Kelly in Japan

Meds and Candy

// February 11th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // Uncategorized

Well, we made it back from Sapporo safe and sound. I should have known, however, that my body’s endurance of the extreme cold was too good to be true, as approximately 24 hours after we landed in Tokyo I came down with a high fever. One of my teachers told me I should go to the doctor after school. This would usually be too scary a prospect to consider; but on Monday I was too sick to think for myself, so I did as I was told. It ended up being a good thing, as I accidentally met another of my teachers there picking up her hay fever meds. She helped me translate and now I have a nice little doctor’s card to present the next time I need to go. She also helped me through the ropes of getting my medicine at the pharmacy. She convinced me to stay home Tuesday (I only had two classes and one was hers) and then Wednesday was a holiday. So I got through the sickness with a minimum of drama. I’m back at school today, wondering if people were brave enough to eat the individually-wrapped omiyage I brought back or if someone surreptitiously trashed them …

One thing that occured to me today was how much friendships here at my school — and maybe in Japan generally, though I can’t know that for sure — are like friendships in elementary school. This morning I told the Japanese-speaking teacher who sits across from me that I liked her new haircut (in Japanese). We had a short conversation in Japanese, and, pleased with our progress, she gave me a piece of candy. You’d be surprised how many pieces of candy are exchanged in the teacher’s room. The whole thing reminds me of childhood friendships, where alliances are carefully negotiated via candy, stickers, small toys, and other valuables. I guess it works, but I always feel bad when I’m caught without a bag full of something in my drawer. Which is most of the time.

Well, it’s almost time for lunch. I think I’ll head to the cafeteria for katsu curry.

February rocks

// February 3rd, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Uncategorized

February is already better than January.

Kelly Picking Strawberries

On Sunday, I went strawberry picking with my onsen girls, Ashley and Andrea. We wanted to take the boys but didn’t have enough seats in the car. The boys said they’d live, so it was just the three of us beautiful ladies in the strawberry greenhouse! Of course, the worst part is that I forgot my camera, but Ashley remembered hers (see pic). We got all-you-can-eat strawberries for thirty minutes, for 1500 yen. For those of you who think that isn’t such a good deal, consider the following: how expensive fruit is in Japan (you have no idea) and the amount of strawberries you can actually eat in thirty minutes (any more would make you sick). They gave us condensed milk to dip our strawberries in, but we clever things brought chocolate syrup in our purses and proceeded to continue with the dipping delight long after the condensed milk was gone. Just pluck, dip, and eat. SO DELICIOUS!

It was a really beautiful day, so after strawberries we decided to go down to Lake Tanuki to take pictures of Mount Fuji reflected in the water. We made it down to the first photo site and started taking pictures of ourselves against the backdrop of Mount Fuji (didn’t make it to the reflection place). Instantly, and I kid you not, we were accosted by five or six different photographers, each carrying at least one Nikon with huge, intimidating lenses and asking to take our picture. So we posed for pictures for awhile. Then we decided we felt silly enough and that it was time to leave. Ashley asked me to take one more of her, with her camera. As soon as she went back to the posing spot, we were accosted by three or four more photographers. This went on for a ridiculously long time. I guess the sight of three gaijin girls plus a crystal clear view of Mount Fuji was more than the poor photogs could handle. Ah, well. I guess I can relate. If anybody finds us on Google, please let me know. I’d like a high-res version, since I forgot my own camera.

Girls with Mount Fuji

Today is Setsubun. I was told to throw beans out of the house and yell, “Oni wa soto!” (this scares away the demons) and “Fuku wa uchi!” (good luck/gods inside). I went to the store but they didn’t appear to have any special beans for Setsubun. I do have some red beans I bought awhile back. I think I will throw some out the window before bed, just in case.

I got my first Japanese haircut today. Not my first haircut in Japan, mind you, but my first haircut where I didn’t try to make the poor Japanese stylists do something Western. I just plopped down in the seat, gestured in the general direction of a few cuts I’d picked from a magazine, and said, “Nan de mo ii” (anything is fine). The girl was awesome and we had a funny conversation in my terrible Japanese and her worse English. And I ended up with a pretty decent cut - better than last time, for sure. So I’ve decided that “Nan de mo ii” is the way to go.

We are going to Yuki Matsuri (snow festival) in Hokkaido this weekend, so I’ve got to make sure the cameras are cleaned off and charged. But now Kory is opening and closing doors in the bedroom, so I think it’s time for sleep.

Better go get those beans.