Misadventures in Japan

Reflections on Leaving Japan....Ichi go Ichi e

2007-06-27T21:17:00.000-07:00

My life lately has been extremely hectic. Suddenly I have tons to do at work and out of it. At work there has been seminar after seminar, and meeting after meeting. Out of work I have been learning to DJ (my debut is in a small Nagasaki city club this Friday), trying to learn all the forms of jodo and iaido (since I won’t get as much of a chance to train in either when I get back), packing, cleaning, making travel plans for Europe and trying to squeeze every ounce of summer fun that I possibly can out of my last weeks here in the land of the rising sun.

Two years. Not a short amount of time, but then again, not overwhelmingly long. It seems like it went in a mere blink, but when I walk or drive around my little portion of Japan now I realize just how used to everything I am. This has really become my home in so many ways. I have weekly routines, daily conversations in Japanese, a clear place in Japanese society and a good social circle. I have accomplished a lot and have ended up somewhere different than I intended, but in many ways somewhere I know is closer to where I want to end up in the long term. I have learned that life is unpredictable a lot of the time, but that that is part of the fun. I have learned that I love brutal honesty more than politeness and fakeness, though I recognize the need for the latter in professional settings now. I have added two martial arts to my repertoire, as well as the basics of another foreign language. I ate raw fish (I who disliked fish of any kind before coming here).. I have experienced traditional tea ceremonies, crazy Japanese office parties, and relaxed in beautiful onsen hot springs. I have met people from all around the world and learned we all have way more in common than not, and the nots are what lead to most of the good conversations anyways. Did I mention I ate raw fish?? Actually even saying that seems so mundane now, especially after the plethora of previously unheard of sea and land creatures I have eaten since coming here.

Listing everything that I have seen and done in the past two years would be impossible and probably boring for anyone other than me though. So I’ll stop with the above paragraph. I am not sure if I will write another blog entry from Japan after this simply because I am too busy for reflection, but I just wanted to say it has been one hell of a ride.

I still remember getting off the plane in Nagasaki airport with Nicole and realizing I was going to the middle of nowhere, knowing no one, and not speaking the language of majority. I remember moving from the little town of Shimabara closer to the city last year, and having most of my really good friends leave Japan, thus leaving me to start over again on my own. I was so scared last year about how this year would go, and really it turned out to be even better than the first.

In this final glance back, I regret nothing, and though I will miss a lot of things, I feel ready to move on finally. I will stay in touch with many people, and though I will never be able to have the exact crazy wonderful times that I have had here, I will keep a memory of those things and bravely go forth towards continuing to gain more experiences of a similar nature. I was still for too long before, but after the last few years I am finally ready to accept that action is the only way to keep myself doing meaningful things. It is also wonderful to know, that as I have adopted a global perspective, and move towards an international career, I will have friends in many corners of the world. Not just acquaintances but people that I really consider solid individuals. That is a very, very nice feeling to have. 　Arigatou, Japan. Honto ni, arigatou.

Parents in Japan

2007-06-12T00:48:00.000-07:00

Well my parents have come and gone and now I am on the final stretch of my life in Japan. Having them here was actually pretty nice (although there were many moments of near craziness due to them being….well, themselves). It was nice seeing them after all this time though, and sharing with them what has been my life for the past two years.

We started their trip to Japan with a visit to Kyoto and Nara, the old Japanese capitals. I love the history and beauty of these cities and thankfully my parents did too. Nara especially is beautiful and quintessentially Japanese, gorgeous gardens and all. The main area of interest there is Nara Koen which is a large park featuring several historical sights and temples, and which has something like 2000 deer roaming freely thorough it and interacting with visitors. My father got a little too generous with feeding the deer though, so at one point my mother and I got to stand by and watch with laughter as he was chased through the previously peaceful park by a mob of the hungry little bastards.

It was hilarious getting my parents impression of Japan too, and trying to get them to behave in Japan appropriate ways (getting my mother to stop making stereotypical anatomy size jokes was a challenge for one). I had forgotten how loud, crude and intense my family can be sometimes. My dad pretending to be a geisha in a Japanese bathrobe; my mother swearing loudly in Croatian and English amidst otherwise quiet Buddhist temple settings (I had reprimanded her, she told me I was being silly and to prove it said something indecent in Croatian to the back of a nearby monk, laughed to herself, and then tripped and almost fell into a carp pool, which finally made her behave).

After our whirlwind tour of old Japan, we finally headed back towards Nagasaki. By this point they had decided that their favourite type of Japanese restaurant was an Izakaya (I tried explaining that eating at these is the equivalent of eating at a western style pub…and hence food quality isn’t always the greatest, but they didn’t really seem to care – my mother was thrilled that she didn’t have to eat raw fish or other weird things as she had expected and my dad was just happy to have a large pint of beer in front of him). They also got really excited by the fact that there is an overabundance of bakeries in Japan – the availability of bread was a pleasant surprise apparently. I swear I ate more bread and bread related products in the two weeks they were here than the whole rest of the time I have been in Japan.

By the time we finally reached Nagasaki (me now several pounds heavier), the temperature was noticeably warmer and it was a lot more humid. My mother dealt with the heat surprisingly well, and I only had to listen to one long hour of whining on a day we had to walk from a ferry port to the beach with the sun high and hot overhead.

In Nagasaki, we did the usual tour – Mount Unzen (for onsening and the sulfur pits), Shimabara (my previous place of residence, and quaintly historical), Nagasaki city (my closest big city) and of course Omura (my current abode on the bay). They found the onsens (hot springs) interesting but weird and I think my mother liked them, but found them a bit hot. I also took them to see my friend perform Japanese dance, which was my first time as well, and quite a good way to experience traditional Japanese culture. Of course, they wanted to see me do Iaido and Jodo too and so I arranged for them to see some classes which was pretty cool for my teachers as well as for my parents. Training martial arts in Japan is a lot different from my experiences in North America, after all, and it was nice to share that with someone who can compare the two.

They also got to meet almost all of my friends, both foreign and Japanese, on one night or another. I even dragged them out to a battle of the bands at a local bar where I sometimes help out. I actually ended up working the bar that night so I was surprised that they stayed out quite late on their own in such a loud, crowded place. The only problem was that my mother kept trying to help me clean up the bar and even yelled at me for being too slow at one point. Mothers. My father was as usual antisocial, but I am glad he didn’t say anything too embarrassing. He mainly grilled everyone about whether they rode bikes or not and what kind.

Of course, everyone at work knew they were coming so my boss insisted I bring them around. I don’t think they expected the kind of reception they got, and were even sort of embarrassed (as I sometimes am) at how generous and kind everyone at the center is. There were ceremonies, presents, and numerous tea drinkings in their honour. I had to spend a few hours dragging them around to meet everyone and even the head director wanted to have tea with us. The only difficulty here was that I was often the only translator and while I may have passable Japanese for simple situations, trying to understand and translate complex cultural questions proved a little difficult. Luckily everyone was forgiving, and sometimes I just simply made stuff up so that things would be easier. A typical conversation went something like this:
Approximation of question asked in Japanese: `how do you find the cultural aspects of Japan are showcased in its ancient capitals and what impression of the Japanese people do they give you?`
My answer (mangled Japanese, and having understood only half of previous question):
`uuuum…..Japan culture? Yes. We like Japan culture. It….interesting. Very….fun`.
*big hopeful smile*

At the end of their time here I was getting quite used to having a full house again though, and it was nice to come home to a clean home and food everyday. At the same time, it made me realize how much I have come to value my alone time as well. All in all, I gained more than I lost…..especially since I rescued my poor green purse (which my mother claims makes me look like a whore due to the fact that its falling apart and is, well, bright green in colour) from the garbage, in my parents` failed attempt to get rid of it.

My friends` reactions to my parents was also funny – everyone was surprised that my mother does in fact sound exactly like how I imitate her – heavy Croatian accent, and constantly claiming that she is dying from some disease or other.

All in all good times, but as soon as they were on the train on Friday, I definitely deserved the night of drinking that I got!

Transitional Euphoria and other leftovers from the good ol` party days....

2007-05-23T18:22:00.000-07:00

It`s amazing how much of an affect a three day work week can have on my mood -- I have been positively euphoric the last few days. Partially it`s the weather being gorgeous and my tan coming along nicely, but it`s also my parents coming for a visit, and many exciting things planned both within Japan before I leave and after Japan when I go to Europe for a bit before finally going back to Toronto. Notice, I didn`t say before finally going home. I don`t know when that happened, but I don`t see Toronto as home anymore. Whether it is the fact that my brother and parents moved away from there since me coming to Japan, or whether it`s just been too long since I`ve been gone, the fact is it no longer feels like a place I can go back to and make a life. Maybe I will change my mind when I go back, but likely I will just move on the the next place. I do have big plans for the future, but time will tell.

My parents arrive tomorrow and then we are off to Kyoto for some historical sightsteeing (i.e. me secretly drinking cold sake from a waterbottle as they obliviously galavant about ancient temples). After a few days I plan on bringing them back to Nagasaki where I am looking forward to introducing them to everyone, though I am a little anxious about how they will react to `the boys`. I am also dragging them to a battle of the bands event here, which my mother easily agreed to much to my surprise, until I later realized it`s because she thinks it`s an orchestral performance of some sort -- I plan on letting her keep that misconception until after the doors are closed and they have no way out of the venue...

My whole body is buzzing with the anticipation of things to come these days. In the back of my mind there are still some things to resolve and deal with but for the time being they have been pushed back in favour of `action mode`. It`s a good feeling.

I like pain

2007-05-13T19:37:00.000-07:00

Well party-wise it was a quietish weekend – screaming karaoke and drunken trampoline jumping are the only hallmarks of the past two nights out. However, nature adventure wise – this weekend kicked some serious anus. On Saturday me and the girls went wakeboarding at our friend Nori`s shop. We stayed over at his on the Friday as well because the shop is right on the bay and has a huge trampoline to practice wakeboarding moves on. I almost killed myself trying to do front flips, which also quickly degenerated into trampoline sumo with the others – a highly safe sport, I assure you.

My first attempt at wakeboarding was less than glorious and left me feeling as if my arms had been ripped out. My second attempt was not much different and ended with a face plant into the sea. The other girls (most notably Shawna and Courtney) seemed to be naturals at it and had no trouble getting up and even attempting tricks. My start was slower but eventually I did manage to stand on the board and even be pulled along for a few seconds before once again planting it into the salt waters. Ah well, I plan on going again coz it was fun as hell!

Sunday was spent in a more relaxed way tanning at a waterfall. The water was still quite cold but given that I had swam there in March I felt like I could afford to give it a go. It was refreshing to say the least…and I fear that the cold it took me all last week to get over may now be back in full force. I guess I am just not that good at saying no to temptation!

This weekend a friend from Toronto is coming to visit me and the week after my parents are coming down! I`m excited to have visitors – seeing Japan through people new to it is always amusing and also it will be nice to see family. I might just drag my parents to some extreme sports…

In-tents Golden Week Adventures

2007-05-07T22:35:00.000-07:00

Well, my second (and probably last for a while) Golden Week has come and gone and summer seems to have fully set in here again. I had an amazing time over the past week and I gotta say, I don’t regret choosing to travel within Japan rather than heading out of the country on holiday – gotta make the last few months count!

For the first part of last week I went down to Miyazaki with Courtney and Kara for surfing. We hitchhiked there, which was an interesting experience. The guy who picked us up first was kinda strange but was only gonna drive us a half an hour to the expressway from the Kumamoto ferry port. However, as we talked to him in the car, he suddenly decided to drive us all the way there and on the regular roads – a 4 hour trip one way!—even though he had work the next day and so would have had to drive back to Kumamoto that evening. We were amazed at our luck but figured the guy was the lonely sort and was just happy to have three young women in the car on a sunny day. I actually quite liked him, and we chatted about the X-files and extraterrestrial life while Kara spent half the trip throwing up out of the back of the car (we had gone drinking the night before in Shimabara) and Courtney spent most of the time trying not to laugh at my nerd connection with our driver.

We arrived in Miyazaki in the early evening and after setting up camp on the beach, quickly changed into our swim clothes and ran to the sea. It was amazing and refreshing! That night there was a candle festival going on near the beach so we decided to check it out. There were candles and various lights everywhere, arranged in different patterns in this gorgeous Japanese garden. The effect was enchanting and we spent a lot of time taking it in. Finally though, our tiredness and hunger took over and we headed for the local Izakaya where we had a great traditional Japanese meal.

We woke up early the next morning and headed to the surf shop. The guy rented us boards and gave us a pretty extensive lesson, and in Japanese at that. I also bought a really cool rash guard so that I could look the part of a surfer…even though I had only tried the sport once before. Image counts, people!

The waves weren’t huge but we did get a few good rounds in all the same. I even managed to stand on the board a few times! That night we were exhausted after all day in the ocean and finished with a seaside onsen and a wine and cheese party on the beach. The following day we spent touring the nearby volcanic island and going for a long distance swim before heading back towards Kumamoto.

All in all, it was incredibly refreshing and I am now completely addicted to surfing. I am going to go to Miyazaki at least one more time before I leave Japan.

The second half of the week was a different kind of animal. I went with the boys (Aaron, Julian and Mike) to a large outdoor hippie fest in the mountains near Aso (an active volcano). It took us forever to get there (and most of us were already drunk when we arrived) but it was worth it. There must have been something like 1000 people in the camp, and it was an almost even mix of foreigners and Japanese people. We set up our tents quickly and headed for the main stage area. Over the course of several days we met up with tons of people we knew as well as befriended a bunch of new people. We drank, ate, sang, danced and generally had a great time. Lots of people had little booths set up in tents where they were selling anything from jewelry to chai, to curries, to hemp products. Many people sat in front of bonfires just playing African drums or acoustic guitar and people joined in if they felt like it.

I spent most of my time with Sachiko and Kazuya, and Kazuya`s two kids though. They are friends from Shimabara whom I totally adore and rarely get to see these days. They had come really prepared so they had a grill and chairs and tarp set up, which was good because a lot of the time it was raining and windy and they had a little safe haven.

It was an amazing experience, drifting from one campfire and tent to another, walking in the rain and the mud completely out of it. However, by the time Saturday rolled around I was starting to get a little sick from not having been dry in several days and so I was sort of relieved when all the boys agreed to head home. Getting out was a bit of a struggle though, as the rains had made the roads mud and we had to push several cars through it to get out. I was completely covered in mud when it was all done! Thankfully there was an onsen nearby, so we stopped there before heading home. They were not all that happy to see a group of muddy gaijin in their pristine baths, but hey, that’s what the pre-showering is for, right?

All in all, the whole week was organic and nature-y. In other words, kinda a step away from the norm for me. I probably spent more time in a tent in that past week than I have in my entire life. I felt at one with nature – and let me tell you, by the end of the week, I certainly smelled `natural`. It was really, truly, great – but at the same, coming back to Nagasaki and going out for dinner in normal clothes, clean, dry and in a nice restaurant felt wonderful as well. Long live variety!

Reflecting before Golden Week

2007-04-27T00:30:00.000-07:00

BAAAAAAAHHH!!! Ok. That feels better. Sometimes I try too hard to be composed and need to let a little crazy out.

So I have to leave Japan in a few months and I am realizing that both logistically and emotionally that is going to be no easy task. So much to do! In addition, when my contract finishes at the end of July, I have a wedding to go to, a possible trip to China to still carry out, a long overdue visit to my home country of Croatia as well as trips to the UK and Austria to take care of. I have to figure out where I will live when I finally get back to Toronto sometime in October and what I will do with, well, everything. I have to get letters of recommendation and apply to graduate programs. I have to choose a program first – but even a location would help coz both Vancouver and Vienna are in the running at the moment. Relations or development? Business or diplomacy? Travel or career? Money or meaning? And on and on and on and on. Ok. I have to breathe. I know it will be fine….right? RIGHT??

The truth is though, I am not so worried about all this today. Why? Because it’s Friday. And not just any Friday, but the start of Golden Week – the big holiday week in Japan. I have most of next week off so I am leaving tonight for Miyazaki down in the south to go surfing for a few days. For the latter part of the week I am going to a big outdoor music fest at the foot of a volcano with the boys. Basically I will be living in a tent for the next couple of days, and that is fine by me!

I am always confronted by the abundance of good things in life, despite the minor setbacks that occur. Why then, as an excitement and novelty seeker did the fates curse me with sentimentality, romanticism, attachment and worst of all overthinking? Something I will never know….but what I do know is that I must keep moving. I must keep living, exploring, and learning. Boredom, stagnation, understimulation – those are my enemies. I am determined that when I look back on my life it may be with longing, but it will never, ever be with regret.

So when I come back from surfing, I may be battered and bruised, but you bet your ass I`ll pass out with a smile on my face! (um...wish me luck all the same....)

Megaphones make me murderous....

2007-04-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

So it’s election time over here in Japan. Now, for a country that prides itself on its demure politeness and whose culture places emphasis on not upsetting others, election time here is surprisingly one of the most annoying things I have ever experienced. Each party, and there seem to be whole lot of them, sends its people throughout the country (even to normally sleepy towns) in large vans and trucks to promote themselves. These trucks are filled to the brim with enthusiastic party members who use megaphones to shout complete nonsense (basically a continual stream of `please`s and `thank you`s) out the windows in the loudest, and most annoying tone of voice ever. And it goes on all day, everyday. It kept me from sleeping-in this weekend, and somewhat ruined the lovely park day that would have otherwise been spent in peace and quiet. It forces me to keep turning up and turning down the volume on my TV at home as the trucks pass. It makes my head hurt and basically makes me want to get psychotically violent – it also makes me wonder where the megaphone factories are located so that I could perhaps go and commit arson on them.

Well election van ranting aside the perfect weekends continued. The highlight of this weekend was actually doing a naked wheelbarrow race around my apartment block thanks to the deadly drinking game `circle of death` on Friday night. I am sure my neighbours have a very low opinion of me already, seeing as how I once forgot to separate my plastic from my paper trash, and this probably did nothing to elevate me in their eyes.

On Saturday the boys, as well as Kara’s band `Siren`, performed at the Crazy Horse in Nag. It was a great show, but I have a pet peeve against the Crazy Horse since these events always get waaaay too packed for such a small place and I start to feel hot, sticky and somewhat vulnerable, especially if I am wearing a skirt. After the show we headed to a DJ event also put on by friends and thankfully that was less packed. I was in a strange mood though, and kept trying to engage people in serious, deep conversation while everyone else was clearly just trying to have a good time. I think it’s just my brain crying out for intellectual stimulation, perhaps I should buy some brain puzzles or something to make sure what brain cells I have left don’t atrophy.

Sunday was curry and park day. It was nice and relaxing but involved mild injury via zip line, which was totally worth it. I also watched `Blood Diamond` finally. I am really interested in Africa these days because I don’t know enough about the continent and it seems to be a very fascinating place. I also miss my friend Jen`s lectures on the subject, though she still sends me an article about conflicts and politics in Africa here and there. I feel strangely drawn to go to the place. Maybe because it is the cradle of humanity and all, or maybe just coz I haven’t been there yet. In any case, I am sure I will spend some time in Africa at some point in the near future.

come dolphin, let`s look out the window of this moving car....

2007-04-09T19:57:00.000-07:00

I have been staring at a blank word page for so long that I am starting to consider the little dolphin helper (which I think might be unique to the Japanese version of word) in the top corner as a friend. It honestly warms my heart a little when he flaps his pixilated fins and pretends to shake water off his back. Clearly, lesson planning is not going so well today. Compared to high school lesson planning, I find it much harder to think of good activities for elementary school classes, yet I am supposed to have a book of effective lessons compiled, printed and collated by the time that I leave the center at the end of July. At least I am finally busy again.

The past weekend was, surprise, yet again a good one. They are starting to run together a bit at this point but there really is nothing like waking up with large piles of people around you who don’t judge you no matter how cracked out or rough you look, and going for a nice Sunday curry at Nagasaki’s best Indian restaurant.

New thing I learned this weekend: trampolines are hilariously fun! Why did I wait so long to try one out? Probably because I don’t often run into random trampolines….

More highlights of the weekend include: `dancing for dick` atop a cliff overlooking the sea; watching one of my friends being dry humped by a really old man, then humped by another friend, and eventually….humped by me; using a paper clip in new and inventive ways; fashioning hats out of random objects; writing bad poetry on a napkin in a deserted bar that some random person will find sometime in the future; trying and repeatedly failing not to bitch about men with the girls; illegally (but unknowingly) pulling up into a no-drive zone in front of a museum and making a friend dance reggae until being chased off by security; and wondering why all roads lead to Nagayo and yet we still got lost following a straight line trying to find a BBQ party there….

The Sakura are on their way out, and so summer is on the way in. Soon the parties will move to the beach, and I will hopefully tan myself into a colour that can wear the mistakenly dark make up powder that I purchased this weekend....more good times await! As the time of departure comes nearer though, I feel a bit as if my life is the landscape outside a moving car -- a colourful, but fast moving blur of objects and events.

Sexy Sakura!

2007-04-02T21:19:00.000-07:00

My favourite Japanese season is here – Sakura! The cherry blossoms are in full bloom and the weather is warm enough for laying in the park under the blossoms in just a t-shirt. A bunch of us took yesterday (Monday) off for just that purpose. As we walked through a Japanese garden in the shadow of an ancient castle, the scene was made even more magical by the falling pink-white cherry blossoms – it was a view almost too beautiful to be real. Hayden played the guitar for some kids as Sandy braided my hair. Shawna and Aaron tried to figure out how to use a Japanese toy with the help of some old Japanese guy. Nearby a group of seniors played the shamisen and danced around doing a coordinated dance. Everything around us screamed `Japan!` -- well maybe not screamed, more like politely whispered while complementing us on our chopstick skills.

The rest of the weekend was rainy but it was still an amazing time. I stayed at a friend’s place in Nagasaki city and there was much fun and randomness though my liver is currently hanging on for dear life. There was dancing, handcuffing to prison bars, snack clubbing, drinking in the park, playing dirty card games, and even going to a classical concert where a friend sang opera. I also met two more Croatian Navy guys, which meant I drank a lot for free and got to practice my native language – they were really surprised to find another Croatian in a place like Nagasaki, as was I! Some parts of the weekend are a blur, but luckily there is photo evidence to refresh my memory (most of which will only be seen by a very select few, who will later be sworn to secrecy upon penalty of death). Today I have an office party to go to and tomorrow I am going wall-climbing with the girls followed by some healthy cooking. In fact, I would say life was pretty perfect right now – if only all the booze wasn’t making me fatter than a whale with binge eating disorder. I shall just have to jog more to compensate….or else heavily photoshop future pictures of me in a bikini.

saru wa haato o nusumimashita (a monkey stole my heart)....

2007-03-25T21:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I played with monkeys at the Nagasaki bio-park. I also played with large rodent like animals, but I forgot what they are called and am too lazy to look it up right now. Who knew that exotic petting zoos could be so much fun though?? A thorougly enjoyable day the only downside to which was watching the horrendeous movie `the Holiday` and cringeing at it`s complete stupidity. Figures that the first movie I see in a theater in like 6 months has to be of the sort that makes you want to throw yourself down a steep flight of stairs. Ah well, the day still had a lot more good than bad in it -- how can a day with monkeys not?

Today I came back to work after a week off due to an eye infection and was greeted by a standing ovation! I have to say, nothing makes you feel quite as special as a room full of people clapping at you and congratulating you on basically being sick for a week. Things, I will miss.

It is the end of the Japanese school year over here as well so we are getting a bunch of new people at the center and losing some old ones. One of my favourite collegues is moving departments but she will still be in the same building. We promised to keep up our language exchange. Today she taught me the word `nusumu` and I in turn taught her the English translation, which is `to steal`. The explanation was done entirely through sign language. Since this co-worker is my gossip buddy I explained to her that in English we have an expression for falling in love using that verb, i.e. `he stole my heart`. She pointed out that you can say the same thing in Japanese with `nusumu`. Then she looked off into the distance kinda sadly and said that she wished someone would steal her heart, and that she had even left `the door open` to make it easier. She said this in Japanese and both her delivery and the methapor were quite comical. I responded that my heart was by contrast a high security facility, with nothing short of a high powered laser having any chance of getting through. Of course, any wit this might have contained was ruined by the fact that I had to gesture, mime, and draw diagrams in order to explain all that. I think she may have been left with the impression that I spent time in jail and that my heart shoots laser beams....the joys of communication.

Driving to the center today I noticed a few cherry blossoms on the trees finally. Hopefully that means the sakura will be in full bloom by this coming weekend!

Mou natsukashii.....

2007-03-11T22:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I sat in a patio bar at Dejima wharf in Nagasaki city with some of my closest friends at the moment. All in all a very awesome group of people. Some of us are leaving this summer and some staying though, so I was trying not to get sentimental about being one of the leavers. We sat drinking beer, talking and laughing and then a guitar appeared. The boys started playing, then a drum box was discovered and that was put to good use as well. By the end everyone was singing and clapping together as the sun set over Nagasaki Bay, leaving the glimmering city lights to reflect off the ocean water. It was a really, really perfect Sunday, yet again.

Today I came into work with a bit of a hangover but was happy to see my co-workers. It was trash picking day (community service is pretty widespread here) and so we went outside in the sun to pick garbage. I was assigned the area near Omura castle and went with one of my favourite co-workers. We were speaking in Japanese for 10 minutes before I realized that I had not had any trouble understanding her the whole time. I had been replying in half English and half-Japanese and she had understood me as well (she doesn’t really speak English). Her comment was `it’s amazing that we understand each other at all!`. I had to agree.

I find recently that I don’t fear the future as much as I used to. There are so many stories, and moments and images of beauty in life that create this luxurious tapestry of experience. I want to live it all, to drink it all in, and to have the memories to fall back on when I am sitting on a beach somewhere in my old age. Hopefully even then I will be surrounded by good friends who like to drink, sing and laugh.

At least somebody loves me....

2007-03-06T22:13:00.000-08:00

I love elementary school days. They are by far my favourite day of the week for both amusement and self-worth reasons.

Today one of my ni-nensei (adorable 8 year old) girls came up to me and said the following (in Japanese of course):
Little Yuki: Lana-sensei taught us about monkeys today.
Me: Yes, I did. Do you like monkeys?
Little Yuki: *nods* I love monkeys. *hugs me*. I love Lana-sensei!

It was strangely soothing and it also made me realized that I don`t get hugged nearly enough these days. And I do have to admit, monkeys are pretty cool as well.

But of course, the kids they giveth and they taketh away. Later today, during school lunch, I was eating with the 2-1 class and one of the little girls asked me the following:
Little Akiko: Does rice make you fat?
Me: Um *surprised and not sure I understood correctly* I don`t know...
Little Akiko: Does Lana-sensei eat a lot of rice?
(ok now what exactly is she trying to say?? Luckily a smile and change of topic to which animal she likes best got her off of that train of thought).

Thailand Pics!

2007-02-27T02:55:00.000-08:00

Ok! I have pics of Thailand but there were too many to post on here (and I am lazy) so I put them on Flickr. They are also not in proper order.....but check 'em out! http://www.flickr.com/photos/24035149@N00/.

Sea Urchin Dreams

2007-02-27T02:26:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about dreams today. Not the kind that happen when you sleep but the kind that you have for the future. Mine are not very clear at the moment at all, but I am trying to compartmentalize and take it a few months at a time.

Some people however, have very clear dreams. I asked a co-worker of mine what his was and whether he has fulfilled it and he answered this – (translated roughly from Japanese) “I wish to drink Uni (sea urchin) from a large parfait glass with a straw”. At first I thought that my Japanese was failing me and that I had misunderstood but I confirmed it shortly after. Then I assumed he was joking and explained again what I meant by dream but he replied that he was serious. He had never really wanted to travel. He did not crave lots of money or fame. He loves his family and kids. But when he thinks of his future and his ultimate happiness, well it consists of sucking down on raw sea creatures from a dessert glass.

Life and our experiences of it are all so relative. I envy my co-worker. I wish I had such a clear dream. And I also wish I had dreams that could be fulfilled by a trip to the supermarket.

Pics!

2007-02-14T00:42:00.000-08:00

Ok, for those of you who complain I never post pics....here ya go! Some of the ones half way through are outta order...but you'll figure it out. Thailand pics to come soon!

2007-02-14T00:40:00.000-08:00

At our favourite crappy izakaya in Nag....Shawna helps Aaron put large objects in his mouth

At a russian hostess bar.....

2007-02-14T00:38:00.000-08:00

Meg is a fellow Canadian, and completely adorable. Hayden however.....

Surrounded by boys.....ah life can be sweet ;)

Surrounded by girls AND boys.....

Ok....now I am just being crushed....

2007-02-14T00:35:00.000-08:00

Hmmm....some of us are clearly more drunk than others....

Shawna gets ready to violate an unsuspecting Meg...

The boys show us their titties....

We think our tits look hotter....

2007-02-14T00:33:00.000-08:00

Kara, Shawna, Moi.

Spooning like little puppies (6 of us had slept in one bed on the floor)

The morning after on the tram.

2007-02-14T00:27:00.000-08:00

I can't believe she did this...but this is Shawna wiping herself on a shirt in a store.....

Shawna and Hayden re-enact Dirty Dancing....sans water...

Aaron demonstrates kata guruma (shoulder wheel)

Hand stands in the park -- what a perfect Monday off!

2007-02-14T00:17:00.000-08:00

Someone had written on my chest....and on this poor guy's face.

Some people just can't hold their booze...this dude passed out right next to us and right inside
his udon bowl.

The morning after....Aaron wakes up completely covered in marker.

The worst train ride ever.....beyond full and suffocatingly hot, with a hangover.

2007-02-14T00:14:00.000-08:00

Crazy chick with a random hottie (he was a soccer player..mmmm)

The boys again....

I'm such a groupie...

Omg, these girls were hilarious....as is the look on Hayden's face.

2007-02-14T00:13:00.000-08:00

A crazy masked Japanese lady takes us to a bar and buys us drinks...

Yee-haaawww, bitches!

Naoko, Shawna, and random dude we met.

Aaron and Hayden take the stage....

2007-02-14T00:09:00.000-08:00

before snowboardin' for the first time....

after snowboardin' for the first time and a night of drinking...

party time in Nag...Naoko always seems shocked in these pics but girl knows how to get down.

2007-02-14T00:05:00.000-08:00

We were trashed on a wednesday and went bowling....I hate bowling.

Complain enough about not getting any lovin' and Aaron will give you some pity action....

Did I mention that I hate bowling?

After my 10th gutterball....

No money, but lots of luck.

2007-02-12T23:26:00.000-08:00

It’s Tuesday and I only have 4 days of work this week – thank god for little mercies. I will be posting a bunch of pictures soon though thanks to the kindness of others. I will also be buying a new camera as soon as I get paid. Damn money just flows out of my hands like water these days, but what can ya do?

In other news, I had an awesome long weekend! I have been having awesome weekends for the past few months though so I gotta start knocking on wood when I say that. I went to the mountains of Oita for some more snowboarding (and learned to turn/stop on the front edge, woo hoo – though I paid for this dearly by heavily bruising my ass and right knee). Had a great party night in a hip-hop club in Oita city; Onsen day in Beppu (where it was so warm and sunny that we actually lay naked in the sunshine outside!) and then came back to Nag and went out again (ending up at a bar with Russian hostesses hard at work). I woke up spooning six people in a 2 meter wide space and felt as at peace as a newborn puppy. I have to say I really love some of the people around me here right now – things are always more fun when you have a good group to share them with. The Monday off I spent relaxing in a park near Dejima wharf in Nag, and as I lay in the grass in my t-shirt I sighed a bit thinking about how cold I will be in Toronto same time next year.

Tomorrow is Valentines` day and I am really feeling the love, though not the romantic kind. I am loving the single life these days! Maybe it’s the fact that the weather has been gorgeous or that I have so much to do, but I am not gonna question how happy I am right now. Instead I will work on becoming a snowboarding pro before all the snow melts in the mountains, and by that time I will be ready to work on my surfing again!

Aging but Optimistic.

2007-02-01T21:10:00.000-08:00

I find it so weird that as I get older I start to get drawn more and more into things that I used to hate and make fun of. Dinner parties are a perfect example of this. Just a few years ago I was ready to drop everything and go three days without sleep in order to have a crazy weekend on the town, which involved more than anything else visiting club after club, then going to an after-hours, then somebody’s apartment for a shower, before heading out again the following night. I still have crazy party nights, mind you, but I find they are no longer the three day benders they used to be. I like to spice things up these days with tamer evenings.

People use all kinds of markers to measure themselves getting old, but I think for me, my recent fondness for dinner parties are what marked my exit out of youth and into full mature adulthood. And to think that I used to laugh at the mere suggestion of wasting a Friday or Saturday having a polite conversation over a nice meal with a bunch of good friends. In fact, the very idea took a while for me to comprehend – “you mean, we’re just supposed to…..sit there?? And ….talk?” used to be a typical response of mine to mention of a party of the dinner kind. Well things change, and now I love the damn things.

So, as you can probably guess, that was how I spent my Friday night – dinner party at mine. I even cooked (well, I made two dips, but still). However, I am not totally domesticated and so the following night was spent in Fukuoka partying my ass off until the wee hours of the morning. Life is about balance after all.

Fukuoka, as usual, did not disappoint. There were about 8 of us in total (with people coming and going as the night progressed) as we moved around the city with one mission in mind. I had a cold, but that didn’t stop me nor slow me down all that much – I just wore an extra layer of clothes and my beer tracksuit (to borrow a phrase from a friend).

We met a crazy Japanese lady who took us to an American bar, bought us drinks and then proceeded to stripper dance on a nearby table. The bar was also filled with gorgeous young Japanese university students, who were majoring in sports sciences. I remember trying to talk to a soccer player, a martial arts guy and a baseball player in Japanese, giving up, and then just staring at them and their fit bodies and smiling the rest of the night. It didn’t take long for the boys (Aaron and Hayden) to notice guitars sitting by the wall at this place, and so sure enough they were soon performing rock hits with the owner of the bar playing along on drums. Only in Japan.

Eventually we moved on to the clubs and proceeded to dance the rest of the night away. There was some kind of marker writing thing going on so some people bought white t-shirts so others could write on them. Shawna and Naoko each bought one. I didn’t and woke up with the word `sexy` written in bold letters across my chest. Aaron woke up with his body completely covered in marker with various phrases in both Japanese and English attesting to his overly large manly parts and his love for Japanese men. Good times.

January and February are generally horrible months for me. I am therefore happy to report that this is probably the best winter I have had in a long while. Like a young girly-boy from East Berlin with his first taste of American candy – I suddenly feel so optimistic.

Snowboarding -- It always hurts the first time

2007-01-28T20:46:00.000-08:00

I used to hate winter sports with a passion. Might have something to do with the fact that as a kid I had tackled a black diamond hill after only a day’s worth of ski lessons, and then proceed to try to steer using the `snow plough` method (skis in, making a `V`) while going about 100 km/h. It didn’t go so well. Thank god there were large bags of leaves marking the way – I managed to grab one of these and hold on tight as I rolled down the rest of the hill, my skis sliding gracefully ahead of me. As I slid to a stop at the base of the hill my mother came running up to me pale and clearly on the verge of heart failure at having witnessed the whole thing, and when she saw I was alive, started to yell at my brother for having let me go on one of the toughest slopes. The bag of leaves had to be pried away from my arms. I was around 14 when all this happened and I had not set foot on a ski slope since then.

The thing is though, Japan has lots of good skiing and snowboarding places really close by and it seems that everyone goes. It is the thing to do in winter. Last year I managed to avoid going by hibernating in Shimabara with a bottle of whiskey. Though I did go hiking in the ice of Unzen one time, which turned out to be lots of fun. This year however, having been persuaded through Aaron`s numerous tales of winter fun, I decided to finally give snowboarding a try.

And so it was, last Saturday morning, Aaron, Hayden, Shawna and I all set out for Tenzan, which is a small ski resort about two hours away. Aaron and Hayden are like pros and can do all kinds of fancy crap with their boards. Shawna didn’t have much experience but given that she’s one of those people that can annoyingly do anything she tries well, she was soon taking her board off jumps and stuff too.

As for me, I went to the bunny slope, tied myself in, tried to stand up, slipped, and slid into an ungraceful pile with my board now lying on top. Trying kindly not to laugh at me, Aaron offered to give me some lessons. Lucky for me, the guy is a good teacher and soon I had learned to stand up, stop and slowly turn. After an hour Aaron thought I was ready to tackle the real hills. Suddenly getting flashbacks to my youthful experience I looked at him apprehensively. He appealed to my pride though (by insinuating that my samurai spirit was lacking) and so soon I was defiantly, though nervously, sitting on a ski lift to the top of the mountain.

Getting off the lift is no easy thing either and Aaron warned me that I would fall because everyone does. Still a fall would have been a step up from the face-first-board-over-head, highly unladylike flop that resulted. On top of that, my tangled body couldn’t move fast enough out of the way after and so the people behind me on the lift ended up taking flips over the obstacle that was me, resulting in a bit of a mountainous pile up. I felt sheepish, but after a few billion `Sumimasen`s and `Gommennasai!!`s, I was finally ready to descend the slope.

The first time down was slow and I spent more of the descent on my ass than on the snowboard. The second time was a lot better though, and by the third and fourth times I was doing something that actually resembled snowboarding. And you know what? I loved it! It is one of the most fun things I have ever tried and I totally want to keep doing it. Over the next few weeks I already have two more trips planned.

That night, after a brief stop at a much needed onsen (I am getting very good at power-onsening lately) the four of us were ready to go out. We went to a packed party in Nag and proceeded to get drunk. I was exhausted but managed to bounce back with some music and a few drinks. The next morning was a whole other matter though – immediately upon waking I suddenly became aware of the fact that I couldn’t move at all. Everything hurt and large parts of me were bruised as well. The next few days were decidedly painful but I pulled through. I am hoping next time will be a faster recovery time, but thankfully I just got a new shipment of Canadian grade painkillers, so if it’s not, I will be too drugged up to know.

Winter Vacation: 16 Days in Thailand!!

2007-01-14T18:25:00.000-08:00

As I sit here writing this in the damp, bone-chilling cold that is the Japanese winter, the only thing that proves to me that my 16 day trip to the land of sun and smiles was not just a fantasy is the fact that I am rather tanned from my recent days in the sun and I am also sporting a new tattoo, which was done in traditional Thai style. Just a few days ago however, I was sunning myself on white-sand beaches, riding on elephants, bartering in crazy night bazaars, jet-skiing over clear blue waters, bathing in waterfalls and ending my nights (or rather mornings) with insane parties on the beach.

Well it was a hell of a trip, and so this is going to be a bit of a long entry. If you have the time and inclination, read-on, and if not, I suppose you could always wait for me to post the pictures (though, as always, the best parts of the story have no pictures attached because I feel if you have enough time to take pictures you are not having as much fun as you could be).

It began in Bangkok

It was Thursday evening when we finally arrived in the smoggy humidity that is Bangkok. As soon as we cleared customs and ventured outside the airport to try to find a taxi we were accosted by legions of `limousine` drivers trying to trick us into taking one of their cars instead of the official taxis at 5 times the regular price. Luckily, I had done my research and knew to avoid the multitudes of solicitors and look for the official taxi stand on the ground floor. This was a bit more stressful than anticipated though, especially after having lived in polite, calm Japan for so long. However, it didn’t take too long for me to jump from `bowing` mode to `shoving arseholes out of my way` mode with the proper motivation. After all, with my Croatian blood, the latter is a much more natural state of being for me.

Bangkok is big, dirty, loud, aggressive and hot. It is so alive though. Within moments of being in the city I felt like my energy level had jumped up several notches and I found myself intoxicated by the exotic craziness. The death-defying taxi ride to our hostel took about 30 minutes and ended up costing the equivalent of $2. Already, I was loving this place.

Our first hostel was great. It cost about $4 per night and had a bar/restaurant and even a swimming pool and garden in a converted old Thai house.

After showering and changing we immediately decided to head out and explore our neighbourhood. Our first meal consisted of a whole fish boiled in garlic and chillies, chicken with sweet chilli sauce and some Singha beer. It was amazing, though both Nicole and I were dying from the fact that our taste buds had grown accustomed to the blandness of Japanese food, and so were having a hard time dealing with the sudden appearance of spice.

During the next two days in Bangkok we walked around most of the city because I didn’t want to deal with the hassle of scheming tuk-tuk drivers. However, they still harassed us in droves as we walked by, and sometimes followed us for several meters asking `where you go miss??` and `good price, good price`. I must admit, it was nice to be a bitch to people again. It’s very cathartic.

The daytime highlights of Bangkok for me were the Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kew. That is some of the most stunning architecture I have ever seen and the palace and temple grounds were so ornate and amazingly taken care of that I was left in awe.

By contrast, we spent our nights in Bangkok on the infamous Khao San road. Located near the center of the city, this road is an open street market lined with restaurants, bars and clubs and is packed with backpackers and other travellers from around the world. Everyone drinks on the streets, barters for deals on various goods, gets cheap Thai massages and watches the random performers. It’s kinda like Mardi Gras, but with shopping.

On the night before leaving Bangkok, we had decided to be adventurous and go down to Patpong, the sex district of Bangkok. Before doing that, however, we eased into a seedier mood by visiting a transsexual cabaret. This consisted of really, really convincing, half-naked ladyboys. I mean these guys REALLY looked like women. Gorgeous women at that (I have seen a lot of drag shows before, and let me say that I have never been confused as to the actual gender of the performers until this show). I know there were some married men in the audience who were probably questioning their sexualities after that. It was a lot of fun to watch though, and was overall a very interesting experience.

When we finally got down to the Patpong sex district, I must say I was rather disappointed. I don’t know what I was expecting but suddenly being surrounded by men with `sex menus` containing such options as `fuckey-fuckey show` and `wet pussy shoot dart`, and having said men scream various profanities at me in order to come get me watch, ended up being rather intimidating. All I wanted was to see a girl shoot a ping-pong ball out of her nether regions for curiosity’s sake, but seeing some of the girls and the overall dirtyness of the place ended up being too much for me. I mean, if I felt dirty about it, you can just imagine what it was like; after all, I ain`t no blushing flower. In the end we didn’t end up going to the shows, and people we ran into later who had gone said they were pretty much horrible experiences and that the women were clearly being exploited. Still, I spent most of that evening trying to work out in my head just how a woman goes about shooting something out of there. That would be a cool party trick to have.

Running away from the slightly overwhelming Patpong, we headed for the west river banks. Our plan was to take a river cruise and relax a bit in the night-lit Bangkok scenery. The riverside was gorgeous, but both Nicole and I were wishing we were there with significant others at that point, coz the setting was so romantic. When we got to the pier to wait for our boat however, we noticed we were the only ones waiting. After a half an hour, a boat, if one could call it that, finally showed up. It was basically an over glorified barge crowded with people and animals and looked like it was only held together with pieces of string. We were sceptical but since there seemed to be no other options we hopped on. We figured if it was just a water taxi we could follow it down a few stops at least and then get off. The lady who came around to ask us for our fare seemed a bit confused as to why we were there and asked where we were going. We tried to say we just wanted to follow the boat and laughing, she asked `tour? tour?` to which we answered `yes!`. Still chuckling, the lady told us it would cost 20 baht ($0.60) and that it would be `very nice tour`. At this point we were a little confused and suspicious at the laughing, but we figured we would just sit back and enjoy the ride. Well as it turns out, the reason the woman had been laughing is that the boat was in fact a ferry and its sole purpose was to go back and forth between the two river banks (a distance of maybe 100 meters). It didn’t take us too long to realize this, especially when we had come back twice to the same port within 5 minutes and the rest of the passengers were trying to muffle their laughter at the stupid tourists. I actually found the whole experience hilarious, and when we got off the boat I gave the old lady (who asked `did you enjoy tour??` between chuckles) a 100 baht just for the hell of it, and told her that it was the best tour ever. We ended that night by having a few drinks on Khao San before heading off to sleep so that we would be well rested for the beginning of our long journey in the morning.

The next day we slowly headed north by train. It was Christmas Eve and it was dusty and hot.

Ayyutthuya: Christmas Eve in the Old Capital

By train, it took us half an hour to get to the old capital of Ayyutthuya. The train rolled through the impoverished Bangkok suburbs and gave us a glimpse of how the majority of Thais live – in little shacks made of scrap metal and wood, with holes in the ground for toilets and no hot water. I had never seen such poverty first hand (except for some parts of Croatia, but on a much smaller scale) so it was a bit of an eye opening experience for me.

Arriving in Ayyutthuya we left the train and hired a tuk-tuk to take us to the ruins. We spent the rest of the day walking around the ancient city, which has numerous temple and palace ruins scattered throughout it. Some of these are really well preserved and others not. For me though, it was a much more interesting thing to see than the glittering palace in Bangkok. I love history and you could really feel it in this place. Also, a lot of the temples had Khmer influence in their architecture and I have always wanted to see the Cambodian temple of Angkor Vat so I found it a particularly cool experience.

That night we hopped an overnight sleeper train for Chiang Mai. The journey to the northern mountain city would take about 14 hours. Given that it was Christmas Eve, we partied in the dining car with the other passengers and crew most of that night. We drank Thai beer and listened to classical American Rock as our train thundered north through the wilderness, cooled by the fresh air coming in through the open windows. It was an unusual Christmas, but that night in the tiny sleeper bunk I had one of the best sleeps of the trip.

Chiang Mai

Arriving in Chiang Mai on Christmas morning, we found our way quickly to our beautiful hostel near the river. The Parami Guesthouse is easily one of the nicest places I have ever stayed (especially for the price!) and the owners even helped us find a really awesome jungle trek that was not the typical touristy kind that most people go on (though it still had the requisite Elephant Ride and Bamboo rafting).

In Chiang Mai we decided to take a break from the historical sightseeing and instead treat ourselves to shopping, enjoying some of the northern Thai dishes (I should point out, the whole time in Thailand I could have been in heaven from the food alone) and getting ourselves pampered. I also had the best massage of the trip here, which was basically an hour long, full body, oil massage in a rather ritzy spa, and it still only cost about $20! (Which is of course expensive by Thai standards).

We also decided to go check out some of the nightclubs here because we had heard good things. The first place we went to was packed with European men, most of which had way better hair than me, and were clad in designer goods. We met a couple of cool locals there though, and eventually a Thai guy took us, via a death defying moped ride, to an after-hours that played amazing hip-hop and was packed with all kinds of people. I also got a few drinks off of him, which was rather nice. That night, the last thing I remember was counselling a Thai woman in the bathroom on issues she was having with her boyfriend’s faithfulness – leave it to me. The next day was a bit rough but the comfort of the hostel turned out to be a good way to get over a hangover.

The second night we just hung out and had a few drinks near the river. We had to be fresh for our foray into the jungle after all.

Trekking Adventures

To get to our non-tourist trekking spot we were carted off with 8 others in a rickety truck going north. After 3 or 4 hours of increasingly moving away from all signs of modern civilization, we arrived in our first hill tribe village somewhere near the Burmese/Myanmar border.

The Hill Tribes are small groups of people who live in the mountains and migrate a lot in the isolated regions. They are not Thai, but rather have a unique cultural heritage, and live a rather old fashioned way of life (no electricity, no hot water, etc.). Their income comes from crops that they grow and the various goods that they make. They speak different languages from village to village and often even have slightly different customs from one village to the next.

Our guides thankfully spoke English, Thai and some hillside languages (having come from the tribes themselves) and so we learned quite a bit along the way.

For three days, we walked a gruelling pace up and down the mountainsides, through jungles, streams, mud, etc. It was not a well travelled path and we all had heavy packs on. It was physically one of the most challenging things I have ever done, but it felt really good to be doing it.

We ate what the villagers prepared, which were simple meals but delicious none the less, with the only amenity brought in from outside being cheap beer, which I was more than thankful for. We also had to bathe in waterfalls and cold taps, and given that the mountains were a lot colder (especially at night) than the rest of Thailand had been so far, this was not such a pleasant experience but we survived nonetheless.

One of the coolest experiences I had during this trip was meeting the medicine man of one tribe, who offered local herbal remedies for whatever ailed us. At night, he joined us by the fire and called for the children of the tribe to come and sing for us. It was truly an amazing experience in more ways than one.

Another highlight was riding an elephant for one portion of the trek (which my body was more than thankful for at that point, since I had already banged up my knee pretty bad when I had made a careless step due to sheer exhaustion). It felt weird to step on the poor thing’s head to get on but overall it was fun. On the last day, to get back to the truck, we had to raft down some slow rapids on a bamboo raft. That proved to be rather difficult at parts but also insanely fun.

That evening, exhausted, banged up, sweaty, and covered in parts by mud, Nicole and I strongly endured the 3 hour ride back to Chiang Mai, followed by a plane ride back to Bangkok and then stayed up all night on Khao San road, backpacks still in tow, to catch a 6 am bus ride down to Phuket. Needless to say, by the time we got to the bus, I don’t think a bottle of speed pills could have kept me awake. Luckily we had a VIP bus (with tons of leg room, meal service, AC and even a stewardess) and we could easily sleep the whole 9 hours down to the paradisiacal southern part of Thailand. I dreamt about white sands and blue seas the whole way down.

Phuket Province and New Year’s on the beach

After our VIP bus ride down into Phuket city we were too exhausted to make the further 30 minute trip from Phuket town to the coast towns of Patong, Karon and Kata so we decided to just get some sleep in a hostel and head out first thing in the morning.

Phuket town is a rather seedy and somewhat unattractive little place and so it was fitting that we stayed in the infamously run down On On Hotel (made famous by the novel and movie `The Beach`). The place was rather grungy but in an oddly character giving way, and mostly we were just happy to be able to finally shower and rest. There was no nightlife in the place (save for some dirty old British guys who lecherously eyed us when we ventured into a local pub) but I had some of the best crab I have ever had in my life there.

The next morning we took the earliest bus to the coast and quickly found a hotel in Karon. Within minutes I was changed into my bikini and making a mad dash for the sea. It was everything I had expected. There were lots of people, mostly Europeans, but it wasn’t too crowded. The beach was long, with gorgeous white sand, and clear, light blue water. It was a hot day and we spent it tanning, swimming and relaxing. It was also New Year’s Eve.

That night we got dressed up and decided to head to Patong, which was supposedly famous for nightlife, to try to find a NY’s party. We found it a bit disappointing. After walking around through the crowds of older farang (Thai word for foreigner) men and legions of Thai strippers, prostitutes and ladyboys, we were starting to despair on finding something that would suit our party tastes. I did get to see a really cool Muay Thai match at one point though, but apart from that, it was clear we were not going to find our type of club in Patong.

We considered our options and finally decided to take a tuk-tuk back along the coast to the southern beach town of Kata. It is supposedly more popular with younger backpackers and after a bit of walking we finally found a party on the beach. It was beautiful. People were lighting these balloon candles, which started to drift up into the air when they were lit up from inside. With the backdrop of the night sky and the reflection of the water the effect was beautiful in a very ethereal way. At midnight there was a fireworks show and fire dancers came out, but my memory gets spotty afterwards. Nicole tells me that later on we crashed a super posh Club Med party somehow, but ended the night at a random souvlaki place somewhere closer to our hotel. I don’t remember much, but I woke up with the taste of garlic my mouth.

Ko Phi-Phi – Taking a ferry to Paradise

It was now NYs day and we were on the move again. We had to catch a ferry from Phuket down to the gorgeous islands of Ko Phi-Phi. Truly, I can’t even begin to explain how beautiful it was here but for those of you who have see the movie `the Beach` you should have an idea – it was filmed here.

We arrived in the morning and immediately set to finding a room. Since it’s a small island and a very popular destination, we couldn’t find anything but a dingy box off the beach and paid a very expensive (for Thailand) $20 per night for it. Still, we hardly spent anytime in the room as the island was full of beaches, jungles, restaurants and bars to explore.

On the first day, we trekked through the wilderness to find an isolated beach that we had read about. It took us forever because we kept getting lost, but eventually we found it. It did not disappoint. Clear blue water, soft, white crystal sand, and monkeys coming down from the trees to sun themselves on the rocks. I tried to get rid of my tanline by going topless here, but all it got me was a sunburned chest at the end of the day. A little painful, but nothing some Thai whiskey couldn’t sort out.

The second day there we did one of my favourite things of the trip. We took a boat tour of the island chain and went snorkelling, swimming and sea kayaking in various off shore lagoons. The coral reefs there are amazing so snorkelling was incredible. There are also these huge limestone cliffs that just come out of the ocean and create all kinds of caves along the shore, which makes for quite a dramatically gorgeous effect.

That day we also went to the beach from `The Beach`. That was probably the only disappointing part of the tour, since what was once probably the most beautiful beach in the world is now an overpacked tourist trap filled with people and boats. Still, it was worth seeing. We found many more beautiful and isolated beaches that day as well, so I guess in the end it wasn’t a huge loss.

That night, after a seafood feast, I made my way over to a traditional bamboo tattoo shop that I had discovered. I have always wanted a bamboo tattoo (done by hand, rather than machine, using a long bamboo needle). The guy helped me design a Thai temple fire and soon I was lying on the floor and getting inked on my upper right thigh, while a toddler played with my hair and a mother nursed nearby. The guy did an amazing job, and actually the process was not all that painful. He also told me that it would heal faster than a regular tattoo, so I could go swimming the next day so long as I put Vaseline on it. I wish I could get all future tattoos done with bamboo!

Koh Samui and Ko Pha Ngan – Full Moon Party and Living Dangerously

For the last leg of our Thailand adventure, we headed over to the other side of the Andaman coast to the island of Koh Samui.

Koh Samui has a very European feel to it (could be something to do with all the European tourists it receives – I saw more Italians and Swedes than Thais) and has some rather nice, though slightly resorty beaches to boot.

There, we found a cute little bungalow and I decided to risk my life renting a moped. I have never driven a moped before but luckily I didn’t need a licence there. After a brief explanation, I was off to battle the dirt roads and crazy Thai drivers of Samui. It was crazy fun.

That night, we took a speedboat to the little island of Koh Pha Ngan. This little piece of paradise has become world famous for the hedonistic Full Moon parties that take place there every month. Basically, people from nearby islands congregate here and dance the night away on the beach, while nearby bars blast out hip-hop, trance, house etc. Everyone drinks from buckets – literally. For 300 baht ($5) you buy a plastic bucket and they fill it with your choice of liquor and mixer. For mine, the lady emptied a bottle of Thai whiskey, added two red bull like drinks and some ice, and shortly thereafter the night became a blur. I think I drank two buckets all together, so my memories from the night are a bit spotty.

The parts I remember are amazing though! I danced, watched fire performers, met a bazillion people, and partied like it was the end of the world.

Around 6 am, as the sun was coming up, I swam for a bit and relaxed on the beach watching as people just kept on dancing. Eventually exhaustion overtook me though, and I had to wrestle my way back through the crowds in order to grab a speedboat back to Koh Samui. It was a bit of a rough ride with all the waves and all that whiskey inside me, but I managed to make it across without making a mess.

Despite my enormous hangover and lack of sleep, I nonetheless managed to drive my moped to the nicest beach on Samui that day and finally rented a jet-ski (something I have always wanted to do). Man those things are fun! I also got another massage and a manicure/pedicure – all for about $15. Yes, life was good and by now I had a pretty much permanent smile on my face.

The next morning I managed to go for another quick swim and tan before we hopped on a plane back to Bangkok. I was sad to go, but it had been a good trip and I felt more than satisfied.

The Final Night – Bangkok revisited

For our last night in Bangkok we rented a room, but I think I slept all of two hours that night. I decided that since I didn’t know if I would ever be in Thailand again in my life, I didn’t want to waste my last night there sleeping.

I took off solo for Khao San road, which had by now become my favourite place in Bangkok. Being now a seasoned pro at bargaining, I used my skills to buy souvenirs/omiyage for family and friends and treated myself to a few things in the process. I also made a new Turkish friend who kept me company for most of the night, and with whom I traded travel stories (he had been to Malaysia and had some amazing things to say about it).

I tried to drink Bangkok in one last time. The heat; the smoggy humidity; the crowds of people from all around the world; the alluring smells of pat-thai and chicken satay from stalls on the street; the sounds of Thai pop music competing with western pop hits; the moans of weary travellers getting massages right on the street; and the clutter of all kinds of goods, some pretending to be designer, being sold left and right by aggressive vendors – it all blended together as I let myself be swept away into the night with my last taste of Thai beer.

Not for the first time that trip, I thought to myself how lucky I was that I had been able to do all that I have done so far in my life. Sometimes I can’t believe how much I have seen and done in my 26 years and hopefully it’s only the beginning.

As I stood on the corner of Thanon Khao San early that Saturday morning before leaving for the airport, the last words that came to my mind were in Thai: `khap kun ka` -- `thank you`. (Actually, they were more like `Holy shit I love my life` but I didn`t know how to say that in Thai….).

Pictures hopefully to come soon!

2007-01-09T03:38:00.000-08:00

An Izakaya in Omura for my bday. Aaron and I had been drinking all day (with another guy who had already passed out). Just look at Aaron in this pic....he looks barely concious (but sure enough he still has a ciggy in his mouth).

2007-01-09T03:36:00.000-08:00

Ok I love this pic coz we were going for this sexy thumb look....and Sachi just looks like an adorable kid sucking her thumb! I swear she is the cutest adult that I know!

2007-01-09T03:35:00.000-08:00

Kazuya expressing his love for Aaron.

2007-01-09T03:34:00.001-08:00

Aaron and I pleasuring a rather small sausage.

2007-01-09T03:34:00.000-08:00

Kazuya and Kara outdo us.....if you look closely you will see Kara had put gooey white daikon on her face to simulate....er....well u get the idea.

2007-01-09T03:33:00.000-08:00

Me and Kara on the street....trashed. Poor Sachi looks cold and sober!

2007-01-09T03:32:00.000-08:00

I'm trying very hard not to crush Suzie as Kazuya had pushed me over and was leaning all his body weight on the both of us. Poor Suzie!

2007-01-09T03:31:00.000-08:00

I am always amazed at Aaron's random skills. Strangely they all seem to do with putting things in his mouth....

2007-01-09T03:30:00.000-08:00

Sooo drunk in my kitchen with a towel that says "mushrooming" all over it with little pics of psychedelic mushrooms to boot. I am pretty sure I passed out shortly after....

Old age and the Holidays

2006-12-17T22:25:00.000-08:00

Well I had a great, somewhat hedonistic Birthday weekend and in two days I leave for a big trip to Thailand. I am excited, which is good, because it is taking the edge off the fact that I just turned 26 and have the sudden feeling that 30, 50, and 70 are now just around the corner. My new found age panic is kinda good though, because I have really kept to my jogging routine the last few months, since I wanna be hot while I still can be.

What a good weekend. Friday I had an overnight Bonenkai (Xmas party) with the people from my office at a nearby hot spring resort. I was the only foreigner there of course, and I didn’t have the benefit of someone translating everything for me because I was seated far away from the English speakers. This meant I had to rely on my Japanese skills a lot more, but I actually surprised myself. I managed to understand most of what was going on and ended up having a great time. As usual, the old men and a few of the alchie women were surprised by my drinking skills and the night ended with a room party with the girls, and talking about some down right dirty stuff. Let me tell you, Japanese women may be repressed, but get some drinks in them and they got some good stories to tell. There were also a lot of Japanese university students at the resort for some reason, so we got subjected to cute, drunken, and mostly naked Japanese boys running around in the corridors which all of the ladies enjoyed greatly – cultural differences can seem so insignificant sometimes. It was also one of the few nights that I have spent with all Japanese people where I didn’t feel like a `gaijin` but rather like an actual part of the group.

On Saturday, I got back to mine at 11 am and made the mistake of dropping by Aaron’s to see if he was up. He was. He was also with Hayden and they were already drinking and made me join (well granted, it didn’t take too much convincing). By the time that the peeps from Shimabara arrived at my place to go out to celebrate my Birthday I had been drinking for close to 24 hours and was somewhat unsuccessfully trying to put my make up on straight, while the boys were already passed out and laying scattered around my room. We managed to pull it together and go eat though, which ultimately gave me a second wind. It was a really nice time overall, and I was glad to be surrounded by good friends (some of whom had driven quite far to boot), especially since I will be spending yet another Christmas away from family. I know I have been saying this a lot, but it just amazes me how much Japan really feels like home for me now, even though I still miss everyone in Canada (and Europe and the States for that matter).

Well, only two days to go now, and I will be in the tropical paradise that is Thailand! Therefore no posts for a while. So on that note, I hope that everyone has a great winter vacation wherever in the world you may be – I know I will! Happy Holidays!

At least little Yuki thinks I`m special....

2006-12-07T22:39:00.000-08:00

Translating things automatically, without thinking about what you’re saying can sometimes lead to hilarious results. For example, last week one of the guys I play tennis with asked me how to say “borru ga nai” in English and I told him it was “I have no balls” before giving it much proper thought. The result was that during tennis practice yesterday he shouted across the court at me “Hey Rana, I havu no Balls!!” and flashed a big grin, proud with his English. I thought about correcting him, but didn’t know how to explain what he was saying in Japanese so I just let it slide after I had myself a good chuckle.

I had a good day at elementary school yesterday too. I learned how to write “Ichi Go Ichi E” (“once in a lifetime chance”) in Kanji. This was because I got to take a class with the 5th graders who were practicing their Shodo (traditional Japanese calligraphy) skills. It’s always humbling when 10 year olds outdo you at something like writing or drawing, but at least they were rather nice about it. Little Yuki even told me that `she thought I had great potential`, though I suspect she was just being overly kind, since at that point I had only drawn one straight line.

At the end of the day though, I didn’t care how retarded it was that I was sitting at the world’s smallest desk and chair learning to write from little children (while getting some rather condescending praise from passing adults, who seemed more than shocked that I was able to hold the brush upright and not drool all over the scroll paper) because doing crafts sure as hell beats sitting on my ass in the staff room. In addition, my finished scroll is now proudly hanging on my fridge door, patiently waiting for a visit from my parents (or someone that can temporarily act as a parental surrogate) to receive the praise that it so desperately yearns for and dare I say, deserves. Japan rules.

An African weekend, a philosophical Monday.

2006-12-03T18:35:00.000-08:00

Djembe drums and tabenomihodai (all you can eat and drink) – 3000 yen. Japanese people dressed in African-style traditional clothing dancing African dances while a full house of people from all over the world laughs and joins in – priceless. These are the things that I love about being in Japan. Connecting to people that I would never have had a chance to meet back home and finding commonalities beyond the mundane. Seeing cultural differences and finding humanistic similarities. And of course, seeing another culture through the eyes of the Japanese; which is always, always, if nothing else, a fascinating experience in surreality.

Even when I aim to have a quiet weekend I can still be surprised by the uniqueness of life here. Every time I become aware that I will be leaving here to get back to real, hard life back home before I know it, my heart now skips a beat in fear. What’s waiting for me in Toronto? Where will I end up? Should I try to go to university in Austria or go live for a bit in my homeland, Croatia? Should I go to law school in BC or try to find another country to live in? Maybe join the Foreign Service, because I am now certainly qualified. I love it here sometimes, and sometimes lately there is a little voice saying I should stay longer or just simply not go back. However, that voice is mainly coming from fear. Fear of going back to the confusion I had left behind. Considering that I am about to turn 26 though, I know that I can’t let fear drive my life anymore. I have to go back and face everything that my life has been so far and then make a decision of where to go from there.

So many people cling to certainty, and to safety. I think that’s natural, but Japan has taught me to compartmentalize it and carry it with me to a degree.

I remember when I was a kid and couldn’t sleep my mother used to heat up milk and put honey in it for me to drink. Even now when I drink hot milk with honey I feel a bit of the safety of being a 4 year old and in the safekeeping of my parents` bed. It’s not much, but if we can all find the little things inside us that kept us going, the things that we always carry with us, then maybe we can add them up into a larger whole from which we can tap our strength.

Then again, maybe I am just cold and philosophical on this Monday morning with no pressing matters to attend to and over thinking things as usual. I am also upset because the North Face shell that I wanted to purchase (listed as $60 online) costs about $250 in Japan. Good trekking backpacks are similarly expensive so it looks like I might have to wait till Thailand and buy a cheap knockoff or something – which will be hard because I don’t like cheap knock offs. Curse my expensive tastes!

Coz I`m Budo like that.....

2006-11-26T17:59:00.000-08:00

Well it’s been overcast, rainy and downright dreary here the last couple of days. It makes me want to curl up in a cat-like ball and stay in bed reading and drinking cocoa. This strong desire is not helped by the fact that I now have a nasty cold as well (which probably started when I decided to go for a run in the rain…I just wanted to be hardcore, damnit). Maybe if I make cutesy eyes at people at work? I don’t know how good I am at eliciting pity….but I’ll give it a go. I just hope it doesn’t freak people out so much that they attempt to attack me out of fear. The risk seems worth it though. (Update: it worked. Well sorta…..they didn’t give me a day off, but they gave me some hot cocoa…score!)

Anywho, as of yesterday I am a Jodo Nidan. I passed my test despite an insufficient amount of sleep (mainly due to my cold) and a general feeling of weakness and nausea. That’s true Budo, though, as my Dutch friend Yurun pointed out.

Saturday night I had helped Kara with the 2nd annual charity concert event in Shimabara. I mainly manned the door, which was perfect cause I really just wanted to be sitting down. The concert was good though and makes me want to organize similar things when I get back home. Partying AND helping people? What’s not to like?

Anyways, I think that’s all for now. I am on a `loving Japan` kick right now. I think the next few weekends will be more relaxed because all my martial arts tests are now successfully behind me and I have to save money for Thailand so no partying. I can’t wait to go tho!

Also, I made the best kimchi ever last night. I`mma make that stuff for you mofos back home when I make my glorious return.

2006-11-22T21:34:00.002-08:00

Ritual beginning to the big Sumo fights.

2006-11-22T21:34:00.001-08:00

Big boys posturing.

2006-11-22T21:34:00.000-08:00

The cushions go flying.....this was fun times right here.

2006-11-22T21:33:00.000-08:00

i look rough! and this was only 6 pm....(but probably like 3 bottles of sake later)

Sumo, Sake, Cirrhosis

2006-11-20T19:28:00.000-08:00

Well as expected, this weekend was a good one. Nothing like watching two fat guys wearing thongs wrestle each other whilst drinking hot sake. I have to say that Sumo is rather surprisingly an entertaining and highly watchable sport and it was definitely worth seeing. Lots of history and tradition (apparently it’s one of the oldest sports in the world?) and so very Japanese (thankfully the people I was with seemed to know a lot more about it than I did and took the time to edumacate me).

A lot of people came out for it too and we were all walking around with our sake and sharing the love as much as we could. Of course, the result was that by 6pm most of us were completely gone. I managed to keep it together though by having a big meal right after and so by the time 8:30 rolled around I was ready to keep the party alive. I also partly have my new jacket to thank – there is just something about a fur-lined, part-pimp-part-classic heiress coat that gives me a natural high. Worth every penny. Most of the night after that I don’t really remember but I gather it was a good time with the bulk of my money spent on clubhopping. I was paying for it yesterday though – I don’t remember the last time I had been that sick. It’s definitely a good thing I am leaving this country next year because I don’t think my liver can take much more of this (and that’s ME saying this so you know there must be a problem).

This coming weekend I am going to go help Kara in Shimabara for a charity event that she and another JET are organizing. I will be in bed early on the Saturday night though because I have my Jodo test on Sunday morning so all in all it should be a detox weekend. This week I am looking forward to a lot of healthy eating and hardcore training (both because of the Jodo test as well as my desire to look hot in a bikini for Thailand). I am also excited coz Thursday is Japan’s Labour Thanksgiving Day so I have the day off (why they don’t just move it to a Friday and give us a long weekend I will never know….but meh). I think I’ll finally go visit Huis Ten Bosch – a Dutch theme park about an hour away.

Ok, so was that a boring post? I can’t really tell as I have maybe one brain cell working on this fine Monday morning, so y`all will have to forgive me.

2006-11-17T17:21:00.000-08:00

My friend Jay and I near a waterfall in the mountains. Poor guy had to really crouch down to get in this shot!

2006-11-17T17:20:00.001-08:00

Hanging out with the Jamaican ALTs.

2006-11-17T17:20:00.000-08:00

at the entertainment complex....do i look like a redneck or what?? kinda scary.....(incidentally, i was reeeeally good at this game....)

Mountain retreat, rodeo-style.

2006-11-13T16:04:00.000-08:00

Waking up to the smell of woodsmoke in the clear, sharp mountain air against the backdrop of traditional Japanese houses nestled among stunning peaks and lush forests, I felt at peace. It was nice this weekend to get away from the craziness of partying and city life for a bit and it felt good to take some time to revive my spirit and reset my chi (ok, ok, so I don’t really believe in all that karma-Buddhist stuff…but there really is something almost mystical and inspiring about the mountains here). However, though most of my weekend was spent relaxing in a small mountain town, I did end up going to a hip-hop/reggae party on the Saturday night in Saga city (a friend was DJ-ing). I also met some really fun and friendly Jamaican ALTs and got to eat spicy Jamaican stew and learn the basics of `Patwa` (actually a really fascinating language that I would love to learn more of). It was so refreshing to be around people from a culture that likes to laugh and talk about the deeper things in life for a change – a nice break from Japan.

I also got to ride a mechanical rodeo bull this weekend. Hopefully I will be able to post a video of that at some point coz I think it’s hilarious. It’s even more hilarious because like 20 Japanese guys were all watching me do it, seemingly mesmerized, which admittedly made me feel a little self-conscious. I just gotta say though, I love the huge gaming complexes here in Japan. For about $16 you can spend three crazy fun hours in a place with video games, batting cages, indoor sports of all kinds, massage chairs, a roller alley, mechanical bull, etc. I mean these places kick ass in the fun department and cost the same as 5 minutes at the comparatively hole-in-the-ground Saga Playdium. Being a huge nerd, I completely lost track of time in that place – mainly spending it on flight simulators and high-tech fighting games that actually require you to duck, kick and punch for real (as your motions are read by sensors). Needless to say, I had to be dragged away from the place.

Today I finally feel like I am recovered from the past two crazy weeks. This week promises to be a lot slower so hopefully I will finally be able to connect with people from back home with more than just emails. I need to spend the week resting and taking care of my body though because the coming weekend is possibly the craziest party weekend of the year – The Sumo championships in Fukuoka. I didn’t go last year but I hear amazing things. From Nagasaki alone there are about 50 ALTs going and finding a hotel was impossible so I am staying with a few people in a capsule again. I just hope that I will be able to remember enough of the weekend to write about it next Monday….

2006-11-09T15:31:00.001-08:00

Crashing the hair salon party. As Erica commented, it was like being in NY. (I will post more pics when I get them)

2006-11-09T15:31:00.000-08:00

Karaoke place much later....yes I am being licked, though apparently I was unaware of it at the time.

2006-11-09T15:30:00.001-08:00

Just to prove I did something other thank drink...hehe, Nicole hated the climb. She was cursing me for a long while after....

2006-11-09T15:30:00.000-08:00

Autumn on Unzen.

Mixing business with pleasure.

2006-11-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had one of those dead-to-the-world deep sleeps that are so needed and so completely satisfying that you don’t remember your name or age or geographical location when you wake up? Where in waking up you in fact feel like you are being reborn? Well that was me this morning, and man was it long overdue.

From last Thursday straight on through to last night (Wednesday a week later) I have pretty much been away from home and busier than a prostitute stationed at a naval port near a Viagra factory. I had a business trip last Thursday; had Ali (formerly of Toronto, now of Kyoto) and Niki come visit me for the long weekend; partied on Friday, Saturday and Monday nights; entertained visitors on Thursday and Sunday nights; climbed a mountain on Sunday and did two presentations and helped run a conference for about 200 people on Monday and Tuesday. Yesterday (Wednesday) I came back to the center and then had to help with a Japanese conference on team teaching. If you got tired reading that….imagine how I feel.

In any case I can’t complain really because it was completely fun, totally satisfying and even had me considering staying a third year in Japan (though only briefly, don’t worry, I am not insane).

Some highlights of the last few days? Well let’s see.
-Live music put on by some friends followed by listening to an awesome Osaka band in a Nag nightclub.
-Having to deal with three friends whose sex hormones had gone through the roof (I have heard the word `tittie` so many times that I swear I will be waking up from nightmares about large breasts and yelling that word for the rest of my life).
-Shimabara fun featuring yet another `drinking` contest with Kazuya….who won? Hahahaha. Though I shouldn’t laugh so hard, I had to go hiking with that hangover the next day (but he had fishing at 3 am so really it’s a tough call).
-Crashing a party at a hair salon on Monday night (after the first day of the conference) and getting tons of free booze as well as connections for good haircuts in the future.
-teaching Niki`s Japanese teacher to say the word `cunt` and then listening her use it to greet everyone she met (she was awesome actually, she kept saying `hello cunt` with a completely straight face and in a totally cute Japanese. She also kept drinking other people`s drinks and copying whatever swear words Niki said....which meant she was basically swearing like a sailor all night long in broken English.)
-Having Niki feed me beer from a pitcher even though I was clearly barely standing and then her laughing as I ran off to wrestle a guy friend who seemed rather surprised by my strength.
-Meeting up with another group of people for a later party and being greeted by “hey, are you the Lana that was raised in the former Yugoslavia as a communist and had a red star on her cap??” when I introduced myself. This was followed by sheepish looks from P who had apparently been glorifying my communist past for anyone that would listen (and in fact, at the conference the next day, this was the comment that came up the most).
-Putting on two presentations and fielding questions without killing myself and others (quite an accomplishment, let me tell you)
-For the second day of the conference, changing into my suit in a car parking lot after only two hours of sleep and still intoxicated from the night before. I clean up well though, and I somehow managed to keep it together and survive the day. Others were not so lucky (though a certain friend did look surprisingly elegant as she calmly and peacefully walked to the bathroom to be ill every 10 minutes or so.)

Well that’s about all you are going to get for now. The rest I can either not remember or it is just not fit to post online (trust me). It scares me how quickly my mood can change on certain things though. When I came back to Japan this year I was looking forward to it but more looking forward to going home. Now, even though I know I cannot stay, a part of me is feeling the pangs of regret. At the same time, I know that if things don’t work out for me back in the real world, there will always be a strangely comfortable place for me here in Japan should I want one.

This weekened it`s off to the mountains for a needed getaway....more adventures to come soon.

2006-10-24T03:46:00.000-07:00

Going out for Erica's birthday in the Fuk! I said no pics for a while coz my camera broke but luckily Erica had a few to send my way so voila. Ah, we still look coherent in this one....

2006-10-24T03:45:00.000-07:00

My momma taught me everything I know. Except how to open champagne bottles. Of course it would help if I wasn't already totally smashed....

2006-10-24T03:44:00.000-07:00

Me and Erica's large daikon. Double entendre intended.

2006-10-24T03:43:00.000-07:00

Poor Aaron doesn't know his way around a daikon. You're putting it in the wrong way, mate!

2006-10-24T03:42:00.001-07:00

Erica, Hayden and Suzie. Faaaaar gone.

2006-10-24T03:42:00.000-07:00

We are totally wasted and end up in a crowded sleazy club. Ironically, after this we went for burgers and then went to ANOTHER club at like 6am. I no longer even have a liver.

2006-10-24T03:41:00.000-07:00

How fucked were we? Well let's just say that I was aiming for Erica in this picture and this is how it turned out...

Zivot je u detaljima. I u nicem drugom.

2006-10-23T02:23:00.000-07:00

What a weekend. I went to Fukuoka for a friend’s birthday and ended up running into a bunch of people randomly as well. I spent a lot of time drinking, acting like a loud, belligerent foreigner, and generally having a good time. I also wandered around with the boys looking for a sex shop while they catcalled every last living, breathing Japanese chick walking down the street. Oh, and I got told that my breasts look like Hokkaido. Don’t ask.

I finally slept in a capsule hotel this weekend as well. It was a first for me and it was pretty nice actually! The only thing was that I had to hide my tattoos in the sauna/bath because they don’t allow tattooed people to stay there and I would have been kicked out had I been discovered. Apart from that, the capsules were comfortable and not as claustrophobic as I had expected. There is also free porn on the overhead display but I was too drunk to watch it. When I woke up hung-over and confused I momentarily had a sci-fi moment where I thought I was waking up in a stasis chamber and my whole life had been a dream. Then a half naked, half cracked out (but still totally adorable) Japanese chick jumped down from the capsule above me and catching a glimpse of her Hello Kitty underwear made me suddenly remember where I was.

I also befriended a really cool Russian snack girl this weekend. I was totally plastered and this really pretty blond woman was all decked out standing next to me so I started talking to her. Well her English was so-so but she had a kickass Russian accent and her name was Natalia. At one point I started talking to her in Croatian coz I was gone enough that I figured, hey we both speak Slavic languages, how different can they be? An interesting linguistic conversation followed. The funniest part of our exchange though, was the fact that we were mainly speaking to each other in Japanese (after my Croatian got me nowhere). How funny is it that a Croatian-Canadian and a Russian national would communicate to each other in Japanese? She was a cool chick though and even bought me a few drinks until her rich Japanese ‘Daddy’ decided that it was time for them to move on. When I think back on Japan I know it’s experiences like these that will stick out most in my mind.

Well that’s it for now. Did I mention that my digital camera is broken?? Yep, I finally decide to start taking pictures on my own and the stupid thing craps out on me. So no pics for a while until I get a new camera.

Oh and a quick link for those of you who want to know what I do at work….here is the site from a recent workshop that I ran. Enjoy:

http://www.edu-c.pref.nagasaki.jp/C-Web/0220/web.htm

Tales of Kagoshima -- "Snacku Hostesu janai bitches!"

2006-10-12T01:25:00.000-07:00

Another long weekend has passed here in Japan, and so once again I find myself at work trying not to pass out from several days worth of hangover.

Instead of going with the big group to Hiroshima for the sake fest (though I hear from Aaron there was much fun, craziness and even more nakedness there – some of which I have seen on video) I decided to go to Kagoshima with Nicole while the weather was still awesome.

We set off Friday night and decided to spend the night in Kumamoto city instead of driving all the way to Kagoshima in one go. There we found an awesome Mexican place, an interesting (tho mostly empty) trance club, and were accosted by guys mistaking us for snack girls. We were even ‘discouraged’ (because the Japanese hardly refuse anything) service at a hotel because they seemed to think we were `on the job`. Ah yes, I do sooo love having Slavic features.

The next morning we drove the rest of the way to Kagoshima. Kagoshima is a beautiful mixture of jungle, volcanic vegetation and geology, ocean and mountains so there was much oooh-ing and aahhhh-ing. We pulled into Kagoshima city pretty early and thus our real adventures began.

Summary of Kagoshima city events:
-Went to a mixed (guy/girl) outdoor onsen under a volcano and next to the sea, which was the most amazing thing ever. Apart from having some weird old dude take copious “stealth” pictures of us from a distance, and then finally working the courage up to just boldly ask us if we would take a picture with him. He seriously took like a hundred shots. The guys he was with were getting annoyed too coz at one point he was supposed to be taking a picture of them but was clearly aiming only at us.
-On the way back from the volcano island we were adopted by some Japanese people who drove us around the volcano and paid for our ferry back to mainland – being a gaijin does have perks as well as pitfalls.
-Found a Bali restaurant with food so good that I had to restrain myself from an embarrassing emotional display.
-Were mistaken (again!) for snack girls but this time it worked in our favour because we were led to a kickass club with the best hard house I have heard in Japan. Seriously good stuff (I was even grinding my teeth in reflex).
-Slept in an internet café where (no joke) Nicole was molested by having her boob felt up as she slept. She claimed she didn`t react fast enough coz she thought it was me messing with her! I`m glad that my friends think I am prone to molestation….
-We finally left Kagoshima city on Sunday morning with again no sleep and a wicked hangover, and the city gave us a final kick in the nuts – we paid a ridiculous amount for parking only to find out as we were leaving that it was Sunday and so we could have left the parking garage without paying anything at all.

We were in a bit of a bad mood at this point but it was a new day and we were now driving along the coast towards the Kamikaze museum in the mountainous city of Chiran. Kamikaze pilots had been trained at and took off from Chiran during WWII and so there is a `peace museum` there in their honour. There was nothing in English there though, and we kept getting strange looks from the Japanese people around us and I think it`s probably because the whole Kamikaze thing was a bit glorified. It was definitely interesting to see though.

Afterwards, we drove down the mountain and back to the coast to the city of Ibusuki. There we took a sand bath, which consists of getting buried in hot, volcanic sand to sweat out toxins and relax muscles. It felt good to sweat out all the crap in my body though I did get a bit burned by the sand. It was now getting later though, and we ran out of ideas as to what we wanted to do next. We had been planning to camp that night but didn`t know where. Finally we just decided to keep driving.

We headed towards a mountain we had seen earlier that looked a bit like a large boob. We drove around it looking for a beach but ended up finding an old, narrow road that kept leading us deeper into the underbrush. Suddenly we found ourselves staring into a tiny, pitch-black tunnel that looked like something out of a horror movie. Around us was nothing but jungle, and no other way out. I couldn’t back up because the road was too narrow so there was nowhere to go but in. I have to admit, as we entered it and drove through with no end or natural light in sight I started to panic a bit. Nicole was just fascinated but I wanted to go back. If the car had stopped working we would have been in total darkness. I knew we had to keep going though and so I drove on. Soon there were weird gaps in the tunnel covered with trees and the condition of the tunnel kept getting worse and worse (and my breathing more and more irregular). It also seemed as if the tunnel was going down, which was surely not a good sign I thought. For all we knew it could have been a mining shaft! Nicole was still calm but I was thinking of all the worst case scenarios and cursing her for having made me go that far! Finally, after what seemed like hours (but was more like 5 or 10 minutes) we saw shafts of light and emerged back into the jungle. I was shaking. I can`t really do the experience justice – it was honestly weird and scary as hell.

We did find a beach eventually though, but the sand was a volcanic black and we no longer felt like swimming. We got back into the car and decided to head for the other coast. It got dark quickly and we found ourselves driving along one of the most scenic coastlines I have ever seen in the light of the full moon. We had no idea where we were though or where we would sleep and the road was narrow with few options to turn off it. We drove for a long time. It seemed as if we were in a weird time warp or trapped in some alternate universe. I felt like I had taken drugs or something. Eventually though, we saw a sign for Kagoshima city and just decided to head back to it so that we could find the expressway home. We slept that night in the car in front of a service station. For some reason it got really cold and so it was one of the worst sleeps ever! Monday morning, on the drive back I almost passed out from the total exhaustion but somehow we made it back in one piece. I thank the strawberry mochi.

Nicole safely on the plane, I went home to sleep but alas, it was not to be. Suddenly an insistent knock sounded at the door and I heard loud singing. The gang was back from Hiroshima. I opened the door to a drunk Aaron and Shawna, as well as some Nagasaki people, and they insisted I join them for drinks. I did. Today as I sit here at work feeling all kinds of ill, I must say I am regretting it a bit….but ah well!

2006-10-05T16:28:00.001-07:00

Shin's with Kaz and Katie.

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Me with a knife...I don't know why people even let me hold sharp objects anymore.

2006-10-05T16:27:00.000-07:00

A nice Izakaya in Omura. The food was good but damnit, I just wanted to party that night.

2006-10-05T16:26:00.000-07:00

We were so bored I was taking weird pictures of Aaron. He was going for "convic" with this one. Well something had to be done....so we decided to recruit two others and....

2006-10-05T16:25:00.001-07:00

Yep, we hop on a train for Nag!

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Tequila shots in the middle of downtown Nag. Yep, this is where the night took a turn for the worst....

2006-10-05T16:23:00.001-07:00

Two DJs and two groupies....

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Club shot. Ah the tinyness of japanese clubs....I think I'll have panic attacks when I go back to Canada.

2006-10-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

Naoko and Aaron. These two are hilarious! And I think this was my last pic before I passed out....

Randomness

2006-10-05T07:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes strange things happen. Sometimes even really good things happen. Sometimes the decisions of others seal our fates. But in a good way.

Life is weird. When you don't fight it, it rewards you. When you say "screw you life! throw more shit at me, I don't care!!", maybe at first life will test you but essentially life is fairly lazy and will give in and say this isn't fun anymore, let's go torture others.

Fuck. Miyazaki-sensei is right. I am finding zen through my practice of martial arts. Or maybe I have started to realize that some of the things that I have always wanted are not all that far away...

It's amazing how blind we are to some things. Until we learn to take a step back. Or are forced to take a step back at swordpoint (err....metaphorically that is).

*sigh*. I am content!

I also passed my Iaido nidan test and am going to Kagoshima for the long weekend tommorrow to wallow on beaches, in jungle onsens, and my own vomit after overdrinking. Life -- she is good!

Beppu/Oita Typhoon trip pics

2006-09-28T04:59:00.001-07:00

Ok some pics from the trip described previously. Now that Jenny is back in the States, I never have pics of anything. During this trip though I slowly managed to train Nicole to use my camera and take pics for me. It seems to have worked...for now.

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Nicole and I start off the night innocent and carefree.

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Nicole half passed out in the Canadian bar in Oita. You just know things get better from there.

2006-09-28T04:57:00.000-07:00

I'm in a club bitches. U best believe I'mma get down.

2006-09-28T04:56:00.000-07:00

This was a random Japanese guy we met and he was hilarious. I'm glad Nicole was around taking pics. I am useless!

2006-09-28T04:55:00.000-07:00

Nicole and crazy guy.

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I don't know why when I get drunk I tend to start talking shit to people. I look like I'm telling this guy off. God knows why. At least people find it amusing though!

2006-09-28T04:52:00.000-07:00

Tropical storm begins...and we head for the baths!

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Steaming mountainside onsen.

2006-09-28T04:51:00.001-07:00

Going to the aquarium amidst the brewing typhoon.

2006-09-28T04:51:00.000-07:00

Ok this is Nicole's hand. There is simply NO WAY I would ever pick up anything as gross as that. They're not called 'the turd of the sea' for nothing.

2006-09-28T04:49:00.001-07:00

I petted this walrus. It was really cool coz he had this sarcastic personality that just made you wish he was human so you could invite him out for a beer.

2006-09-28T04:49:00.000-07:00

Well it's a Japanese aquarium. Of course the seals bow.

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Mountain in fog. We were soaked and miserable at this point but onsening awaited.

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The entrance to the super posh onsen.

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The zen garden/cooling off room of the place.

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A picture of an ad for the expensive onsen we went to. It looked liked this but bigger.

2006-09-28T04:45:00.000-07:00

There is a typhoon going on outside this bar. You wouldn't know from the look on my face though. Why? Because I'm hardcore like that (and also because nothing will keep me from beer).

2006-09-28T04:44:00.000-07:00

The morning after the typhoon....

Relaxing in a typhoon.

2006-09-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

Last Friday we had a big meeting at work about a large, dangerous, typhoon that was supposed to hit Kyushu this past weekend. The teachers I work with all advised me to buy water, canned goods and candles and to prepare my house by turning of the gas and so forth – they also said to NOT leave the house on the day it was supposed to hit. So what did Nicole and I decide to do over the weekend? Take a road trip to a resort town on the edge of Kyushu!

Ok so we are a little crazy. Japan does that to a person (and to be fair some of us were never all that sane to start with, ahem). But holy crap did we have a good time!

I should point out in our defence though that we often get warned of large typhoons only to have them turn out to be no more than a little rough wind and a lot of rain. Furthermore, this weekend was a long weekend and there was just no way I was going to waste my precious free time indoors watching TV. So we took all the necessary precautions (like deciding against camping out in a tent, and bringing some extra pairs of socks) and headed for Beppu – the Onsen (spa) capital of Kyushu, and maybe even Japan.

The weekend was more interesting than we had anticipated. We ended up in Oita on the Saturday night (a city close in size to Nagasaki, but a lot more modern) and having found a cheap place to park decided to find the entertainment district. Nicole and I tend to have crazy nights of random partying whenever we hang out, and this was pretty much what we got.

Within an hour of being in the city, we just happened to stumble upon a Canadian pub (the only foreign run bar in the city apparently!) and feasted on glorious chicken wings, beer, and C.C. We were chatted up by some visiting Americans who were stereotypically friendly and loud. Then we got drunk and tried to find a good club in a weird labyrinth like building. We could hear the music but couldn`t find the club door after an hour of wandering around the building! It was seriously like we were in some weird, crazy cult film, complete with dark corridors and flickering neon lights. Eventually we gave up and went to a live house instead, where the Americans `forced` me to drink whiskey and beer (yes, yes, forced may not be the right word for it…but they were paying). Now we were well on our way to getting plastered, and all I could think about was dancing.

I looked at Nicole and we both knew we had to find a club. The Americans decided to give up on us at that point (given that it was late and that they had heard a typhoon was coming) and so Nicole and I set off alone in search of Oita`s elusive dance club. Shortly after, we found it.

At this point things get fuzzy, but there were some HOT men at this place and the music was even hotter. Plus, there was an interesting mix of Japanese people and foreigners, and for once the foreigners were not all English teachers or military – there were some cool international students as well. We met some interesting people and danced the night away. I don`t remember getting to the media café after (Nicole tells me that she almost had to carry me, heh) but I woke up still drunk several hours later on the floor under a computer. I love media cafes – so cheap, so convenient for passing out in (open 24 hrs, private rooms).

Stepping outside into the cloudy `typhoon` morning the next day we finally decided it was time to go to Beppu. Given that the wind was really picking up, we figured it was best to get there as soon as possible. So we drove along the coast for half an hour and having encountered nothing more than heavy rains, we felt that we had indeed made the right choice in taking the trip. Maybe everyone had been exaggerating after all….

The rest of the day we spent going to an awesome aquarium (where Nicole touched all the gross, turd-like sea creatures on display, and I petted a walrus and a seal), and went to the best Onsen I have ever been to, which included a sand bath that had an almost medicine hut feel to it (complete with hallucinations). We also sat outside in a sulphur bath while it was pouring down rain. In a word: amazing. Who ever comes to visit me this year, I will take you there for sure!

By now it was getting late and we wanted to go party again though. We had secured a nice hotel room (since we had ghettoed it the night before) and decided to ask for suggestions. The lady at the counter actually apologized (sooo Japanese to apologize for a natural disaster) that most places were closed because of the typhoon (which was now due to hit in two hours) but showed us a pub nearby that was open. By the time we got there, we finally had the thought that maybe it was not in fact a good idea to be out – the wind was getting pretty strong, things were blowing everywhere, and the only people on the streets were running for cover and screaming. Having come that far though, we were not about to turn back.

The pub (which had the windows taped up) was deserted but we managed to spend a few hours there eating and drinking and congratulating ourselves for being such badasses. Eventually though, we decided that going back to the hotel might be best since at this point Aaron was emailing me from Omura to tell me that it was so bad there that the power had gone out, and Jeff had emailed Nicole from Iki to tell her that he was stranded at a gym due to the severity of the storm. We figured we had been hardcore enough for one night and made a quick retreat back to the safety of the hotel.

6 pack in tow, we made it back to the hotel safely, and woke up the next morning to gorgeous weather. We then Onsened at a really expensive place (a posh hotel with a gorgeous view) before setting off back to Omura. The only hitch was that the highway was closed due to typhoon damage so Nicole missed her plane, but she ended up getting one the next morning and so all was well.

I love typhoons. I love Onsens even more.

I didn`t find out until Tuesday that in fact 13 people had died in Kyushu because of the typhoon….

2006-09-19T04:46:00.001-07:00

Gorgeous Miyazaki prefecture.

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Katie tries to climb a palm tree.

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Island shrine.

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Cool volcanic rocks.

2006-09-19T04:44:00.000-07:00

Only I would dare walk into a temple without pants on.....I am so going to all kinds of hell.