Angela in Japan

Sayonnara, Nippon!

yellowrainboots — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 07:30:00 +0000

I have started to cancel my bank, internet and phone accounts. It’s like Angela has never existed. In Japan, at least. I’m so upset to leave such an amazing experience behind, but am extremely grateful to have met such wonderful friends and coworkers.

Which leads me to thank everyone who came out to Bellini’s Friday night for my farewell party. I will miss everyone dearly!

I have such great friends.

Katie is my very best friend and will be spending the weekend cleaning me clean my apartment. It will be like new for my predecessor.

Take care, everyone!

A dazzling bunch!

Garbage day!

yellowrainboots — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 09:38:47 +0000

Last day was Monday, which meant that burnable trash was being taken.

While I was putting out my garabe I saw a cat. I am terribly afraid of animals so I held my breath and walked away…

Then it
meeeeeeeeooooow
purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrred.
And followed
me.

So I held my breath even harder– since it obviously was not working the first time– and this time, ran home!

Guys can hit girls.

yellowrainboots — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 15:12:13 +0000

In one of my classes, a group of 11 year olds, I witnessed a girl and a boy bickering and then they hit each other. Nothing harmful, but it was enough for me to go: Why are you hitting a girl?! Okay, aside from the obvious bullying, I just could not wrap myself from this behaviour. Bullying is not tolerated. And chivalry is nonexistent, apparently.

It’s never “ladies first,” or “let me open the door for you.” In Japan, women serve the men. One time I even saw a girl ride the bike while the boy sat in the back texting on his phone. Well, of course not everyone is like this. But when I notice something so shocking as to see a boy hit a girl, that stereotype makes a harsh impression.

I even talked to my Japanese teacher about it, she says it’s normal.

Oh well, that answers everything.

Good nighto!

The Niihama Guides Club spoils me…

yellowrainboots — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:03:49 +0000

Guide Club Excursion 1: Minetopia Besshi Tour & Sushi
Niihama was a booming copper industry, and had one of the largest copper mines in the world at the time. So it was crucial that the Guide club took Jaclyn and I to the copper mine musuem so we can appreciate Niihama’s history. The musuem is situated among the autumn Japanese maples, surrounded by beauty and a story. The story of the many workers that thrived from the mine, and many workers that died.
Then we went out for Japanese food: sushi.

Jaclyn and Hamano san in front of Minetopia Besshi.

The guides.

Guide Club Excursion 2: Temaki Sushi Making at Masako’s
We made home-made sushi with all our favourite ingredients: avocadoes, cream cheese, smoked salmon, salmon, tuna, yellow tail, scallops, cucumbers & sprouts. Delicious. And I got to make my favourite kind: avocadoes, cream cheese, smoked salmon with cucumbers.

Oshi desu.

The crew (Masako, Yamada san, Alexa, Jaclyn & I).

Guide Club Excursion 3- Onsen on the Saijo moutains
It was absolutely stunning. Word has it on the street that not much has been going around, in other words, we had completely privacy at this public bath. Look at the pictures and you’ll see…

Ciao!

A very big deal.

yellowrainboots — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 13:28:55 +0000

“Obama won!” flashed my MSN message.
“I’m now proud to be American again” announced a Facebook status.
“I swear, if Obama doesn’t win I will move to Canada” declared another teacher in Niihama.

***

I heard the vans with the loud microphones again. They were definiately announcing something. But what? All I heard was “arigato gozaimasu. yoroshiku onegaishemasu! arigato gozaimas.”
So I asked my students: What’s that?
They started to explain to me in Japanese, but that didn’t make things easier.
So one student said: Obama and McCain.
That rang a bell.
So they are electing mayors in my city. And these trucks are asking for support. Makes sense. But also makes such an annoyance.
Anyway, it’s strange how well informed my students are on international affairs at the age of 10. Maybe I cannot go as far to say international affairs but they are definitely aware of the American election.
I asked my class who they supported. They all said Obama.
I asked: Why?
“I like his face.”

Wakata

I want Trick.

yellowrainboots — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:31:41 +0000

Last night I volunteered at an elementary school for halloween. The night included trick or treating, potluck, a costume contest, games and dancing. Since I teach for a private company, it was great to see my student there– even if it was just one student.

The kids were adorable! And costume judging was quite difficult.

What sucked the most was having some of the volunteer high school students and a Japanese English teacher mistaken me for an exchange student. Someone “not in high school yet” was what they described me. Yay…I swear it was the blonde wig.

Check it out now:

There's me with the corpse bride.

Possibly the best costume on the face of the Earth.

My little group of helpers mummifing me.

What a night!

Oh, and if you’re wondering what I was dressed up as I could either be– according to others– a nurse, a hostess (ugh…), Alice in Wonderland, Barbie or Dorthy. What I was truly going for was Goldilocks.

That’s all.

Good night!

Tokyo in four sentences.

yellowrainboots — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:11:34 +0000

I haven’t been myself this weekend; I took only 60 photos thus far AND I went to the very beautiful DisneySea. I am typing this at a hostel. Im very sleep deprived from the overnight bus. Good night!

Yoiosa-yosaaaaaaa

yellowrainboots — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:33:46 +0000

Yo-i-o-sa, yo-i-o-sa, yo-i-o-sa yo-saaaaaaa.
The Saiyo Matsuri chant is ringing in my tiny little ears.

Two nights ago I went to the midnight parade. The first four hours I was bursting with energy when I first stepped outside the train, that was at 10pm. After that, it was all downhill.

The drunken men, the beautiful danjiris, the festivial food and the chanting. Good times.
How do drunken men carry these 600-800kg danjiris? Magic. And a few deaths along the way.
Apparently more people die in the Niihama festival.

The Japanese are hardcore when they come to festivals.

A group of men carrying danjiris up the stairs to the shrine.
The whole night led up to this big event. Where all the danjiris march– all 80 of them–to the summit of the shrine and seek of prosperty for this next year’s crops and give thanks for this year’s gifts. This is a harvest festival, after all.

I woke up at 6:30am this morning to go to the site of the old castle to watch the many danjiris parade and show-off. My favourite part? When they’re about to tip.

See what I mean? So entertaining

These mikoshis have prominent large wheels and they weigh 2 tons! The tassels and the people ontop do not help.

Last Saijo ceremony at kamogawa River. Unfortunately my camera did not capture how epic this was. Crazy sleep-deprived, hung-over men bouncing the danjiris in the freezing water competing. Although I am not sure how they judged this contest.

This ends my Saijo festival activities.
Tomorrow I will go to only one event for the Niihama’s Taikodai festival because I will be taking the night bus to Tokyo in the evening.

Xox,
Angela

Imports do it better.

yellowrainboots — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:13:19 +0000

So this long weekend I had an autumn seminar in Matsuyama. I don’t mind long, lengthy meetings where we can discuss ideas and give updates. It is all about T E A M W O R K.

The bonus was that the meeting was in Matsuyama this time. I love Matsuyama. And for one very obvious reason: Emifuru.

Emifuru is a North American styled mall. None of that covered shopping aracade. This is the closest thing I can get to decent shopping; although Niihama’s Aeon mall isn’t half bad, it just doesn’t have a couple things in particular…

1. CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN at the all-you-can-eat. Lunch is only $13 and dinner is $16. No tips required. I love eating out in Japan. And the chocolate fountain continously flows with enough yummy-goodness to keep this sweet-toothed gal satisified.

2. IMPORT STORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Even though they don’t sell jalapeno chips, they sell other things that makes my mouth go all watery: buffalo wing HOTTER sauce, tom yum kung soup paste, and pho set. That’s all I’ve been eating the last three meals. The buffalo wing sauce is too watery for my taste, but I can’t complain I haven’t had buffalo wings in eons! And I’ve never even had tom yum kung before, but I love Thai so this one was an excellent choice. And the pho set? Beats instant pho noodles for sure. But its base is mainly fish sauce, not cow bones and stock. But seeing as how this is Japan, I am thankful nonetheless.

And at appropriate timing as well. It’s Thanksgiving long weekend in Canada. Yay! Nothing beats buffalo chicken wings and tom yum kung soup and pho all in the same day to show my thanks!

In a few days I will be heading to Tokyo. My jalapeno chips search will continue. There’s bound to be awesome import stores in Tokyo with Miss Vickie’s or Old Dutch. That will be absolutely wonderful!!

And in a few hours Saijo’s matsuri festival will commence at midnight. I am taking the train there in an hour and I will join along the many jolly souls of Saijo festival admirers to parade until dawn. Luckily I don’t have work. Another thing to be thankful for.

Love ya later,
Angela

Konmachi Magazine is out!

yellowrainboots — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:56:03 +0000

Alas, it is here!
Well, a picture is a worth a thousand words…so how about a few pictures to raise the word count?

Magazine cover

Angela wa doko desuka?