Ohayo gozaimasu.
This is day three of my contract here in Japan and the day could not be any prettier. I am in Hamamatsu, finally, after concluding a two-day training session in Nagoya, about 40 minutes north by shinkansen. Shinkansen is the fastest line of railroad networks in the world. The trains are called nozomi, but you’ve probably heard of them as “bullet trains.” I really wanted to take pictures from the train, but I wasn’t in the mood to be touristy.
Okay, let me recap my first few days in Japan. While it still hasn’t hit me in a profound way, I am consciously aware that I am in Japan, and that I really am taller than 80% of the population. In Nagoya, it wasn’t such a big deal for an American and an Englishman (my trainer Bruce) to walk around speaking English. But last night I finally moved to my apartment in Hamamatsu, and the kids were not shy about staring at us. It must have been a strange sight to see three Americans, two of them black, and a Scotsman pushing a shopping cart to the train station (long story) but it was cool feeling like a local celebrity. Hamamatsu has nothing on Nagoya when it comes to size. Nagoya is a huge city, fourth largest in Japan I believe, and the architecture is ridiculous. I will get more pictures later when I go back up to see a Kabuki performance so stay tuned. However, the downtown part of Hamamatsu, which is a few minutes away from my school by bus or train, is also very pleasing to the eye. Again, this will have to be a verbal post as I just moved here late last night.
Japan is the most efficient country in the world. This may not be a complete fact, but from what I’ve seen I am very impressed. First of all, many things in the public sector (malls, hotels, grocery stores) are done by motion detection sensors. Why is this ecologically sound? Think about how much air is wasted by doors being left open; how much water we waste flushing toilets and leaving water in the sink running. I posted one picture of a Japanese sink with the soap dispenser, the water, and the hand dryer all in the bowl of the sink. The toilet in my bathroom, well toilet-room since it is separate, has a small sink on the lid of the toilet. When I flush, water flows from the sink, to let me wash my hands, to the toilet bowl and it fills up for the next use. That combines two functions into one saving so many liters of water. Not to mention, there’s a little air freshener that is activated by the running water. You cannot get any more efficient than that.
One question/comment I get a lot is about my weight management and diet. While I have run across one very disgusting dinner, from a vending machine mind you, almost everything I’ve eaten here was delightful. For example, I had what is called Okonomiyaki. The literal translation of this dish is “cook whatever you like.” Basically, it is a batter made up of Japanese yams, cabbage, flour, water, and whatever regional ingredients. You pick your filling (I chose ika, which is squid for those you who don’t get the ika fries from Tsunami) and it is fried right in front of you. It is best described as an omelet, but not by appearance. It was astounding.
Things I don’t like: I don’t like having to pay bills back in America, specifically my phone bill. I cannot use the damn thing at all, except as a $55 a month alarm clock. Ay. However, I am in love with my new apartment. There is so much opportunity to turn this place into “the” hangout. I have a small loft which is so much more spacious than I thought. It will house a hookah lounge, if you will. Of course most of this won’t happen until my first paycheck, but it will be flipping sweet. My first visitor just dropped by. It was a courier bringing a new set of sheets and futons (of which I already had, which further means I now have a guest bed!). I have found out easily why people can live here for years not knowing Japanese. Conversations here are short, choppy, and while the Japanese are number one in customer service, they are quick to the point. He asked me if I was Uwenderu (which is the closest way to pronounce my name here) in Japanese and pointed to where I needed to sign, said arigato gozaimasu and rode off. No conversation necessary.
Today will be my first day of teaching. Kashima, from the Bronx, has been teaching my lessons in my absence. I will start working with her to begin teaching my new students. My work day is really light today, only three classes I believe. I am pretty excited to get started. I also met Sarah, another American from Massachusetts, and Mike the Scotsman last night who are both pretty cool. I am glad that I get on so well with the teachers in my school, and I cannot wait to meet the last teacher, Ai, the Japanese native English teacher. After February, it’ll just be Sarah and Ai and I think we will have a wonderful time together. That was a funny sentence to real aloud because Ai’s name is pronounced “Ay.”
Anyway, I need to take a nice long soak in my small, but deep bathtub. I am trying to fight some congestion that I first felt on the plane. I love you all and I want to hear how you are doing. Hit me up by e-mail or on Skype.
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