Japan at Random

Well, I was lazy and decided not to write about some pretty big events, so enjoy the compilation.

1. Nara and Kyoto

Last weekend I went with Shan and Perry to Nara to meet up with my old friend from college, Kristi, and hung out with some deer in the snow. I left my memory card at home like an idiot, so I don't have any pictures, however, my actual memory has some pretty vivid images that I'll likely not forget.

It was snowing frenetically, dancing about the tall structures of the temple and in front of the Daibutsu. The deer, hungry and exhausted from the cold, assailed us for sustenance, which we gave warily.

Now there's a face everyone want to take home to their mother...

I keep telling myself that it's good my camera didn't work because now I have memories that no one else can share in, on a special day. Not many tourists get to see Nara in the snow, and especially not in the sort of day long storm we encountered it in.

Word to the wise: Everyone warns of how pushy the Nara deer are, and it is not a joke. However, I think you have to go to experience it. We watched a woman with a MacDonald's bag in her hand running on her high heels through the park with a herd of deer trailing behind her. We wanted to help, but we could think of nothing aside from putting ourselves in the same situation so we let be eaten alive on the pavement. Naw, I kid... Turns out if you run long enough, the deer give up.

2. Broken Car

I'm not sure what's wrong with it. I think it's likely that my bad driving has killed my car, although I am more inclined to believe that it is a conspiracy so complex profound that I cannot even begin to fathom the depths of it. Why my car?

Bill smirked and said "I told you not to buy an old car." His triumph is short-lived when I tell him that he has to take care of it. Most Japanese words for the car are in katakana so I don't suspect the vocabulary is too difficult (i,e blinker is winkaa, clutch is kurachi), but I'm thinking that perhaps the idler arm is not one of those. Bill doesn't seem to think so at least, but he doesn't strike me as the knowledgable type when it comes to cars. Not that I am, naturally, but I've been forced to listen to Car Talk on NPR for nearly all my life every Saturday because of my Dad. That does lead to some theoretical knowledge. Of course, me thinking that it's the idler arm has nothing to do with Car Talk, but instead what my Dad suspects. But, I like to pretend like I know what I'm talking about. That is, right up until that fateful moment when someone actually believes and me probes further and I flounder about as I make something up.


3. Japanese Lessons

I am officially taking Japanese lessons now, and my first lesson didn't bode well... It's my fault really. I should be at the level of class I'm taking, but I never studied Japanese in College, in light of the fact that I was a Political Science major, so now I find myself looking at things I know I should remember and wondering at what they are.

Nevertheless, I've been studying (and somewhat enjoying it), but I am worried about my next class. The teacher's switch every week, and my friend Rachel won't be going to class so it will just be me, alone, with the notoriously strict teacher. Eep! I'm working very hard to let her know that I can do it! But... dekiru kana... (I wonder if I can do it...)

I've been accosting my poor co-workers left and right, asking if my sentences using my new grammar points are right. Yosh, Ali! You can beat Rachel!

Why do I want to beat Rachel? Because she was so damn cocky the first class (it was her second). She had a whole week to study what we were doing, and I was trying to figure it out while they were talking about it. And not only that, she had Davin's old book with all of his notes and English translations. That is something that one shouldn't be cocky about... In addition to that, while I was filling out my form to take the class, she got to read the passage we were going to discuss for ten minutes. I, on the other hand, had two seconds before the teacher started to pepper me with questions.

Fukohe! (Unfair)

I'm trying not to complain, because what is done is done, but I find that venting my frustration is best. Well, that, and kicking ass next time. Ali... you are so freaking uncharitable...

The Road Trip On Well-Known Roads

We were to go to Nagano this weekend, but it prooved impossible as most last minute ideas tend to be.

Instead, we did a road trip around the Noto peninsula. Shan and Perry came up from Komatsu, and I picked them up along with Judith and took them to Notojima Aquarium.

Judith and the Manta Ray that tried to take her life.

We showed up five minutes before closing, and stay far past our welcome by an hour. After that, we picked Craig (or Cwaig, as I call him after his name was misspelled at bowling, to which he retaliates with calling me my own misspelling, Alisor) and had yakiniku(grilled meat). Being with a vegetarian is difficult, especially in Japan, where they put fish in every sauce and seem to have a bizarre idea that bacon is not a meat. After we ordered everything that looked even vaguely vegetarian, we called it a night. That is, we called it a night once we figured out how to get home. I've driven that road a million times, and yet I get still lost. I told Bill this, and he said "of course you did. You are you."

The next day, we woke up very early, and made our way to the Mawaki ruins, which is really a man made park that stands as a memorial to the ruins that used to be there at some time. Time, and archaeologists had all but washed what was left away.

There, we met Rob, and he and Perry then proceeded to pummel each other in a deliberately choreographed fashion, leaving us three girls a little bored after wandering the park for two hours.

My deliberately dramatic shot of an epic dance-off.

Then, we went to Flatt's Bakery (owned by an Australian) and talked for about three hours. It was a wonderful thing, learning that I should not be intimidated as much as I am by Rob, and learning that Shan isn't as grumpy as she tends to pretend to be. Such casual revelations such as these are what I always hope for when uniting a group of people who don't hang out.

Next we went to Motojima Island off the tip of Suzu. It was fantastic for the 10 seconds I afforded it notice, but not nearly as fantastic as the park next to it that had zip lines and a wonderfully tall and intricate jungle gym. I actually made it to the top of it! It was an amazing feat, indeed, for one so lacking in dexterity.

Supposedly, it looks like a battleship. Shan was quite emphatic that it did not.

And then, yet again, we went home! That is, after I got lost... again. Eventually, I became so stressed out that Shan had to drive us home. Shan! She doesn't even live in the Noto! Bested in navigation by some one who looked at no map and had no idea where our starting point was. If I told Bill this, I'm sure he would say "of course. You are you!"

The next day, we went to the Wajima Morning Market. It was depressingly small, but interesting for the block of merchants that had decided to come. We were accosted by many people asking where we were from, and it was exceedingly difficult. "South Africa" I would say, and the women selling purses looked at them in surprise. "But their faces are different." After I tried to tell her about colonization, and failed miserably at it, I gave up and let her tell me how our eyes are different from the Japanese. "They are, aren't they?" was all I could say.

Listening to: Portishead
Eating: Brownies
Doing: nothing, but wanting to write well for once.

My Week at Random

I was trying to look pissed on purpose, but yet again, Shan beats me out for the prize. This is a picture given to me just today from Rachel Woodbrook's party. From left to right, Beth, James, Ali, Perry, and Shan.

Two things have happened since my last post--

1. A Very HAPPIE Christmas

Sunday, we had a Christmas Party for the Hakui Association for People Promoting International Exchange, and what a strange event that was. The foreigners, all Hakui people except for me, were divided so all the Japanese people could enjoy the novelty of talking to one. I mostly talked about how much I eat, and how I want to eat more. They may eat very little, but the Japanese sure do love food. I've noticed that no matter how bad their English is, they can always have a perfectly cogent conversation about lunch. There were two sketches done by the HAPPIE English classes.

One was The Algorithm March:

The whole march makes more sense at about 1:07, if ninjas ever make sense.

Owari! From left to right, Alicia, I don't know, Michiko, and David.

They also did a production of Snow White and the Dwarves. Nope, not seven. There were too many. So we were introduced to some new adjectives, like Hungry, and Stupid. I was roped in as the narrator, and I dare say, I did an excellent job.

The flash from the other camera is the fuzzy part on the picture. She made a great evil queen.

After that, we sang "Amazing Grace" (for reasons passing understanding), "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" and "Silent Night" a la midnight mass style. I tried to keep my candle burning, but it was to no avail because it was apparently too fun for the other guests to try and blow it out.

2. Survival of The Earthquake

Yes! There was an earthquake! Mom, if you're reading this, don't freak out. I survived it with much aplomb, and my house remains standing. I woke up a minute before hand, which makes me think that I must have Earthquake Spidey sense, and then all the sudden the ground lurched foward and shook for a few seconds. By the next morning, I had sworn that it was all a dream. But when Creep-sensei asked me about it, I realized that it had in fact happened.

I have one friend who was particularly pissed that he slept through it (I'll never understand deep sleepers) because he desperately wants to feel an earthquake. Sort of a dangerous sentiment, I think, and one I was in complete agreement with until that morning. I think I should never like to feel one again.

Alison is listening to: Hairspray playing in the background of her computer.
Alison is eating: omuraisu onigiri and weightloss soup.
Class was: boring because we watched a Charlie Brown Christmas.
Alison is doing: her Christmas Lesson, and trying to figure out how much candy she can give out.