~July 21, 2000~

Well here it is, my last night in Canada.  Its very exciting to think that tomorrow I'm getting on a plan and leaving the country!!!!!  Today we had our pre-depature orientation.  Alot of us are excited and worried about our trip tomorrow, and most of it is due to our luggage allowance.  I'm okay though, cause my both of my bags were under the weight restriction of 70 pounds, though one was 69.4 pounds.  I'm cutting it pretty close. :)

I don't know what else to write in this.  Its been a long time since I've done a journal and especially one that other people can read.  Usually I start out my journals with goals and what I want to accomplish with it.  I guess what I want to accomplish with this thing is to provide a chronicling of my life in Japan.  I know that my friends and family can't be here with me but I can provide a way to share my experiences with them.  Hopefully this will work out.

Well, I don't really have much else to say.  I haven't even got out of the country yet.  Once I get to Japan I'll be able to update this and let everyone know what Japan is like.
 

~July 26, 2000~

Well I am finally in Morioka in Iwate-ken.  I've made it!  Tomorrow I get to meet my supervisor and head out to Yamada.  Its so exciting!!!

Well, Japan sure is an interesting country.  I couldn't believe when I arrived in Narita airport and it looked so old!  Nothing at all like Vancouver.  When we stepped off the plane (BTW: Business class is the only way to fly!  I pity the JET's next year who will be in economy) the humdity and heat were so strong!  But it was bearable.  I definitely can handle it.  My worries about customs were all for naught though.  The customs offical didn't even check my passport.  I just walked right through.  The bus ride into Tokyo was interesting.  I made a few friends along the way, also.  As we were traveling down the road I was waving back to the Japanese who were interested in the bus full of foreigners.

The Keio Plaza hotel was very nice.  My room was on the 34th floor and I had a direct view of the Tokyo Government Building.  Its so huge!  The first night in Tokyo I just went out for some food.  We went to a noodle shop where you figured out what you wanted by looking at the plastic food in the window.  Then you went inside and payed at a vending machine.  The noodles were very good and I got to slurp!!!!  On my first night in Tokyo, I woke up at 4:00 and watched the sun glint off the office buildings.   The Tokyo skyline looks so cool in the morning.

The first day of orientation was just as everyone said it would be.  Long, boring and hot.  The air conditioning was a Godsend though.  It managed to keep everyone sane.  After all of the meetings on the first day, I skipped the welcome reception and went out with Ami-sensei.  We met a friend of hers and went to this small restaurant located in a basement for okinomiyaki.  It was sooooo good!!  I have to learn how to make it.  After our wonderful meal, we walked around Shinjuku for a while.  Ami had to keep an eye on me because I was so busy looking at everything  that I almost lost her in the sea of people.  Shinjuku is amazing.  Being there, I realized that I lived a long way out in the bush.  The neon lights make it look like day and it seemed to never stop.  We went for dessert at this fruit restaurant.  It was then that it hit me that I was actually in Japan.  I jumped out of that wonderful feeling called denial for about a minute when I realized that I was the only foreigner around.  After that, I lapsed back into denial that I was actually in Japan.  On the way back to the hotel jet lag really hit me.  I felt as if all of my energy was just sucked out of me.  As soon as I got back to the hotel I went to bed.  However, I woke up at 4:00 again.  I guess I was still adjusting.

On Tuesday, July 25, we still had more meetings etc...  I met alot of people from all over the world.  I also found out the most coolest thing.  Some Americans said that I have an accent!!!  Yay!  They said Canadians pronounce their vowels more "correct" and softer then people from Britain.  I was so happy to know that I have an accent!!!  Wheeeee...anyways, on Tuesday night about 200 of us Canadians herded ourselves through Shinjuku station to go the Canadian embassy.  It sure was fun, trying to make sure that everyone got on the right train at the right time.  It was actually very easy and I feel that I can take the subway in Tokyo anytime without any help.  The Canadian embassy was nice as we got free food and drinks.

Wednesday, July 26, was a big day for us Iwate JETs.  Once we got assembled at the lovely hour of 8:30 (It was okay for me, as I had went to bed early, but a few people had lived up their last night in Tokyo) we boarded a bus for Tokyo Station to take the Shinkansen (Bullet train).  First off, our train was late and then cancelled.  So after 1 & 1/2 hour of waiting we finally boarded the train for Iwate.  However, this train stopped at every station between Tokyo and Sendai (Large city up north).  Even though the ride was long, it still was very cool.  It was overcast so we couldn't see much out there but it was neat.  Along the train line, there was never a break of nothing.  We saw houses all the way to Morioka in Iwate.  However, Japan is still very lush and green up north.  It is very beautiful.

In Morioka, we are staying at the Hotel Ace.  We had some free time eariler so we wandered around a bit.  I hit a convenience store (the convenience stores around here are crazy.  Sam would go nuts trying to sample each and everyone of the drinks, chips, candy, cookies, ice cream, and other miscellaneous food? type itmes) and bought a 500 ml can of coke.  Its huge!!!  Check out the comparison to my toothbrush.  We are going out tonight to some local JET hangout called Faces.  I hope it will be fun as they said we get dinner and dancing.  Yay!!!
 
 
 

~July 27, 2000~

Well I sure had an interesting night last night.  We went to Faces, which is run by a foreigner, and instead of getting the dinner and dancing we expected/were promised we got an interesting glimpse into the youth of Japan.  Many of us seriously reconsidered why we were here after that night.... Just kidding, of course, but it was a wierd experience.  Apparently we arrived on the night that the punk/very heavy metal bands were showcasing their so called talents.  Everyone there was wearing leather, ripped jeans, old t-shirts with wierd English and had their hair dyed stranges colors and coiffed with enough gel to fuel a small country for a year.  They moshed, screamed, murdered their instruments and threw water at the dumbstruck foreigners.  I don't think I can explain what I saw in words.  I guess it might have been an extreme outpouring of teenage angst coupled with a large scale protest against a society that defines you by which groups you belong to.  Hopefully the pictures will give you an insight into what I saw.

Anyways, today we went to the Kencho.  The Kencho is the Iwate Prefectural government office.  While there we had a ceremony where we were presented with a certificate saying that we were hired.  After that we went for a quick tour of the offices.  We then hiked through the bristling heat to the Iwate International centre.  At the centre we can get englilsh books, surf the internet, watch english TV or just hang out.  While there I took a Japanese language test to figure out which language course I belonged in.  Of course I did horrible on the exam as I haven't practiced my Japanese at all.  But I did it in hiragana so I'm proud of myelf. :)

Once the turmoil of the Japanese test was over we got lunch at Macudonaado (sound it out if you don't know).  IT TASTES THE SAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I then met my supervisor.  Her name is Noriko Miyazawa.  She brought her husband and 5 year old daughter, Akiko, to meet me also.  We loaded up my two tonnes of luggage into the back of her mini-minivan  and went to her house.  Once there I broke out the pictures and map and explained everything I could about Canada and my family/friends/life.  The rest of the evening wasn't too exciting as I relaxed and went to bed early.

~July 28, 2000~

Today I finally made it to my town, Yamada.  The drive from Morioka to Yamada is very nice.  It kind of looks like a mini version of the Fraser Canyon.  The coast is awesome.  It is very mountainous so it gives it kind of a older more mystical feel.  I think I'm really going to like it here.  Yamada is located around a bay and is quite spread out. 

Once Noriko and I arrived in Yamada we went right to the school.  I met my principal, vice-principal and some of the teachers.  When I got there I gave a short speech in Japanese.  I have never gotten so much applause in my life.  Noriko and I then went to my apartment.  I choose the older duplex as it is closer to shopping and such and I have no means of motorized transportation.  My apartment is old but it is fairly large.  It is as I like to call it "Rustic Japanese."  Please check out my section about my apartment for further information.  A whole bunch of teachers came to my new home to help me move the stuff from my predecessors place.  I've got alot of stuff but I still have to dig through it all and figure out what I want and don't need.  I think I will save that for a rainy day though.

Once everything was moved in, I was left for myself for a little while.  I managed to unpack a little bit of stuff.  I know its going to take me a while to get used to my apartment.  Its pretty rustic.  But I do have hot water and the toliet isn't too bad.  My shower is getting replaced with a new one but that will happen next week.  The apartment should be fine once I make it my own.

Anyways, Noriko came and picked me up again and we went to my homestay family, the Sagawaras.  They have two daughters, Akina and Nasuki, who are both around my sisters age.  I hung out with Akina for a bit and we watched Romeo and Juliet and (of all things) Full House.  I then had another one of those famous Japanese meals.  My host family was amazed that I could use chopsticks and that I would eat raw fish.  If this is what impresses the Japanese then I have it made.  I also made a friend at the Sagawaras.  A friend of theirs, Toshi Nakamura, came over.   I don't know if it was the beer he was drinking or what but he could speak very clear english.  We sat and had english conversation, as he called it.  It was nice to be able to speak to someone because I was having a little trouble communicating with my host family.  But now everything is fine.  Mr. Nakamura helped me to clear some things up so all is good.

~July 29, 2000~

Today I went out with my host family to get ready for a big barbeque/welcome party.  I now know where to buy groceries, meat, fish and fireworks.  I also played "My Pet Foreigner" with my host family.  I was pushing the shopping cart for my host mom.  It was really funny because I was getting all these strange looks.  This one lady had her head turned all the way around and was walking forward.  I couldn't believe how hard she was staring at me.  I had to cover my mouth not to laugh.

My welcome party was alot of fun.  I met a couple different families and I think that they are all great.  The smoked salmon went over very well.  It was cool at the party because they had a keg of Sapporo beer on tap.  Believe me, I sampled.  Hey...when in Japan.....Actually I think I've drank more in the last two days then I have my entire life.  I was drinking sake with my host dad yesterday and today I had a beer and a couple glasses of wine.  But not to worry.  I don't drink much and I really nurse my drinks.  I also won't drink on an empty stomach. :) And when I say glasses, I mean small glasses.  I haven't found a big glass (not including beer glasses) my entire time.  One more thing to hunt for.  Oh yeah...the eternal quest for a decent size drinking glass!!
 

~July 30, 2000~

Well tonight is my first night at my apartment.  It's kind of wierd.  I've never lived on my own before and it is doubly wierd being in another country. 

After I got up today, my host family and I went for a drive to the Yamada Whale and Ocean Science museum.  It was pretty neat.  Once we got in there we watched....wait for...CGI Galaxy Express 999 short movie thing!!!!!!!  It was all CG and 3-D!!!!  The Japanese sure know how to do things with style.  Anyways, it was about 15 minutes long and dealt with Claire (the crystal girl?) and stuff.  I think it was taken right out of the animated movie because it was very familiar.  Anyways it was cool.  The otaku part of me was happy.  After our 3-D adventure we walked around the museum.  They had a sperm whale mock up (Full size) hanging from the ceiling and numerous oceanic displays.  I showed my host family what kind of salmon we ate last night and translated some scientific names.  I was doing fine until I came around a corner and was face to face with a whale fetus.  Apparently they had preserved it from some whale they had gutted.  It was disturbing.  Like I said, the Japanese know how to do things with style. 

After the whale museum we drove around a little bit but it was foggy so we couldn't see too much.  Then my host family dropped me off at my house.  Noriko and her family then came and took me to the Homac (think Canadian Tire) to do some shopping.  I bought a bed sheet, a pillow and some towels.  I then got taken home and Noriko helped me junk out some of the stuff my predecssor had left me.  After they left, I continued on my eternal quest to clean my apartment.

Around 5 or so I went shopping for some food.  As I was walking through the grocery store this old lady looked into my basket and laughed.  I laughed  also because it contained oranges, salad, salad dressing, bread, sandwich meat, cheese, milk, Coco Puff cereal and some orange juice.  Basically it was typically not the usual things found in a Japanese shopping cart.  I then came home and had my first meal in my apartment....a nice big ham sandwich with a green salad.  After 4 days of nothing but Japanese food, I was in the mood for something a little more normal.  That was the best sandwich I think I've ever had.

Well now I am sitting here, wishing for the heat to end and watching crazy Japanese TV.  Tomorrow I have to get up and take the train to Miyako and then the bus for Morioka.  We have a five day orientation.  I'm excited about it because I can't wait to hear about everyones week.   It should be alot of fun!!!

On to Week 2......