Captain's Log:
Nothing real eventful in the past week or so, this update's mostly obligatory. Last weekend I tried Singaporean food for the first time, met some cool kids, then went and hung out in a bar in Umeda with some friends.
Over the week, we went over our midterms, I barely passed the grammar, did considerably better on the listening, and raped the kanji. We're going over things, and there is a grammar rule that you use when someone does something for you, there's verb+てくれる and verb+てもらう, which literally means "I was given verb" or "I received verb." In examples, a lot of it seemed rather arbitrary. But as we're going over it the midterm, we get it explained to us that whether "に" or "が" determines if it's one or the other. It would have been nice if they explained that to us when we were given the grammar rule, which was nearly a month ago. /whine
This weekend involved going to a bar for a quiet evening with Doori and Taiki, then on saturday trying Korean food for the first time and going to a club in Shinsaibashi.
The club was kind of a blur, this time Rachel got kicked out, so we left early, apparently went to a bar, wandered around a bit, then according to them I wandered off "we looked up and you were gone." I remember coming to on a bench and being confused as to why I was alone.
So I wander my way through Shinsaibashi, taking a random subway back to Umeda. The only thing I'm actually mad about with this experience is that McDonalds fucked up my order and gave me a mcmuffin instead of a mcgriddle. Blood will be spilled. Got home, passed out, spent the rest of the day hating life in hungover wonderfulness.
Today, we have school off. I don't really know of much going on this week, other than that I will be celebrating thanksgiving with my friend Rie in Sannomiya.
I wanted to try and put together a special dinner with the exchange kids, but there just isn't enough time. I would have to order a turkey from amazon, which would easily be around $60+, and then we have the task of finding an oven that it will fit in. Amongst other complications.
Oh well, I demand everyone eat twice as much turkey, stuffing, and gravy for me.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Hopefully this will be the last of these for a while
Captains log,
This weekend was a little different, namely in that I did nothing on friday. Everyone was studying for midterms, so I just kinda hung out at home, studied a little and did some hw. Nothing big.
Saturday, however, was quite eventful. Woke up at 6:00am because I was going to Kyoto! Met up with Drew in Juso and within minutes the jokes started rolling. These would continue all day. Finally get to Kyoto around 8:15 and Drew and I start wandering because Rika and Jukka would not be joining us for an hour.
We all finally meet up and set off on sightseeing. We journey to Yakasa Shrine, where we saw a wedding in progress, and move to some temple/shrine thingy that we didn't know what it was to see a funeral in progress. We walk through a massive graveyard, and wander around the gardens and what not before heading towards Yakasa pagoda. On the way we see a bunch of Geishas and stop by a Daibutsu (big-ass statue of Buddha). After finding the pagoda, we grab lunch in a non-touristy area (tourist areas were ridiculously expensive). It was cool because we ate at a Chinese restaurant, where the waiter could barely speak Japanese.
After lunch, Rika and Jukka part ways with Drew and I. They wanted to see this Geisha dance show and see an old brothel, but this would have cost around $40, whereas sightseeing would be less than $10, so Drew and I set off. We end up walking the wrong ways a few times, but finally get to our destination: Nanzen-ji. The gate (sanmon) was more worthwhile to look at than the temple, because it was one of the largest free standing wooden structures in the world. Drew and I leave from there to find this mile long walk translated roughly as the Philosopher's walk. So we walked about 5 miles to walk a mile.
A good ways into the walk, we realize the error of our ways and decide to come back during sakura season, when the walk would actually be pretty and worthwhile.
All of the souvenirs were expensive, I'll find cheaper versions elsewhere, though I think I'll get my kimono made there. It wasn't that expensive, I just need someone who's fluent in Japanese to be with me when I get one.
So finally we meet up again, and we head towards downtown Kyoto to get dinner. We got conveyor-belt sushi, which wasn't bad, aside from when my beer got spilled. Afterwards we went down to a Konvini to grab some booze and hangout by the river.
At the river, some fire dancers entertained us, then we wander around, consider messing with couples, Rika and I have a heart-to-heart, and all of us pretty much make asses of ourselves. Mostly to the other tourists.
Apparently, Rika and I fell asleep by the river. This is where my memory stops working. Drew wakes us up and we head to the station to go home. On the way, Drew's half-dragging me, half-trying to get me to shut the hell up, cause I was apparently yelling at people. He evetually gets us to the station where I fall asleep on the train. When we get to Juso, Drew and I, in our respective states, forget that I have to take a different way, but instead I get on his train and go to Nishinomiya. Which I can still get home from, provided I catch the last train. We eventually arrive and here's where my memory starts working again. I say bye to Drew and head down to my platform... just in time to see the last train leave. So I go upstairs and don't see a soul. Particularly Drew. My phone also died around noon that day. Despite the drunkenness, I remember thinking very clearly "welp, I'm boned." And set off to wander the streets.
My shoes had been killing me all day, so I took them off. I start trying to follow the tracks, and only later do I realize I was going the wrong direction. For some reason I did not think to go to a konvini until I couldn't find one. The reason for this is because konvinis sell these handy battery packs that you can cordlessly charge your phone with for emergencies such as this.
...Instead I try waving down cars so I can ask for directions to either a konvini or to the next station I need to head towards. I'm fairly certain at one point I walked out into the road trying to get a car to stop, and that may or may not have been why the police showed up shortly afterwards.
The police get out, give me what was probably the Japanese equivalent of "boy, where 'cho goddamn shoes?"
When you're in a foreign country, and faced with the police, you learn to speak the language real quickly.
I explain that they were hurting my feet, and what my situation was. I ask for the location of a konvini or the way to Takarazuka, and they drive me to their koban (police outpost thingy). They talk to me, get some information, who I am, what I'm doing in Japan, why I'm wandering the streets of Nishinomiya in the dead of night with no shoes on, you know, the typical things. So they ask if I have the money for a cab, I say yes, but I don't want to pay it, and I attempt to explain that if I can get to a konvini (I could see one from their window), I can call one of my friends and everything will be ok. But they didn't listen, it also may have had something to do with my lack of Japanese skills, but they drive me two (train) stations down and drop me off at a taxi, who takes me home, where I pay the $30 fare, and proceed to die on the inside.
Monday I felt terrible. Still coming off the hangover, tired, got my ass kicked by my Japanese grammar midterm, and emotionally conflicted (girl nonsense I won't discuss here - this ain't livejournal). Thank god for TENNIS. Yea, I suck, but my circle is awesome, and I felt waaaaaaay better afterwards. One of the leaders, Kazu, shows me how to get home, and after doing so, I pass right out.
Tomorrow's my kanji midterm. I will slay it. I also start teaching/help teaching English tomorrow! Friday's my listening midterm, which could go either way. After my midterms are over, and I promise I'll finally write my damn postcards. I'm sorry about the delay on those.
What'll be even harder is finding souvenirs for some of you.
This weekend was a little different, namely in that I did nothing on friday. Everyone was studying for midterms, so I just kinda hung out at home, studied a little and did some hw. Nothing big.
Saturday, however, was quite eventful. Woke up at 6:00am because I was going to Kyoto! Met up with Drew in Juso and within minutes the jokes started rolling. These would continue all day. Finally get to Kyoto around 8:15 and Drew and I start wandering because Rika and Jukka would not be joining us for an hour.
We all finally meet up and set off on sightseeing. We journey to Yakasa Shrine, where we saw a wedding in progress, and move to some temple/shrine thingy that we didn't know what it was to see a funeral in progress. We walk through a massive graveyard, and wander around the gardens and what not before heading towards Yakasa pagoda. On the way we see a bunch of Geishas and stop by a Daibutsu (big-ass statue of Buddha). After finding the pagoda, we grab lunch in a non-touristy area (tourist areas were ridiculously expensive). It was cool because we ate at a Chinese restaurant, where the waiter could barely speak Japanese.
After lunch, Rika and Jukka part ways with Drew and I. They wanted to see this Geisha dance show and see an old brothel, but this would have cost around $40, whereas sightseeing would be less than $10, so Drew and I set off. We end up walking the wrong ways a few times, but finally get to our destination: Nanzen-ji. The gate (sanmon) was more worthwhile to look at than the temple, because it was one of the largest free standing wooden structures in the world. Drew and I leave from there to find this mile long walk translated roughly as the Philosopher's walk. So we walked about 5 miles to walk a mile.
A good ways into the walk, we realize the error of our ways and decide to come back during sakura season, when the walk would actually be pretty and worthwhile.
All of the souvenirs were expensive, I'll find cheaper versions elsewhere, though I think I'll get my kimono made there. It wasn't that expensive, I just need someone who's fluent in Japanese to be with me when I get one.
So finally we meet up again, and we head towards downtown Kyoto to get dinner. We got conveyor-belt sushi, which wasn't bad, aside from when my beer got spilled. Afterwards we went down to a Konvini to grab some booze and hangout by the river.
At the river, some fire dancers entertained us, then we wander around, consider messing with couples, Rika and I have a heart-to-heart, and all of us pretty much make asses of ourselves. Mostly to the other tourists.
Apparently, Rika and I fell asleep by the river. This is where my memory stops working. Drew wakes us up and we head to the station to go home. On the way, Drew's half-dragging me, half-trying to get me to shut the hell up, cause I was apparently yelling at people. He evetually gets us to the station where I fall asleep on the train. When we get to Juso, Drew and I, in our respective states, forget that I have to take a different way, but instead I get on his train and go to Nishinomiya. Which I can still get home from, provided I catch the last train. We eventually arrive and here's where my memory starts working again. I say bye to Drew and head down to my platform... just in time to see the last train leave. So I go upstairs and don't see a soul. Particularly Drew. My phone also died around noon that day. Despite the drunkenness, I remember thinking very clearly "welp, I'm boned." And set off to wander the streets.
My shoes had been killing me all day, so I took them off. I start trying to follow the tracks, and only later do I realize I was going the wrong direction. For some reason I did not think to go to a konvini until I couldn't find one. The reason for this is because konvinis sell these handy battery packs that you can cordlessly charge your phone with for emergencies such as this.
...Instead I try waving down cars so I can ask for directions to either a konvini or to the next station I need to head towards. I'm fairly certain at one point I walked out into the road trying to get a car to stop, and that may or may not have been why the police showed up shortly afterwards.
The police get out, give me what was probably the Japanese equivalent of "boy, where 'cho goddamn shoes?"
When you're in a foreign country, and faced with the police, you learn to speak the language real quickly.
I explain that they were hurting my feet, and what my situation was. I ask for the location of a konvini or the way to Takarazuka, and they drive me to their koban (police outpost thingy). They talk to me, get some information, who I am, what I'm doing in Japan, why I'm wandering the streets of Nishinomiya in the dead of night with no shoes on, you know, the typical things. So they ask if I have the money for a cab, I say yes, but I don't want to pay it, and I attempt to explain that if I can get to a konvini (I could see one from their window), I can call one of my friends and everything will be ok. But they didn't listen, it also may have had something to do with my lack of Japanese skills, but they drive me two (train) stations down and drop me off at a taxi, who takes me home, where I pay the $30 fare, and proceed to die on the inside.
Monday I felt terrible. Still coming off the hangover, tired, got my ass kicked by my Japanese grammar midterm, and emotionally conflicted (girl nonsense I won't discuss here - this ain't livejournal). Thank god for TENNIS. Yea, I suck, but my circle is awesome, and I felt waaaaaaay better afterwards. One of the leaders, Kazu, shows me how to get home, and after doing so, I pass right out.
Tomorrow's my kanji midterm. I will slay it. I also start teaching/help teaching English tomorrow! Friday's my listening midterm, which could go either way. After my midterms are over, and I promise I'll finally write my damn postcards. I'm sorry about the delay on those.
What'll be even harder is finding souvenirs for some of you.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Awesome Halloween Accompanied with a Surplus of Bitching
Captain's Log:
A lot has happened since last weekend, where shall I start?
Friday was another BBQ party at Matt's place, which was fun, and we were overloaded with tons of food and liquor, including copious amounts of steak and a $100 cake. Saturday is where the real awesomeness was. We all gather at Sannomiya station, put on/reveal our costumes, then walk to this bar called D-Fence. Tons of people were already in there, and I got an enormous "wtf" look from all the Japanese people for my schoolgirl costume. It was $25 all-you-can-drink for 2 hours. So we got to work. And ultimately we decimated the bar. They had homemade whiskey, which was delicious, and they used quality liquor, which also surprised me.
Once it all ended, everyone either left or went to an izakaya. Hiromi and I wandered off to go home. After a kiss goodbye (w00t!), I get on the train she told me to get on. I'm not entirely sure if I remember switching trains, but I definitely fell asleep at one point and woke up at the stop before mine ....from the opposite direction I normally come from. Yea, I was confused too, but thanks, luck. My guess is that I didn't switch trains when I was supposed to, and ended up getting turned around at a station at the opposite end.
Classes are canceled on monday and tuesday cause we have our school's festival. Which was cool. It was mostly food stands and performers, but it was cool, nonetheless. Some food was awesome (yakitori), and some wasn't (failed excuse for tacos). All in all, it was fun. I worked at my tennis circle's stand for all of sunday, which would have been better if it didn't rain ridiculously hard all day. Nonetheless, the Japanese were a combination of amused and confused as to why this gaijin was advertising a food stand, and I couldn't tell if I attracted more people, or scared them away. I'll never know. It was a fun day, I forgot an umbrella, so I huddled with Hiromi under her's on the way back to the station. Keeping her warm as an exchange for the shelter.
The only reason I went yesterday was because a friend from the other campus came, and some other friends invited me. Later that evening we went bowling for Austin's birthday. Which was fun. Especially when I'd yell something ridiculous and somehow do well.
Today was a study day. Midterms are around the corner and I'm not looking forward to them at all. I studied today because I've got a date with Hiromi in Sannomiya tomorrow, and a party with my tennis circle tomorrow evening. Should be an awesome day though.
I'm getting better at the language, I'm not improving as quickly as I'd like to, but I need to remind myself that I'm a beginner and I'll be here for another 9 and a half months. It's funny, cause whenever you tell the Japanese something cool about yourself (sometimes even something mundane) their eyes will go wide and they will say "heeeeey?" Which got really annoying at first, but I hate to say that I've found myself saying it.
Anywho, I'm getting more and more irritated with my teachers. Actually only one of my teachers. My Japanese classes are taught by 4 different teachers, this one in particular has us for 2 days, the rest have us for only one. All of them can understand English fairly well except for this one. None of us are doing all that well in the classes, but I get pulled aside one day. She wants to talk to me about a section on the hw that I only got two questions right on. I try my best to explain that the example was vague and that I didn't really know what to do, so that made it difficult. Her response is "it's not difficult, everyone else did fine, why didn't you?"
It took every ounce of my willpower to not tear her head off. Good teachers do not say things like this. How is belittling me and comparing me to the rest of the class going to help me, you retard.
To add insult to injury, she said I had an appointment with one of the other teachers so I can learn to "study Japanese properly."
This teacher should not be teaching us. Even the Japanese students hate her. Every now and then one of us will be trying to explain why we don't understand something or we'll be asking a question only to get cut off with "nihongo de!"
We can't, you dumb bitch. Why do you think we're in level 1? You should not be teaching us. At all.
/end bitching
A lot has happened since last weekend, where shall I start?
Friday was another BBQ party at Matt's place, which was fun, and we were overloaded with tons of food and liquor, including copious amounts of steak and a $100 cake. Saturday is where the real awesomeness was. We all gather at Sannomiya station, put on/reveal our costumes, then walk to this bar called D-Fence. Tons of people were already in there, and I got an enormous "wtf" look from all the Japanese people for my schoolgirl costume. It was $25 all-you-can-drink for 2 hours. So we got to work. And ultimately we decimated the bar. They had homemade whiskey, which was delicious, and they used quality liquor, which also surprised me.
Once it all ended, everyone either left or went to an izakaya. Hiromi and I wandered off to go home. After a kiss goodbye (w00t!), I get on the train she told me to get on. I'm not entirely sure if I remember switching trains, but I definitely fell asleep at one point and woke up at the stop before mine ....from the opposite direction I normally come from. Yea, I was confused too, but thanks, luck. My guess is that I didn't switch trains when I was supposed to, and ended up getting turned around at a station at the opposite end.
Classes are canceled on monday and tuesday cause we have our school's festival. Which was cool. It was mostly food stands and performers, but it was cool, nonetheless. Some food was awesome (yakitori), and some wasn't (failed excuse for tacos). All in all, it was fun. I worked at my tennis circle's stand for all of sunday, which would have been better if it didn't rain ridiculously hard all day. Nonetheless, the Japanese were a combination of amused and confused as to why this gaijin was advertising a food stand, and I couldn't tell if I attracted more people, or scared them away. I'll never know. It was a fun day, I forgot an umbrella, so I huddled with Hiromi under her's on the way back to the station. Keeping her warm as an exchange for the shelter.
The only reason I went yesterday was because a friend from the other campus came, and some other friends invited me. Later that evening we went bowling for Austin's birthday. Which was fun. Especially when I'd yell something ridiculous and somehow do well.
Today was a study day. Midterms are around the corner and I'm not looking forward to them at all. I studied today because I've got a date with Hiromi in Sannomiya tomorrow, and a party with my tennis circle tomorrow evening. Should be an awesome day though.
I'm getting better at the language, I'm not improving as quickly as I'd like to, but I need to remind myself that I'm a beginner and I'll be here for another 9 and a half months. It's funny, cause whenever you tell the Japanese something cool about yourself (sometimes even something mundane) their eyes will go wide and they will say "heeeeey?" Which got really annoying at first, but I hate to say that I've found myself saying it.
Anywho, I'm getting more and more irritated with my teachers. Actually only one of my teachers. My Japanese classes are taught by 4 different teachers, this one in particular has us for 2 days, the rest have us for only one. All of them can understand English fairly well except for this one. None of us are doing all that well in the classes, but I get pulled aside one day. She wants to talk to me about a section on the hw that I only got two questions right on. I try my best to explain that the example was vague and that I didn't really know what to do, so that made it difficult. Her response is "it's not difficult, everyone else did fine, why didn't you?"
It took every ounce of my willpower to not tear her head off. Good teachers do not say things like this. How is belittling me and comparing me to the rest of the class going to help me, you retard.
To add insult to injury, she said I had an appointment with one of the other teachers so I can learn to "study Japanese properly."
This teacher should not be teaching us. Even the Japanese students hate her. Every now and then one of us will be trying to explain why we don't understand something or we'll be asking a question only to get cut off with "nihongo de!"
We can't, you dumb bitch. Why do you think we're in level 1? You should not be teaching us. At all.
/end bitching
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