Dear friends and family. I would love to be updating you with news of all sorts of comings and goings - and have lots of other pictures for you - however, at this point in the game there's not much exploring going on. I'm spending hours a day indoors working on my show and quite frankly, it's too cold to ride my bike around and take a bunch of pictures :/ On top of that, I think I'm still adjusting to the food and everything. My insides are slowly getting on track though and I feel much better today than I did yesterday!
In other news, I love my Nihonjin cast. With rehearsals going on, ALL of the swings for each role are there so it's a lot of people - but once the show is going on, it'll be 4 singers - 2 western & 2 Japanese plus Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster, Elmo, and the newest Sesame character, Digby. They created Digby just for this show and we are introducing him to the Japanese here. I suppose if he goes over well, they might put him in the Japanese version of the TV show...we'll see. I can't wait to show you a picture of this character though. A huge pink dinosaur with the biggest head ever. And the neat/funny thing about all of these characters is how seriously the Japanese inside of them take their job. Once that character goes on, they are in character no matter what - even during rehearsals! So I actually feel like I'm working with Elmo and Bert and Ernie right now. :) Dedication.
Well, I'm doing laundry for the first time...wish me luck!
Expect March to be a deluge of pictures and updates ;)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Rehearsals/I've been here a week!
Okay, so it hasn't been a whole week - but it will be tomorrow!
I've learned so much in just a week. It's a bit overwhelming to sit and process through it all, so again, this may be a little choppy as far as subject matter goes and my thought processes.
First off, let's start with food :) Yakitori - if I could liken it to anything else that westerners are familiar with, it would be something along the lines of Tapas. Most yakitori dishes are chicken based - although, if my experience is any indication, they offer more than just chicken usually. But whatever it is (hearts, skin, neck, breast), it is put on skewers and then grilled. Just like any restaurant, there is good Yakitori and then not so good Yakitori - and I have had the privilege of tasting both! AND chicken hearts, when cooked well, are great! (This was dinner tonight which is why I brought it up)
In this same vein, there are a lot of misconceptions of Westerners (Americans in particular...and I can say that because I am an American) about the Japanese and their health/diet. Let me clear some things up for anyone who was wondering. The Japanese people are wonderful at recycling. They are very advanced when it comes to technology. They are very clean. Despite all of this, they have funny notions about what health is and what is good for one's body. Sushi, I suppose is relatively healthy - but Japanese people, like everyone else, have different tastes - and some of them don't like sushi. There actually aren't any sushi places that are super close to where I live - (plenty of yakitori though). Tempura is not good for you. Yakitori probably isn't especially healthy for you. Most of the Japanese/Asian food that I have come across so far isn't very healthy. Their bread is more like pound cake. They put sugar of some sort in SOOO many products - including their toothpaste. Their snacks aren't especially healthy. It's really hard to eat smart here - unless you do a raw food diet or know where to go to get stuff. This is something that I'm learning now and hope to be quick to pick up on, because chocolate covered cornflakes aren't going to cut it for breakfast, people.
Also, some (maybe) sad news for my friends and family. I've been telling everyone that I was going to be in a Hello Kitty show. Well, this just isn't true. I thought I was, but I'm actually in a new Sesame Street show that they are doing. The funny thing is that the guys who are in the Hello Kitty show thought that they were going to be doing Sesame Street! So 3 days ago we started rehearsals on the Sesame Surprise Show. I'm excited about it - it's actually going to be a really cute show. I never thought I'd get a kick out of doing a children's show, but I can't help but smile at how cute and fun it is during rehearsals. We're singing "I got a feeling" by the BEPs as well as a couple of not well known songs (perhaps originals). I think the only other song people would recognize would be "if you're happy and you know it." :) Oh, and did I mention that it's all in Japanese? The four Westerners that are in the show are the only ones; the rest of the cast are Japanese (granted half of them will be playing Elmo, Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster).
Thankfully, I don't have too many lines to learn. More singing and dancing and reacting than anything else. I am excited though, because I'm sure to pick up some of the language faster if I'm around the Nihonjin more often! The only downside/difficulty is that it makes communication during the rehearsal process more of a task. It would probably save a deal of time is we all spoke one language fluently...oh well! A great learning experience.
A few other thoughts:
Where is the good coffee, Osaka?
I know I said it before, but I LOVE MY SHOWER!! Oh and I had my first experience with the high-tech Japanese toilets the other day. They bring a whole new level of meaning to the term "throne." Heated seats, warm water jets that clean you so you barely have to wipe, and a small bank of other buttons that I was scared to push! So cool - and handy!
I said this on my facebook status, but I need to say it here. I love Shinsaibashi!! Now, I'm really disappointed because at some point, this lengthy paragraph that I had written about it got deleted with my trying to add a link so I'm slightly frustrated that I have to redo it on top of being tired, but Shinsaibashi is THE place for shopping, restaurants, nightlife, with a side of arcades and businesses. Mostly the shopping though! And wandering down any one of the streets that bisects the main covered thoroughfare that contains all of the shops will offer a myriad of restaurants with quite the variety of cuisines. If you are looking for something in Osaka, whether it be a style of food, a brand name, or just a particular item, chances are Shinsaibashi has it. Or so I've been told. The main thoroughfare that runs north to south directly over the train station there is a lovely big road with several lanes in the middle and two single lane roads on the side and a lovely landscaped/tree lined median separating them from the many lanes in the middle - think Las Ramblas in Barcelona, except there's traffic in the middle instead of pedestrians. One block east is the covered street I was talking about, and at one point there is a bridge that crosses a wee canal, and looking down the canal from either side of that bridge, with all the people there, you could feel kind of like you were in Times Square, as it has gobs of lighted signs and billboards! All that to say, I can't wait to explore more!!
Alright I'm yawning uncontrollably now and I have written more than I believe I originally intended to. I'll write more soon and have more pictures to come as well. It's difficult to motivate oneself to get out and photograph, especially when you have to walk/ride your bike everywhere in the bitter cold. You just want to stay inside and be comfy when you can!
Love you, everyone! I am enjoying Japan as well.
I've learned so much in just a week. It's a bit overwhelming to sit and process through it all, so again, this may be a little choppy as far as subject matter goes and my thought processes.
First off, let's start with food :) Yakitori - if I could liken it to anything else that westerners are familiar with, it would be something along the lines of Tapas. Most yakitori dishes are chicken based - although, if my experience is any indication, they offer more than just chicken usually. But whatever it is (hearts, skin, neck, breast), it is put on skewers and then grilled. Just like any restaurant, there is good Yakitori and then not so good Yakitori - and I have had the privilege of tasting both! AND chicken hearts, when cooked well, are great! (This was dinner tonight which is why I brought it up)
In this same vein, there are a lot of misconceptions of Westerners (Americans in particular...and I can say that because I am an American) about the Japanese and their health/diet. Let me clear some things up for anyone who was wondering. The Japanese people are wonderful at recycling. They are very advanced when it comes to technology. They are very clean. Despite all of this, they have funny notions about what health is and what is good for one's body. Sushi, I suppose is relatively healthy - but Japanese people, like everyone else, have different tastes - and some of them don't like sushi. There actually aren't any sushi places that are super close to where I live - (plenty of yakitori though). Tempura is not good for you. Yakitori probably isn't especially healthy for you. Most of the Japanese/Asian food that I have come across so far isn't very healthy. Their bread is more like pound cake. They put sugar of some sort in SOOO many products - including their toothpaste. Their snacks aren't especially healthy. It's really hard to eat smart here - unless you do a raw food diet or know where to go to get stuff. This is something that I'm learning now and hope to be quick to pick up on, because chocolate covered cornflakes aren't going to cut it for breakfast, people.
Also, some (maybe) sad news for my friends and family. I've been telling everyone that I was going to be in a Hello Kitty show. Well, this just isn't true. I thought I was, but I'm actually in a new Sesame Street show that they are doing. The funny thing is that the guys who are in the Hello Kitty show thought that they were going to be doing Sesame Street! So 3 days ago we started rehearsals on the Sesame Surprise Show. I'm excited about it - it's actually going to be a really cute show. I never thought I'd get a kick out of doing a children's show, but I can't help but smile at how cute and fun it is during rehearsals. We're singing "I got a feeling" by the BEPs as well as a couple of not well known songs (perhaps originals). I think the only other song people would recognize would be "if you're happy and you know it." :) Oh, and did I mention that it's all in Japanese? The four Westerners that are in the show are the only ones; the rest of the cast are Japanese (granted half of them will be playing Elmo, Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster).
Thankfully, I don't have too many lines to learn. More singing and dancing and reacting than anything else. I am excited though, because I'm sure to pick up some of the language faster if I'm around the Nihonjin more often! The only downside/difficulty is that it makes communication during the rehearsal process more of a task. It would probably save a deal of time is we all spoke one language fluently...oh well! A great learning experience.
A few other thoughts:
Where is the good coffee, Osaka?
I know I said it before, but I LOVE MY SHOWER!! Oh and I had my first experience with the high-tech Japanese toilets the other day. They bring a whole new level of meaning to the term "throne." Heated seats, warm water jets that clean you so you barely have to wipe, and a small bank of other buttons that I was scared to push! So cool - and handy!
I said this on my facebook status, but I need to say it here. I love Shinsaibashi!! Now, I'm really disappointed because at some point, this lengthy paragraph that I had written about it got deleted with my trying to add a link so I'm slightly frustrated that I have to redo it on top of being tired, but Shinsaibashi is THE place for shopping, restaurants, nightlife, with a side of arcades and businesses. Mostly the shopping though! And wandering down any one of the streets that bisects the main covered thoroughfare that contains all of the shops will offer a myriad of restaurants with quite the variety of cuisines. If you are looking for something in Osaka, whether it be a style of food, a brand name, or just a particular item, chances are Shinsaibashi has it. Or so I've been told. The main thoroughfare that runs north to south directly over the train station there is a lovely big road with several lanes in the middle and two single lane roads on the side and a lovely landscaped/tree lined median separating them from the many lanes in the middle - think Las Ramblas in Barcelona, except there's traffic in the middle instead of pedestrians. One block east is the covered street I was talking about, and at one point there is a bridge that crosses a wee canal, and looking down the canal from either side of that bridge, with all the people there, you could feel kind of like you were in Times Square, as it has gobs of lighted signs and billboards! All that to say, I can't wait to explore more!!
Alright I'm yawning uncontrollably now and I have written more than I believe I originally intended to. I'll write more soon and have more pictures to come as well. It's difficult to motivate oneself to get out and photograph, especially when you have to walk/ride your bike everywhere in the bitter cold. You just want to stay inside and be comfy when you can!
Love you, everyone! I am enjoying Japan as well.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
First Impressions
Well, this is the first time I tried adding pictures before typing instead of inserting them afterwards. I'm getting frustrated with trying to move them around, so just know they are in reverse order of what I wanted. The above is a picture from my balcony this morning. Needless to say, when I first got here to Japan, I was struck by how industrious Osaka looks. I suppose it makes sense - it's right by the water, there is lots of fishing and trade and such. So as nice as it is that we live right by the water on our own little island, the sight isn't necessarily the prettiest. At least not in the daytime.When I arrived on Monday afternoon, a man named Senichi Yamamoto greeted me at the airport to pick me up. Many of the Japanese people here, including him, have asked me if it was my first time to Japan. Hai - I say. "Oh you speaku Japanese?!" iie - (no) is my response and then I continue in English saying that I am starting to learn, but not enough to have a conversation. I am impressing a few people with my limited language skills though :)
We picked up Roel (pronounced Rule - not Raoul), my lovely Dutch counterpart and then made the 30 min drive to Kaigandori house. My new home!
Now i could give you a detailed - blow by blow account of what we did that night and then the following 2 days, but to maybe shorten the length of this post a bit and save you from reading for a good 20-30 minutes, I'll just stick to thoughts and occurrences and information you might like to know.
So, I told most of you all that I was going to be in a Hello Kitty show - well that's not true. The first night Roel and I were given our scripts and lo and behold, we are in a Sesame Street show :) Now, apparently, interest in Sesame Street goes all the way up through high school here in Japan (especially with the girls). Probably something to do with the "cute" puppets. Everything here is "cute" by the way. From illustrations on packaging to warning labels in elevators to ads for different stuff. Everything has these cute animations. And sounds. Lots of little jingles and sounds here. You might hear a little tinkling song and shortly thereafter see a truck turning down the road and think "ice cream man!" but you would be wrong. It's the garbage man.
Back to Sesame - Roel and I were both told Hello Kitty and were put in Sesame and Aaron and Max (who got here last night) were both told Sesame and are in Hello Kitty. I guess someone got their wires crossed somewhere. I'm not too bothered by it - I'm still makin some good money in Japan :) I also learned yesterday that I'm going to be Prince Charming in the Magical Starlight Parade! The link provided shows you the last part of the parade - the Cinderella part - you don't have to watch the whole thing, but you'll get the idea. Throughout the year, I'll be part of different things so I'll have various rehearsals to keep me busy. With late summer, Halloween, and Christmas, my most busy time will be between August (busy season) and January 10th (the end of Christmas).
I like my room - it's a nice size. As far as things to make it "homier" I am slowly working on that. It's rather creamy/beige but there is something called "dozo" which is basically "it's yours" or something like that. It can be used in conversation to be like "go ahead [and speak]" but in this case it refers to a room of discarded items from other USJ performers who are getting rid of stuff at the end of their contracts. At any time, I can just go down there and pick stuff out of boxes and baskets and piles of things to help spruce up my apt! From decor to kitchen utensils. Everything besides what originally comes in your room has to go at the end, so it's like Goodwill for the new performers but free!
My neighborhood, as I said before, is a bit on the industrial side around the edges, but it's cute. Except for the Japanese characters on awnings, you would think you were in a quiet area of Astoria, NY the way all the buildings are. And the way they light things at night is very pretty. I think evening is going to be my favorite time here. Things get quiet because most of the traffic around the house is work traffic and people heading to their factories and stuff - but there is a shopping area with a giant Ferris wheel attached to it that is beautifully lit at night.
I'll talk about this in the caption of the pic with the yellow towel, but bathrooms and showers here are pretty awesome :)
The atm that I use is cool. In America, our banks give us books to keep track of our transactions. It Japan, you have the same thing, but you stick it into the ATM and it prints all of your deposits and withdrawals for you! Very cool :)
The vending machines here are awesome. They kind of look like those old fashioned cigarette machines, but they have drinks - and you can get them cold OR hot. Blue labels are cold and red are hot! Why can't we have that?
Their transit system is very cool, clean, and 98% always on time. The Japanese are big on punctuality. To them, if you are supposed to be somewhere at a specific time, it's rude to be late. It says to the person who IS on time that their time isn't important to you. It's very selfish. So there really isn't "fashionably late" over here.
As I said, everyone over here has been very nice. The Japanese are very polite and for the most part very honest. In all cases for USJ performers who have lost wallets over here (even in Tokyo), they all got them back untouched! You don't find that in America often. Now, I'm sure there are bad apples and instances where that doesn't happen, but in general, and in the case of everyone who has worked here, if you lose something, it will either be sent back to you or held where you left it so you can pick it up!
Full sized grocery stores are kind of hard to come by. But all servings and things are rather small. Most people stop by the grocery every day to pick stuff up. There are things I recognize and things I don't. It's hard when buying sauces or canned goods. Produce is fairly easy. Either you recognize the vegetable/meat or not. And fish is CHEAP! I had 2 fresh salmon filets for about $4!
I guess that's all that I got for now. I got my cell phone yesterday. It does a lot of things which is cool I guess, but for doing so much, the graphics sure do suck compared to our phones.
I'll caption all of these photos (remember they are in reverse order!) and I'll write more soon I'm sure. Love you all!
This picture is sideways - but it is of my shower. It's a whole room!! Apparently it's Japanese custom to rinse off before getting in the bath - but they have given me a whole room to do so in. I just shower :) but there is also a full length mirror in there and little containers for soap and shampoo. I LOVE my shower. The toilets are also cool. Flushing one way is less water for pee and flushing the other way will do the full tank for poo. And a lot of the public toilets have heated seats and a jet spray to clean you afterwards - bringing back the bidet. Ha! Oh and they are big on sorting trash here too. REAL big. EVERYONE recycles. 
A view of my room from the front door
My wee kitchenette. No oven (a microwave on top of the fridge), one gas burner and everything else underneath that counter, above the microwave or in my all-purpose shoe/linen/pantry closet by the front door.
This is a view from USJ of the Ferris wheel near my house. If I lived on the opposite side of Kaigandori, I would have a view of this as well.
I didn't get a picture far back enough to see the Universal arch but this is the main ticketing entrance of the park with the Hollywood dreams coaster in the background
A billboard on the citywalk
The lounge area in the house - this was taken the night we arrived. It was kind of messy, but it has everything.
From the lounge looking into the front hall - again messy because they are preparing all of the rooms for the newcomers.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Packing
I suppose all I really have to share with this is that packing for a year is difficult. What do you take? What do you leave behind? It's a task that's both daunting and rewarding. It is daunting because you are trying to get everything that you might need packed into 2 suitcases, a carry-on, and a personal item (hopefully without going too much over the weight limit!) You have to go through a whole laundry list of items to sort through and see what you might need and what you can get by without.
For that same reason, it is also somewhat rewarding. As I've filtered through my possessions, I realize just how much "stuff" I have. Only a handful of it is stuff that I'm packing - stuff that I need to get by for the next year. The rest of it is nice to have, but I can live without it. I've sorted through many a box and drawer in this process and gotten rid of a few things. It's been refreshing! Also makes you realize how fortunate you are to be able to buy "stuff" and not struggle with the necessities like so many people of the world are.
Which brings me to this - TRAVEL!! If you have not been outside of the US, you are missing SO MUCH. Traveling to a 3rd world country allows you to realize how rich and fortunate even the "poor" are in America. Traveling to a developed country makes you realize how cheap everything is in the states and how fortunate we are to have the luxuries we do. Plus, travel broadens your horizons - you realize how similar we all are and yet you will experience culture and customs that are so foreign to us here. So see America, but save up and go see another part of the world. You won't regret it.
P.S. Vinsanto is often served as a digestif after espresso - and is best tasted slightly cooler than room temperature...in case you were wondering
For that same reason, it is also somewhat rewarding. As I've filtered through my possessions, I realize just how much "stuff" I have. Only a handful of it is stuff that I'm packing - stuff that I need to get by for the next year. The rest of it is nice to have, but I can live without it. I've sorted through many a box and drawer in this process and gotten rid of a few things. It's been refreshing! Also makes you realize how fortunate you are to be able to buy "stuff" and not struggle with the necessities like so many people of the world are.
Which brings me to this - TRAVEL!! If you have not been outside of the US, you are missing SO MUCH. Traveling to a 3rd world country allows you to realize how rich and fortunate even the "poor" are in America. Traveling to a developed country makes you realize how cheap everything is in the states and how fortunate we are to have the luxuries we do. Plus, travel broadens your horizons - you realize how similar we all are and yet you will experience culture and customs that are so foreign to us here. So see America, but save up and go see another part of the world. You won't regret it.
P.S. Vinsanto is often served as a digestif after espresso - and is best tasted slightly cooler than room temperature...in case you were wondering
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Monday Night Cooking
Almost every Monday night, my sister, Meredith, cooks a vegetarian meal (as she is a vegetarian) for herself and a friend or two. Naturally, it being Monday night and I being her brother, we cooked a delicious meal - together!
Yesterday, we made a trip to the DeKalb Farmer's Market to purchase the majority of our ingredients. Not only does this market have an abundance of everything fresh that you might need, there are also spices, fruits, vegetables, cheeses, sauces, and goods that you probably have never heard of before. Or if you have heard of them, you have never seen them stocked in your local grocery store. And it's cheap!! Needless to say, I was in heaven and envy my sister's proximity to such a store.
With our fresh ingredients we made a black bean and rice salad including the aforementioned ingredients along with celery, scallions, cilantro, and oranges and a homemade citrus and cinnamon dressing. We also made our own hummus accompanied with warm pita, a side salad (with fresh cherries and sunflower seeds and a homemade dressing), and apple slices with Port Salut - one of my favorite cheeses. Meredith invited her good friend, Caroline, over and she brought a little wine with her. Such a delicious meal with a side of good conversation and fellowship!
In other news, I've been traveling the southeast for the past week and I have been so blessed to visit with so many good friends - some of whom I didn't expect to see before I left for Japan. Today, I got to spend time with one of my best friends, Brittany. She and I did a lot of catching up, chatting, laughing, and learning. Brittany, among other things, is my first friend who has really taken an interest in my progress with the Japanese language. I showed her how Rosetta Stone worked and then I let her do a beginning lesson. I think she enjoyed it! :)
I also have a new toy. I just purchased a Panasonic HDC - TM700 to take with me to Japan so that I might better document my life over there and share it with you fine people on my blog. I don't have the connector cord with me so I haven't been able to transfer pictures to my computer yet (else I would have some of the food that we cooked tonight), but I will be posting videos and pictures from future endeavors along with the blog.
It's lovely :)
I leave for Japan in 6 days! I think I am ready...no, I know I am ready for this adventure. Please pray for smooth flights/layovers!
xo
Yesterday, we made a trip to the DeKalb Farmer's Market to purchase the majority of our ingredients. Not only does this market have an abundance of everything fresh that you might need, there are also spices, fruits, vegetables, cheeses, sauces, and goods that you probably have never heard of before. Or if you have heard of them, you have never seen them stocked in your local grocery store. And it's cheap!! Needless to say, I was in heaven and envy my sister's proximity to such a store.
With our fresh ingredients we made a black bean and rice salad including the aforementioned ingredients along with celery, scallions, cilantro, and oranges and a homemade citrus and cinnamon dressing. We also made our own hummus accompanied with warm pita, a side salad (with fresh cherries and sunflower seeds and a homemade dressing), and apple slices with Port Salut - one of my favorite cheeses. Meredith invited her good friend, Caroline, over and she brought a little wine with her. Such a delicious meal with a side of good conversation and fellowship!
In other news, I've been traveling the southeast for the past week and I have been so blessed to visit with so many good friends - some of whom I didn't expect to see before I left for Japan. Today, I got to spend time with one of my best friends, Brittany. She and I did a lot of catching up, chatting, laughing, and learning. Brittany, among other things, is my first friend who has really taken an interest in my progress with the Japanese language. I showed her how Rosetta Stone worked and then I let her do a beginning lesson. I think she enjoyed it! :)
I also have a new toy. I just purchased a Panasonic HDC - TM700 to take with me to Japan so that I might better document my life over there and share it with you fine people on my blog. I don't have the connector cord with me so I haven't been able to transfer pictures to my computer yet (else I would have some of the food that we cooked tonight), but I will be posting videos and pictures from future endeavors along with the blog.
It's lovely :)
I leave for Japan in 6 days! I think I am ready...no, I know I am ready for this adventure. Please pray for smooth flights/layovers!
xo
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