I hope this is enough for now.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Videos on the Fly
Hi, I did videos to minimize computer usage time. Enjoy with popcorn (actually, that's a bad idea, they only add up to fifteen minutes of me babbling).
Monday, October 6, 2008
Access Error
My computer access is currently limited. I apologize for any inconvenience my lack of communication may cause.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
More of the Same
So, not very much has happened in terms of new and exciting, but I've enough to make a post out of it so I will.
At home very little has happened. I've added to the layout of my desk, and I've switched the calendar my host family put up for one I got in Takaoka. I'm making a display of Calorie Mate boxes and Coca-Cola cans.
On the way back we got to talking. Apparently the nun and her brother watch anime, we traded sites for watching shows on, added each other on facebook and decided to look up each other's blogs. http://brie-acrosstheworld.blogspot.com/ I'm reading it and I find it interesting, but I find the consistent mentionings of Christianity to be an annoyance. Regardless, I'll read on (to each their own). She seems more sheltered and innocent on her blog than in person. I'll also say that her blog is more random and written in a style like that used on online chats. Another thing I find strange, as I always have in this exchange program, is the explanation of Rotary*. Anyways, I introduced the nun to Patapon and Roman Holiday and went back "home."
Nothing new has happened in school, all that I can say is that I'm trying to figure out differentation in math.
At home very little has happened. I've added to the layout of my desk, and I've switched the calendar my host family put up for one I got in Takaoka. I'm making a display of Calorie Mate boxes and Coca-Cola cans.
Also, today I went to a festival with my host brother, the less talkative American and the nun-like Canadian, who will henceforth be dubbed "the nun" for humorous reasons. The nun's host brother also came along, he's a cool guy who poses whenever a camera is aimed in his vicinity.
The festival was in the same town as my host brother's grandpa, so we paid him a visit and had a short walk through his garden. We walked through the town and watched as groups would carry large statues from store to store to thank them for giving to the local shrines. There were also the usual shops in the streets and people heading to the shrines.
On the way back we got to talking. Apparently the nun and her brother watch anime, we traded sites for watching shows on, added each other on facebook and decided to look up each other's blogs. http://brie-acrosstheworld.blogspot.com/ I'm reading it and I find it interesting, but I find the consistent mentionings of Christianity to be an annoyance. Regardless, I'll read on (to each their own). She seems more sheltered and innocent on her blog than in person. I'll also say that her blog is more random and written in a style like that used on online chats. Another thing I find strange, as I always have in this exchange program, is the explanation of Rotary*. Anyways, I introduced the nun to Patapon and Roman Holiday and went back "home."Edit (1110GMT): In other news, Cowboy Bebop and Samurai Chamlpoo are two amazing anime and xkcd is a really funny and scientific webcomic.
*I didn't find out about Rotary through this program, I found out about this program through Rotary. My family has hosted eleven and sent two students on Rotary exchange. My father has been in three clubs, one of which he is currently president, the other is my sponsoring club. I've been an executive member of my school's Interact club and have helped out in a few Rotary events. I've even done a presentation on the subject. I know Rotary grace and the four way test, so reading about people who are just finding out about it is strange for me.
Friday, October 3, 2008
The Usual Suspects
Okay, so, you all know what I did in Takaoka (the name of the town)(if not, read about it) but what I avoided for lack of time (at eleven o'clock at night) were the people I met. Actually, if you read it I gave them basic descriptions, but really, that's nothing compared to what I know about them and their experiences. So without further a due, I'll tell what I know:
The first on the list is the tall blond Aussie. He's witty, funny and understands what I mean when I reference the Internet et cetera. He reminds me of my brother, and actually, he's hoping to go into gaming as well. He's been here nine months and while he is not fluent in Japanese, he is more than comfortable. Considering Japan wasn't his first choice and that he didn't study, he's doing very well, and it's comforting to know that it would be difficult to walk away from this exchange without learning Japanese. According to him, you learn Japanese exponentially, so even though we (recent arrivals) don't know much now, we'll learn much more than we'd expect once we get to talking to people. Also, despite not being his first choice, he still really enjoys it here.
Next up is the other Aussie, who is also very tall (they're both as tall, if not taller than me). If I'm not mistaken, he's of Japanese ethnic background which dominates his looks (edit: he's Chinese), but not his accent or his personality. He seems almost fluent in Japanese as he spent much of his time studying. He was basically the speaker for the group when we were lost in translation. Also, both Australians HIGHLY suggest getting a cellphone if you're going to be in Japan for a while. This makes more sense to me now that I realize that the Japanese don't have as much access to or use computers the same way we do (probably because they're not into piracy and forgery and their phones are pretty powerful on their own).
Next up, the tall American. He's exactly what you would expect from an American guy. He's tall, strong, ostentatious and he has a one track mind. Even so, he's funny and easy to get along with. Also, he's purposefully playing up his American traits. All in all, he's not a bad guy.
The other American is not as talkative. He's quiet, nice and missed the train to Takaoka on the first day. He's not afraid of talking, and he has some good input, but I haven't talked to him as much. Still, he's a good guy.
So, now we get to the Canadian girls. The first is tall for a girl with curly blond hair. She seems independent and strong enough to hold against the Aussie's wit without being snobbish.
And the last is the other Canadian girl. The running joke has been that she's a nun. She's nice, polite, cheerful and has never gone skiing or snowboarding. Still, even she is strong enough to last through the exchange I'm sure. Rotary wouldn't have sent her otherwise. That goes for the whole group, Rotary did well choosing these people.
I'll also offer what I know of my exchange at this point. Rotary, you'll probably want to listen (err, read) up. I'm being hosted by the Rotary club of Kanazawa. They have me set up with three host families and a private school with their Interact club which I'm thinking of joining once I have proper command of the language. While three host families seems like enough, I'm getting the arbitrary end of the stick. Due to the intense need for students to study, two of the three families are avoiding having a gaijin distraction in their house holds. I'll be staying with this host family for the first half of my year (and logically, the other two will fit evenly into the other half). This irritates me a little as I'd prefer to be move around more than this, however, I don't see what I can do. Entrance exams are extremely important in Japan and therefore, so is the studying. Next, aside from it's all-as-one philosophy, Japan is easily a U.S.A. country wannabe. Engrish (that's not a typo) is everywhere, it's "in." So, it wouldn't be too hard to go most of the year without learning Japanese (especially when you're stuck in an Engrish speaking house for half of that), however I see this and an annoying challenge (getting everyone not to speak the same three sentences of English) and I've five reference books, one Japanese comic, memorized all the kana, three private lessons at school a week, soon more lessons at an international building and all my skill being used to counter this. And finally, today, my homeroom teacher realized that I can speak basic sentences. So, if my new found friends will speak in simpler words more slowly in Japanese, I think I stand a good chance. And the final issue is more a half-request. I think the Australians are right in saying that a cellphone should be high on my list of things to get. I'll be looking into it. To whom it concerns, please ask a (preferably female) teenager about the importance of a cellphone before you make any decision. I'm up for another chat if you would like to discuss it directly.
Other than that, I've little to say. So I'll reply to a few comments.
No, I don't add pictures to previous entries, but I do repost entries few times after I've finished typing them to work out the bugs. If an entry is over an hour old, I'll probably not edit it ever again.
Also, I don't know why but comments don't appear in the same window as the entries. You have to click comments to see the individual sets. I'll see if I can fix this.
To those of you who would like me to email you, I'll only do so if I have something specific to say directly to you, otherwise, everything I want people to know is in the blog.
Also, this blog is of my point of view, if you have a problem with it, tell me and I'll rectify it (no, no one has asked for that).
I don't use names, only two, I think, have slipped out in the whole thing, this is for privacy reasons (granted, figuring out whom I'm writing about isn't too difficult if you know them).
And just because homesickness hasn't hit me hard doesn't mean I don't miss everything.
The first on the list is the tall blond Aussie. He's witty, funny and understands what I mean when I reference the Internet et cetera. He reminds me of my brother, and actually, he's hoping to go into gaming as well. He's been here nine months and while he is not fluent in Japanese, he is more than comfortable. Considering Japan wasn't his first choice and that he didn't study, he's doing very well, and it's comforting to know that it would be difficult to walk away from this exchange without learning Japanese. According to him, you learn Japanese exponentially, so even though we (recent arrivals) don't know much now, we'll learn much more than we'd expect once we get to talking to people. Also, despite not being his first choice, he still really enjoys it here.
Next up is the other Aussie, who is also very tall (they're both as tall, if not taller than me). If I'm not mistaken, he's of Japanese ethnic background which dominates his looks (edit: he's Chinese), but not his accent or his personality. He seems almost fluent in Japanese as he spent much of his time studying. He was basically the speaker for the group when we were lost in translation. Also, both Australians HIGHLY suggest getting a cellphone if you're going to be in Japan for a while. This makes more sense to me now that I realize that the Japanese don't have as much access to or use computers the same way we do (probably because they're not into piracy and forgery and their phones are pretty powerful on their own).
Next up, the tall American. He's exactly what you would expect from an American guy. He's tall, strong, ostentatious and he has a one track mind. Even so, he's funny and easy to get along with. Also, he's purposefully playing up his American traits. All in all, he's not a bad guy.
The other American is not as talkative. He's quiet, nice and missed the train to Takaoka on the first day. He's not afraid of talking, and he has some good input, but I haven't talked to him as much. Still, he's a good guy.
So, now we get to the Canadian girls. The first is tall for a girl with curly blond hair. She seems independent and strong enough to hold against the Aussie's wit without being snobbish.
And the last is the other Canadian girl. The running joke has been that she's a nun. She's nice, polite, cheerful and has never gone skiing or snowboarding. Still, even she is strong enough to last through the exchange I'm sure. Rotary wouldn't have sent her otherwise. That goes for the whole group, Rotary did well choosing these people.
I'll also offer what I know of my exchange at this point. Rotary, you'll probably want to listen (err, read) up. I'm being hosted by the Rotary club of Kanazawa. They have me set up with three host families and a private school with their Interact club which I'm thinking of joining once I have proper command of the language. While three host families seems like enough, I'm getting the arbitrary end of the stick. Due to the intense need for students to study, two of the three families are avoiding having a gaijin distraction in their house holds. I'll be staying with this host family for the first half of my year (and logically, the other two will fit evenly into the other half). This irritates me a little as I'd prefer to be move around more than this, however, I don't see what I can do. Entrance exams are extremely important in Japan and therefore, so is the studying. Next, aside from it's all-as-one philosophy, Japan is easily a U.S.A. country wannabe. Engrish (that's not a typo) is everywhere, it's "in." So, it wouldn't be too hard to go most of the year without learning Japanese (especially when you're stuck in an Engrish speaking house for half of that), however I see this and an annoying challenge (getting everyone not to speak the same three sentences of English) and I've five reference books, one Japanese comic, memorized all the kana, three private lessons at school a week, soon more lessons at an international building and all my skill being used to counter this. And finally, today, my homeroom teacher realized that I can speak basic sentences. So, if my new found friends will speak in simpler words more slowly in Japanese, I think I stand a good chance. And the final issue is more a half-request. I think the Australians are right in saying that a cellphone should be high on my list of things to get. I'll be looking into it. To whom it concerns, please ask a (preferably female) teenager about the importance of a cellphone before you make any decision. I'm up for another chat if you would like to discuss it directly.
Other than that, I've little to say. So I'll reply to a few comments.
No, I don't add pictures to previous entries, but I do repost entries few times after I've finished typing them to work out the bugs. If an entry is over an hour old, I'll probably not edit it ever again.
Also, I don't know why but comments don't appear in the same window as the entries. You have to click comments to see the individual sets. I'll see if I can fix this.
To those of you who would like me to email you, I'll only do so if I have something specific to say directly to you, otherwise, everything I want people to know is in the blog.
Also, this blog is of my point of view, if you have a problem with it, tell me and I'll rectify it (no, no one has asked for that).
I don't use names, only two, I think, have slipped out in the whole thing, this is for privacy reasons (granted, figuring out whom I'm writing about isn't too difficult if you know them).
And just because homesickness hasn't hit me hard doesn't mean I don't miss everything.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
And Now for Something Completely Different
In (planned) contrast to the previous entry, this one is full of Japanese culture and experiences.
On Tuesday (day of fire in Japanese), I caught a train to the Toyama prefecture after school with the other Canadian in Kanazawa and two Aussies. We're all Rotary student, but because of the way the exchange works, they've been here since January (and will be leaving next January). On was witty and tall with golden blond hair and the other seemed of Asian descent (however, he is Australian) and is also very tall. The Canadian I've met before at the first reunion where we were reminded of the rules of the exchange, she's average height with brown hair and eyes. Anyways, we learned about their experiences on the thirty-seven minute ride (they time these things amazingly well). By the time we got to Takaoka station, we were already getting along well.
At the station we were greeted by Rotarians who ushered us to their meeting taking place a few minutes later (and since Americans now measure distance in time unites, I'll add) and down the road. Here we met two more exchange students, the last Canadian and one of the Americans. The Canadian was tall and blond with blue eyes, and the American was and is the epitome of an American (which we himself knew and would often play up). We sat through the Rotary meeting, introduced ourselves in Japanese and traded banners with the club. We were then split up and sent to different Rotarians houses. I was placed with the witty Aussie.
We were brought to the house of an accountant and he must have been rich. Their house was well made with hardwood floors, computerized toilets, wireless Internet, and a nice television. We spent the night talking and playing PSP. He's now addicted to Patapon, a rhythm game where you beat drums to command a tribe of cool creatures called Patapons. He told me about the Chaser and I told him about the Rhino party (seriously look both up if you don't know them). We had a good night's sleep and woke up for a Western style breakfast the next morning. We had sandwiches. Then it was off to Rotary's office where we waited with the other five. For those of you who can count, that's one more than last time. The other American finally showed up after missing the train he was supposed to take with us.
After a short wait it was out to the harbour where we toured an old boat, ate lunch, and were guided around on boat. We were even given chips to feed the seagulls as we passed by. It was fun watching them swoop down and try to catch the food, then land and swim over to it to get it. Then we were taken to an official building across the way where we met and talked with (through Japanese half sentences and an interpreter) the mayor. We found out about the festival we would be taking part in that day. Apparently all the Shinto shrines in the area have large movable structures which they use to bring the gods down to the city to spread prosperity. We helped pull a few of them while shouting a "let's go"-like phrase. It reminded me of Patapon. After much pushing shouting and picture taking we went back to the office and chatted for what must have been over an hour.
For supper it was back to the host houses where we had sushi and crab (which I was creeped out by, but we each tried a leg anyways). Then the Aussie (as you may have noticed, I don't use names) and I sat down to watch an extreme game show called Sasuke where all sorts of athletes take on three stages of obstacle courses. Our favourites where a firefighter who beat most of the professional athletes and even finished the first stage (one of nine percent) and still had plenty of energy, an American free runner who had fun on his way through, doing flips and tricks and showing off while finishing the course with time to spare and one guy who made it more so by doing everything with precision than by rushing through everything.At about seven-thirty we gather once again to enjoy the festivities going on at the shrines that night. The large monuments were still going around, now with hundreds of the signature Asian lights on them. We wandered through the streets filled with people and stands of people selling all kinds of food, fish and games. We bough cheap plastic masks and went into a magic house which was a small wooden room raised off the floor. I wondered why we were in a swing like contraption. Then the door closed and the room literally began to spin as we we were rocked back and forth. My sense of direction when round and round with the room, I kept thinking I would fall out, but gravity never seemed to take full effect. A few minutes later, seven gaijin (foreigner) stepped out, dizzy and disoriented (I still get motion sick thinking about it). We walked and talked, an American tried one of the shooting games and we even had a nice chat and picture with a nihonjin (Japanese person) who learned English on a trip he took to England.
Then it was back to the house for the night. We finished off the sushi and talked until we went to sleep. The next morning we again had a western style meal which the family prepared for us. It really was a nice place. I gave the host mother a gift (on of the Cape Breton calendars) as thanks and we headed out once again. This time we went to a pottery shop a little ways out of the rural town. We were shown how to make plates, vases and cha bowls and then given a few hours to try it out. I made a cha bowl, then a plate in the shape of a leaf, and a cup much resembling the kind used for sake (I'll be using it for Coke). Next it was off to a mall. We found an Italian restaurant where we had pizza, spaghetti, penne, a ceaser salad and one meal I forget the name of (each of use had a different dish, except the pizza which was split three ways). We walked around, went to the crazy photo booths and I tried out a Gundam arcade game. It's a pod with a 180 degree spherical screen, pedals and two joysticks. I faced off against other players online and got my ass kicked, but it was reallly cool.And for our final part of the trip, we were brought to a Buddhist temple (all temples in Japan are Buddhist actually and shrines are Shinto) which was built like a castle. It was impressive, and it's even a national treasure, but if you really want to know about it look it up on a tourist site. It's called the Zuiryuji Temple. Then we walked around for a bit, had some ice cream and finally it was off to the station. On the way back we talked some more, then we reached Kanazawa station and went our separate ways.
Really, pretty much everyone you meet on a trip like this instantly becomes a friend. I can't wait for the next reunion we're apparently going to have in November. From what I hear we get to hang out at an awesome resort courtesyMonday, September 29, 2008
Tips for Trips et Cetera
Well, it's been well over a month now and I've been fine as far as missing home goes. That's not to say I don't miss it, it's hard being without all my friends, but I'm able to handle it, and I think it's become a different form of homesickness people go through in recent years. The next paragraph will explain.
You see, when my sister was on exchange in Africa, she had very little connecting her to home. She had what she brought with her, probably a letter every month, and maybe a few gifts (you may correct me if I'm wrong). Her main form of communication was (most likely) the postal (lack of) service, and maybe a very expensive phone call.
Today, most people are slowly switching how they view the world. Large expanses of land are now just a plane flight away. I've seen relatives cross continents for family gatherings, and people leave continents for meetings. Not only that, but my generation is becoming less and less grounded by location, taking to the Internet where distance is based more on connection strength than displacement. On the web, everywhere is in one place. People can experience whatever technology and their connection strength can bring them. You can place your life on the Internet, or live it out there. You can also interact with anyone with a connection. So, as far as missing hearing one's voice or seeing one's face, they're never more than a few keystrokes away. You can see what is happening, discuss it, give your input, the only thing you can't do is directly interact, and that is where it pulls the rug from under you and you realize that you're still not actually "there."
So, rather than wonder how everyone is doing, wondering how much they've changed, if their hair is still the same shade of gold, et cetera, people of this generation are likely to miss the being there, but being so close and yet so far is still quite hard. For example, I saw the picutres of my friends painting the tressel, and I know I won't be able to do that with them. But I'm fine, and I'm makng sure to keep myself, mind and body, in Japan. Now then, that's enough of that, it's time now to talk about my day at school.
Despite the excessive studying, longer school hours, and emphasis on doing well to get a permanent job (pretty much all students are hired immediately after graduating from college and will work the same job until retirement) the students here are still students. My homeroom class is especially good at avoiding work and causing disruption. So today, since I am still unable to understand the spoken language, I looked at who the teachers keep their class in line.
One of thebest tactics is to have an ominous aura. Teachers whose appearance is intimidating (usually fit and bulky) seem to keep the class in a state not to far from fear. However, teachers that try this by putting effort into it usually look tired or worn after a while, which the students pick up on. Teachers who yell scare the class too much and once the scary is but a memory, so is the control it gave. Then, there are the teachers who go around picking out students individually while the students who aren't being focused on give off an aura of "everything's okay," which speads and makes this tactic often useless.
Other teachers have better luck steering the class without their noticing. They can keep the classes attention by getting them to participate consistently and by keeping track of the conversation. It's best to keep them on topic, and if they get off topic, steer them back slowly, otherwise they'll realize what's going on and they'll do their best to stay off topic (more general or more interesting topic will fare better). Just make sure to keep the sly ones in on the conversation because if given a chance, they'll toss out somthing random to throw everyone off.
In general, teachers who control the atmosphere of the class do better than those who control the students.
And before school this morning there was yesterday. Yesterday my host parents brought me to a beach along the Sea of Japan. I'd type some stuff about it, but it wasn't as fun with only them (not that I have anything against them, I just find my parents here to be regular parents (conversely, I would say that my actual father is very clever with much cunning (no I didn't mean to use that many "c"s))). So, here are the pictures, I might add text later.
You see, when my sister was on exchange in Africa, she had very little connecting her to home. She had what she brought with her, probably a letter every month, and maybe a few gifts (you may correct me if I'm wrong). Her main form of communication was (most likely) the postal (lack of) service, and maybe a very expensive phone call.
Today, most people are slowly switching how they view the world. Large expanses of land are now just a plane flight away. I've seen relatives cross continents for family gatherings, and people leave continents for meetings. Not only that, but my generation is becoming less and less grounded by location, taking to the Internet where distance is based more on connection strength than displacement. On the web, everywhere is in one place. People can experience whatever technology and their connection strength can bring them. You can place your life on the Internet, or live it out there. You can also interact with anyone with a connection. So, as far as missing hearing one's voice or seeing one's face, they're never more than a few keystrokes away. You can see what is happening, discuss it, give your input, the only thing you can't do is directly interact, and that is where it pulls the rug from under you and you realize that you're still not actually "there."
So, rather than wonder how everyone is doing, wondering how much they've changed, if their hair is still the same shade of gold, et cetera, people of this generation are likely to miss the being there, but being so close and yet so far is still quite hard. For example, I saw the picutres of my friends painting the tressel, and I know I won't be able to do that with them. But I'm fine, and I'm makng sure to keep myself, mind and body, in Japan. Now then, that's enough of that, it's time now to talk about my day at school.
Despite the excessive studying, longer school hours, and emphasis on doing well to get a permanent job (pretty much all students are hired immediately after graduating from college and will work the same job until retirement) the students here are still students. My homeroom class is especially good at avoiding work and causing disruption. So today, since I am still unable to understand the spoken language, I looked at who the teachers keep their class in line.
One of thebest tactics is to have an ominous aura. Teachers whose appearance is intimidating (usually fit and bulky) seem to keep the class in a state not to far from fear. However, teachers that try this by putting effort into it usually look tired or worn after a while, which the students pick up on. Teachers who yell scare the class too much and once the scary is but a memory, so is the control it gave. Then, there are the teachers who go around picking out students individually while the students who aren't being focused on give off an aura of "everything's okay," which speads and makes this tactic often useless.
Other teachers have better luck steering the class without their noticing. They can keep the classes attention by getting them to participate consistently and by keeping track of the conversation. It's best to keep them on topic, and if they get off topic, steer them back slowly, otherwise they'll realize what's going on and they'll do their best to stay off topic (more general or more interesting topic will fare better). Just make sure to keep the sly ones in on the conversation because if given a chance, they'll toss out somthing random to throw everyone off.
In general, teachers who control the atmosphere of the class do better than those who control the students.
And before school this morning there was yesterday. Yesterday my host parents brought me to a beach along the Sea of Japan. I'd type some stuff about it, but it wasn't as fun with only them (not that I have anything against them, I just find my parents here to be regular parents (conversely, I would say that my actual father is very clever with much cunning (no I didn't mean to use that many "c"s))). So, here are the pictures, I might add text later.
These are rice pattie fields. Rice plays a major part in the Japanese diet. Rice fields even have their very own kanji.
And this is on the way back though the city. I made this picture larger to show you th gloden arches, if you can spot them that is.
And other than that, I've been doing very little. I'm in a house where I limit computer access, my brothers spend all their time studying and studying, I'm not sure if my diet has enough energy in it for me to go on my long runs, and I'm too broke (I'm waiting to cash in the TCs) to go out and buy video games et cetera (note: I want a video game so I can translate it as I play it, not just to waste time), I've seen too many anime and I have no homework in the classes I understand. To put it another way:
Anyways, I should go back to watching the seconds tick by. (note: I hate the ticking of clocks, I can't concentrate with something forcing my pace like that.)
Friday, September 26, 2008
Tech stuff
Yeah, I'm posting again, after a little over twleve hours, but I have my reasons. I was just reminded that my welcoming ceremony will be held on October sixth, leaving my a week (minus a trip to another city) to get the presentation up and running.
Okay, that's not so bad. I turn on the computer, upload my files and open the powerpoint presentation. Now, as many presenters and every high school student knows, everyone uses powerpoint version XP, 2k3 or 2k7, all three of which are almost Adobe Flash-like on which I have made video-like self-presenting presentations. Well, now I realize just how much I left back in Make-Shift (my name for my computer because of how much of it was put together and customized by me personally) back home. This includes Microsoft Office XP, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Flash, Microsoft .gif animator, Corel, Mozilla Firefox, Winrar, and English settings. This computer is Japanese, with japanese versions of Microsoft Office 2k, a set up only from my brick of a laptop.
Luckily my knowledge of tip and tricks and largely English based Japanese tools make this workable, but many features of the presentation are now non-existant. Two pages in particular which had animations that would zoom in on a particular spot and have a car drive across Canada are now just a mesh of onsorted pictures. So, today I'll be on the computer fixing up the presentation, remembering that the aces up my sleeves are no longer there, and wishing I had several plates of nachoes, a large glass of chocolate milk and some black tea (my usual setup for long computer sessions). I'll post the changes later in this entry which I'll probably be editing throughout the day. So, I'll be here at ten as planned to whom it may concern.
Well, it's not in as rough shape as I thought, but changing it to work will still take some work. I've had to swap my custom made map for a google verion in three of four places, I'll post picutres of both. I had an animation that had a car travelling across Canada as pictures popped up of the different provinces, that's being reduced to pictures popping up around the country and ends with a glimpse of google maps looking at Canada with the pictures features on.
It seems ironic that I have more and more recent technology in my room than I've seen in any whole house in Japan. Anyways, I've completed the animation part of the presentation. The rest will be text, so I just need to simplify and translate a file I already have written up. I'll see about getting the animation up...
Coincidentally, I did have tea and milktoday, milk that tasted as sugary as chocolate milk (3.6%). All I'm missing now are the two plates of nachoes (one full, one empty, you'd always find that in my room). It occurs to me now that most of you have been asleep thiss whole time, meh, that just means you'll get the completed version in the morning.
In other news, happy birthday Google, good luck American economy and shaving without shaving cream feels like a mild version of having your face ripped apart (trust me, I both feelings well).
TTFN
Okay, that's not so bad. I turn on the computer, upload my files and open the powerpoint presentation. Now, as many presenters and every high school student knows, everyone uses powerpoint version XP, 2k3 or 2k7, all three of which are almost Adobe Flash-like on which I have made video-like self-presenting presentations. Well, now I realize just how much I left back in Make-Shift (my name for my computer because of how much of it was put together and customized by me personally) back home. This includes Microsoft Office XP, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Flash, Microsoft .gif animator, Corel, Mozilla Firefox, Winrar, and English settings. This computer is Japanese, with japanese versions of Microsoft Office 2k, a set up only from my brick of a laptop.
Luckily my knowledge of tip and tricks and largely English based Japanese tools make this workable, but many features of the presentation are now non-existant. Two pages in particular which had animations that would zoom in on a particular spot and have a car drive across Canada are now just a mesh of onsorted pictures. So, today I'll be on the computer fixing up the presentation, remembering that the aces up my sleeves are no longer there, and wishing I had several plates of nachoes, a large glass of chocolate milk and some black tea (my usual setup for long computer sessions). I'll post the changes later in this entry which I'll probably be editing throughout the day. So, I'll be here at ten as planned to whom it may concern.
Well, it's not in as rough shape as I thought, but changing it to work will still take some work. I've had to swap my custom made map for a google verion in three of four places, I'll post picutres of both. I had an animation that had a car travelling across Canada as pictures popped up of the different provinces, that's being reduced to pictures popping up around the country and ends with a glimpse of google maps looking at Canada with the pictures features on.
It seems ironic that I have more and more recent technology in my room than I've seen in any whole house in Japan. Anyways, I've completed the animation part of the presentation. The rest will be text, so I just need to simplify and translate a file I already have written up. I'll see about getting the animation up...
Coincidentally, I did have tea and milktoday, milk that tasted as sugary as chocolate milk (3.6%). All I'm missing now are the two plates of nachoes (one full, one empty, you'd always find that in my room). It occurs to me now that most of you have been asleep thiss whole time, meh, that just means you'll get the completed version in the morning.
In other news, happy birthday Google, good luck American economy and shaving without shaving cream feels like a mild version of having your face ripped apart (trust me, I both feelings well).
TTFN
Time for Another Entry
Which I will keep short since I don't have as much to say.
School is fine. yesterday I tried the art club. To say I was out of my league would be an understatement. A drawing like this:
takes me about a half hour, and during that half hour I'm constantly erasing and changing large portions of the drawing, even scale, pose and details. I the art club I was given ten minutes to sketch a girl standing in the middle of the room. I almost finished with even a few details, but I wasn't used to the B4 pencil, making my sketch almost too light to see. Hopefully with some practice (,a new set of pencils, a better eraser and good quality paper) I'll get better.
Yesterday was otherwise uneventful I think (as I seem to be unable to remember anything memorable).
So now we get to today. School was okay. In phys-ed I'm getting much better at ping-pong. I still have no idea what to do in bio, ancient lit, history, health or modern lit, but hopefully that will change when I understand what the teachers are saying (although with how quickly they speak, I don't think that'll be any time soon, it reminds me of my grade four french teacher who showed the class just how quickly the french really spoke. As for physics, well, I'm getting most of the questions right, and most of my mistakes are caused by the difference in equations and the fact that I have to be my own calculator with no backup. In math III however, the teacher offered the opportunity to take the test (exam?) coming up soon. And I'm still a little confused in math II, but I think that's because I lack the basic knowledge of vectors they got last semester. Once I figure out the equations I'm sure I'll be fine. Then there was an assembly. Teachers were shouting what sounded like criticism into the microphone as I left my legs go from uncomfortable to in pain to nearly asleep.
Also, I seem to have made it two two groups of friends, one group speaks a little English which I use to figure out what I should do and what I should say, and another that seems to have similar likes in anime and video games (I wonder if they'd like a certain geeky board game). Also in the good news section, girls are asking me to choose and pose less (activities which make me feel like Holden Caufield is going to walk up behind me and call me a goddamn phony). In not as good news, the class clown is still a little annoying (mostly just through disrespect, nothing that qualifies as bullying).
And tonight I went to a concert put on by my school. I found out that they even wear their uniforms to out of school events. The band was good. They made a few mistakes, but nothing that disrupted the flow, just minor flaws. I recognized the 1812 overture, When you Wish Upon a Star, Friend Like me, Beauty and the Beast, Be our Guest and Prince Ali. All but the first two of which were blended together into one. They also had a good group of dancers and they preformed a skit, which, despite how little Japanese was use, I didn't get as funny (my host brother told me that the Japanese standard of funny is much lower than that of (continental) America).
On the way back home my host mother ran into a friend, who recognized my "Laughing Man" shirt and while we were talking an African man walked up and made a few quick comments in Ebonics, switched to french (that along with his skin colour gave me my guess as African), than (probably guessing I didn't speak that language) went back to English and ask "how old are you white boy?" (after which he even let out a few phrases of Japanese.) Normally this would seem a little strange to me, but wearing jeans, hiking boots, a white t-shirt and a jacket around my waist with brown hair, green eyes and while skin makes my much more aware of how much of a gaijin I am. I answered him and he continued to talk and walk briskly without looking back. Anyway, we headed back home. Present time.
Post Script: Oji-san, aside from what you mentioned, there is also the shounen ai section for girls and the shoujo section, which is ninety percent pink, despite the fact that only half the manga there are pink. It's kind of intimidating to walk through, to say nothing of searching intently for something for fifteen minutes. Also, I don't know if the cicada season is over. I spotted a few, but not recently. And you would be able to see the hills if it weren't for the buildings. Also, as far a paving the river goes, remember, Kanazawa is an old city and has never gone through such major reconstruction, actually, that makes it a popular tourist destination. And that's my favourite GitS episode, I wish I could play that song "I do."
School is fine. yesterday I tried the art club. To say I was out of my league would be an understatement. A drawing like this:
takes me about a half hour, and during that half hour I'm constantly erasing and changing large portions of the drawing, even scale, pose and details. I the art club I was given ten minutes to sketch a girl standing in the middle of the room. I almost finished with even a few details, but I wasn't used to the B4 pencil, making my sketch almost too light to see. Hopefully with some practice (,a new set of pencils, a better eraser and good quality paper) I'll get better.
Yesterday was otherwise uneventful I think (as I seem to be unable to remember anything memorable).
So now we get to today. School was okay. In phys-ed I'm getting much better at ping-pong. I still have no idea what to do in bio, ancient lit, history, health or modern lit, but hopefully that will change when I understand what the teachers are saying (although with how quickly they speak, I don't think that'll be any time soon, it reminds me of my grade four french teacher who showed the class just how quickly the french really spoke. As for physics, well, I'm getting most of the questions right, and most of my mistakes are caused by the difference in equations and the fact that I have to be my own calculator with no backup. In math III however, the teacher offered the opportunity to take the test (exam?) coming up soon. And I'm still a little confused in math II, but I think that's because I lack the basic knowledge of vectors they got last semester. Once I figure out the equations I'm sure I'll be fine. Then there was an assembly. Teachers were shouting what sounded like criticism into the microphone as I left my legs go from uncomfortable to in pain to nearly asleep.
Also, I seem to have made it two two groups of friends, one group speaks a little English which I use to figure out what I should do and what I should say, and another that seems to have similar likes in anime and video games (I wonder if they'd like a certain geeky board game). Also in the good news section, girls are asking me to choose and pose less (activities which make me feel like Holden Caufield is going to walk up behind me and call me a goddamn phony). In not as good news, the class clown is still a little annoying (mostly just through disrespect, nothing that qualifies as bullying).
And tonight I went to a concert put on by my school. I found out that they even wear their uniforms to out of school events. The band was good. They made a few mistakes, but nothing that disrupted the flow, just minor flaws. I recognized the 1812 overture, When you Wish Upon a Star, Friend Like me, Beauty and the Beast, Be our Guest and Prince Ali. All but the first two of which were blended together into one. They also had a good group of dancers and they preformed a skit, which, despite how little Japanese was use, I didn't get as funny (my host brother told me that the Japanese standard of funny is much lower than that of (continental) America).
On the way back home my host mother ran into a friend, who recognized my "Laughing Man" shirt and while we were talking an African man walked up and made a few quick comments in Ebonics, switched to french (that along with his skin colour gave me my guess as African), than (probably guessing I didn't speak that language) went back to English and ask "how old are you white boy?" (after which he even let out a few phrases of Japanese.) Normally this would seem a little strange to me, but wearing jeans, hiking boots, a white t-shirt and a jacket around my waist with brown hair, green eyes and while skin makes my much more aware of how much of a gaijin I am. I answered him and he continued to talk and walk briskly without looking back. Anyway, we headed back home. Present time.
Post Script: Oji-san, aside from what you mentioned, there is also the shounen ai section for girls and the shoujo section, which is ninety percent pink, despite the fact that only half the manga there are pink. It's kind of intimidating to walk through, to say nothing of searching intently for something for fifteen minutes. Also, I don't know if the cicada season is over. I spotted a few, but not recently. And you would be able to see the hills if it weren't for the buildings. Also, as far a paving the river goes, remember, Kanazawa is an old city and has never gone through such major reconstruction, actually, that makes it a popular tourist destination. And that's my favourite GitS episode, I wish I could play that song "I do."
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Beautiful Day
The title has no connection to any film, music, et cetera for once. It was just a really nice day.
REWind to yesterday first though.
Yesterday was a holiday (the fall equinox is apparently a good enough reason to not go to school, but considering that it's an actual event, and all our days are for dead people, I'll take it), so I had a day, part of a day, on the town. Shortly after lunch I went for a run. I was hoping to do around ten klicks, but I got to where the trail (it was no longer a paved path) wasn't marked for distance, I made it all the way to a bridge in a nice suburban area when I decided I should turn around. I'm guessing it was between seven and nine km. I showered, and then my host mother took me to the modern art museum. On the way there (we walked) it felt a little feint (but I was still fine). In the sun, everything looked like next gen graphics with the gamma set above max (everything was very, very bright). This slowly dissipated as we went along (it took about twenty minutes to go away). We got to the modern are museum and as some of you might guess, I wasn't that impressed. It's not that it was bad, I just don't get the point of most of it. There were bad CG movies that didn't make sense, a few optical illusions, and many statues and paintings. Anyways, we went back home and I got out a map and set it in my memory. I asked to go by myself to the shopping district, and I was allowed out until six (the earliest possible time for supper, though that's usually nearer eight, and when the sun goes down).
So, I set out. I made it there in fifteen minutes and looked around for almost an hour for a book store. I went through two multi-floored malls and quite far down the road. Along the way I noticed my cheeks aren't as red as they used to be, and their cool to the touch. Finally, I decided to turn around, but on the way back I checked for the book in the convenience stores (all stocked with the latest manga). I was a little, not quite shocked or impressed, but more... I don't know somethinged at the types of magazines there. Seriously, manga goes to fan-service, to echi, to doujin to hentai even, and back in the same shelf (manga=comics, echi=slightly perverted, doujin=fan comics, usally perverted, hentai=perverted, usually manga based). I would quickly look through the manga, then take a look around the store to see what kin of stuff was in a japanese convenience store, then I'd leave. I went through about four of them before I got to the bridge and started to jog to make it home on time. It started to rain, bit it was a light rain, very nice. The main thing was that it was getting eerily close to six and dark.
On a final note, I'm glad for the freedom of being able to stretch my legs.
Fast Forward back to today.
I spent the early part of the day at school. I went to my classes, I ran from the top floor of one building to the next at least six times. I'm dong fine in math III where we're working with trig, and now exponents, and while I'm slipping a bit in math II I'll be trying to make sense of the japanese worksheets. Physics is going well, in physics III we're doing momentum. And I'm continuing my private Japanese lessons (I'm not sure if I mentioned them). To a little annoyance I found out that I need my backpack to carry my lunch, but if it weren't for that I'd just use my clipboard. On an *ahem* entirely unrealted note, I've been drawing, I hope to start up one of my comic ideas and translate it.
After school I found out that English club was again cancelled (damn). So, I went "home" and asked where I could find a bookstore (hon-ya). My host mother pointed out two, and I chose the one further away, but on this side of the river. She told me to be home by six for supper (I would be going to a Rotary function at that time). So I set off, fully equipped (a term I use meaning I had my jacket, wallet, camera, PSP and anything else of use) and I jogged to the store. You wouldn't believe how amazing the Saigawa is. Really, down stream it's cluttered with tended hedges, bridges, and grass and a few trees, but upstream it's beautiful. Picture will follow. It starts out with wide open fields on both sides, then you walk by a forest as the river becomes enveloped in trees and plants. It's so green that it makes it look more like the Saimouri (a joke, sai=it's name, gawa=kawa=river, mouri=forest). Then the forest thins out on the land side and you come to a well developed suburban area. After that is a construction site, a farm, and then a major road (where I stopped because the bookstore was nearby).
(Also check out link)
Inside the mega book store, I took a little time to look around (walked through at a brisk pace), I figured out what BL means (pink section of store to be avoided) and I forced myself to walk past the large video game section (which needed a considerable amount of will power). I looked for fifteen minutes through what were at least a thousand manga, and finally, after figuring out the system I found the book I wanted. Luckily by this point it was less a matter of having courage and more being glad that japanese clerks don't idle in small talk that made it easier to buy the book. I won't be reading it in public. It's not a bad book in any way, it's just not one someone like me is expected to be reading (again, ask oji-san why I'm not naming the book, actually, for my parents, I have two copies of the same series at home, one in English, and one in French, this is the reason why I wanted a third in Japanese, but back to the story).
I left the store and hurried back, running to Metallica's Seek & Destroy. Just over a half hour later, a heavily breathing, sweating, overheating, smug geoffcard was walking quickly away from the steps where he had used up the last of his energy. I had plenty of time to spare, so I decided to delay going back home and replenish my energy with a Calorie Mate. Those things taste heavenly after a run like that (remember, I was carrying everything on me while running much faster than the joggers along the river, and up the steep stairs back to Tera-Machi). I got back in with five minutes to spare, it was even still bright out.
I took a shower and dressed more formally. My host father came in ten minutes late and rushed me out the door and we drove to supper (after turning around when he realized he forgot his camera, though I had remembered mine). At the traditional looking restaurant (former house of a well known samurai) I met a rebounder who was coming back after thirty-three years. She and her husband (both Canadian, now living in London, Ontario) had impeccable manners. They greeted me very nicely and the whole group, the couple, several Rotary members and I, had a wonderful supper and evening. They talked about Kanazawa, about how they met (it's a wonderful story and I'll get to it in a moment) and about their experiences in life.
It was love at first sight." They met on a trip to the Bahamas. While really they got together after they realized they were in the same hotel, she says that in the airport, she pointed to him and said to her friends "I'm going to go out with that guy." It was he who made the first phone call, but had he not moved so quickly she was ready to phone him up. Anyways, they got to know and like each other. Then he lost all his money at the casino, and so she bought him his ticket home, but she took his favourite t-shirt with her so that he would have to find her once they got back. Three months later they were engaged. They're now thirty-one years together and they're still in love.
She showed us some pictures of her trip to Kanazawa, and they talked about the Canadian meal they were going to prepare for Thanksgiving (they had trouble deciding on what was a Canadian meal, understandably considering how much Canadian culture isn't purely Canadian) and apparently he makes an absolutely delicious turkey. She talked about how they still kept connections to Japan, while he added that he had been hearing of Kanazawa for the full thirty-three years. They really enjoyed being here, and I was amazed at how good their Japanese manners were (I know all the words, but knowing when and how to use them is still a little confusing, especially figuring out how humble to be). We traded cards and it was over.
And....cut!
REWind to yesterday first though.
Yesterday was a holiday (the fall equinox is apparently a good enough reason to not go to school, but considering that it's an actual event, and all our days are for dead people, I'll take it), so I had a day, part of a day, on the town. Shortly after lunch I went for a run. I was hoping to do around ten klicks, but I got to where the trail (it was no longer a paved path) wasn't marked for distance, I made it all the way to a bridge in a nice suburban area when I decided I should turn around. I'm guessing it was between seven and nine km. I showered, and then my host mother took me to the modern art museum. On the way there (we walked) it felt a little feint (but I was still fine). In the sun, everything looked like next gen graphics with the gamma set above max (everything was very, very bright). This slowly dissipated as we went along (it took about twenty minutes to go away). We got to the modern are museum and as some of you might guess, I wasn't that impressed. It's not that it was bad, I just don't get the point of most of it. There were bad CG movies that didn't make sense, a few optical illusions, and many statues and paintings. Anyways, we went back home and I got out a map and set it in my memory. I asked to go by myself to the shopping district, and I was allowed out until six (the earliest possible time for supper, though that's usually nearer eight, and when the sun goes down).
So, I set out. I made it there in fifteen minutes and looked around for almost an hour for a book store. I went through two multi-floored malls and quite far down the road. Along the way I noticed my cheeks aren't as red as they used to be, and their cool to the touch. Finally, I decided to turn around, but on the way back I checked for the book in the convenience stores (all stocked with the latest manga). I was a little, not quite shocked or impressed, but more... I don't know somethinged at the types of magazines there. Seriously, manga goes to fan-service, to echi, to doujin to hentai even, and back in the same shelf (manga=comics, echi=slightly perverted, doujin=fan comics, usally perverted, hentai=perverted, usually manga based). I would quickly look through the manga, then take a look around the store to see what kin of stuff was in a japanese convenience store, then I'd leave. I went through about four of them before I got to the bridge and started to jog to make it home on time. It started to rain, bit it was a light rain, very nice. The main thing was that it was getting eerily close to six and dark.
On a final note, I'm glad for the freedom of being able to stretch my legs.
Fast Forward back to today.
I spent the early part of the day at school. I went to my classes, I ran from the top floor of one building to the next at least six times. I'm dong fine in math III where we're working with trig, and now exponents, and while I'm slipping a bit in math II I'll be trying to make sense of the japanese worksheets. Physics is going well, in physics III we're doing momentum. And I'm continuing my private Japanese lessons (I'm not sure if I mentioned them). To a little annoyance I found out that I need my backpack to carry my lunch, but if it weren't for that I'd just use my clipboard. On an *ahem* entirely unrealted note, I've been drawing, I hope to start up one of my comic ideas and translate it.
After school I found out that English club was again cancelled (damn). So, I went "home" and asked where I could find a bookstore (hon-ya). My host mother pointed out two, and I chose the one further away, but on this side of the river. She told me to be home by six for supper (I would be going to a Rotary function at that time). So I set off, fully equipped (a term I use meaning I had my jacket, wallet, camera, PSP and anything else of use) and I jogged to the store. You wouldn't believe how amazing the Saigawa is. Really, down stream it's cluttered with tended hedges, bridges, and grass and a few trees, but upstream it's beautiful. Picture will follow. It starts out with wide open fields on both sides, then you walk by a forest as the river becomes enveloped in trees and plants. It's so green that it makes it look more like the Saimouri (a joke, sai=it's name, gawa=kawa=river, mouri=forest). Then the forest thins out on the land side and you come to a well developed suburban area. After that is a construction site, a farm, and then a major road (where I stopped because the bookstore was nearby).
(Also check out link)
Inside the mega book store, I took a little time to look around (walked through at a brisk pace), I figured out what BL means (pink section of store to be avoided) and I forced myself to walk past the large video game section (which needed a considerable amount of will power). I looked for fifteen minutes through what were at least a thousand manga, and finally, after figuring out the system I found the book I wanted. Luckily by this point it was less a matter of having courage and more being glad that japanese clerks don't idle in small talk that made it easier to buy the book. I won't be reading it in public. It's not a bad book in any way, it's just not one someone like me is expected to be reading (again, ask oji-san why I'm not naming the book, actually, for my parents, I have two copies of the same series at home, one in English, and one in French, this is the reason why I wanted a third in Japanese, but back to the story).
I left the store and hurried back, running to Metallica's Seek & Destroy. Just over a half hour later, a heavily breathing, sweating, overheating, smug geoffcard was walking quickly away from the steps where he had used up the last of his energy. I had plenty of time to spare, so I decided to delay going back home and replenish my energy with a Calorie Mate. Those things taste heavenly after a run like that (remember, I was carrying everything on me while running much faster than the joggers along the river, and up the steep stairs back to Tera-Machi). I got back in with five minutes to spare, it was even still bright out.
I took a shower and dressed more formally. My host father came in ten minutes late and rushed me out the door and we drove to supper (after turning around when he realized he forgot his camera, though I had remembered mine). At the traditional looking restaurant (former house of a well known samurai) I met a rebounder who was coming back after thirty-three years. She and her husband (both Canadian, now living in London, Ontario) had impeccable manners. They greeted me very nicely and the whole group, the couple, several Rotary members and I, had a wonderful supper and evening. They talked about Kanazawa, about how they met (it's a wonderful story and I'll get to it in a moment) and about their experiences in life.
It was love at first sight." They met on a trip to the Bahamas. While really they got together after they realized they were in the same hotel, she says that in the airport, she pointed to him and said to her friends "I'm going to go out with that guy." It was he who made the first phone call, but had he not moved so quickly she was ready to phone him up. Anyways, they got to know and like each other. Then he lost all his money at the casino, and so she bought him his ticket home, but she took his favourite t-shirt with her so that he would have to find her once they got back. Three months later they were engaged. They're now thirty-one years together and they're still in love.
She showed us some pictures of her trip to Kanazawa, and they talked about the Canadian meal they were going to prepare for Thanksgiving (they had trouble deciding on what was a Canadian meal, understandably considering how much Canadian culture isn't purely Canadian) and apparently he makes an absolutely delicious turkey. She talked about how they still kept connections to Japan, while he added that he had been hearing of Kanazawa for the full thirty-three years. They really enjoyed being here, and I was amazed at how good their Japanese manners were (I know all the words, but knowing when and how to use them is still a little confusing, especially figuring out how humble to be). We traded cards and it was over.
And....cut!
Monday, September 22, 2008
Not so Tidy
The name will make more sense later in the post, but in hindsight, this post in it's entirety might not seem so tidy, it's actually three would be posts in one: On with the show.
It's me again, well, who else would it be? Anyways (a word I abuse like (get a simile from my dad), anyw-...) here it is.
Today (technically yesterday when I wrote the original of this) was my older host brother's birthday (he's four months and one week older than me), so, as a gift, I made breakfast. We had Swedish/Sweetish pancakes (I remembered him complaining about regular pancakes and I must agree, what do you guys like about them? All they do is fill your mouth with fluff). I poured the first few, but after that everyone started pouring their own, which was fun because the pan wasn't flat so they always made strange shapes. I think I may have already said this; on a usual day breakfast is a little bit of salad, some meat, a bread product and yogurt.
After breakfast, my brothers went to their rooms to study? Lunch was a large bowl of ramen (which I like). After lunch I went to a famous temple with many trap doors and secret rooms. It's nickname is the Ninja-dera, despite the lack of ninjas. For more information on that go to a tourist site.
After we got home we ate some sweets like cookies and rice cakes (all store bought). I'll also mention that I don't eat as much here as I did back home because everything here seems expensive (i.e. they don't seem to carry that much/it's from far away) and meals are pretty much pre-portioned, and they don't snack as I do. In fact I've lost about eight pounds (I think, I can't get their scale to work right in kg or lbs) which is within an acceptable range, but I don't quit have the energy I did in Canada. My run, climbing the four stories to my classes and walking around take more out of me than usual, but that's also because of the climate. But getting back to my day,
I spent most of the afternoon reading Breaking Dawn online via PSP (I finally got a connection!). Now, before you criticize me for my choice in books, let me defend myself, but if you don't know the series, just know that it's a romance novel about vampires and skip most of this paragraph. I got addicted to the Twilight series in math class (where all my bad habits spawn) while listening to the infected girls around me talk non-stop about it. While the series is very luvy-duvy, it makes a nice light read, which considering that my other favourties are Shakespeare (I'm one of that single digit number of teens how understands and enjoys Shakespeare) and a theoretical sci-fi mind bender, is a nice balance. Though, this latest book stretches the believability to its limits even for me (the guy who explained how such things could exist), it made up for it with actual character development. And in case any girls out there are curious, I would do the same as Edward given the same situation, yes even do those things. But that's enough English.
Supper is usually several dishes; a small bowl of rice, fish, soup, a salad-like mixture of vegetables and something else. I've tried sushi and it's great. I love raw tuna (or any raw meat for that matter, I think it might be the blood, but I already mentioned Twilight so I'm not going to make any vampire references). After supper, showers and a few television shows we had peach cake to celebrate my host brother's latest trip around the sun. It was only about six inches in diameter and three high, but he told me that his family doesn't celebrate birthdays very extravagantly. I laughed when he cut it in half (there were five of us), but he evened it out by cutting ten pieces in stead of five.
Then I went to the room of the house where I get the best connection (a guest room) and waited for my parents who mentioned wanting to talk on Skype without mentioning a time. Rather than get angry directly, I explain that if any of you would like to talk on Skype, that's fine, but name a time more specific than the weekend. I check my email enough to get a message the day of, but I can't wait on Skype on my PSP for hours on end. It's best to email me with a date, time, AM/PM/24, time zone, DST/ST. I'll easily wait an hour or two, but seriously, specifics would be nice ("morning" is acceptable because I know when most of you wake up). That should be enough scowling, picture time.
It's me again, well, who else would it be? Anyways (a word I abuse like (get a simile from my dad), anyw-...) here it is.
Today (technically yesterday when I wrote the original of this) was my older host brother's birthday (he's four months and one week older than me), so, as a gift, I made breakfast. We had Swedish/Sweetish pancakes (I remembered him complaining about regular pancakes and I must agree, what do you guys like about them? All they do is fill your mouth with fluff). I poured the first few, but after that everyone started pouring their own, which was fun because the pan wasn't flat so they always made strange shapes. I think I may have already said this; on a usual day breakfast is a little bit of salad, some meat, a bread product and yogurt.
After breakfast, my brothers went to their rooms to study? Lunch was a large bowl of ramen (which I like). After lunch I went to a famous temple with many trap doors and secret rooms. It's nickname is the Ninja-dera, despite the lack of ninjas. For more information on that go to a tourist site.
After we got home we ate some sweets like cookies and rice cakes (all store bought). I'll also mention that I don't eat as much here as I did back home because everything here seems expensive (i.e. they don't seem to carry that much/it's from far away) and meals are pretty much pre-portioned, and they don't snack as I do. In fact I've lost about eight pounds (I think, I can't get their scale to work right in kg or lbs) which is within an acceptable range, but I don't quit have the energy I did in Canada. My run, climbing the four stories to my classes and walking around take more out of me than usual, but that's also because of the climate. But getting back to my day,
I spent most of the afternoon reading Breaking Dawn online via PSP (I finally got a connection!). Now, before you criticize me for my choice in books, let me defend myself, but if you don't know the series, just know that it's a romance novel about vampires and skip most of this paragraph. I got addicted to the Twilight series in math class (where all my bad habits spawn) while listening to the infected girls around me talk non-stop about it. While the series is very luvy-duvy, it makes a nice light read, which considering that my other favourties are Shakespeare (I'm one of that single digit number of teens how understands and enjoys Shakespeare) and a theoretical sci-fi mind bender, is a nice balance. Though, this latest book stretches the believability to its limits even for me (the guy who explained how such things could exist), it made up for it with actual character development. And in case any girls out there are curious, I would do the same as Edward given the same situation, yes even do those things. But that's enough English.
Supper is usually several dishes; a small bowl of rice, fish, soup, a salad-like mixture of vegetables and something else. I've tried sushi and it's great. I love raw tuna (or any raw meat for that matter, I think it might be the blood, but I already mentioned Twilight so I'm not going to make any vampire references). After supper, showers and a few television shows we had peach cake to celebrate my host brother's latest trip around the sun. It was only about six inches in diameter and three high, but he told me that his family doesn't celebrate birthdays very extravagantly. I laughed when he cut it in half (there were five of us), but he evened it out by cutting ten pieces in stead of five.
Then I went to the room of the house where I get the best connection (a guest room) and waited for my parents who mentioned wanting to talk on Skype without mentioning a time. Rather than get angry directly, I explain that if any of you would like to talk on Skype, that's fine, but name a time more specific than the weekend. I check my email enough to get a message the day of, but I can't wait on Skype on my PSP for hours on end. It's best to email me with a date, time, AM/PM/24, time zone, DST/ST. I'll easily wait an hour or two, but seriously, specifics would be nice ("morning" is acceptable because I know when most of you wake up). That should be enough scowling, picture time.
As this entry's title suggests, I'm not as tidy as most of you think. Actually, the reason I seem so organized is because when my mom would clean my room she would misplace things. Since then, I've found that it's also a good way of clearing my head and dealing with bordom, so more recently I've begun rearranging my whole room, but I won't bother with that here (the rearranging part).
I've shown other pictures of this room. If you look at them all together you sould get a good idea of its size. This is the main room of the house.
In the Col. Mustard kitchen with the lead pipe. The kitchen is attached to the main room, but the computer blocks a little of the way. No nachoes. The oven is literally a microwave oven.
A little garden between "my" room and the main room.
Stairs in Japan are steep, like tea at Tim Hortons' (bad joke).
A shot of the rooftops of Tera-Machi from a window on the top floor of the house. I'm stealing internet from the house in front (don't worry, it's not actually stealing, they have an open network. It's more like shouting "hi" into the phone while your friend is talking on it).
My Japanese is coming slowly, but even without a fully functional vocabulary I can already figure many things out. I'll soon be taking lessons at school, a foreigners building and there' a book I want to read in a third language that I'll get as soon as I work up the courage to walk across the bookstore and buy it (ask oji-san why it takes courage to buy a book in Japan).
Anywa-...
Well, ja-ne!
Post Script: I've made the commenting process easier, apparently some of your comments never made it through, hopefully this will make it easier for you computer-illit-...technologically challenged readers (sorry, I realize that's a low blow to some of you).
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Feedback
As it's been stated by my parents, host parents and myslef, it has been over a month, which means this blog is a few weeks old. And I'm one month Japanese.
"Why the hel-...heck does that matter?" you ask. Well, it matters because now (and in some ways before I left) I'm used to many things here, and it's normal for me, so like words in a japanese sentence, I omit those things.
In this case, I got an email to one of my addresses not attached to this blog (comments are forwarded to two of my other addresses) that gave some good feedback, i.e. told me what you guys don't know:
"How are things going in your home? Do you have things in common with your host brothers? Are you meeting friends at school?"
So, I'll take the time now to dabble on the above.
Things here are slightly less comfortable than in my usual home, but that's because at home, I essencially own the house and I do what I want, when I want, as loud as I want (which is usually quite queit unless it's a telelvision show). Here, everything is fine, not quite "mine." I'm not intimate with the computer (as in taking it apart and feeling happy for it when it works), I'm afraid to play the piano because I can't plug in headphones or turn the volume down, I'm a little sick of reading workbooks and reading about how great a nation Japan is (it's a great nation, but that losses it's effect after the seventy-eigth statistic to prove it), there is not snacking, and no nachoes (although there is Coca-Cola), I dislike television sets because of their addictive properties, and while I can communicate well enough using a mixture of Engrish and Japanese, I still can't speak fluently enough to get my message across the way I like to (I'm sure you all know how I abuse my English).
Aside from that, I spend much of my day at home doing very little. My brothers both have after school activities which keep them out until dusk. I've started running to fill this time(approximately eight kilometers today). And even after, they go to their rooms to study or secretly play video games. My older host brother appearently has a lot of pressure on him to study, and the other doesn't speak English, but once I get command of Japanese I hope to play a few ad hoc games, or maybe he can beat me at chess some more.
At school people are more willing to communicate using bad Engrish, superfast (slang filled?) Japanese, or gestures. Most of this is getting my do pop culture gestures (which I do as a courtesy since I can't tel them that's not my style). I have made a few potential friends though. One is a clique in my class who aren't as into the EXILE-backboys, err, just EXILE, but I like making that point clear. They speak half-phrases of English. The other is a zealous guy who likes many of the same anime and games as I do. He zealously tries to communicate this through a mixture of English, Japanese and gestures, and while this is may seem feutile, he manages to get his point across and the energy he puts into it could easily in turn help him learn English (few other people TRY).
As far as learning Japanese goes, I have my books, I'm pleased with most of them (the adjective book is a little too much like a workbook, but it might still work, and it's still important) and there will be a few private lessons in school for me.
As a post script note I should also mention that in physics class I've learned many kanji (without furigana, so I can't pronouce them) and today, to an explosion of my pride the math III teacher asked me for the answer and I responded and got it right in Japanese (note: in Japanese, fractions are said as [denominator] bun no [numerator]), after which I think I passed a quiz in physics.
So, if there's anything you'd like to hear about, just ask. Also, I'll edit in directions for making comments.
Edit: write your comment in the text box, lower on the page select the "anonymous" option, type in the weird letters (this is to make sure you're not a computer) and click the orange button at the bottom.
"Why the hel-...heck does that matter?" you ask. Well, it matters because now (and in some ways before I left) I'm used to many things here, and it's normal for me, so like words in a japanese sentence, I omit those things.
In this case, I got an email to one of my addresses not attached to this blog (comments are forwarded to two of my other addresses) that gave some good feedback, i.e. told me what you guys don't know:
"How are things going in your home? Do you have things in common with your host brothers? Are you meeting friends at school?"
So, I'll take the time now to dabble on the above.
Things here are slightly less comfortable than in my usual home, but that's because at home, I essencially own the house and I do what I want, when I want, as loud as I want (which is usually quite queit unless it's a telelvision show). Here, everything is fine, not quite "mine." I'm not intimate with the computer (as in taking it apart and feeling happy for it when it works), I'm afraid to play the piano because I can't plug in headphones or turn the volume down, I'm a little sick of reading workbooks and reading about how great a nation Japan is (it's a great nation, but that losses it's effect after the seventy-eigth statistic to prove it), there is not snacking, and no nachoes (although there is Coca-Cola), I dislike television sets because of their addictive properties, and while I can communicate well enough using a mixture of Engrish and Japanese, I still can't speak fluently enough to get my message across the way I like to (I'm sure you all know how I abuse my English).
Aside from that, I spend much of my day at home doing very little. My brothers both have after school activities which keep them out until dusk. I've started running to fill this time(approximately eight kilometers today). And even after, they go to their rooms to study or secretly play video games. My older host brother appearently has a lot of pressure on him to study, and the other doesn't speak English, but once I get command of Japanese I hope to play a few ad hoc games, or maybe he can beat me at chess some more.
At school people are more willing to communicate using bad Engrish, superfast (slang filled?) Japanese, or gestures. Most of this is getting my do pop culture gestures (which I do as a courtesy since I can't tel them that's not my style). I have made a few potential friends though. One is a clique in my class who aren't as into the EXILE-backboys, err, just EXILE, but I like making that point clear. They speak half-phrases of English. The other is a zealous guy who likes many of the same anime and games as I do. He zealously tries to communicate this through a mixture of English, Japanese and gestures, and while this is may seem feutile, he manages to get his point across and the energy he puts into it could easily in turn help him learn English (few other people TRY).
As far as learning Japanese goes, I have my books, I'm pleased with most of them (the adjective book is a little too much like a workbook, but it might still work, and it's still important) and there will be a few private lessons in school for me.
As a post script note I should also mention that in physics class I've learned many kanji (without furigana, so I can't pronouce them) and today, to an explosion of my pride the math III teacher asked me for the answer and I responded and got it right in Japanese (note: in Japanese, fractions are said as [denominator] bun no [numerator]), after which I think I passed a quiz in physics.
So, if there's anything you'd like to hear about, just ask. Also, I'll edit in directions for making comments.
Edit: write your comment in the text box, lower on the page select the "anonymous" option, type in the weird letters (this is to make sure you're not a computer) and click the orange button at the bottom.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Fishing in the Dark
Haha! Another allusion. The title is the name of a song. No connection between that and the post.
Anyways, I've been going for walks along the river since I don't have a club to go to after school (they cancelled for today). Here are some pictures and a movie:
'Nuf said.
'Nuf said.
Actually this was taken the same night as the video.
This too.
This is the first of the pictures taken two nights before. I played around with the settings until it looked brighter out. (There's contrast in brightness between pictures because they were taken at dusk.)
Two guys fishing. There isn't much I can say about this.
This is where I was headed, to the bridge.
And here's where I came from. You probably can't see them, but there are people on both sides sitting, runing, cycling, et cetera.
A garden on the other side of the river. I'm sorry that the colours aren't that vivd, but getting a shot this bright and well coloured at this time is quite a feat (more playing around with settings). One of the failed shots of this was mostly black.
The bridge. Appearently it's under construction, but it's still in heavy use. I turned around here more because it was getting dark than because of the flashing red lights of warnings.
Wow, I like the effects on this one. That's the road into town. There really are that many floures-however-that's-spelled lights. But that's enough of that.
Here's the main road back in Teramachi, there's not much to show of me walking back, it was getting dark.
So, hopefully I'll start running again, the muffled part of the video is where I explain that the distance (to the ocean?) is written on plaques on the sidewalk, it makes for a great place to run.
The reason I was out for a walk the first night (night of many pictures) was because of a minor argument between child and parent. It wasn't anything serious, it's just that I'm not used to arguments (with a dad like mine they aren't that successful) and they're a little louder than my heavy rock'n'roll. Seriously though, it's nothing to worry about.
In other news I'm still learning Japanese, and I will never again speak in my usual high class, mile a minute way with someone trying to learn a language. Finding someone who will speak as slowly and simply in Japanese as I am English is going to be hard.
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