The proposal, created last year, to fund 10,000 flights to Japan for foreigns has been turned down by the government, reportedly due to wanting to put the funding toward restoration efforts from the Touhoku earthquake and tsunami, which struck on March 11, 2011.

For those still interested in traveling to Japan, January is a somewhat cold (but personally I’d rather deal with cold than humidity) but affordable month to travel. I checked Delta.com recently and saw prices around $1000.00 from Chicago, including taxes and fuel surcharge. Sure, it’s expensive, but just wait till March and April: $1500 and up!

Recently I gained temporary employment at a Japanese company in Chicago. While the work isn’t anywhere near my coziest cup of coffee to wake up to, the social dynamics in the office are interesting because they come as close to a typical Japanese office as one might be able to get in America. Out of 13 people or so, only my supervisor and I are American. Everyone else is Japanese, and they converse in Japanese, and they hold to what I believe to be the legendary Japanese work-ethic. No one leaves at their end-time and stay significantly longer, there is bowing, and there’s the intense and stiff air that says, “This is work.” While this aspect of Japanese culture has always fascinated me and left me somewhat in admiration, I cannot deny that being part of it has quickly become fatiguing and left me with a sore back throughout the day.

If this was in Bali, I’d certainly be hitting up those ’1hour under 20-dollar massages’…

Unfortunately, I’m not in Bali.

A Bowl of Katsudon

A common misperception of Japan is that they eat fish all the time. Of course it’s a more popular choice in daily cuisine than in America,  but many would be surprised to know that pork is the most popular meat in Japan. One of my first dishes I chose to make after returning back from my first trip was katsudon, which is breaded pork (katsu) that is fried and covered with eggs and onions, over a bowl of rice (don, or donburi – bowl). I have been told that many parents of students in Japan will make katsudon for their son or daughter the night before a big test, because katsu also is a homophone of the verb “to win”. If only I had know about the dish during high school… Enjoy this article teaching us about the interesting history of pig in Japan over the centuries.

Japan Times: Pig in Japan: the nation’s most popular meat

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2011/10/05/seriously-apple-in-japan-siri-fans-bottom-jokes/

In other news…

Many of you (but maybe not YOU) have heard or read that the Japanese tourism agency will likely be offering 10,000 free round-trip flights to Japan. There’s no real catch except that you have to write about your travels and show how safe of a country Japan is. Many do that when they travel there anyway, right?
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20111012a2.html

Chicago Gyukaku yakiniku restaurant

Additionally, I enjoyed “Itto Sushi” in the Lincoln Park area of Chicago. They’re said to be one of the oldest Japanese restaurants in Chicago. I enjoy going there because most, if not all, of the chefs and waiters are Japanese and speak Japanese. Since returning, I’ve been trying hard to keep up my Japanese ability, so I certainly don’t mind enjoying a lunch special at Itto while I order and try to converse in Japanese.

There’s also a fantastic Japanese market in the suburbs here that reminds me very much of the supermarket near my apartment in Imabari. It’s called “Mitsuwa Market” and you can not only buy Japanese market food there, but there is also a food court, book store (selling only Japanese books, of course), a JTB (Japan Travel Bureau) station, and more. It’s the closest that one can come to living in Japan while living in Chicago!

Additionally, I’m working on a new website, “Daniel desu”. It’s not quite ready yet, but I will inform everyone when it will be, which will be soon! I hope you are all well, and I look forward to updating much more frequently.

I hope the rest of the world learns from Japan’s enviable ability to help each other – strangers and friends alike – in times of both great and little need.

The Shimanami Kaido Bridge, from Imabari, Shikoku, to Hiroshima, Honshuu.

I can’t give you a complete history of the bridge, but I can tell you that it’s construction was finished in 1999 and that it starts/ends in Imabari-shi (my city of current occupancy) and ends about 60 kilometers later in Hiroshima. It passes through seven islands in-between, most displaying their unique contribution toward Japanese culture such as a couple of art museums, history museums, caves, etc.

This bridge is not only useful for cars wanting to get to/from Shikoku and Honshuu, but it also happens to be a cyclist’s dream. There is a separate bike/walking/running path along the entire stretch of the bridge. There are low-grade ramps at each island for a comfortable and continuous bike ride and when you go through each island, there are intuitive signs that keep you on the path. There are tolls at each island, but they are cheap at about 100-150 yen (there’s a sign at each toll telling you the price.) No one is there to enforce payment, but please be one with the honor system. I think you certainly get your money”s worth for the amazing sights you can see. Food can be purchased at local supermarkets as well as restaurants, but if your Japanese level is not good, maybe be prepared be brave and let your finger point to something random on the menu. 

Shimani kaido bridge taken from Oshima island

A few days ago I was chatting on AIM with a friend I met here in a city near mine called Niihama. He’s a pianist and singer that graduated from University of Northern Iowa who came to Japan with his boyfriend and was trying to make it here as a musician. As you might know, Japan is very inflexible and conservative when it comes to foreigners living in their country; It’s next-to-impossible to live here for life from my understanding. For example, another one of my friend’s friends was told that if he wanted to continue working here, he’d have to pass the JLPT 1, which is the most difficult foreigner Japanese test offered by the Japanese Government – 2000 kanji (Chinese pictographs) and 10,000 vocabulary words along with all the grammar must be memorized if you want to assure your passage. So, they obviously don’t want foreigners to stay here. With that said, my friend was able to get a whopping 1-year artist visa (sponsored by a local taiko drum sensei.) Not knowing when he obtained the visa, I asked him when he is leaving and I believe he said September. “Oh, I thought you said it was for a year…” I questioned. “Right, I got sponsored in September.” “Seriously? When I met you, you didn’t have your visa yet.” “We met in mid-August.” “Gee, really? It feels like only a couple months ago…” So this is my reminder to try and make the most out of everyday here. The winter has had more of an impact on me than my confidence had predicted.

When I got back from my visit to Chicago in December, the jet lag I experienced for the couple weeks after never quite seemed to have left me. If I ever denied my need to socialize with humanoids such as myself, then I was truly oblivious to my heart…Despite how much I loathe waking up early for work, I enjoy the social aspect of being at the school (even though I can’t really verbally communicate with most of the people there.) The students especially are often the meat-and-potatoes that enable me to comfortably work my way through this journey of this time in my life that is Japan. Like in many societies, the aging process from child to adult many times (but not always) includes an increase in serious disposition. Especially in Japan, when adults are at work, this seems to hold very true. Whenever they’re not working they seem to be some of the most relaxed people one could ever meet, though. Since I only see the teachers when I’m at school, I tend to resonate with the playfulness of the students more since they have yet to make that olympic-sized jump into a more adult-like disposition. However, this is not to say that some of these students don’t have adult like qualities. I was profoundly surprised at the level of respect and curiosity some of the students showed. Unfortunately the opposite holds strong in existence, too. I suppose without the disrespectful, there would be no respectful, and vice-versa. My point is this: Thanks to organic lifeforms (excluding the occasional fly in my apartment but including the flora in the local park) I mentally survived my first winter here. Now, spring is penetrating the winter wall, poking its head through, and it feels oh-so-good.

This month: From the 26th, students have spring break, so I’m either going to Seoul, Shanghai, or Okinawa for 5 days or so. I’m leaning toward Okinawa because, while I’m a sucker for experiencing new countries, I’ve never been to the tropics before and I think I could use a relaxing week on the beach.

April/May: Matt leaves April 30th and arrives here May 1st. I will meet him tokyo and he will enjoy the awesomness of Japan and a foreign country for the first time.

chuugakusei-o-lantern

Halloween festivities were active among us gaikokujin this year. The first activity was with Eri and I at school, having the students submit their jack-o-lantern designs, then her and I choosing the best one to put on the massive pumpkin she obtained. We destuffed and carved it last week at my place while eating pizza. Being here and away from the country where I celebrated these holidays, I am realizing their importance to my substance. Before coming here, I never really thought much of it…*sigh* ohhh, the human mind, the more I know you, the more I don’t…

And no halloween can truly be called halloween without the wearing of the costumes… The ALTs in my prefecture hold an annual costume get-together in Matsuyama. I was a little concerned on finding a costume in this country that doesn’t really do the costume thing (some youth wear costumes when it’s not halloween, though.) Fortunately, I found the local Japanese hippie shop down the street…LOL! Once again, you think you start to know this country, and but then you’re surprised with something new: It’s wonderful! So, feel free to peak down and view part of my costume below. The hilarious horse costume is another ALT’s and I should have more photos of me and others as people post them on facebook. This year, we began with a “konbini-crawl” where we walked around to convenience stores in our large group of gaikoku-jin and talked and allowed the Japanese people to take pictures of us with their cameras and cell phones (the Japanese love to take pictures.) We then proceeded to an awesome music venue where there were live bands (including the ehime-famous ALT group, “The Temptations”) and dancing until early morning. Since I had to be back for the festival today, I caught the 5:07 am train back to Imabari. And on that note, I shall scribble below, work on a lesson for tomorrow, then sssslleeeeeeeeep.

Scribbles

-Fun acting out emotions for my chuugakusei students

-A short sentimental moment when a student personally came up to me after class, looked me in the eye, and thanked me for the lesson by bowing and saying, “arigatou gozaimashita”

-”moony” diapers

-Paul’s bike appearing displaced upon return from matsuyama on halloween

- The discovery of the local Imabari hippy shop.

- Viewing children’s beautiful art with Sechan after bunkasai in Asakura

-Kind of disappointed with Haagen-Dazs Cookies and Cream… it’s not living up to the usual H-D standard.

-Sallie Mae is the ancient ancestor of the devil, but is unfortunately still alive. It deserves to die.