Mon. Sept. 1

I learned that I’m supposed to sign the attendance log every morning. Gone are the days when I could stroll into class or work with only a minute to spare, because no one really paid attention! It’s in the kocho-sensei’s office to boot (the principal).
I’ve been watching j-dramas to pick up some slang. I’ve learned some filler words, like “Honto ne!!!” I am in love with the cheesiness of these shows. They’re even funnier than my favourite soap back home – The Young and the Restless. J-dramas are soooooo bad… they’re good. Right now, I’ve been trying to follow “Homeroom on the Beach” and one about a girl who wants to become a chef.
My kids have also been great in teaching me random Japanese phrases. They’re tickled pink when I try to pronounce stuff like “Kakoi!!!” and “Watashi wa neko ga suki desu.” We have some pretty funny conversations. Kids do indeed ask the most interesting things.
“Gemma-sensei, who is your dream boy? Is he tall?”
“Do you like the colour?” (I figured they meant “What is my favourite colour?”)
“Do you like Japanese?” (I’m not sure if they mean the language/country/food/etc. Meh)
“Do you like baseball? Do you like volleyball? Do you like soccer?” (Oh, sports… haha)

Fri. Aug. 29 – Sun. Aug. 31

I definitely live for my weekends. We wanted to head to Iwaki for the big party there, but it didn’t materialize. No worries, though… Still had a pretty good time spending time with the JETs in my area!
On Friday, we bid adieu to two of my senpai because they were getting ready to head back home after their time here in Japan. We had an amazing dinner, eating “shabu-shabu.” I totally spelled that incorrectly – but basically, it was hot pot with never-ending meat and veggies. We also checked out Round One, an entertainment complex in Koriyama. I learned that I really shouldn’t play pool, ha. It was pouring ridiculous amounts that night, so I was really grateful after S. gave me a ride home.

Thurs. Aug. 28 – So, this is an enkai…

School’s been pretty fun so far. My kids are super sweet! And I know we shouldn’t pick favourites, but I already have some students that are just too kawaii. I’ve asked them to fill out seating charts, so that I can start learning their names! I like how I can walk down the hallway, and they all greet me with a “Hello!” I hope their enthusiasm doesn’t wear off quickly.
At lunch, students eat their meals in their own classrooms. Selected students don aprons and wear headscarves, and dish out the school lunch. So far, it has included: milk, soup, rice, some meat and something sweet.
I’ve been assigned to eat lunch with a different classroom each day. Over the past few days, I’ve gathered the courage to initiate conversations with the kids while we’re all eating. On Thursday, we had noodles… so, the kids were watching me as I carefully plopped my noodles out of their baggie and into my bowl of soup. They laughed as I kept asking “Ugh…. Daijobu desu ka?!” (Is it OK!?) And then I tried some weird squishy fruit, and they could tell by my facial expression that I felt it was pretty gross.
Brushing one’s teeth is a very public thing here in Japan. Once lunch is over, the kids return their lunch trays. Then, everyone grab their toothbrushes and goes to town right there in the classrooms and hallways. (There are sinks in the hallways where you can spit). It’s totally normal to have a conversation with your friends while your brushing away. I was staring at one kid who sat at his desk, and brushed for seven minutes or so. My dentist would’ve been impressed, ha.
I had a talk with one of my JTEs that night as he drove me to the enkai. It seems like he’s impressed with my mad skills in the classroom, especially since I’ve never taught before. But he did notice that I look really nervous when I’m sitting in the teacher’s room. Everyone’s been really nice to me, but the language barrier totally gets to me. I can’t really initiate conversations in Japanese yet, so I don’t really talk to anyone. I do talk about the weather with the gym teacher who sits across from me, though. And the second- and third-year female teachers like giving me snacks, so we try to talk a bit then.

Come on, teacher... teach me something

This day marked the first day back to school for all students. The teachers’ room was abuzz; everyone looked spiffy. I was called into my kocho-sensei’s office (the principal’s room), where we went over the morning’s schedule. And then we sat in silence, because again my Japanese is quite limited. (I’m sort of studying now!) I was asked to give another self-introduction in the staff room – I recited the seven Japanese sentences I have committed to memory. And then I was brought to the gym for our assembly.
When I got to the gym, it was pretty empty. A few chairs were lined near one wall, where teachers would be sitting. A lone wooden desk with a microphone sat at center stage. It was the first time I noticed three flags, including the Japanese flag, were hanging on the wall on the stage.
Suddenly, reality hit me.
I heard a quiet rumble as I was sitting in my chair beside the assistant to the vice-principal. The students entered the gym in orderly lines, divided between boys and girls. The girls wore their sailor-like tops paired with their pleated skirts in navy blue; their white socks reach up to their knees. And the boys wore black slacks with crisp white shirts. Each student wears certain sneakers with colours that correspond to their grade. So, first-years wear blue ones; second-years have yellow kicks; and third-years have red sneakers.
I was impressed that each student quietly filed into the gym, and carried their wooden chair without complaint. I was also fascinated at how they managed to arrange their chairs into perfectly straight rows. Dude, that would never happen in my schools back home. I remember we would sit willy-nilly on the floor at our school assemblies.
The assembly opened with their school song accompanied by piano. There was bowing and tons of speeches. I was also asked to give yet another self-introduction in Japanese – this time in front of my 277 students. Let me tell you, I totally freaked out for a nanosecond when I saw all of those eyes gazing at me. But while I was standing up front, I saw one of my speech contest girls sitting in the first row… it was nice to see a familiar face!
I spent the rest of the day doing my self-introduction lesson. I talk about bits and pieces of my life and my country. The kids seem most interested in seeing Canadian money, the beaver, Twix the guinea pig and my parents’ Nissan X-Trail. (Japanese car!!) I’ve been playing “Pin the tail on the beaver” as part of my lesson – some classes are too cool for school. And I got the idea from Galileo to play Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” hahaha.

Fri. Aug. 22 – Sun. Aug. 24

I headed to Aizu Wakamatsu for my Japanese language classes and home stay. I was in the pre-beginner class; we were dubbed “Budo” (grape). We had some pretty chill teachers, including Skinny Mr. T! We played that counting game with sticks (ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku….)
At the end of our first day, all of us JETs were herded into a classroom with our bags. A dude with a brown clipboard would holler our names, indicating when we’d finally meet our home stay families.
Two really cute little girls in pink were holding hands with their mother. The little two-year-old wore precious “Anpanman” (a popular cartoon superhero) sandals that squeaked every time she walked!
So, my host family includes the father, who works as an architect; the mother, who is a nurse; and two daughters ages 7 and 2. These kids were sooooo kawaii! We played in the tatami room. The seven-year-old also wanted to have a sleepover with me, so we slept on futons in the tatami room. We had to go to bed pretty early – I’d say 9:30 p.m. I remember getting a text msg at 11ish that night, ha.
The next day, the family got up at 6 a.m. I think the girls were up watching cartoons, while the father slipped out to go to work. We ate a traditional Japanese breakfast, complete with: miso soup, salad, cucumbers, scrambled eggs and fresh peaches. I also asked my host mother to show me how to use the microwave… I have one at home just like it, but I don’t understand all the different functions. (Ah, kanji!! Good times).
We had another full day of classes, which was fun. Our class can finally construct sentences!! We were pretty excited. We can now say: “Otedama wa tsukue no ue ni arimasu.” (The juggling ball is on top of the desk). Ha ha, so jokes.
I think that day we also had lunch. We learned how to play “rock, paper, scissors” in Japanese. And there was a weird game where they tightly wrapped a belt around a balloon, which was passed around then popped.
That night, I went camping with my host family in Nizuru. The grounds were about 20 minutes away from Aizu Wakamatsu. When we arrived, I met about 30 or so people. These were young families who were all part of an English club. My seven-year-old little sister prepared me a plate with way too much food! The families set aside some time to put on a play. It was about Captain Hook fighting with Peter Pan, haha. Then, I had my first “Gaijin! Entertain us” moment… They asked me to give a little self-introduction, and then play a game with the kids. I talked about myself for a few minutes, then taught everyone “Skinnamarinkydinkydink…” It was awkward, to say the least!
We later played with fireworks – even the little kids enjoy getting in on the action. I also went to an onsen for the first time. There was a little indoor onsen located on the camping grounds. It was… an experience?! Ha.
On Sunday morning, I gathered the courage to talk to some of the other kids there. I noticed one of them had hair like my brother’s, so I asked to take his photo! I then said good-bye to my family, and was whisked back to Aizu Wakatmasu.
We went on a field trip to the castle. There was an amazing view from the top – the mountains were enveloped in misty fog. On the front lawn, there were people huddled around a big screen television set up outside. They were waiting for the big race of one of the Japanese competing in a marathon in the Olympics. I believe he got the gold. (p.s. Everyone at the BoE would update me when Canada lost in baseball/softball. They really love their baseball here, especially the high school level games).
We also walked through the sake museum. We got to sample a few shots of sake before lunch. Sake here in Japan is delicious. The stuff I forced my friends to drink in Canada does not compare! I ended up buying a light sake, which apparently goes well with cider.
After our last rainy day in Aizu, we took the train back home. We stayed a bit in Koriyama… I was pretty excited to finally get my own sticker pictures. We stuffed about eight JETs into one tiny booth. They turned out grrrrrrreat!

Thurs. Aug. 21 – Drinking with the bossmen

Wads of crisp yen bills were placed in an envelope, waiting to fill up my new bank account. Thursday was Pay Day! I didn’t have direct deposit just yet, so they just handed me an envelope containing all of cash money.
Later that night, we ended up at the local beer factory. There was about seven of us seated around two tables. A hot grill surrounded by water was in the middle of each table, where you cooked your food. It was so good! We also turned this into yet another nomihodai event… I inadvertently asked my superintendent to order me three drinks at once. (I definitely need to learn Japanese, eh).
I also took various photos. I said “Kawaii!” once, thinking that I was saying a photo was “cute.” But in reality, I guess I called my superintendent “kawaii.” They all chuckled, and my supervisor said, “Gemma-san! He is a grandfather!!!” Good times… Let the awkward moments continue.

Aug. 19 - 20 - Tanjobi omedeto to me! (Blog written Aug. 28)

I woke up bright and apato, excited that it was my 24 th birthday. Ah, I can now look forward to being one year closer to my Christmas fruitcake age, haha. (In Japan, there’s a joke that girls are considered “stale” after their 25 th birthday. This is compared to fruitcake sitting out after Christmas).
I was pretty excited to get my gaijin card, which would open up many doors for me. That is, I really wanted my cell phone so that I could finally call back home and the rest of Fukushima.
That day, I also got some pretty important “gifts” from my board. I finally got my washing machine, microwave, gas range and vacuum (literally translated into “cleaning machine.”) They also got me a new cable, so that I could watch the handful of channels on my little red television set. Dude, it was like Christmas and my birthday all in one day! I no longer have to wash my clothes in my buckets. And I no longer have to eat most of my food from the local combini. (Although their chicken nuggets are pure deliciousness. And who can forget good ol’ Crunky chocolate).
I also grabbed my new cell phone. I wanted a really cool “waterproof” phone. If you know me, you will remember my lame tale when I dropped my ballin’ Sony Ericsson phone in a lake. Anyways, that phone would’ve cost me a whopping $100 per month for a one-year contract, so I opted out. I settled for a cheap phone. I don’t really like it, but the price is right and it lets me call people and it is in my favourite colour – purple! Here in Japan, we use infrared red to exchange our contact info… it’s pretty hilarious how it never gets old when we do it.
In the evening, D. organized a sweet birthday dinner for me in Koriyama. We all went out for Asian food in a quaint little restaurant. I met the other JETs living in the Adachi district, and some of the Fukushima-shi dudes were also there. And my younger “supervisor” came out with us, too, which was pretty jokes. We have trouble communicating due to language barriers, but he’s super nice! We ended the night at a sweet fruit drink bar.
The next day, I found out that I got a message from back home. My parents had called the BoE to wish me a Happy Birthday! The office doesn’t really speak English, but they painstakingly wrote out a message in Japanese for me. They are really awesome like that. Mom said she was put on hold three times, because the office wanted to make sure they got the message down.

Fri. Aug. 15 – Filipino in disguise

Dad teases me, and often says I’m simply a “Filipino in disguise.” Don’t get me wrong - I’m quite proud of my background, but it’s true. I consider myself Canadian more than anything. I do enjoy learning about the Philippines, and you can tell by how much importance I place on my extended family. I love love love hanging out with my dozens of cousins, nieces and nephews back in Toronto.
Some of my fondest memories include sitting around the dining table, and eating leftovers with the girls. And I love how it was normal to have a barbecue spit in my uncle’s backyard, where he’d cook up roasted pig whenever the opportunity arose. Food is the glue that binds our family together, haha. And I totally miss all the little kiddos saying “Auntie Gemma!” I don’t know if they’ll remember me anymore, since I haven’t been in T-dot for ages.
This evening, my supervisor lent me his gas range. Woo! Good-bye refrigerated foods and combini foodstuffs. I can eat real food! Mmm. I am so very thankful. The rest of the Motomiya JETs and I were invited to a party at our supervisor’s house. We met the rest of his family, which was pretty cool. It totally reminded me of the impromptu parties we have back at Uncle George’s house. At my supervisor’s home, we sat in his front yard and had some awesome yakitori and other good barbecued stuff at his place. They had a couple grills on the go. It was very oishi!
Being the camera fiend that I am, I asked for some photo ops with the family at the end of the night. I’d show the photos for their approval, and they’d say “Great! Great!” One of the Sanpei cousins is pure jokes. He told me, “Memory are forever.” And when I was leaving, he yelled after me, “I’ll miss you!” I obviously had to yell back “I’ll miss you, too!” They also clapped for me as I expressed my gratitude with “Gochisosama deshita!” (That translates to “Thank you for the delicious feast!”… I hope).
D. is also planning my birthday dinner next week. I’m super stoked; otherwise, I’d probably be sitting at home by myself, eating a bowl of instant ramen. We’re heading to Koriyama for dinner and drinks with some of the other area JETs. D. and I also had the brilliant idea to invite our younger supervisor out for my birthday. I’ve wondered what it would be like to party with him… so we’re making it happen this Tuesday night, I guess! Dude actually accepted our invite, so it’s on like Donkey Kong. Haha, I hope we don’t scare him off!

Wed. Aug. 13 – Parking lots

I spent another day sweating in my apato, studying some Japanese and doing laundry. I also did a leisurely walk around my neighbourhood, and noticed some people were visiting the nearby cemetery. It reminded me of the last time I visited the cemetery in Oakville during the wintertime. Obviously, everything was blanketed under five feet of snow… so we left our flowers in areas where we thought was the fam plot.
While doing my groceries this evening, I ran into the big bossman from my board of education. I’m pretty sure he asked me if I had walked to the shopping area, so I nodded politely. When I walked home, I noticed there were traffic control officers standing out in the parking lot again. They wear a navy blue uniform, complete with an orange stick and smart-looking hat. They allow pedestrians to cross safely and such. I’ve never seen that at the St-Laurent Centre back home…

Tues. Aug. 12 – Happy Birthday Mom!

After a mere five hours of sleep, I stumbled out of bed and got ready to Skype home. There were some technical difficulties, but it was really nice to hear the voices of Mom and Dad. I hope Molomom had a wonderful birthday – I am sorry I could not be there to celebrate your special day with you! I think that my boss is excited to meet them in December.
Instead, I faced more orientation sessions. It wasn’t bad, except that I did indeed feel the after-effects from last night’s shenanigans! I should really take a hiatus from izakayas. (That a lie. We’re going to the Asahi Beer Factory for nomihodai, followed by karaoke next week. Here’s to partying with your co-workers!)
I took the train back home with JETs Brian, Heather and Ben. My supervisor picked B. and I up again. He took us out for dinner. I finally had that “Yes, I can use chopsticks moment” when our bossman ordered forks for us. It’s awkward that he asked for some chopsticks, since he’s seen me eat a few times already. When he dropped me off at my house, he left me tons o’ useful presents (pots, pans, rice cooker) and actually built my new fan for me. Dude goes above and beyond for me – but I still wish he’d get magically get me my cell phone and Internet. We’re apparently all going out to a festival this Friday. J
It was awesome to see all of my favourite boys and girls from across the ken again! I seriously love hanging out with the girls who live in the JETplex. Sometimes, I forget that I’m not one of them. I hope they don’t mind that I’ll be requesting some floor space every now and then. They are always welcome at my apaato, which I have dubbed “Pretty in Pink Palace.” And I’ve also latched myself with the chillin’ Iwaki dudes, who I met on our last night in Tokyo… Hanging out with Justin and Chris also makes me nostalgic re: Ottawa. (J-dawg, I already miss our mad awkward conversations, bahaha).

Mon. Aug. 11 – Getting oriented, again

My younger supervisor picked me up this morning, and gave me a lift to the train station. He’s pretty chill, although we don’t really understand each other. Once again, I don’t really speak Japanese and he doesn’t speak English. I did figure out where he lives, and that he’s a “light drinker.” B and I think it would be great fun to party with him, because we always see him in a conservative way.
We headed to Fukushima-shi and stayed at a hotel for more orientation sessions. The governor of Fukushima made an appearance to meet us JETs; he seems very personable, and you can tell that he beams with pride when it comes to his prefecture.
A hearty “Kampai!” echoed throughout the hall during our short welcome reception. Big Apple, a local izakaya, was inundated with JETs later that night. This time, our nomihodai lasted for five hours! Annie thought it was important to share her “refreshing” eye drops with everyone, haha. I feel like everyone had a lovely, sloppy time. I met another one of my sempai, who also attended Carleton. I recognized him from one of my American Lit classes. It’s a small world after all! It was really nice to meet the rest of the Fuku JETs who arrived in Japan a week after I did. Sarah, who was good friends with my childhood Filipino brother from another mother, is also living in the Fuk. I’m so excited to have found a Veronica Mars buddy!

Sun. Aug. 10 – Lazy Sunday

Ah, yet another puddle of grayish water swirled down the drain today. I’ve been hand-washing my black clothes today in my trusty two buckets. Hand-washing ALL of my clothes has been quite the humbling experience. I will be the happiest girl ever when I get my washing machine, microwave and stove. Being the first JET in my apaato apparently means my bosses need to have meetings to decide how much to budget for my new gadgets.
It was yet another lazy Sunday for me – just as I like it. I stood for a good 10 minutes in the liquor aisle of my grocery store today, trying to decipher which sake would tempt my palate. There’s too many, so I’ll wait it out…
The new Fukushima JETs will be descending upon Fukushima-shi tomorrow for more orientation sessions. Sugoi!

Fri. Aug. 8 – Sat. Aug. 9 – Finding Fukushima City

I went into my school to help the girls with their speeches and skits. I can see why Tyler said ALTs have tons of free time… I spent most of my morning trying to get a good connection to my e-mail accounts, and checking out the online forums. It’s times like those that make me miss my ol’ cubicle at the government. I could take naps as I pleased... but here, my desk is basically in front of the VP. Durr.
Muto-san unexpectedly gave me a lift to the board of education from my school… Since I was going out-of-town for the night, I had to ask him to drop by my house so that I could change and grab my toothbrush, etc. I felt really bad for making him wait for me, so I kept apologizing and saying, “Ah, I’m such a girl!!” He politely laughed and smiled at me, but I doubt he knew what I was saying haha.
I finally signed my contract and saw my hanko (personal name stamp). I was hoping my hanko would be ridiculously cool, but it’s just my first name in romaji, lol.
We then headed to Fukushima-shi to hang out with the other area JETs. It’s about a 35-minute train ride, which isn’t too bad. I’d describe that city as very quiet, yet urban. We went to an izakaya, where we did the whole nomihodai deal again. There was a somewhat random Japanese dude who was hanging out with us. I dubbed him “Don Johnson,” due to his powder blue suit jacket rolled up to his elbows. What a character. We also went to a small bar for a bit, where they played some wack house music… My Tokyo Orientation roomie saved my bum, and graciously opened her apaato to me.
Meeting JETs from around the world has been great. It feels like I’m going through frosh week all over again, which has its pros and cons.
My supervisor is quite kind. He even picked Brian and I up from the train station today, then brought us out shopping. He knows I’m interested in getting a car, so we started looking around at a local dealership. Those cars were way out of my price range, though. I was drawn to a cute two-seater sports car, but I definitely can’t afford it as a broke university grad.

Thurs. Aug. 7 –Tonkatsu with teachers

One of my JTEs (Japanese Teachers of English) took D. and I out for dinner this evening. She’s only a year older than me, and has been teaching for a couple years now. Hanging out with her felt like a typical Saturday night back home. We talked about anything and nothing for three hours. We were eventually kicked out of the restaurant, because it was closing time. I’m looking forward to working with her this year.

Wed. Aug. 6 – “My car is named Tundra… in Canada, you have the tundra, right?”

It was another day of watching kids practice their speeches. I seriously can’t get over how adorable these kids can be! First of all, students all need to wear matching uniforms. At this school, the girls usually wear a crisp white top with a pleated skirt in navy blue. The colour of their running shoes is determined by their year – the third-years have a bright orange stripe. Whenever I say good-bye for the day, they giggle and say, “See you again!!!” Tomorrow’s my first day teaching alone… I hope it goes well!
Tundra, Canadian pine and Anne of Green Gables – these topics made my day! In the teachers’ room, two senseis were sharing their knowledge of Canada with me. One dude also asked if we have bears in Canada; he made the funniest “growling bear” face, so I cracked up. As one of the Japanese students walked by us, this teacher pointed out the kid’s buzz cut and asked if Canadian boys do the same. I feel like this dude and I will have some pretty hilarious conversations.
When I got home from work, I decided to walk to my nearest train station for kicks. It only takes 20 minutes, but it was super sketchy since the sidewalk ends and you need to walk beside the deep rice paddies. I’ll take the other main road next time, or taxi. The sun sets pretty early here, too. By 7 p.m., the city sits in darkness.
The lack of street signage in Japan still baffles my mind! Sure, the main roads are graciously adorned with street signs. But there aren’t any road signs to be found in residential areas

Mon. Aug. 5 – Feels like my first day of school

“La, la, la, la, la, la, la….” I hummed. I’ve always had a feeling my random outbursts of song would come handy one day. I was trying to teach one of my students how to master the pronunciation of the letter “l.” She was struggling with the word “clapping.”
D. and I went to my base school today. Almost three hundred students attend this junior high school, where I’ll be spending the bulk of my time.
Just like it says in all the books I’ve read, we took off our outdoor shoes and placed them in our shoe lockers. I slipped my indoor shoes, and off we went to meet the kocho-sensei (ie. Principal). I was pretty anxious while sitting in his office, and forgot half of my self-introduction even though I had nailed it last night.
I was then brought to the teachers’ room. Here, the desks are grouped according to the teachers’ assignments. The administrators sit at the front of the room, while the homeroom teachers for each grade have their desks clumped together. My desk is placed with the second-year teachers. Everyone seems really friendly.
Mariko-sensei is one of my English teachers. I forgot to bring a coffee mug today, so she kindly gave me a Snoopy mug during our coffee break. She’s only a year older than me, but she’s been an English teacher for a couple years now. We’re going out for dinner later this week! I look forward to making some social connections – being stuck in my apartment is getting old.
On a random note, Mariko-sensei hair was up in a ponytail and she was sporting her athletic threads. There was one point in the morning where she changed into a smart skirt and top, but then she changed back. It’s pretty awesome that I can revert back to my fashion sense circa fourth-year at Carleton. When things got too hectic, I’d simply go to my night classes in sweats. Serenity now.
Helping out the English speech contestants was the task for today. That’s why I was trying to teach one of the students how to pronounce the letter, “l.” To be an amazing contestant, these kids need to master the following components: pronunciation, gestures and intonation. I feel like I’m in Grade 8 drama class with Ms. Tyndale again. The girls seem really sweet, and I noticed they giggled when I tried to introduce myself in Japanese. D. did some acting exercises with them, causing these girls to shout: “I love you! I love you! I love you!”
After lunch, we were assigned to write a skit for speech contest. I can’t say it’s my best work, but what do you expect with a skit called “The Princess and the Special Helper.” I wish my sarcasm would translate well into my work here, but I figure I should lay off for a bit.
I do have some ideas of things I’d like to teach my kids before I leave Japan. I may, or may not, be joking.
- For any advanced students, I’d like them to learn Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
- Greetings/farewells, such as: “sup jigga” and “peace out”
- My favourite words/sayings: “awkward”; “Where is the nearest Starbucks?” and “homeslice/homeboy.”
And here’s my final thought: So, I popped by the school gym today. Funnily enough, there was one kid who was sitting outside of the gym; he looked absolutely miserable. Sitting on the gym’s front stoop, he was busy burying his head into his lap. I’m guessing he was super tired from all of the work these kids do during the summer. (It seems like the kids are always DOING something, even if it’s their summer vacation right now. I definitely admire their hard work ethic). I was taken aback as all the kids dropped their basketballs, and rushed over to me to start bowing. Apparently, their coach told them to greet the teacher. (It’s normal to do that, I guess). I thought it was pretty cool to see dozens of kids run over to me, and start bowing.
Later days…

Sun. Aug. 4 – Day o’ boredom

The novelty of being in Japan hasn’t worn off yet, but I am starting to go stir crazy. I haven’t been able to contact my friends and family. I would totally fail as a hermit…
I went on another long walk today, and stumbled upon my 7-11. This is pretty important, because I’ll be able to use an ATM around the clock. (Most ATMs shut down earlier in the evening).
I tried buying an international phone card at Lawson, which is the closest convenience store to my place. But the girl kept saying “Sumimasen!”
Tomorrow marks my first day at my base school. Wish me luck!

Sat. Aug. 3 – Japanese Jehovah’s Witnesses

I spent the morning watching my Veronica Mars DVDs, compliments of my brother from the same mother. When I finally felt like braving the humid weather, I went on a two-hour walk to explore my surroundings. It turns out the brewery is pretty close to my place, so I’ll do up a tour at least once.
I also tried doing some groceries by myself. I did make a mistake with one of my purchases. I thought I had grabbed a can of delicious orange Fanta. In fact, it was Fanta with weird jelly mixed into it. That first swig did not quench my thirst!
Two Jehovah’s Witnesses also approached me today. They only spoke Japanese, so I tried to explain to them that I was Canadian. One of them wiggled his tie, furrowed his brow and then grabbed a book out of his bag. That was when he opened it up to the English page, and it explained they were Jehovah’s Witnesses looking to spread the word. It’s great how some things never change.
On the other hand, I’ve started noticing some of the differences between my own experiences and Japanese culture. When I was walking around the board of education with Sanpei-san, he asked if I had different shoes. I’m guessing he noticed that my favourite black Aldo pumps were clicking down the hallway. Oops? The garbage collection system here is unique as well. I’m pretty sure I heard the garbage man making an announcement on his loudspeaker when he dropped by earlier this morning. Finally, 16-year-olds aren’t out getting their driver’s licenses. When I was that age, I didn’t really like driving but I still got my learner’s permit. I was driving my parents’ Sunfire to school every day when I was in OAC.

F ri. Aug. 2 – Let me clear my throat… because I want a cell phone

My landlord knocked on my door early Friday morning. I was pretty happy to see him, because he wheeled in my fridge… I was a little confused, because I wasn’t expecting it that day. It turns out Sampei-san made the arrangements.
I spent the day cleaning again, plus I ventured out to the nearby convenience store so that I could start filling my fridge. (I still don’t have any clue as to what the cashiers are saying). Jay and Brian dropped by my place, and we ended up going shopping in Koriyama City. The new stuff has helped make my apato look more like home. I put together my new bookcase, filled with the bajillion pounds of literature from Tokyo Orientation and a couple books from home. I really had to MacGuyver it; I used an old pair of tweezers to put in the screws. We later met up with J’s gf and D., so that we could head to Koriyama. It was pretty busy, with women milling around in their kimonos and lanterns draped everywhere for the festival. (I’m pretty sure I was supposed to make an appearance in Fukushima city on Friday to meet up with the rest of the JETs… urnks? I hate being without a cell or the internet. I feel so disconnected from everyone!)
I was hoping to get a cell phone that night, but it turns out you need your gaijin card. It was probably all for the best that I halted my shopping, because there are so many pretty phones out there. I was really drawn to a model that you flip both ways and watch TV. You also have the option to add Internet to your phone, but that seems pretty blingin’. We’ll see… We also went to a foreign foods shop, where I got some real peanut butter and jam.
The Koriyama train station is filled with tons of shops and restaurants. We ate at a place serving deep fried deliciousness. (Girls, I still haven’t figured out how can I ask to take home my leftovers!!)
I also tried using the Japanese-style toilets (euphemism for “squat toilets.”) It grossed me out… but when in Japan?! (K., to think we wouldn’t even want to use those outhouses at Bluesfest! Ha… men’s bathroom, anyone??)

Thurs. Aug. 1 – Pretty in pink

There are two hot pink buildings, nestled right off one of the main streets. There’s a bike rack filled with different kinds, including a ballin’ Hummer bicycle in white. If you snake around to the back of the first building, you’ll get to my apartment (apaato).
I have a 1DKL. Outdoor shoes are left behind in the main entrance. There’s a six-tatami mat room, which transforms into my bedroom. The rest of the place has hardwood floors, which is quite nice. My living room is pretty bare right now, simply adorned with a Canadian flag and a map of Japan on the wall. I have a small kitchen/dining area, where I’ve placed a new carpet and a full-length mirror. The kitchen is pretty useless right now. I’m still waiting to get a stove, and I hope I get a microwave as well. My bathroom has your typical Japanese layout: the toilet’s in one room, and the shower/sink deal is in another room.
I also have a space for a washing machine, but I don’t know if/when I’m getting one. I’ve done quite the throwback, and will be washing my clothes in a bucket. This is ghetto, I know. There’s a coin wash up the street from me, but I don’t have the willpower/money to make a bajillion trips there.
That day, Brian and I went to city hall to fill out paperwork to get our gaijin cards. And Sanpei-san treated us to lunch… Here in Japan, pushing a button at the table beckons the waitress. That’s so efficient! Later that day, we went to a sushi conveyor belt restaurant. While I was fascinated by the food going down a conveyor belt, it was the payment method that really cracked me up. We wanted to treat Sanpei-san, and figured it would be hilarious if Brian gave him a big ol’ bear hug or at least blocked him. Sanpei-san was too quick. There was an awkward scramble at the front cash, and he ended up paying.

Wed. July 30 - Meet your new ken

Wednesday marked the day all JETs left Tokyo for our new prefectures (“ken.”) We traveled by bus, shinkansen (bullet train) or plane. I’m pretty stoked that my fellow Ottawa JETs – Justin, Chris and Marianna – will be joining me in Fukushima!
After a refreshing 1.5 hours of sleep, I got up for a quick shower and prepped for leaving Tokyo. I paid my lovely 630 yen for the Asahi beer I had mistakenly taken from the hotel mini-bar. (Apparently, you can’t re-insert it back into its rightful slot. Obviously, I didn’t read the instructions until after the fact. Funnily enough, I now live a mere 10-minute walk from an Asahi brewery in Motomiya).
Fukushima JETs boarded two buses – I didn’t mind the long trip, because I was able to get some sleep. At one rest stop, some people tried fish-on-a-stick and sweet-potato-on-a-stick, haha. As we trucked along the main drag, the spaces looked quite green. Good-bye, urban spaces.
We finally arrived in Fukushima, where we met our supervisors at the Fukushima Agricultural Centre in Koriyama City. It was the first time I met my supervisor. It was also reassuring to see the faces of J. and D.; they are JETs in Motomiya with whom I’ve been exchanging e-mails filled with mundane questions. (“So… what do you do during an earthquake?”) Brian is the other new JET working in Motomiya. We were whisked off to our board of education. Surprisingly, the drive only took 10-15 minutes from Koriyama.
Despite my lack of Japanese, I felt pretty confident going into this meeting with city officials and board of education staff. My very short self-introduction was committed to memory: “Hajimemashite. Watashi wa Gemma desu… Watashi wa Canada no Ottawa kara kashmite. Dozo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.” And then I planned on smiling and nodding a lot.
In reality, this meeting was pretty intense. Dozens of photos were snapped, while these Japanese men asked me questions that I couldn’t understand. We also met the vice-mayor, who seems like a jolly man always sporting a smile on his face. He straight up asked if Brian and I enjoyed drinking. When we answered positively, every second word out of his mouth was “nomihodai!” (I’m guessing the man really enjoys “all-you-can-drink” events). The dudes were totally stoked that Brian drinks – it was quite the sight to see them get all giddy about that news. Interestingly enough, they asked us to watch out for our health and really take care of their children. Can you feel the pressure?
That night, we were invited to Sanpei-san’s house for dinner. They put out quite the spread! It was everything I imagined a traditional Japanese dinner would include: miso soup, rice, fried stuff, Japanese pickled cucumbers, etc. They later served that wack “Calpis” water. It has a whitish tint to it, and totally grosses me out.
My supervisor has two daughters. They were shy around me, because they didn’t really speak English with me. I asked them to teach me some Japanese, though. My word of the night was: “kawaii!” (“cute.”) I showed them pictures from back home. I think they really liked Twix, my guinea pig. I asked my supervisor about the cow he has in his front yard. I don’t think it’s really a pet, though; he did mention the word, “meat.”
I stayed over at his family’s home my first night in Motomiya. It totally reminded me of my extended Filipino family. Grandma and grandpa also live there. It’s kind of like the times Papa Wiron and Mama Poping lived in Toronto with their kids, and Lolo Moling lived in Cali. The Sanpeis also feed ginormous meals, and were concerned when I didn’t want to finish my seven-course meal at breakfast.
It was my first time sleeping on a futon set atop tatami mats. That was another moment that further reinforced that I had truly arrived in Japan. It was also my first night sleeping straight through in Japan. Good ol’ jet lag finally vanished!

Tues. July 29 – I can’t stand the rain… let’s all go to the club

This was the last full day of orientation activities for JETs. In the morning, I attended a session about team-teaching in junior high schools. (I’ll be teaching at a junior high school in Motomiya. I’ll also have some visits to elementary schools.) One of the speakers reminded me of Crush from Finding Nemo (Dilys, ha ha!) He spoke with the same intonation, and he had a very laid-back demeanour. When he was handing out prizes, bags of Skittles sailed over our heads. I’m pretty sure he whipped at least one person sitting in the audience. Oh, the excitement…
We had a prefectural meeting, where we were seated in a circle and got the low-down on our schedule for the next day. I discovered that they took our passport photos, and published them in a “welcome” guide. This photo is even worse than the one on my learner’s permit, haha.
That evening, Canadian JETs were invited to the Canadian embassy in Tokyo. The building itself is gorgeous. To reach the main entrance on the upper level, you need to take an outdoor escalator with a canopy. There was a brief presentation, followed by some drinks and light snacks. It was my first time to try daikon, a huge white radish! We then headed back to the hotel. As we emerged from the subway station, it started to pour like nobody’s business. It was pretty hilarious to be caught in such a storm without an umbrella, and have other hotel guests give us weird looks.
I was ready to hit the sack, especially since I looked like a drowned rat after getting caught in the storm. But I was easily convinced to go out for my last night in Tokyo with some of the Fukushima dudes and my sempai. We first hit up some cheap bar, where I learned that I somehow earned the nickname “Princess” after they saw my fugly passport photo. We also went to some hole-in-the-wall bar called “Gas Panic,” where I saw a gaggle of people sporting clown costumes and parading down the street. They were promoting something about the Olympics. Oh, and I’m pretty sure I saw Cuba Gooding Jr. (No, no I didn’t).
On our walk to our final destination, we stopped by a convenience store. They’re allowed to sell alcohol, so I tried Chu-Hai Strong. It reminded me of Smirnoff Ice, so I was left unimpressed. ((“Vinnie! It burns!”) p.s. Channel Four girls – I’m still punny here. And I saw some boxed wine, which definitely reminded me of the j-skool ladies. Stay classy, now)). Don’t worry, Mom and Dad… I’m not drinking all that much! And now that I live in the sticks, I’m pretty sure I can’t party as much, ha ha.
We ended up at an expensive club, but hip hop night made it sooo worth it. It was interesting to see the Japanese boys and girls all decked out in their finest urban threads. And about all the girls in the line waiting for the bathroom… we are definitely faster back home. I’m pretty sure that the girls in Tokyo change outfits all the time, because it takes them forever and a day to get out of their stall, ha ha. I guess that’s the price it takes to be ridiculously fashionable.
I’ll be Captain Obvious for saying the following, but we stuck out at the club at times. I met some characters, and even ended up speaking French with some dude from France. I’d like to thank the boys for letting me crashing their sausage partay… and I’m sorry that I whined towards the end of the night. (We got home at 5 a.m.)

Mon. July 28 – Can you say “nomihodai?”

The next day started with a hearty breakfast, where they served an array of breakfast favourites such as yogurt… and McDonald’s fries. I should probably thank Pat for fetching my water and orange juice that morning, durr! We then attended our opening ceremonies. I’ll skip over the orientation sessions. Most of the speakers injected some funny anecdotes in their presentations, but the day was still pretty long.
My roomie, M, and I decided to take quick naps before the welcome reception where they apparently served beer and food. (M. is also heading to my prefecture!) Anyways, that 30-minute nap turned into two hours. At 8 p.m., we abruptly woke up and went down to meet the rest of the Fukushima peeps for our night out in Tokyo. We all headed to an izakaya, a Japanese pub offering ‘all-you-can eat and drink’ fare. This amazing idea is called “nomihodai.” We arrived at 9 p.m., but we already saw some Japanese teenagers passed out on the floor.
If you know me, then you totally can predict my reaction as we weaved our way towards a karaoke bar. We filled one karaoke room, flanked by two flat screen TVs and lots of seating. I definitely see myself going more often!

Fri. Aug. 1 – Now in Nihon

It’s about midnight on Friday evening here in the land of the rising sun. I’m sitting in my new apartment (apato!) in Motomiya, a rural “city” in Fukushima prefecture.
I haven’t had the Internet in days, so I’ll be splitting up my stories. I also haven’t had my tall non-fat caramel macchiato since I’ve been here. Tessa and I did stumble upon that familiar coffee spot in Tokyo! Surprisingly, my self-imposed withdrawal from Starbucks hasn’t been too bad….
Let’s start from the beginning
I jetted off to Japan on July 26. My family dropped me off at the airport in Ottawa. That morning, I also had a couple of my aunties give me a call to bid me adieu; I was definitely a stage-five crier. The flight to Toronto was pretty smooth – V. and I split a copy of the Globe and Mail. But our connecting Tokyo-bound flight felt kind of ridiculous. Pearson Airport was blanketed under a “red alert,” meaning the surrounding area had rolling thunderstorms or something to that effect. So, our plane couldn’t quite touch the sky on time. It took two hours until the surrounding skies cleared, and we finally left the tarmac.
The rest of the Ottawa and Montreal JETs sat in the middle cabin, while I hung out in the back. I had inadvertently chosen a seat away from the peeps, in an effort to greedily get an aisle seat.
It wasn’t so bad, though! On my right, I struck up a conversation with a twenty-something Japanese girl. She has been living in Toronto for the past four years, working as a Japanese teacher. She welcomed my pleas to practice some Japanese, and she answered my countless questions about her country.
There were also those newly minted television screens on the back of each seat. I watched awesome shows and movies, such as “The Flight of the Conchords” and “Horton Hears a Who!” in between naps and less-than-delicious airplane food.
I was also entertained by a large group of Canadian high school student-athletes, all sporting red t-shirts and khaki pants. I overheard they were heading to Japan as part of an exchange to play basketball. These kids were strutting up and down the aisles. One dude was embarrassed after his teammate held up his plush white teddy bear for the whole cabin to see.
Taking in Tokyo… I mean, Narita
I was first struck by the humidity when we landed in Japan. JETs wearing bright yellow shirts dotted the Narita airport, and greeted us after we got all sweaty while pushing our heavy carts to the buses waiting for us outside.
The escalators are interesting at Narita, because they “safely” let you and your heavy luggage go up and down. I feared for my life as I wheeled my cart filled with: a 70-pound suitcase, a mid-sized suitcase reaching 50 pounds, my large backpack and my smaller carry-on luggage. Oh, and I should also mention that my Kanye glasses are currently in Canada! I had to quickly repack at the check-in counter in Ottawa, and broke my favourite fugly glasses in the process! But I heard there are tons of pairs in Japan. You can also cop a pair in the By Ward market, if you miss going out with me in Ottawa.
The bus ride to Tokyo was a blur. Surprisingly, L. was the awesome Tokyo Orientation Assistant (TOA) who was my bus guide. She’s one of Tyler’s friends, so it was pretty cool to see her.
The first wave of new JETs descended upon the ballin’ Keio Plaza Hotel, located in the Shinjuku district. I remember feeling pretty parched, sticky and L. accidentally spilling water on my favourite pair of Lulus, ha ha. In the lobby, I also ran into N. and V. – two of my sempai!
After quickly dropping off our luggage, I grabbed some dinner with a handful of Ottawa JETs. A., our CIR dude, knows his way around the city; he navigated us from the hotel to the Shibuya district. We had to hop on the subway to head down two or three stops. Like someone said, everything about Japan has a cartoon-like quality. Weird music blares on the speakers when you’re waiting for the train, and the ads look super cheesy. I love it.
There I was… standing in that Shibuya intersection you can see in Hollywood movies. It was pretty cool to see the sheer amount of people walking around, plus the flashing lights. All of that made me really feel like I had finally arrived in downtown Tokyo. Dinner was another new experience. We lined up outside a busy noodle shop. You need to punch some buttons at a machine to pay for your dinner ticket. I think we all chose a basic bowl of soup. You then circle different options on a small sheet of paper to customize your meal. We don’t read kanji, so V. and I. simply circled the options in the middle, and hoped for the best! Anyways, a map of the restaurant’s booths is posted on the wall – when a blue light sparks up, that means you can sit down at an available spot. Each booth is shrouded in privacy, with dividers and a wall covering that separates you from seeing the cook’s face. I slipped the piece of paper to the cook, who quickly whipped up for my soup. It was very oishi! We capped off the night by visiting a nearby convenience store, where we discovered tiramisu-to-go for the low price of 200 yen. Mmm.