Author Archives: crayten

Complicated

Lost in a World

I never really thought about it much before till I got here. People in the US do the same,… just not to the same extent. I was riding the train the other day and was listening to my music. I took a look around the train and say maybe half the people doing the same while the other half were either asleep or completely enthralled with their phones. That’s when I put away my headphones…

People are so lost in the world they have created that they are missing everything that is happening around them. Even I am guilty of it most of the time. I am starting to unplug myself and listen to everyday occurrences that go on. I know Tim C. would probably disagree, but something as simple as the birds chirping can be relaxing. I enjoy it, much more than my music anyway. I wonder if I am missing something.

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Select your Vehicle

So apparently you can drive ATV’s on the road in Japan…. License plate and all…. I hear that if it has wheels and goes just get a license plate and your good to go. I guess old grandma Suyama on her moped isn’t much better.

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Complicated

A Story on Cars

Hold on, I am going to hop into my Toyota Corolla “Super Windy Edition” and blow right into a Daihatsu Move making it a Daihatsu Naked. Now where did my Toyota Homey go….. Oh Japan, a laugh around every corner.

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Super!

Welcome to the world of wonders, a world better known as Japan. Today we will venture forth, into the depths referred to as Western Japan. A place not well explored or known even amongst the natives. On my safari I found a fascinating site at which I unfortunately have no pictures of and furthermore no PROOF of it’s existence. It will just have to remain a mystery in likeness to bigfoot until I can provide solid evidence! My discovery,.. I like to call it… the “Super Multi Kiddie Carriage”! That’s right, have the need to place a kid in day care? Worried about your kids not getting to see the town while at work? Have no fear, the “Super Multi Kiddie Carriage” is here! One caretaker can push around 5 to 7 of your children in a playpen on wheels!

No,.. seriously,… I’m not joking. I saw it.

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Complicated

The Narrow Road of Impending DOOM!

And there I was, on a narrow strip of pavement. To my right speeding cars hogging the road. To my left the murky awesomeness of the rice paddy that I would soon be swimming in….. No, I didn’t actually swim in it…. no I didn’t do that either. So drivers here are the suck. They feel this burning passion to own the road. That’s not mentioning the fact that for some reason when parking their cars need the space of a tractor trailer to get in and out. Forget backing up. What’s parallel parking again? Oh that’s right, swing a wide left here and knock that kid into some poor defenseless old women on a bicycle. Speed bump action, AWAY!

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I want to ride my Bicycle!

Sorry Queen. Yea, so the highlight of my day was this kickin’ Bicycle I got. It came complete with: wheel light, bike lock, adjustable seat (no seat warmer, what can I ask for 5000 yen), and I can even lock the steering wheel so the person stealing it will go endlessly straight into that wall over there. Now all I need is some handle streamers and noise makers for the wheels…..

It’s amazing how riding a bicycle can clear your head. The whole change in lifestyle and culture has its tolls but once I get on that bike, everything just seems to go away. It’s pretty great. Today was quite a baffling day, full of Nihonglish and meetings. I met all of my co-workers (6 schools worth) and the board of education which hired me. I finally start this Friday! I am pretty excited to start and I will keep you all posted on how that first day goes! As for now, I will leave you with this, the 100 yen store is absolutely awesome. This message and my entire interior decorating scheme brought to you by Daiso, 100 yen amazingness.

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And there I was

So I finally arrived in my place. After two days of bustling around, I finally got water, gas, electricity,…. and INTERNET! In the mean time I was just walking around and checking out the area. Now this time of year is very popular for Cherry Blossoms, so I figured I go check out this park which is about a 30 minute walk from my place. I came to find out that a park in the conventional sense is nothing at all like I thought. It was MASSIVE like, hugely huge. We are talking: Three Soccer Fields, Two Baseball Fields, and Three Tracks. Of course this is excluding the cool Cherry Blossom Garden and the sweet Kids’ Mystery Forest! I was blown out of the water. I checked out a baseball game, chilled with a few families in the garden… and almost played on the slides! It was pretty cool.

Tomorrow is my first day at work. I get to meet all the teachers from the six schools I will be working. I go to two Junior Highs, one every week, and an different elementary school once a week. The schedule looks pretty intense, but not as bad as I was thinking. Honestly, when I saw four elementary schools I started preparing all my lessons for that! Now I have to go back and kind of plan for Junior High instead. Oh well. All in all, it’s going to be interesting and I do have some photos to get up here… or at acornsandgold,… whenever I finish that, for now you will get them here when I am done with them!

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Complicated

Coming and Going

Here’s a post,… sort of dedicated to Sanjiv. So what’s “Good Bye.” I won’t get all philosophical, but in reality is good bye a symbol for the end? Some people think so, kind of like a “Sayonara Mato san.” In reality I am not leaving, but I’ll be around in the memories you have of me and vice versa. No worries, the next time we meet there will be more to be had. It’s a little difficult to explain my thinking at the moment but let’s see how you fair after this.

What is good bye to you? Sit there, think on it. Good,…. Bye. What’s so good about it? I’ll tell you, I left you with memories you will never forget and the anticipation that more will come! Keep in touch with me and I will always do the same.

Japan here I come, am I ready? Toujours la chance, beaucoups de langues melangent dans la tete. Pas possible d’expliquer. Peut-etre une journee je vais comprendre. A ce moment je suis content d’habiter la vie quand meme. Merci tout le monde. Ganbatte mina!

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