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.