Author Archives: crayten

Complicated

Out with the Devil

This is the time of year where everyone is looking to start a new page. Even though our new year has past, the new year here is still in full swing. China’s New Year is coming soon and Japan just recently celebrated what is known as the Setsubun Festival. In this festival it’s common to clean yourself of evil and start anew! A very common practice is for a family member to use a paper mask in the image of a demon to parade outside the home. That’s when the rest of the family proceeds to brutally assault them with….. soybeans. That’s right, soybeans. GET OUT DEMON, or I shall smite thee with my mighty soybean! I find it an awesome tradition! I think for kids, its even more fun. Unfortunately this tradition is slowly dying out and becoming one of those things of times passed.

Ohs Noes!

Image: Courtesy of wikipedia

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Complicated, Food, Travel

Starting 2010 the Right Way

So I started my New Year right, I think. A New Year with a new country and new cultural experiences. Of course I have been here since March, but the reality of it all finally set in. Last post was dedicated more so to all of us just sitting down and thinking about the course of events of 2009 and what’s to come in the next year. This post will be more about those oh so fathomed experiences we get to have when living abroad.

The end of 2009, to be entirely honest, was nothing like I expected. The obvious differences in culture weren’t so boldfaced anymore. When everything is written or placed into words the perception of meaning can be twisted based upon the experiences that an individual has. Call it “Experiential Referencing.” To be frank, I knew the differences between Japan and the US but didn’t fully realize them till January 1st hit.

In the US, it’s common for families to get together for Christmas and have a huge dinner. Then come New Year’s Eve and many of us get together with friends to drink, be merry, and revel in that New Year. Here in the better part of Asia, these customs are quite contrary to our practice. Christmas is more of a hallmark holiday for Japanese people. Originally, I had the understanding it was a time for friends to have dinner or parties. It turns out that it’s more of a couple thing and friends are generally excluded. For those who are single, it could be a bit “kanashii,” or sad, if all your friends are coupled. The New Year on the other hand is often rung in by the immediate family who will eat dinner and numerous traditional foods. For example, zouni which is soup with mochi (a form of balled rice) or kuromame which is sweet soy beans. Sometimes during that first week of the year, the extended family will get together to enjoy the fact that another year is yet to come with hopes for good fortune.

Indeed things were distinctly different from my sheltered life back home. Regardless, I did my best to join in the Japanese traditions. During New Year’s Eve I visited three shrines in Fukuoka and prayed for good fortune as well as health in the coming year. For Japanese this is a fun tradition and each region has different ways to bring about that New Year, such as having a small race where the winner is honored with rice, sake and possible prosperous good luck in the year to come!

We also do such traditional things such as haunted hayrides during Halloween or going to church on Christmas Eve. Although the traditions for our various holidays between the two countries may vary, the idea remains the same. It’s all about celebrating what we as people hold important to us.

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Complicated

A New Year with New Thoughts

I’m finally back in action! Happy New Year everyone!

Around this time of year, everyone seems to be out making new year’s resolutions and such: “I won’t drink for a month, I promise to lose weight, I won’t eat ramen everyday this week,….” I personally don’t really understand new year’s resolutions. Sure, the new year brings about thoughts of motivation, but isn’t it more likely to happen if you just remain consistent in your efforts? Give it a shot. I know some of you may have already broken those promises to yourself even though we are only 7 days into the new year. Doesn’t mean you have to stop trying! The new year may start on one day, but your efforts to restart can happen at any moment.

Usually I myself don’t have a resolution to follow. This year however, at the start of January 1st I realized I do have one thing I wish to change. So with the start of the new year in mind, I will make a better effort to contact all my friends. For all of you who read this, thank you very much and I hope we can all keep in better touch this coming year! May the best luck be with you all.

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Uncategorized

Merry Christmas to all!

Hey! Merry Christmas everyone! Welcome to the minimatt.com Christmas Edition! I hope all of you will have a great Christmas Day and an even better start to your New Year! Welcome to the Year of the Tiger (in Japan)!

So this is my first Christmas abroad. Sure it’s popular in other parts of the world but not to the extent you’d think. In Japan, it’s popular for all different reasons. Christmas for most Japanese has absolutely nothing to do with religion. They hear it’s a day kids in the Americas and Europe get all these cool gifts. But they know very little about the origins.

Here it’s popular to celebrate on Christmas Eve along with Christmas Day. A little like back home I guess, depending on the family tradition. The major differences lie in the next few sentences. Family is not a big thing during this holiday. Friends like to get together, maybe exchange a few gifts and hang out. Usually when the family has dinner on one of the two “special” nights. They’ll hit up the local fast food store for some tasty fried chicken (if the lines at KFC are just too out of control).

Lastly of course, we can not forget the “Christmas Cake.” What? Christmas Cake? Yes, CHRISTMAS Cake. Throw a Santa figurine on there, maybe a fake piece of Holly, and now you have a Christmas Cake. Ok sure, it’s all cutesy, there’s nothing wrong with the appearance. It’s about half the size of a normal cake, but then again, everything here is half size. However,… the price is the exception to that rule.

I got to see a couple of cakes at this store where people were LINED up. I was thinking to myself “must be a pretty good store or they have a good deal going on.” I walk over and almost knocked a couple of people over. The cakes cost about 45 to 65 USD. A single sliver of a slice goes for about 7 USD. So to say the least, I said,… no thank you and moved on.

So take everything you know about Christmas and throw it away. When it comes to traveling on this side of the planet, the likelihood is it’s very different. I think some sushi and sake sounds like an excellent way to celebrate tonight! Merry Christmas everyone!

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Complicated

Long time no see!

It’s been a while since I wrote here. Mostly because end of term is coming in Japan. These past couple of days it’s snowed. Today, it snowed. Tomorrow more snow. In fact, the next 3 days are supposed to snow. Sounds like a lot right? I wish. This is the first time I’ve ever seen sun flaking (no that doesn’t exist). I swear, I was looking out the window today and in the distance I saw the mountains. Five minutes later I couldn’t see anything past 1 mile out. The sun was shining all around the school, and yet there was a mad blizzard no more than 1 mile away. It’s torture, all I want is some good snow. Which brings me to another thing, for all those people complaining about snow I have one word for you “Move.”

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Uncategorized

Mosquitos

I was bitten just yesterday…. This is December right? I will exterminate all of these things. I can’t believe one bit me in DECEMBER. It’s not that warm out! But some how Japan’s mosquitos are the meanest of the mean. Still alive and kicking at 10 degrees Celsius. I guess it won’t be safe till,… maybe February…

Speaking of which, the weather has finally just chilled down. It’s hitting around 10 degrees at night but still peaking around 20 during the days (Celsius mind you!). It’s pretty intense. We are no where near snowing weather. We probably won’t hit zero till some time in January or early February. Of course, come March it starts to warm up again. By May it’s feeling pretty nice outside. All things considered,… minus the mosquitos, this climate is pretty sweet.

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Uncategorized

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know I’m not able to have a proper Thanksgiving,…. No Turkey, scarce cranberry sauce, only dried cranberries, gravy that doesn’t exist, and the list goes on. That doesn’t mean I can’t wish you all the best Thanksgiving ever! So eat up, have some nice turkey with gravy to go with the mashed sweet potatoes. Oh and be sure to eat all the cranberry sauce for me.

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Les Pensées en Francais, Travel

Le Thailande: En Francais!

Malheureusement, mon français n’est pas le meilleur. Je ne peux pas faire les petites blagues et tous ca comme en Anglais. Mais, ca ne rien!

Souvent, je parle du Japon mais aujourd’hui est un peu différent. Récemment je suis allé à la Thaïlande et je suis visite a Bangkok et un petit île qui s’appelle Phuket. Les fondamentaux: La nourriture est pique, les monuments sont superbe, les vendeurs sont agressif, et les femmes sont super gentille. Alors, la Thaïlande est vraiment une grande fête. Il y a trop de choses à faire la.

La Thaïlande est super awesome à visiter. Il y a un grand assortiment de fruits, de la nourriture, et des choses à faire. Vous pouvez trouver des noix de coco sur le coin, du durian au café et de la mangue aux étals. Je vais vous suggérer que si tu voudrais gouter du curry, attends! Vous pouvez l’essayer la dernière journée que vous êtes la. La raison est parce-que vous n’allez pas capable de gouter les autres flaveurs de la Thaïlande si vous avez déjà mange du curry. En total, j’étais complètement content grâce à la nourriture en Thaïlande.

Alors, il est sur que la nourriture m’aime bien mais je dois changer le sujet un petit peu. Dans les rues de Bangkok, il existe pleins des marchands ambulants. Ils vendent tous les affaires que vous pouvez imaginer. Mais oui, tous les produits sont faire en Thaïlande. Il est probable que les produits étaient mauvais mais pour cinq dollars ou moins c’est pas mal.

Un truc très important pour les touristes. Vous devez apprendre les astuces du marchand ! Vous pouvez demander un autre prix par marchander. Si vous ne demanderiez pas, c’est un grand dommage. Souvenir, à Thaïlande vous pouvez marchander sans problèmes. Il est une partie de la culture. N’inquiet pas !

Oui,  je sais qu’il y a des erreurs mais je vais essayer d’ecrire plus pour vous quand meme mes amis!

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