The Black ゴキブリ & My Pain

NOTE: There are no pics for this short blog - I apologize.

You know what a ゴキブリ (gokiburi) is? It's a cockroach. Ok, we've all seen these nasty, hemimetabolous insects before. But the ones in Japan give me an even more unpleasant feeling up my spinal column.

Story time...

So I came home one day, ready to cook something for dinner when I noticed something moving above me. This enormous ゴキブリ was scurrying about my ceiling. I quickly grabbed a can of cockroach spray (with a picture of a male chicken on the bottle - a picture that may lead one to suspect that it's Poultrycide, you know, for all those pesky chickens that raid your kitchen at night) and gassed the pest. After hitting the ground with a crunchy-like sound, it started running and trying to fly. I contained it in a paper cup, punctured a hole at the top, and continued to gas it. It took a whole night for it to die (I was still able to hear it scratching away at the cup walls while I was sleeping).

Don't know how it got in cuz my apartment's clean and virtualy oxygen-proof. Maybe it's kharma for making fun of my friend Kyle earlier in the work year. I would always say to him that there was a giant beetle kickin' it behind him on the wall while he was on the computer chatting with me. Ok, Kyle, I'm sorry. Happy now~!!?

Now, it's Tuesday night. Yesterday was a holiday. I spent my whole, glorious weekend indoors because I fell ill. A cold, allergies, I don't know, but all I know is, I can't breathe, my throat's sore, my eyes hurt, and my nose is stuffed up. This is my pain. I just want to be back to normal. Stupid wind and weather...

...more soon~!!!

Not making fun, but...

Ok, so I've been correcting some stuff and stumbled upon some very interesting errors - some of which I want to make into t-shirts that I'd proudly wear out in public. Here are some sentences to enjoy:

Original say system finger group.

What do you play sports?

They is one times.

Do you like to play sex?

May I open she boa?

Now, here are some strange translations (word on the left = actual word; word on the right = word practice attempt). The following have helped me through some bad days. I cry with laughter thinking about them. After each one, I've made a simple sentence using the words attempted:

yellow - eielly
* Wow, look at that big, eielly bus!

difficult - bifficult
* It's very bifficult to learn Japanese.

housework - hogs work
* Sometimes, I just don't want to the hogs work.

travel - tolevil
* I need to save more money so I can tolevil the world.

exciting - hoppery
* Living here in Japan is so hoppery.

tomorrow - motorying
* I think it's going to rain motorying.

passport - prarytion
* Yesterday, I misplaced my prarytion.

beach - wactru
* I love running on this sandy wactru!

mountain - motorew
* I've always wanted to know what it's like to pet a motorew cat.

again - hogtry
* I'm sorry, can you repeat that hogtry?

around - ryicu/alinpas
* The dog ran ryicu the village.
* Please stop jumping alinpas the room.

through - stricito
* We will do our best stricito thick and thin!

believe - bilbo
* You must bilbo in yourself.

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I love Japan~!!!

やもりチャン！！！

Ok, so there is this lizard called やもり　(yamori). In Japanese "ya" can mean "house," and "mori" can mean "bring luck to." Thus, the lizard brings luck to your house. THEREFORE, do NOT kill it~!!! Not a good omen.

Anyway, so I found a やもり　in my house the other day. It was cute and scurrying along my hallway. Cute little guy. I guess he wanted some food because I chased him into my kitchen. I picked him up, thanked him for sending me some luck, and released him into the wild. I hope a cat or other rice field creature didn`t eat him.

Here`s what one looks like:

Don`t let the photo fool you. These guys are pretty small (by the way, this is a pic I got off the net...couldn`t take a picture of the one in my house because I didn`t have batteries for my camera...BUUU)~!!!

とにかく、ホンマにいそがしな僕は。それで、じゃバイバイ。

Back from the "Dead"

Ok yeah, so it seems like f-ing forever since I've blogged. Thanks to Japan for letting me have fast, reliable internet at work. Ahaha, jk, Japan's technology isn't reliable when you need it. But over one month later and my supervisor telling me "Yes. You will get internet next week." each week DURING that month, I finally have internet. Lord be praised (seriously, that's not sarcasm)~!!!

TODAY:

* first day of school

* did a 自己紹介 (jikoshoukai = self introduction) for the whole student body in English

* did a longer 自己紹介 for the whole faculty in 日本語

* no one told me how to dress afterwards for...

* SCHOOL GROUNDS CLEANING (weeding...in the f-ing sun...thanks)

NOTES: The kids are so wild. It's good and it's bad, but hey, I'm a wild guy, too. I know how to think at the level of these kids. This is going to be fun, challenging, and...well...different. By the way, I've made friends with both of my English teachers. They're awesome and have been helping me out a lot~!!!

Let's now rewind back to the weekend before last.

EARTH CELEBRATION:

SADO ISLAND~!!!

EC weekend was SO amazing. It took me 3 trains and a ferry to get to Sado, a trip probably around 7 to 8 hours in total. I met a guy named Temu, a Japanese native that has been travelling the world since he was 19 years old (currently 25). He likes to breathe, eat and do tricks with fire. Japanese hippies are awesome.

So I spent my weekend with my friends, Jessica Saiki (Las Vegas, NV. - Sado), Yoli Haynes (San Diego, Ca. - Kashiwazaki?), Jay Soley (Tampa, Fl. - Kashiwazaki), and Susan Chiang (Fort Worth, Tx. - Sado). I also made a whole bunch of other friends in the Niigata area. Even made friends with a Japanese photographer. I even ran into a few familiar faces from the North American taiko community. Shout-outs to TAIKOPROJECT, Odaiko New England, and UCSD Asayake Daiko~!!!

Aside from Kodo hosting, there was a Brazilian drum and base group playing. The concert was OFF THE HOOK, but I wish I got my groove on a little more. In Japan, people don't believe in going out with a bang (C'mon, man, it's drumming. Seriously, wtf). Regardless, I'll always be a die-hard Kodo fan. I wish I had pictures of the actual concert, but security would actually confiscate your camera if they saw you taking photographs (granted, you'd get your camera back...I think). Btw, I'll be posting more EC 08 pictures on my Facebook later on...or now...which ever comes first. I'm too lazy to post more here right now.

To say the least, the whole weekend was full of good food, shopping, hippies, music, dancing, and just hanging out. Sado is a beautiful place - filled with lots of greenery and gigantor critters. On the way back, Kodo performed a casual farewell performance. It sent chills down my spine; it was SO good. Then, the whole ferry ride back to Naoetsu port, people were playing their okedo taiko on the upper-most deck. What a nice weekend. I'm looking forward to EC 09 FOH SHO~!!!

Well, that should be a good enough update on my life. There have been a lot of other things going on in my life - frustration, irritation, confusion, reassurance, realization to name a few - but that's for another day. Now I'm off to bed. I need energy to figure out my first lesson on Wednesday. "Mr. G." - as the kiddies call me - needs to prepare.

がんばりま～す！！！

Seriously! Seriously? Seriously.

Ok, here`s a typical day at the "non-skul."

9 in the a.m.

"Good morning!"
"Good morning."

I sit down and study the language.
Go online and pray someone`s online to talk to.
Now watching "hancho" and "head-hancho."

Here`s what they do:

open folder...read paper...put back in folder...open same folder...read same paper...stamp it...read it again...put it back in the folder...put it on a shelf...someone else takes it...reads it...stamps it...

RING RING goes the tele...

"Hai. Hai. Iie hai. Hai. Hai. Hai hai. Hai hai hai. Iie hai. Hai sumimasen hai. Hai onegaishimasu. Shitsureishimasu hai."

Random converstations start. Random people come and go.

"Noel, do you eat?"
"Y-yes? Why are you asking me that sh!t? Have you SEEN me before?"

Back to the paper and folder...

initial peep who stamped the paper grabs folder again...reads SAME F**KING PAPER...STAMPS THE SH!T AGAIN WHAT THE F**K ARE YOU DOING STOP PRETENDING YOU`RE BUSY OMG~!!!

Now it`s 2 minutes after 9 and I want to STAB MY GUTS OUT CUZ I`M HERE TILL A QTR. AFTER 4~!!!

............................................................but seriously, you catch me drift? I`m SO done today.

雨がふる

As I sat in my apartment talking with some good friends online, I heard thunder making it's way toward me from the south where Nara is. Just as soon as I noticed the storm rolling in, the rain began to pour. The thunder crashes were right over head. The rain fell as if the clouds were crying (with laughter or sorrow, it's up to you). The sound was so addicting; I turned off my TV, fan, and air conditioner, opened my front door and made my way to the stairwell balcony. The symphony of nature's choir was beautiful.

The sound, the smell, the feel of fresh rain - it's been a long time since I've experienced such serenity.

I stood there for almost an hour staring at a bamboo-forested mountain standing boldly among the rice field while letting the virgin rain collect on my skin. The only thing I really thought about was...

...my life.

Here I am, on the other side of the world from home. I've met so many good people so far - people that may forge my life in a different way than I expect it to. But in the same reality which is my world, I've left so many good people. Yes it's painful, but I know it's necessary. Not that I'm trying to depress myself; on the contrary. It's just something that's been on my mind - something that I've never really concentrated on until now. It's more a contemplation rather than a complaint.

In the midst of the people coming and going in and out of my life, I wonder - not obsessively - about what the future holds in store for me. I even wonder about the lives I'll change. It excites me, on the same token, makes me feel anxious.

Through all my past, present, and future mistakes, my life will definitely unfold and mold itself until I can truly understand and see what it is I'm supposed to be.

It hasn't even been a month yet, but I can't help but be human. I can't help but go through these feelings that come with being human. I'm used to gazing into the future trying to preempt the missteps along the path, but now, all I can see is the vast unknown. I don't know where to step nor know what'll happen when I place my decision.

I honestly can't pin-point what exactly I'm feeling. Really, what exactly am I feeling? I guess I'll have to wait for the rain to fall again for an answer.

...my town smells good...it smells like a new life...

日本の西瓜はカッケ〜！！！

Well, it's not like it's just my town that has this, but I've NEVER seen a yellow watermelon before. I mean think of it - a normal watermelon that's green outside, and reddish inside. Now, change that red to lemon yellow; WTF~!!? WHO ARE YOU~!!? Get outta here; I'll slap you.

Anyway, it's been a whirlwind life so far.

*** 27 July 2008

Separation was hard, but I knew that if I thought about it too much, it would slow me down. Rather, I took that energy to fuel my mind for the future.

The flight was long, but luckily I was sitting aisle. I met some cool people (going to Gunma, Shizuoka, Wakayama, Niigata, Shimane, Shikoku, etc.). After we arrived at the Narita airport, I realized how F-ing humid it was. It was TOTALLY not fun AT all. Going through customs wasn't fun, but the worst part was waiting in line for the damn 宅急便 (takkyubin) - SOOO NASTY FEERING~!!!


Afterwards, we boarded the bus to Keio Plaza Hotel and checked in - again, we waited in line for the elevator to get to the rooms. After like 17,000 hours, I finally got to my room and met my roommate, Keith, who's going to 京都 (Kyoto), too. After settling a bit, Keith and I met up with some other people and went to an izakaya - I forgot the name. But let me say this, drinking in an izakaya's fun.


*** 28 July 2008


OMG, I've never been to so many strange workshops in my life. You'd think things would actually be...well, never mind. More than half of the new JETs were falling asleep or ditching, though...what the hell & what the hell.


But afterwards, I met up with my friend Mitzi who's going to...I forgot, but somewhere in the Kanto area. We ended up walking around inner Shinjuku and Kabuki-chou. We SO ran into a lady-boy. その男の人のADAM'S APPLEはほんまにでかい！！！(That dude's adam's apple was F-ing huge).


Btw, I LOVE コンビニ.


*** 29 July 2008


Had a prefectural meeting...ok, that's nice. So after the workshops n'shit, I went out with some of my other friends - Kyle [Shikoku], Mitch [Kochi], Andrew [Hyogo], the only white guy, Shaune [Shizuoka], and the only girl, Kat [???]. We met up and took the Keio Line to Tokyo Tower. We ate there and went up to the observatory deck.


DUDE, the Tokyo Tower mascots look kinda...shanasty...like dog winnies...like winnie tots...not cool. Then it started raining like mad hardcore, but we still decided to WALK to Roppongi after buying some alcohol and umbrellas (yeah, we drank more). We went to a bar called Home...something...and drank there, bonding with each other.


We went back to Shinjuku and ate dinner at a ramen shop. It was DE-LE-JUSS~!!!

*** 30 July 2008

Woke up early to gather to WALK to Shinjuku Station and head to Tokyo Station to catch 新幹線 (shinkansen - bullet train) to Kyoto Station. When we arrived in Kyoto, we walked single file to the Int'l Office Something-or-Other in the shopping area. It was so stupid seeing us walk through the women's department to get to the office...what the hell.

Finally met up with my people and had some tea with them. Went to meet some people at my BoE (Board of Education), and then finally my very apartment. It's nice. I'll blog the apartment details later. At this point, I was so tired, excited, stressed, etc. that now, I'm drawing a blank like hardcore. Something something BUY THESE CHIPS, THEY'RE GOOD something something eat dinner something sleep. That's how crazy it was...and then...

*** 31 July 2008

...and then THIS day happened. I woke up early to go to the City Office to meet the mayor. Then I visited most of my schools that I'm teaching in; met the staff and possibly my new good friend, my 29 year old team-teacher guy...he seems cool. Then I went to the post office to open up a bank account WHAT? for real that happened. Then did some phone shit in the apartment with one of my supervisors.

After what work, my predecessor and I went to Uji to go to a Japanese language class. It was fun, but tiring and hard. After that, I went back home by myself and slept.

*** 1 August 2008

I was picked up by my supervisor to go to the community center to meet some people. Then, I was maybe tricked into going swimming, so I prayed like real hard that I can find a way to get out of agreeing to do something I didn't want to do. He drove to AL Plaza - a department store - to buy a swimming suit. Thank God that I'm American and sizes run small CHURCH~!!!

After that, I went back to work for like 45 minutes when my sup. decided to go. But right when we were about to leave, a reporter from the Kyoto Shinbun wanted to interview me. That didn't take long since communication was difficult. She decided to see what I was doing tomorrow...as I play with Ide's taiko group. That'll be fun. I haven't touched a drum in what seems like ages...kill me now I need it.

We then headed to hit up some lunch at, of all places, Coco's. HOWEVER, they served Japanese food there, so whatever, it was tasty.

The next stop was back at the community center where I hung out with some of the kids playing a watermelon smash game. You blindfold yourself and look for the watermelon. When the people around you help you locate the little watermelon, you SMASH it with a wooden pole. Good ol' fashioned Japanese tradition. Beat the F**K out of a $30 fruit. I tried it, too, so that was fun.

Then I ate a yellow watermelon.

After that, my sup. drove me back home. I then decided to go to Nara to mess around. That was fun.

Finally home, did some cleaning and now I'm blogging. This is REALLY long...I don't like it. I'm stopping now; I'm tired cuz it's almost 1am here.

GOOD BYE~!!!