Kids do the darnest things

So yesterday, I went to a school and for lunch, I got to participate in what I'll call a somen slide. I'll post pictures once I get internet at the house. So basically somen is a thin round white noodle. And they put up this contraption and they send water through a hose and down a slide. Then everybody gathers around the slide with their somen soup broth in hand. The teacers send the somen down the slide, and everybody goes crazy and try to catch the somen with their chopsticks (remember as the somen slides down...its getting cleaned at the same time, so it's kosher). Once in a while they'll send little treats down the slide like quail eggs, tomatoes, grapes, or mini gelatins. TONS of fun. I love the somen slide. After lunch, I got to play Japanese dodge ball with them. I say Japanese cause the rules are different, and I really didn't know how to play. I just dodged the ball. So today, I had another good day of teaching. My first class was the best. I mentioned that I liked Naruto and Bleach, and the kids were like, "AAAAH!" Then I mentioned "rasengan," and they applauded me! I'm not going to lie, it was awesome. I felt like Chris Angel for a bit. I pulled the same Naruto act for my second class. They weren't as impressed. But after class, this one girl gave me a Bleach poster for a present. She just stared at me...and kept holding my hand. She'd look up at me and say, ''Yokatta!" So, in Japan, I heard the word is "motte motte," in America...we call it "weird." It's all good though. Even if I don't teach these kids English...I know I'm teaching them 4 things AT LEAST: 1) I live in San Diego. 2) I live 30 minutes from Mexico. 3)I live about an hour from Disneyland. 4) I like okonomiyaki.

You like me...you REALLY like me!

Second day. I step into the class and the board is COVERED with graffitti. In katakana, I see ''Yokoso Andy sen-sei.'' And there's happy faces, moons, and stars...geez! And I hear voices behind me, ''Andrew sen-sei...Andy sen-sei! Do you know Naruto? Do you like sports?'' These kids, who never saw me before are SO interested in me. I don't know why...but I am flattered. I sat down with them for lunch, and all of the sudden, a line forms behind me. There were about 20+ kids wanting my autograph. I look at their faces...and they were SO stoked that I was going to write in their notebook or pencil cases. And they got pretty pissed if I forgot to write my signature ''happy face'' on it. So I had to draw my happy face on everybody.

After lunch...we had recess! RECESS! I never thought I would get to do recess ever again! All the kids wanted to hold my hand to escort me outside. It was overwhelming, but I enjoyed every minute of it. But the entire time, I am thinking, ''Why do these kids like me so much. I just showed them a bunch of pictures and talked to them.''

We played tag. Some Oni game, which translates to demon or ogre, I think. It was great reliving my childhood.

Sapporo and teaching

So friggin' blogger blocked me out because they thought I was spamming. Anyways...I returned from Sapporo. Lots of sightseeing. I met a ton of people, just like Tokyo orientation. Lots of drinking was done by all, but I was a good boy for the most part. I only drank one night and I learned my lesson...futatsu yori (hangovers) really suck.

Sapporo was uncanningly hot, and I spent most of the meetings in a sweaty button up shirt. That, on top of a hangover...made me a bitter person.

So apart from that, I had A LOT of good meals. Steve and I went to an izakaya. We don't know the name, but he knew how to get there. GREAT food. I introduced him to jingis kan. Good stuff...a Hokkaido must.

My gorgeous friend Moraya helped me buy a great camera at a super cheap price (26,000 yen) and a Nintendo DS. She saved me SO much money, and she just glowed with Samaritan pride afterwards.

A group of us went out to a Mexican restaurant in the Sapporo JR Station. Whoever says you can't find good Mexican food in Japan is a LIAR! We found a grand Mexican food place...it was called Tacos. The name could use a little work, but the food was awesome! Sour cream, guacamole...everything! Everybody agreed...so a big NYEAH! :-P to those that said Japan can't do it.

Afterwards, we went to a parfait place. Jennie, Brent, and I split the Challenge cup, which is basically a giant parfait put into a 2-cup pyrex glass. Lots of fun...and EVERYBODY was lookin' at us and laughing. We paid our bill and we overpaid 50 yen, so we jankened for the change. I won! Apparently we jankened pretty loudly cause the wait staff and the Japanese boys behind us were laughing hysterically. Tanoshikatta desu!

So Sapporo aside, today was my first day of teaching. It was very awkward, but it gave me a feel of what the school year was going to be like. It was at Mataochi Elementary school. Cute kids! I just met these kids, and they were acting like I've always been there. The first two classes were my experiment classes. So by my last class (which had 2 kids), I finally got the hang of it and they were asking me a bunch of questions.

Lunch was awkward. I was given a BIG bowl of rice, one piece of fried fish, and a seaweed noodle salad (wakame salad). It was delicious, but at the end, I was left with a lot of rice (and no soy sauce to flavor it with). So I was ganbari-ing my way to the bottom of the bowl, but I didn't make it. I still wasted a lot of rice. But no one seemed to pay attention, and everybody seemed to like me afterwards.

At the end of the day, the kids and teachers followed me out the door to wave goodbye. They never left either...they stayed there waving until I got in my car and left. Honest to God...it was an experience straight out of a movie.

I look forward to teaching.

Me and my new phone

So I finally got my keitai. And it's a winner. Not I didn't love my Neanderthal of a phone from America...but this new phone is a little better. Photos to come later. Phones in Japan are really cheap compared to America...but they make up for it in their cell phone plans. I'm paying about $70 a month for 800 minutes, and no free minutes (Japan doesn't believe in those). But I can always go down...I figure I'd save more money that way than if I went with a lower plan and went over my minutes...cause the phone companies will rape you after you do that.

Anyways...for about $130, I got this SWEET Sony Ericsson phone...model # W525 (if you wanna google it). It's a walkman, camera, video recorder, and a phone with internet access. It also has GPS for an additional charge, and in case of an emergency it will tell you the cities escape routes. Not that I'd count on my phone in case of a natural disaster, I'd probably be too busy following the mob of people trying not to drown in the tsunami or get crushed in the earthquake. I think I can program this phone to make me dinner if I really wanted to. We'll see.

Dinner with the co-workers

So yesterday was ANOTHER grueling hot day, as well as today. I can't wait until fall and winter gets here. Right now I just want to take an ice bomb and shove it up the sun's @$$!

OK...I had to get my bitchin' out of the way. So yesterday, Konno-san kidnapped me from the office to take me to this really old building in town. It's over 80 years old I think. It was hot as hell...and I think I would've enjoyed it more if it was cooler. Anyways, our tourguide was a character. Apart from upholding the building, he makes professional paper airplanes. It's really friggin' amazing, especially since I didn't know there was such thing as a professional paper airplane.

Later that night, I had dinner with the co-workers. It was grand. The restaurant was named Izakuzushi. And there was tons to drink: beer, sake, shoju, tea, and OJ. I wish I could've drank the OJ, but people here like you to drink with them. Another plus, I got to practice my Japanese since not many people in the office speak English. One is hard of hearing, so I got to practice my written Japanese too!

The food was good. My favorite part of the meal was the crab. It tastes like any other crab I've eaten, but like any other crab...it was tastey. There was also sushi, sashimi, and omelettes.

Afterwards, we headed to a karaoke pub. I guess in Japan, if the owner of the bar is a woman, you call her ''Mama.'' She was a character. She seemed like a best friend I haven't seen in a long time. I wonder why that is ;-). So anyways, I got to try my hands on a Japanese song: "Life is Like a Boat" by Rie Fu. It's half English, half Japanese, so I felt semi-comfortable.

It was a good night. I had some great conversations with really good people that night. And right now, I'm really looking forward to my trip to Sapporo this weekend.

Fireworks outside my apartment

I bought a fan last night. I don't care if the locals tell me that temperatures will fall in a couple of weeks, it's still bloody hot and it will probably be the best investment I make in these next two weeks. I slept very comfortably last night too. I don't regret my purchase one bit.

So...nobody told me there would be fireworks at the festival last night. So at first I thought they were gunshots (scared the crap out of me). "JESUS CHRIST! There's a gunman in Nakashibetsu!" Then I looked outsde my apartment window and I saw the fireworks. WHAT A RELIEF! It was beautiful, and it went on for a very long time...about an hour at least. I looked at the ground (I live on the second floor) and I see a family BBQing and watching the fireworks too. And not like the old good ole' American BBQ, it's the Japanese squat on the ground and smoke up some squid BBQ. So although I wasn't at the festival watching, I still felt the Japaese atmosphere around me...or at least one floor down.

P.S. If anybody from home is reading this. Can you e-mail me photos of food from back home. More in particular, tacos and carne asada fries. Thank you in advance!

Life's a matsuri

Alright...it's been a couple weeks in Japan, but I'll keep this short for the time being. I have lots of photos, and I'll do my best to upload those when I get internet at my house. So far, life in the JET Programme has been a rollercoaster. I was thrust into life in Tokyo in the middle of the summer. And although the city isn't sunny, that DOES NOT mean it's not hot. It was hot as blazes! Which really sucked cause I would've saw more of the city if it was cooler. But I did get to see a little bit of Tokyo. I met about 5,000 people give or take at Orientation. Many of which I have yet to e-mail back. Afterwards, I was shipped off to Sapporo to meet my supervisor. Great times. ALOT cooler (temperature) than Tokyo, but still hot. I still f*cked up my suit with sweat. Sapporo is a lot like San Diego. It's a small town that thinks it's a big city. I love it. Then we flew to Nakashibetsu for the first time. I got off the plane. ''Yep, sure does smell like cows.'' Then after being bounced around...I was finally dropped off at my apartment. Kinda lonely...kinda sucked. No phone, no internet...just me. I was lonely for my first couple days, then Scott, my predecessor, introduced me to the town and its people. I wasn't so lonely after that. People here are really friendly. So to slowly wrap this mother up...this past weekend, we had our Summer matsuri. Tons of fun! I got to see the parade, and lots of performances. For a small town, the townspeople have a lot of talent. I got to see some Yosakoi dances. I think I fell in love...cause I really want to give it a go. Tons of energy, dramatic music, HUGE cheesy facial expressions...I want in. So some small notes to conclude. I blend in really well...no body really stares at me like they do at Scott and Arthur. Umeboshi is horrific. And driving takes some getting used to.