Sunday, March 30, 2014

Those Poor Robins

I ate a few of those mini-eggs today.  They were hard to open, so a few splashed on the kitchen walls (ha ha ha).  They were super small and cooked very quickly.  I'd say 5 of them took up the same space in the pan as one regular egg.  I forgot to take a picture, but I'll remember next time.  Maybe next time I'll have figured out how one opens them properly.

I prob won't buy them again though.  I felt like a bird killer for some reason. I wonder what bird laid those eggs anyways.  They have beautiful spots on them.






Oh.  And Hillary, I'm officially mad at you for not replying to me in skype for 3 days.  

Saturday, March 29, 2014

Frante: The Supermarket

Out here, every time I give something a shot for the first time, it feels like an out of body experience.  I feel like I'm watching myself in this almost dreamlike limbo scenario. 

I rode my bike to Frante today.  I was scared to death to do it, but I'm scared to death to do anything for the first time when it comes to being out here.  I think I'm just getting better at kicking my butt out the door.

Anyway.  I didn't recognize half of what I bought.  But I did see a few things at the store that...gasp...they sell in America.  Of course, they were super small and super expensive, so I steered clear. 

My main reason for going to the supermarket instead of the drugstore was the produce and meat.  I figured out the produce wonderfully, though it was funny at times.  I saw celery stalks for sale (normal), and a celery stalk for sale (abnormal). As in, separated sticks of celery, in their own little plastic bags.  And little 3 packs of asparagus too.  Who only eats 3 sticks of asparagus??? What a strange moment.

I failed miserably in the meat dept.  partly due to over stimulation, being the only foreigner in a packed store, and it being my first time there all by me-self.  So...I got some eggs again (not hard to pick those out.)

Here are some things that ended up in my basket.


Half a carrot.  This (and daikon) are the biggest veggies they sell.  I cannot find smaller carrots.  Luckily they get sold in packs of three.

Soooo.....from the top, I almost feel like a bird killer.  Those little eggs were sold right next to the normal eggs....I couldn't help it.  I'm going to have a few interesting breakfasts with those suckers.  I wonder if they even taste the same.
I grabbed some yogurt.  Being a spawn of Pop, I decided to grab a strange fruit flavor.  Plum.
I got some face masks, for if I get sick.  I would be mortified if I woke up sick one morning and wasn't prepared with one of those.
Oh.  And apples are sold in little plastic packs of 4.  Cute.

I got something that COULD be a potential pesto pack.
...aaaand then I got something that looks like the innards on one of the Ripley Alien movies.  Dunno when I'll make them, but rest assured I shall.
Label Pronounciations: Bajiru???  and Ikasumi So-su(Sauce)

Sorry, bright.  The guy on the left is tomato sauce.  Which makes me wonder what the middle guy is (I bought that yesterday at the drugstore thinking THAT was tomato sauce)
And then I found some Painapuru Slices.
Label pronounciations: Tomato & Bajiru, Tomato So-su, Painapuru suraisu
...what the heck does bajiru mean.

I passed a few things that baffled my mind to no end.  Well...not the pretzel one.  They have choc covered pretzel sticks it seems.  yay!  And then that middle one says Choko anban.  It looks like potential chocolate in the middle of teeny little rolls or something.  Ha, the cook is wearing a bourbon chef hat.  And then that last one???? I think it's a blueberry sandwich of some sort.  No peanut butter, no crust....maybe a blueberry pie?  NO IDEA.

 Got some sushi.  I've already eaten all but 2 pieces.  Is it fate that I am stuffed, and I haven't touched the fish eggs yet?


Anywho.....loooooong day.

Oh.  I got an audiobook project YAY!  It's a book about recognizing what career path is good for what personality type.  You know, I've been convinced for about a year now that God communicates to me through what I get sent in audiobook projects.  I imagine him saying "So Alyssa...you're not going to come to church?  Well then I'm going to send some stuff home to you.  Take that."

Friday, March 28, 2014

Observances

Trash days are:

Burnables: Tues & Fri

Non-Burnables: Every 2nd Wednesday

You have to buy special labeled bags for your garbage, they also have to have the correct city name on them.  When it's time to throw them out, you bring them to a designated area along the curb.  It's not hard to miss.  It's covered with some sort of net to keep the crows from sifting through things.

I saw one crow on a neighborhood walk.   That's about it.


Yesterday I walked home during lunchtime.  Halfway home I realized I was still in my "inside" shoes.  I felt like I was naked for the rest of the walk.  These are normal slip on shoes, nothing out of the ordinary.  But since I designated them as my inside slip ons, as in, you can't wear any shoes inside except those ones, they've become something different in my head.

Anyways, it was embarrassing.  Knowing I was out while my sneakers were still at school.


Today a bunch of my coworkers were having me sample all sorts of stuff.  Ms. Julfa made a liver dish.  I'd never tried liver before.  The texture was familiar, the taste was not.  Not bad.  Ms. Jakka bought some chips at the store.  If you closed your eyes you could imagine you were eating all the flavors of a taco in a single chip.  Interesting.  And Ms. Michiyo brought out some cafe latte boxes (in the same kind of container as an apple juice box for a kid).  Not bad. 

We were all talking about travel, and Ms. Jakka spoke about wanting to visit Cambodia.  I asked where, and she replied, "Encore what".  Ms. Julfa & Ms. Jeschell then started saying, "Encore Where?  Encore Who?  Encore Why?"

Ms. Minori laughed because I had this dazed look of "what the?" on my face.  I said, "Wait, where do you want to visit?"

"Encore what."

".....what is that?"

Lots of laughter followed.  They explained that whenever Americans would say silly things to each other, the women couldn't follow because they didn't understand American humor.  Well....likewise with me not understanding their Asian humor.

Turns out it wasn't Encore What. That's just how it's pronounced.  And miracle of miracles, when they described the place, I knew where they were talking about.



Oh.  One more thing.  Have you ever had one of those wonderful moments when you're racked with worry because you've been working your butt off but you still need time to finish something, and then you discover you actually have lots more time? 

That happened to me today.  I've got 2 more days of prep time!!!! SOOOO RELIEVED.  I just finished decorating.  Now I can assemble my arts and craft supplies, and go through this months curriculum.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

All Moved In

Well...I'm all moved in. Here are some of the photos
 Oh Hawaii, I miss you.  Oh Russells!!!!! Miss you too!!!
 Twas quite cold up there.
 Cool cloud action though.
 This is the morning I moved from this apartment to my new one.







 I liked that apartment a lot.  It was quiet and nice!


Anyways, I moved to this second apartment.








Friday, March 21, 2014

This is a looooong blog.

I just got my internet set up!  I was going to go mad without the internet, I'm so glad I finally have it up and running again!!!!  Below lies my ramblings.  Some as they are happening, and some after a long night.

 Thursday night
8:00PM ish
I've written a little in my journal, but this is faster.  After 5 1/2 hours, dinner, 3 rounds of snacking, and 3 movies later (Ender's Game…meh, Walter Mitty…love, About Time…had low expectations but ended up loving it's message)….I don't know if I've got butterflies or some motion sickness. Probably a little of both.

There was a long period where we were so high that the ocean's texture looked like that on my arm.  But I'm flabbergasted to say that now the clouds which were so close before are now incredibly far beneath me.  It's pitch black in here.  apart from my laptop and most people's tv screens on the seats in front of them.  We all closed our window slides so the sun wasn't glaring in on us.  I braved the airport restroom so I wouldn't have to use the one on the plane….and then they started prancing around offering free things like green tea.  I've been forced to make a trip to the back of the plane all due to my inability to say no to green flippin tea.  It's really growing on me now.  That pure unsugared stuff.  It was quite soothing.

8:45 ish
I think the last time I had butterflies was when I moved to  Connecticut.   I'll tell you what.  This neck pillow thing Hillary got for me has been a lifesaver.  I've been exhausted these past few days.  i feel bad for Hillary, having me zombied out the last 2 days there.  I loved every minute I got to spend with her.  The only negative things I can relate to my AMAZING time in hawaii are my sister having to deal with my embarrassing snaps from moodiness, and my guilt over how giving they were. I hope I can someday give back to them.  I got to get to know my sister all over again.  I'm so grateful for that.  Hillary is the most patient, giving, loving person I've ever met. My favorite times were when we went on those mountain drives together, and those late nights of building every lego set she had.  EPIC.  And those times where we'd listen to music and Hill had a hilariously skeptical punchline for every song, man.  Hillarious. I am so grateful to have gotten to spend sooo much time with my siblings this past year.





9:00
Peeked out my window.  We are on a level where we are passing through some fuzzy clouds, while far beneath us are more clouds, and REALLY far beneath that, those things that look like mountains….are more clouds.  I can't see the ocean.  Too many cloud layers.

9:05
Checking out the stats on our flight.
430 MPH Ground Speed
99  MPH  Head Wind
-62 degrees F Outside
36,012 ft altitude
Longitude 156-16' 30"
Latitude 33-51' 24"

9:10
Holy crap they just took us up another 2,000 ft.  My ears are messing with me.  That's HIGH ENOUGH!!! SHEESH! Maybe I'll get off the plane stats page.

10:09
As I look out the window I can't help but pity and envy the pilots.  They are getting a spectacular view of the sunset, though it must get old quickly when you're aimed right at it for a few hours.  Time to browse the airline music selection..   Here…am I sitting in a tin can….far…above the world…clap clap!

10;30
Stay awake.  I can't get the movie scene out of my head where the centipede is steering the peach in the middle of the night.

10:31
Oh gosh.  Someone nearby has opened up some sort of alcoholic bev.  Makes me gag.

10:40
The sun has maybe another 20 minutes. Its disorienting, I'm going by the time on my computer, which is Hawaii time…but I'm 1:41 minutes away from Nagoya.  If we keep going straight, I'll be flyin over TOKYO baby! WOOOOO!!!…..heh…haw…another fresh wave of exhaustion.  I'm thinking I'll wake right up once I get back out in the fresh air.

10:41
….please let the sun go down by 11.

11:04
When is that darn thing gonna SET?  …..ooooo meanwhile there's a lightning shin-dig going on beneath-

11:29
Midnight sandwich.  And even though I can still see that sunset's tail out in front…I'm going to say the sun has set.  Finally.

11:40
There I was, watching Smaug do some desolating, when I casually glance out the window and happen to-HOLY S***IT'S TOKYO!! HOLY WUUUUUTTT???? whoooooooaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!

11:42
Hee hee the stats say we'll be flying over flipping Fuji in like 5 minutes.  Man o Man I still can't believe I am looking at the Japanese COAST!  what lights.  We've dropped to 32,000 ft now.  The cities are just sprawling! 

11:47
Ok well can't see Fuji because #1 it would be seeable from the other side of the plane, and #2 it's freaking night, i'm sure it's not lit up or anything.  But the plus side, I am looking at the coast the whole time.  This is crazy. We're still so high, but I can make out car headlights.


5:54am
………………………………………ugh…………………………………………….I'm………… ……..alive……………..ugh…………………………….so……here's what…….happened………..

With the giddy rush of having landed in Japan, it took a lot to keep from screaming all excited and such.  It felt like Japan the moment we walked out of the plane. No more foreigners.  Everyone is Japanese now...



 This little kid walking in front of me was wearing a shirt that said "Felix has all the popularity".  I wasn't expecting to see one of those nonsensical shirts so soon.
First you have to walk through "decontamination", which is pretty much people taking a quick glance to see if you have something bad like the plague. 
After that, I got taken for "questioning" dun dun duuuun! They checked out the immigration forms I'd filled out on the plane, and asked some questions. One of the last ones I didn't understand at all, so I spouted "I'm from Utah!"  and the guy let me through.  Then I went and grabbed my bags, and went through another immigration point.  This one had a few more questions.  And lo and behold I survived it all.

And here's the part where my story takes a twist.  I did not get a ride with Mihoko as I may have stated in my plans.



Mihoko is on a business trip in America right now actually.  I was given the …quest, I'll call it….of making a 3 train transfer to get to the Akaike (ah-kah-ee-keh) train station, where a woman I'd never met would find me and pick me up. I figured it wouldn't help to have other people knowing about it til it was done, with nothing to worry about.

First off, I'm certain I never would have been able to do it without all the NYC subway/train hopping under me belt.

The easy part was that the train station was right outside the airport.  I'd plugged all this into google-maps back in Hawaii, so I had an outline of what I had to do.

Started off by walking across the street to the international airport train station.

I paid 700 yen for my ticket and started my journey of lugging all that luggage here and there. The train ride to Kanayama was 40 minutes or so, so I had lots of time to think.  Half the time I was laughing to myself, thinking, "My first hour in Japan and what am I doing?  I'm jumping on a train bound for the heart of Nagoya.  I must be mad."  I also read lots.  Stupid things up on the train walls and doors.  A little dolphin warning people of getting pinched by the doors, and lots of potato chip ads. I also gave a slight scream when a train passed right next to us, which I wasn't prepared for.  Ah, I am proving to be a hoot to the Japanese people.


Once I got to Kanayama, almost all of the little English translations for everything disappeared.  So that got interesting.  I stumbled around for a bit, accidentally left the train station at one point.  I spotted a subway picture, so I took a stab at that direction.  A lady from Vegas was lost too. All I know is she was trying to get to the subway too, so we took an elevator down, and giggled to each other about how silly we felt.  We found a ticket guy who taught us how to use the automated ticket machines.  I got lost again.  I was supposed to take a train on the Meijo line to Kamimaezu, but the Meijo line had like 3 different trains on it.  So…again…I got all caveman and asked some ladies, and they showed me which train to wait for. 


By then I was feeling quite tired of lugging those stupid giant suitcases everywhere.  They were so heavy.  The ride to Kamimaezu was only 3-4 minutes long, but those 3-4 minutes changed everything.  While on that train, I was looking for the list of stops.  All the images I'd seen at the other stations helped in NO way whatsoever.  And wonder of wonders, as I rode in that train, studying the train guide, it clicked.  It all clicked, and I was able to reorient myself.  When we stopped at Kamimaezu station, I found myself smack dab in the middle of Nagoya.  Bustling craziness.  But was I worried?  ahem.  nope.  I knew where the flog I was going……..Although I did almost get on the wrong train, which would have taken me to toyota city, just outside Nagoya.  Luckily I spied the Kanji for Akaike (赤池), which was next to a sign saying that would be the 2nd departing train, not the one I was about to walk on.  Thank heavens for 赤 and 池 being taught in 1-2 grade kanji lessons.  Yuko really saved my butt out here.



Anywhoooooo I got on the train bound for Akaike station.  Rode that for 20 minutes.  That train ride was one of building anxiety.  Once I got off this train, I could do nothing but find the McDonalds we were scheduled to meet at, and wait.  Luckily I was there for less than a minute when a really nice girl was like, "Alyssa?"  To which I replied with "yay!"

Once we started driving to the apartment, I'd started getting anxiety again.  All the busy to and fro was over, and my empty apartment was waiting for me.  I started missing Hillary and her fam.  I started missing Mom and Sarah.  Plus the night makes things feel worse. I told myself that things would feel better in the morning when it was light and such.

When we got to the apartment Ms. Minori was so helpful.  She helped me turn on the power, appliances, all sorts of stuff.  She offered to drive me to a store to pick up food, but I was so tired that I didn't take her up on it. 

The whole internet-less phone-less feeling is pretty terrible, and that terrible-ness amplifies when one is in a foreign country alone.  So what did I do to calm down?  I thanked the stars for Sarah's going away present.  Music works wonders.

The apartment is bigger than I thought it was going to be, which was awesome to discover.  I have a room with a toilet, a separate room with a bathtub and sink, a kitchen/dining room, a window, and 2 balconies overlooking a teeny little orchard. Not only that, but I have a table, a little table, a TV (i don't see myself really using that), and a bed frame for a futon. 

Here comes the worst part of the whole shin dig.  Freeeeeezing.  I knew that the first few nights would be me using my clothes as bed padding.  So I took them out and padded the bed frame.  I layered myself with 2 pairs of PJ pants, 2 sweatshirts, and a hat. I got under my blanket and cursed my feet for my cold foot syndrome.  I don't know what the deal is with my feet, but they do NOT heat up.  ever.  they are monsters.  I lay there for an hour with layers and layers of socks on, and my feet stayed as frozen as ever.  So I had to unwrap myself and take all my socks off and created this make-shift thing out of my jacket where I zipped my jacket up and sealed the hood and arms off.  I put my feet in and then used my tardis socks to bind my shins together, keeping the cold air from getting in the jacket.  Using my feet to heat each other up worked a little bit.  But after another hour of frozen feet, I took all my socks and stuffed them in my sweatshirt til the socks were warm.  THEN I put them on my feet as fast as I could, wrapped my feet in a sweatshirt, and then the jacket, and then covered them with the blanket.  worked. Sheesh though, right?
My sleep playlist did nothing last night.  No music worked, neither did that doctor who episode.  I scoured my iPod for anything.  I found the most random thing.  A month or 2 ago I received a free download of "Evgeny Onegin"  (russian poetry it seemed.) read by steven fry.  It wasn't all that exciting, and I already knew the story, but it was something to concentrate on, to keep me thinking. it's hard to stop thinking when transitioning like this.
My phone gave me one last "F You" with it's alarm going off at 2:30 last night.  That was 7:30 Hawaii time, the alarm I set for the day of my departure.  It didn't even go off on the right day, sheesh!  I jumped out of bed to shut that off.  I was a little glad to see something happening with my phone, but my hopes were dashed because when I tried to set a new alarm, it started glitching saying "nope, no can do, you have some location issues."  Stupid phone. 



Woke up at 5.  It gets light here quite early.  I like it.  I'll like it more when I can enjoy it from my deliciously comfortable futon that should be arriving in the next day or 2.  I might need to get another blanket.

Ok I have to say that after all the craziness of yesterday, I am really glad I had to go through the crazy train stuff.  Now I won't be worried at all if I need to take the train or subway here!

In the end, I'm just sooooo glad to have the internet up. Now my goal for the day is interacting enough to buy some food ha ha ha!

Friday, March 7, 2014

A few more photos

At the Zoo!


 At the zoo.  The guy with the brown hat is the cutie who has a crush on Emily.
 Emily wasn't feeling too well, so she would chill out on the bench.
 After a round of Tag
 Mooooo

 The animals at this zoo would come right up to you.


 This one freaked me out.  SCARY
 A hairy elephant.


 This was SOOOO CLOSE TO THE PUNY FENCE!!
 Her field trip buddy.
 This is Emily's school.

The end.