"Okayama and Training" Week 1 September 6th-September 13th

Sunday started out well but interesting as I began learning quickly that I was definitely in a new place. After explaining my good fortune at getting my own room at the business hotel I was staying I was excited to take them up on their promise of free breakfast. Envisioning not exactly a Denny's Grand Slam spread I was somewhat surprised to find Onigiri and Miso as well as freshly brewed coffee (kohii) as the only items on the menu. Onigiri are triangle shaped rice balls with some salt and bonito (fish) flakes thrown in. I was never really a huge Miso soup fan while at home but I am enjoying it here in Japan although it is strange having such a salty soup early in the morning. While the food was good it is going to be a bit of a change and it seems Le Cochon Dingue in Quebec City will still retain the title of "best foreign breakfast".

M first morning the rest of the group were nice enough to walk over to my hotel to find me so we as a group could take in Okayama Castle as well as the Gardens that surround the castle.  The day which was extremely hot and humid was very enjoyable as the grounds were gorgeous.  After touring the grounds as a group in which we tended to stand out I'm sure a few vendors who were holding an exhibition on the grounds invited us all in for some cold barley tea, figs and ginger cookies which was extremely hospitable of them.  Fortunately as we had some food and drink and very heavy thunderstorm passed over head so it was fortuitous we stopped in when we did.  After some speaking and translating we decided to head back to the annex and hotel for some rest.

After a break I met the group and we walked over to the interestingly named Great Pumpkin Karoke bar a few blocks from where we were staying. After entering and heading to the top floor of the place we began screaming our way through some Spice Girls, Mama Mia and yes even in Japan, Living on a Prayer. On an even funnier note one of my fellow teachers did a spot on Chris Martin while singing to both Vida La Vida and Speed of Sound by Coldplay.  While the rest of the group wanted to call it an evening myself and Chris Martin headed out for some fun in Okayama (gotta rep for the over 30 crowd) .  Although we did not over do it my fellow teacher and I each had two Ashai's and we split a bottle of Shocu, (a traditional Japanese liquor made from grain that is very potent).  Needless to say upon leaving the karaoke bar we were already feeling good.

One thing is certain you should never trust a cartoon cat holding a carafe of Sake.  This was a lesson hard learned that night as we progressed to a small bar/restaurant across from my hotel.  The night progressed as we ran into 3 young guys heading down the street and asked them to show us a good place to go out and then ending up hanging with us for about 2 hours at the bar.  A memorable moment was the 5 of us singing California Love by 2Pac at the top of our lungs over some large mugs of Kirin. I also got some laughs from the crew by calling 2PAC, "Ni-Pac", Ni being the Japanese word from the number 2 (I guess it is only funny in Japan as I write this it sounds decidedly lame). Perhaps the Asahai and Kirin also helped.  Not only did I learn a new Japanese drinking song "Nonde Nonde" (Drink, Drink!) but learned that gestures and a few words can often get you by when needed. For example just shouting out "Super Dry" and holding up your glass was enough to get all at the table to clink glasses immediately as it was a call to drink (Asahai Super Dry is one of the most popular beers (Biru) in Japan).  Finally at 2am we headed back to our respective places to call it a night.

When I arrived in Japan the first thing I found out about the country was it appears safe to leave anything anywhere. When my Amity contact met me at the airport terminal she explained that while waiting for others to arrive I could leave my bags in the waiting area and could be free to walk around a bit to some of the stores in the terminal. When I began pushing my luggage to take it with me she explained I could leave it where it was as there was no need to worry about any theft. Although ultimately I took at least my laptop bag which contained my computer, camera, PSP and IPOD she assured me there was no reason to be concerned for its safety. This is the first difference from the US or Philadelphia from Japan. In Philadelphia should you happen to leave a used napkin and a half eaten bag of chips on the seat only to wander 40 yards away from it you can rest assured you would find them both gone in 10 minutes. And then realizing your napkin and chips were history you would glance down to see someone had sneakily stolen your pants while you were looking for those chips. Since the airport I have seen many other examples of this very strange thing called "honesty".

As the week progressed as did training nothing much to report other than long, long hours and much information covered.  All in all I think I did pretty well and the trainers gave me some positive feedback on my final review as well.  After the completion of training, myself, all the trainers as well as the rest of my group headed to a local restaurant in Okayama for a final send off.  The food which was varied was great and even more fun the group had a final night to blow off some steam as we walked to a local Aussie bar called Aussie Bar for some drinks before leaving each other and heading to our respective schools tomorrow.

Some photos from the festivites:

Interesting Japan Fact #1

I know I spoke with some of you about the need for slippers in Japan.  And as some of you may know I had to bring mine with me to Japan since of my freakishly large shoe size, or should I say freakishly large shoe size for Japan (Men are hard pressed to find anything over a 9 at a store).  But since I have been here it has gotten even better, once arriving at my first day of work we were clearly instructed to remove our shoes at the door, stow them in the cubicles you see often in many Japanese establishments and then wear your slippers from then on inside the building.  But the Japanese or my office go one better, when wearing those slippers around the office I made my first trip to the bathroom and walked in only to find a red line on the floor instructing me to remove my slippers and do what......put on a 2nd pair of "restroom" slippers.  The restroom slippers which are tiny are a sick blue color and actually bear a restroom emblem on them (lest you try to take a pair and wear them around town).  So as you can imagine nearly 14 percent of my day revolves around either removing my shoes, tying them or putting them back on.  I am seriously considering seeing if Florsheim makes a pair of wingtips with velcro on them so I can save myself the trouble.

Embarrasing Foreign Behavior #1

After a long day of training myself and 5 of the group headed to a local conveyor belt sushi bar a few blocks from the school for a quick and inexpensive dinner, we all sat down without event and began to choose our meal.  As I normally do I took my small dish filled it with soy sauce and opened the wasabi box only to be confronted with green powder.  Not thinking much of it I put two scoops into the soy unsure how hot and spicy it was to be and begin to stir the two together.  Although I had never seen powdered wasabi before when in Japan you will be confronted with many things you have never seen before so you begin to take a "what will the Japanese think of next" type of approach to things here.  Upon mixing the two though I immediately saw a problem as the powder sat coagulating on top of the soy in a very unappealing way, a dip in it from my chopsticks along with a taste confirmed I had gone wrong as the flavor was horrific.  It was then a kind man next to me with a smile on his face tapped me on the shoulder to show me that the wasabi was on the conveyor belt in ketchup like packets.  He then showed me the empty tea cup I had ignored in the place setting in front of me.  And finally showed me the small faucet on the bar for piping hot water.  From there with an even bigger smile creeping across his face he proceeded to show me how to take two small spoonfuls of "green tea" powder and mix it into the water for a hot cup of green tea with your sushi.

If you take anything from this blog, soy sauce and green tea should never meet, EVER!

Awesome Packaging Experience #1

While heading to school I passed one of the hundreds of vending machines I have seen since arriving here.  This time I excitedly saw a machine that contained a Diet Soda option I had yet not seen since arriving, an American favorite, Sprite Zero.  As I dropped my 100 yen coin into the slot, retrieved my drink and began heading toward Okayama Station I smiled when I looked down and saw the can which was covered in Kata Kana Japanese characters had only one line in English which clearly read "Sprite Zero, Sexier Than Water".

Strange Japanese Observances

• Japanese will never cross the street without the OK TO WALK sign turning green.  There could be 100 people at a crosswalk and not a car for a mile either way and they will still wait for the light to turn before heading across.
• Taxi drivers here wear suit pants, shirts and ties at all times.
• Work here is different, no one leaves early.  If you are to work til 7:00PM (as we are) and you finish early you find something else to do rather than take off early.  It is simply not done in Japan.
• It is so hot and humid here I can not begin to tell you yet you will see Japanese woman wearing Ugs, sweaters and jackets around town, its wild.
  

Well all that is it for Week 1 in Japan from the week I had I can only imagine there is much more to see and do as well as more shame and embarrassment to be brought to my country and family.  Sunday I depart for my home in Kasugai, hope to take in a Japanese baseball game at the Nagoya Dome on my day off Monday as well as begin my new life with my new students.

Also sorry for no pictures yet I hope to resolve my camera plug issue soon and have photos for you.

Talk to you soon.

Sayounara

Duffysan