Catching up

So here I am sitting in a hotel room on the other side of the world. I’ve been in Japan for almost a month now and tomorrow I will finally be moving into my apartment where I can finally unpack my bag and have a place to call home. I haven’t done a very good job of keeping a journal or updating this blog but there is so much that I want to tell you all about that I’ll try to fill you in on what been going on. So much has been going on since I got here that it hard to know where to start. I suppose I’ll begin by saying that Japan is an amazing country. The culture here is so hard to describe full of diversity and contradiction both reserved and over the top at the same time. I can only speak enough Japanese to navigate though the vast spider web of the train system and buy food. I can’t read anything so half the time I have no idea what I’m eating only whether it tastes good and agrees with my body or not. In time I know that I’ll figure it out (not really much choice) but it’s been hard at times.

When I first arrive I was welcomed by a friend Squish who has been living here for four years that I met through Kerry (Riaz). I spent the first 5 days here sleeping on his couch in downtown Osaka. It was a great introduction to this place as he was able to help me understand how things work here. Things to do and not to do as well as where to get things, all the basics. The Japanese are very polite and they are often embarrassed by foreigners and I can see why. In so many ways we are so loud and rude. For the most part Japanese people would rather you be happy and comfortable that they will just ignore the indiscretions of a Giagin so it can be hard to tell if you have offended anyone. They will avoid the conflict of confronting someone and leave you to go along on your merry way. The best thing to do is to pay attention to what the people around are doing and base your actions on that. For example drinking in public is not against the law. You can go to a vending machine and buy a beer then proceed to walk down the street drinking it. It’s legal but you would hardly ever see a Japanese person doing it.

On my birthday I went to see the opening show of the Love Suicide of Amijima. At the theatre they rent ear pieces that provide English translation along with cultural commentaries to help in understanding the story better. I learned more about Japanese culture from going to see Bunraku than I have from anything else I’ve experienced here. There is much more that I can write and will write about Bunraku but if you have no idea what I talking about find out more about one of the worlds oldest forms of puppetry at the National theatre webpage http://www.ntj.jac.go.jp/english/index.html.

On November 6^th I traveled to Nagoya where I had fist contact with Peppy Kids club. I was met a the train station by a member of the “native support” staff and after a brief stop at the office I was given a huge info package about Nagoya and checked into training accommodations. I had a week in Nagoya before training during which time I saw Ashley a few times. We went to a drum Jam on Wed. it was neat just like back home but smaller and with Japanese hippies. They also had a small burner and warm Sake. Later in the week I went over to Ashley’s to prepare a belated birthday dinner for her. We had macaroni and cheese and we managed to make two small pumpkin pies with the filling I brought from home. After dinner we joined some of her friends for potluck where we ate the second pumpkin pie and jammed until 1:00am. After the jam we headed off to a small club owned by two Canadian guys called the Creek lounge. Really cool place small, shoes off at the door great techno and people bring their drums and jam out with the music. Part way through the night Ashley let me know just how ungrateful she was for everything I tried to do for her. Oh well really some people just aren’t worth the effort. I was crushed to say the least and needless to say we haven’t talked since. Thankfully training started on Monday so I didn’t have much time to dwell on being disrespected so badly.

Training began with everyone dressed up in there business attire and slippers (I wore my new suit for the first time!). The day was full of long speeches and piles and piles and piles of information packages. After it was all done the group spilt in too and it was back to Osaka area for the remainder of training. We’ve been staying in a hotel with internet witch has been nice (probably the last time I have access before Christmas. Training has been great the company does a great job of easing us into the classroom and after two weeks I now feel like I’m ready to step into the classroom. I’ll have to post more about it when I get settled but my training group has been fantastic I will definitely miss them when I’m out in Minokamo but I know that now I have friends placed all over Japan.

Until next time this is your “uncle travelin’ James” busting on out to find the place I will call home for the next year!

P.S. I don't have a camera yet but I have some pictures I'll post next time