Live it...

Welcome back friends....

Where to begin....

I guess I will start off by saying how my world is changing.  Lots of things have changed.  I feel like a different person now.  Before I came to Japan, I was not a very laid back person.  I worked hard, which I will credit to providing me with my opportunities today, but I feel like I could have even been in a better place, had I just learned a few things I know now, before I today.

So here is my new story.

I climbed Mt. Fuji.

The tallest volcano in Japan.  The day I left, was a horrifying day.  I was going from Iwajuku in Gunma to a small area in Shizouka. That is where Mt. Fuji is.  I tried my best to get as ready as possible before I left, but I never climbed a mountain in my entire life, let alone a volcano.  And now I'm going up the tallest one in Japan.  3,667 meters up.  2.28 miles up.

But first I need to get there. This is going to be my longest trip in Japan and my longest and most complicated travel so far.  Also, I'm going alone.  When I arrive, I would meet my friend Yuki, but until then, it was me.  My phone is only in Japanese and I am left to my own ability to speak the language if anything is to become a problem.  Also, I didn't really have the space in my bag to bring a lot of dictionaries for Kanji, so if I was going to go, I just needed to know it. Before I leave my house I open up my bottle of sake, and take a good drink.  I walk.

I walk to the station with my bag and my music in my ears.  It takes about 25 minutes from my roomy country house.  I get there and I hop my first train.  about 2 hours or 3 hours later, I arrive in a city of Oyama.  There I need to take a Shinkansen (the bullet train).

Buying these tickets was a huge hassle.  I was almost late getting to my line.  It wasn't the fact that I didn't understand how to buy them, it was just strange trying to figure out how much the transfer fee was going to cost.  I was going from a local small line, to a major line to the biggest station in Japan.  Tokyo station.  

I got my ticket, and I walked to where I thought I should be.  I asked a lady if this track went to Tokyo, and she said I was on the wrong side.  I was on the away line, not the to line.  After switching side, I asked a different girl if I was headed in the right direction.  She was nice and told me I was fine.   She said she is studying English in her university so I has a small conversation with her in English.  It was refreshing.  After our short talk, she gave me a small carton of "Lemon milk" and said good luck on my trip, and to drink a lot before I climb.  I will never see her again most likely, but I was truly appreciative of her warmth.  

The shinkansen arrived...  I was expecting a big empty train for some reason.  Wrong.  I bought the cheap tickets so I was in the standard car.  The door opened and people were packed up against the walls.  I needed to get to Tokyo station to catch my bus to Shizouka, so I pushed my way in.  doors close, off I go.

This train was fast... really fast.  I haven't been on the highway in over 3 months.  The fastest I have traveled is maybe 35 mph in the city, but that's all. These things are said to top 200mph sometimes, but I'm not sure mine was that fast.  All I know is the usual 3 hour trip was cut to 40 minutes.  We were flying on tracks with no wings.

I arrive in Tokyo station.  Huge. 

I know I need to go to the north exit, but... which north exit??

Again I ask for help.  I am directed towards the bus stops.  I find my station and I sit on my bag, for about 30 minutes until my bus arrives.

I board it, and now its a 3 hour bus ride to Shizouka.  I'm excited to see my friend, and to climb t. Fuji.  I arrived at my station in the black of night.  I had my bag and my music, and I was waiting for Yuki to show up.  I waited at the local station for about 20 minutes until her train arrived.  After that, it was finally time to eat.  

All my morning alcohol had left my body and it was time to resupply.  We walked around until we found a small bar by the hotel, and we drank and ate until the people asked us to leave.  We wobbled back and went to bed.  The next morning we met in the lobby and saw the town.

But this blog would be 100 pages long if I talk about all of that.  I want to talk about Mt. Fuji now.

The night before we leave for the climb, I don't have anything I need.  I don't have anything I need.  We go to the store and I try and find a pair of climbing pants.  I get one! Awesome.... I guess its time to climb.

The next morning, we run a little late getting to the bus that is going to take us to Mt. Fuji....

Shit.  What now?

So, We take a taxi.  This was maybe the best idea we ever had.  This cab ride was amazing!  The bus is going to take about an hour, so we are looking at about an hour long cab ride....  This is going to be expensive.  Yuki talked the cabby into giving us a flat rate of about $90 to take us there.  We cant really argue with it.  But it was still about 3 times the amount the bus would have been, but our climb time was set already and we had no other options.  

The cab takes off.  We are just talking with him for a bit.  We mention that we are running a little late, and he said he would get us there on time...  He PUNCHED the gas!  We are cooking!  He is swerving around other cars and bikes and people in the road.  He has this thing really honestly up around probably 60 mph on winding mountain roads.  Yuki and I were honestly sliding out of our seat belts on this mountain road.  We arrive in 40 minutes flat, pay the man $90, and then we wait for the bus to arrive that we PASSED on the way even though we left later.

Time to change for climbing.  Layers and layers.  Other people have professional climbing shoes, I have sneakers.  People have professional climbing clothes, I have a sweater and a hoodie.  People have professional climbing bags.... I have my JanSport bookbag I used in college.  Whatever!  Time to do it.  This is what I have, this is what I will use.  

We climb.    

If you really want to know more about the climb, please ask me and I will tell you more detail, but basically, it was the single hardest thing I have ever done.

I want to talk about the change in my life....

When we got to the top, we slept in a small little building that was pretty cold, and small.  We all slept in our clothes and we only got 3 hours of rest.  The next morning Yuki had a very bad headache and to be quiet honest, I felt sick.  The altitude was intense for me and Yuki.  Yuki said she didn't think she could make it to the top.  But I didn't know anyone else, so I said I would climb down with her.  After we got up and walked around a little bit, she said she can go out to the top.  

We did it.  

That is where I changed my life.  As I saw the sun rise up over the icy volcanic vent of Mt. Fuji at 4:15 in the morning after about 12 hours of climbing and 3 hours of sleep, my world changed.  I had completed a task that was unthinkable to my former self.  The old me would have been too afraid to try this.  

When I saw the sun, I thought, It's time to let go of my stress and to just go with it.  Up on the cold summit with my gardening gloves, and hoodie, and sneakers, and realized, You need to make the best of your situation in your life.  If you work hard for yourself, you can do anything with what you are given.  Don't be so caught up with what you need.  Instead be thankful of what you have.

To be honest, I have had many sad nights of missing my family, and worrying about money.  And after my trip, its all good.  I spent WAY too much money on my trip.  But I used what I have, and I made all my bills, made it to all my work, and ate everyday.  Did I want more money, yes, but it's not what I had.  I was thankful for living this good.  I missed my family, but I was thankful that I can still at least talk to them everyday.  I was tired from my heavy work week, but I'm thankful for having this job, and my dream job as a matter of fact, and all and all to even have a job at all.

Life changing experience.

Think about the future. Plan for the best, and prepare for the worst.  And above all; I leaned to live it...

And then I drank and then I Danced

Well hello my friends!!  Long time no see.

I apologize for the long delay but I have had a number of things happen.

1) My work has increased so I did not have as much time

2) I couldn't bring myself to writing these VERY long posts

3) Nothing SUPER interesting has happened

4) IM TIRED

I decided to amend this situation by making small changes.  I will post more often but they will be shorter posts.  Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for your reading entertainment.

Yesterday I went to a festival.  This was one of the most fun nights of my life.  I really felt like I was living my adventure in Japan.

Basically, what I can tell you, is I drank, and then I danced.

Here is my story,

It was about 4:00 pm when I was picked up by my coworker and good friend.  His family led me to the festival.  I spend the time with his children

We walked around and I saw some really cool stuff.  The main attraction in the festival was hand made hundreds of years ago!  How cool is that!


After some time, I sat down with my friend's family and we drank in a small area with lots and lots of people.  We drank and drank and drank.  I bought things for others and they bought things for me.  It was just a very fun time drinking with everyone and making a number of new friends.

Later when it started to get dark, there was lots of music.  It was unlike anything I have heard before.  It was interesting because it was just the same tune over and over for hours but it really didn't get annoying.  It was actually nice to hear the tune again and again because after a while, it kind of set a tempo for the entire event.

When we were all watered down with alcohol, we decided to walk around a bit.  We just looked at the food and the shops that were all over. We came to an area where there was a huge mass of people!  They were all dancing.  It was at that point that I found out one of my new friends actually takes the lessons for this traditional dance.  He taught me and I danced in a giant ring of people for about 30 minutes.  I only did 1 "lap" of the ring, but everyone said it was good luck to do 3.  But 30 minutes per lap made me want to try other things also.  So we all decided to go.

My friend decided to go home with his children but left me there to enjoy the celebration a little more.

I went to a bar with my new friends and we drank for a while longer.  We met the owner of the place and now I will go there a lot more.  She was so nice.

I then went to a different bar that my friends told me about.  It was kind of in the middle of nowhere and I was a little scared because I didn't REALLY know these new friends that well yet, and they were taking me places I didn't know, but if my coworker trusted them, I should to (it's the Japanese way!)

Upon arrival, There was a man in the most amazing white suit I have ever seen.  It was his bar, and he was also a golf teacher.  I will go golfing with him on the 25th of this month now!  What a crazy night it was.

The older gentlemen kept pouring me glass after glass of beer, and who am I to refuse him...  So I drank and drank again,

After that bar, I had only 10 minutes to get to the station or I would miss the last train.  It was a 15 minute walk so I really had to run.

By the way, running after drinking a lot... not fun

But I made it with no trouble and was headed home when I got a message on my phone.  It was my other friends.  They were on the train that just arrived and wanted to know if I wanted to go to another bar with them.  So I told them to wait 6 minutes for me to arrive, and then we all piled into a car and drove to a restaurant.  At the place... you guessed it.... we drank.

We also ordered a lot of food.  I ate and drank until around 1:00 and then took a taxi home.

I fell right to sleep.

I had the best time ever at Kiryu Matsuri!  I will go again today!

(Keep an eye out for another post about my adventures tonight as well)

One bug happy family!

One bug happy family!

WOW!  This one is late! My apologies!  I keep sitting down to write these and I either fall asleep or I get busy with other things.

So!  I have a number of short stories I want to share today.  Nothing really life changing has happened, but I have a multitude of little mishaps that have taken place recently

I will title them...

Ode to the Slob:

Now this is a story of the person that lived here before me.  I feel like I need to explain what has happened, but I want to do it by taking the role of the previous owner of this house, and narrate it through the assumed eyes of the person that lived here before... Let's begin.

"Wow this house it amazing!  Since I'm living in Japan I will really enjoy myself here!"

"I'll just wipe my makeup here under the sink EVERYDAY for the entirity of my stay... I'll let the next poor sucker that moves in here have to clean it while gagging at the months and months of caked on makeup that has now congealed to the rim of the wooden sick liner..."

"I hate cleaning things.... I guess I won't do it!"

 

"Wow... I really jammed this broken fan in this window... I bet it will take days for the next poor sap to un-jam this damn thing!"

"Wow these plants in my garden are really really beautiful, too bad I will NEVER CARE FOR THEM, and make the next person have to work all day for about 2 months to correct the mess I made"

"You know what else I don't like to do, clean the grease trap out of the stove... I guess I'll just jam a bunch of paper in here so it soaks it up and by the time I leave I won't have to clean it.  I'm sure the next person won't mind cleaning piles of horrid goop out of the stove again while gagging and eyes watering.  It shouldn't take him more than 3 hours to clean this and make his entire house smell like old burnt paper and grease for about 3 days."

"I think I will leave this sliding window cover open for about 3 months so a bird can nest here.  I bet the next guy will love the fact that there is a bird nest wedged WAAAAY in the back of the window so he can't quite close it all the way welcoming in all sorts of horribles"

"I don't want to sweep (repeated everyday)"

"I only broke the bed a little.  I'm sure he can fix it."

My message to the slob that lived here before me... Thank you for at least providing me with hours of activity.  Without you I might have been bored just sitting around when I was cleaning....

The song that never ends...

Since I have been living alone, I have needed to find ways to entertain myself constantly.  Living alone in a large home can be lonely and most of all... quiet.  So how do you change that??? you sing!!!  My medleys consist of "walking on sunshine" and my personaly favorite "John-Jacob-Jingleheimer-Schmit"

It is a resemblance to the movie "rocket man" where he spends hours and hours locked up in the ship training center.  I am sure my neighbors do not enjoy my bad singing, but I try to keep it quiet.

Japanese Bug Philosophy 

Well another one of my families from America came to visit a few weeks ago and we went to a small little cave.  It was rather enjoyable, but there is a problem with bugs there...  the problem being... there were bugs there.

To get to the cave, you had to walk down a small flight of stone steps and there was a door there leading to the entrance of the cave. (the door was set there to help control the bug problem).  When we reached the door, there was a leech hanging from the glass... It was at this point that I did not want to go into the cave anymore.  When there is already a LEECH on the inside of the glass... this seems like a bad idea. I was going to sit this trip out.  I didn't want to have to deal with all kinds of exotic bugs that might cause me to become infected with some kind of disease.  Ever since I had to deal with the Japanese Encephalitis experience written about earlier, every time I see a bug in Japan... I always wonder what the side effects of being bitten are 75% death?

When we finished walking though (the cave was very beautiful, by the way) we were walking under a low ceiling.  When I looked up, I realized that it was COVERED in huge roach/cricket looking insects about the size of a half dollar.  The kinds just laughed and ran out while me and the 2 moms looked at them and took some pictures of them.  (Because my camera sucks all of them are too blurry to show any...)

Afterwards we all sat down on the bench and the kinds played with bubbles.  While we were sitting there a spider crawled onto my hand and I jumped and flicked my hand, expelling the spider. Everyone laughed at me!  They said I overreacted for such a small spider, and proceeded to call me a baby (good friends right? feels just like home) I didn't think the spider was scary, I just didn't want it on me.  There are always mosquitoes and little flies in my house because I have to leave the windows open all the time.  Sometimes I find the occasional spider, and even more seldom, I find a more horrifying beast. So I have learned to just kind of deal with them. (Don't leave any food out, wash the dished right away, keep the trash bags covered)

(playing with bubbles!)

It was a moment later when the kids saw a cricket.  The boy jumped on it!  I was thinking he wanted to kill it, but I was mistaken.  He picked it up and was looking at it.  The mom was also very interested in it also.  The girl was screaming and running around.  Again I thought it was because she was afraid... but instead she was upset because she wanted a turn to hold the cricket!  I was amazed when she held it, she dropped it and tried to catch it right away.  After they played with the insect for a few minutes, they decided to walk over to a nice tree and put it on the branch.  

I realized now that bugs in Japan are just a regular thing.  Everyone deals with them.  I found out that bug collecting is also VERY popular.  Kids actually catch bugs and show them to their parents and then they keep them.  It was very surprising.  Not just small things like cricits, but huge beetles also.  The kids will come running in holding a beetle bigger than a golf ball and they will put it in a jar and keep it for weeks.

Speaking of massive beetles, I remember seeing on the discovery channel a long time ago a documentary about insects in Japan.  I remember there being a huge beetle with a horn on its face.  It was the strongest bug ever or something crazy.  I saw one.  I almost walked right into it.  

(I don't know it the picture gives it justice but it was the biggest bug I have ever seen.  The blue stripe next to it was about an inch thick. Hold up a ruler and look at an inch and realize this thing was almost 3 inches WIDE)

After I thought about someone actually picking this thing up with their bare hands and taking it home, I realized that I need to change how I think about bugs in Japan.  When I was doing gardening in Japan, I always kill bugs when I see them, it was after that day that I realized that they are a welcome guest here and some bugs actually represent good luck.  I don't think I should be going around smashing any luck that might come crawling my way.  

There was however... one bug that did not get away unscathed that crossed my path.  When the visiting family was first arriving that day, we were standing out side, and the craziest looking bee I have EVER seen flew by my face.  It was actually probably a wasp because it was slender and long.  This baby was about 2 inches long and I could actually SEE the stinger on the thorax.  It was about a centimeter long.  It looked like if I tied a needle to a toy helicopter and hovered it at nose level.  (horrifying).  So how did the big brave Dan protect his family and friends?  He took his shoe off and threw it at the bug (missing and almost hitting my neighbor who was gardening) and yelling "GET INSIDE, GET INSIDE!!!" after I realized that I pissed it off really bad.  

Usually when you scare a bee or wasp in America it will fly off.  Not Japanese wasps.  This thing got steamed up and started flying at me and everyone else.  The scary part was, it was so big, that you could actually see it shape itself into a "C" shape as it came flying at you with its stinger (or surgical needle) pointed at you.  Oh... but the even scarier part...  This thing had bright neon green eyes.  I'm certain that it would have killed me if it would have connected.  

So we are all now sitting huddled in my house watching the wasp/bee/horrible/demon fly around the shed that I store my bikes in. 

(this is where the beast was hiding)

I walked out after the coast was clear... but I saw another one by my bike... and then a second... and then a third.  It was at this point that I remembered how, years ago when I worked at a pool, it was places like this that were havens for bee and hornet nests and hives...  I slowly walked over... 

(god dammit... If you zoom in, look around the green bar and you will see the nest)

Not only was there one... there was a nest.... BY MY BIKES!  This cannot happen...  I had to take action.  After the family left, I went to the store and bought what I call...

(Old Glory)

This beast is guaranteed to take care of the problem... from 10 meters away!!

So I took care of it... No more bees.  

Plants and Eating them...

So. I was visited one Thursday morning by my boss.  She came over early and she was looking at my garden with me.  She asked if she could have some of the flowers that I was growing.  I of course offered her whatever she wanted.  I went inside and grabbed my knife.  She cut all kinds of things.  Some of them smelled SO good, and I was surprised to see how many things she wanted to take.  I didn't really think much about it for the time being.

Later that day she cooked me dinner...  She said she made tempura for me!  I was so excited to have some shrimp that night!!!

But what came out next surprised me beyond words.  She had actually breaded and fried all the flowers and plants that she cut right out of my garden!!!  She said she wanted to give me some food that I helped grow.  I could not believe it.  I asked if it was ok to eat, and she assured me, so I tried it.

IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! I want to go and find some things to eat out of my garden now.  That day for dinner I had all the plants that were from my garden, and a cup of tea made from one of the roses that she cut from my rose bush.  Delicious!

I could not believe that I was really eating plants from my freaking garden!  I was used to eating VEGETABLES from my garden in America, but never just leaves and flowers and such!

Matter of fact... I might go make more of that tempura tonight for dinner!  It was so good!

The Flowers...

A few days ago, I was caring for my garden when I realized that I would like to try and grow some flowers.  I have never had any luck with flowers, so I wanted to give it a try.  All of my neighbors houses are really really beautiful with flowers, and I think I will save my money during the winter season to try and buy a butt load of flowers next spring.  

I was walking to the store, when I saw me neighbor come out of her home and start watering her garden.  I was so envious of her beautiful home.  I told her I liked her garden and I asked her were they sell flowers.  I was planning on buying some that day and just planting some "already started" plants just to water and feed for a few days.  

She at that moment reached down and dug up 2 flowers and put them right into my hands.  She just took a shovel and dug deep into the soil and pulled them right up!! I thanked her greatly and ran to my backyard and started to dig a hole for them with my bare hands in the soil.

I heard someone coming over and I knew it was the older lady.  I was going to say thank you again for the flowers.  When I turned around she was there holding another flower!  

(I planted my 3 flowers)

She saw me digging in the dirt with my bare hands and said that she has an extra spade.  She ran over and come back with it before I could tell here that was not necessary!  But did she come back with more than just 1 spade??  NO!

(She also brought another plant, but this one in a little vase)

I was speechless!  I had no idea how to say thank you.  She smiled and returned home.. I was just finishing up taking pictures of my new garden when....

(she brought me 2 more!!!!)

Every time I turned away from this lady, she was bringing me more flowers.  She was digging them out of her garden and giving them to me!!!  I could not believe this!!!!!!!!

Now I had my flower garden AND a spade to go with it!  I could actually do some work now.  When I visit Tokyo this month, I think I will buy her a gift.

Overall my life is going very well.  I think I like it here very very much.  I don't see myself working in any other country than this one from now on I do believe.  

Until next time!  Stay tuned in and keep checking back!  I should have some more things up as soon as I have time!

PS.. I just hit my 3,000th page view.  THANK YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE FOLLOWING ME AND WATCHING WHAT I DO!! It is because of all of you that I will keep this blog going and I will pick up the pace also with it now too.  Please share it with anyone you would like :)

Little Quirks

Friends... Family... Strangers??

Welcome back to my strange world.

Today is kind of a "Heterogeneous", compiled, arranged, assorted, repetitive, redundant post of a number of things that has happened to me over the last 2 weeks.

First and for-most, I got to go to a REALLY cool temple last weekend.  I have no idea where it was except for it being in the mountains.  Now, saying "something is in the mountains" in Gunma, is like saying, "it's in California" in America.  Everywhere I look in Gunma, there are crazy mountains.  So lets just say this temple was in the awesome mountains here. (again, not very specific)

A family I taught in America came into Gunma for the weekend.  They decided to take me to this crazy temple because I studied that kind of stuff at The Ohio State University, and I find it interesting. They said it was going to be able an hour and a half to get there.

No problem!

I like these people, I haven't seen them in a while, I am excited to spend some time with all of them.  About 40 minutes into our trip, we arrive at the Entrance of the Temple.  I was thinking "no way it will take over an hour to get there from the entrance!"

I was wrong

We started this journey up a wide road to the top of a mountain.  It started off nice and we were all laughing and talking.  I was taking lots of pictures of the mountain as we ascended it as well.

(Blurry mountain 1)

(Clear Mountain 1)

(Blurry Dan spectating Blurry Mountain 1)

I need a new camera

I have never seen some of the mountains that I saw that day.  Everyone talked about how I was going to love the fall when all the leaves start to change color.  I can't wait for it.

So we climb higher and higher in the mountains.  Soon the road starts to get very thin.  There is only room for one car at a time and if another one comes, we sometimes have to back up and let them through.  It was very bendy also.  The roads got to the point where I had to look straight ahead to avoid starting to feel sick. I was sitting next to a former student of mine (who is only in 3rd grade) so she was having a blast.  She was jumping all over the place, and really just enjoying the view.  

As she was jumping around... I started to feel it.  We were getting higher and higher in the mountains...

The road was getting more and more crazy...

The air was getting thinner...

The cars were getting fewer so we were getting faster...

I had the feeling start to come up from deep down...

I knew I couldn't hold it much longer...

I couldn't wait anymore...

PULL OVER!!!!

(I had to take a picture of this beautiful mountain being covered partially by clouds)

After a little bit more, it started to rain.  That was upsetting for me because I wanted to go see the temple and if it was raining, I know I couldn't see it.  Then it got very foggy...

I asked them if the weather was always this crazy in the Mountains, and they said, "No, only when we have to drive through clouds like we are doing now..."

WE WERE DRIVING THROUGH A CLOUD!

I was so amazed with this.  They said on days where it rains, the clouds are very low and they actually will drive through some of them when we see the temple.

We came up above the clouds. It was beautiful.  After the short drive above the clouds we descended back through and up again one more time.  It was just after we crested the clouds the second time that I saw them!

(WILD MONKEYS!!!!)

Yup...

Wild Monkeys...

These were not in a cage, they were not being fed, they did not have some cage they would sleep in during storms... Wild Monkeys...

How Strange it is that I live about 1 hour by car from wild monkeys!!  I'm not talking 2 or 3.  There are only 3 in this picture but when we came through the clouds, about 10-15 (I can't tell beause the babies were running too fast) wild monkeys ran across the street and all hid in the trees!

During this experience, I was fumbling with my camera trying to turn the damn thing on, only to talk about 60 pictures rapid fire, but since my camera is crap, about 2 or 3 came out as acceptable.  This is my favorite one.  The people here call them "Saru" (That means monkey)

I later talked to my students at work about the monkeys and one of them told me that she has to deal with them always getting into her yard. (She lives 20 minutes away from me by car)

I'm not sure, but I will most definitely be locking up my house at night now even more than before.

The last thing I want is monkeys getting into my house and causing me to go bananas at night with all there monkey business.  I don't want monkeys hanging around my house... The last thing I need is (insert other crappy monkey pun) when I am trying to sleep!

So we continued up the mountain, and we arrived at possibly the coolest place I have ever been to.  It was a real temple that has been around for hundreds of years.  

I could talk about everything all day and if you have any questions about the pictures here leave a comment and I will explain it.  This is just some of the stuff that I saw while I was exploring the Temple.

One thing that was very cool, was the temple has these little boxes that have like "fortunes" in them and you have to spend a dollar on one, but some are bad luck and some are good luck.  I decided to try my hand at it....

                                               

(That's right!!! I got the luckiest one!!!)

We returned home that evening and I said good bye to my friends.  What an absolutely amazing time I had with them when they came to visit.

The next weekend Lisa came to visit me again.

(I have not been alone 1 day the entire time I have lived in Japan thus far)

Lisa and I ended up going to the neighboring town and found a FREE ZOO was there!

We traveled to the station and hopped a cheap train to the next town.  When we arrived, we decided to try and use the town map to let us know where the zoo was.  Just look at the map and follow the roads, and it shouldn't be a problem...

(*sigh*...)

So after Lisa looked up the directions to the Zoo on her phone we set course!

This was going to be fun.  The weather was nice, the city was quiet, and the zoo was going to be free! 

On our little walk we saw some of the craziest trees I have ever seen!

(They look like... I don't know!)

Everything in Japan is new to me.  Lisa and all my friends take for granted that I HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE and everything from the weather to the plants, and the people are all pretty new to me. Everything is interesting.

We finally came to the entrance of the Zoo, and walked up this cool entrance way. 

(Crazy peacocks)

(Tiny Deer)

(REAL BAMBOO FOREST!)

(My new favorite animal)

Ok, so far this zoo was just like all the other zoo's that I have ever been to.  It had animals and little attractions, but then there was something that blew me away...

(This monkey exhibit)

You might be saying to yourself, "But Dan... This doesn't look interesting to me!" and "You'r a chump if you think THAT is cool!" or "You'r camera sucks!" (Which I would have to agree with)

But this was the entire thing.  There was not net to keep the monkeys in... There was no tall gait to keep them back... It was just monkeys that could EASILY escape from this place if they wanted to.

The other thing that got me amazed was there was no real gate to the zoo... If an animal got out, it might as well just run all over the town.  

(my camera is not zoomed in... They could totally jump out if they want to)

(Awesome tree!)

We headed home after about 40 minutes at the small free zoo.  It was a lot of fun and I saw so many things that were cool and new there.  Not to mention it was FREE! I could go here anytime I was bored and walk around for a bit.

When we got back we were hungry, so we ordered something that I have not had since before I left for Japan.

WE HAD PIZZA!!

(Italian Tomato and Basil)

(Seafood)

We ordered Japanese pizza.  The seafood pizza had scallops, shrimp, and squid on it.  It was tasty.  The Italian Basil had tomato and bacon with basil... amazing.

We finished the night by eating and drinking while we watched an episode of Penn and Teller back in the 90's do magic.  It was a good day.

More of my current events coming very soon.  Stay tuned for more!

My time until now...

Hello friends!  I had a crazy idea today.  I want to talk about Japan for a little bit.  Maybe no pictures today, just some interesting things.

So before I came to this country, I studied Japanese language, history, literature, and culture for about 4 years (total).  I feel like I know a little but about all kinds of things in Japan, but not a lot about anything.  I did alright in my language classes at Ohio State, but there is something different about really living her and studying from home.  

All of the little phrases that people use all the time, I don't know.  I hear the same words and phrases everyday, but it takes me time to learn them.  Once I understand, it becomes like a game of call and response.  They say something, and I say the something back.

The classes that I studied in were interesting because the teachers all say how "polite" Japan is, but honestly when you are here... You can tell the difference in sincerity, and obligated "friendliness".  For instance, when I talk to someone that doesn't know I speak Japanese, I hear all kinds of things that are kind of "rude".  Not really mean things, but just belittling things about me or other people.  I understand, and one of my favorite things to do is to say something advanced in Japanese after they make a comment about me, so they know I understood it.  The faces I get sometimes are priceless.  I thought this one cashier was going to have a heart attack when she called to her other coworker that 'she would rather her deal with the "foreigner" because she doesn't feel like trying to explain things in English to one.' After they know I speak, I get all kinds of honorifics thrown at me from all kinds of people.  I think the more proper use of honorifics in this area are to show that they do not want to be close to you, and rather, just get done with the interaction, and have me leave.  Now these occurrences are VERY seldom.  But just like every country and even city, not everyone is going to be nice.  

However, I honestly have felt sincere friendliness from many more people in Japan.  One of my families that I taught in America came to visit me last weekend.  They took me all over the place for 2 days.  I had such a good time. (this trip will most likely come on my next blog post, it is the coolest place I have ever been to).  Even after they left, they keep texting me and calling me, and even emailing me.  I talk with them everyday.  It was fantastic for my Japanese ability also to spend all last weekend only speaking Japanese.  Also, I went drinking with a new friend last night.  Lisa and I will go out with him and some of his other friends this weekend again, and then in 2 weeks, he is going to take me to a Japanese style BBQ all day in a neighboring town about an hour away by car.  I cannot wait.  

It is the people like this here that make me love what I do and love where I live.  

As far as my hardships go, there have not been many right now.  I have been getting used to how things work here and I have landed in a small rhythm.  I know how to do what I need to do, when I want to do it.  My language barrier is closing quicker and quicker.  

Now away from the heavy stuff, (I just felt like giving a deeper opinion of this place my first month of being here and compare them later in the year when I am still blogging!!)

Now onto somethings that are humorous to me and surprising to me.

The wind...

It is ALWAYS blowing in Gunma. I go to hang my cloths out to dry and I constantly find everything bunched up at one end of the line all wet still...

I feel like I live in a perpetual wind tunnel.  Everyone talks about the famous wind in Gunma.  I can see what they are talking about.

The bugs...

I ALWAYS have a bug bite...

Every morning I wake up, and find a new "itchy" spot that was not there before last night.

If you plan on coming to Japan, please bring bug spray.

Just this morning I woke up and I have a bug bite on my pinkie finger!  It is SO itchy! I have been contemplating all day weather to either bite my finger off, or cut it off.  However, anytime I see a rough surface, I feel like I need to rub it up against it like a cat rubbing between your legs when she is hungry (I'm sure my brother knows what I am talking about with the cat back home)

The food...

Oh my god....................................... Oh my god...

I cannot tell you how good it is....

Before I came here, I thought it was going to be good... The actual flavor of things that I eat here are so much better than anything else I have ever eaten in my life.  Yesterday, I was given a small bag of eggs... The person that gave them to me said they were laid this morning... (it was still morning when I got them)

Even food from the damn gas station is absolutely amazing!  

I went to a restaurant last night and had just some fried chicken like food... I honestly laughed out loud when I took a bite..  The person I was with had no idea why I was laughing, but after I told them it was because the food was so good, he ordered all kinds of other things for me to try. Just amazing all over.  Even food that is crap in America is good here.

The Drinks...

Cheap... CHEAP! I can get a cocktail here for $1.30. And a good one too.  I'm talking Beefeater Gin and ginger ale for less than $1.50.  Beer here is $5 for what would cost $10 in America.  Just tonight, I walked to the station, bought some food and a beer, drank the beer on the walk home (because as discussed before that is legal here) and ate the food when I got back.

The American stuff...

This country, just like America, tries to put its own spin on other culture's foods.  Sushi and Japanese food in America is SO much different than it is in Japan.  I am being very serious.  If you think you like Japanese food, please come to Japan and eat it here.  Now American food is VERY funny here.  The sizes are all strange, and the flavors are kind of wrong.  Japan always puts a little bit of Japan in their food.  Like if I order a hamburger at a restaurant, there might be soy sauce on the meat, or there might be pork mixed with the beef.  The bread is different here too... I don't know exactly what is different about it, but I like this bread more.  I think it is that they cut it thicker.  I only need 1 piece and I usually fold it to make a sandwitch.

Also, ALL dairy products are different here.  Milk tastes different and yogurt is very different.  The yogurt here is very soupy.  It is not a liquid, per say, but it is not as thick as American yogert.  The cheese is also very different.  In ANY store in America, there are walls of cheese.  The selection is CRAZY big.  In Japan, you basically pick what color cheese you want to eat that day.  And that usually consists of white (but not swiss) and a yellow.  I think they taste the same, and neither is to die for.  It basically is the same flavor but different colors.  

I'll give it to America on this one, junk food in America in awesome.  The selection and the variety of that selection is unbeatable. Today I walked to the station when I got my beer, and I saw a snickers... Bought it.

It was a little piece of America that I was able to just sit and realize that it was the same.  I wouldn't say that I miss America (yet?) but I do like to have things that remind me of it.  

The heat....

It. Is. Hot....

It is VERY hot.

It's not even summer yet, and it is HOT.

Sometimes when I ride my bike to work. I petal very fast to try and get some wind on my face so the sweat can dry before I get there.  There have been days when I honestly drip sweat when I work.  The kids are dripping also and no one seems to mind.  It is just the way it is here.  No one really has air conditioning here, and if they do, no one uses it. I need to drink so much water everyday.  

Not much to say, but Gunma feels like I live on the Sun from day to day.

The older people...

Today I talked to an 80 year old that is going to go climb a mountain this weekend...

(just let that sink in for a minute)

And if that is not crazy enough, he said he is going with a group of his friends from high school (all of them in their mid 80's)

This country is just healthy. If you have to walk to work everyday, and walk to the store and back everyday, guess what... You will always be able to walk and do things like that.  I see people that look like they are in their second millennium ground golfing everyday.  It is cool to think that I might get to be that healthy when I am that age.  When I see it, I just hope it becomes me.

Well I feel like I have rambled long enough.  I hope this was eye opening.  I sure have learned a lot since I have come here.  I feel the last few posts have had a more serious tone to them.  I'm not trying to be serious, but I have not needed to take any chances yet recently.  When I have to do something new, or take a chance that is where the turmoil that everyone was enjoying came into my life.  Like I said, everyday I live here, it get easier.   Some things to look forward to soon, are my trip to Tokyo next month (I have to do most of the traveling alone) and cleaning the birds next from my window... (I still haven't done that yet).

I am sure other things will come, but right now, I'm finally just living comftorably.  I DO however need my care package from my family.  I think I have watched every movie I brought with me 3 times now.  New material is needed.

I hope you enjoy and look for many new posts coming soon!

  

A Blast To The Past

Hello again!!!

I have so much to talk about, but I'm not going to rush it.  The more I rush my writing, the worse it gets I think.  I am just going to continue where I left off and I will catch up to today eventually.  (I am only like 5 days behind, but I will catch up soon)

During the first night Lisa was over, she kept getting woken up from this rustling sound outside my window... I never noticed anything.  (this house is really terrifying at night anyway, so scary noises in pitch black and then flickering lights had just become the norm for me.  

Lisa:"What is that a bird!?"  

Me: "How could a bird get into the window box?!"

Lisa: "I don't know!!... But it sounded like a bird..

Me: "I'm sure it wasn't a bird"

After consoling Lisa, and telling her that it was ok and the window was locked and I will check it out in the morning, she went to sleep.

Morning came (as expected) and I opened all the storm doors.

NOTE: These older Japanese houses are almost all windows.  The entire South wall of my house is honestly windows.  To protect from "baddies", people close the storm doors that are used for like hurricanes or very strong wind.  These doors have a lock on them.  This is how people keep from just smashing the wall down and coming into my home.  END NOTE:

So when I got to my room and tried to close the storm doors there... the one on the window would not go in all the way...

I tried forcing it...

I tired being nice to it...

I tried forcing it again...

I asked it nicely to go it...

I tried forcing it again...

I tried forcing it again... (you get the idea)

Finally I looked inside the box where you push them into and what do you know... There's a birds nest in there... (Que Lisa's "I told you so")

The bird still resides in my window box and I have not yet named the vile beast... but he (or she) is surly cozy there... for now... (this will have to be amended in my near future)

So the next day (last week on Sunday) Lisa and I decided to go check out an old museum in Iwajuku (close to where I live) and the town of Kiryu (far from where I live)

We ate breakfast and went to go pick up a second bike from by bosses house.  (There was no way were were going to walk today again!)

We got the bikes and after about a 20 minute bike ride we arrived at a very fun museum! 

(Entrance from the Road)

(Cool building we I will show you soon)

(Awesome area I can come and fish soon)

The museum is actually an ancient tomb dating back to the Kofun Period (3rd - 7th century)

We went inside...

(This was where you had to walk to get to the museum entrance)

Here is the highlights of the tour of the museum inside:

(A real Katana... The first one I have ever seen)

(Ancient Bronze Katanas from probably the Edo Period)

(This pot is 3,000 years old)

(Tools from 16,000 Years ago of the indigenous Japanese People)

(Yeah..... 30,000 year old tools used by some of the first Japanese People)

All of this was ABSOLUTELY incredible to me... In America, if you go to a museum, you see things form other countries.  There is nothing in America that is 16,000 years old that was used by the people in Ohio.  People were barley across Asia 16,000 years ago!!  Seeing cutting tools that were honestly 30,000 years old, and knowing that they were from the area THAT I LIVE IN was incredible...  Lisa told me that in my area, there are countless stories of a kid playing and digging around in his back yard and unearthing a 5,000 year old pot or something... there is this rich history honestly everywhere I go in Japan.  Everyday this place gets more amazing to me. (by the way, if I find a 5,000 year old pot in my backyard, I'm keeping it.  It will go in my living room next to me TV)

On the second floor of the museum there were tons and tons of rock samples from all over the area.  There are volcanoes in Gunma (I KNOW!! CRAZY RIGHT!?!?! WHERE DO I LIVE???) and they take the cores of these deep lava slags and show the eruption dates on them.  I didn't want to show all the pictures of the rocks, because.. well.... there rocks, but I did really enjoy learning a lot about them.  Luckily Lisa was there to help translate all the signs.  I would have been totally lost with out her there!

I did really like the wall of old tools made from ancient Obsidian from the local volcanoes... (I love where I live in Japan)

The last thing that I thought was cool was this Mammoth... Again... it was excavated in the area that I live in.

(Mammoth and me!!)

And the most important picture of the day:

(My lovely tour guide and girlfriend Lisa! Thank you again for everything!!)

After that, we walked around a little bit more and we came across something else that was AWESOME!!!

(We found a temple!!!)

I also live a 20 minutes bike ride from an temple.  I saw this and Lisa told me without even a second thought, "Oh there is a temple here"

Me: "A temple!  A real Temp-- (Running up the hill and instantly getting tired because it was so steep)

(This baby was seriously almost a 60 degree incline)

(And about a quarter mile in length) 

(We reached the top of the climb)

(This is where you put your wishes so the spirits know what to do for you I think)

(This is the temple) 

(Lisa told me to put some money in so the spirits would watch over me while I'm in Japan and Living alone)

(The decent)

(Panorama) 

(The temple sign)

So on the way back to our bikes, we were just talking, and this little girl was walking towards us.  She looked at me like I was an Alien. She said 「英語の人？！」Which if you don't speak Japanese is really hard to explain... Basically she yelled "It's and English language person!!!"  Right at me.

Lisa and I got a laugh out of this, but that is when I realized that I am honestly the first non-Japanes person that girl has ever seen.  They were not kidding.. In Gunma, I am the ONLY white guy.  But it's cool. I kind of like being the guy that looks different but people get to know me pretty fast here.

So we returned home to grab some things and set out to Kiryu. 

First stop, get food.  It was almost lunchtime at this point... (That's right, we did all this before noon even!)

So we got to the train station and thankfully Lisa was there for me (as always) because there was so much kanji written all over the train sighs that I couldn't understand at all.

(Ok... I assume the red one is "you are here" seems pretty universal... After that... I have no idea)

Lisa explained and we set off into the afternoon!

(From the train)

We arrived in Kiryu and walked around a bit.  There were so many awesome stores to see.  We walked into this one store that only sold antiques, and another one that just sold stuff.  The last one we stopped into was a tea store and I looked at cool stone teapots and homegrown teas that were all over the store.  It was awesome.

We still needed lunch. So let me set this up for you...

I just saw things that existed in Japan 30,000 years ago, I saw volcanic rock that was encases with fossilized Dinosaur Bones, I stood next to a mammoth that lived in the same area as me, I traveled via bike and train to see new areas of Japan that I have never seen before... Lets get a really cool and interesting lunch!

(Colonel Sanders!!!!!)

That's right!  We went to KFC.  And you know what... It was REALLY good!  I honestly think it was some of the best chicken I have had in a long time.  I had a spicy chicken sandwich, and it was actually spicy!  I had such a good time there.

Before we left I walked over to the trashcan to throw everything away... wrong.

Again with this trash business!  

Lisa had to show me how to throw this away here, and that away there, and you cap of the bottle here, and the tissue there, and the ice in this part, and the cup here, and the wrapper of the sandwich over there.... (When I get back to America, I am going to enjoy throwing everything away in one big trashcan.  

After lunch, we walked through a huge store.  It was like a shopping mall.  We went to all kinds of different places and shops.  There were some cloths places, and some dollar stores, and some music shops, and even a game center like Dave and Busters! 

We spend a long time in the store, and when we left it was starting to really get hot!

(Now that it was about 2:00)

I suggessted that we find something like ice cream to eat, and Lisa led me to Denny's

(I know right... another American joint) You would think that since I was all the way in Japan, I would avoid these places, but instead, they were all the rage for me!

This Denny's was unlike any I have ever seen!!

(Denny's)

(Denny's)

(Denny's)

(I CAN"T BELIEVE DENNY'S IS THIS GOOD!)

(We ate this awesome parfait at Denny's)

After the long day in Kiryu, we decided to set sail for home...  But what's this???  Could it be that there was a Bonsai Tree tournament in the station that we had to wait in????  Oh yes it could be!

What an amazing day!

We finally arrived home and we cooked some dinner.  We ate a lot that night because we have been walking so much over the past few days.

That night before bed, I wanted to try and rid the box of the birds nest...

I unbent a coat hanger and started to try and dig it out.  I was working on it and Lisa was telling me to not do it now.  I wanted to wake up in the morning and be able to close the door and have no problems with birds or nests.  So I kept working at it.  I looked at her for a second and then I heard a buzzing sound and I felt a bug fly in my ear...

Now I don't know about you, but when an unseen bug flies into a part of my body... it is safe to say that the part of my body that makes me scream the loudest would be when it is in my ear...

After flailing around to get the fly out of my ear (which you would have thought was 10 African Killer Bees from my reaction to it) I had to listen to another episode of everyone's favorite show, Lisa says, "I told you so."  and then I went to bed.

"The revenge of the nest" will have to come another day...

The weekend was fantastic.  These two days made me really want to be and live in Japan for hopefully the rest of my life.  Lisa has been a huge help to me, and I thank her everyday.

I hope you enjoy this blog today.  I will have more coming out soon.  Lots of things still happening.