, and plus there aint a turkey to be found in japan, not even in the sandwich meat section. Damn i miss turkey, and my friends and family, its just not the same, but i am ok. Boo hoo no turkey meat, or turkey sandwich, or turkey soup. Just have to sit here and have a my own japanese thanksgiving. I will call my dinner an udon noodle thanksgiving.

ANOTHER HOLIDAY

Its tuesday here and another japanese holiday has arrived. I am not sure for what but i am not complaining, just a nice day to enjoy the autumn weather, the bright sun, the changing of the leaves, and oh yeah clean the apartment. Getting cold, gotta insulate my apartment, japan is not a good country for insulation, not sure why, sometimes it feels like everything is made out of balsa wood.

BRRRRRR

After a nice couple of comfortable weeks, it seems that the chill has set in. Temps dropping to highs around the 60s and lows around the 40s. But the sun is still shinning!

TENNIS ANYONE?

I am not sure when was the last time i played tennis, but i was sure happy to meet up with Carrie and Richard and some others for a little game. I was so happy that somehow i bought a new Prince racquet at Sports Authority the other day.

Well today was a beautiful day for some tennis action. With the sun shinning and the temperature in the low 70s a group of us set out to play some tennis at Akashi. Hiking through the big park we finally arrived at our destination, the tennis courts. But low and behold, just like any other japanese function all the courts were full! There also seemed to be some sort of name board at the tennis center, and that looked pretty full. After a brief discussion with the tennis center worker, we found out that all the courts were pretty much booked for all day! We had to come at 9am to reserve a spot. Ah, just like any other court in japan that i have noticed, yah gotta sign up and pay, not quite like america where you can roll up to any court for free and wait your turn to play. Nah, but here yah gotta book it. Bummer so tennis didnt look to promising today, jeez i miss playing tennis.

But like the true ALTs we are, we decided to go ghetto style. After passing a nice patch of dirt along the way back, we decided to visit it again and yeah just hit the ball around. It worked pretty well, it was just like playing at school, because my kids play in the dirt too. Kinda like a clay court of some sort. Well it just dirt. Anyways it was fun just to hit the ball out in the sun, minus the japanese pedestrians who were walking through our imaginary dirt courts. Not quite Green Lake, but good fun was had by all and me. To top off things got in some frisbee throwing action, it must have been ages since i played, because butterfingers was in effect.

THIS WEEK WITH THE KIDS

Another week at junior high is finished. Thankfully. The schools culture festival is coming up in about 2 weeks so i have been busy trying to help out with the 3rd grade kids and their speech about Martin Luther King Jr. Very cool topic, as it is something in history that should always be remembered. The kids pretty much had the pronunction as close it could be, with a slight japanese of course, but that is ok. So the main thing was gesturing, the 4 of them did a good job, Ms. Yuka, Ms. Saki, Mr. Taichi, and Mr. Daiki. Today was a bit more productive than the other day when i was just chatting away with the boys and arm wrestling them. Got some big boys in 3rd grade as Mr. Taichi had me beat on the left arm. He also plays judo and outweighs me by about 30 pounds too.

Anyways, the 2nd graders were out doing their skit of an old japanese scary story, pretty cool i thought. At first Ueo Sensei was just gonna have them do plain speeches, but i said nah, that is too boring. The kids have a great story and it would be great to act out. So knowing Ueo Sensei and how open she is to some things, she went with the idea, so today was the first day of breaking down the lines.

Other activities in school revolved around some mystery words that the 2nd grade girls have been giving me. They run up to me and say A-B-B-A .. not sure if it was code word or something for something naughty, which they like to say ... but i just played it off and said ABBA? Such as in the music band, "Dancing Queen" as in the song? Then they just giggle and run off, i will have to do some more research and get back to you on this mystery of A-B-B-A.

In addition to the new mystery words, there has been a new sign of gesturing this week. The ole kiss goodbye in the air, aimed at me. Oh my, i think my kids have been watching too much TV. Anyways they are a funny bunch.

Then there are the boys and sometimes girls, the thing is that i have been working out at the gym a bit, so for the past month or two the boys have been paying a little too much to my body. Sometimes when i pass by a group they like to pat my chest and feel my arms, and say "great!" (sugoi) in japanese, and it is not a little pat or anything, it is like the beating of the drums, so i have to quickly move on if i am to avoid any injuries. Its not like i am Arnold, but they get a kick out of it. Sometimes they hit him so much it is as if i am gonna get red marks. Ha ha ha ha. Maybe i better workout more so i dont feel as much pain from the patting.

SOCKS, YOU LIKE EM WHITE?

If you have a thing about clean white socks, dont come to japan. Because it seems like everywhere you go, you are bound somewhere to take off your shoes, and go with the socks. Let me count the ways, gotta do it at school, often times teachers and kids are seen running around the halls and the gym with just socks, even i do it too .... mmm ... peoples homes of course, and even certain restaurants require you to take off your shoe. So i hope you have plenty of socks or bleach when you visit japan.

Also on a side note, before you know how your mommy told you not to wear socks with holes in them, well better think twice on that advice, i think it would be a bad sight to see, especially in japan.

GOD DAMN IT!

Another 4 Bushy years, i cant believe Kerry lost and Bush won, great have to stay in japan longer now. I hate Bush! Stupidass!

TATSUNO FESTIVAL

Seems like every town, city in japan has their own festival and today was one for Tatsuno, not sure what the reason was, but checked it out anyway. When i got to the gym/city hall area, it was bustling with people, seemed like a good crowd. There was the usual food booths, and flea market sellers and to go along, a mini parade of some sorts. Just random acts and dances new and traditional going by. Just enjoyed the day, as today was a holiday, thank goodness. Even ran into Noriko from my conversation group, so i just hanged out with her and her friend. Her friend is a traditional kimono maker, and had very nice style i might add. It also seemed like her friend knew everyone in town, as everyone talked to her, even if they knew her or not. Ha ha ha , a nice lady. Just another day in the small, small city of Tatsuno.

ELECTION TIME

Its tuesday back home, and it is as if the fate of the world will be determined soon, as crazy man Bush goes up against Kerry in the USA presidential election. As usual the pattern was west coast and NE coast, and upper midwest going to Kerry and the rest going to Bush. Ending up the day with Bush holding 254 EV and Kerry with 252 EV ... damn, with only Ohio left with 20 key EV. The winner needs 270 to win. Currently Bush is ahead in Ohio, but there are other late ballots to be counted, it may take up to 11 days. But it is worth the wait, to wait for 11 days rather than another 4 years with that crazy man Bush. He needs to go, if he is re-elected i might have to stay in japan a little bit longer, where it is safer!