I've decided to start a second blog where I feel I will be able to post without having to censor my true feelings or worry about offending anyone unintentionally. At times I feel very restricted by the fact that my immediate and extended family make up the readers of this blog almost exclusively and when I have posted either mature or somewhat controversial items there is a lot of negative feedback that I really can't respond to simply because it is family who is making said remarks. This decision has been something I've thought about for some time now and I just feel that perhaps the majority of the readers of this blog prefer seeing the lighter side of Japan, which is why the blog was started initially so I completely understand that. I don't want anyone to feel responsible for this as it is mainly because when I started this blog it was to keep friends and family updated about my life here in the land of the rising sun and not because I enjoyed writing in it. However as the months have passed I have found that putting my daily frustrations and thoughts into writing is very cathartic and I have come to enjoy the peace of mind it helps bring. Also please don't ask for the new blog as that would kind of defeat the whole purpose of starting a second one. So as of now this blog will be purely G rated, so please don't worry about any future content. Once again I can't stress enough how this is not a reaction to one person or one post, but simply a decision I have come to over time.

Well after that rather depressing monologue here is something that will hopefully cheer you up!

Life update?

So I finally received the tax certificates and letter of release I've been waiting for from Nova today and despite them being almost two weeks late I'm incredibly relieved to finally have them in my hands. Tomorrow I'm going into the Immigration office again with Ayuko to give them said documents as well as to see if they were unnecessary as I may have already been approved for a visa with Interac as my sponsor. Hopefully all goes well and I won't be forcibly deported, but at this point it seems like my visa worries are a thing of the past. However I'll post again tomorrow after discovering my fate at the very unhelpful Immigration office.

As far as my school placement goes I had rather disheartening news today as I heard from Interac that all high school slots have been filled and I will most likely be teaching in either a junior high/elementary combo or just in elementary schools. This was unwelcome news as I have no desire to work with elementary students despite their at times cuteness appeal, but the matter is out of my hands. Also I have no idea as to where I will be placed to teach at this point as apparently they are uncertain about the exact needs of the various boards of education. However I did request to be placed somewhere at least vaguely close to where Ayuko will be working so when we look for apartments we won't have to worry about working on different sides of the city. This is rather important as the greater Tokyo area has over 35 million people and so travel time could be enormous if we don't work in the same general area. I was informed that I should know of my placement on Monday, so keep your fingers crossed and the prayers rolling.

Also this picture is too hilarious not to post and while I realize impressionable young people might read this blog I'm afraid I've warned of no censoring before...

Model Mania

So due to the massive amount of free time one my hands I recently decided to buy a model kit of some sort to help pass the time. Japan is inundated with hobby stores, so I knew I would have a wide variety to choose from. I've never really been into models as I don't have the patience to paint or detail them and as this process is what really makes them interesting I felt it would just be a waste of time and money. However, in the end boredom was able to sway my mind. In America when most people think of modeling they might imagine cars, planes, etc and in Japan this is true as well but taken to an extreme. Stores have entire floors devoted to a specific genre, especially when it comes to robots or mecha as the fanboys call them.

As I felt that as long as I was building something it might as well be interesting, so I decided to buy one of the mecha models. The model I ultimately decided on due to both its low price and image appeal was a Brutish Dog which is apparently from some anime where it and other Votoms, the kind of battle mecha it is, battle for world domination or some other common goal. I've never heard of them, but seeing as I don't normally like that kind of anime no surprises there. Anyway I'm currently about halfway? done and once I finish I'll post some pictures of it as well as some progress pictures which I'm too lazy to upload now.

Sad State of Affairs

Recently a 38 year old Staff Sergeant stationed in a military base located in Okinawa, the southernmost of Japan's islands, was accused of raping a 14 year old girl. This has created an uproar in Okinawa which is the only place in Japan to house US military forces in any number and this most recent incident is only the latest in a long line of abuses by the military stationed there. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that the marine doesn't dispute the occurrence of the rape, just the degree. To give you just an idea of said incidents here is a link listing them all:

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20080213p2a00m0na034000c.html


As this rape occurred at a time when the US and Japan are negotiating placement of a larger airfield on the island it has created a great deal of tension between the two countries with Japanese Prime Minister Fukuda saying it is inexcusable. As the US rushes to address the growing political problem created by such crimes I can personally only feel empathy for the islanders and all they have had to put up with since WWII. Not only were they ordered to commit mass suicides by the Japanese military when the island was overrun, but just last year the government attempted to have this stricken from Japanese history books. Along with such blatant disregard for their past suffering they have had to deal with a repeatedly uncontrollable US military presence with no end in site. Such flagrant abuses of power by the United States sickens me as they attempt to force their military presence on a supposed 'ally' simply amazes me.

Also as far as the first poll:

4 people would be a samurai
0 would be a geisha
4 people would be a ninja

Why no love for the geisha?

While it may seem like I don't actually talk about my daily life very often in my posts there is a very good reason for that. Mainly that currently my daily life doesn't really consist of a whole lot as I generally stay home to save money and since Ayuko works close to five days a week I only really see her in the evenings, so that limits what we do during the day. Right now I am just waiting to hear back from the Immigration Office concerning my visa and finding new and exciting ways to while away the boredom during the day. This includes a whole gamut of fun activities ranging from working out, computer games, studying Japanese, going for bike rides into the mountains (sorta), attempting to plan out my life for the next couple of years, cooking, surfing the internet superhighway, etc. So essentially my life isn't terribly exciting these days and thus my posts will more often than not focus on the quirkier sides of Japanese culture.

However a quick update on my situation before I forget to mention it. I am tentatively placed to teach in Shinjuku in Tokyo at this point and as Interac has been communicating with the Immigration Office a good deal they have assured me my visa seems certain at this point. So hooray for that. For those who don't know Shinjuku is...well I'm going to just let you read about it on wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinjuku

Anyway this is one of the areas I strongly desired to be placed in, so needless to say I am very happy with even a tentative placement there. Ayuko warned me that the schools could be terrible there, but it is a risk I'm willing to take. Following are various pictures of Shinjuku.

Gravure Idols

A common stereotype about Japan that is often held by Westerners is that it is a patriarchal country where outdated traditional views on men and women still rule society and where the media portray women as beautiful, often unintelligent creatures. Shockingly enough this stereotype couldn't be closer to the truth in a country where I am often shocked at just how ridiculous some of the views their media and government put forth such as when a government minister referred to women as baby making machines. However this entry is about a lighter matter and one that doesn't have such deep overtones. I'm talking about gravure idols.

Now gravure idols are Japanese models who pose primarily in bikinis and other provocative clothing for photo spreads in magazines, books, etc. They also can be seen daily on a wide variety of Japanese shows as eye candy or celebrity guests. Now perhaps not surprisingly these idols can become extremely well known and popular such as Hoshino Aki, perhaps the most popular idol presently. Another aspect of these idols I find interesting is that almost all of them are proportioned like Barbie dolls, something which is very rare in Japanese women.

Now I realize that America has similar figures such as the Victoria's Secret Angels and such, but they can't compare to these idols as they are household names and appear in countless media on an almost daily basis. The Japanese man's obsession with busty, submissive women just seems so unreal to me simply because it is not an accurate view of the women in this country. Almost all of the young Japanese women I have met are anything but submissive and far from the well endowed women these idols embody. Yet when I asked my past students how they would describe their perfect woman all of them agreed that she should be inordinately busty, have a very small waist, very slim, short, and have black hair. It just seems to me that the men of this country refuse to acknowledge the beauty that surrounds them and instead hold to a wildly unrealistic view of women.

Kanda Uno

I'm not sure if I mentioned this or not, but a couple of months ago I went to a luncheon with Ayuko's mom at a really swanky place in Tennoji that is famous in Osaka for their quality of service, food, and food presentation. It was by invite only and Hayashide-san, Ayuko's mom, had been given two invitations by a high end shoe boutique she frequents for being their best customer or something like that. Ayuko was originally supposed to go, but she ended up having to work so I was the only one left who wasn't busy. Needless to say I threw on my suit and went to the lunch with only food in mind.

However after the meal there was also going to be a talk by a Japanese celebrity, Kanda Uno, who is famous as a model, actress, and fashion designer and can be seen on Japanese variety shows at least once or twice a week. Now mind you I didn't really care about the talk as after Hayashide-san tried interpreting for me I told her I didn't really mind not knowing what this woman who was dressed up like a princess was saying. And by princess I mean she was wearing her wedding dress, as she had recently been married to a pachinko mogul, and this dress would have made Princess Peach blush. She even had a crown! Now as the talk is winding down Ayuko's mom leans over to tell me that the numbers we had been given when we arrived were going to be drawn for a lottery with a super sugoi prize of a signed copy of Uno's as of then unrelased wedding autobiography. At this point I started getting a little nervous as Kanda Uno would be presenting the winners with the books in front of a crowd of about 200 people and the last thing I wanted was a room full of Japanese women staring in wonder/horror at the giant gaijin receiving their coveted book. However luck was not on my side as lo and behold my number was the last one pulled! Now the part of the story I still find hilarious is as I am walking up to receive my book every one of the staff who see me adopt a shocked expression and drop their jaws in wonder. Even the announcer exclaimed in a startled voice, "Wow! The last one is a gaijin!". I finally get to Uno, who looks just as shocked as the rest, and as she hands me the book she says, "Congratulations", with a big princess smile. At this point it takes all I have not to burst out laughing as this is the most ridiculous situation I have ever found myself in. A real life Japanese princess just congratulated me for winning her wedding book. Hilarious.

ParaPara Dancing

Para Para dancing is a popular style of club dancing seen mainly in Tokyo, but can also be found in other cities throughout Japan. It involves mainly choreographed hand and arm movements with little lower body movement beyond moving the hips or some basic dance steps. In this sense para para dancing is akin to something like line dancing in which the entire club is performing together and I've heard if you go to a club with this style of dancing and haven't practiced beforehand you are going to look very out of place. I thought I'd blog about this just because I think it is so incredibly bizarre and hopefully the videos I've included can give you just some idea of what it entails.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iIwJdQDcSA&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhp-bFLZtOk&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2P0s85s0_jM&feature=related

One unrelated piece of info in answer to Erica's question and perhaps others is that my visa extension will be for another year if it is granted.


Also today was a rather sad day as my second Betta fish, Kantan, passed away in the night to join his friend Yasui who died sometime earlier. Both of them died mainly from complications that ensued in their transport to Ayuko's house as a salaryman in a rush ran into me which caused me to drop them onto the cold, deadly subway station floor. While they both survived this blatant race crime the injuries they sustained would ultimately prove too much for both of them. I dedicate this post to you Kantan and Yasui...

Well I went back to the Immigration Office yesterday with Ayuko and was able to put in my visa extension application which will be processed over the next two weeks and barring any unforeseen difficulties I will have my visa renewed. So that is great news as I was also able to inform Interac, my new employer, of obtaining the stamp in my passport signifying a visa renewal and so I should hopefully be able to sign a formal contract with them sometime next week after they officially place me in a school. Also it turns out that the school they were originally planning to place me in which was located in Yokohama, which is some distance from Tokyo, was too nervous about my visa situation and therefore did not want me. While this may seem like bad news it is actually the opposite as now Interac has informed me that I will most likely be placed in Tokyo which is where I wanted to be placed anyway. So it seems things are hopefully finally working out and I can finally breathe a little easier. However until I actually get the official visa renewal stamp in my passport I am still leery of some more excitement, so time will tell.