On the Job

I don't often talk about my job on here, except in vague terms of going to random school festivals, and that the money I receive from doing it allows me to survive (and buy lots of curry, that's important). This does not mean, however, that I dislike my job. Actually, I love it, and today I want to post why. In addition to being something new every day, and the obvious benefits of teaching great kids, I occasionally help with the lessons in a more tangible way than running an activity or explaining grammar structure. Sometimes, sometimes, I get to make materials. Every now and then one of my teachers decides that the flash cards we have are boring, and so they come up to my desk, arms laden with big markers and sheets of paper, and ask me to draw things.

Granted, I'm not the best artist in the world, and even if I was, 5 minutes and some magic markers are hardly the ideal conditions in which to produce a masterpiece. Even so, I love doing it, the kids get a kick out of seeing them, and occasionally they turn out kinda cool. The one above is from a video game that's super popular here called Monster Hunter, or 'MoHan' for short. The one below? I was asked to draw a picture of the thing that most surprised me when I got to Japan: traditional Japanese toilets, otherwise known as holes in the ground. Fun, fun!

Things I Love About Japan

Baskin Robbins here are awesome. They call them '31' actually, probably because the '31 Flavors' is most prominent on the sign, and actually saying Baskin Robbins is some sort of cruel torture on Japanese tongues. Regardless, Japanese Baskin Robbins > American Baskin Robbins. Why? Do American Baskin Robbins make my ice cream cup into a little snowman during Christmas time? I didn't think so.

The Most Interesting Car in the World

No, that is not someone's tricked out car you see above. That is a Japanese funeral hearse. In Japan, the dead are almost always cremated and the remains placed in a jar. As far as I know, it's always just ashes that ride in the hearse; it does not carry the body before it is cremated. The hearse is built to resemble a temple, and they are incredibly ornate. Personally, I think they exude a strange beauty as well. They are also unsurprisingly eye-catching, and I've been trying to get a picture of one for a while. The first time I saw one, though, I was more interested in finding out what in the world it was than taking a picture. I believe I stared at it for a good five minutes trying to figure it out, and I defy anyone else who sees one of these for the first time in person to not do the same.

Hina Matsuri

Hina Matsuri, or literally 'Princess Festival', happens every year on March 3rd, and honors little girls. As far as Japanese festivals go, it's pretty low-key. Leading up to that day, families, stores, and schools put out incredibly expensive doll sets of the Imperial Court on display. On the day of the 3rd, usually in front of the dolls, family members eat sakura mochi, which is pink rice cake with a cherry tree leaf wrapped around it and sweet red-bean paste in the middle. I admit to having a fondness for this particular sweet, and wish it was available more often than just 'in Spring'.


The most interesting thing about this festival is that the doll set has to come down and be put away on March 4th, otherwise the young girls in that family will be cursed with late marriages, or not be able to marry at all. The dolls are incredibly beautiful though, so I admit to enjoying this festival, even though it lacks the traditional fireworks and food prevalent in other Japanese events. This particular set belongs to my elementary school, but I might have to try and buy one before I leave the country, just because. Packing it might be challenging though....

Things I Love About Japan

Parfaits! This particular concoction is chocolate ice cream, whipped cream, shaved chocolate, a pineapple slice, a melon slice, orange slices, and the little red tower thingy is sliced apples which were then fitted together to make the impressive display before you. Parfaits are quite popular here, and the variety of them is astounding. Ice cream and fresh fruit is always a win in my book, so you can be sure I won't stop eating these anytime soon.

We Now Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming...

Can this be? Is it really true? It is! I have come back to the blogging world, and I intend to keep it up this time. This time will be different.... I swear..... In fact, I have two solid, actual, indisputable facts to offer you as reasons why I will not be slacking off this time.

Reason number one: I know how to use a blog better now. After working a lot on a certain, ahem, other blog, I've learned how they work, how often they need to be updated, and various other things. Most importantly, though, I've learned that blogs have a scheduling feature. With this new-fangled, recently discovered technology, I can now write a blog post when I have lots of free time, and set it to post at a certain, later specified time and date when I probably will not. In fact, I have already written many such posts. They are now lurking, waiting for their moment in the sun. When will they appear? That's for them to know and you to find out.

Reason number two: I recently bought a new cell phone. New cell phone means new cell phone camera. In fact, my new camera can take 6mp and 8 mp shots, whereas my old one did 3.2mp ~ 4mp on a good day. That's double the megapixels, double the beauty, double the fun! I'm thinking that this new camera will inspire me to actually want to take more pictures, especially since it's much easier to use too. In fact, the banner picture up there is actually an example of my new camera's abilities. Feel free to compare and judge for yourself!

In addition to these two solid, hard facts of evidence, there are also two other possible things to motivate my blogging abilities. One, Aaron has an income now, which means we now have a lot more money to go travel and do things, and two, Aaron wants to use said newly-acquired income to purchase an incredibly nice, actual camera. I'm hoping that I'll be able to, um, borrow, some of his pictures to add to this blog as well.

I know my friends and family have been asking me, repeatedly, to update this thing more often, and I'd like to assure you your pleas have finally been heard. I actually feel really bad about letting my blog slip for as long as it has, but I'm looking forward to giving this thing another go. Round two starts now. For real this time.

The World's Shortest Post

Well, maybe not the world's shortest, but it's definitely one of mine. Remember how I'm randomly discovering old pictures now that I'm cleaning out my files? I found these two pictures of Oirase Gorge from the last trip I made out there, probably when my sister was visiting me last year. I have a much more extensive post on Oirase Gorge from my first visit there, so this will be brief. Brief as in, I'm done now. Really, this whole post was just an excuse to post these pictures. Why? Because they are pretty, that's why, and I like them. Enjoy!

Engrish of the Week

Unfortunately, 'Engrish of the Year' would be a better title at this point, but it's too late to change it now. It would disturb the Feng Shui of my blog. Without further ado, I present to you: Dirty Old Men.


Best. Band name. Ever. This was the cover of a free magazine I got when I bought a CD from a store in the mall. I almost wanted to return the one I had just bought and find these guys' CD instead, solely based on their awesomeness.

Sannohe Suspension Bridge

This...this is something that I did a very, very long time ago. It is also something that I never knew existed here. Apparently, Sannohe is very proud of a mid-air suspension bridge that crosses over a river here. I never knew about it before, but last August I went here with the exchange students from Seattle that came to my humble little town.


The suspension bridge was neat and all, but it was hardly the most exciting story in the world. The pictures I took from on top of it, however, turned out quite pretty, so I resolved, oh those many moons ago, to share them with all of you. I then promptly forgot about it, until I randomly stumbled upon the pictures again last week.


I suppose 'better late than never' would be apropos in this situation, but in any case, they are here now. Hopefully they'll make you so jealous of how beautiful and green my town is that you'll forget all about how I haven't updated in months....