Doesn't everyone want a man who will buy her $200 Orchids?? Then take the train and a taxi to bring the heavy pot of Orchids to her house? ....... Yes, My Tea Ceremony teacher is lucky isn't she?!
haha. It's her birthday on Friday, and so we bought her this huge Orchid Plant. It's gorgeous, a vibrant purpley-pink color. Michael was so nice as to carry that heavy thing up and down train station stairs. I'm sure all the Ladies were wondering who the special flowers were for!

I'm sorry about writing so many negative things about Japan lately. It's just that I have so many things I want to vent and rage and ask the Japanese people, but I just can't, it's too rude. All I can say out loud are the 'good' things, like, "yes, sushi is very delicious, isn't it?" and "Kyoto's temples are amazing aren't they?" and "It's getting hotter and hotter lately, isn't it?" Silly things like that.

But after living here for 2 years, I have noticed many negative things about Japan (as well as positive things). The problem is that I don't have anyone to give me an opinion about the negative things, or WHY they are in society, so I have to rage and vent on the blog...and to my Gaijin friends. We discuss things that puzzle us about Japan a lot. And of course, we say all the positive things out loud to our Japanese workmates. Positive things also don't tend to need as much discussion and debate anyway, don't you think?!

Also, ... I really want to go home. Back to New Zealand. OR just away from Japan. I've been here 2 years. It's enough for me. Michael and I have got 'Itchy Feet' and we want to move onto a different country, different job. But, we signed a contract with JET for another year. SO, here we are. Not really stuck, we could break our contracts, but that would mean a lot of hassle and loss of money, which we can't afford (what, with wedding plans, and trip to Europe, course fees..).
So, please bear with me. I'm so tired of this place. I find my work-life very repressive and tense, and I get along with the other teachers, but we're not 'friends', we don't 'hang out', they're mostly middle-aged to older Japanese men, who are in a different stage of life, and have such a different, irritating view of life (work only). The few young Female teachers are lovely and more open-minded though.

Sometimes I need to get my negative thoughts out, in order to sort through my feelings, and get over it. Sorry if it offends anyone, please feel free to argue and discuss my negative views on some parts of Japanese culture.

The Japanese Aversion to Aliens.

Hey, I'm an 'Alien' in Japan. True! I have an official "Alien Registration Card" to prove it.

A while ago, I read a really interesting article. It was about the future of Japan and Robots. Because of the declining birthrates in Japan, soon, there will be a shortage of workers in Japan. Especially in places that care for old people, and hospitals. This was the Question, "Would you prefer a robot looking after you, or someone from overseas, e.g. Thailand, Philippines...)" And the results??

Most Japanese people would prefer a Robot to be their nurse or old-age helper rather than a Foreigner!! WHY? Because a Foreigner would make them feel more uncomfortable than a Robot!

So, rather than give a poor foreign person a chance to earn money and look after you in a respected profession, you would rather have company with a ROBOT and let the poor person whore herself on the streets of Tokyo, because it's the best job she can get in Japan?? You'd rather give the job to a ROBOT?! It cannot sympathise, cannot be your friend, cannot give you a warm hug! You'd rather a robot than a person who can love, laugh, enrich your life with different views and opinions?!

Mind you, work life in Japan creates people who act like mindless Robots, just doing what they're told, and doing what the group is doing. Maybe Japanese people are more suited to Robots, as they are more like Robots anyway in the workplace. Robots would fit into Japanese society much easier than foreigners, Robots can be programmed to be quiet, not state opinions, not show emotion, not complain, work endlessly, ... hey, that sounds like a Japanese salary-man!

But why would you want to repopulate Japan with Robots? When there are so many foreigners out there who need jobs and could teach you a thing or two about having a laugh, relaxing, and show you how to think for yourselves instead of conforming to prescribed ideas on life? Foreigners may not be so good for buisness, but definately good for the heart.

Often, living in Japan can get me quite tense, the best solution?! Shove on those headphones and listen to Jack Johnson's soothing music... he makes me feel like I should have no worries except for relaxing on the beach, taking slow walks, or sleeping in on a sunday morning... It's surely the best music for stressed city people!

Singer - Jack Johnson
Album - In Between Dreams
My Favorite songs - Banana Pancakes (about sleeping in on a rainy day, having nothing else to do except making banana pancakes for breakfast!), and Breakdown (about how he wishes the train would break down so he could take a slow walk around and chat to people. Very good to listen to on the crowded train during rush hour!!)

When I listen to him, I dream about being a bum and living on the beach in Australia and doing nothing but surfing (ok, I have to learn how to surf first!), and lazing in the sun...and singing songs...
I can almost forget that I'm trapped inside with people who eat lunch at their desks, staring at their work. Don't you ever stop working and take a break?! even at lunchtime?!

Oh yes, Japan, Gaijin are very lazy pleasure-seeking animals, but isn't that better than conforming to the suffocating work-system?? I think so. Think I'll go take a nap now.

We are going to the Philippines on the 4th of August for 10 days!!
Paid for our tickets on Saturday.

Most people don't know anything about the Philippines. Did you know that the Philippines has over 7000 Islands??

Did you know that the Philippines used to be a Spanish Colony in the 16th Century? The Spanish named it "Philippines" after the Spanish King Philip!! The Spanish left a lasting impression on the Philippines. Many Philippinos are 1/2 or 1/4 Spanish, and have Spanish last-names. Also, they've taken on Catholisism, and Spanish Festivals, and many Spanish words have been integrated into everyday usage in the Philippines. Like, Peso, Fiesta, and Mercado (market).

Do you know where the Philippines is? Here's a map to help you. It's only 3 hours away from Japan. Above Indonesia, and under Taiwan.

The Philippines has a very special little monkey, native to this country. It's called a Tarsier. It can only live in the Philippines, Bohol Island. If it's taken away, it dies. It was the inspiration for E.T! You can see why...

Isn't it just the cutest little creature you've ever seen? Michael and I will visit the Tarsier Santuary on Bohol Island, and hopefully we'll get to hold a tiny Tarsier monkey!!

Hope you understand a bit more about the Philippines now!

I had a great weekend.
Saturday morning was a lazy one (as it should be!), blue skies and cool air...got hot in the afternoon, but the morning was just right! Had coffee and croissants for breakfast. Michael's favorite breakfast! I always buy home croissants on friday night, so we can have coffee and croissants for saturday's breakfast!

We paid off our tickets to the Philippines! I'm so exicited about going there! Beaches, tropical fruit, snorkeling, lazy days... Bring on August!!

My cheap cute pink shoes were hurting my feet that day, so I bought some 'practical' leather sandals, that are very soft and comfortable, but they do look so practical. Then, coz I started looking at sandals, I bought another pair of cute ones, with jewels on it, but I wore it yesterday and they hurt my feet...

Sunday, I went shopping with Maggie and Kim. It was raining, so the traffic was really bad. Our bus took us one and a half hours to get to Kuzuha Mall, whereas it was only supposed to take 40 minutes.
We were so hungry when we got there! Kim got really grumpy and cantankerous! (apparently she always does when she's hungry...) And also, we wanted to eat at this really flash Italian restaurant called Sabatini, but there was a waiting list. So, we wrote our names on the list, and asked the lady how long she thought it would take till 'our turn', but she was really rude and didn't tell us, and so I crossed our names off the list (I hate bad service!) but then Kim wanted to eat there, so Maggie wrote our names back on the list. (It still looked crossed out though...) We thought it might take about half an hour till it was our turn, so we did a little shopping first. When we came back to the restaurant, not only had our turn gone past, but they had totally crossed us out, and 5 other people were now waiting ahead of us!! Talk about fustrating! Anyway, we wrote our names down (Again!!) and this time we waited at the door. It only took about 15 minutes for them to call us in. And it was worth the wait. The spagetti was Al Dente, the Parmesan cheese on top was fresh and smelled so good, the coffee was perfect, not burned or bitter, and the cake...it melted in my mouth. I tried Gelato for the first time. It was yummy, but tasted like icy icecream. According to Maggie, that's not what real Italian Gelato tastes like, the real stuff is creamier, but feels light going down your throat. Can't wait to try the real stuff next year!

Maggie was also pretty impressed with the toilets there, that opened the seat cover automatically when you walk in, and then sprays disinfectant automatically, and plays music to mask any 'noise' and flushes and closes itself automatically too. Haha. She came out and said, "Guys, you HAVE to try the toilets before we leave!!"

We didn't buy much...I bought Ruth's birthday present, and a Cosmo (yeah, it's trash, but it's fun reading), and a headband. Kim bought farewell Omiyage, and Maggie bought nothing!

Later that night, I met back up with Michael for dinner. I ate Italian for the second time that day! We tried a restaurant in our town that we'd never tried before. It was called Pinocchio's, with pretty average pasta and pretty absorbitant prices. Hey, I did try a shot of espresso there, which I'd never tried before! Usually a shot of espresso is too strong and too bitter, and people don't know how to do it perfectly, but this one was perfect. Michael's was burned though.

So, this weekend, I've tried 2 new Restaurants, and 2 new foods. Gelato and a shot of espresso coffee.

By the way, why do some Japanese men have such bad breath?
Sometimes, in the bus, or walking past, I get this whiff, it's this rank smell of Natto and Ass.
Or, regularly, at school, some male teachers will talk to me, and I'll faint with trying not to breathe in while we are talking. Sometimes I have to breathe through my mouth so I won't smell their bad breath. Are their gums rotting? Their teeth rotting? Is it coz they eat so much rice and rice has a lot of natural sugars and rots fast?

But it only comes from men. Usually, middle-aged to older men. I haven't met a woman with rotting breath yet. But it's so common with the men. WHY?????

Hey, ask any Gaijin who's been in Japan for a while. Not just me. ALL my Gaijin friends have noticed it too. It's The Stinkin Breath Mystery for all Gaijin of Japan.

Japan has a huge problem. It's birthrates are falling, and soon, there won't be enough Japanese people to keep the economy going, and to look after all the old people. Japanese women just aren't having enough babies!!! Why??

1. More and more Japanese women have careers.But, Japanese women are still expected to give up their careers when they have a child, and become a full-time mother. AND, Japanese Men are not willing to take part in Child-rearing responsibilities. Which makes women have to choose between a career or a family, and more and more are choosing Careers.

2. Most Japanese women believe that they will be happier alone, rather than married. Traditionally, Japanese men expect their wives to do ALL the housework and cooking, and run them a bath when they get home from work (even if it's 11pm) and hand them a beer. (As if I'd want to do that after a full day of work myself!!) Most Japanese wives are sick of serving their husbands hand and foot.

3.Simply put, Japanese people are just not having enough sex!!
The only way they're gonna have more babies, is to have more sex, and Japan comes DEAD LAST in frequency of sex out of 41 surveyed countries!! wow. That's frigid.
WHY??
- Only 1/3rd of Japanese couples shared a double bed.
- Many marry for convienence rather than love. (e.g. "Oh, I'm nearing 30 now, I might as well marry the next dude who asks me") or ("I guess I should leave my mother's house now, but I need a woman to make my bento for me and cook and clean and run my bath...hmmmm.... oh!! I'll get married!!)
- They are Workaholics. So, they're too tired for sex.
- They're too shy to initiate sex with their partner.
- They don't communicate with their partner enough, so they don't feel emotionally close.
- They think sex is 'Tiresome'.
- Too stressed.
- The men start to think of their wife as 'mother' once she has a child.
- Sex in marriage is usually done for procreation rather than for fun.

Wow, that sure is a lot of reasons!
Japan, you guys had better change your attitudes towards sex, or the only people left in Japan will be foreigners and old people! hahaha.
Treat your Women better and maybe your race won't die out!!!

Me and Ruth have started up Pen Pal exchanges! It's great having a friend who is also a teacher! My Japanese kids get to practice writing letters in English, and also learn about New Zealand culture, and Ruth's students get to learn about Japanese culture! I took photos of my students reading their penpal letters, and we are going to send the photos back to NZ with the letters.

It was a real challenge for my students to read the letters, because of the slang and all the Maori words that Ruth's kids use in everyday life! They also had some spelling mistakes and grammatical mistakes, whereas my students are always used to reading textbook English with perfect spelling and grammar. I told them that it's a good experience for learning how to communicate with 'real' people, using 'real' English. It was funny to have them look up the slang or mispelled word in the dictionary, to find it not there. They were so confused... poor things.

They took the whole 50 minutes of class to read their letter.

I did a lesson on 'Feelings' today. Trying to get students out of the habit of saying "I'm fine thank-you and you?" whenever I say, "how are you?" I mean, I'm asking "How are you" because I'm interested in their well-being and their feelings, not because I want a little robot reciting "I'm fine thank you and you?" !!

I taught them vocab for feelings, happy, sad, hungry, sleepy, so-so, angry, etc.

Then they had to write about how they're feeling today. About 80% of students said they were SLEEPY!
Reasons were, sleeping late (between 12-3am), or waking up early for club activities (between 4:30am-6am). Doesn't give them much time for energy during school eh?!

The rest of my students were either hungry or hot (as it's summer now). What sad, sad students.

My cat, who used to be a very jumpy & scratchy stray. Her name is Ms Demeanour, coz she's nasty and demanding. But I love her anyways. Whenever she can, she tries to eat my toes and elbows. I don't know why.

I learned how to make traditional Kyoto tea-ceremony sweets today. They are called 'Kyogashi'. I learn tea ceremony, so every week, I eat Kyogashi and drink Matcha (powdered green tea). I love Kyogashi and I am very addicted to them. So, I was very excited to have the chance to make them today.

I went with Maggie, Kim, and Maggie's friend (Forgot her name!). The sweet-making place was in an old fashioned part of Kyoto, and it is Kyoto's oldest tea making shop, which also specializes in making sweets for the Imperial Palace. Cool huh?!

Here's how it started out... like little rolls of plasticine...

We divided them into little balls...

It was the texture of play-dough! And we moulded it with our hands like play dough! It was so much fun. Kyogashi is made out of a sweet white bean paste that has been colored or not colored. It is so delicate, it melts in your mouth, and it looks so cute! I made a leaf, with Dewdrop!

Rabbit and Flower

Holding our finished sweets, feeling very happy and proud of our yummy creations.

My Sweets

Ate one there, and got a wee box to package the others. Aren't they cute? Wouldn't you buy them?!

I talked to my friends today and told them what happened to Michael on Friday night. Apparently it is not uncommon for Gaijin (meaning = 'Outsiders') to be spontaneously harassed in Osaka. It's not so common in Kyoto, Kyoto people are known for being very controlled with their emotions anyway. So, where Osaka people might be rude, Kyoto people are thinking rude things about Gaijin without saying it out loud. I'd almost rather know the truth than have people thinking mean things, and me not knowing.

One of my friends who lives in Osaka regularly encounters hostility from Japanese people who think she's American (she's Australian). Note to Japanese people: NOT EVERYONE WITH BLONDE/BROWN HAIR ARE AMERICANS!! Once, she got yelled at in public by an old man, when she was just window shopping. Another time, she was walking with her boyfriend, when a man came up and spat in her face!! And then he tried to punch her boyfriend.

Another 2 friends of mine were chased down the road by a mentally retared man yelling "Gaijin! Gaijin!" and waving his fists at them.

So, this weekend, my view that ALL Japanese people are passive and keep their emotions to themselves has drastically changed.

P.S: I am not saying that all Japanese people are nasty. Most are actually quite nice....

Tonight, and every Friday night, I go to an elderly Japanese woman's house to teach English, to learn Japanese, and to have a long and leisurely dinner. Someone asked me, "Don't you get bored, hanging out with a 60 year old Japanese woman every week for a few hours?" Surprisingly, I don't. I think it's because she has such a different attitude on life than even 30,40, & 50 year old people have. She is really relaxed & funny, incredibly rich & well travelled, but very open minded & un-snobby. That makes for good company no matter what race or what age you are!

She has been kinder to me than any other person in Kyoto, Japan. She has invited me into her house, cooks me dinner, invites me to tea ceremonies, she bought me a Yukata (summer kimono), and is tolerant of all my cultural 'Faux Pas', of which there are many I do unconsiously. And in turn, I think I'm the daughter she never had. She's 'adopted' me where I have no family. I wonder how we'll both cope when I leave. Now, I even miss the taste of her cooking if we skip our 'lessons' for 1 or 2 weeks!

By the way, my friend Charmain went to ITALY yesterday to stay for the next 9 months!!
I'm SO SO jealous!! Especially coz after a couple of days in Italy, she's going to GREECE for a holiday!
Lucky girl.

And Tim's living in Hawaii, and going travelling to Switzerland, France, Amsterdam, etc with his band soon...

And Ruth is going to Thailand soon...

And Danielle lives in Melbourne...

And I live in Japan...

The 20s is the age for travelling around!! Sometimes I feel worried that all my friends will just go overseas and fade out of my life. I hope not. The few friends I have are very very good,old friends!

Every year in April, we move our work desks around. I don't know who makes the 'List' of Who Sits Where, but I was very lucky this year. I'm sitting next to a really cool Japanese lady in her 30s, she's real loud and loves to crack jokes, and she's relaxed. She knows that I love chocolate, so she's always giving me chocolates! Today she gave me a little plastic bag with little 'lunch-box' sized packets of chocolate. She has a young son, so maybe she was packing his lunch when she remembered me? That is so sweet, and it has totally made my day.

Much better than last year, when I was sitting next to this 40-somthing-year-old guy who grunted everytime he breathed!! And brushed his teeth at the desk!! And cut his toenails at the desk, where they'd go flying and pinging everywhere! Gosh, that was a terrible year. I learned way too much about his hygiene practices.

ABOUT FOOD:On Sunday I was feeling a little better, so Michael & I went out for lunch. We went to a little restaurant that we'd spotted a month ago in Shijo (teen-shopping district). The restaurant is called the 'Yak & Yeti'! What a cute name. It was Nepalese food. It was the first time I've had Nepalese food, & I will be back! Tastes like a mix between Indian curry & Thai curry. And the Naan there is better than the huge naan from Himalaya.

Why do I talk about food so much?! I guess I love Eating-out and trying new foods! (and so does Michael, so we egg each other on..) I'm trying to eat at a new restaurant every week. There are so many in Kyoto/Osaka/Nara for me to try!

KAWAII = CUTE
Michael is wanting to study Film Editing when we go back to NZ. So, he needs to build up a portfolio, and get experience. As we're in Japan, his latest project is making an amature documentary on the Japanese Obsession with Kawaii "Cute". There's so much to say and film on the Japanese obsession with Kawaii...just where do we start..?!

So, when we were in Shijo, he took his video camera and videoed in the gaming arcades, the 'purrikura' (photosticker) booths, & just general Cuteness that is everywhere in Japan. I was quite embarassed, more than I expected, coz he looked like a creepy tourist videoing lots of cute Japanese girls...I should have worn dark glasses...I should have stuck around so he wouldn't be filming by himself, but I slunk off and pretended I didn't know that strange foreigner...

Hanna - Questions for you! Why are Japanese people obsessed with Kawaii things and looking Kawaii??
When did they start becoming obsessed with Kawaii??
Is it only girls who like Kawaii? Or boys too?

I've just taken 2 sick-days off school, and I feel bad about it, but I'm really not in the optimum condition to teach...

What happened is, the other day, I bit the inside of my lip when I was eating - I took a huge chunk out, and now, a few days later, my lip has swollen real huge and it is SO painful, that I can only grimace instead of smile, and can only mumble instead of speak clear and loud English to my students. So, I called up sick the last two days.

Why do I feel so guilty calling up sick? Maybe because I've absorbed this Japanese-work-is-1st attitude? I feel like I should only call up sick if I'm bedridden in Japan. But, in NZ, if we are a little sick, usually we don't go to work so we can relax and heal faster. In Japan, a lot of people go to work sick-as-a-dog to keep up appearences, It's the attitude of, "Look, I love work so much, I come even though I'm sick!" But if you go to work when you're sick, you will (1)Spread the disease around (2)Not do a good job, (3)Be sicker for longer.

I'm an advocate of Stay-At-Home if you feel sick or need a Mental-Health-Day, my happiness and health is much more important than work!

Last night, I went to the Ben Harper Concert in Osaka. It was AWESOME!! We were so close to the stage, only about 6 people away from the stage! He sang for 3 hours! I was amazed at his singing-stamina. In his band, there was this cool reggae bongo-drums man, who got everyone dancing and clapping. There was a range of songs from his new album and his old good songs too. He worked the crowd athmosphere by playing a range of energetic, spritual, & touching songs. If he's ever in your city, or nearby, I fully recommend you go and see him!

Of course, I was a little naughty and brought my camera...but so did a few other people...and as long as I'm not using it for commercial purposes, I'm sure Ben Harper won't mind!

Found out that Coldplay is coming to Osaka soon, but I'm not sure if I want to go, because I didn't really like his latest album, X & Y. I tried to listen to it twice, on the bus coming home from school, and I fell asleep both times. He's got such a relaxing high voice...

I'm very lucky to be friends with a well-connected Tea Ceremony Teacher in Kyoto.

She invited Michael, Kim, and Me to a Tea Ceremony in an old Ryokan (restaurant/hotel. You need to have 'connections' to eat here.It doesn't matter how rich or famous you are, if you don't have the right 'cultural-connections' you can't eat here.

So...Ohta Sensei was very kind to give us the opportunity to eat & participate in Tea ceremony in such a prestigious Kyoto restaurant.

Normal Japanese people usually have never eaten Kaiseki Ryori...it's a very posh, snobby, many-beautiful-small-dishes kind of meal. (and usually Very Expensive!!)

Our American & British Friends talked a lot during the tea ceremony (when you're supposed to be watching the person making the tea, and contemplating the beautiful ceremics)& Michael & I were a little embarrassed at their 'uncultured-ness'...

The meal consisted of many little dishes of beautifully presented food.

My Tea Ceremony Teacher.

This Sat, I went to a friend's birthday dinner. We ate at a cozy Indian restaurant called Himalaya. They served the hugest Nan Breads I've ever seen! My fav is Garlic Nan. Bring on the After Dinner Mints! The curry was mild, but you can ask for extra spicy and they'll happily spice it up for you! We all waddled out of the restaurant, Full and Happy.

Huge Naan Bread Photo:

Do Plants Need Jewellery? This one grew through a button in my garden. Vain? or just a hardy weed? Anyways, it's kinda cute.D

Yesterday, my 2nd Years started a new topic in their textbook about Korean music. So, I volunteered to create a slideshow to give an introduction about Korea (south Korea, no time to talk about North Korea!). I asked the students what they knew about Korea, and basically they know 'Kimchi' and 'BiBimBap' and 'Yon Sama' (the famous Korean actor). I didn't know much about Korea either. I knew basically as much as my students. So, before class, I'd done a lot of internet research. Do you know it is very hard to find photos of Korean Young People on the internet? I dunno why. And I couldn't find any traditional Korean 'drum & cymbol' music either. Got lots of Korean-pop though.

I taught (and learned) some very interesting things about Korea. Do you know, that in Seoul, there is a beautiful Palace that was turned into a Zoo when the Japanese occupied South Korea? Also, did you know that Sushi originated in Korea? My students were so surprised. They were also surprised to learn that there is many different kinds of Kimchi, not just fermented cabbage kimchi, but also fish or mushroom kimchi, and different kimchi for spring, summer, winter, etc.
The Health Benefits of Kimchi: Koreans believe that Kimchi wards off colds and sicknesses, and they believe it may even be able to ward off Bird Flu! (Now, that would be a surprising discovery...)