Sunday, January 29, 2006
Our new year trip to the temple and Kakegawa castle
I have posted some pictures of our excursion yesterday. I need to get ready for work so don't have time to write anything but I'll try to improve on the boring captions this evening.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Mein Schloss, self-heating alcohol, handwarmers
The other night we went to a 'German' beer hall called Mein Schloss. It was impressive. I have a small picture of the replica castle on my phone. They have an inhouse brewery where they make wheat beer, dark beer and light beer. Very goood... And the food's not so bad....
There is a piccy below of a can. It has a nice button on the bottom. You press it and then 3 minutes later you have Atsukan. Nice hot sake at 30-40degrees C. Great for these cold winter nights! Despite not being a fan of sake when trying it in the UK we have both developed a liking for warm sake.
Life is not just about drinking, in the background of the picture you can probably make out a small plastic square thing. It is a little self-heating pad to put in your pocket. Dirt cheap and available everywhere, they are great for keeping your fingertips toasty. Errr.... and surprise!!!! You can get Hello Kitty pads too...
There is a piccy below of a can. It has a nice button on the bottom. You press it and then 3 minutes later you have Atsukan. Nice hot sake at 30-40degrees C. Great for these cold winter nights! Despite not being a fan of sake when trying it in the UK we have both developed a liking for warm sake.
Life is not just about drinking, in the background of the picture you can probably make out a small plastic square thing. It is a little self-heating pad to put in your pocket. Dirt cheap and available everywhere, they are great for keeping your fingertips toasty. Errr.... and surprise!!!! You can get Hello Kitty pads too...
Friday, January 20, 2006
Some great advice for 2006
Extract from an email
[...
Before attempting to remove stubborn stains from a garment, always circle the stain in permanent pen, so that when you remove the garment from the washing machine you can easily locate the area of the stain and check that it has gone.
Don't waste money buying expensive binoculars. Simply stand next to the object you wish to view.
Olympic athletes. Disguise the fact that you've taken steroids by running a bit slower.
...]
[...
Before attempting to remove stubborn stains from a garment, always circle the stain in permanent pen, so that when you remove the garment from the washing machine you can easily locate the area of the stain and check that it has gone.
Don't waste money buying expensive binoculars. Simply stand next to the object you wish to view.
Olympic athletes. Disguise the fact that you've taken steroids by running a bit slower.
...]
Thursday, January 19, 2006
I don't like J-pop
I am pretty certain that J-Pop is produced by the children of a mating between Pete Waterman, 2 unlimited, Shaggy, a Japanese business man on helium and the devil (the devil is required to make a mating between so many people possible). The result is hideous. I knew I didn't like the insipid tunes, the random english phrases (Oh Yeah! Open your feel!) and the energetic singers that dance in formation. Unfortunately while in Japan you cannot escape it.... It is everywhere! Bars, supermarkets, clothes shops, TV, even in the street. And... it is getting to me. The current number 1 in Japan is Powder Snow(Konayuki) by Remioromen. It is a bland ballad by a bland band but I can't get it out of my head. Help!!!!! Please do a search for it through 'usual channels'. Have a listen. Then you can start to feel sorry for me. While you are investigating the wonders of J-Pop try Kumi Koda. She has 4 songs in the top 20. I really hope that no-one is paying her to crank out that stuff.
The truth is that I think I am starting to enjoy this rubbish despite my better judgement. I must go and listen to some radio 6 to clean the sugar out of my ears...
The truth is that I think I am starting to enjoy this rubbish despite my better judgement. I must go and listen to some radio 6 to clean the sugar out of my ears...
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Bitter Ex-pats
I am sure that it is not just Japan (can any of you fellow TEFLers back me up?) but I have noticed something really strange about ex-pats here. They seem to really hate their lives... They hate teaching, Japan, Japanese people, Japanese politics, Japanese cities, apartments, weather blah blah blah... When we first arrived we tried our hardest to avoid settling in to a social life with the gaijin crowd. To some extent we have succeeded. But whenever we meet other teachers we start to hear the horror stories. I would understand this if we also heard about the wonderful things we could see and do while enjoying our new careers... but we don't hear about the happy things... Luckily the horrors are balanced by our Japanese friends so we haven't completely lost the rose-tinted specs that they hand out when you arrive at Narita airport.
What really bothers me is... why are they still here?! If Japan is so bad, go home! From what I have seen so far Japan is living up to expectations. It is a modern developed nation that has arrived at this position via a very different route to western nations. Because of this it is confusing, wierd, baffling, beautiful, disgusting, harsh, forgiving, and utterly fascinating.
Whatever my opinion might be by the end of our time here, I want to recommend this place to everyone now (while I am still a fresh-faced eager teacher full of wonder).
Right... now off to work!
What really bothers me is... why are they still here?! If Japan is so bad, go home! From what I have seen so far Japan is living up to expectations. It is a modern developed nation that has arrived at this position via a very different route to western nations. Because of this it is confusing, wierd, baffling, beautiful, disgusting, harsh, forgiving, and utterly fascinating.
Whatever my opinion might be by the end of our time here, I want to recommend this place to everyone now (while I am still a fresh-faced eager teacher full of wonder).
Right... now off to work!
Thursday, January 12, 2006
It wasn't so bad!
The kids classes were fun. In one class I had a student called Taiga (pronounced the same way as the large stripey feline animal). I could swear that he was actually a 60 year old midget. He had a voice like someone who had smoked 80 a day for the last 40 years. I can't really do it justice in text but I want you to imagine a (very) tiny 7 year old walking up to you and, with the gruffest, deepest voice that someone of his stature could muster, proclaiming "I AM TIGER! Here's my homework....". I couldn't help grinning!
Back to the kids again...
It's back to the kids lessons now... Yay!
I need to get some genk' from somewhere.
Genki is a great word which means something like health/power/vitality/friendly/energy/lively. Teachers of children in Japan need to be genki. This generally means jumping, running, bouncing, chanting, satanic prayer and ritual sacrifice. This can all be quite tough while wearing a suit and attempting to retain a professional air. Soon we will have open weeks when parents sit in with the children. Going by feedback from previous open days they are opportunities for parents to be extremely judgemental about teachers. One teacher was told that they weren't sitting properly by two parents(in the middle of the class). I am really looking forward to that!
On the other hand I taught a lovely class yesterday evening. The class name is 'Welsh' so they have to be great. The class consists of an 11 year old girl and a boy aged twelve. They are incredibly polite, hard-working and supportive to each other. They are an absolute pleasure to teach!
Anyway, I'm orf for some grub...
Jaa ne
I need to get some genk' from somewhere.
Genki is a great word which means something like health/power/vitality/friendly/energy/lively. Teachers of children in Japan need to be genki. This generally means jumping, running, bouncing, chanting, satanic prayer and ritual sacrifice. This can all be quite tough while wearing a suit and attempting to retain a professional air. Soon we will have open weeks when parents sit in with the children. Going by feedback from previous open days they are opportunities for parents to be extremely judgemental about teachers. One teacher was told that they weren't sitting properly by two parents(in the middle of the class). I am really looking forward to that!
On the other hand I taught a lovely class yesterday evening. The class name is 'Welsh' so they have to be great. The class consists of an 11 year old girl and a boy aged twelve. They are incredibly polite, hard-working and supportive to each other. They are an absolute pleasure to teach!
Anyway, I'm orf for some grub...
Jaa ne
Monday, January 09, 2006
Spelling mistake
I doubt it matters much but I have just noticed that I have been spelling a word wrong - 'izikaya'. It should be izakaya. Although izikaya doesn't appear to be a real word it might be approximated to 'shop that sells deer'. 
Meiji Mura
The Meiji era (1867 to 1912) was a period that left Japan dramatically changed. It was the period that Japan really began to use western designs and technologies. Japan is / was an incredibly conservative country and the changes in lifestyle were quite a shock for the society as a whole. It was in this period that Japan became a world power.
Thousands of hired foreigners were brought in to bring knowledge of science, industry, English, military tactics, architecture and the influence is shown in the buildings of that period.
Meiji Mura is a theme park with original buildings from across the country taken to bits and rebuilt here. It also contains a railroad with British steam engines. At the time Britain was exporting rail technology around the world.... How things have changed!!!
The author Natsume Soseki wrote a book called 'I am Cat' which satirises the life of Japanese middle-class during this period. The narrator is a nameless cat. He watches the crazy humans and tries to make sense of their bizarre fashions and behaviours. His house (Soseki's not the cat's) is here and we went to have a look with Ken.
Unfortunately I have heard rumours that the park is having financial difficulties and plans are being drawn up to move some of the more important buildings to other places. We had a great day there so I hope it manages to keep running.
Did everyone have a good chrimbo / new year?
Thousands of hired foreigners were brought in to bring knowledge of science, industry, English, military tactics, architecture and the influence is shown in the buildings of that period.
Meiji Mura is a theme park with original buildings from across the country taken to bits and rebuilt here. It also contains a railroad with British steam engines. At the time Britain was exporting rail technology around the world.... How things have changed!!!
The author Natsume Soseki wrote a book called 'I am Cat' which satirises the life of Japanese middle-class during this period. The narrator is a nameless cat. He watches the crazy humans and tries to make sense of their bizarre fashions and behaviours. His house (Soseki's not the cat's) is here and we went to have a look with Ken.
Unfortunately I have heard rumours that the park is having financial difficulties and plans are being drawn up to move some of the more important buildings to other places. We had a great day there so I hope it manages to keep running.
Did everyone have a good chrimbo / new year?
Monday, January 02, 2006
Back to geeky mode
I am sure some of my old colleagues at RM will be working on something related to this problem but for the less techy among you-
Windows vulnerability
Please be careful with the websites you browse to while MS pulls its finger out of its behind. If you haven't already then please install Firefox (preferably from the link on this page). It won't completely help with this vulnerability (especially if you have google desktop installed) but it generally helps you to browse more safely. Also you should keep your anti-virus software up-to-date... Unlike me....
Ok you won't get any more computer advice from me on this page....
Unless it's about computers in Japan or something wierd....
Fumi leaves for Australia on the 6th (probably for 3 months...) so we are heading over to have a couple of beers with her tonight. We'll miss her!!
Windows vulnerability
Please be careful with the websites you browse to while MS pulls its finger out of its behind. If you haven't already then please install Firefox (preferably from the link on this page). It won't completely help with this vulnerability (especially if you have google desktop installed) but it generally helps you to browse more safely. Also you should keep your anti-virus software up-to-date... Unlike me....
Ok you won't get any more computer advice from me on this page....
Unless it's about computers in Japan or something wierd....
Fumi leaves for Australia on the 6th (probably for 3 months...) so we are heading over to have a couple of beers with her tonight. We'll miss her!!
Eeek!
The crowds were huge....
Anyway I splashed out on a Muji clothes bag for 15pounds. Sarah bought a Muji cosmetics bag for 5.
I got a jumper (nice), sweatshirt(very nice), two pairs of white socks (yuck), a vest (useful but a horrible muddy green colour), two pairs of boxers (useful), a little towel thing (essential in Japan), a very nice shirt and a coat! I think I did quite well for my 3000 yen.
Sarah had a small metal bowl (huh?), a foldup hairbrush (useful), some incense tea(?), a huge bottle of shampoo, a huge bottle of conditioner, moisturising milk (small and large), toning water (small and large), nail varnish, fragrance water and a variety of containers for holding different stuff.
No photo for you though :)
Anyway I splashed out on a Muji clothes bag for 15pounds. Sarah bought a Muji cosmetics bag for 5.
I got a jumper (nice), sweatshirt(very nice), two pairs of white socks (yuck), a vest (useful but a horrible muddy green colour), two pairs of boxers (useful), a little towel thing (essential in Japan), a very nice shirt and a coat! I think I did quite well for my 3000 yen.
Sarah had a small metal bowl (huh?), a foldup hairbrush (useful), some incense tea(?), a huge bottle of shampoo, a huge bottle of conditioner, moisturising milk (small and large), toning water (small and large), nail varnish, fragrance water and a variety of containers for holding different stuff.
No photo for you though :)
Window shopping
Today is the first main day of New Year sales. We wandered out yesterday and found that a few stores were open and sales madness had struck. In most stores they are selling lucky bags. For between 10 and 30 pounds you purchase a sealed bag containing items worth between 3 and 5 times that amount. It is a very clever marketing trick as we were seriously contemplating buying a couple of these before realising that a 30 pounds gamble is still a 30 pounds gamble. We seemed to be the only ones hesitating though as they were flying off the shelves. We managed to see what was in one lucky bag (for a shop selling imported housewares). The bag cost 25 quid and had a claimed value of over 100. Inside was the biggest collection of candles, incense, candle holders and incense burners I had ever seen in one bag.... And the bag itself was worth "5000 Yen".... hmmm I am glad we didn't splash out. However.... today the Muji sale starts and CompMart... So I think we will be tempted again. We are heading out now so I shall let you know in a few hours. If we buy one I will take pictures...
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