Saturday Alex and I deciced to go to Ikea to furnish our homes. i lie not when I say that the ikea was the size of a small airport. i bought this really cool lamp that is the size of a small sake bottle that sits on the floor and gives nice ambient lighting, some candles, and other doo-hickeys.
Sunday was a nice, random day. Alex, Nicky, and I met up in Akihabara, the electronic center of Tokyo if not the world. Then we went to Shibuya where we went to a CANADIAN BAR! Just imagine my glee. Yeah, a pint of Guiness was a thousand yen so I wont be going to that place everyday... but it was defintely worth it. Bartender was kinda cute to. So was Kerri's coworker, too.
The train ride home was exciting, mostly because I did not know as to whether I would have the privilege of having one. Unfortunately, JR lines stop running around 1, and then there is no feasible way for anyone to get home. After scrambling and running through Shinjuku, asking two Japanses girls for directions, I manade to get one of the last trains home. Phew!
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Settling in
Monday I said goodbye to all my friends that I met in training. It was a sad day, for you would be surprised how close people become after living with each other for ten days straight. But we all have each other's e-mail, and soon we will have each other's number, and as the trainers said: it's only the beginning.
My school is located in downtown Tokyo, at Hamamatsucho Station on the Keihin Tohoku and Yamanote for those who are JR inclined. Located right at the heart of the financial district, I will be teaching many business students, some who are good with people and some who think they own the world. Cute boys will most likely be in remiss.
My first work day was spent settling me into my new apartment. Located just a few minutes from Shimousa-Nakayama on the Sobu, my manager, head teacher, and counselor spent three days furbishing my apartment, making it the wonder that it is now. I have plates, bowls, cutting boards, pots and pans, a TV that I will never use - or at least until my Japanese becomes existent -, a futon with covers, a table, rugs, tissue paper, toilet paper, kitchen cooking tools, cleaning tools and liquids, a washer, detergent, hangers, an iron, plastic drawers, a TV stand, a cactus, and a mirror. And on top of that, she insisted on taking care of initial breakfast for the next day, a calling card, and gave me 3,000 JPY to get started.
Needless to day, I am quite happy to be her employee.
The next day, I got my phone, which can do as much things as my apartment is stocked. Amongst other things it can tell me where I am within Japan. Big Brother is watching.
My school is located in downtown Tokyo, at Hamamatsucho Station on the Keihin Tohoku and Yamanote for those who are JR inclined. Located right at the heart of the financial district, I will be teaching many business students, some who are good with people and some who think they own the world. Cute boys will most likely be in remiss.
My first work day was spent settling me into my new apartment. Located just a few minutes from Shimousa-Nakayama on the Sobu, my manager, head teacher, and counselor spent three days furbishing my apartment, making it the wonder that it is now. I have plates, bowls, cutting boards, pots and pans, a TV that I will never use - or at least until my Japanese becomes existent -, a futon with covers, a table, rugs, tissue paper, toilet paper, kitchen cooking tools, cleaning tools and liquids, a washer, detergent, hangers, an iron, plastic drawers, a TV stand, a cactus, and a mirror. And on top of that, she insisted on taking care of initial breakfast for the next day, a calling card, and gave me 3,000 JPY to get started.
Needless to day, I am quite happy to be her employee.
The next day, I got my phone, which can do as much things as my apartment is stocked. Amongst other things it can tell me where I am within Japan. Big Brother is watching.
Only in Tokyo
I gave my first lesson Friday. Everyone was panicking and I was not but apparently I did well because the trainer said that I was ahead of the game. So of course I rewarded myself with beer en masse and yakitori. I swear, it's worth the plane ticket to come here just to have a few skewers after some beer:
IT'S SO GOOD!
The next day we got to a late start on the day, in part because we had a long night ahead of us. We made our second excursion into Shinjuku, which included a venture into Takashimaya, a department that had fashions worth dying or killing for. After that, we went to a Deerhoof concert: Nicky wanted to go before she even set foot on the land of the Nihhon-go and so a few of us were more than happy to oblige. It was not quite my cup of tea but we were more than happy to oblige.
What was my cup of tea was Arty Farty, a gay club in Shinjuku 2-chome - the gay district - that we went to after. Almost as small as my apartment - and allow me to remind you, gentle reader, that I live in Japan, where mostly everything is small -, the place was tighter than a virgin. Oddly enough: I found myself readily dancing with strangers and getting someone's number.
Highly unusual behavior, for those of you who know me. But refreshingly so.
IT'S SO GOOD!
The next day we got to a late start on the day, in part because we had a long night ahead of us. We made our second excursion into Shinjuku, which included a venture into Takashimaya, a department that had fashions worth dying or killing for. After that, we went to a Deerhoof concert: Nicky wanted to go before she even set foot on the land of the Nihhon-go and so a few of us were more than happy to oblige. It was not quite my cup of tea but we were more than happy to oblige.
What was my cup of tea was Arty Farty, a gay club in Shinjuku 2-chome - the gay district - that we went to after. Almost as small as my apartment - and allow me to remind you, gentle reader, that I live in Japan, where mostly everything is small -, the place was tighter than a virgin. Oddly enough: I found myself readily dancing with strangers and getting someone's number.
Highly unusual behavior, for those of you who know me. But refreshingly so.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Quickie
So here's a quick update.
The day before yesterday we had conveyor belt sushi in which each plate cost 100 yen. It was very tasty and I had something that had the consistency of congealed snot. It tasted heavily of cilantro. We had inordinate amounts of alcohol and went to sleep at three. The awakening the next day was most rude.
Said day after training we went to Shinjuku. New York does not hold a candle to that place and I really look forward to goin back very son. We're supposed to leave for tokyo early Saturday and then go to to a concert and then dance and then have sushi in Tsukiji.
I know I have been horrible with the pictures. I won't figure out the HTML so you can see them here but if you go to www.flickr.com/photos/retirementparty you may see many of them.
The day before yesterday we had conveyor belt sushi in which each plate cost 100 yen. It was very tasty and I had something that had the consistency of congealed snot. It tasted heavily of cilantro. We had inordinate amounts of alcohol and went to sleep at three. The awakening the next day was most rude.
Said day after training we went to Shinjuku. New York does not hold a candle to that place and I really look forward to goin back very son. We're supposed to leave for tokyo early Saturday and then go to to a concert and then dance and then have sushi in Tsukiji.
I know I have been horrible with the pictures. I won't figure out the HTML so you can see them here but if you go to www.flickr.com/photos/retirementparty you may see many of them.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Day 1
Day 1
On the training package, they told us in order to help us with jet lag, training would be starting at ten that day. Exactly how flippant does that sound, to tell some poor soul who has been put through the ringer, that they would be foisted onto training a few short hours upon arrival? I understood this when I woke up at five in the morning.
Training was not so bad but not so wonderful so not worthy of me expatiating over.
Lunch was experience number one. There will be photos to demonstrate. I bought a bento of soba with some sauce… and a quail egg. It was the reason why I bought it, and for 230 JPY, who can complain. Under the supervision of Alex, Sylvia, Nikky, and Elton, I prepared gently cracked open the egg, mixed the contents thereof in the sauce and started pouring it over the soba…
NO!
Screamed Sylvia, Nikky, and Elton.
AAAAH!
Screamed I, like a girl.
Apparently, you are not supposed to pour the sauce over the soba. Rather, you are supposed to dip the soba in the sauce, as I was told quite violently, all three of the aforementioned, in stereotypical slow motion, rose and held up their hands.
You live, you learn.
Training continued. I am already jaded to it.
After that, we wasted no time in getting ready to check out what Omiya has to offer. After much deliberation and indecisiveness we decided to go to karaoke and then to an izakaya (pub).
All-you-cab-drink, 1200 JPY.
Do the math to figure out how much I drank.
すみません! Sumimasen! That’s how we heckled the poor waitress as we kept on ordering booze without cease. There was beer chugging contests. We had sake. We had much. Slightly inebriated, yakitori had an almost sexual quality to it as a hewed many a stick into my mouth. I don’t think it’s possible to get drunk so cheap even if one pre-drank at home first. It was a glorious evening.
On the training package, they told us in order to help us with jet lag, training would be starting at ten that day. Exactly how flippant does that sound, to tell some poor soul who has been put through the ringer, that they would be foisted onto training a few short hours upon arrival? I understood this when I woke up at five in the morning.
Training was not so bad but not so wonderful so not worthy of me expatiating over.
Lunch was experience number one. There will be photos to demonstrate. I bought a bento of soba with some sauce… and a quail egg. It was the reason why I bought it, and for 230 JPY, who can complain. Under the supervision of Alex, Sylvia, Nikky, and Elton, I prepared gently cracked open the egg, mixed the contents thereof in the sauce and started pouring it over the soba…
NO!
Screamed Sylvia, Nikky, and Elton.
AAAAH!
Screamed I, like a girl.
Apparently, you are not supposed to pour the sauce over the soba. Rather, you are supposed to dip the soba in the sauce, as I was told quite violently, all three of the aforementioned, in stereotypical slow motion, rose and held up their hands.
You live, you learn.
Training continued. I am already jaded to it.
After that, we wasted no time in getting ready to check out what Omiya has to offer. After much deliberation and indecisiveness we decided to go to karaoke and then to an izakaya (pub).
All-you-cab-drink, 1200 JPY.
Do the math to figure out how much I drank.
すみません! Sumimasen! That’s how we heckled the poor waitress as we kept on ordering booze without cease. There was beer chugging contests. We had sake. We had much. Slightly inebriated, yakitori had an almost sexual quality to it as a hewed many a stick into my mouth. I don’t think it’s possible to get drunk so cheap even if one pre-drank at home first. It was a glorious evening.
YUL-NRT
It seems that I know longer know who I am or where I am going. Well, I’m heading to Japan to teach English… but beyond that I do not know what else is going on or what to expect… People have been saying that I should be so excited, but over what? Hell if I know what’s going to happen…
Maybe it’s the sleep deprivation talking. Tuesday night I did not sleep very much, Wednesday night I did not sleep at all, and it’s currently Thursday night now, where I have managed to grab only a few winks of sleep on the flight to Detroit. On the other hand, the flight to Tokyo is not as torturous as I thought, and with a little less than ninety minutes left, the end is near.
So my departure for Tokyo may have not went as I have planned: I could have been a little more prepared and hence a little more rested. But it all worked out for the best, even though for a few moments my psychological state may have deserved the attention of a professional.
Wednesday was my last day at work, saying goodbye to all of my coworkers, some who have become friends, mentors, and confidants was a little harder than I imagined it would have been. It’s very hard to embrace the beginning of a new chapter in my life when I have barely concluded the old on: one day I’m a credit counselor for the CIBC, the next I’m flying nine-thousand miles that way, and the next I’ll be training to be an English language instructor.
(wishes he can hit the pause button right now)
So after work Catherine and I proceed to Starbucks Fauboug to meet up with Linda and Liane, until I realize that I did pick up my alterations and I have no idea when the shop closes, causing me to run like hell in shoes bought the day before that were causing me blisters because they have yet to be broken into. Thankfully, the shop was still open, or I would have not had one complete suit to take to Japan.
So I get back to Starbucks, where Liane and Linda have been waiting for me for almost an hour, finding themselves looking after Catherine all of a sudden as I suddenly reverse course without saying why… and that’s when I realized that when my mother picked up my laptop for repair that the repair place forgot to include my charger. Being six o’clock, it was too late to buy one from a place who would actually carry one, yet I would need one within the next fourteen hours before I depart.
That panic was a little more long-lived. But without going into technical specifics Adrien saved my life, Powerbook, and capacity to expatiate incoherently on a plane and so Adrien, kisses, many kisses.
After saying goodbye to Linda and Liane, I meet up with Ryan, who took me out to Gibby’s in the Old Port for a farewell dinner. And I was happy because while my whole world was spinning out of control, at least I was able to have a marvelous dinner with one of my best friends. He gave me a going-away card, outdoing himself yet again in his ingenuity: I’ll try to take pictures and have them uploaded in due time. I’m still kinda stuffed from that dinner, but it all works out because I barely ate today.
After that, we went to the Java U Lounge, where Adrien, Liz, Sonia, and Linda joined us for a final drink goodbye. We stayed a little longer than I may have planned, and before I even debated as to whether I had the time to actually go for drinks, but I realized that work would have been no place to say goodbye to the girls, and thankfully Adrien was able to make it despite receiving no notice whatsoever. To all of you who were there: I could have not imagined a better way of leaving the country. I better be greeted in the same fashion when I return!
After that Ryan and I went chez moi because alas I had to pack and one-thirty in the morning seemed to be the ideal time to do so. I invited Efie to come by, and we all had a few last laughs over porn and YouTube as I packed. Ryan, you need to leave a link in the form of a comment to the two videos we howled over. It became a little stressful towards the end, as I realized that the time for me to stop packing and actually get ready to go was drawing nigh: I realized that I can continue to prepare forever but eventually I must actually close the bags, ready or not.
And then the goodbyes started. Said goodbye to Ryan at home: he would have came but he’s terribly afraid or airplanes and everything related to them. Krystle and Tracy came to the airport to say goodbye as well. Krystle got me my first sushi plate set for my new home and a guide to how to make it: we laughed over how doubtful it would be that I actually make some. I guess I have a year to practice. She also gave me a tie to go with my suits. Tracy gave me a set of DVDs to keep me entertained: so appreciated as they will help keep me entertained during the days in which I do not have Internet. My godparents, Marcelo, my mother, and Catherine were also hard at the airport. I will miss all of them, but I will especially miss Catherine, the one who kept me going if nothing else did.
Checking-in and going through security was not a problem. I managed to sleep a few winks on the flight from Montreal to Detroit. Called a few people at the airport on Skype: got a little emotional on a few of the calls. Got on the plane for Tokyo: for a thirteen-hour flight it was not so bad at all, despite the little horror that kept on kicking the back of my seat. Catherine was never so uncouth as a child.
And then I arrived in Japan. Went through customs, and met up finally with the AEON training group. I would say that they looked like and interesting group of people if I did not see them for all of two seconds: immediately they were whisked off on a train while I was told to wait alone in the airport and someone will be with me shortly. HUH?
Slowly but surely I was met up with someone from AEON, and after waiting for one more teacher, I take my first train ride to the training center in Omiya, going from Narita Airport to Nippori to Omiya. Japan has the train system down to an exact science: the train ride was incredibly smooth, fast, and efficient. We got to the training center, and that was that for almost a seventy-hour day. Snore.
Maybe it’s the sleep deprivation talking. Tuesday night I did not sleep very much, Wednesday night I did not sleep at all, and it’s currently Thursday night now, where I have managed to grab only a few winks of sleep on the flight to Detroit. On the other hand, the flight to Tokyo is not as torturous as I thought, and with a little less than ninety minutes left, the end is near.
So my departure for Tokyo may have not went as I have planned: I could have been a little more prepared and hence a little more rested. But it all worked out for the best, even though for a few moments my psychological state may have deserved the attention of a professional.
Wednesday was my last day at work, saying goodbye to all of my coworkers, some who have become friends, mentors, and confidants was a little harder than I imagined it would have been. It’s very hard to embrace the beginning of a new chapter in my life when I have barely concluded the old on: one day I’m a credit counselor for the CIBC, the next I’m flying nine-thousand miles that way, and the next I’ll be training to be an English language instructor.
(wishes he can hit the pause button right now)
So after work Catherine and I proceed to Starbucks Fauboug to meet up with Linda and Liane, until I realize that I did pick up my alterations and I have no idea when the shop closes, causing me to run like hell in shoes bought the day before that were causing me blisters because they have yet to be broken into. Thankfully, the shop was still open, or I would have not had one complete suit to take to Japan.
So I get back to Starbucks, where Liane and Linda have been waiting for me for almost an hour, finding themselves looking after Catherine all of a sudden as I suddenly reverse course without saying why… and that’s when I realized that when my mother picked up my laptop for repair that the repair place forgot to include my charger. Being six o’clock, it was too late to buy one from a place who would actually carry one, yet I would need one within the next fourteen hours before I depart.
That panic was a little more long-lived. But without going into technical specifics Adrien saved my life, Powerbook, and capacity to expatiate incoherently on a plane and so Adrien, kisses, many kisses.
After saying goodbye to Linda and Liane, I meet up with Ryan, who took me out to Gibby’s in the Old Port for a farewell dinner. And I was happy because while my whole world was spinning out of control, at least I was able to have a marvelous dinner with one of my best friends. He gave me a going-away card, outdoing himself yet again in his ingenuity: I’ll try to take pictures and have them uploaded in due time. I’m still kinda stuffed from that dinner, but it all works out because I barely ate today.
After that, we went to the Java U Lounge, where Adrien, Liz, Sonia, and Linda joined us for a final drink goodbye. We stayed a little longer than I may have planned, and before I even debated as to whether I had the time to actually go for drinks, but I realized that work would have been no place to say goodbye to the girls, and thankfully Adrien was able to make it despite receiving no notice whatsoever. To all of you who were there: I could have not imagined a better way of leaving the country. I better be greeted in the same fashion when I return!
After that Ryan and I went chez moi because alas I had to pack and one-thirty in the morning seemed to be the ideal time to do so. I invited Efie to come by, and we all had a few last laughs over porn and YouTube as I packed. Ryan, you need to leave a link in the form of a comment to the two videos we howled over. It became a little stressful towards the end, as I realized that the time for me to stop packing and actually get ready to go was drawing nigh: I realized that I can continue to prepare forever but eventually I must actually close the bags, ready or not.
And then the goodbyes started. Said goodbye to Ryan at home: he would have came but he’s terribly afraid or airplanes and everything related to them. Krystle and Tracy came to the airport to say goodbye as well. Krystle got me my first sushi plate set for my new home and a guide to how to make it: we laughed over how doubtful it would be that I actually make some. I guess I have a year to practice. She also gave me a tie to go with my suits. Tracy gave me a set of DVDs to keep me entertained: so appreciated as they will help keep me entertained during the days in which I do not have Internet. My godparents, Marcelo, my mother, and Catherine were also hard at the airport. I will miss all of them, but I will especially miss Catherine, the one who kept me going if nothing else did.
Checking-in and going through security was not a problem. I managed to sleep a few winks on the flight from Montreal to Detroit. Called a few people at the airport on Skype: got a little emotional on a few of the calls. Got on the plane for Tokyo: for a thirteen-hour flight it was not so bad at all, despite the little horror that kept on kicking the back of my seat. Catherine was never so uncouth as a child.
And then I arrived in Japan. Went through customs, and met up finally with the AEON training group. I would say that they looked like and interesting group of people if I did not see them for all of two seconds: immediately they were whisked off on a train while I was told to wait alone in the airport and someone will be with me shortly. HUH?
Slowly but surely I was met up with someone from AEON, and after waiting for one more teacher, I take my first train ride to the training center in Omiya, going from Narita Airport to Nippori to Omiya. Japan has the train system down to an exact science: the train ride was incredibly smooth, fast, and efficient. We got to the training center, and that was that for almost a seventy-hour day. Snore.
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
Over my head...
Don't worry, I am still going to Tokyo Thursday...
I was freaking out in the car this morning. What the hell? I'm leaving the country this week! This ain't supposed to happen, this was only supposed to happen in the future, not now! The whole me-going-to-Japan thing was only an idea, an idea designed to get some attention, people to love me, and perhaps a few parties in my name! I mean, I'm not actually supposed to go, am I?
It was also hard when we were all at the table and someone thought Tracy was crying. And then she actually started crying. And then I started crying. And then Tita Le started crying.
I feel like crying now.
It's because of such that I can't talk about my leaving for too long: it upsets me and those around me. I can't live in the future because there is so little present left.
I was freaking out in the car this morning. What the hell? I'm leaving the country this week! This ain't supposed to happen, this was only supposed to happen in the future, not now! The whole me-going-to-Japan thing was only an idea, an idea designed to get some attention, people to love me, and perhaps a few parties in my name! I mean, I'm not actually supposed to go, am I?
It was also hard when we were all at the table and someone thought Tracy was crying. And then she actually started crying. And then I started crying. And then Tita Le started crying.
I feel like crying now.
It's because of such that I can't talk about my leaving for too long: it upsets me and those around me. I can't live in the future because there is so little present left.
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Welcome
There are a few very sweet people out there. They work at the AEON Hamamatso-cho school, the school where I will be working at in a few days. They go by the names of Claire, Emi, Stuart, Hiromi, Aya, and Arata.
In the mail I received a season's greetings and welcome card from them. I almost started tearing up, such unexpected sweetness and warmth from people who I haven't even met yet. I really do look forward to meeting them all.
In the mail I received a season's greetings and welcome card from them. I almost started tearing up, such unexpected sweetness and warmth from people who I haven't even met yet. I really do look forward to meeting them all.
Resolution 2007
It was so magical.
Linda and I arrived there at 12:30 in the AM. I danced until 11 AM the next day. After just half an hour Linda and I both agreed that it was way better than Black and Blue '06. Victor Calderone was all that I wanted him to be an more. Max Graham unexpectedly gave perhaps one of the best sets ever, delivering bass-lines I did not even know were possible. DJ Tiesto got there three hours late, being the superstar DJ he is. He started off kinda slow but built it up slowly but steadily: at the end I have never danced so hard in my life.
I look back upon those ten-and-a-half hours and want to cry. The experience was surreal: nothing but beauty existed, words can't express how wonderful it was. Linda, you are amazing: you get off a plane and hours later without even napping you are good to go. You are the ultimate party animal! Efie, through good fortune we realize we are both going and I am so happy I was able to the experience with you!
Linda and I arrived there at 12:30 in the AM. I danced until 11 AM the next day. After just half an hour Linda and I both agreed that it was way better than Black and Blue '06. Victor Calderone was all that I wanted him to be an more. Max Graham unexpectedly gave perhaps one of the best sets ever, delivering bass-lines I did not even know were possible. DJ Tiesto got there three hours late, being the superstar DJ he is. He started off kinda slow but built it up slowly but steadily: at the end I have never danced so hard in my life.
I look back upon those ten-and-a-half hours and want to cry. The experience was surreal: nothing but beauty existed, words can't express how wonderful it was. Linda, you are amazing: you get off a plane and hours later without even napping you are good to go. You are the ultimate party animal! Efie, through good fortune we realize we are both going and I am so happy I was able to the experience with you!
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