Friday, November 04, 2005
mis fotos
(that's "my photos") i know i haven't posted in a while, i do have a spain wrap-up post planned - but i don't have my notes with me today. so that'll have to wait a little longer. instead i offer you some of my photos of spain. enjoy.
Saturday, October 01, 2005
holy toledo!
visited toledo today, which was cool. one of those wall type cities perched on a hill. it was very beautiful, but easy to get lost in. which, i'm obviously very good at by now. :) but now i'm back in the place where it started, cat's hostel in madrid. i don't have anything on my to-do list, except maybe a little shopping.
this whole trip has been a little too whirlwind for me, i've been moving every 2 days or so. i think my next adventure will have to be a more base camp approach, where i stay in one place for a while and take day trips from there.
i'm glad to be on my way home, as i've been getting sick. stuffy head, runny nose, that kind of thing. i also had some devastating news- we lost power at home on thursday and my vcr didn't tape ALIAS like it should have. the season premiere!!!! so the person who can provide me with a tape of the episode will get a special prize from spain! i know there's someone out there who loves me!
not too much to say today. on my way here from the metro i passed burger king and i am considering having my dinner there... it seems wrong, i've only been gone for a week and i rarely eat there when i'm at home, but for some reason it seems like a good idea. tomorrow i think i'll actually make the free breakfast at the hostel (i was too late my first night and left too early the second)
this whole trip has been a little too whirlwind for me, i've been moving every 2 days or so. i think my next adventure will have to be a more base camp approach, where i stay in one place for a while and take day trips from there.
i'm glad to be on my way home, as i've been getting sick. stuffy head, runny nose, that kind of thing. i also had some devastating news- we lost power at home on thursday and my vcr didn't tape ALIAS like it should have. the season premiere!!!! so the person who can provide me with a tape of the episode will get a special prize from spain! i know there's someone out there who loves me!
not too much to say today. on my way here from the metro i passed burger king and i am considering having my dinner there... it seems wrong, i've only been gone for a week and i rarely eat there when i'm at home, but for some reason it seems like a good idea. tomorrow i think i'll actually make the free breakfast at the hostel (i was too late my first night and left too early the second)
Friday, September 30, 2005
twice as long for a third the price
so yesterday i walked around and around (there's something new...) looking for the entrance to the alcazar (the palace). there were lots of roads blocked off, police standing all around. and still it took me nearly an hour to figure out that i wasn't going to be able to get in. i happened to overhear someone say that el presidente was at the alcazar, hence the security. oh well. i didn't really want to see it anyway.
so i went back and had a little siesta then decided to take my tired legs and feet out to a nice dinner. a close dinner. in the plaza right near my hostel i plunked myself down without checking out the menu or prices and ordered some sangria. well, the man brought me a mini jug of sangria. and a wee plate of potatoes in oil. i had definitely mentioned that i wanted to see the menu, but he seemed to forget and in spain sitting around for hours on end with nothing but a drink is not uncommon.
when i finally got a menu i noticed that the restaurant was a little pricier than i normally do. but i was already seated and settled in, so i ordered tagliatelle carbonara. disappointingly but not surprisingly it wasn't actual carbonara, it was alfredo with bits of bacon. (and that my friends is *not* carbonara, carbonara must involve egg yolks). still taste good, though.
this morning i woke early and headed down to the bus station. i opted to take the bus instead of the train, even though it would take me twice as long to get to madrid, because it was a third of the price. and i certainly got what i paid for. by the time i got here i was dying to get out of that seat. i made my way on the metro to my hostel (this time my window overlooks the actual outdoors, but still no view).
i'm now about to head to the supermarket to load up on some cheap eats. my last real day in spain is tomorrow and i intend to head to toledo to explore.
so i went back and had a little siesta then decided to take my tired legs and feet out to a nice dinner. a close dinner. in the plaza right near my hostel i plunked myself down without checking out the menu or prices and ordered some sangria. well, the man brought me a mini jug of sangria. and a wee plate of potatoes in oil. i had definitely mentioned that i wanted to see the menu, but he seemed to forget and in spain sitting around for hours on end with nothing but a drink is not uncommon.
when i finally got a menu i noticed that the restaurant was a little pricier than i normally do. but i was already seated and settled in, so i ordered tagliatelle carbonara. disappointingly but not surprisingly it wasn't actual carbonara, it was alfredo with bits of bacon. (and that my friends is *not* carbonara, carbonara must involve egg yolks). still taste good, though.
this morning i woke early and headed down to the bus station. i opted to take the bus instead of the train, even though it would take me twice as long to get to madrid, because it was a third of the price. and i certainly got what i paid for. by the time i got here i was dying to get out of that seat. i made my way on the metro to my hostel (this time my window overlooks the actual outdoors, but still no view).
i'm now about to head to the supermarket to load up on some cheap eats. my last real day in spain is tomorrow and i intend to head to toledo to explore.
Thursday, September 29, 2005
ole! vayamos!
so i woke up this morning, the sun shining brightly through my window, the smell of bread baking and hot coffee...
oh wait- no i didn't. there was the smell of laundry detergent wafting into my cell and suffocating me - that was what woke me. i managed to salvage my day yesterday after i was settled in a bit and more familiar with my surroundings. i bought a souvenir for myself and i purchased tickets to a flamenco show.
i chose the venue (there are many) based on it's proximity to my hostel - to minimize the chances of me getting lost *yet again*. my show was at 8 o'clock, and i was told to arrive a half an hour early. so i found a cafe that was actually serving food at 6:45 pm (not an easy task in spain) and ordered a tortilla espagnola knowing full well that there was no chance i'd last through the 2 hour show without having dinner first.
i was seated in the front row and my ticket included a drink (vino blanco, if you're curious). it was a small theater with a small stage and walls covered with paintings and photos of flamenco and bull fighting. after everyone's drinks were served the show began. the guitarist and a couple of singers took the stage. they played and sang a bit before a dancer in a full skirt came down the stairway onto the stage. and it began.
i was enthralled. it was an amazing show, the footwork, the costumes, the music, the castanets. i was so wound up after the show, that i could barely keep the smile off my face or the beat out of my head.
back at my hostel i opted to head up to the patio for some air and to see if there was anyone around. (there wasn't). i tried out a couple of flamenco moves and wrote in my journal. i went to bed feeling much better about sevilla.
today i'm on my way to visit sevilla's cathedral, which is the 3rd largest in the world, and the alcazar, which is the palace, where apparently spanish royals still live, when they're in town. hopefully tomorrow i'll be on my way back to madrid for the night, then spend saturday in toledo before heading home.
oh wait- no i didn't. there was the smell of laundry detergent wafting into my cell and suffocating me - that was what woke me. i managed to salvage my day yesterday after i was settled in a bit and more familiar with my surroundings. i bought a souvenir for myself and i purchased tickets to a flamenco show.
i chose the venue (there are many) based on it's proximity to my hostel - to minimize the chances of me getting lost *yet again*. my show was at 8 o'clock, and i was told to arrive a half an hour early. so i found a cafe that was actually serving food at 6:45 pm (not an easy task in spain) and ordered a tortilla espagnola knowing full well that there was no chance i'd last through the 2 hour show without having dinner first.
i was seated in the front row and my ticket included a drink (vino blanco, if you're curious). it was a small theater with a small stage and walls covered with paintings and photos of flamenco and bull fighting. after everyone's drinks were served the show began. the guitarist and a couple of singers took the stage. they played and sang a bit before a dancer in a full skirt came down the stairway onto the stage. and it began.
i was enthralled. it was an amazing show, the footwork, the costumes, the music, the castanets. i was so wound up after the show, that i could barely keep the smile off my face or the beat out of my head.
back at my hostel i opted to head up to the patio for some air and to see if there was anyone around. (there wasn't). i tried out a couple of flamenco moves and wrote in my journal. i went to bed feeling much better about sevilla.
today i'm on my way to visit sevilla's cathedral, which is the 3rd largest in the world, and the alcazar, which is the palace, where apparently spanish royals still live, when they're in town. hopefully tomorrow i'll be on my way back to madrid for the night, then spend saturday in toledo before heading home.
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
so NOT impressed with sevilla
sure, it seems a bit early to be making rash judgements like that, but so far, i am so *not* impressed with sevilla.
my last night in granada was good. no band in the plaza, but i had a nice dinner out and a little stroll around. it didn't rain, i didn't get lost, i finished my book. life was good. i woke up in plenty of time this morning to walk to the train station (it was less than 30 minutes). i was able to get my ticket and get on the train. had a mini siesta on the train (accidentally). and after just 3 short hours i was in sevilla.
sevilla, being a large city, has a very large train station. and when i did eventually get to the exit, it took me another 15 minutes to find where the buses were (after talking to TWO information people). the bus showed up another 15 minutes later. as near as i could get to where i wanted to be i got off the bus and began to walk. and walk. and walk. you know how this goes...
it is now over 2 hours later and i've only just found my hostel and the internet place. my room has a window that overlooks the lovely... laundry room. there is a rooftop terrace... in the middle of a block of buildings. *sigh*
so now what i really need to do is change out of my cranky-pants and get something to eat. hasta luego.
my last night in granada was good. no band in the plaza, but i had a nice dinner out and a little stroll around. it didn't rain, i didn't get lost, i finished my book. life was good. i woke up in plenty of time this morning to walk to the train station (it was less than 30 minutes). i was able to get my ticket and get on the train. had a mini siesta on the train (accidentally). and after just 3 short hours i was in sevilla.
sevilla, being a large city, has a very large train station. and when i did eventually get to the exit, it took me another 15 minutes to find where the buses were (after talking to TWO information people). the bus showed up another 15 minutes later. as near as i could get to where i wanted to be i got off the bus and began to walk. and walk. and walk. you know how this goes...
it is now over 2 hours later and i've only just found my hostel and the internet place. my room has a window that overlooks the lovely... laundry room. there is a rooftop terrace... in the middle of a block of buildings. *sigh*
so now what i really need to do is change out of my cranky-pants and get something to eat. hasta luego.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
there's a band outside my balcony!
so yesterday after i left here (the internet place, that is) the sky was very gray and dark. there was some thunder rumbling. i made a quick phone call to my hostel in sevilla and just as i was finishing the sky opened up and it began to pour. i rushed to the nearest shop and stood under the awning, thinking it would be over soon. (we had a rain shower in madrid, it only lasted from the time i entered the metro to the time i left it). well, i stood there for almost 40 minutes. and it was really pouring, and there was lightening, and HAIL.
after it stopped i walked around some more, *carefully* - flip flops are slippery on stone sidewalks. poked in some shops and had an early dinner (by spanish standards, it was about 6:30pm). after my early train i decided i would have a relaxing evening in.
so i stretched out and read and wrote and as i was people watching out my balcony i noticed a gaggle of teens carrying instruments. they set up in the plaza right below my balcony and proceeded to play for nearly 2 hours. it was fabulous - sort of marching band/pep band style tunes, and some singing (you know how those spanish are, can't help themselves). so i got some major people watching in as well as live entertainment. until the policia shut them down.
today i visited the alhambra, a moorish palace/fort atop a large hill here in granada. it was magnificently beautiful, filled with gorgeous tile work and carvings in stone, wood, and plaster. i took so many pictures, as i couldn't possibly describe it well enough. there was also a great view of all of granada.
i had lunch at a "french" cafe (not like it didn't serve the normal spanish things, but it also had french style foods). very good, and a welcome break. the jury is still out on spanish food, i have some likes, but as a whole it's not that appealing (and that's saying something, for me to say that). well, my time is about to run out here, tomorrow i'll be on my way to sevilla!
after it stopped i walked around some more, *carefully* - flip flops are slippery on stone sidewalks. poked in some shops and had an early dinner (by spanish standards, it was about 6:30pm). after my early train i decided i would have a relaxing evening in.
so i stretched out and read and wrote and as i was people watching out my balcony i noticed a gaggle of teens carrying instruments. they set up in the plaza right below my balcony and proceeded to play for nearly 2 hours. it was fabulous - sort of marching band/pep band style tunes, and some singing (you know how those spanish are, can't help themselves). so i got some major people watching in as well as live entertainment. until the policia shut them down.
today i visited the alhambra, a moorish palace/fort atop a large hill here in granada. it was magnificently beautiful, filled with gorgeous tile work and carvings in stone, wood, and plaster. i took so many pictures, as i couldn't possibly describe it well enough. there was also a great view of all of granada.
i had lunch at a "french" cafe (not like it didn't serve the normal spanish things, but it also had french style foods). very good, and a welcome break. the jury is still out on spanish food, i have some likes, but as a whole it's not that appealing (and that's saying something, for me to say that). well, my time is about to run out here, tomorrow i'll be on my way to sevilla!
Monday, September 26, 2005
a train like a plane
so today i woke up very early. so early, in fact, that i missed the free breakfast again! i had to settle for a machine coffee which i drank on my walk to the metro. yesterday i managed to buy my ticket - using spanish only. carlynne, who missed her second train for the day, went back with me so i could get a ticket (no sense in waking up early only to find that the train is full). it was a bit like the deli, you take a number and wait for your number to be called. just as my number was called and i was approaching the counter and a woman rushed in front of me. she tried speaking english to the teller, and the teller just said "no english". so the woman left and i stepped up, took a deep breath and said: granada manana. she started typing away. then i said: ocho. she asked: a las ocho? si. and it was done.
so this morning bright and early, i was up and ready. we arrived at the train station in plenty of time, i went down to my platform and waited. only a couple of minutes late the train rolled up. there was barely anyone on it, and not that many more people got on. i was lucky enough to be standing on the platform directly in front of the car i was assigned to. the seats were very spacious, i didn't have to share my 2 seat section with anyone. as we pulled away from the station a man came around and was handing everyone a little box. like a welcome gift.
i opened it up and inside there were some little headphones. eventually on the tv screens place throughout the car a movie began to play. so i plugged my headphones in and got ready for some entertainment. of course i should have known it would be in spanish, dubbed, it was an english movie though. (not sure what - a grisham one with robert downey jr. and kenneth brannaugh.) instead i opted to listen to some music - there were like 3 music stations - and "rest my eyes".
after a few hours i went to the food car to get something to eat. i picked a ham and cheese sandwich, which seemed like a safe bet. there was something ooky about the cheese, though, so i ended up pulling out the filling and just eating the bread. another movie came on, this one was something with john travolta - not something i recognized - and i didn't even bother to check if it was in english.
arriving in granada i was feeling sufficiently brilliant enough to walk to the area i was headed, instead of taking the bus. simply follow one large road and then turn onto another large road. easy-peasy. well, not so easy-peasy. somehow i got waaaaay lost and ended up off the map from my guidebook. luckily i found a large map in one of the plazas and was able to find my way eventually.
nearly two hours after leaving the train station i finally settled into my room - my *fourth* choice hostel. but it's in a great location, i have my own sink and a balcony that looks out onto the plaza below (though i suppose that means it could be very loud, oh well). i'm off to find some food. hasta manana.
so this morning bright and early, i was up and ready. we arrived at the train station in plenty of time, i went down to my platform and waited. only a couple of minutes late the train rolled up. there was barely anyone on it, and not that many more people got on. i was lucky enough to be standing on the platform directly in front of the car i was assigned to. the seats were very spacious, i didn't have to share my 2 seat section with anyone. as we pulled away from the station a man came around and was handing everyone a little box. like a welcome gift.
i opened it up and inside there were some little headphones. eventually on the tv screens place throughout the car a movie began to play. so i plugged my headphones in and got ready for some entertainment. of course i should have known it would be in spanish, dubbed, it was an english movie though. (not sure what - a grisham one with robert downey jr. and kenneth brannaugh.) instead i opted to listen to some music - there were like 3 music stations - and "rest my eyes".
after a few hours i went to the food car to get something to eat. i picked a ham and cheese sandwich, which seemed like a safe bet. there was something ooky about the cheese, though, so i ended up pulling out the filling and just eating the bread. another movie came on, this one was something with john travolta - not something i recognized - and i didn't even bother to check if it was in english.
arriving in granada i was feeling sufficiently brilliant enough to walk to the area i was headed, instead of taking the bus. simply follow one large road and then turn onto another large road. easy-peasy. well, not so easy-peasy. somehow i got waaaaay lost and ended up off the map from my guidebook. luckily i found a large map in one of the plazas and was able to find my way eventually.
nearly two hours after leaving the train station i finally settled into my room - my *fourth* choice hostel. but it's in a great location, i have my own sink and a balcony that looks out onto the plaza below (though i suppose that means it could be very loud, oh well). i'm off to find some food. hasta manana.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
the lovely siesta time
so i'm just up from my siesta, a spanish tradition that i've really taken to. :) and making plans for the evening, possibly seeing some flamenco dancing/music (though the *best* is supposed to be in sevilla, so perhaps i'll go there as well).
yesterday i went out to get myself some food at a little cafe i found near the hostel. i got a coffee (which wasn't the best idea, as i was a bit dehydrated still from all the flying) and a pizza (which was mediocre at best). after sitting in the sun for a while and people watching i walked down to plaza mayor. it's basically a square, surrounded by buildings and shops and filled with cafe tables. really lovely, but i was starting to fade, so i bought a couple of bottles of water and went back to the hostel for a little nap.
i napped for a marvelously long time. it was fabulous, especially since i hadn't actually been able to lie down for 24 hours! i woke at about 8pm and decided i was going to go for a walk to find something to eat. i managed to find my way to a shop and back to the hostel with only a small detour down the wrong road (madrid is a bit like boston, in that the streets don't neccesarily have any logic to their layout).
when i got back two girls i had met earlier carlynne and alydta were about to go off to meet a friend of alydta's. so i ate my little cheese and spinach pastry and we set off to sol, which is the center of madrid (also kilometre 0 for many spanish highways). we met up with alydta's friend eric, who happened to know the city pretty well, so he took us all to a restaurant he liked. i had the tortilla espagnola - a spanish omlette, but so much better than in the states. instead of just some hunks of potato mixed into an omlette, there was little tiny bits of potato all through the egg. it was delicious. we washed it down with some sangria and some free entertainment from the table near us. (spaniards seem to break into song just about everywhere)
this morning i slept a little late, missed the free breakfast at the hostel, then went down to el rastro (the flea market) with carlynne and alydta. a bit of shopping, a coffee and a snack, then we headed towards museo del prado. (many museums are free on sunday ). we poked around there for a while, saw some goya, some valasquez, etc. carlynne went to catch a train to barcelona and alydta and i went to get some food and back to the hostel for siesta.
so refreshing, and a timetable very much to my liking. lunch between 1 and 3. a nap. dinner around 10-11. sleep late. repeat.
yesterday i went out to get myself some food at a little cafe i found near the hostel. i got a coffee (which wasn't the best idea, as i was a bit dehydrated still from all the flying) and a pizza (which was mediocre at best). after sitting in the sun for a while and people watching i walked down to plaza mayor. it's basically a square, surrounded by buildings and shops and filled with cafe tables. really lovely, but i was starting to fade, so i bought a couple of bottles of water and went back to the hostel for a little nap.
i napped for a marvelously long time. it was fabulous, especially since i hadn't actually been able to lie down for 24 hours! i woke at about 8pm and decided i was going to go for a walk to find something to eat. i managed to find my way to a shop and back to the hostel with only a small detour down the wrong road (madrid is a bit like boston, in that the streets don't neccesarily have any logic to their layout).
when i got back two girls i had met earlier carlynne and alydta were about to go off to meet a friend of alydta's. so i ate my little cheese and spinach pastry and we set off to sol, which is the center of madrid (also kilometre 0 for many spanish highways). we met up with alydta's friend eric, who happened to know the city pretty well, so he took us all to a restaurant he liked. i had the tortilla espagnola - a spanish omlette, but so much better than in the states. instead of just some hunks of potato mixed into an omlette, there was little tiny bits of potato all through the egg. it was delicious. we washed it down with some sangria and some free entertainment from the table near us. (spaniards seem to break into song just about everywhere)
this morning i slept a little late, missed the free breakfast at the hostel, then went down to el rastro (the flea market) with carlynne and alydta. a bit of shopping, a coffee and a snack, then we headed towards museo del prado. (many museums are free on sunday ). we poked around there for a while, saw some goya, some valasquez, etc. carlynne went to catch a train to barcelona and alydta and i went to get some food and back to the hostel for siesta.
so refreshing, and a timetable very much to my liking. lunch between 1 and 3. a nap. dinner around 10-11. sleep late. repeat.
Saturday, September 24, 2005
packed like sardines
so my trip started off well enough. i was sent to a short line for check in, since i was only taking carry-on baggage. i sat, had a sandwich and some laughs with my family. i made it through the security checkpoints with the expected amount of hassle. but once i got beyond that i saw the mass of people standing by my gate. well not just my gate, but 4 gates all mashed together with not enough seats. but whatever, i stood. the announcement came on at the time we were supposed to board that our plane had just landed, and so it would be a few minutes more until we could get on. and then we got on...
the rows were 2-4-2 and i found that seat 'E' (which sounded good- like a window) was actually one of the inner middle section seats. and our flight was PACKED. not an empty seat in the house. and as someone who has been on a number of trans-atlantic flights, i can say with some authority that that *rarely* happens. in fact, never in my experience. but the food was okay. i got to watch a french movie called le demon de midi and madagascar. i also managed to doze (not actually sleep) for nearly 2 hours.
we arrived only about 10 minutes late in paris, at about 6:35, where i was to transfer to a 7:15 flight to madrid. so i quickly made my way towards the terminal transfer bus (that sounds morbid, but i think you know what i mean...). i waited a couple of minutes there, as there were many people trying to transfer. when we finally reached the proper terminal (which conveniently was the last stop before coming full circle) we all rushed upstairs to find a security checkpoint. a giant mob was formed in front of 4 booths to check passports and boarding passes. i somehow got in the wrong line, and ended up waiting nearly 20 minutes to get through.
thinking i was nearly there, i imagined myself just making my flight - being that last person to race onto the plane, no waiting. but as i made my way towards my gate i began passing what seemed to be a mile long line for another security check. i got about halfway up the line before i realized i was supposed to be in it. (i sneakily started chatting to two girls who were also running far too late and then stood behind them). i kept checking my watch, and checking and checking. and then it kind of hit me, i was definitely *not* making my flight.
after 45 minutes in that second security check i was in - FINALLY. i made my way to my gate, which was no longer actually my gate, and asked where i needed to go. the woman directed me to the transfer desk where there was - surprise! - a long line of people who had missed their transfers. i was eventually put on a flight scheduled to leave at 9:40. c'est la vie. or whatever you say in spanish (esta vida or something....)
on that flight i finally had some space and was finally able to get a little shut-eye, but not much. an hour and a half later i was in madrid. where there seemed to be no security whatsoever. i exited the plane and made my way towards the exit. no one wanted to see my landing card. no one wanted to check my baggage. in fact no one seemed to be checking anyones baggage. i got some cash and made my way to the metro. there a man was waving everyone through... gratis, gratis...
and finally i'm here. at my hostel. i've taken a shower. i've changed my clothes. and i'm starving!
the rows were 2-4-2 and i found that seat 'E' (which sounded good- like a window) was actually one of the inner middle section seats. and our flight was PACKED. not an empty seat in the house. and as someone who has been on a number of trans-atlantic flights, i can say with some authority that that *rarely* happens. in fact, never in my experience. but the food was okay. i got to watch a french movie called le demon de midi and madagascar. i also managed to doze (not actually sleep) for nearly 2 hours.
we arrived only about 10 minutes late in paris, at about 6:35, where i was to transfer to a 7:15 flight to madrid. so i quickly made my way towards the terminal transfer bus (that sounds morbid, but i think you know what i mean...). i waited a couple of minutes there, as there were many people trying to transfer. when we finally reached the proper terminal (which conveniently was the last stop before coming full circle) we all rushed upstairs to find a security checkpoint. a giant mob was formed in front of 4 booths to check passports and boarding passes. i somehow got in the wrong line, and ended up waiting nearly 20 minutes to get through.
thinking i was nearly there, i imagined myself just making my flight - being that last person to race onto the plane, no waiting. but as i made my way towards my gate i began passing what seemed to be a mile long line for another security check. i got about halfway up the line before i realized i was supposed to be in it. (i sneakily started chatting to two girls who were also running far too late and then stood behind them). i kept checking my watch, and checking and checking. and then it kind of hit me, i was definitely *not* making my flight.
after 45 minutes in that second security check i was in - FINALLY. i made my way to my gate, which was no longer actually my gate, and asked where i needed to go. the woman directed me to the transfer desk where there was - surprise! - a long line of people who had missed their transfers. i was eventually put on a flight scheduled to leave at 9:40.
on that flight i finally had some space and was finally able to get a little shut-eye, but not much. an hour and a half later i was in madrid. where there seemed to be no security whatsoever. i exited the plane and made my way towards the exit. no one wanted to see my landing card. no one wanted to check my baggage. in fact no one seemed to be checking anyones baggage. i got some cash and made my way to the metro. there a man was waving everyone through... gratis, gratis...
and finally i'm here. at my hostel. i've taken a shower. i've changed my clothes. and i'm starving!
Thursday, September 22, 2005
entiende? (my spanish speaking skills)
i'm making the final preparations for my trip to spain. picking up the miscellaneous travel sized items i need. deciding what to wear, what to pack, and what to leave behind. checking permitted and prohibited items for carry-on luggage at the tsa website (i'm a carry-on only kind of girl). and reviewing all the spanish words and phrases i've learned over the past 2 months of study.
naturally, it is also the week that my continuing ed french class begins. i have to say, that despite having studied far more french in my life than any other language, i have still managed to displace parts of my french vocabulary with my new spanish vocabulary. i find myself forming questions improperly. leaving out personal pronouns. oy. and as excited as i am to brush up on my french, i had to resist starting my assignments for the next class immediately.
i have one more lesson in my spanish cd course. once that's done, i'll have 9 days to try it out on actual spanish people (and maybe even some non-spanish people who are willing to listen). after that, who knows if or when i'll use it again...
next time i post, i will be in spain. bon voyage, uh, buen viaje, i mean!
naturally, it is also the week that my continuing ed french class begins. i have to say, that despite having studied far more french in my life than any other language, i have still managed to displace parts of my french vocabulary with my new spanish vocabulary. i find myself forming questions improperly. leaving out personal pronouns. oy. and as excited as i am to brush up on my french, i had to resist starting my assignments for the next class immediately.
i have one more lesson in my spanish cd course. once that's done, i'll have 9 days to try it out on actual spanish people (and maybe even some non-spanish people who are willing to listen). after that, who knows if or when i'll use it again...
next time i post, i will be in spain. bon voyage, uh, buen viaje, i mean!
Friday, September 16, 2005
things start looking up
so i had received a message at work that i was going to get a new flatmate called jillian. though no one could seem to tell me when she might arrive.
on the friday after natasha left i had a particularly bad ride to work. the wind was blowing so hard across the rice paddies that i had to get off my bike and walk in order to make any forward progress. by the time i reached work i was in quite a mood, as you might imagine, and it wasn't a good mood for teaching english. i simply got through my classes with as little effort as possible then headed home.
on the ride home i ran into grant, a canadian teacher from a different school i had met out a few times. we stopped and chatted for a while, which lifted my spirits remarkably. there's something about running into someone i know on the streets that makes me so happy. it makes me feel that i have a place, that i know people, that i'm not alone. i made one more stop, at the liquor store for some vodka, before arriving at my apartment.
most homes and apartments in japan have a small area just inside the front door where your shoes are to be removed. my apartment was no different. that night when i opened the door i noticed a new pair of sneakers next to my flip-flops. it seemed that jillian had arrived.
we chatted as i began to make my dinner (a packaged version of an omelet, served with a kind of gravy, that i had bought ready-made from the supermarket the day before). she had taken training with dave from my school, but had been staying in himeji until now. my guess from her accent was irish (i was wrong, she's scottish, but now, over a year later, i can tell the difference between english, irish, scottish, australian, and kiwi accents - not bad, eh?). i tried to give her the rundown on life in marugame, but myself only having been a resident for less than a month, it was general at best.
the next we talked more, about everything, finding that we had much in common and were both quite easily amused. the green mile came on tv - *in english* - which was very exciting. using some christmas colored origami paper left behind by previous tenants we started making paper chains and plans. in my journal that night i wrote:
on the friday after natasha left i had a particularly bad ride to work. the wind was blowing so hard across the rice paddies that i had to get off my bike and walk in order to make any forward progress. by the time i reached work i was in quite a mood, as you might imagine, and it wasn't a good mood for teaching english. i simply got through my classes with as little effort as possible then headed home.
on the ride home i ran into grant, a canadian teacher from a different school i had met out a few times. we stopped and chatted for a while, which lifted my spirits remarkably. there's something about running into someone i know on the streets that makes me so happy. it makes me feel that i have a place, that i know people, that i'm not alone. i made one more stop, at the liquor store for some vodka, before arriving at my apartment.
most homes and apartments in japan have a small area just inside the front door where your shoes are to be removed. my apartment was no different. that night when i opened the door i noticed a new pair of sneakers next to my flip-flops. it seemed that jillian had arrived.
we chatted as i began to make my dinner (a packaged version of an omelet, served with a kind of gravy, that i had bought ready-made from the supermarket the day before). she had taken training with dave from my school, but had been staying in himeji until now. my guess from her accent was irish (i was wrong, she's scottish, but now, over a year later, i can tell the difference between english, irish, scottish, australian, and kiwi accents - not bad, eh?). i tried to give her the rundown on life in marugame, but myself only having been a resident for less than a month, it was general at best.
the next we talked more, about everything, finding that we had much in common and were both quite easily amused. the green mile came on tv - *in english* - which was very exciting. using some christmas colored origami paper left behind by previous tenants we started making paper chains and plans. in my journal that night i wrote:
i think things will be looking up here...
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
goodbye roommate, hello karaoke
friday, two weeks after my arrival, was natasha's last day of work with nova. that evening another teacher from my school (and a friend of natasha's) named bec came over and we drank wine and chatted until the wee hours of the morning. by the end of the night i had planned the next year and a half of my life: after a year of teaching i would take off and do some traveling around japan. after i'd seen what i wanted to see i would head over to the asian continent and make my way through thailand, cambodia, vietnam, maybe malaysia and some islands. *then* i would go to india and meet bec and natasha at an ashram. after a month of yoga and meditation i'd finally go home.
bye natasha!
good plan. fueled by the chatter of two australian girls who had already visited much of asia and, along with me, drank quite a bit of wine. bec left and natasha and i finally went to bed around 4 in the morning, only to wake up a few hours later for work. (the worst part of a nova teaching schedule: weekends are early shifts, weekdays are late shifts)
saturday evening was natasha's last night out in marugame. the plan was to meet a bunch of other teachers and friends at an izakaya and then go to karaoke. despite having gone to an izakaya the previous week with natasha and mariko, i wasn't prepared for the amount of food we had. there were some heavenly cabbage and cheese rolls, sashimi, fried cheese balls (which i burnt my lip very badly on, had a scar the next day), fries, grilled garlic with miso, edamame.... so much food and so good.
grant, dave, and gavin
after we'd eaten our fill it was off to a karaoke bar, which was on the 5th floor of a building just down the road. (while most floors above street level would be residences in america, they are often businesses in japan) it was a small place, not at all like karaoke bars in america - there is no stage, nor much light. along one wall there was a long bar with stools, on the opposite wall was a long couch, in front of which were tables and small benches. we sat down and were given warm cloths for our hands and a basket of chip-type things. straight away people started looking through the telephone directory sized song book. once i got up the nerve to sing my first song ("it's not unusual" by tom jones) there was no stopping me.
also on this momentous first night of karaoke i met two of my future favorites: dave and paul. i went over and talked to paul after he sang a U2 song (my *favorite* band). i was introduced to dave, as he was new and soon to be teaching at my school. while chatting with dave i was glad to hear that he was interested in going out for some beers sometime. natasha had told me that most people didn't really like to go out that much. i now had hopes that we could change that.
me
it was 6 in the morning by the time we left the karaoke bar. i had to work the next day and natasha had a bus to catch in the morning. she asked me to make sure she was up, i was instructed to hit her if i needed to. that time came too soon and while i had quite a time waking her up. but when she finally did wake up, she popped out of bed still dressed from the night before. i walked with her to the station and we said our goodbyes, still talking about meeting up in india. then i walked home alone.
bye natasha!
good plan. fueled by the chatter of two australian girls who had already visited much of asia and, along with me, drank quite a bit of wine. bec left and natasha and i finally went to bed around 4 in the morning, only to wake up a few hours later for work. (the worst part of a nova teaching schedule: weekends are early shifts, weekdays are late shifts)
saturday evening was natasha's last night out in marugame. the plan was to meet a bunch of other teachers and friends at an izakaya and then go to karaoke. despite having gone to an izakaya the previous week with natasha and mariko, i wasn't prepared for the amount of food we had. there were some heavenly cabbage and cheese rolls, sashimi, fried cheese balls (which i burnt my lip very badly on, had a scar the next day), fries, grilled garlic with miso, edamame.... so much food and so good.
grant, dave, and gavin
after we'd eaten our fill it was off to a karaoke bar, which was on the 5th floor of a building just down the road. (while most floors above street level would be residences in america, they are often businesses in japan) it was a small place, not at all like karaoke bars in america - there is no stage, nor much light. along one wall there was a long bar with stools, on the opposite wall was a long couch, in front of which were tables and small benches. we sat down and were given warm cloths for our hands and a basket of chip-type things. straight away people started looking through the telephone directory sized song book. once i got up the nerve to sing my first song ("it's not unusual" by tom jones) there was no stopping me.
also on this momentous first night of karaoke i met two of my future favorites: dave and paul. i went over and talked to paul after he sang a U2 song (my *favorite* band). i was introduced to dave, as he was new and soon to be teaching at my school. while chatting with dave i was glad to hear that he was interested in going out for some beers sometime. natasha had told me that most people didn't really like to go out that much. i now had hopes that we could change that.
me
it was 6 in the morning by the time we left the karaoke bar. i had to work the next day and natasha had a bus to catch in the morning. she asked me to make sure she was up, i was instructed to hit her if i needed to. that time came too soon and while i had quite a time waking her up. but when she finally did wake up, she popped out of bed still dressed from the night before. i walked with her to the station and we said our goodbyes, still talking about meeting up in india. then i walked home alone.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
get into the groove
i started to get into the groove of the teacher's life in marugame. after 11 days all traces of jet lag seemed to have worn off. i had enough lesson plans in my file that i wasn't spending every waking hour planning. i was dealing with riding my bike to work. and then it started to rain.
i had seen loads of japanese people riding their bikes with umbrellas, and on my first day of work where it was raining i attempted to do the same. before i even turned off my road i had given up on the umbrella idea, i just wasn't coordinated enough for that yet. and by the time i passed the train station it really started to rain. so i pulled into the local mini-stop and bought a clear plastic poncho.
despite my new purchase, my legs were still soaked by the time i reached work, though i had luckily packed my work outfit in my bag instead of wearing it. these first days of miserable rain turned what could have been a mild dislike of riding a bike everywhere into a hatred which spawned fantasies of lighting the thing on fire and chucking it into a rice paddy.
at natasha's suggestion i took the train to takamatsu on my "weekend" (really just two days off in a row, which for me was tuesday and wednesday). there was one short page about takamatsu in my rough guide to japan guidebook (which i only bought, instead of my favorite let's go brand because it actually mentioned marugame) and it claimed the highlights of a visit to the city were the beautiful ritsurin park and the shopping. after a long (very long it seemed on that first day) walk to the park and a wander through the shopping arcades and department stores, the highlight of takamatsu, in my opinion, was starbucks.
though i'm not normally a starbuck's person (i normally patronize dunkin donuts) it felt so nice. sitting in a big, comfy starbucks chair. sipping a nice hot latte. it was heaven. it gave me a chance to sit back and reflect on my day. i did quite like the city. i was relieved to see some trendy citizens and quite a few gaijin. the shopping was good. but as i sat there, i decided i wanted to go somewhere bigger. i still wanted to transfer to a big city.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
how to teach (part 2)
training - day two
on my way to training the second day i grabbed my lunch from the department store on the way to the school. the basement level of the store was filled with little stands and booths - part food court, part marketplace. i picked out a ready-made tray of food (since i didn't know the names of anything) and went outside to find a bench to eat on. my meal consisted of some chicken on a stick and a couple of grilled rice balls accompanied by some unidentifiable condiments.
back in class we were taught about more pieces of the nova class. we learned some basic classroom management tactics. then we taught parts of a couple more classes. it was stressful. the idea that some day i would have to fill out student evaluations for 4 students in the 10 minutes between classes seemed ludicrous. my biggest challenge was still developing role plays - my stories were far too complex and involved.
the ever adventurous jeremy and i found a little counter service place around the corner from nova for dinner called yoshinoya. there we feasted on bowls of miso soup, and rice topped with thin slices of beef (this was before the american beef "mad cow" scare) for not a lot of yen. let me tell you, this is heaven in a bowl, topped with pickled ginger. it wasn't until much later that i discovered that this was a large chain in japan - alas, not in marugame.
that evening in my hotel i found an episode of one of my favorite shows (favorite after the x-files), ALIAS on tv. i was so excited that i didn't even care that it was dubbed in japanese.
training - day three
by the third day i was really starting to feel confident in my classes, provided i had my lesson plan in hand. i was even starting to see how maybe i could write comments in less than 10 minutes. still the thought of teaching classes back to back was a little un-nerving. my lesson planning was still taking forever. at this rate i feared i'd be spending all my waking hours trying to plan my classes.
this last day of training was a very sad day, as well. no, not because i was sad to be leaving okayama (though i was - i like cities). not because i was sad to part ways with weird jeremy. but because my venus de milo pen finally kicked the bucket. *sigh*
on my way to training the second day i grabbed my lunch from the department store on the way to the school. the basement level of the store was filled with little stands and booths - part food court, part marketplace. i picked out a ready-made tray of food (since i didn't know the names of anything) and went outside to find a bench to eat on. my meal consisted of some chicken on a stick and a couple of grilled rice balls accompanied by some unidentifiable condiments.
back in class we were taught about more pieces of the nova class. we learned some basic classroom management tactics. then we taught parts of a couple more classes. it was stressful. the idea that some day i would have to fill out student evaluations for 4 students in the 10 minutes between classes seemed ludicrous. my biggest challenge was still developing role plays - my stories were far too complex and involved.
the ever adventurous jeremy and i found a little counter service place around the corner from nova for dinner called yoshinoya. there we feasted on bowls of miso soup, and rice topped with thin slices of beef (this was before the american beef "mad cow" scare) for not a lot of yen. let me tell you, this is heaven in a bowl, topped with pickled ginger. it wasn't until much later that i discovered that this was a large chain in japan - alas, not in marugame.
that evening in my hotel i found an episode of one of my favorite shows (favorite after the x-files), ALIAS on tv. i was so excited that i didn't even care that it was dubbed in japanese.
training - day three
by the third day i was really starting to feel confident in my classes, provided i had my lesson plan in hand. i was even starting to see how maybe i could write comments in less than 10 minutes. still the thought of teaching classes back to back was a little un-nerving. my lesson planning was still taking forever. at this rate i feared i'd be spending all my waking hours trying to plan my classes.
this last day of training was a very sad day, as well. no, not because i was sad to be leaving okayama (though i was - i like cities). not because i was sad to part ways with weird jeremy. but because my venus de milo pen finally kicked the bucket. *sigh*
Friday, July 22, 2005
how to teach: a crash course
orientation
when i first arrived i was given a huge packet of information. maps, directions, my key, and a train ticket to my orientation. on the monday following my arrival i headed to okayama for orientation. i managed to take the right train *and* find the school without too much difficulty.
the big question on my mind at this point was "how soon can i transfer to a city?". webber, our orientator, said it would be possible after my probationary period was over (2 months). i wasn't convinced, but there was so much information being thrown at us that i didn't have time to care.
the highlight of our orientation was the free meal - webber took us all out to some pizza place. not your average american pizza, but still recognizable. after dinner we were sent home, which seemed a little pointless to me, since i was supposed to come back the next day to begin my 3 day training.
when i got back to my place natasha was back from work eating her dinner. i made myself a little snack and was pleased to be told that CSI was going to be on - IN ENGLISH - and that it was on almost every monday night. i also learned that on saturday there was often an english movie on tv.
training - day one
the next day i was back in okayama. i had read in my guidebook that there was a kaitenzushi (rotating sushi bar) place near the school, so i made it my first mission to find this place. when i finally did, i took a seat at the counter and tried to watch and learn. when i still couldn't figure out how to get tea, an old woman sitting near me decided to educate me. she didn't speak a word of english, but she got me up to speed quickly. the tea bags were on the counter along with tea cups. all along the countertop were spigots which poured out the hot water. chopsticks. ginger. et voila.
i was really quite amused by the whole experience. watching and waiting for the plate of sushi i wanted. trying to match plates to pictures on the menu to words in my phrase book so i would know what i was eating. my only disappointment was the tako, octopus. yuk. at the end your plates are counted up and priced by color. easy, fun, and cheap.
still loaded down with my overnight bag i went straight to the school to begin my training. our class consisted of only myself and one other boy, jeremy. there was a lot of talk to start with, the sequence of nova lessons, the levels of students, and the timing of the class. we started by planning a couple of role plays and before we knew it we were thrown in to teach part of a class.
my first class went mostly as planned, i was able to guide the students in the role play and scribble a few notes about their efforts. my second class didn't go as well. my role play was planned for 3 characters, but only 1 student had shown up for the class. i got a little panicky and flabbergasted. but i got through it.
my training partner, jeremy, wasn't much of a talker, so i managed to fill in for him. i went on and on about the fabulous kaitenzushi place i had eaten lunch. and after talking it up so much, we decided to go there on our dinner break. only this time *i* was the one doing the educating.
after a long first day i was ready to pass out in my little hotel room. but before i could sleep i had more sample lessons to plan....
next time, training continues
when i first arrived i was given a huge packet of information. maps, directions, my key, and a train ticket to my orientation. on the monday following my arrival i headed to okayama for orientation. i managed to take the right train *and* find the school without too much difficulty.
the big question on my mind at this point was "how soon can i transfer to a city?". webber, our orientator, said it would be possible after my probationary period was over (2 months). i wasn't convinced, but there was so much information being thrown at us that i didn't have time to care.
the highlight of our orientation was the free meal - webber took us all out to some pizza place. not your average american pizza, but still recognizable. after dinner we were sent home, which seemed a little pointless to me, since i was supposed to come back the next day to begin my 3 day training.
when i got back to my place natasha was back from work eating her dinner. i made myself a little snack and was pleased to be told that CSI was going to be on - IN ENGLISH - and that it was on almost every monday night. i also learned that on saturday there was often an english movie on tv.
training - day one
the next day i was back in okayama. i had read in my guidebook that there was a kaitenzushi (rotating sushi bar) place near the school, so i made it my first mission to find this place. when i finally did, i took a seat at the counter and tried to watch and learn. when i still couldn't figure out how to get tea, an old woman sitting near me decided to educate me. she didn't speak a word of english, but she got me up to speed quickly. the tea bags were on the counter along with tea cups. all along the countertop were spigots which poured out the hot water. chopsticks. ginger. et voila.
i was really quite amused by the whole experience. watching and waiting for the plate of sushi i wanted. trying to match plates to pictures on the menu to words in my phrase book so i would know what i was eating. my only disappointment was the tako, octopus. yuk. at the end your plates are counted up and priced by color. easy, fun, and cheap.
still loaded down with my overnight bag i went straight to the school to begin my training. our class consisted of only myself and one other boy, jeremy. there was a lot of talk to start with, the sequence of nova lessons, the levels of students, and the timing of the class. we started by planning a couple of role plays and before we knew it we were thrown in to teach part of a class.
my first class went mostly as planned, i was able to guide the students in the role play and scribble a few notes about their efforts. my second class didn't go as well. my role play was planned for 3 characters, but only 1 student had shown up for the class. i got a little panicky and flabbergasted. but i got through it.
my training partner, jeremy, wasn't much of a talker, so i managed to fill in for him. i went on and on about the fabulous kaitenzushi place i had eaten lunch. and after talking it up so much, we decided to go there on our dinner break. only this time *i* was the one doing the educating.
after a long first day i was ready to pass out in my little hotel room. but before i could sleep i had more sample lessons to plan....
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
exploring marugame
before natasha left for her trip she explained to me how to get to the nova branch in marugame. she even drew me a map. and since it was such a beautiful day, warm and sunny on the first of november, i was excited for a walk. later in the evening some of the nova teachers would be meeting at a restaurant called bamiyan near the school, if i wanted to meet them. i set out with my shoulder bag and my sunglasses.
i managed to weave my way through the center of marugame and find the long, rice paddy lined road that would lead me out to nova. i kept walking. and walking. i came across a drink vending machine and bought myself some sort of green tea drink. and i kept walking. and walking. almost positive at this point that i had missed some of the landmarks natasha had described. but maybe not. so i kept walking.
eventually i saw the bright pink glow of the promise land - aeon town. compared to most of my walk, the large strip mall was like the big city. there was a restaurant (bamiyan), a 100 yen store, a pharmacy, a discount store, a supermarket, a video arcade, a book store, and of course - a nova english school. i felt relieved to have actually found the school, one less thing to worry about on my first day of actual work. but i headed straight for the max valu supermarket (food excites me) - which made the marunaka supermarket i had gone to the day before look like a farm stand.
inside the massive (and air-conditioned) store was every food i could imagine and thousands more i could not. i wandered the aisles for a good hour or so. i found rice - which i hadn't been able to find at the marunaka (not that it wasn't there, mind you, i just couldn't find it in my weakened state) - and a few other little things. after i made my purchases i sat on the bench outside trying to plan my next move.
it seemed too early yet to hang around and wait for the other teachers to finish work. so i opted to walk home with my purchases while the sun still shone and perhaps borrow the extra bike to come back in the evening. so i started walking. (can you see where this is going?) and walking. and eventually started getting really tired of lugging that 2kg bag of rice. but i trudged on. now that i was certain i hadn't passed any landmarks though, i didn't have the fear of being lost.
by the time i reached the town center i was feeling confident in my sense of direction. it hadn't steered me wrong yet. and i felt certain that there was a more direct root back to the flat than the one i had taken. so i walked. and walked. then i was starting to feel like maybe i didn't know where i was going...
it was getting darker. my arms were tired of carrying the rice. as i passed a random beer vending machine i stopped to make a purchase, feeling that i would want a beer when i got back. if i got back... i found myself near the river, which i was certain was near my flat. so i followed it for a ways.
followed it until a wild dog started barking at me and following me. and then 10 of his closest friends followed suit. needless to say i was scared to death, trying to put on a cool face, telling them to go home (do stray japanese dogs understand english commands?), envisioning having to tell people that i was mauled by wild dogs on my 3rd day in japan (and they say japan is so safe!).
after getting myself away from the dogs i decided that maybe i was wrong about the river. or maybe it was a different river. so i headed up the next main looking road i found. but following this road was actually taking me *farther* from where i wanted to be. eventually i found the raised tracks of the local train - which i was certain there was only one of - and i followed them home.
i plopped my exhausted self down on the little sofa and cracked open a beer. when i had finished the beer i went to the kitchen to cook myself one of my favorite comfort foods - rice. then i settled in to watch the ninth gate, knowing full well that there was no way in hell i was trekking out there again today.
i managed to weave my way through the center of marugame and find the long, rice paddy lined road that would lead me out to nova. i kept walking. and walking. i came across a drink vending machine and bought myself some sort of green tea drink. and i kept walking. and walking. almost positive at this point that i had missed some of the landmarks natasha had described. but maybe not. so i kept walking.
eventually i saw the bright pink glow of the promise land - aeon town. compared to most of my walk, the large strip mall was like the big city. there was a restaurant (bamiyan), a 100 yen store, a pharmacy, a discount store, a supermarket, a video arcade, a book store, and of course - a nova english school. i felt relieved to have actually found the school, one less thing to worry about on my first day of actual work. but i headed straight for the max valu supermarket (food excites me) - which made the marunaka supermarket i had gone to the day before look like a farm stand.
inside the massive (and air-conditioned) store was every food i could imagine and thousands more i could not. i wandered the aisles for a good hour or so. i found rice - which i hadn't been able to find at the marunaka (not that it wasn't there, mind you, i just couldn't find it in my weakened state) - and a few other little things. after i made my purchases i sat on the bench outside trying to plan my next move.
it seemed too early yet to hang around and wait for the other teachers to finish work. so i opted to walk home with my purchases while the sun still shone and perhaps borrow the extra bike to come back in the evening. so i started walking. (can you see where this is going?) and walking. and eventually started getting really tired of lugging that 2kg bag of rice. but i trudged on. now that i was certain i hadn't passed any landmarks though, i didn't have the fear of being lost.
by the time i reached the town center i was feeling confident in my sense of direction. it hadn't steered me wrong yet. and i felt certain that there was a more direct root back to the flat than the one i had taken. so i walked. and walked. then i was starting to feel like maybe i didn't know where i was going...
it was getting darker. my arms were tired of carrying the rice. as i passed a random beer vending machine i stopped to make a purchase, feeling that i would want a beer when i got back. if i got back... i found myself near the river, which i was certain was near my flat. so i followed it for a ways.
followed it until a wild dog started barking at me and following me. and then 10 of his closest friends followed suit. needless to say i was scared to death, trying to put on a cool face, telling them to go home (do stray japanese dogs understand english commands?), envisioning having to tell people that i was mauled by wild dogs on my 3rd day in japan (and they say japan is so safe!).
after getting myself away from the dogs i decided that maybe i was wrong about the river. or maybe it was a different river. so i headed up the next main looking road i found. but following this road was actually taking me *farther* from where i wanted to be. eventually i found the raised tracks of the local train - which i was certain there was only one of - and i followed them home.
i plopped my exhausted self down on the little sofa and cracked open a beer. when i had finished the beer i went to the kitchen to cook myself one of my favorite comfort foods - rice. then i settled in to watch the ninth gate, knowing full well that there was no way in hell i was trekking out there again today.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
food quest
yes, it has been too long since i last posted. i won't bore you with my excuses, suffice to say i've been pre-occupied. i hope you are finding all this interesting, it is fun for me to write about my time in japan. it brings back a lot of memories. well, on with the story.
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
sitting in my flat in marugame, trying to take it all in, i realized that i had not actually eaten for 24 hours. i had a beer at my hotel the night before. i had tea in my hotel room that morning. and since then, nothing. very unlike me. so with natasha gone to work and the sun shining outside i was ready for a trip to the grocery store.
it was very easy to find the marunaka, it was a right hand turn off our road, just like natasha said. still feeling a little spacy i grabbed a shopping basket and began to shop. perhaps shop is too strong a word... really i just wandered. for about an hour. i walked up and down the aisles, looking for items i recognized. i repeatedly hit my head on low-hanging signs by the refrigerator cases. i was examined by the locals.
eventually i came away with soba noodles (i had been eating those in the US for months), instant miso soup (something else i had purchased in the asian market at home), some green tea bags, yogurt, orange juice, a package of mushrooms, a carrot, and a tray of maki rolls.
i returned to my flat and devoured my maki rolls. and though it was about 5 o'clock in the evening i decided a nap was in order. i curled up on my futon and napped for a good 3 hours until i was jolted awake by the doorbell. there stood a man with a clipboard and my luggage. he pointed out where i was to sign and i dragged my bags inside.
about an hour later i had unpacked most of my things and arranged them in my room. even then my room looked very bare - the only things in it were my futon and a small set of drawers. everything else was in the closet. i had started making a list of things i needed when natasha came home. she cooked herself dinner and we sat chatting for most of the evening.
after natasha went to bed i sat up and wrote for a while. i was feeling a little apprehensive after what she had told me about the area. she said it was a very small town and there wasn't a lot to do. that i would most definitely need a bike to get around. and she was leaving after 3 months becuase, obviously, she didn't like the job. my mind was racing, i was considering requesting a transfer immediately (i did state that my preference was for a large city) or if i found out that it would be impossible to get to work without a bike.
when i finished writing, i closed my journal and stretched out on my futon. only now, i wasn't tired at all.
sitting in my flat in marugame, trying to take it all in, i realized that i had not actually eaten for 24 hours. i had a beer at my hotel the night before. i had tea in my hotel room that morning. and since then, nothing. very unlike me. so with natasha gone to work and the sun shining outside i was ready for a trip to the grocery store.
it was very easy to find the marunaka, it was a right hand turn off our road, just like natasha said. still feeling a little spacy i grabbed a shopping basket and began to shop. perhaps shop is too strong a word... really i just wandered. for about an hour. i walked up and down the aisles, looking for items i recognized. i repeatedly hit my head on low-hanging signs by the refrigerator cases. i was examined by the locals.
eventually i came away with soba noodles (i had been eating those in the US for months), instant miso soup (something else i had purchased in the asian market at home), some green tea bags, yogurt, orange juice, a package of mushrooms, a carrot, and a tray of maki rolls.
i returned to my flat and devoured my maki rolls. and though it was about 5 o'clock in the evening i decided a nap was in order. i curled up on my futon and napped for a good 3 hours until i was jolted awake by the doorbell. there stood a man with a clipboard and my luggage. he pointed out where i was to sign and i dragged my bags inside.
about an hour later i had unpacked most of my things and arranged them in my room. even then my room looked very bare - the only things in it were my futon and a small set of drawers. everything else was in the closet. i had started making a list of things i needed when natasha came home. she cooked herself dinner and we sat chatting for most of the evening.
after natasha went to bed i sat up and wrote for a while. i was feeling a little apprehensive after what she had told me about the area. she said it was a very small town and there wasn't a lot to do. that i would most definitely need a bike to get around. and she was leaving after 3 months becuase, obviously, she didn't like the job. my mind was racing, i was considering requesting a transfer immediately (i did state that my preference was for a large city) or if i found out that it would be impossible to get to work without a bike.
when i finished writing, i closed my journal and stretched out on my futon. only now, i wasn't tired at all.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
working up the nerve
exiting the hotel in dotonbori i noticed the large easter island looking statues that flanked the door. how could i have missed those on the way in? clearly i wasn't at my most perceptive after 15 hours in the air and not much sleep. i turned right and started exploring the well lit streets.
my first thought was that this area looked... seedy? the lights were so bright and the locals mostly men, a few couples. a car drove by with two japanese men inside. "hello, hello!" shouted one of the men. which was strangely comforting. comforting in that it is familiar, the international pickup line of foreign men to english speaking women. i offered my familiar response to this line: feigned deafness.
dotonbori
i looked at a couple of restaurants. i admired the plastic models of the food offered. i caught some glorious whiffs of unidentified street food. but in the end i couldn't work up the nerve to actually try to get some of it. with my yen burning a hole in my pocket, i went back to my hotel. there i bought a large can of asahi beer from the vending machine and sat in my room watching a clippers/sonics basketball game on tv, with japanese commentary.
i managed to sleep a bit, until about 2:30 am. after that i was awake and restless until about 7 am, when i manged to fall asleep for another 2 hours. though i wasn't feeling very rested, and i had set my alarm for 10 o'clock, i decided to get up and start getting ready for our 11 o'clock departure from the hotel. as i made myself a cup of green tea i noticed that my clock and the room clock were not the same time... i started to panic a little. i packed up my stuff and headed down to the lobby. everyone else was waiting there, chatting in small groups. i was the last person to check out.
the people who were staying in osaka were off to be shown their apartments. the rest of us headed to the subway with our nova guide. from there we boarded the shinkansen, without our guide, and were told where to get off and switch trains. seemed simple enough, i have taken many trains in my travels. but i still missed my connection because i was unsure which train to take, what platform i should be on... eventually i figured it out and took the next train to marugame, where i was met by my flatmate, natasha.
natasha walked her bike as i lugged my bag. she explained the lay of the land - the 100 yen store, the supermarket, the bank. after 15 minutes or so we arrived at our building and took the elevator to the sixth floor. the apartment was larger than i had expected (i had been told many times how small things would be), with a large main room and small kitchen with three bedrooms, one too small for habitation and therefore used as a closet.
after showing me around (which took about a minute and a half) natasha had to leave for work. i flipped on the tv and zoned out a little on the loveseat. i considered trying to find the town offices to get my alien registration card. but i realized that would mean finding a photo booth first and then figuring out japanese forms... i decided i should leave that for another day, when i was not spaced-out and jet-lagged. good plan.
my first thought was that this area looked... seedy? the lights were so bright and the locals mostly men, a few couples. a car drove by with two japanese men inside. "hello, hello!" shouted one of the men. which was strangely comforting. comforting in that it is familiar, the international pickup line of foreign men to english speaking women. i offered my familiar response to this line: feigned deafness.
dotonbori
i looked at a couple of restaurants. i admired the plastic models of the food offered. i caught some glorious whiffs of unidentified street food. but in the end i couldn't work up the nerve to actually try to get some of it. with my yen burning a hole in my pocket, i went back to my hotel. there i bought a large can of asahi beer from the vending machine and sat in my room watching a clippers/sonics basketball game on tv, with japanese commentary.
i managed to sleep a bit, until about 2:30 am. after that i was awake and restless until about 7 am, when i manged to fall asleep for another 2 hours. though i wasn't feeling very rested, and i had set my alarm for 10 o'clock, i decided to get up and start getting ready for our 11 o'clock departure from the hotel. as i made myself a cup of green tea i noticed that my clock and the room clock were not the same time... i started to panic a little. i packed up my stuff and headed down to the lobby. everyone else was waiting there, chatting in small groups. i was the last person to check out.
the people who were staying in osaka were off to be shown their apartments. the rest of us headed to the subway with our nova guide. from there we boarded the shinkansen, without our guide, and were told where to get off and switch trains. seemed simple enough, i have taken many trains in my travels. but i still missed my connection because i was unsure which train to take, what platform i should be on... eventually i figured it out and took the next train to marugame, where i was met by my flatmate, natasha.
natasha walked her bike as i lugged my bag. she explained the lay of the land - the 100 yen store, the supermarket, the bank. after 15 minutes or so we arrived at our building and took the elevator to the sixth floor. the apartment was larger than i had expected (i had been told many times how small things would be), with a large main room and small kitchen with three bedrooms, one too small for habitation and therefore used as a closet.
 the living room |  my room and balcony door |
after showing me around (which took about a minute and a half) natasha had to leave for work. i flipped on the tv and zoned out a little on the loveseat. i considered trying to find the town offices to get my alien registration card. but i realized that would mean finding a photo booth first and then figuring out japanese forms... i decided i should leave that for another day, when i was not spaced-out and jet-lagged. good plan.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
here goes nothing...
so i spent my last evening at home trying to watch all of down with love, even though i knew i had to wake up at 5:30am to leave for the airport. it actually seems to be a pattern of mine, trying to get in as much "movie" as i can before leaving the country. i did it before going abroad for a semester (great expectations), and before traveling in france and italy (rising sun). on this particular night i was unsuccessful. i fell asleep on the couch in the middle of the movie and dragged myself up to my bed at 3am.
the next morning after tearful goodbyes to my family i boarded my flight, first to detroit, then on to osaka. i had a two seat row all to myself, and hoped to get some sleep during the "night" portion of the flight. but until then i slipped off my shoes and cozied in for some in-flight entertainment. i was very excited to see that one of the movie options was down with love! i also got to see the italian job. so after 2 movies and a decent dinner (by airplane food standards) it really hit me. 14 hours is a very.... long..... flight.....
i was able to doze a little after dinner, since i had hardly slept the night before. i read some of my japan guide, all about the kagawa region where i would be living, some history, some culture. i flipped through my japanese phrasebook trying to imagine which phrases i might need upon arrival. for a while i chatted with a few guys around me, all on their way to teach at nova as well, one downing sake like it was going out of style. i dozed some more. eventually we arrived in japan.
osaka, japan
the other new nova teachers and i managed to find our luggage, navigate customs, and locate a man holding a nova sign. he led us to the end of the terminal where there were more future teachers hanging about looking tired and a little lost. our names were checked off a list as we left our bags to be delivered to our respective apartments within 2 days. for another hour or so i sat on the floor looking over all the papers and booklets i had been given. finally we were shuttled onto a bus and brought to our hotel in dotonburi.
after dropping my remaining bag on the floor of my room and sitting on the bed for a while i went back down to the lobby to use the internet. i sent a slightly frazzled e-mail to my parents and set out into the night to find something to appease my grumbling tummy.
continued next week...
the next morning after tearful goodbyes to my family i boarded my flight, first to detroit, then on to osaka. i had a two seat row all to myself, and hoped to get some sleep during the "night" portion of the flight. but until then i slipped off my shoes and cozied in for some in-flight entertainment. i was very excited to see that one of the movie options was down with love! i also got to see the italian job. so after 2 movies and a decent dinner (by airplane food standards) it really hit me. 14 hours is a very.... long..... flight.....
i was able to doze a little after dinner, since i had hardly slept the night before. i read some of my japan guide, all about the kagawa region where i would be living, some history, some culture. i flipped through my japanese phrasebook trying to imagine which phrases i might need upon arrival. for a while i chatted with a few guys around me, all on their way to teach at nova as well, one downing sake like it was going out of style. i dozed some more. eventually we arrived in japan.
osaka, japan
the other new nova teachers and i managed to find our luggage, navigate customs, and locate a man holding a nova sign. he led us to the end of the terminal where there were more future teachers hanging about looking tired and a little lost. our names were checked off a list as we left our bags to be delivered to our respective apartments within 2 days. for another hour or so i sat on the floor looking over all the papers and booklets i had been given. finally we were shuttled onto a bus and brought to our hotel in dotonburi.
after dropping my remaining bag on the floor of my room and sitting on the bed for a while i went back down to the lobby to use the internet. i sent a slightly frazzled e-mail to my parents and set out into the night to find something to appease my grumbling tummy.
continued next week...
Thursday, May 12, 2005
the other side of the planet
my great france and italy trip in the spring of 2003 came after a 5 month contract that was leading nowhere. i decided that since i had nothing holding me back - no rent/mortgage, no car payment, no full time job - it was the ideal time to make the trip. and it most definitely was. however. i never imagined my job search post-france-and-italy would be 3 times harder than the pre-france-and-italy one.
naturally i took it easy after arriving home. i watched soaps, sat in the sun with the dog, and cooked. but after a couple of months i started to run out of money. and i started to think about finding work. plus after not really doing anything or having any museums or historical sites to see, i was getting bored.
my father knew someone at his company who was looking to hire some junior level database admins, people to be trained to take over for the experienced dba's when they moved on to bigger and better things. so with my computer science background, some basic database experience, and an inside connection i managed to get a phone interview.
and then i waited. and waited. for this manager to call me back. my father's contact said i was a good candidate and would almost certainly get the job. but still i waited. and nothing. i started thinking about moving to hawaii, living in a small shack on the beach, and working at some technology company. i often have this fantasy when i read a trip to the stars, by nicholas christopher, which i have done 5 times. i even applied for a job in hawaii, though never really expected anything to come of it.
disappointed, i started contemplating other careers. i started thinking about getting back into dancing, maybe auditioning for disney in the fall. i thought it would be fun to be a travel agent (my nana already thought i was hers), i could study to do that and talk about travel all day. i started looking at some crappy jobs, just to get some cash. i applied for an answering service job, and even starbucks. but i never heard back from anyone.
then i finally got a call from a headhunter, he had this junior web developer job. only a 6 month contract, but i thought as long as i don't go to europe at the end of the contract i should be in good shape. i was excited, but again i was left without a response, positive or negative...
until one day in august i saw a posting on monster.com for english teachers in japan. how it ended up in my technology keyword job search, i will never know. but as i read the job description i became more and more animated. they wanted to know if i had a passport, had i traveled internationally before (why, yes...), did i have any teaching or tutoring experience (well, sort of...). the more i read, the more i felt this was the perfect job for me. i applied right then and there.
things moved quickly after that. i received a letter saying my profile was a match for what they were looking for. i was asked to come down to boston for an "informational interview". and then i was offered the job. i had a job. I HAD A JOB! on the other side of the planet, but a job no less.
i discovered the joy that is temping, allowing me to work menial jobs that i could leave at any time. i managed to save up enough money to cover my flight. i started planning and packing and preparing. i was alternately thrilled and terrified by what lay ahead of me. and by the end of october i was making my final preparations for the adventure of a lifetime...
next time, the journey.
naturally i took it easy after arriving home. i watched soaps, sat in the sun with the dog, and cooked. but after a couple of months i started to run out of money. and i started to think about finding work. plus after not really doing anything or having any museums or historical sites to see, i was getting bored.
my father knew someone at his company who was looking to hire some junior level database admins, people to be trained to take over for the experienced dba's when they moved on to bigger and better things. so with my computer science background, some basic database experience, and an inside connection i managed to get a phone interview.
and then i waited. and waited. for this manager to call me back. my father's contact said i was a good candidate and would almost certainly get the job. but still i waited. and nothing. i started thinking about moving to hawaii, living in a small shack on the beach, and working at some technology company. i often have this fantasy when i read a trip to the stars, by nicholas christopher, which i have done 5 times. i even applied for a job in hawaii, though never really expected anything to come of it.
"i just feel like something else is in store for me, that this is not how things are supposed to be for me. i'm craving something else. something different and new and exciting. something else..."
disappointed, i started contemplating other careers. i started thinking about getting back into dancing, maybe auditioning for disney in the fall. i thought it would be fun to be a travel agent (my nana already thought i was hers), i could study to do that and talk about travel all day. i started looking at some crappy jobs, just to get some cash. i applied for an answering service job, and even starbucks. but i never heard back from anyone.
then i finally got a call from a headhunter, he had this junior web developer job. only a 6 month contract, but i thought as long as i don't go to europe at the end of the contract i should be in good shape. i was excited, but again i was left without a response, positive or negative...
until one day in august i saw a posting on monster.com for english teachers in japan. how it ended up in my technology keyword job search, i will never know. but as i read the job description i became more and more animated. they wanted to know if i had a passport, had i traveled internationally before (why, yes...), did i have any teaching or tutoring experience (well, sort of...). the more i read, the more i felt this was the perfect job for me. i applied right then and there.
things moved quickly after that. i received a letter saying my profile was a match for what they were looking for. i was asked to come down to boston for an "informational interview". and then i was offered the job. i had a job. I HAD A JOB! on the other side of the planet, but a job no less.
i discovered the joy that is temping, allowing me to work menial jobs that i could leave at any time. i managed to save up enough money to cover my flight. i started planning and packing and preparing. i was alternately thrilled and terrified by what lay ahead of me. and by the end of october i was making my final preparations for the adventure of a lifetime...
next time, the journey.
Friday, May 06, 2005
it's not me, it's you
this postcard is from my final days in italy. i was spending a few days in napoli before going to sorrento. if i had this trip to take again i would skip napoli altogether and head straight for sorrento. it was, in general, a sketchy kind of place with absolutely insane drivers - the worst in italy, without a doubt, and not a whole lot to do or see. in fact this postcard, which i sent from napoli, is actually of the island of ischia, off the coast.
i found this to be a funny comment - those of you who know me well will attest to the fact that i can, when the situation merits, be chatty to a fault. but when it comes to people i don't like or who annoy me i find the best way to deal with them is to actively not engage them in conversation.
so needless to say after spending the day walking around a city i was not enjoying (i believe it was also raining) i was *not* in the mood to make small talk with a man who spent more time on his hair than i do and who thought he was god's gift to women. (and he was short).
i wrote about another little incident with this same desk guy (receptionist seems to be the wrong word) in my personal journal:
the above picture is what i thought was the best part of napoli - my bed (even though it was part of a four bed area, from wall to wall, with about a foot of space between it and its neighbor), my book, and my chili-chocolate bar
so that's the end of my france and italy extras. my next post, and the ones following it, will start to talk about going to japan and the experiences i had there.
11 april 2003
"can't wait to be around people i care about! the man at the desk says i'm so quiet for an american, when really i just don't want to talk to him..."
"can't wait to be around people i care about! the man at the desk says i'm so quiet for an american, when really i just don't want to talk to him..."
i found this to be a funny comment - those of you who know me well will attest to the fact that i can, when the situation merits, be chatty to a fault. but when it comes to people i don't like or who annoy me i find the best way to deal with them is to actively not engage them in conversation.
so needless to say after spending the day walking around a city i was not enjoying (i believe it was also raining) i was *not* in the mood to make small talk with a man who spent more time on his hair than i do and who thought he was god's gift to women. (and he was short).
i wrote about another little incident with this same desk guy (receptionist seems to be the wrong word) in my personal journal:
"also a little sketchy is the man at the desk this morning in the hostel. he gave me creepy eyes when i brought out my breakfast tray. and when he said something i didn't hear, he stepped closer and said it quieter. do not like him."
the above picture is what i thought was the best part of napoli - my bed (even though it was part of a four bed area, from wall to wall, with about a foot of space between it and its neighbor), my book, and my chili-chocolate bar
so that's the end of my france and italy extras. my next post, and the ones following it, will start to talk about going to japan and the experiences i had there.
Friday, April 29, 2005
panini e birra
i know, i know... i'm already off my schedule for posting. but i've told myself it's because i wanted to give everyone i e-mailed about this site a chance to view the first posting at their leisure and decide whether or not it's amusing/interesting enough to read on a regular basis... or i could just be a procrastinator. ;P
this postcard is one i wrote to my family on st. patrick's day from milano, italy:
it really was very amusing - there was a small hut that made sandwiches and some picnic tables right on the side of the road. luckily it was a sunny and somewhat warm day.
could be the vino, but i'm v. excited about my upcoming travels. keep thinking of molto mario!
i have food on the brain at all times... a few days later i got it into my head that i could re-create a spinach and ricotta panino i had in milano by simply buying and mixing spinach and ricotta... i do not reccomend this.
next post will be posted next week (first week of may), i promise!
this postcard is one i wrote to my family on st. patrick's day from milano, italy:
"..since arriving in italy i've discovered just how bad the french "panini" are, here they are sooo delicious. in france they are just warm. also had a can of beer from the sandwich stand on the side of the road. have decided i'm not doing enough casual european drinking. you can even get beer at McD's!"
it really was very amusing - there was a small hut that made sandwiches and some picnic tables right on the side of the road. luckily it was a sunny and somewhat warm day.
could be the vino, but i'm v. excited about my upcoming travels. keep thinking of molto mario!
i have food on the brain at all times... a few days later i got it into my head that i could re-create a spinach and ricotta panino i had in milano by simply buying and mixing spinach and ricotta... i do not reccomend this.
next post will be posted next week (first week of may), i promise!
Monday, April 11, 2005
in the beginning
...there was spacekitty.net. but those days are gone. the impending due date for renewal of the spacekitty.net domain got me thinking. since my server account was once again unaccesible (it was free - through a friend of the family, someone i do not know) i decided to take matters into my own hands. and the solution i came up with was push button publishing - with my own, personal style. my intention for this site is two-fold: 
i do love to grocery shop... according to my personal journal i bought: wine, bread, cheese, butter, lettuce, juice, water, and soup (clearly i was so impressed with myself that i thought this worthy of note). that was pretty much my diet in a nutshell while i was traveling.
the best thing about sandwiches in france is that they put butter on them. i met a boy from california when i was in arles, in the south of france, and we got to talking about sandwiches. we both felt that buttering sandwiches was the most fab idea. he also had this idea for sandwich sandwiches.... where the filling of the sandwich was another sandwich. so if you ever see a sandwich sandwich somewhere - i know that guy!
- to share a few post cards from my trip to france and italy (first one is below), and some excerpts from my personal journals on my experience living and working in japan
- to have a way to communicate my thoughts and experiences when i hit the road again (it's bound to happen, my wanderlust is strong)
3 march 2003, monday ...in an attempt to be more frugal after my confusing expensive lunch i went to the grocery store and got 8 things totaling €8.80 - the wine being the most expensive at €1.97 and everything else being somewhat healthy. do i know how to grocery shop or what?! i can eat for two days on this stuff.
i do love to grocery shop... according to my personal journal i bought: wine, bread, cheese, butter, lettuce, juice, water, and soup (clearly i was so impressed with myself that i thought this worthy of note). that was pretty much my diet in a nutshell while i was traveling.
the best thing about sandwiches in france is that they put butter on them. i met a boy from california when i was in arles, in the south of france, and we got to talking about sandwiches. we both felt that buttering sandwiches was the most fab idea. he also had this idea for sandwich sandwiches.... where the filling of the sandwich was another sandwich. so if you ever see a sandwich sandwich somewhere - i know that guy!
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