Sunday, 28 November 2004

Double CRAP!

I forgot to get my reentry Visa!!! I meant to get that months ago!!!! Well, SHIT. I'll get it on Tuesday. If I forget.... someone shoot me.

Closed

Did two extra lessons of overtime for work today and then went to the gym to be told that they were closing..... at 7:30pm!!! Why for God's sake? They're closed all day Monday!!!! (tomorrow)

Arrrrggghhhh!!!!!

Saturday, 27 November 2004

No Gift Trees?

Something that just occured to me this afternoon when looking at the Christmas decorations that that have been in store since November 1st; there is not one Gift Tree in ANY store in Japan! In Australia pretty much every major shopping chain and even some small town groceries run a Gift Tree charity to collect presents for those children that are less fortunate. I havn't seen one in Japan at all. It's pretty depressing really, that in a culture that is so materialistic they can't buy that extra something for someone else.

This attitude can best be summed up in the major store chain, Varie's holiday slogan: "The Season of Getting". Talk about misinterpreting another culture's tradition!

Monday, 22 November 2004

Hiroko, Shopping and more catchup!

Sorry I havn't written any entries lately! I've been busy with drinking, going out and sorting out work and life in general.

I finally met up with Hiroko on Saturday night! You might remember way back in my April entries that we emailed each other and were going to catch up and then we've rung each other several times between then and now but our work scheduels just got in our way; i.e. I have tues and weds off and she has sat and sun off. Anyway, we headed into Roppongi (my first trip in there) and spent most the night reminiscing in her favourite bar that she hasn't been to in half a year. Great staff and atmosphere. I'll definitly be heading back there.

I did some shopping in Harajuku and took in some lunch at a cafe which I will never go back to again. I've never had such rude service in my life! I took a whole of 10 seconds to decide what I wanted and the waiter, in a deliberately snide voice came over and asked "Are you ready to order yet?" and when he brought my pizza over to me and motioned with a pepper shaker to grind pepper on my pizza, I said "No thank you" to which he replied "I WAS going to ask you if wanted pepper on your pizza." The whole situation was rediculous! It was like a scene from a bad movie or something. I thought maybe he just didn't like me (maybe a racist thing) but three Japanese women sat on the table next to mine and he treated them with the same attitude. I'm really not the kind of person who complains but I was really tempted too, however I just wanted to pay and get the Hell out of there. Nice view by the window though.

After lunch I went to Yoyohi park for the first time. I didn't have time to walk around the whole park and visit the shrines but I'll definitly go back as it has a cafe in the park!!!

Thursday, 18 November 2004

Gym? Oh... GYM x2!

Joined up with the brand new Kita Koshigaya gym last night. It took longer than expected (about an hour) due to there being no English speaker on at that time. After talking to one of the guy staff members later on (who spoke a little English) I found out there's only one fluent English speaker on the whole staff. I managed though, and became quite the celebrity in the process. The girl that was helping with my signup yelling a big "SUGOI!" (cool!) when I said I was a teacher, while the other staff members huddled together saying how cool it was that I was joining.

Purrdence, I wonder if you got the same treatment?

I joined up with the REGULAR membership so I can go there any day and any time, though it closes at 11:30pm and all day Monday.

Loved the gym. Everything was brand new and shiny, though there seemed to be less variety in weight machines compared to Sengendai.

Hiroko gave me a ring the other day and we're FINALLY going to catch up in person! Only took us 7 months! :D I hate having to work on weekends. It makes it really hard to hang out with the girls from Uni and Yoshi.

Saturday, 13 November 2004

Mt. Fuji!!!

Woke up early this morning and was suprised when I looked out our loungeroom window and could see Mt. Fuji!!! This was the first time I could see Fuji from our place. Usually the smog or humidity covers it up. Luckily it was cold and windy this morning.

It was a great view. Snow covered and everything!

Friday, 12 November 2004

Get Paid to Post in Forums!!!

Just signed up with these brand new forums that PAY you to post in them! It doesn't matter what country you're from either!!! You can catch me there on a daily basis!!!

Thursday, 11 November 2004

Stupid Police

Well on my walk back to my place after work, I noticed there had been a car crash on the corner of my block. How'd I notice it? Why by the 20 or so men waving what looked like red toy lightsabres, blowing whistles and basically doing nothing around the crash site.... oh, wait.... there were a few people racing back and forth across the highway with a measuring tape.

That's great resource management right there that is.

Wednesday, 10 November 2004

Sing! Sing! Sing!

Had a huge arse Karaoke and Dinner night on Sunday afternoon with over 28 teachers and partners there! Had a great time! We've definitly got to do it more often (something we all agreed one!). Great to see everyone outside of the working environment.

Was holding my stomache pretty well until we had an 11am earthquake hit the morning after. I think you can imagine the rest. ;)

Tuesday, 2 November 2004

"FRESH UP!"

"FRESH UP!" Just heard that Engrish on a commercial then. Gotta love the stupidity. You'd think that a television company would have someone on staff who could speak English, or if not HIRE someone who could.

Anyway... I went for a walk around Takesato (If you're just joining me, that's where I live) and it still amazes me that after living here for 6 months I can still find some hidden temple or shrine that I've never seen before. Today I found one that's either being rebuilt or built! There was a smell of ash in the air so I guess that they're rebuilding it after a fire. I'll post some photos soon.

The trees are starting to go orange. I'll have to head back to Nikko. Apparently the trees at Nikko are amazing in the different seasons.