tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45738220677288250892024-02-19T21:07:08.326+09:00Alone in KudamatsuJeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.comBlogger252125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-53285563089841855442012-12-07T22:22:00.002+09:002012-12-07T22:22:25.237+09:00オワチャーIt's been over 5 years and I am done. Time to head back to the US and see if there is anything left there for me. Don't ask me my plans, they're all top secret.<br />
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I've been saying goodbye to my students over the last few weeks. It has really reinforced how bad I am at goodbyes.<br />
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Bye.Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-68027975221908596072012-10-21T21:38:00.000+09:002012-10-21T21:40:39.089+09:00Koh Samet, Thailand<br />
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As part of my trip to Vietnam my BFFL Jon and I planned a trip to Thailand. First a few days on a small island, Koh Samet, then a few in Bangkok.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">fruit stand on the island</td></tr>
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Jon and I arrived in Bangkok in the afternoon. Right now it's a Buddhist holiday where a lot of Thai people go vegetarian, so we stopped for food in the airport cafeteria and got a big plate of spicy stuff. Only a few bucks and a welcome change from Japan where everything is expensive and filled with meat and fish.</div>
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We caught a bus and I made Jon do all the work because he's been to Bangkok and Koh Samet before. We took a 2 hour shuttle to this little bus stop on a highway. From there we would catch another bus in an hour or so. We thought we might miss the last ferry to the island so we tried to hail a taxi with no luck. Two Australian ladies we waiting with us and we all became best friends. Jon did, anyway. They kept calling it a "wasted day" because of travel, which I thought was funny. I guess when you have a tiring job back home you stress out about relaxing.</div>
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While waiting we saw a dog get hit by a car. He was OK. There are a bunch of wild dogs around Thailand. I'm surprised I'm not scared of them. I'm scared of my mom's dog. I don't know what my deal is on this trip with not having panic attacks. Cars, airports, boats and dogs are my biggest anxiety inducers (oh and manatees, but they don't grow here I don't think). Maybe I used up all my panic before I left Japan. Maybe I don't care anymore.</div>
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We caught another bus and it was great. There was a cute kid in front of me doing cute stuff. There was a crazy toilet with a bucket of water sloshing around that you're supposed to use to wipe or flush or both. The Australian ladies had to use it. One did successfully, one reported that she failed.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpISrAsqIudHCxnVN2U8M4wjcKRsjEXjKszAmL0abbROfQjgQXkqV-CdLOI2wZLMqumHZjH9IWsPupvX1cYeK1sxCxLNJ2bAqZqj4fpHX3N24VIVSfhHc-pndE_61dM8mBDlsGhvQs8ic/s1600/Photo+12-10-18+18+13+26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpISrAsqIudHCxnVN2U8M4wjcKRsjEXjKszAmL0abbROfQjgQXkqV-CdLOI2wZLMqumHZjH9IWsPupvX1cYeK1sxCxLNJ2bAqZqj4fpHX3N24VIVSfhHc-pndE_61dM8mBDlsGhvQs8ic/s320/Photo+12-10-18+18+13+26.jpg" width="320" /></a>Once we arrived at the pier it was already dark. We bought a ferry ticket but were told we had to wait for 20 people for it to leave. There were 10 of us and no one around. We waited for about an hour and when no one else showed up I told Jon and the Australians I'll buy the last 10 tickets (about $16). I made Jon go tell the guy that (don't make me talk to people!) and he said he'd ask everyone to pay about $1.50 more if we wanted to leave now. Everyone was willing and relieved. I wouldn't stop talking about how great I was on the whole ride to the island.</div>
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At Koh Samet Jon and I stayed in a little beachside bungalow. For this trip I told Jon I want to just go somewhere cheap, on the beach, and with fruity drinks. He delivered. It was nice and seemed like more of a place where Thai people go on vacation than somewhere where whiteys fill the streets with their fanny packs.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">breakfast on the beach</td></tr>
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We stayed two nights and ate lots of foods, drank lots of drinks, swam on a deserted beach, and got crazy Thai massages. The whole thing cost me less than $200. You can be jealous, I don't mind.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thai lunch</td></tr>
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Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-36142267147774238832012-10-17T12:09:00.000+09:002012-10-21T21:24:00.743+09:00an afternoon in Seoul<div style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">
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I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> arrived and my first thought was "I wonder if they have a Taco Bell here?" I am the worst tourist. I had a few hours to kill before heading out to my final destination, Hanoi. I stopped by information and got directions to an area Jon recommended for eating and some sightseeing. There were some cute window washer scaling the building. I didn't take a picture. One of my biggest regrets.
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I immediately noticed everyone was more aggressive than in Japan. Ladies were swinging their arms around pointing, people were rushing for buses instead of hanging back to make sure they weren't cutting anybody off. It's not a negative thing, people just seem less fragile and nervous. I don't even know if they were Korean (there's no way to tell, right?)</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's not a Japanese animal, I know, but Japan reminds me of a panda. It's so fickle and delicate it is running itself into extinction. Koreas seem hardier. There is something amazing and artistic about being delicate like Japanese, though.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">These are just generalizations, but Japanese love to generalize themselves anyway. "We Japanese" was always my adult students' favorite phrase to start of a lecture.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Corbusier is alive and well in Korea. The scenery on the bus ride from the airport was made up of stacks and stacks of identical housing units.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Dunkin Donuts. This is the first place I went. I can't help it, I'm from the east coast. And I was a little lost and needed to spend time with my map. (Shut up unless you've lived away from home over 5 years.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">K-Pop blasting on and off intermittently. I didn't get a donut, but I smelled them and I admired them. I couldn't find the trash when I was done, but then a Korean lady stood up and couldn't find it either, so I felt better and just brought my cup back up to the counter.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It was a beautiful, sunny fall day. I wasnt even sweaty carrying around my bag. I took off my earbuds and listened to all the gobbledygook. I've long since lost the wonder over hearing Japanese people speak, since I can usually pick up enough words to know what they're saying.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I remember last time I was in Korea a woman took Motto and I out to eat. She offered to pay and we insisted we pay some. She got really upset at that. I guess it implies she can't afford to pay. While in Japan it's customary to offer to pay and refuse gifts over and over, even if you know you'll let someone pay for you (cause you're a goddamn lady).</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I exchanged ¥5,000. I paid 10,000 whatever currency Korea has for the bus. The coffee was 3,500. I have no idea what those numbers convert to, but people say Korea is cheaper than Japan, so I'm sure it's fine. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Using a paper map without GPS or google is a pretty fun adventure. Until you have to pee.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I gave up looking for the restaurant I was initially seeking and found a toilet in an open air art museum. Then I remembered something about Korean toilets. They don't flush toilet paper. Pretty gross. Lots of flies.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was in the artsy area, Insadong. Lots of little galleries. I found some cute shops and bought socks and paper dolls.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Was thinking of going back to the airport and sit around there and not miss my flight, but ducked in to Starbucks to see if they had free wi-fi. No dice! Well, half dice. Snake eyes. I had to enter my name and passport number into a site, and I did so like someone who has never experienced identity theft. It didn't work though.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Staff didn't say thank you or smile anywhere, but this was most jarring at Starbucks, the friendliest place on Earth.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">There was a wild baby roaming around. No leash policy on babies in Korea. He came up and wanted to look at my MacBook. He tugged on some lady's skirt. Then he hung out with a young couple and played "peek-a-boo." Then his mom found him. Then he wandered some more. Then he walked behind the counter. I don't know, maybe he worked there.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Yes, my (maybe only) time in Seoul was spent in two American-based coffee shops. Yes, I had my MacBook and iPhone out on the table while I got high on caffeine. But I wouldn't want to hang out with someone who thought they were too cool during international travel to do what they like to do.</span></span></span></div>
Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-8055381862210010272012-08-29T02:29:00.000+09:002012-08-29T02:29:02.837+09:00Peace Tattoo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXkQhPyNUacCs-lDSsztjKYyrnxTQzwPGIsRIDb6kMYzCVRSEJejy_GEU2_3TRdrIG6FwJjU7yl7j6qShSSKVn3VFsT16f3w4JMo7UZxUNqEMhmaIGEK6RdsJp3ic_IDRGbX6Rw3boP13/s1600/IMG_3122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizXkQhPyNUacCs-lDSsztjKYyrnxTQzwPGIsRIDb6kMYzCVRSEJejy_GEU2_3TRdrIG6FwJjU7yl7j6qShSSKVn3VFsT16f3w4JMo7UZxUNqEMhmaIGEK6RdsJp3ic_IDRGbX6Rw3boP13/s400/IMG_3122.JPG" alt="free paper crane tattoo Hiroshima" /></a></div>For the last three years a group of tattoo apprentaces have been giving away free paper crane tattoos on the anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. They start at about 10am and this year did about 30 tattoos. Eight of them were on me and my friends.
<P>The paper crane is a symbol of peace in this city. People fold strings of cranes and add them to the Children's bomb memorial and other statues.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTuOlkSlVhTXOaRT3H2K8Dbu3kAFg25_NJ2JvmCUmtnwaJWNKNRED97VryDm-Ew1CMts8mUYcvlekyMSpzGlnAKnozsvfR8igxnMV92GEOVNllOzVqTch4-JvAB9ExcxereUHR3gqv2SGN/s1600/hiroshima+058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTuOlkSlVhTXOaRT3H2K8Dbu3kAFg25_NJ2JvmCUmtnwaJWNKNRED97VryDm-Ew1CMts8mUYcvlekyMSpzGlnAKnozsvfR8igxnMV92GEOVNllOzVqTch4-JvAB9ExcxereUHR3gqv2SGN/s400/hiroshima+058.jpg" /></a></div>
<p>Here's a blog post from one of my friends about the experience: <a href="http://danikasniko.blogspot.jp/2012/08/permanence-today-i-got-tattoo.html">Today, I got a tattoo.</a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8i3zYSgoV4SinNyPllmNPo47RrCUtxC8uRcgof1Ya744razl4Hqilor2A1BjeRN-usbw3e3GQvGLxdCmVpMX-hk8nKUg1IwLjXcW_ckQTId6Zj9ZTBtnQpEKdw_2wNny9iUFstXbwf_Ij/s1600/IMG_3257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8i3zYSgoV4SinNyPllmNPo47RrCUtxC8uRcgof1Ya744razl4Hqilor2A1BjeRN-usbw3e3GQvGLxdCmVpMX-hk8nKUg1IwLjXcW_ckQTId6Zj9ZTBtnQpEKdw_2wNny9iUFstXbwf_Ij/s400/IMG_3257.JPG" /></a></div>
Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-74949253318005210482012-07-20T00:39:00.000+09:002012-07-20T00:40:47.569+09:00Rabbit Island, Okunoshima Japan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzm8CevtnnYanQGQWNfODGHrEXpDnteQ_IWh-oHyIOaCQPb2CNorKSM3XNPuSAmScZTfh1Z0K8orKcF7AB6ibmvym1Z50ZZ-01cUViuDweNdC_GZPpVN3Q9VIp329MHG8RWpuqko0whIu/s1600/IMG_6228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzm8CevtnnYanQGQWNfODGHrEXpDnteQ_IWh-oHyIOaCQPb2CNorKSM3XNPuSAmScZTfh1Z0K8orKcF7AB6ibmvym1Z50ZZ-01cUViuDweNdC_GZPpVN3Q9VIp329MHG8RWpuqko0whIu/s400/IMG_6228.JPG" alt="Rabbit Island Okunoshima Japan Bunny" width="400" /></a></div>
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I can't believe I lived in Japan almost five years before someone let me know about the magical place that is Rabbit Island. I hate almost everything, but one thing in this world I really like is bunnies. I google pictures of baby bunnies before bed. I'm a crazy lady.</div>
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My mom is also a crazy bunny lady. So when she came to visit this summer I knew we'd have to take a trip to Okunoshima. It's only a two hour local train ride from Hiroshima.</div>
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<b>How To Get There</b><br />
From Mihara station (a Shinkansen stop) take the Kure line to Tadanoumi. Tadanoumi is a tiny station in a tiny town, no restaurants or 7-11s nearby. After you arrive you make your way to the ferry port on the opposite side of the station exit. At this point no signs are in English but if you figure that a ferry needs to be in the water I think you can figure it out.<br />
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At the ferry port a nice lady pointed to the ¥600 roundtrip button to buy a ticket from a vending machine. The ferry stops at two places and you want to get out at the first stop, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: sans-serif;">大久野島</span>, a 12 minute ride.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNezAktr2_N4wTtiEdH2aFh3JZCy3cwOlEdwSeTY7SaG2WEntvKbYwkwuD5Hq8gjTS8n94SQ3GFidJF_F0dIp6jX_icutJWcUGmryieCWxQuE1xK21eLpF3Ll4IKL1wERy5TsBqhUkVMjJ/s1600/IMG_6222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNezAktr2_N4wTtiEdH2aFh3JZCy3cwOlEdwSeTY7SaG2WEntvKbYwkwuD5Hq8gjTS8n94SQ3GFidJF_F0dIp6jX_icutJWcUGmryieCWxQuE1xK21eLpF3Ll4IKL1wERy5TsBqhUkVMjJ/s400/IMG_6222.jpg" alt="Rabbit Island Okunoshima Japan Bunny" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chillin' on the beach</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1PBhi53Y9kRMbIB3iFg7n3qh1l4N8mUDerhFcYoW6NnPSRvgf0q0MbhX-VMfq2lKT0v48-1EQmkK9IVdDfBNbPLgd9WFwVAwrXTbleXwOKhvRAVG-iuHrl6g4UFj0ZxWdPQZ00RcQNEq/s1600/IMG_6271.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG1PBhi53Y9kRMbIB3iFg7n3qh1l4N8mUDerhFcYoW6NnPSRvgf0q0MbhX-VMfq2lKT0v48-1EQmkK9IVdDfBNbPLgd9WFwVAwrXTbleXwOKhvRAVG-iuHrl6g4UFj0ZxWdPQZ00RcQNEq/s320/IMG_6271.jpg" alt="Rabbit Island Okunoshima Japan Bunny" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He made a little house.</td></tr>
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<b>One The Island</b><br />
Once we arrived we could already see bunnies hopping around the trees and welcome center. There was a bus waiting and everything in it was written in kanji. I could only make out the kanji for free 「無料」 and I convinced my mom to get on. The island isn't that big so how lost could we get?<br />
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The bus took us to the main hotel and onsen. Inside was a coffee and gift shop. Outside was tons of cute bunnies that run up to you and pyon pyon pyon all over the place.<br />
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Luckily my mom brought some veggies so we could feed them.<br />
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<b>Why Are They There?</b><br />
Oh, you know. Horrible WWII poison gas factory reasons. But they're all normal. Mom and I skipped the museum because we had already been to the A-Bomb one a few days before and why spoil the magic?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLwoybRKYTTWNeCn2MfagvULaaNM8QmJc3-emliRxu3UXKsqUNEsFizsvj4wL03PjQNhCLr6yrR1H4dWo89P7N-VrQEYSPM50k6a1fcKd69Yk3-_bbnrpROr9i727SzZGelyHmFWJG20e/s1600/IMG_6249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjLwoybRKYTTWNeCn2MfagvULaaNM8QmJc3-emliRxu3UXKsqUNEsFizsvj4wL03PjQNhCLr6yrR1H4dWo89P7N-VrQEYSPM50k6a1fcKd69Yk3-_bbnrpROr9i727SzZGelyHmFWJG20e/s400/IMG_6249.jpg" alt="Rabbit Island Okunoshima Japan Bunny" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeding some buns.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtTlZPnyoM9pJFVrOcEfYtuaCDk9Fnb4LHdBJYdQH4aSDvgz-NEe9pD-C6IQ0ZtYTg5vKJt8sx0KlxLk7myDyR9ZRy4G3tnkSmlu8JYzU7srI4iyhoUBXbpQktgrVEbN6frmLSzg8TLHc/s1600/IMG_6358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKtTlZPnyoM9pJFVrOcEfYtuaCDk9Fnb4LHdBJYdQH4aSDvgz-NEe9pD-C6IQ0ZtYTg5vKJt8sx0KlxLk7myDyR9ZRy4G3tnkSmlu8JYzU7srI4iyhoUBXbpQktgrVEbN6frmLSzg8TLHc/s400/IMG_6358.jpg" alt="Rabbit Island Okunoshima Japan Bunny" width="400" /></a></div>Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-3957669821973566882012-05-16T17:35:00.001+09:002012-05-18T00:08:08.153+09:00Did You Know...I haven't been posting a whole lot of content on this blog lately, but my sketchblog <a href="http://jimmyjanesays.blogspot.com">http://jimmyjanesays.blogspot.com</a>, has a whole bunch of new comics up. More than three. More than five! Less than ten.
<P><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7EA0ocbJ-AXlUFHFfUNrN-Ec72eer89kw6SODlra37asYKI7t2AcyoTzKLR-iTZ-3B4I_yhpxa6oW8hlxT5BbCwFVD1pyFgBObXuJbsgSKNkpj8c1VIQXQ5Vq9m_IU4C67VnRSbttSy3/s640/blogger-image--54397812.jpg"imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh7EA0ocbJ-AXlUFHFfUNrN-Ec72eer89kw6SODlra37asYKI7t2AcyoTzKLR-iTZ-3B4I_yhpxa6oW8hlxT5BbCwFVD1pyFgBObXuJbsgSKNkpj8c1VIQXQ5Vq9m_IU4C67VnRSbttSy3/s640/blogger-image--54397812.jpg" /></a></div>Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-49512078489484377102011-12-14T16:07:00.001+09:002011-12-14T16:07:55.374+09:00Do you hate dentists?I finally did it. After four years of paying into the Japanese National Health Insurance program, I did something that I should have done a long time ago. I got a wisdom tooth removed.<br />
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I'd like to say, "I got my wisdom teeth removed," but this is Japan. For reasons I can only speculate about, they do it one at a time.<br />
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I may have mentioned before how I went to a dentist to get a cleaning and they cleaned my top teeth then asked me to return the next week to do the bottom. I never went back.<br />
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Luckily this new dentist I go to speaks English pretty well and is not afraid to clean all my teeth at once. I got a few fillings from him this summer (six fillings means at least four visits) but kept putting off getting my wisdom teeth pulled.<br />
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My dentist knows I hate him. Not in a personal way. Maybe I would get along with him if I met him at a bar or something. <br />
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During my tooth-pulling visit he asked me if I'd studied any more Japanese. I answered, "hai."<br />
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He asked me what I learned. I had actually just come from a lesson, but I'm way to shy to speak Japanese to Japanese people, so I said, "haisha" [dentist].<br />
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Of course he acted totally impressed then asked me, "歯医者がきらいですか?" [Do you hate dentists?].<br />
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"Hai," I answered.<br />
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Then I opened my mouth and clenched my hands together and let him do his thing. Took less than a minute.<br />
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He asked me if I wanted to take my tooth home. I said no. He told me I should because it's a souvenir. So he put it in a little plastic tooth case and in my hand. So now I have that.<br />
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<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMsHduged7anSNXgMCgoxPXhZ4G6ZfiYBGuUCaKERkYcxi0man5-Lq3RTzWAf9fUoS2ffg7BcPY60wO0N-3FAlNGK-4DBuB6yksgf3H9LYqc_pNnWi7wcA8m1ZCaGJvglxhH6nTApznj_/s640/blogger-image--1283374034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimMsHduged7anSNXgMCgoxPXhZ4G6ZfiYBGuUCaKERkYcxi0man5-Lq3RTzWAf9fUoS2ffg7BcPY60wO0N-3FAlNGK-4DBuB6yksgf3H9LYqc_pNnWi7wcA8m1ZCaGJvglxhH6nTApznj_/s640/blogger-image--1283374034.jpg" /></a></div>Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-28394294441818853402011-07-24T23:51:00.002+09:002011-08-01T04:35:06.218+09:00Hiroshima SketchCrawlA <a href="http://www.sketchcrawl.com/">SketchCrawl</a> is a drawing marathon around the world where people plan meet-ups in their cities. I've always wanted to do it and finally live in a place big enough where I could find other drawers to come with me.<br />
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We had a good time, starting at the Peace Memorial Museum (in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshima_Peace_Memorial_Park">Peace Park</a>) and working our way to the A-bomb dome (stopping at a sidewalk cafe along the way for pizza and fresh squeezed orange juice). It was super hot and sunny, but if we followed the trees' shade the heat wasnt oppressive.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWA_CPWJ5vAPHGnDWtEM5hyphenhypheno53darKENbsAl4mnr3-jsbFiXrmKb38EU9oUbcOo-gVFDV7hK8Uv8uCnajvIH0ykGj8W32EzIZWnlAMYA40oWsQGUiiuHhoo6hJuqjPcL4bICRb-y3Kr9hi/s1600/sc_adome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A-bomb dome" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWA_CPWJ5vAPHGnDWtEM5hyphenhypheno53darKENbsAl4mnr3-jsbFiXrmKb38EU9oUbcOo-gVFDV7hK8Uv8uCnajvIH0ykGj8W32EzIZWnlAMYA40oWsQGUiiuHhoo6hJuqjPcL4bICRb-y3Kr9hi/s320/sc_adome.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">A-bomb Dome</span></td></tr>
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I felt a little rusty but managed to squeeze out 2 drawings I like. Instead of using a sketchbook I went with a clipboard with different colored papers. In the last few years I've really started hating sketchbooks, wire or bound. The clipboard gives you a nice fresh piece of paper with no distracting edges and no guilt about how many you fill.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91VZ7jIl74vTR8t9GpO2A7opedhXZhDlSNc7S5wIzQwQ_iVsaQVxATYjcjaWZkzujypGAkdoKGGC7eL7pQIJr10zuKmrKAUemLzcOooaF1a2VFc6RzSA5Gum5olge6YZmzMBu2kP09wQ2/s1600/sc_peacememorial.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg91VZ7jIl74vTR8t9GpO2A7opedhXZhDlSNc7S5wIzQwQ_iVsaQVxATYjcjaWZkzujypGAkdoKGGC7eL7pQIJr10zuKmrKAUemLzcOooaF1a2VFc6RzSA5Gum5olge6YZmzMBu2kP09wQ2/s320/sc_peacememorial.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Peace Memorial</span></td></tr>
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Thanks to Glenn and Chika for coming! Hope we can do it again soon.<br />
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</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>[EDIT]</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwiO4MKGnBpfDSp5YTETSHGwNDtqPu_50ZquhKnZXzsKVXAfsIiQvDBTTofAz113WKlmcXAlCvV9Q5Y6IC_KaKpCmCbqrQVWqhDoV0qV4OaWnMhCPoIz9whpJyC1ma-YqZoNb-M0i9_HRq/s1600/miyajimaSC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwiO4MKGnBpfDSp5YTETSHGwNDtqPu_50ZquhKnZXzsKVXAfsIiQvDBTTofAz113WKlmcXAlCvV9Q5Y6IC_KaKpCmCbqrQVWqhDoV0qV4OaWnMhCPoIz9whpJyC1ma-YqZoNb-M0i9_HRq/s400/miyajimaSC.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Next SketchCrawl date is August 21st. Visit the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=153468121396984">Facebook</a> page for details or send me an email.Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-83792171389993750092011-07-20T23:26:00.001+09:002011-07-21T01:27:14.084+09:00Summer In Hiroshima<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFp7_QjhflXJK6uLATLQilKWZRFZ6Z36u3qC1bGvG_fquzTKLbI27s4PoxFHay2UFOrKet__GTTnHESYrINLKNHfwHtGXORAmNoaKH3_5A2j7_VW-yGLr6iCwEmdLwEfInSVBN3aXUeWC/s1600/5957469929_15fcef698b_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXFp7_QjhflXJK6uLATLQilKWZRFZ6Z36u3qC1bGvG_fquzTKLbI27s4PoxFHay2UFOrKet__GTTnHESYrINLKNHfwHtGXORAmNoaKH3_5A2j7_VW-yGLr6iCwEmdLwEfInSVBN3aXUeWC/s320/5957469929_15fcef698b_z.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><b>R</b></span>ooftop <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>beer</b> gardens</span>, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">night runs</span>, non-stop <b>fanning</b>, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">yukata</span>, homemade <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">sangria</span>, coffee <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Frappucinos</span>, cold <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small;">showers</span>, sweaty <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">bike rides</span>, <b>watermelon</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">popsicles</span>, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>sticky</b></span> bars.</span>Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-13812849054954048632011-06-13T02:43:00.000+09:002011-06-13T02:43:40.557+09:00The New Apartment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48AGGqYDAmt2ZB2Smrtk27V16gjwVEpiITl25D2MzkOyUrxhcI7WAK6UmymWvhnD1oQz4R-BMALjfqaZWbAKRM_BZwxlI-amxUzHtTokI_4c2KpWuTOmnWHGzX9SPy4xy0zZLRDRXrv-b/s1600/IMG_0009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh48AGGqYDAmt2ZB2Smrtk27V16gjwVEpiITl25D2MzkOyUrxhcI7WAK6UmymWvhnD1oQz4R-BMALjfqaZWbAKRM_BZwxlI-amxUzHtTokI_4c2KpWuTOmnWHGzX9SPy4xy0zZLRDRXrv-b/s320/IMG_0009.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Dear Blog,<br />
<br />
I am no longer "Alone in Kudamatsu." Havent been for a few years, actually. I just moved with Motto from Tokuyama to Hiroshima. Yup, that Hiroshima, from your history book. But the name "Alone in Kudamatsu" stays. "Living in Sin in Hiroshima" is too wordy.<br />
<br />
I love it here in the big city so far. Ive never lived in a real urban place with a population of over a million. Just today Motto and I were walking back from the grocery store and took a moment to notice how huge the high rise we past was. Like a couple of country bumpkins we stood there, noses pointed up, counting the stories. 33. So tall. We were impressed.<br />
<br />
Motto: Can you imagine if you were building that?<br />
Me: What do you mean?<br />
Motto: Standing up there working.<br />
Me: It'd be so windy.<br />
Motto: Would you live on the top floor?<br />
Me: Probably not, I'd think about jumping too much.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMq5cFLlZH-ViZxxLi4GZe48YEHwsCg0CPG4rjEmx5iXZ4_AVprMB0rJC3xWNiIWzQvEt_3Xx4IgnAM-XICo_NycqTUiLmn5nuyV8nz8MGdczE-mNPR0gr8MBFQRT9KaEyO7XBQF7XAwm/s1600/IMG_0010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMq5cFLlZH-ViZxxLi4GZe48YEHwsCg0CPG4rjEmx5iXZ4_AVprMB0rJC3xWNiIWzQvEt_3Xx4IgnAM-XICo_NycqTUiLmn5nuyV8nz8MGdczE-mNPR0gr8MBFQRT9KaEyO7XBQF7XAwm/s320/IMG_0010.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
This apartment is a lot bigger than the one back in Tokuyama. We got a bedroom, a tatami room, a kitchen, a genkan, and a bathroom with a mirror and sink! I was so excited about that. The last apartment had a sink and tiny shaving mirror in the shower and that was it.<br />
<br />
Strange noises:<br />
<ul><li>10 p.m. church bells. Church, really?</li>
<li>Upstairs neighbor plays loud 90's Alt rock on Saturday nights.</li>
<li>Nightly slapping sound. Like someone is quickly whacking a fat man's back. Duration: approx 20 mins.</li>
</ul>Good points:<br />
<ul><li>Living downtown and can get a burrito, Starbucks decaf iced coffee, falafel and Subway sandwich in one afternoon. I dont, but I could.</li>
<li>Small American-themed cafe downstairs in my building. Serves coffee, cocktails, and Japanese food. The owner has big glasses and a motorbike and we say "konnichiwa" when we see each other.</li>
<li><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okonomiyaki">Okonomiyaki</a> restaurant around the corner has a friendly cook who makes me vegetarian food.</li>
<li>A young vegetable vendor guy stands downstairs with some cheap random veggies some days. Old ladies walk by and buy single cucumbers and slip them in their purses. They all seem to know each other pretty well.</li>
<li>Squeezed 20 guests inside for my housewarming party.</li>
<li>Someone keeps their wifi unlocked and it's super fast.</li>
</ul>Bad Points:<br />
<ul><li>Raspberry-chan's new room is on one of our balconies. Motto got sick of being attacked by her and we cant let her chew up the floors and wooden moulding anymore. So she's outside like some sort of animal.</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVG1no8kuLiWFmT9yBJtQImqkPt8tuCOAg7waRCjADPwgE8vICOu-TAveBv0vxJK0STN063TkOAOy_9jzrrs5NDvl9v-PLYkGvQVWFyK-DV7RdG59GpXxjsHXaMaocyVeMa1FRykrOtSKO/s1600/IMG_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVG1no8kuLiWFmT9yBJtQImqkPt8tuCOAg7waRCjADPwgE8vICOu-TAveBv0vxJK0STN063TkOAOy_9jzrrs5NDvl9v-PLYkGvQVWFyK-DV7RdG59GpXxjsHXaMaocyVeMa1FRykrOtSKO/s320/IMG_0001.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>I bought some new furniture and now I finally own a bed. But too be honest I miss the futons.<br />
<br />
Motto got that insane bookshelf (pictured left) at a refurbish shop. I told him if he wants to keep his million DVDs Antonio gave him he'd better find something to keep them in.<br />
<br />
I tried to take pictures of the place. But a video tour will probably work better. I'll do that someday. Or you could come visit.<br />
<br />
I should make a Drunk Vegetarian Guide to Hiroshima to accompany my <a href="http://aloneinkudamatsu.blogspot.com/2010/11/drunk-vegetarians-guide-to-fukuoka.html">Fukuoka one</a>.Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-15635789933731559682011-05-16T22:45:00.001+09:002011-05-16T22:45:54.002+09:00Moving Time<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/5726020125/" title="photo sharing"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5165/5726020125_2231f57855_m.jpg" alt="" style="border: solid 2px #C0C0C0;" /></a><br /><span style="font-size: 0.9em; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/5726020125/">りくちゃん</a> <br />Originally uploaded by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/">JimmyJaneSays</a></span><br clear="all" /><p>I'm moving to Hiroshima next Tuesday! I swear, no more delays. I've been bringing my camera to work to take pictures of my students doing amazing things like floating, so I wont forget the little demons. I'll miss them!</p>Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-80415525240274952722011-03-23T01:34:00.003+09:002011-03-23T01:38:18.405+09:00Racism in JapanI have a fever right now, so I apologize if any of this sounds delirious. More delirious than usual. Can something <i>sound</i> delirious? Anyway.<br />
<br />
This blog is about my experience as an American in Japan, so I thought I ought to write about this event even though most stories you're getting out of this country have a different feel right now. On Monday Motto [Japanese] and I [American] went looking for apartments in Hiroshima. It's a weird system here. You have to find a real estate company and you tell them what you're looking for, and then they try to sell you something they want to get rid of.<br />
<br />
We looked at a bunch of places that were either too far from downtown, old, dirty, expensive, had the bathroom sink in the kitchen, or had the laundry machine in the kitchen. You know, things I'm not ready to settle for.<br />
<br />
We found a place that was cheap for the size (3DK) and downtown. In our tired state we decided to take it despite the non-refundable 340,000¥ key money [$4,000 USD deposit]. Motto signed the contract and wrote my name down as his co-inhabiting fiance (he tried to hide the "fiance" part from me, when pressed said it looks better than writing "laundry folder).<br />
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjna2EajCqYkU1tZu4fq6dujcXJB1BAWJq5VJfMhmZ3U2L_jpKcU3x_0M7hVkiXr0G0Xx9rP6-E22z38YnsptGP1r71SC56RgsGDnhA8g6Wtm9A0PNRDgYv9BRtXepfCpc4hwOpnJOHSU7/s1600/noWhitesAllowed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="racism in Japan" border="0" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjna2EajCqYkU1tZu4fq6dujcXJB1BAWJq5VJfMhmZ3U2L_jpKcU3x_0M7hVkiXr0G0Xx9rP6-E22z38YnsptGP1r71SC56RgsGDnhA8g6Wtm9A0PNRDgYv9BRtXepfCpc4hwOpnJOHSU7/s400/noWhitesAllowed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<i>Begin Rant.</i><br />
<i></i>So today we got a call from the real estate agent saying the landlord doesnt want to rent to us because I'm a foreigner. Apparently he had Filipino tenants before and they ruined the apartment.<br />
<br />
Wow. They may know how to queue in line but this is a backwards country. Can you imagine an American refusing to rent to a Japanese? Or refusing to rent to any non-American? That stuff just doesnt go on in most of the civilized world, yet in Japan the real estate agent didnt even seem too shocked. If I were him I'd be like, <i>You call them and say that, bigot.</i><br />
<br />
You hear stories like this all the time in Japan. I was used to the constant stares, being asked if I "want to pa-ti" buy gross men, having to use a credit card to get a cell phone, and people doing black face on TV but this is a new hurtle I wasnt ready for.<br />
<br />
It makes me more and more upset when I think about the fact I've been here 3 years, absorbing the culture and trying not to <i>always</i> be the nail that sticks out.<br />
<br />
My first <i>American</i> thoughts about this were <i>lawyer!</i> <i>newspaper!</i> <i>we should own that building!</i> <br />
<br />
And as far as the fear of me destroying the apartment with Motto, I thought that's why we give him the $4,000. It goes to cleaning the apartment and replacing all the tatami floors when we leave.<br />
<br />
This shouldnt be acceptable behavior in Hiroshima, <a href="http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/index_e2.html">the city of peace</a>, or anywhere. I assure you no Americans living there were Tweeting #PearlHarbor last week.<br />
<br />
If anyone is itching to defend Japanese xenophobia and racism in the comments section have fun.<br />
<br />
You can <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=RT+%40jeannetto+Racism+alive+and+well+in+Japan+http://tinyurl.com/xenophobicjapan">reTweet this link</a> to let the word out that things like this are still being allowed to happen in 2011.<br />
<i>End rant.</i>Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-12192381204588182692011-03-15T23:22:00.001+09:002011-03-16T02:12:42.785+09:00I'm OK, thanks for askin.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLagsRpCxYq3SSqeC0wS1Jut0Oyhg6aCXSh8Nf1IzJ4i-ctB__Z4nW0z6lNH44TiarMQspHul3WPD4GvoQWFUrYOfrECqlpt-NL_zUetyoFkJnt2-h0pdXiWrLm8-A59R-tN5Nute2YXFR/s1600/nuclear-mushroom-cloud-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLagsRpCxYq3SSqeC0wS1Jut0Oyhg6aCXSh8Nf1IzJ4i-ctB__Z4nW0z6lNH44TiarMQspHul3WPD4GvoQWFUrYOfrECqlpt-NL_zUetyoFkJnt2-h0pdXiWrLm8-A59R-tN5Nute2YXFR/s400/nuclear-mushroom-cloud-5.jpg" /></a></div>I was asleep when the earthquake hit. I didnt check the internet or TV before work so when I saw I had three missed calls on my cell after work I panicked. No one ever calls me, especially from overseas. It was my grandma seeing if I was OK. She called again and filled me in on what happened. Then slowly as my east coast friends started to wake up (noon their time) and my family in Texas heard what happened (FOX news must have picked up the story) more and more tweets and Facebook messages came in. I'm not trying to call out other members of my family about the fact that only my grandma in Boston picked up the phone and paid long distance fees to check that I was alive. *ahem*<br />
<br />
Anyway, I let everyone know I was fine, and even posted the previous blog post before I found out how bad the earthquake and subsiquent tsunamis had been. <br />
<br />
Then the western 24 hour news media really sunk it's teeth into the story. A man was found 9 miles out to sea, a nuclear power plant had an explosion, the cast of Twilight had to evacuate Vancouver. <br />
<br />
I could hardly go online without seeing some misinformed person on the other side of the world saying, "Cancel your travel plans to Japan, it's not safe over there!" Jon is coming to visit me next month and someone wrote to him that Narita airport is a mess and he should rethink his vacation. <br />
<br />
Other people worry about nuclear fallout traveling to California. Someone on Facebook said that Japan refused to accept help from the US (FALSE). #PEARLHARBOR started trending on Twitter.<br />
<br />
My dad is not convinced I'm safe as he sees the press cover the devistation more and more.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu84Bp7dJpOA6rfNhLjEV4rOyp0y-bkEISrWqOORMve1XtHLvptwjQPrcuqyxtRJF63y6zsGZHLC7CDJaBHPMj44FKSIquHOnAkGF-_Rvpv1xml3U3jRh64LUivcuE8V4GTAG7irRQC63Z/s1600/earthquake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu84Bp7dJpOA6rfNhLjEV4rOyp0y-bkEISrWqOORMve1XtHLvptwjQPrcuqyxtRJF63y6zsGZHLC7CDJaBHPMj44FKSIquHOnAkGF-_Rvpv1xml3U3jRh64LUivcuE8V4GTAG7irRQC63Z/s400/earthquake.jpg" /></a></div>Ok, folks. Japan is big. Some plant workers have gotten radiation poisoning. That's really terrible. I think it was 10 to 100 workers. The nuclear power plant was designed to withstand earthquakes and has systems in place to deal with a meltdown. Even if the thing blew up I'd be fine in Yamaguchi. You'd be fine in your home across the ocean. The poor people of Fukushima would have to deal with some shit, though.<br />
<br />
A lot of people are missing. They dont even know how many thousands died. It's devastating to the country and will take a long time to bounce back from.<br />
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No one should cancel travel plans to Japan. The last thing this country needs is to lose tourism dollars right before cherry blossom season.<br />
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<i>EDIT: As I wrote this a 6.0 earthquake hit Shizukoa, south-west of Tokyo. The news anchors have put their helmets back on.</i>Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-97558764118166352011-03-11T21:34:00.000+09:002011-03-11T21:34:08.214+09:00Love, DadSo my dad sent me an email that read "I'm getting operated on tomorrow It probably will be on you tube if you want to watch it." I found out it was only a operation on his thumb, nothing life threatening. This is his update for me:<br />
<blockquote>This surgery isn't going so well no food or drink from midnight and be at the hospital at 1120 now they expect me to sit in a chair for 2 hours and wait. I haven't even seen anybody yet. I just told the lady at the desk " they better be saving somebody's life if you expect me to sit and wait for hours." I'm not sure they know who I am and what I'm capable of. Everybody should be glad I'm alone esp if somebody says something stupid and who knows what I might say.</blockquote><br />
The best part:<br />
<blockquote>So in closing if anything happens to me there are 4 jars of change in the cabinet next to my refrigerator make sure everybody gets one. Don't worry nothing will happen during the surgery. It's the before the surgery that could be a problem.</blockquote><br />
Then a follow up:<br />
<blockquote>Everything went fine. I guess I asked one of the nurses if she was hitting on me and then I fired everybody .They said it was just going under talk but I was serious. </blockquote><br />
The weirdest part of this for me is his improved grammar! It's like he thought these may be his last words to me so he hit spell check and everything.<br />
<br />
Then a bonus email after today's earthquake in Japan:<br />
<blockquote>Are you ok earthquakes craters in highways tidal waves? Japan is looking scary stay safe. Let me know if we need to send Will Smith and Bruce Willis to save everybody.</blockquote><br />
Dont you wish you were reading his blog instead of mine?Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-77424820488492113612011-03-07T06:11:00.003+09:002011-03-07T06:29:23.361+09:00www.LearnNihongo.com is Live!<a href="http://learnnihongo.com"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 380px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrhb9foVjkT-fVXDuEWnTKmcJxyo9lsWK0xMuMVVaysOfeXWVEETflCSCcM7uVN9mudqKDqROSRTYgnp6N5TiodVaIj7Y477qZcFHDq_LQcZtqCBuWbNtVJdXZ-LdsFpMNcwhd9Y2Iyjok/s400/Picture+7.png" border="0" alt="Online Japanese Lessons LearnNihongo" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581078040526409698" /></a><br />Finally finished a project I've been working on for a while, <a href="http://learnnihongo.com">LearnNihongo.com</a>. It's a website for Motto's online Japanese lesson business. I've been studying CSS feverishly for months trying to make a site that looks professional and can serve as a portfolio piece to get me more jobs as a web designer. <br /><br />The site has come a long way from this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRRKGtOL2KQ0_31zlU6nciOr33d_J9D4TQqULNW0OStw-2-KJfaZd67tmMvS2VcUxyau9H0LPOHG-cKCfckzTbBBqlt3k599CdlNt_j7jAodFK56yik1x8pIKRvfSzIEIs7-iA_o4jfXZ/s1600/Picture+8.png"><img style="float:none; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbRRKGtOL2KQ0_31zlU6nciOr33d_J9D4TQqULNW0OStw-2-KJfaZd67tmMvS2VcUxyau9H0LPOHG-cKCfckzTbBBqlt3k599CdlNt_j7jAodFK56yik1x8pIKRvfSzIEIs7-iA_o4jfXZ/s320/Picture+8.png" border="0" alt="learn Japanese"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581079130236475954" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />You can <a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Visit+http://LearnNihongo.com+to+study+Japanese+with+a+native+speaker%21+Follow+%40learnnihongo+for+a+new+Japanese+vocab+word+everyday%21">tweet this link</a> to help spread the word about the site, and follow <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/learnnihongo">@learnnihongo</a> for a new Japanese vocab word everyday.</span>Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-72063461951540605062011-02-12T13:17:00.001+09:002011-02-12T13:17:35.815+09:00anyone who knows me...<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9szAd7Qv5QPpxjccjEJ3rGjcVPjh_0_SbXN68zHXMGKf5fo6NeSd6rUbv_DGLnRci7-XfP4kEmsr64Tn7xK7dbd2sn5bzBQgTPspAWfDEi5ZZt7cmK-U_4xsxqIYFLjx4avJJD7p-kMI/s1600/Image805-755816.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9szAd7Qv5QPpxjccjEJ3rGjcVPjh_0_SbXN68zHXMGKf5fo6NeSd6rUbv_DGLnRci7-XfP4kEmsr64Tn7xK7dbd2sn5bzBQgTPspAWfDEi5ZZt7cmK-U_4xsxqIYFLjx4avJJD7p-kMI/s320/Image805-755816.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5572652446794769810" /></a></p>knows i hate being in a car. especially when it's snowing. i also hate not having access to a bathroom. and traveling really stresses me out.<br>so imagine my delight when this morning i took the bus to Okayama and found there is no toilet on the 4 hour ride. at one point i almost just got off at a random spot i had to pee so bad.<br>and then the snow. a sudden storm hit my route, closing the highway and sending my bus up tiny snowy mountain roads. anyone who has ever driven with me knows...<br>i sat white knuckled, planning my escape in japanese.<br>"ok, i'll tap the driver and say, TOILET PLEASE."<br>"no, i'll piss my pants and spend the weekend in the leggings i packed."<br>"maybe i should tweet my final words."<br>"there's no reason i couldnt highjack a bus."<p>so, halfway there and we should have been there already, the driver stops at a rest stop and i run with 3 other women to the toilet for a joyous pee, only to return to the bus to have the driver hand me a bottle of tea while apologizing for the delay.<br>yeah, im not that crazy, no one else has opened their bottle either.<br>---written on my phone while staring down the side of a mountain.Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-48399017717522418412011-02-05T22:17:00.005+09:002011-02-05T22:41:37.723+09:00Online Art Show. Enjoy.My <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/">Flickr Pro</a> account expires in 6 days. Dont think I'll renew it, because I dont do the kind of work needed to get people to look at my photos there (like comment on other people's pictures). With that in mind, and inspired by <a href="http://sleepytako.blogspot.com/2011/02/best-of-2010.html">sleepytako</a>, I'm using a highly technical algorithm to post my top 10 photographs of 2010.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/4391308097/" title="Untitled by JimmyJaneSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4391308097_57f7c3fded.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/4379022284/" title="Flickr Friends by JimmyJaneSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2717/4379022284_54b548aea7.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Flickr Friends" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/4378312399/" title="赤い by JimmyJaneSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4378312399_8e6ea63bcf.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="赤い" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/4397721120/" title="Tea Room by JimmyJaneSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2687/4397721120_e54489d1d8.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Tea Room" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/4804203824/" title="Untitled by JimmyJaneSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4804203824_743bb02421.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/4520980516/" title="Untitled by JimmyJaneSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4041/4520980516_e98dbd8ea9.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/4979509338/" title="Hanabi 1/15 by JimmyJaneSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/4979509338_187607686e.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Hanabi 1/15" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/4375628835/" title="Curious Camel by JimmyJaneSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4375628835_0ae74f5e02.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Curious Camel" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/4635997974/" title="Untitled by JimmyJaneSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4032/4635997974_c8f2b421dd.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimmyjanesays/4385870869/" title="Untitled by JimmyJaneSays, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4385870869_f9691c90fd.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="" /></a><br /><br />And I actually got my camera (Canon EOS DSLR 40D) exactly a year ago next Wednesday!Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-75934320014181957192011-01-26T12:52:00.001+09:002011-01-26T12:54:28.459+09:00Complimentary Spam<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBrnZEjpGZaBhK-awH6noienq0qiNYI_YYja6t6BXM7rasXRMVR8jDZD5BRuLqOwrPsHGAH3ad3XWcFXlL4C4hnr4kSRQqM3hwzlWuKkja-4K73-PcVCn59HoA36DYGN4XDk9rypHfyAc/s1600/Picture+2.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 279px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBrnZEjpGZaBhK-awH6noienq0qiNYI_YYja6t6BXM7rasXRMVR8jDZD5BRuLqOwrPsHGAH3ad3XWcFXlL4C4hnr4kSRQqM3hwzlWuKkja-4K73-PcVCn59HoA36DYGN4XDk9rypHfyAc/s400/Picture+2.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5566337661318073794" /></a><br />What is the point of the fake comments by anonymous on this Sketchblog post? No links, no ads. Very mysterious. There must be some invisible embedded code. Anyone know?Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-7086448558301672792011-01-04T00:38:00.003+09:002011-01-04T00:48:33.753+09:00Eating Bugs<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q_JwledZwMo?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q_JwledZwMo?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object><br />Motto and I brought some canned bugs back from Korea, to share with friends<3<3Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-72667822291811030602010-12-31T16:59:00.004+09:002010-12-31T17:09:09.627+09:00I HATE JAPAN, the comicOver on my <a href="http://jimmyjanesays.blogspot.com/">sketchblog</a> I'm posting mini-comics on my top five reasons I hate Japan. We're already at <a href="http://jimmyjanesays.blogspot.com/2010/12/i-hate-japan-4.html">number 4</a> so hurry up and get over there before all the fun is over.<br /><br />In other news, just got back from my South Korean vacation. Will I post pictures and witty observations? Perhaps. All depends on whether or not I find the new TVShack URL.<br /><br />And happy new years from me and my small tribe.<br /><br /><center><img src="http://jimmyjanesays.com/sketchblog/xmascardusagi.jpg" alt="xmas card rabbit" align="bottom"></center>Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-90565877184446710682010-12-20T01:18:00.001+09:002010-12-20T01:18:20.885+09:00seriously<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEsPj1ZVo0trcHNiR4GvMz4ir7hNzNP1PqNuQLtI_ErK30B3qkFOzj7IqkaZDBdAL8ReQXWdcL98p4jObVEx60B7UCkHnpByMYVfHHk2HweiDMrswjy_duiRdaw9ouQiOLsfPBCpDhpnnj/s1600/Image763-700886.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEsPj1ZVo0trcHNiR4GvMz4ir7hNzNP1PqNuQLtI_ErK30B3qkFOzj7IqkaZDBdAL8ReQXWdcL98p4jObVEx60B7UCkHnpByMYVfHHk2HweiDMrswjy_duiRdaw9ouQiOLsfPBCpDhpnnj/s320/Image763-700886.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552428500701560674" /></a></p>you ever been so low?<br>youre at a bar with an infant, leggings, leather boots, your friends are home. sleeping. youve exhausted your mutual language with the bartender. one more vodka tonic. there is a baby here, with his mom, playing pool. well, im not knocked up. good news.<br> <br>Mickey looks likes he's gunna fuckin hang himself.<p>1 A M in Tokuyama.Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-64069367884970094922010-11-27T07:00:00.000+09:002010-11-27T07:00:00.672+09:00Comic, yo.Put a new small comic up over on the <a href="http://jimmyjanesays.blogspot.com/2010/11/click-to-enlarge.html">sketchblog</a>, for those of you who dont subscribe to that feed. There are a few new things over there. Not a lot, dont get all excited.<br /><br />As a side note, my new favorite word is <i>delase.</i> Coined by Motto, this word is a combination of "delete" and "erase" that only a nihonjin could think up. <br /><br />(Hint: because R's and L's are interchangeable to them.)Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-36943412355250535072010-11-20T01:07:00.005+09:002010-11-21T23:02:19.047+09:00Another Yatai Night<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhDL_zNpzzKxIdSxYXFKWcFw-h8YbGc1idFJUmngDuCF8A77Fe6Cfh1Muy78hEgrH9HuXLr4OV6henQ4xvEHjbXoz7FpNjR8W3tccSaSEHHzIk7Og7O7776rIXuIohN3LRlZwS4wFJEu1/s1600/Image720-772730.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhDL_zNpzzKxIdSxYXFKWcFw-h8YbGc1idFJUmngDuCF8A77Fe6Cfh1Muy78hEgrH9HuXLr4OV6henQ4xvEHjbXoz7FpNjR8W3tccSaSEHHzIk7Og7O7776rIXuIohN3LRlZwS4wFJEu1/s320/Image720-772730.jpg" border="0" alt="yatai Tokuyama Shunan Japan" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541293248998633298" /></a></p>Sometimes I think <i>oh my god, my mother would hate this place.</i><br /><p>Then I wanna bring her here so bad.<p>Dirty glasses, tarp sheets as walls, old oden. How did this become my weekend hangout? None of my friends really come here, except when urged by me (or you're Beth-san). No one enjoys Antonio's brashness, lack of teeth, and random conversation like me and Motto.<br /><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnx26gdvji9y7ok-hrXKVcGIl8W509uOX8vDtg4u4DmB1LfCwaQr1rP_UxAsFALiwwnEYdW9vLrkZH8GBjBm2DvAQSWmfAfVotayko8iIMf-1TICrbTjgYYV8Wq2yRtS03sM2jTx5EpL-Q/s1600/Image721-774709.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnx26gdvji9y7ok-hrXKVcGIl8W509uOX8vDtg4u4DmB1LfCwaQr1rP_UxAsFALiwwnEYdW9vLrkZH8GBjBm2DvAQSWmfAfVotayko8iIMf-1TICrbTjgYYV8Wq2yRtS03sM2jTx5EpL-Q/s320/Image721-774709.jpg" border="0" alt="Motto yatai Japan Tokuyama Yamaguchi" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5541293257813915122" /></a></p><br />But when we want a night out yatai is the first place we think of coming. Strangers up for conversation, 711 wine. Peanuts.<p>Motto just told Antonio I am trying to transfer to Fukuoka. He looked so sad. No one comes to this wooden ramen shack anymore.<p>Antonio just said he's expecting his first grandchild. すごい!<p>OK, I'm writing this from the yatai via my phone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznzlW8nGycpB9Obyi6Pe_KcP7MgJqGhqxSREAB0JJ4697Kk5tntAPIKl3faxEKltqVk2Sy5XN9aX49XA3Gc7u4tqBgqnrXo4IiHtwuR9D7TzGxnkLb60LHy2jszdk8lMn3zm_au6ZtZOd/s1600/Image724-771471.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgznzlW8nGycpB9Obyi6Pe_KcP7MgJqGhqxSREAB0JJ4697Kk5tntAPIKl3faxEKltqVk2Sy5XN9aX49XA3Gc7u4tqBgqnrXo4IiHtwuR9D7TzGxnkLb60LHy2jszdk8lMn3zm_au6ZtZOd/s400/Image724-771471.jpg" border="0" alt="table tennis yatai Japan"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542002521192528098" /></a>Watching table tennis. Such an intense sport.<p>Yatai entertainment center.Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-86596394644783010782010-11-16T23:22:00.006+09:002010-11-16T23:59:46.554+09:00Ink Painting Class<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKG4fxnQyZiuKjbiN1wYGV3cdhvnTlHBiSq-SSFHZkrL-PxhyphenhyphenfeUnZ9rattGQqpW-wv2wTXI8Vt1uLqcW2fL5m9epFRznkx-i491GLlbU_vUseUizenqcbTGXNzDMZwCPAtW61_2XxwNrd/s1600/IMG_0010.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKG4fxnQyZiuKjbiN1wYGV3cdhvnTlHBiSq-SSFHZkrL-PxhyphenhyphenfeUnZ9rattGQqpW-wv2wTXI8Vt1uLqcW2fL5m9epFRznkx-i491GLlbU_vUseUizenqcbTGXNzDMZwCPAtW61_2XxwNrd/s400/IMG_0010.jpg" border="0" alt="Motto ink painting Yamaguchi Japan"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540153481653454626" /></a>A few months ago Motto and I went to an ink painting class in Yamaguchi City. I'm blogging about it now.<br /><br />It was one of the most fun things we'd ever done together. We woke up early and drove to the community center. The instructor was apparently a big famous ink painter who really wanted us to learn how to paint asparagus.<br /><br />Neither Motto nor I really knew what was going on in the beginning. I didnt because I couldnt understand what anyone was saying, and Motto didnt because Japanese people are confusing. We had the wrong supplies. Instead of our bottle of ink we actually needed a black stick (charcoal maybe? condensed ink?) and a block to rub it on. We spent 10 or 15 minutes rub rub rubbing the stick on the block with a splash of water. Then, viola! Ink!<br /><br />After the ink materialized there was a long explanation that bored me to death as I was itching to pick up my paintbrush. Enjoy the video below to see what I mean.<br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iU9mSXUkCwg?hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iU9mSXUkCwg?hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br /><br />Finally we were allowed to start copying the teacher's technique to paint asparagus, eggplant, and cucumbers. The teacher painted an example on my paper and then a bunch of old ladies came over and told me it was really good. <br />"じょうず!"<br /><br />After 5 minutes of painting vegetables Motto was doing quite well, creating things fit to be hung on our walls, but my veggies sucked and I was bored of them. So I started painting the teacher (I had been staring at him for 20 minutes with a paintbrush in hand, couldnt resist) and then the girl sitting across from me.<br /><br />And I almost got away with it. Let's just say there was applause. But I'll never know if they were impressed with my paintings or with a foreigner who knows how to apply ink to paper. Motto acted like the whole <i>putting my painting in front of the class and asking me to sign it and a famous ink painter taking it home as a gift</i> thing didnt even happen. I'm not kidding. He didnt say a thing about it. Which leads me to believe it could have been an elaborate hallucination brought on by owing $18,000 in student loans to an art school.Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4573822067728825089.post-21422313617017901962010-11-09T23:52:00.011+09:002010-11-10T01:35:36.903+09:00Drunk Vegetarian's Guide to Fukuoka<i>I never do this, but I thought I should make my blog a little more useful to the Googling public. Especially after Motto had two occasions this month where total strangers mentioned knowing him through my blog. He so famous.</i><br /><br />This past weekend Motto and I went to Fukuoka for a little getaway (my two week vacation in Texas the week before wasn't getaway enough, I guess). We left Sunday morning and decided to drive to save money. We didnt take the highway to save money. We added 3 hours to the 2 hour drive to save money. Money saved, lucky me.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEAR7Fmi4dIyfAQU6bCijtzCSIoscdtVWEfBsrrkrbF64bqmSIdnPfZFcJ8MTXgtozurdfl8ifoTUqd3Ur43WlTUvt-ZS9FpWHjnofKITyUIBEzAail9z9aS2a3nu3Ya14CGRtWixGJ9Y/s1600/IMG_0022.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibEAR7Fmi4dIyfAQU6bCijtzCSIoscdtVWEfBsrrkrbF64bqmSIdnPfZFcJ8MTXgtozurdfl8ifoTUqd3Ur43WlTUvt-ZS9FpWHjnofKITyUIBEzAail9z9aS2a3nu3Ya14CGRtWixGJ9Y/s400/IMG_0022.JPG" alt="Mana burger vegetarian hamburger fukuoka" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537571547624153106" border="0"></a><b>Mana Burger</b><br />Our first stop was <a href="http://www.manaburgers.com/">Mana Burger</a>. Motto knew after that drive I needed to be fed. Being vegetarian in Japan, I find few places that serve real food I can eat. Yes, I can find french fries and iceberg lettuce most places, but everything else is covered in meat or fish juice. Honestly, the majority of people in Japan have never heard of vegetarianism, much less met one. Youre not allowed to go against the flow here.<br /><br />Mana Burger advertises themselves as "Natural Junk." The menu includes 8 veggie burgers, 2 veggie dogs, french fries, tempeh fries, nuggets, soups and salads. I ordered the Garden Mana, which is totally vegan and is topped with sprouts, avocado, and dairy free Island dressing. The burger itself was good and didnt taste like one of those disgusting Burger King veggie patties. And I was totally willing to fork over the 780¥ (about $9USD) for something I could put in my mouth that wasnt deep fried or bland as hell. (Regular burger is just 580¥)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKcalV9GVsv7LjCG8oJ52bwBanyHy_Ne2alSGpfNSN2z-WWov6clM9KtdxdP7Jjc9dmTxJfoiPg38e8eQ07n_hv4Dz30Zr1FolC4CJqVWKEK-TZ65mrv2P_XfR6qE4pM1aLvsablwCuwE/s1600/IMG_0023.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBKcalV9GVsv7LjCG8oJ52bwBanyHy_Ne2alSGpfNSN2z-WWov6clM9KtdxdP7Jjc9dmTxJfoiPg38e8eQ07n_hv4Dz30Zr1FolC4CJqVWKEK-TZ65mrv2P_XfR6qE4pM1aLvsablwCuwE/s400/IMG_0023.JPG" alt="vegetarian hotdog Fukuoka Japan" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537571923695822578" border="0"></a>The Mana Dog on the other hand, meh. It tasted like a nuked tofu dog on a big bun. They also put a big pile of sauerkraut on top, which seems weird. C'mon, isnt relish vegan? But I may just be spoiled from having just been in Texas eating tofu dogs whenever the mood hit me. I could see myself craving those 530¥ weiners in a few months. (They were no Vancouver street dogs by any means...droool.)<br /><br />I did like the copious amounts of ketchup and mustard available! A rare thing in Japan! They also sell vegetarian food, like ramen packs, tempeh, beans, etc.<br /><br />〒810-0023<br />福岡県福岡市中央区警固2-15-20<br />Tel 092-986-0759<br />Monday-Friday 11:00〜21:00<br />Saturday 10:00〜21:00<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTp0Fflxiod13nvBHx3ZOpgq-E_R9U3vOQZQlgIONy_MR-u1CTU52ReY1gainMj0Ry9tPcCokRk03CA7VxUFBvMjDmhRllVC_n8l5OSoeo6R_kyItqhLfRrDZ0xLSzsG3n91JFIet5F6d/s1600/IMG_0035.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqTp0Fflxiod13nvBHx3ZOpgq-E_R9U3vOQZQlgIONy_MR-u1CTU52ReY1gainMj0Ry9tPcCokRk03CA7VxUFBvMjDmhRllVC_n8l5OSoeo6R_kyItqhLfRrDZ0xLSzsG3n91JFIet5F6d/s400/IMG_0035.jpg" alt="Starbucks Motto Fukuoka Japan" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537572424879164914" border="0"></a><b>Marinoa City</b><br />Next we went to the mega <i>outlet mall</i> <a href="http://www.marinoacity.com/english/index.html">Marinoa City</a>. This was Motto's main reason for wanting to come to Fukuoka. It was pretty cool, I mean if you look at the website there is a Ferris Wheel, Smoking Corner, Children's Restroom. What's not to love? Having just visited America for two weeks I wasnt super impressed, but I could see the appeal if I really needed to get my shopping on. Not like any of the clothes in the entire place would fit me, but there are always accessories and snacks!<br /><br />Places of note include the LEGO store, Muji Factory Outlet, ABC Mart and Starbucks. Even at discount prices things seemed expensive. Nothing to drive 5 1/2 hours for, especially in the age of internet shopping, but nice nonetheless.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgWiAwZSzZkmxyJfOvXv0qxKKyLmo4G0Ao11TZ9otrWhQ909lsqhDWBBi5QUJjWKIzeVoeTn1IKIyhPrB0gP9hGf8xFPmOiVJ5sUiK7Dzn_gT4lZ5IZce9v_0dykuZWSGAxG3qdbjy1iw/s1600/hakata_outside_000.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgWiAwZSzZkmxyJfOvXv0qxKKyLmo4G0Ao11TZ9otrWhQ909lsqhDWBBi5QUJjWKIzeVoeTn1IKIyhPrB0gP9hGf8xFPmOiVJ5sUiK7Dzn_gT4lZ5IZce9v_0dykuZWSGAxG3qdbjy1iw/s400/hakata_outside_000.jpg" alt="Super Hotel Japan" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537573279586292530" border="0"></a><b>Super Hotel</b><br />Looking for the cheapest hotel possible, but something with a private bathroom and locks on the doors, we found <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g298207-d558287-Reviews-Super_Hotel_Hakata-Fukuoka_Fukuoka_Prefecture_Kyushu_Okinawa.html">Super Hotel</a>. Located downtown and costing only 4,100¥ for two people (with Motto's student discount), and 700¥ for parking it was a pretty sweet deal. The bed was kind of small but the room had everything one needs: a fridge, hot water and tea, a blow dryer, air filter and a unit bathroom. The room was clean but the bathroom had mold in the cracks. I knew that wouldnt be good for my ritual hangover bath.<br /><br />There was a buffet continental breakfast that Motto *loved* but I didnt bother waking up for, since it was not vegetarian-friendly (or appealing?). Miso soup, rice, boiled chicken, pickled vegetables, kimchi, octopus calpacho, eggs, fish, hamburgers (that just means round ground meat here), and drinks.<br /><br /><b>Contemporary Bar 「瀧商店」</b><br />We didnt know what to expect when we arrived at <a href="http://www.fukuokashi-town.com/mypage/fo083914/">Contemporary Bar</a> for our 7:30 reservation. Motto just booked the place (we were meeting up with his old university friends) because they had a 2,000¥ (24$USD) nomihodai (all you can drink for two hours*) that included three food options. Plus he called ahead and they said they can accommodate vegetarians.<br /><br />We were a little nervous when we went inside. Motto explained it was in the "bad boy" part of town (a store called Four Twenty across the street). It wasnt a big izakaya like we expected, but a small place with seating for two parties and a few stools at the bar. It had a nice atmosphere though, and interesting, funky decorations. A milk bottle lamp hung between the red sofas where we sat.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ikC6IxChXgk?hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ikC6IxChXgk?hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />But we had nothing to be nervous about. The cocktail choices for nomihodai were awesome (my favorites, Absolut Vodka and Disaronno were available) and the two guys working were friendly and casual (you can see one sitting at the bar in the video). They didnt make us feel guilty for making them fetch our drinks every 10 minutes. The food was <i>really</i> good too, surprisingly. First a big salad with an array of vegetables, then minestrone soup (creamy and oishii!) and finally a big plate of french fries. It was all included in the 2,000¥ each. There were five of us there and enough food for all, although we did order more because we felt obliged to given how little we had to pay (and we drank all their beer).<br /><br />And let me tell you, the drinks were strong. I think I had a rum and tonic, three Bulldogs (vodka and grapefruit juice) and two amaretto orange sodas. But it could have been more (who knows at that point). You can see the direction the conversation was going in the video (meaning: Japanese) and for the first hour I just kind of nodded my head along, but I swear by the end I was fluent and the funniest person in the room!<br /><br />*Japanese people dont seem to see that as a challenge.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRKz3zgEKmMML53SMvoMP9IofFQVsJGFI9era6LaspiJKJiXzoJxyCBKNwTraa7lLlMDnJQH6VRXLCoHnnk8YPsWPcAV9U_boBsT24I2ALKHbhAZ5CgPon6vOhSqXco4N6g-D8ZTmLUGV/s1600/IMG_0057.JPG"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguRKz3zgEKmMML53SMvoMP9IofFQVsJGFI9era6LaspiJKJiXzoJxyCBKNwTraa7lLlMDnJQH6VRXLCoHnnk8YPsWPcAV9U_boBsT24I2ALKHbhAZ5CgPon6vOhSqXco4N6g-D8ZTmLUGV/s400/IMG_0057.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537580798750018658" border="0"></a><b>Yatai</b><br />We took a taxi to a yatai so the boys could eat ramen and drink more. I ordered sho-chu (god knows why), took two sips than wondered up and down the yatai-lined street looking for a toilet. I did eventually stumble into a kombini and use the toilet. I think I may have eaten grilled mushrooms, too. I do know that I was to drunk to argue in Japanese about how I shouldnt have to split the bill. And I didnt want to embarrass Motto in front of his friends.<br /><br />In the morning I put on my sunglasses, my clothes from the night before, swung by Subway for a Veggie Delite and endured the nauseating ride back to Tokuyama.Jeannettohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03010819863287865243noreply@blogger.com4