Cookroaches

Here is my FAVORITE essay response ever:

"One day, when I was cooking a lunch, tragedy attacked me. Don’t appear big and brack something is coming out of refrigerator. I was struck dumb with astonishment. Brack that as cookroach. Battle was started with that then. My right hand have a newspaper and my left hand have insecticide. I was spraying at the enemy. But the enemy run under the refrigerator again. One story if you find that one, then, there are 20-30 cookroachs in the house can not be seen. May be my house is dominated by cookroachs. I can’t sleep every night that I was very horrible. " -Junior in High School Level (Japanese Student)

Pepsi

Me and Yumi pose with Pepsi-Baobab flavor!

Not sure if I've blogged about the dozens and dozens of kinds of Kit-kat flavors here, but I had no idea that other mainstream products get Japanese'fied/diversified! I remember Pepsi- Iced Cucumber from when I got here, but sort of forgot about it.

When I saw this bottle, I had to buy it! And I didn't like it. BUT I was telling myself not to like it, because good 'ole regular Pepsi is my paradigm. But, I think that if it was given to me in a plain cup, I would have enjoyed it very much!

Be sure to click on the article above, its pretty interesting, if you are into that kind of stuff. :D

Trust

(+1) for Japan! There is a high amount of trust here, and for good reason. Crime is low. People just generally don't steal (although there IS some question to what's going on with Christina's camera).

This is a picture of my school hallway. Everyone was in the gym for some 30 minute assembly on the importance of not using a cell-phone in school. I was just baffled by seeing everyone's personal belongings-valuables included, strewn about the hallway. I used to laugh with others about Canadians not locking their doors. Now, I have turned Canadian/Japanese. I only lock my door if I'll be out all day.

I mean, if I ever had anything stolen, it would be the story of the century. I almost invite people to steal my stuff. I've leave my belongings in my unlocked bike when I go on a quick shopping spree. I could go on. But, I'll just leave it at: Japan is cool. ...Well, rural Japan is cool. (I don't even want to think about my stolen money in Tokyo!)

Lock your doors people! Or move here.

USJ

Last month I went to Universal Studios Japan with Christina!

It was hecka fun, like amusement parks are suppose to be. Not much to say about that, except that super scary roller coasters are only really fun the first time around. The second time is just a let-down!

But one thing I do want to say is that I enjoyed USJ (in Osaka) a lot more than I enjoyed Tokyo Disneyland. Tokyo Disneyland was exactly like California Disneyland. Nothing was translated into Japanese. The electric parade was still 80% English, and I just don't get that! How are little Japanese children suppose to enjoy songs that they can't understand! USJ on the other hand was totally geared toward Japanese people, which I find better for the majority of people that go. Perhaps I couldn't understand the Terminator show as well as I ought to have, BUT I would be much more dissapointed if it was everyone around me who didn't get it. ...

Best thing about stepping onto Universal Grounds....... Trash cans!! Japan is notorious for not having trash cans AnYwHeRe in public areas! I always have to carry all my trash around with me all day until I get home. Thank you Mr. Green trash can.

Omiyage

This is Omiyage! There are many different types of omiyage (souvenirs), but in Japan, Omiyage nowadays specifically refers to regional sweets. There are 47 prefectures in Japan, and each prefecture has its own specialty omiyage.

Whenever anyone goes on a trip in Japan, it is customary to bring back omiyage for their co-workers. This works out great for me, because with so many teachers, there are many chances to grab some!

The tradition, I hear, started in Japan a long time ago when travel was very difficult. Often times there would be a standout student or citizen of a village. The Japanese people knew that it was important to send this smarty out into the world to learn more. So villages would pull their resources together, for years sometimes, to save up enough to send their person from, lets say Yamaguchi, to lets say Hokkaido.

Because so much time, money and effort goes into this trip, the traveller needed to bring back something from their destination to prove that they actually went. That they made it, and didn't get sidetracked in Kyoto with some geishas or what have you. Or so I've heard.

I rarely eat breakfast, so I am always excited to see what kind of omiyage is on the special omiyage table each morning. :D Well, usually Mondays. Monday morning or the morning after a holiday, I can expect lots of sweet bean paste sweets.

BTW, when I brought back tortilla chips and salsa, and Sour belts from my America Christmas trip last year---THAT was the best omiyage ever. Japanese teachers treat eating sour belts like eating grenades; they are so scared.

Firefly Festival

Perhaps you will forgive me......but this is from MAY 29th!!!!

I don't want to just throw out this blog that has been patiently waiting in its queue. A blog opportunity is a blog opportunity, no matter how old it is.

Or maybe not.

So what was this firefly festival again? Oh, yeah. In Yamaguchi city, there is a cute little area. A walkway along a darling river. The river bank fills up with fireflies around this time of year. Before coming to Japan, I have (to my knowledge) never seen a firefly. So it was a nice night, to say the least.

It is appropriate, but by no means mandatory to dress in Yukata for any summer festival. Yumi here (left) was so amazing, and took us to her aunt's house, who is a CYP. "Certified yukata person" (hehe). Yep, thats the best I could come up with. :) But she is a professional, so she dressed us up in 2 of Yumi's yukatas. The belt is called an Obi. You may know the word "Kimono", but Kimono's are even more complex, and are only for the winter. Summer-yukata, Winter-kimono.

The friendship bond between Christina and I was solidified this night! Friends that dress in yukata together, stay together. :D

BTW, Yumi is the most awesome person in the world, and insisted that we both keep the yukata's that we were suppose to just be borrowing.

Good Times in Korea

South Korea is, simply put, heaven on Earth! :D

Interesting people walking down the street...

Christina and I enjoyed street stall dinner for about $2.00, for the both of us! It was so delicious.

We made friends at the hostel we were staying at! It was my first time ever staying in a dormitory style hostel, and it was clean, cheap and fun! Most of the other hostel-goers were European, and could speak 5-8 languages. And I learned that Luxembourg is a COUNTRY, not a city. Yes, I smacked myself, don't worry!

The girls went clubbing, shopping, eating, and just enjoyed the wonderfulness that is Korea. :D

Need a vacation spot? Seoul is the answer! And try to fly Korean air. You might get bumped to first class like Christina and I did!