Finally, I am up to the actual day! Hurray! I'm sorry I've been so far behind on posts, but I still hope you're reading after some very long posts.
Today I didn't do much besides pack, read ATONEMENT (started kinda slow, but it's picking up now) and take the train to the hotel thats closer to the Narita airport. The Tokyo airport is actually not anywhere near Tokyo- it's about an hour and a half's train ride from Tokyo station. It was fun going from the super-urban area to a very compact semi-urban area to a still-compact suburban area to rice paddies and farmland and forests.
I am fairly nervous about transportation tomorrow- I have to get myself by train to the airport (which has 2 terminals which Im sure to mix up- I have to remember I need to go to Terminal 1), check myself in (hopefully my bag isn't over the weight limit), get through Passport check... and then I'm not too stressed, as long as I get to the airport on time. I am so happy that I will be back in the states soon, back in a place where I feel safe and where I'm not ridiculously white and tall :) I will try to post a few final things when I return to the states :)
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Saturday 5/22: Sight-seeing in Tokyo
I decided to burn up some of my remaining money on renting a laptop for the evening, so I will finally finish the blog entries for the last few days.
Saturday was our only full day in Tokyo, so I tried to take advantage of it and go to as many places as possible. First, I went with Sirocco and Trang to Harajuku, which is a very famous shopping area in Tokyo. That was definitely one of the funnest places I have been to in Tokyo. The street I was on was completely packed, and there were a ton of super cheap stores that werent for the most part sketchy. Most of the stores were selling the more girly fashionable things- pink dresses, flowy skirts, etc. However there were several punk stores, hip hop stores, and a few cosplay stores where you could get Bo Peep or Maid costumes (maid costumes are very popular here in Japan). It was exactly like being in the most amazing mall ever :)
Immediately afterward, we walked over to the Meiji shrine which was only 5 minutes walk from Harajuku, but an entirely different world. The area, instead of crowded and cramped and loud and busy, was large and wooded and a very beautiful bit of nature in a city of 20 million. There were a lot of people there though, many people from the US Navy for whatever reason. Some curious things there: There was an area where giant barrels of sake and wine had been placed as offerings to the Gods- I wonder if they're still full? Also, there was a special gate at Harajuku Station for the Emperor's exclusive use, should he decide to take his private train to the Meiji shrine which was built by his great-grandfather. However the gate looked mostly abandoned- apparently the emperor usually prefers to go by car. Also we got to see a wedding procession at the shrine- apparently you have to be very rich to be married at that shrine (imagine marrying at, say, Notre Dame Cathedral) and the party had a ton of guests (all of whom will get a ton of presents). Weddings seem perhaps even more expensive here than in America- the wedding kimonos are almost always rented because theyre about $5000 each I think, and the wedding receptions are much larger here than in America. Oh, and Catholicism's got NOTHING on shinto when it comes to funny hats.
While I'm thinking about it, lemme just quickly mention how Christianity is completely commercialized here. It's sort of funny really. I have seen about 10 churches in all scattered around Japan, and met only maybe 2 christians (they're the only ones that wear wedding rings). However, in the wedding ads (this is wedding season) the ceremonies are usually shown at beautiful churches, or with a cross faintly in the background. I also saw at Harajuku a bracelet with a Virgin Mary charm on it, and a few crucifix necklaces at other stores. It's strange, and a little sad, that what most Japanese have gotten out of Christianity is all the commercial stuff, and they only use it for fashion purposes really.
After eating at a Tempura place in Shibuya, I spent a little bit of time at the Imperial Palace grounds in the heart of Tokyo. It was a very anachronistic experience because in the background you could see the Japanese equivalent of Wall Street with its huge modern skyscrapers, and then within the palace grounds it was entirely older Japanese buildings. I couldn't fully appreciate the area- I was getting dehydrated so my vision was pretty blurry and I felt really tired- but I truly hope that I can return someday.
Saturday was our only full day in Tokyo, so I tried to take advantage of it and go to as many places as possible. First, I went with Sirocco and Trang to Harajuku, which is a very famous shopping area in Tokyo. That was definitely one of the funnest places I have been to in Tokyo. The street I was on was completely packed, and there were a ton of super cheap stores that werent for the most part sketchy. Most of the stores were selling the more girly fashionable things- pink dresses, flowy skirts, etc. However there were several punk stores, hip hop stores, and a few cosplay stores where you could get Bo Peep or Maid costumes (maid costumes are very popular here in Japan). It was exactly like being in the most amazing mall ever :)
Immediately afterward, we walked over to the Meiji shrine which was only 5 minutes walk from Harajuku, but an entirely different world. The area, instead of crowded and cramped and loud and busy, was large and wooded and a very beautiful bit of nature in a city of 20 million. There were a lot of people there though, many people from the US Navy for whatever reason. Some curious things there: There was an area where giant barrels of sake and wine had been placed as offerings to the Gods- I wonder if they're still full? Also, there was a special gate at Harajuku Station for the Emperor's exclusive use, should he decide to take his private train to the Meiji shrine which was built by his great-grandfather. However the gate looked mostly abandoned- apparently the emperor usually prefers to go by car. Also we got to see a wedding procession at the shrine- apparently you have to be very rich to be married at that shrine (imagine marrying at, say, Notre Dame Cathedral) and the party had a ton of guests (all of whom will get a ton of presents). Weddings seem perhaps even more expensive here than in America- the wedding kimonos are almost always rented because theyre about $5000 each I think, and the wedding receptions are much larger here than in America. Oh, and Catholicism's got NOTHING on shinto when it comes to funny hats.
While I'm thinking about it, lemme just quickly mention how Christianity is completely commercialized here. It's sort of funny really. I have seen about 10 churches in all scattered around Japan, and met only maybe 2 christians (they're the only ones that wear wedding rings). However, in the wedding ads (this is wedding season) the ceremonies are usually shown at beautiful churches, or with a cross faintly in the background. I also saw at Harajuku a bracelet with a Virgin Mary charm on it, and a few crucifix necklaces at other stores. It's strange, and a little sad, that what most Japanese have gotten out of Christianity is all the commercial stuff, and they only use it for fashion purposes really.
After eating at a Tempura place in Shibuya, I spent a little bit of time at the Imperial Palace grounds in the heart of Tokyo. It was a very anachronistic experience because in the background you could see the Japanese equivalent of Wall Street with its huge modern skyscrapers, and then within the palace grounds it was entirely older Japanese buildings. I couldn't fully appreciate the area- I was getting dehydrated so my vision was pretty blurry and I felt really tired- but I truly hope that I can return someday.
Friday 5/21: Train to Tokyo
Friday was almost entirely a travel day. I got up early, had my last breakfast with my host family, and then my parents and the 2 dogs took me to Kanazawa station. My grandmother, as a goodbye present, gave me 1000 yen for my lunch, which was very nice of her and helped out a somewhat cash-strapped college student :) I was a little later than Ujie sensei wanted, but I still managed to make the train, unlike Levi who had misheard the instructions.
The train was fairly fun, though I was disappointed that I couldnt see much of the scenery since we spent about half our time in tunnels. Also, when we switched to a double-decker(!) bullet train it really didnt seem to go all that fast, though Im sure it was. We got to our hotel around 1pm, and ate lunch at the local 7-11 (very popular here) before Ujiesensei took us on a tour of his alma mater (and W&Ls site for Japanese exchange students), International Christian University. The campus was very nice- about an hour outside of downtown tokyo, it felt a little more suburban and was very pretty, with tons of trees and such. The buildings were rather ugly though. I dont know if I could spend a semester or a year abroad, esp if I was dating someone, but ICU seemed like a great place to study abroad.
Running out of time on the computer, so Ill just say that we ate at a japanese equivalent of applebees which was fun cept everyone was drunk cept me.
The train was fairly fun, though I was disappointed that I couldnt see much of the scenery since we spent about half our time in tunnels. Also, when we switched to a double-decker(!) bullet train it really didnt seem to go all that fast, though Im sure it was. We got to our hotel around 1pm, and ate lunch at the local 7-11 (very popular here) before Ujiesensei took us on a tour of his alma mater (and W&Ls site for Japanese exchange students), International Christian University. The campus was very nice- about an hour outside of downtown tokyo, it felt a little more suburban and was very pretty, with tons of trees and such. The buildings were rather ugly though. I dont know if I could spend a semester or a year abroad, esp if I was dating someone, but ICU seemed like a great place to study abroad.
Running out of time on the computer, so Ill just say that we ate at a japanese equivalent of applebees which was fun cept everyone was drunk cept me.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Thursday 5/20: Last Full Day in Kanazawa
I:m falling far behind on my blog posts- Im sorry, but Friday we started travelling so my computer access has been sporadic.
Thursday was definitely pretty bittersweet. The IFIE staff put on a going-away party at a very nice local hotel, with really delicious food (especially the chocolate cake... yums :D) I got to dress up in the Yukata that I bought- this is the last time Ill have someone around to help me put on the yukata, Ill have to learn how to do it by myself in America. My host parents also came, and it was nice to hang out with them. Now that Ive gotten more fluent in Japanese, I feel like I can communicate with my parents more and so I enjoy being around them more. THere was also a slideshow at the party with many an unflattering picture of myself and others in the class.
After the class my parents had to return to work, so I went with SIrocco and her host family to an older section of Kanazawa, which was really cool. All the buildings were old and in the Japanese style- wooden, no glass windows really, etc. We went to a few gold leaf shops, fabric shops, and a place where you could drink tea and try to play the shamisen (Japanese banjo). The instrument seems fairly easy to learn, though I was struggling since I dont really know how to play any string instruments.
For my final dinner with my host parents, they took me out to a local Japanese food chain restaurant- kind of like the Japanese version of a more upscale Denny:s I suppose (Dennys is huge here btw, as is Dunkin Donuts and a place called Mister Donut). I had really delicious Tonkatsu and a huge platter of other stuff- rice, miso soup, etc. How do the Japanese stay so thin? Their meal portions are huge, and most of the food either has a ton of carbs or is deep fried, or both!
My host family also gave me a few going-away presents: a scarf, a Japanese/English childrens book (since I was reading all the time) and a small zipper pull with a dog that looked like Chiffon on the end. I am going to miss my host family, and I really hope I can stay in touch.
Thursday was definitely pretty bittersweet. The IFIE staff put on a going-away party at a very nice local hotel, with really delicious food (especially the chocolate cake... yums :D) I got to dress up in the Yukata that I bought- this is the last time Ill have someone around to help me put on the yukata, Ill have to learn how to do it by myself in America. My host parents also came, and it was nice to hang out with them. Now that Ive gotten more fluent in Japanese, I feel like I can communicate with my parents more and so I enjoy being around them more. THere was also a slideshow at the party with many an unflattering picture of myself and others in the class.
After the class my parents had to return to work, so I went with SIrocco and her host family to an older section of Kanazawa, which was really cool. All the buildings were old and in the Japanese style- wooden, no glass windows really, etc. We went to a few gold leaf shops, fabric shops, and a place where you could drink tea and try to play the shamisen (Japanese banjo). The instrument seems fairly easy to learn, though I was struggling since I dont really know how to play any string instruments.
For my final dinner with my host parents, they took me out to a local Japanese food chain restaurant- kind of like the Japanese version of a more upscale Denny:s I suppose (Dennys is huge here btw, as is Dunkin Donuts and a place called Mister Donut). I had really delicious Tonkatsu and a huge platter of other stuff- rice, miso soup, etc. How do the Japanese stay so thin? Their meal portions are huge, and most of the food either has a ton of carbs or is deep fried, or both!
My host family also gave me a few going-away presents: a scarf, a Japanese/English childrens book (since I was reading all the time) and a small zipper pull with a dog that looked like Chiffon on the end. I am going to miss my host family, and I really hope I can stay in touch.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Wednesday 5/19: More Shopping
Today me and my classmates gave our final presentations in front of everyone. The 3 people here who had never learned Japanese before did a skit modeled loosely after "Romeo and Juliet" which was a lot of fun to watch. Everyone else did speeches, I was the last person to go. I thought my speech went well, though I think I rushed it a bit and my Powerpoint was pieced together at the last minute. The teacher said that I did a good job pronouncing all of the religious terms. I:m happy that I finally got it over with, now I:m completely done with all my academic work for freshman year! Im a quarter of the way through my college life! Unless I go to grad school...
After class I went to the train station, withdrew some money, and walked through the mall again. This time I went up to the third floor, and found some shops that sell t-shirts for $15 instead of $175. I picked up a couple especially cryptic "engrish" t-shirts that I will give as presents upon my return. I also bought a "Thank You" gift for my host family that I:ll give to them Thursday night.
Things I am looking forward to in America (besides seeing Tyson): Eating pizza and burgers, eating mexican food, being able to read newspapers and watch the news, and not being stared at all the time.
Tuesday 5/18: Yukata Shopping
We didnt have any cultural activities after class on Tuesday- since its the last week things are winding down. We practiced our final speeches in front of the class. Mine is on Japanese religion and I thought I did pretty well, especially considering all the complicated religious words. Our speeches can be about anything dealing with Japan, and some of the other students are talking about how much more efficient everything in Japan is, learning Japanese as a language, how convienient everything is, and Japanese people in general. It:s crazy to think were almost done! The four weeks have gone by fast here.
After chilling on the computer for a while I went in pursuit of a Yukata (simplified kimono). Everyone I had talked to had said that Yukattas were only about $30, and $30 for an obi. Alas, me being a tall oafish American once again put me at a disadvantage. The only yukatas that would go past my calves were the "Big and Tall" sizes, which cost about $100. However, I was intent on buying a yukata so i got it anyway- besides, its not every day that I get to go to Japan, so this is kind of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
One of the things I am looking forward to most when I go back to America is milk and cheese. Apparently some of the other host families drink milk, but mine never does, and you dont see milk as a drink at any restaurants. Also, I think cheese is kinda disliked here in Japan and expensive, so I havent seen anything with cheese. I was very excited a couple days ago when my host mom made a salad, and i saw white chunks amidst the lettuce. "Yay! Feta Cheese! I love feta" I thought, until I realized that it was in fact... tofu. Yes, the tasteless soy curd is big here, and they dont even flavor it! They just serve it in giant cubes... anyways, I will stop ranting.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Monday 5/17: Flower Arrangement
Monday was a fairly low-key day. The cultural activity was flower arrangement, which is pretty difficult. You didnt get a vase, you got a flat tub-like thing of water, with a spiky square in it that you stuck the flowers into. It was hard to get the smaller flowers, like the baby's breath, to stick. Also, there is a certain pattern/zen to the arranging that I didnt achieve. However, I think my arrangement came out OK for the first time. Ive never really had to do flower arranging before.
This is my last week in Japan, and I started packing on Monday. Figuring out how to fit in all of my souvenirs into my backpack will be quite a challenge. I also want to pack my laptop since itd be heavy to carry around, slow me down at security, and I cant use it anyway so itd just be useless. However, I barely was under the 50 pound limit coming out here, and I think I may have bought enough stuff to push me over the limit, so I may end up having to take the laptop with me anyhow.
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