Today i became an official non-fan of "ume" sour plums

Hello again. It looks like people are still reading, so I'll keep on writing.

Keep on keepin' on.

Today was overall a good day. I found out that the sour, mushy crud call "ume" is a sour kind of plum that the Japanes like to put in sushi and rice balls, God only knows why, it tastes like custard gone bad. I also had my credit card (kind of a lifeline right now) rejected at the exact same convenience store that took it yesterday, which was a scare. Luckily it worked later at the local Department store, seems that their machine was just messing up.

Weird J-Fact of the Day: To name a completely B.S. statistic, probably 1 in every 200 businesses in Tokyo takes any kind of credit card. In other words, Japan is a very cash-based country. Why? Well, I don't really know. To speculate, perhaps after the economic bubble burst in the mid-90s (they've supposedly been in a recession for 10+ years now) they decided not to embrace credit, on the fear that it might drive people into debt. Maybe it somehow violates some intrinsic Japanese cultural factor, I don't know. All I do know is that I've only found 3 (out of dozens and dozens) of convenience stores that will take credit cards. Restaurants, forget about it. The Department store, OK. Karaoke, OK. Everything else is very cash only, which is a bit frustrating right now, but I can deal.

Anyways, training was fine, quite fun actually. We were a bunch of full grown adults, role-playing as kids to practice giving them lessons. I also observed a real lesson today, which was a tad strange. For one thing, the kids definitely seemed just as wild and uninhibited as any 4-6 year olds I've ever seen before, but somehow they were slightly more disciplined. They cleaned up their messes afterwards which completely blew my mind. And they did look like a fun group, if challenging to teach.

More interesting was the gathering of Japanese mothers that I was sitting in a room with, as we all sat next to a glass window that looked onto the class. They didn't really seem too interested in what was going on in the classroom, and who could blame them? They probably watch their kids all day and night, and they pay good money for these English lessons, so why not enjoy a break? I listened to the fast-spoken chatter, a characteristic of women that seems to be transcultural: Put em in a room together, and they'll talk a mile a minute.

And if that last bit offended you, well, I'm talking about transcending culture here! If that ain't worth sacrificing Political Correctness, I don't know what is.

Most of their banter I didn't understand, but bits and pieces here and there I did. When I first introduced myself, I explained that I was a new English teacher in Japanese, and they all seemed astounded by my ability to speak. "Why can you speak such good Japanese? That's amazing!" They said, with wide eyes echoing "amazing" in Japanese several times. I explained to them that I took it in college, and had a great teacher. Whether they were impressed or bewildered by this 6 foot tall white anomoly that could speak their languages mildly well, I couldn't really tell.

Toward the end of the lesson however, I told the one Mother who was sitting next to me that she had a very cute and energetic child. The conversation went on, mostly with me speaking Japanese and her speaking English, as happens so very often in this country. The reason is simple though: We both want to practice a language that we feel we don't get enough chances to speak. The conversation was quite interesting though, and hit such topics as why I came from New York to here (money and teaching opportunities and experience), why I liked Japan, partly because it was so different from home (she echoed me on the "sooooo different!" Which was pretty funny), and eventually we even talked about the difference between Japanese and American kids. This subject was brought up by her, not me mind you. I expressed my opinion as stated earlier in this blog that, well, they just seem more disciplined here, and though American children tend to get more chances to be creative and free which is a great thing, perhaps they get too many of these wonderful opportunities. Too much to understand stability, order, etc. I explained it was a difficult thing to think about on a personel level; If I ever had a child, would I want to raise him in a more American or a more Japanese way? And I had no answer, and still don't, of course. Not like there is really such a black and white difference, but I would like him/her to have some idea of respect and values that the new generation seems to have left so in the dust. End rant.

Oh, and I mentioned how I have no younger siblings or real experience with kids and am terrified of teaching them classes, hah. But, I'm sure I'll be fine....probably.

Anyway, that was the big event of the day. I ate a "Moon-Viewing Burger" from McDonalds, simply because I had to try it: An egg over two beef patties with bacon and special sauce. Oh decadent treats. I also ate at a delicious pork place earlier today, which had some kind of amazing sauce with pork that was cooked right when you got there, with lettuce, rice and miso soup. The food people, THE FOOD. I cannot stress this enough. Food is what makes you go and what can make your body feel many different ways, and if you eat good food that's like 70% of the battle of Life, in my opinion.

I also listened to more of Kurt Vonnegut's "Slaughterhouse Five" on audiobook, and man what an intriguing read/listen. I can't believe I didn't appreciate this in High School, I must have had no attention span...although I do think I tried to skim it, and that of course doesn't work in a book where you jump through time.

CD of the Week coming next week, I chose to opt out this time around due to current time constraints.

Until next time treasured lurkers!

Love you Mom & Dad!


"Lets not praise the past, just the facts: BUILT TO LAST. Old school or the new, doesn't mean a thing if your heart ain't true"

"All mirrors hide... Failure inside
That's maybe why they take so much time

Big money lies, big lying eyes
Eyes are the soul of big dollar signs

What is the force that drives the superficial
Tell me what keeps their minds remaining little
What is the force that drives the superficial
Tell me what keeps their minds remaining...
So afraid of what they'd see underneath the fantasy
So afraid to actually SCRATCH THE SURFACE!"

-Sick of it All.