Just about seven months

It's been just about seven months in Japan. Perhaps it's time to take a little look at those seven months, and think about the next few. I have to say that most of my time in Japan has been good to me. I do get a kick out of being out of my element and trying to understand things I had previously never even known about. There's also of course the standard stranger in a strange land frustration that there are many new things that are not to be understood, merely accepted. People sometimes accuse me of keeping what I'm thinking too far away from what I'm saying, but let me tell you, I don't know what any of my coworkers, or dare I say, friends, are thinking much of the time. Some days I think I'm on another planet. How come, no matter how hard I try, I just can't eat as cleanly, neatly, and gracefully as all the other people in the office? Why do kids spend all damn day, night, weekend, and holiday at their shoddily constructed, ugly, unheated, understaffed, schools? How come people in this country can have Louis Vuitton wallets falling out of their backpocket, stuffed and overflowing with cash, totally unfazed by the possibility of someone just grabbing it. How does every last one of their trains run exactly on time, all the time? How do they fit so many people in such small places and not get at each others throats? How do they watch those ridiculous variety shows on TV, about 70% of which seem to revolve around stupid food-themed games. How do they learn a language that requires a comprehension of about 2,000 complicated characters, with multiple readings and abstract definitions?
But really most of the time, I do feel like we are all essentially all the same human beings. The Japanese are also illogical yet reasonable, and somehow both efficient and totally unproductive. And they've got problems, just like everyone else. Though maybe Japanese people are cuter and weirder on the whole. I'm not sure how to substantiate that, but just take my word...
But what am I doing here? Maybe a good question to ask every now and then. My job is to "assist" in teaching English to bratty Japanese adolescents who mostly only know and care about English as it regards to hollywood movies and the cute nonsensical phrases littered all over this country. Like most people in my position, the specifics of my job are somewhat tertiary to my actual purpose of being here, though I did come hoping to get some real teaching experience under my belt. I am getting some of that teaching experience, but more than that, I'm simply learning how to deal with life. My job may essentially be easy and not demand an overwhelming a lot of responsibility, but I do get thrown into some ridiculous situations. Sure I get annoyed/confused when a teacher storms out of the classroom because a student teased her, or when a grown man and certified teacher tells me to please change my schedule because he's afraid of teaching alone, or being essentially unable to communicate in English with English teachers. But these aren't issues specific to only a few individuals, or to this one country. That's life, whatever that means.
As for what's next... well that still depends I suppose. I told my supervisor I would sign on for another year on the condition that I get enough time to go home this summer for 4 or 5 weeks (instead of just sitting at my desk and looking pretty while there's no class). In a recent talk, he approved this, but in a somewhat vague manner that I am still hashing out. I am still searching for my next step though...
In the mean time though, I do enjoy the scenery. I went to a pretty onsen and ryokan with Amber last weekend (not this past one, the one before that) in the north of my prefecture. We had planned to go with an Aussie friend of hers, but through some mysterious Australian miscommunication (someone didn't reckon what the other was reckoning) it ended up being just me and Ambs. I know, life is tough.

a cute little wooden bridge over a cute little stream running around the inn
Amber being Japanesey? Or maybe just someone uncomfortable in the cold...
What a flattering picture!
Here we are at a German cafe near Gokan station, a really tiny train station in the middle of nowhere in the north of a slightly out of the way prefecture. "German cafe?" you say...
We just ducked into this place for a coffee before our train came, but we both were blown away by perhaps the strangest eating/drinking establishment we've ever seen. The was place was decorated from wall to wall with all kinds of various German themed decorum, all dated to maybe World War I era and before. Most of the time we were there music box music twinkled in the background, and the host, dressed and moustached to fit the early 20th century German atmosphere, prepared us amazing coffee after asking us if we preferred sweet or not sweet. He also had heaps of drawings on his menus, mostly dated from the early to mid 1980s, that he drew himself and depict (sort of) stereotypical looking German people enjoying various German food. My favorite was of the World War II plane (though a Japanese plane for some reason) crashed in the background, while in the foreground WWI German soldiers happily enjoyed some curry in the trenches. The art vaguely reminded me of famous "outsider artist" Henry Darger. Anyway, both artists in this case, I firmly believe, are too crazy to even describe appropriately...

Sorry for getting hung up on that place, but it really did my head in. Back to stupid details of my life though: I didn't really do much last weekend, just hung out with Ambs and the crew of expats floating around Takasaki. I dragged Amber to not one but two movies this weekend, at the independent theater in town. We saw Little Miss Sunshine and The Devil and Daniel Johnston. Little Miss Sunshine was cute and funny and enjoyable, and the Devil and Daniel Johnston totally did my head in. Daniel Johnston a singer/songrwriter I really like, and has a reputation for being crazy (less in the "look I'm a crazy artist way" and more in the sad and truly unbalanced way). I guess I didn't know quite how crazy he was though. The last scene as he danced around in his room in his parents house (he's in his 40s, and very overweight), with drool catching on his shirt and an indescribable look on his face... made me wonder what fans like me get/got out of his music. Perhaps we should be ashamed of fueling a dangerous path for such an ill man? Regardless, whatever was (or wasn't) in his mind allowed him to create music that exposed his soul more than perhaps would otherwise be possible in a 2-3 minute "pop" song. And that's something. The movie itself was a little melodramatic and had too many talking heads, but might still be worth seeing for those who have listend to Johnston's music.
I apologize for the long post, but you are welcome to read and not read as much as you like. Not to mention send emails and post comments!
My love to all.
Aaron

secret sapporo

Sapporo is actually a little bit of a secret for me, because I didn't tell any of my coworkers that I went. I used sick leave to get there, so I decided telling them that I traveled so far on the same weekend that I was "sick" was perhaps not the best move. But I'm 22 and I'm in Japan and I think it's more important for me to see some pretty Japanese things then to make sure I assist with every single English class for a bunch of 13 year olds who don't really want to learn English.
Anyway, it was great. There was plenty of snow, and it was pretty cold, though the locals told us there was less snow and it was warmer than usual. It was snowing more often than not while we were there though, which I imagine is pretty standard February weather in Hokkaido.
I'll give a rough sketch of what we did before showing you some pictures:
Amber and I flew in to Sapporo on Thursday night, and we met with mate from college, Mari. It was the first time I had seen her in almost three years, but we were happy friendly and chatty the whole time anyway. It helps that she's naturally chirpy and happy (and eccentric) and that her English is phenomenal. We took it easy that night and happily slept in Mari's little tiny "mini-mini" apartment. The next day we had some famous Hokkaido soup-curry, and made it to the famous Sapporo snow festival. I don't know if anyone reading this may think that something like "famous Hokkaido soup-curry" sounds odd, but there is something odd about the way the Japanese approach food. They are obsessed with it in many ways. Every region has its "famous" food, though perhaps only the people in that region actually know what that is. I'm not sure if everyone in Japan knows about how "famous" soup curry is in Sapporo, but talking to some locals might make you think that the whole world knows about it.
But I distract myself. The snow festival was really cool, though I think walking around Sapporo did a number on Amber, who had never been in such a cold place before, and never seen anywhere near that much snow before. Actually, in Australia now its still summer, and I bet she couldn't stop thinking about the 100+ temperatures back home as we walked around in Sapporo where the temperature was probably in the teens or twenties at the most. Guess you can take an Aussie out of Australia, but you can't take the Australian out of an Aussie.
We met some of Mari's friends at a small nearby bar that night before hitting the hay (which actually makes more literal sense as a saying in Japan, since tatami is kind of like hay...). Mari asked me to pierce her ear with some Japanese do-it-yourself ear piercing kit, but I actually said no because I didn't trust myself jamming a hole through her skin. So she asked Amber, and a few possibly awkward moments later, Mari happily had a few more holes in her ear. What a bonding experience. The next day we did some sleeping in, walking around, and went to a "restaurant" where the toothless owner somewhat drunkenly prepared us an impressive multi-course meal of various french and Japanese influences. He also let us help ourselves to his stash of spirits and chocolate, and even gave me a massage at my seat, hoping that I feel good about Japan (or something like that, I couldn't understand a word that came out of his toothless mouth). It was a really odd experience that I feel would be difficult to duplicate outside of this country. That night Mari's friend drove and walked us around Sapporo's night life district and a park that overlooks the city. The park was really icy and slippery. Mari fell as we made our way up some "stairs" (now a snow ramp), and as I valiantly came to rescue her, I slipped and fell on my ass as well.
The next day was spent in Otaru, a nearby town famous for its lantern lined waterway, glass, and music boxes. Mari told me she thinks that maybe some of the scenery from "Spirited Away" was maybe taken from that area, and I would certainly believe that. It was really pretty, though even colder than Sapporo and obviously a tourist hot spot.
Our last night Mari adorably organized a little going away party for me and Amber. She actually told us to wait at her apartment and relax before going to her friends house, but we told her we were fine and ready to go. So she said she actually had to talk to her friend, who was having some problems lately. This was just a lie to give her some time, but her friend was a little frustrated that her excuse involved a story of how he has issues. aww. But he was seeking his postgraduate degree in theoretical mathematics, so in my mind there must be something wrong with him. But, like all of Mari's friends, he was really nice and interesting. It was actually good to meet young, interesting Japanese people, even if I could barely communicate with most of them because of my poor Japanese. Here in Gunma there seems to be a bit of a dearth of young people. Seems like the moment they're old and able enough, they go to Tokyo, or another major city. People not from around here often have to think a bit before remembering exactly where Gunma is, and for some reason always confuse it with Ibaraki, a nearby prefecture that is similarly seen as nothing more than a mix of Tokyo suburbanites and country bumpkins.
Anyway, I've bored you so much now that you deserve some pictures:

Here's Mari and Amber in front of the famous clock tower of Sapporo. Mari says its perhaps most famous for being such a disappointing attraction.
Here's a big ape with a little ape on its lap ice sculpture. Probably would've been even prettier at night...
This is a big ice/snow sculpture based on some animation shorts by Katsuhiro Otomo, the same guy who made Akira. These shorts are, funny enough, used to advertise "cup noodle" products, though they don't actually seem to use the instant noodles in the animation.
Here's Mari presenting us with a weird sculpture that maybe is from a popular anime called "deathnote." All the rage with the kids these days.
Here's an amazing sculpture of a Japanese castle. It's practically big enough to be a building in and of itself. Really impressive...
Here's a picture of that waterway in Otaru that I mentioned above. It's lined with old factories and warehouses, some of which seemed to be used to house eating and drinking establishments.
Another picture of the waterway, with the snowy path beside it.
Here's someone lowering lanterns into the water. He has a child-sized and shaped mannequin of some sort on his back. I have no idea why...
Here's snow-elf Mari in front of a little tiny fireworks show we stumbled across in Otaru. Pretty pretty pretty...
can't really see her but here's Amber in front of some pretty ice candle holders in the snow.
Here they are launching a few small fireworks. Cute.

I'm a bit embarrassed I didn't take more pictures, but Amber and Mari took so many I guess I didn't feel pressure to snap away on my own. I'll get their images as well, and share any that I think are especially cute.
Sorry for being so slow and late. This past weekend was nice as well, as I got to see another pretty Japanese ryokan (inn) and bathe in a fancy onsen (hot spring). I'll show some pretty pictures and write about it shortly, but I'm tired and have a bit of a cold tonight. So goodnight, and stay warm in America, which appears to be much colder than it is here in Gunma (I think Hokkaido might be colder though...).
Oyasumi!

yes, I am still in Japan

Ah, Japan in early February. The school is coming near its end (late march, and the next one begins in April) and its still pretty damn cold outside. The temperature is actually beginning to rise I think, but I feel like the wind is picking up to make for it. That's really almost worse when a bike is still your main form of transportation.
A few things on my mind at the moment. First, I'm going to Sapporo tomorrow! I'll be there for 3 days and four nights with Aussie Amber, where we'll be staying with my friend from college Mari. I'm lucky to have a friend up that way, as the Yuki Matsuri (snow festival) is one of the most famous in Japan and would probably be too difficult and expensive for me to figure out by myself. Thank you mari! I'll be sure to put some pictures up afterwards (I'll be back on Monday).
However in order to do this I'm being super devious and planning ahead to be sick on Friday so I can catch my Thursday night flight. I have a pretty limited number of vacation days, and because i have to use those even when there's no class, I want to save them for big trips. Plus I've never taken a sick day in my 6 months here. This normally wouldn't make me think twice, except there's been a touch of drama at my school lately, and more pressure has been put on me to actually be responsible. One of my coteachers is apparently seriously ill, and on top of that, pregnant (though the last part is a secret, hush hush). I was told she may have "neuralgia," which according to my medical expert knowledge (wikipedia) is associated with some of the worse pain a human can experience. Wow. Anyway she is out for quite some time, and I'm told that they "may" get a teacher to replace her for the rest of this school year. So now there is only me and another assistant teacher to do every first year student class (15 a week maybe?). Not a big deal but this assistant seems to have a fear of teaching alone. But i'll be leaving her on her own this Friday. I hope she can find it in her heart to forgive me.
There's actually been other "drama" at work as well, but to be honest it's all a bit abstract to me when everything is in Japanese. I can usually pick out what is being talked about, but generally not what they're actually saying. Plus, I work with mostly younger women who perhaps see the young foreigner male as the ideal person to gossip and practice English with. In that way office behavior seems pretty universal...
Besides all this, a part of me is still thinking about home, and Pennsylvania. My parents are, as usual, hatching a devious plan. Is there no stop to their scheming? I'll be sure to let you know how the plot goes when I have more information.
So for now I'll just leave with an "I'm off to Sapporo!" But my love to all, even if they don't really want it.
Aaron