Procrastinator: Retroactive Post

So, it's currently 2:39AM in Japan, and I haven't started packing for my flight back home to Seattle tomorrow afternoon. While my flight doesn't technically leave til 3, I start my day of train-riding at 9 tomorrow morning, which means my last 6 hours left in Japan will be spent trying to clean my house and pack for two weeks. Yay for me.

I don't quite know how I feel about heading home. It didn't hit me until I sent Clifton off to his own flight today, that in about 24 hours, I was going to be in Seattle. I came back into my house and just sat down to try to deal with that. Of course I'm excited to see my family and friends, and to be able to be in the city that I love and grew up in. Not only that, but one of my best friends is going to come with me and I can introduce her to life in the Pacific Northwest. It was having a friend over (Clifton, you're great) that made me realize how much I miss having friends that I related to over more than just the fact that we were all in Japan at the same time. I want to share Japan and this incredibly unique experience with all of you. But we don't always get what we want...

I think that what worries me more is the thought of coming back to this after two weeks. I left work today not really finding that much closure, probably since I was leaving early, before school was offiicially out for winter vacation, but also because I know that it will be crazy to come back the day before school starts up again. Maybe I should have left an extra day to readjust, because if there's ever a time that I'm likely to need readjusting, it'll be then. Readjusting to Shin-kambara after Nagoya or Tokyo is hard enough, readjusting to it after Seattle will be killer. I dunno, maybe I'm just rambling or whining or both, or maybe I should get more sleep, but here are my thoughts on going back right now. Make of it what you will.

My Birthday!: Retroactive Post

Hey all,

Had to post this because it contains two of my favorites, wrapped up into one:
My favorite TV show ever, and those of you who know me well enough already know that the answer is: Farscape, and my favorite song is '23' by Jimmy Eat World. I was just thinking about how appropriate this is since I'll be turning 23 on the 23rd, the only time that this'll ever happen in my lifetime. So, this is mostly for me rather than anyone else, but I guess, five, ten, fifteen years down the line, I can look at this post and remember the Sarah of now. Enjoy, and maybe it'll give you a bit of insight into me.

Lonely Dreams

Aine's Birthday Celebration: Retroactive Post

Oh god.

I am currently sitting in school, on a Saturday, after teaching a class hung over. I'm at school because we're having an open house for prospective junior high school students, but that's not the point. The point is: I got soo drunk last night. It was my friend Aine's, a fellow JET, birthday on Thursday, and we went out to this awesome dance festival way out in Ito on the Izu peninsula. But I didn't get drunk that night.

Last night however, we went to this little Korean bbq restaurant, which was so yummy, and I had three lemon chu-his. Feeling a bit buzzed, we make our way to Oz, this Australian-themed bar. It's tiny, but we've been there before, and the people are so nice, and they have Guinness and other foriegn beer. But what's important is the Guinness, because then you can have an Irish Car Bombs. So we did. And then I had another...and another....and another. Four in all and it was GAME OVER. But I didn't and I haven't thrown up, and I made it into work.

The first pic is of me sleeping on the train on the way home. The second is one of me with one of my student's dads. He was at the bar, cause he normally is, and had seen me doing one of my carbombs and started talking to me. He asked where I was from, and what school I taught at. When I said Ihara Koko, he goes, Oh, my daughter goes to that school. Then Albert tells me that not only is he the FATHER of one of my STUDENTS, but he's also the PTA head or something and that he was going to be at our school today since he had to talk to our principal. Rock.

I had to put the videos up on my page, since myspace is stupid, the first one is of me outside of Oz, and the second one is right before Albert and I got stopped by the POLICE on our way home from the station last night. Luckily, I wasn't riding my bike, because riding your bike drunk can land you in jail, and apparently, I used the polite form when I spoke to them.

So, a good night overall, I'll post more pics when I get some from friends. However, I'm going out clubbing tonight in Tokyo for my friend Yumi's birthday celebration, and meeting up with Chris (I'll give him the message, Pat), going to kabuki and tramping around Tokyo during the day with Shiz JETs, and then likely, going out drinking with them again. Then, I might go to Nagoya again on Monday for a day. Jeez, I keep this up, I'll be a broke alcoholic. But, I sure as hell am having the time of my life. Hope you are too!

Back In Japan: Retroactive Post

Hey everyone, just wanted to let you know that I've arrived to Japan safe and sound. It's crazy being back and knowing that for the next year at least, this country will be my home. Today we've got a bunch of workshops and receptions and things to go to. Tokyo is really cool. I can't wait to check it out some more in my freetime. I guess that's about all to report. Tell everyone I say hello and hope you're all having a good time back home.

Tadaima!!!: Retroactive Post

Some of you may know that I was going to Kyoto this weekend with my aunt and uncle since it was Golden Week, and everyone gets a few days off for the holidays, which is why I've been out of contact the last few days. We went and it was absolutely amazing. It was so neat to be in another Japanese city. I told my aunt later that for some reason, as we were exiting the shinkansen that we had taken from Nagoya to Kyoto, that I was expecting Kyoto to be very different from Nagoya. The one big difference is that Kyoto reminded me even more of Seattle than Nagoya, because it is hilly unlike Nagoya. But enough about that.

The point that I'm making is that I wanted to tell all of the few who have diligently followed my blogs depicting my various adventures as I've eaten, biked, shopped and sang my way through two months in Japan: Thank you. It's nice that you have taken the time out of your schedules to check up on me and keep in touch. Therefore, you will be the special few to be let in on a secret: SURPRISE! I came home early!

As I sit here typing this blog, I'm currently in the US! It wasn't planned, and completely last-minute. My aunt's work had allowed her to go and I decided that with the number of my relatives that are going to be in Seattle at one time, that I should go while I still have the opportunity, so here I am. However, we missed our flight from Tokyo to Seattle, so we had to catch another one from Tokyo to San Francisco. Now we've got problems with the one from San Fran to Seattle, so I'm waiting. But I'm getting home sometime today.

I miss all of you, but I'll see you soon! The one thing is that you MUST NOT LET MY FAMILY KNOW. I want to surprise them, so please don't call them, if you know their numbers. All right, see ya soon!

Tojinbo: Retroactive Post

Hey all! This last weekend, my aunt, uncle and I took a roadtrip down to Fukui. Fukui is well known for these high cliffs it has. The water is really deep, and its infamous for being the place to go, if you want to commit suicide. Not a very welcoming thought, but the place is very scenic, nonetheless.

It was a long drive, like 4 hours long, but we made it to the Japan sea on a nice warm day. Stopped off at a couple places, bought omiyage *souvenirs, had lunch at a place with fresh snow crab and got there in the mid-afternoon. You make your way down to the water through a walkway lined with various restaurants and stores selling omiyage. It opens up onto these high cliffs, which are littered with people walking all over them to get pictures.

My aunt and I took a boat ride and learned more about the history of the place. Here are the pics from there: ToJinBo

As the sun was setting and we made our way to the little island, the wind had started to pick up so we decided to take a break and stop at the nearby onsen for a bath to warm us up. This onsen is a little different from Utopia, because it's just a public bath, they don't have a movie or game center or anything, but the water is from a natural hot spring, so it's better for you.

After more driving, we stopped off at a restaurant for some dinner and then got home at 1:30 in the morning. All in all, awesome way to spend the day.

More pictures to come, since I'm going to Kyoto this weekend! Love you guys, miss you!

Tanjobi Omedetou Obasan: Retroactive Post

So a few days ago, on the 27th, was my Tita Elvie's birthday here in Japan.

A few days earlier, Sa-chan and the kids surprised her with dinner and presents, since they couldn't make it out for her real birthday date. We had a lot of food, and were drinking and exchanging stories, when I found out that Sa-chan and Uichi-san were inviting me for some drinks and tsumame at the izakaya downstairs. Sa-chan got really loaded, and it was hilarious because earlier she'd been making progress speaking English/Japanese with me, but she couldn't talk anymore at dinner. As we were leaving, she kept a hold of my arm, refusing to go near Uichi-san and kept whispering stuff to me in Japanese about him like I really knew what she was saying. Good times.

Then on the 27th, I ended up getting her this really nice orchid plant, and it turned out well since she said that just the other day she was thinking that she needed more flowers in the house. Later that day, I was trying to set up dinner at the Outback Steakhouse with my cousin, 'cause I know that they haven't been there before, and they like to eat, so the big portions would be perfect. I had a few moments of worry when my cousin suggested that we go somewhere nearer, since it's in Sakae, since my aunt usually likes the izakayas, like myself.

But my aunt and I turned out to be more alike than I thought, and she was up for somewhere new, so she convinced my uncle, and off we went. Luckily, unlike other American restaurants like McDonalds, KFC, and Denny's, it has not been Japanized, and had large portions of food for relatively cheap, which made us all happy. Plus, the best part was when I asked the waitress, (who was awesome by the way, because she spoke to everyone in Japanese, except for me when she realized I spoke English, and even offered an English menu for me), if they did anything special, since it was my aunt's birthday. I was expecting them to provide her with a birthday cake surprise, and maybe sing to her, but I was pleasantly surprised as well, when she announced to the entire restaurant and got everyone to sing to her. All in all, it was a very fun night. Here are the pics from those two nights: Happy Birthday!!!

But for those of you wondering how old my aunt is, just believe me when I say that she's still got it, regardless of what age she is.