The Mighty Return of the Great Japanese Adventure

An Update...Part 3...and a promise for blogging consistency

2009-05-27T02:24:00.002+01:00

Firstly, lets get things straight...(ahem!)....this blog has suffered from a lack of care recently....

So, again here is another update and a promise to all of you blog-readers wherever and whoever you may be....I promise to try and keep my blog interesting and up to date with a post at least once a week.....

A few weeks ago, myself and Rie tracked down Ichi-Ran ramen near Ueno station. My friends Brad and Evan had told me in the past how delicious the Kyushu based noodle shop were. Ichi-ran are famous for Tonkotsu Ramen (pork ramen) and it did not disappoint. You can choose the softness of your noodle, how spicy you'd like the soup, what size you'd like your onion and how much garlic and oil you'd prefer.

Rie went super spicy, due to her love of all things hot, whereas I was more conservative and went for more oil, as I find this helps the flavour....

Myself and Rie also spent a Sunday afternoon in Odaiba, which was nice.

Here is a typical photo of Karaoke....when Brad returned to Japan, a few weeks ago for his wedding. We met up in Asakusa, had lots of beer and Karaoke...much fun was had by all!!!

Blogging to Ghosts

2009-05-27T02:21:00.003+01:00

To be honest, I have found it harder to blog this time. I can blame my intermitent internet access or too much work or the fact that I would rather spend time with Rie. However, my real impasse on the blogging front is that I may be writing to no one.

I don't think anyone is reading this time.

Last time, my family, friends and the occassional stranger would enter my blogosphere.

Now, I just don't know....

Back in Japan AND back online...sort of...

2009-05-01T08:57:00.002+01:00

Finally!

I know it has been a while...but here I am back in Japan and back online....my appartment has no internet access, and I avoided going to the internet cafe for my first few weeks here. It was nice to be liberated from the interweb for a short period, but I felt that it was time to get back on the blogging horse.

I have a lot to say, so I will try to break each section down.

The flight from the UK

The Cathay Pacific flight from London to Hong Kong was pleasant enough, despite taking around 13 hours. I managed to get my baggage through check in without it being over their 20kgs limit, despite my worrying the previous day. 20kgs is not a lot when you are moving to another country, but I did my best, and hoped this would last me....

My aisle seat proved to be a good choice. I had a lot of legroom; could access my baggage easily; take strolls down the aisle to the toilet and not have the inconvience of being boxed in. I ended up watching "Defiance" and a few TV shows. Listened to some ambient chill out music as I tried to sleep (not successfully...it was a wierd kind of in between sleep)...and drank plenty of water....

At Hong Kong airport, it was deathly quiet....quiet unlike the last time I'd passed through. This was mainly due to it being around 7am....the flight to Narita wasn't so luxurious, but still pleasant enough and only took around 2 and 1/2 hours.

AEON

At the airport I was met by a fellow Brit and AEON trainer called Allan, who was a kind enough chap. Another AEON new recruit, Alex (from Mexico) had arrived and we chatted for a while as Allan forwarded the luggage we didn't need to our schools.

We met up with other AEON newbies and hung around until the rest of the flight arrived. In the end there were 13 of us who now had to be miraclously guided across Tokyo to Saitama prefecture and the town of Omiya by two trainers..Allan and Jane...and somehow they did it!!!

At the training centre we were welcomed and shown to our rooms...I was lucky enough to have a large room with only 1 room mate...a fellow Brit called Greg.

I won't bore you with the endless tales of training, but I will say it was tough and packed with lots of information and work. If you did your homework and worked hard, then it came back to reward you.

In the week, we had to give three lessons. Two part lessons to actual AEON students and then a full grammar lesson or "Roundup" lesson to some of our classmates and Japanese AEON trainers.

I think I did well during the week. I got back into the swing of teaching, made some new friends and learnt some new skills.

MOTOYAWATA

So on the following Monday (after the week of intense training) we said our goodbyes and were escorted to various train stations where our school's Manager was waiting for us. I was met by Aya at Akihabara, and found myself to be lucky, as I had a kind and genki manager. Motoyawata was a busy, suburban centre and the school is right next to the station.

My co-workers are ALL great, my students seem good and after 3 weeks I have to admit that I have been lucky to have got a good school...

My appartment is in Shimosa Nakayama, one stop down the line from the school, and my Suica pass is paid for by the school. I have about a 10 or 15 minute walk to the station and then a 2 minute train ride....!!! Lucky eh?!?!?!

The appartment is clean, and larger than I expected...it is already feeling like my home....

Rie

So I met Rie, in Ueno on my first Sunday, back in Japan and it was an emotional day for both of us. We went to Ueno park and saw the Cherry Blossoms, had some dinner and just felt blessed to be together again. This reunion fired me up for the rest of my training and I worked really hard so she would be proud of me...

The following weekend we spent Saturday and Sunday in Asakusa, which is a beautiful part of Tokyo...

Since I've been in Ichikawa, she lives about 10 minutes (by bus) from me. We have spent a lot of time together and it's been amazing...!!!!

On Wednesday, I met her Mum, who is lovely and Peko chan, her dog...CUTE...!!! Then we went to Disney Sea yesterday, after Rie got free tickets...

So, I am back in Japan....and loving it!!!!!!

An Email from AEON

2009-03-18T18:19:00.003Z

After writing a letter to my school in Motowayata, I was surprised (in a good way) that they replied to me via email. The email was sincere and friendly and I hope that I am getting a good deal here (as I know from past experience how the school can shape ones experience).

http://www.aeonet.co.jp/school/school.php?sno=1213

This link will take you to the actual school's website! If you click on the スタッフ紹介 tab (staff at Motowayata) you can have a look at my future co-workers...and just think, my ugly mug could be up their one day.....

BBC 4 - Japan season

2009-03-16T22:22:00.001Z

So, BBC 4 have a season of Japan scented programmes for our amusement. These include films, documentaries and the like. Tonight, I watched "In Search of Wabi Sabi" with Marcel Theroux.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/japan/

Japan's New Model (Robot)

2009-03-16T22:18:00.001Z

Japan got the first female fashion robot who will hit the Catwalk at the Tokyo Fashion Week.The HRP-4C robot is 158cm tall and weighs 43kg including battery. The robot is actually not tall enough for a fashion model. The Japanese are in love with humanoid robots and every year they get better. The HRP-4C already has some smooth movements, but the Actroid already had skin. Now they AIST researchers need to combine the looks of the Actroid and the movements and technology of the HRP-4C and they got something. The Tokyo Fashion Week starts next week.

G7 - Drunk Japanese Minister...

2009-03-16T22:12:00.002Z

At a recent G7 meeting, Japanese Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa, appeared "drunk" with incoherent rambling and appearing to fall asleep.

Nakagawa blamed the incident on "Cough Medicine" that he had taken for a cold and a couple of sips of wine. Either way it was a massive embarresment for the world's second largest economy, and Nakagawa has now quit his position.

"I have caused trouble to the prime minister and other people," Mr Nakagawa said. "I apologise for causing a commotion through not taking enough care of my health."

Gomenasai

2009-03-16T22:09:00.001Z

Well, as the title of this post states "Gomenasai"...or sorry for those of you who don't understand any Japanese...I am have been fairly busy with work, and organising things for my trip that I've let the blogosphere slide....

Well, hopefully I am back on track now...

Waiting on the date

2009-02-05T18:40:00.002Z

After my trek through the snow in London all I could do then was wait.

Or so I thought.

The kind chaps at AEON informed me that I could go ahead a book my flight, as long as I remembered to run the flight itinery past them beforehand. Now I have travelled with JAL (Japanese Airlines), Virgin Atlantic and BA in the past, and they were great bar the latter.

There were also some carriers I wanted to avoid. Namely Air China, Aeroflot (Russia's carrier) and AirItalia. So I hunted high and low for a resonably priced ticket and in the end decided that a return was the best option as it was cheaper.

I found a good range on www.netflights.com and in the end discovered an excellent deal with Cathay Pacific. My itinery was okayed by AEON and my details are -

London to Hong Kong on 2nd April @ 12:35

Arrive at Hong Kong on 3rd April @ 07:10

Hong Kong to Narita on 3rd April @ 9:25 arriving at 14:55.

The good things about the Economy class seating onboard Cathay Pacific are 1. Legroom (32 inches) 2. New "Clam" seating (meaning seats are fixed and won't recline backward. The seat slides down) 3. A 9inch TV Monitor to whitter away all those hours!!!

For a more detailed synopsis and a rather groovy "virtual tour" visit the website.

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_INTL/whatonboard/previewthenewseats

And then today (Thursday) my passport was returned, VISA and all!!!!!

Fingers crossed......

Volcano!

2009-02-03T13:38:00.003Z

Major news networks reported yesterday that Mount Asama (pictured here), 145 km north of Tokyo, has erupted spewing smoke 2km into the air.

Residents living close to the mountain have been advised to be cautious, and chunks of rock from the eruption have been found up to 1 km away.

A huge eruption occured in 1783 and killed around 1500 people.

A trip to a snow covered London to get my VISA....

2009-02-02T17:52:00.002Z

The Snow was about 6 inches deep!

The rare sight of a Bus !

Bravely I battled the elements....he he..

Green Park

The Japanese Embassy

So I awoke this morning to find reports on the News that London had been covered by the worst snow fall in nearly 20 years. Sadly for me, this was also the day I had intended to venture into the capital to get my VISA sorted out.

As you can see from the photos above, I made it. The bus journey up took about 2 and a half hours, which was pretty good, and I was lucky that the Victoria Line had been unaffected and the Embassy was based near Green Park tube station. For those not au fait with the London Underground system, this is one stop from Victoria.

As I slid and slipped down the street toward the embassy, the usually busy London streets were almost free of traffic. I was only in the embassy for around 20 minutes, then spent some time in the nearby Green Park.

Waiting

2009-01-29T17:54:00.003Z

So, after what seems like an eternity of waiting , I had a phone call from Lars (one of the recruiters for AEON) who informed me that my Certificate of Eligibilty had returned from Japan.

What this means for the uniniated, is that I can now travel up to the Japanese embassy in London and get my VISA put into my passport!!!!

This makes my return to Japan official!!!

In the mean time I have been busy fitting study into every night. Even if it is just 10 minutes where I will refresh a line of Hiragana, or an hour spent learning from my Minna No Nihongo textbooks, this has become part of my routine.

But the dream is becoming a reality. April 4th approaches. Closer and closer, like the whisper of a long coveted promise.

The Security Robot

2009-01-25T10:35:00.003Z

Everyone recognises the iconic image above. Paul Verhoevan's distopian classic, about a cop killed in the line of duty then re-assembled as the ultimate cop/cyborg remains, in my eyes, a Science-fiction classic.

Combine the idea of the security-bot with the Japanese love and fascination of anything robotic, and you arrive at the T-34.

Although not as cool, or human-looking as Murphy, the T-34 moves at 6mph on small wheels and is controlled in real time via a series of images sent to a mobile phone. However, you are more likely to laugh than scream in terror at the sight of this dinky machine.

http://www.techdigest.tv/2009/01/video_tmsuk_t-3.html

But how can this R2D2 of security robots defend himself, or detain potential criminals ? Well, the T-34 is equipped with a Net throwing device that can entrap the unsuspecting bad-guy. TAKE THAT!!!

Today is....

2009-01-11T12:12:00.002Z

During my previous time in Japan, I discovered that the Japanese have many National "days". Whereas the UK, has to deal with the relatively dull No-Smoking Day, the Japanese celebrate days such as "Ocean Day" and tomorrow (January 11th) is "Salt Day".

Yes, you read correctly, tomorrow is Salt Day in Japan. Named as such from back in the 1500's, when a Japanese warlord heard his enemy was low on salt and magnanimously sent him some, salt in those days being a valuable commodity.

Below is a list of some of the "Days" that litter the Japanese calender...

Jan. 7th - Nail Clipping Day

Jan. 15 — Strawberry Day. Like many special calendar days, Strawberry Day was derived by playing with Japanese sounds. Strawberry growers chose the 15th day of the first month to celebrate their favorite fruit because the Japanese word for strawberry, ichigo, can also represent the numbers one and five. Days that follow with similar word/sound links are designated with an asterisk

Feb. 1 — Odor Day. Sponsored by companies that wish for an odor-free world.

Feb. 20 - Allergy Day.

March 3 — Ear Day.

March 8 — International Wives Day. Note that there is no "International Husbands Day."

March 9 — This is a trifecta of holidays, with Escalator Day, Barbie Doll Day and Thank You Day all celebrated at once.

March. 15 - Shoe Day.

April 4 — Yoyo Day.

April 10 — Wife Day.

April 11 — Guts Pose Day. "Guts pose" is a Japanese-English term that refers to a gesture of victory.

April 15 — Helicopter Day.

May 3 — Garbage Day

June 1 — Gum Day.

June 4 — Bug Day
.
June 17 — Belt Day.

Aug. 7 — Nose Day

Oct. 18 — Frozen Food Day.

Nov. 1 — Dog Day. Meanwhile, Cat Day is Feb. 22.

Nov. 3 — Godzilla Day. Godzilla has earned this honor for all the times he's outright flattened Japan. Oddly, this is also Japanese Culture Day.

Nov. 8 — Cutting Tool Day. Cheese Day, is dead ahead, on Nov. 11.

Nov. 10 — Toilet Day.

The entire calendar — in Japanese — is at www.jidousha-shunjuhsha.co.jp/calendar.html

Taken from Japan Times (http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20090110td.html)

Tokyo Punch

2009-01-10T13:46:00.002Z

I stumbled across this by accident. Here is a series of animated adventures about a British Gaijin called Howard who comes to the city of Tokyo Punch on a working holiday. Cue a series of mishaps and cultural misadventures.However Howard is a slug and the Japanese have been replaced by ants (see what they did there..or rather Monolith studios, a French company working out of Tokyo).

Below are some links the site and an episode from Youtube.

http://tokyopunch.com/

http://uk.youtube.com/user/cyberfred123

The £70,000 Tuna.

2009-01-07T22:10:00.002Z

The Japan Times has reported that, on Jan 6th, in the famous Tukiji Fish Market, Tokyo that the most expensive Bluefin Tuna of the year was sold at auction for a staggering 9.6 Million Yen.
Basically this translates as buying a Tuna for roughly £68,581! Which is a hell of a lot of John West Tuna flakes.

This was the first auction of the year at Tukiji, and the fish weighed around 128 KGs and was caught in the waters off Oma. Tuna caught here are considered a delicacy and in 2001 an Oma Tuna sold for a whopping 20.2 Million Yen or £144,306!!!!

But who would buy such a fish ?

Apparently the £70,000 Tuna of 2009 was purchased by a a Hong Kong sushi bar owner in cooperation with an upscale sushi restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo. The Hong Kong restaurateur also paid the highest price at last year's first auction at Tsukiji.

"Many countries are now reducing their tuna catch due partly to catch controls.
In November, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas agreed to cut the Atlantic bluefin tuna catch quota for 2009 by about 20 percent from the 2008 level to 22,000 tons, setting Japan's fishing quota at 1,870 tons for 2009, down from 2,345 tons for 2008. Japan's quota for 2010 is 1,697 tons."

JAPAN TIMES.

Links below for more information on the Tukiji Fish Market.

http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/youkoso/about_e.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsukiji_fish_market

The New HooverVille

2009-01-04T19:37:00.002Z

Here is a sad tale from Japan, but one I fear that will become prevelent in the coming days. I have taken the whole article from the Associated Press rather than paraphrase it.

TOKYO (AP) — A tent village set up in a Tokyo park for the country's growing number of jobless filled up so fast that it was moved Saturday to a government building to accommodate the overflow.
The government offered a ministry hall late Friday, responding to a request from volunteers, to house more than 250 unemployed and homeless people after the first comers quickly filled the tents, according to the shelter's Japanese-language Web site.
The homeless can stay in the building through Monday, and job counseling and other efforts are under way to place the people in other locations, it said.
The tent village that volunteers and unions opened on New Year's Eve highlights the serious social costs of the global recession for the world's second largest economy.
The government estimates 85,000 part-time workers will lose their jobs between October and March. Another 3,300 permanent employees are expected to become jobless over the same period.
Temporary workers have been the first to be fired in the latest wave of cutbacks as Japan's exports and company investments crashed after the U.S. financial crisis.
Temporary jobs at manufacturing were illegal before 2004, but today top companies, including Toyota Motor Corp. and Canon Inc., routinely rely on temporary staffing to adjust production to gyrating overseas demand.
Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Kazuo Shii, who visited the village, said the government needs to do more to help the unemployed.
"It is unforgivable that Japan's major companies have thrown so many workers out on the streets at the end of the year," he said.
For decades Japan promised lifetime employment at major companies, and government welfare programs for the jobless are still limited.
The tent village has also drawn some who have been needy for years.
Shigeru Kobayashi, 65, who has been unemployed four years, lives in the park.
"People talked about a recovery, but it never got good anyway," he said with a grin. "I'm unemployed. All I have is heart."
Tamotsu Chiba, 55, a theater producer and volunteer at the tent village, said he found the energy of the volunteers encouraging.
"There are so many different kinds of people here. This has given me a feeling of hope about Japan," he said.

By YURI KAGEYAMA

Tokyo Lost

2009-01-04T19:27:00.003Z

I have just bought a book (with a handy Christmas voucher) that seems to be the proverbial Bee's Knees on finding your way around and living in Tokyo. I know I will be based in Ichikawa city, Chiba, but Tokyo is such a sprawling, fascination metropolis that I thought a guide on the city (who isn't Rie) would be handy. "TOKYO -The Complete Resident's Guide" seems to have all the information a resourceful Gaijin like me needs.

However here are some links to websites for those of you thinking of visiting Tokyo.

http://www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp/english/

This is the official city website. Useful for municipal information, and a solid place to start.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/tokyo

Lonely Planet are a travel institution and their guide on Tokyo is as well presented as you'd expect.

http://www.planettokyo.com/

Not one of the "Big Fish", but still quirky enough to hold the travellers interest. It even provides some basic Japanese and the site is easy to negotiate.

With Thanks to Rie - Motoyawata photo's

2008-11-30T19:02:00.003Z

Robot De Niro

2008-11-26T19:18:00.003Z

One of the coolest things about Japan, and to be fair, there are many, is their all embracing view of robots. At Osaka University, the latest step forward has been unveiled; the robot actor.

Hataruku Watashi (I, Worker) is set in the near future and tell the story of a young couple who own a robot who loses the will to work. He then engages the couple and claims his existence is demeaning.

The robot has been programmed to speak lines and move about the stage in the 20 minute production.

The machine which stands at 1 metre tall was made by Mitsubushi and the programming for it's performance took over two months to complete.

Japan invents....The Man-Bra

2008-11-25T17:34:00.001Z

Errr...Can I bring my own ?

2008-11-23T18:19:00.004Z

As mentioned on my previous Japanese blog, the intricacies of English, especially pronunciation and spelling sometimes get lost on the Japanese and their Asian cousins...

Engrish.com has hundreds of examples of these...there is a link in the Interesting Things part of this blog...enjoy!

A little bit of Tokyo...and a dancing Stormtrooper.

2008-11-23T17:58:00.001Z

So here is a little of bit of Tokyo...and a bloke in a Stormtrooper outfit dancing...

Actually it's Danny Choo, an ex worker for JAL (Japanese Airlines) who now runs an excellent, if otaku fuelled blog...

What would Darth say ?

Paperwork

2008-11-16T10:28:00.003Z

With the acceptance of my AEON contract comes the joys of paperwork and running around like a headless chicken.

To be fair to AEON, and this is 100 times better than my NOVA experience, they have kept in regular contact with me and have been more than willing to answer any questions I might have.

The last week or so, I have been organising the neccessary paperwork, getting photographs taken and reading the documents and useful bumpf that they sent me.

The hardest part was trying to track down a courier service, as AEON want the paperwork to be delivered by a trackable system. I finally hunted down DHL, only for my jaw to hit the floor when they wanted upwards of £50 to deliver my documents to New York!

But when I think of Rie, teaching and Japan I believe its all worth it...

Japan-tastic

2008-11-09T22:45:00.002Z

In the words of Hiro Nakamura (pictured above) "YATTA!!!!"....

I got offered a job with AEON last week after an intense week and a bit wait. The interviewer from London, Motoko rang me personally to offer me the job and the even better news is that I am going to be posted in Ichikawa city, Chiba.

I might hear you ask, Ichi what ?

Ichikawa is about 20-30 minutes from the centre of Tokyo...AND more importantly for me, it is Rie's hometown....

How lucky am I !!?!?!?!?! That or, as I believe someone is watching over me from above, and my sacrifices over the last year and a half are starting to look worth it.

I depart on April 4th 2009 and will attempt to write more posts on my new position...

The Long Hard Slog, Empty sights, Hopes and Fears - PART THREE - PEPPY KIDS

2008-11-08T20:42:00.002Z

Tuesday came around. I left my luggage at the hotel and made my way to my Peppy Kids interview. Or as I called it Interview #2.

On first impressions, Peppy Kids seemed a bit maverick. The chap, interviewing me was a cross between Albert Steptoe, Frankie Howerd and Ian McKellen. I was the only person to be interviewed, because the company interviews throughout the year, but compared to AEON felt like NOVA all over again.

However, I remained professional and decided to give Al/Frankie/Ian and Peppy Kids a shot. I was kind of glad I did.

I was informed that they are the largest Kids teaching chain in Japan, and they seemed to have their head screwed on when it came to teaching them. I found the interview, more like an informal chat compared to the intense scrutiny of AEON and was surprised when I was offered a position in March.

Maybe I need to rethink who I am going to Japan with ?

The Long Hard Slog, Empty sights, Hopes and Fears - PART TWO - Killing Time

2008-11-08T20:35:00.003Z

After my AEON interview I had until Tuesday afternoon and my Peppy Kids interview before I had to worry again. This might sound fine, but it left me feeling strangley empty and lacking any direction.

I had put so much into the AEON interview, that I felt slightly underwhelmed by the prospect of having free time in the capital. Plus myself and Rie had spent time here only a month or so earlier, so I felt lonely, an emotion that is heightened in a city like London.

So I ate sushi, drank beer and spoke about football with random strangers in a Chelsea pub, went to the Natural History Museum, had a chat with some old lady selling poppies, found out Harry Redknapp had taken over Spurs, got 24 out of 28 in a pub quiz and went to see Burn After Reading at the cinema.

But I felt strangely disconnected from all of it. Maybe staying in London all that time wasn't worth it.

The Long Hard Slog, Empty sights, Hopes and Fears - PART ONE - AEON.

2008-10-29T18:34:00.004Z

So yesterday evening I made it back, successfully, if I might add, from a 4 night sojourn to our Nation's capital.

The buzz that London once held for me now seems more like a light static "electric shock" that you could give yourself after rubbing your feet madly on a shagpile carpet. It's strange that the City holds little of interest for me now. Sure it has some great galleries and museums; some interesting places to hang out, but maybe because I've been through my "London phase" it seems a tad empty.

The reason I went to London ? 2 interviews for my attempted return to Japan!!!

My hotel was great. Around the corner from Earls Court station, clean and friendly. The room was excellent with a nice ensuite bathroom and ten times better than the one that myself and Rie stayed in a month or so earlier.

My first interview on Saturday morning was a 10 minute walk away in a hotel in South Kensington with Eikawa school, AEON. About 30 plus candidates turned up looking equally apprehensive and equally excited. What made me slightly more nervous and yet more glad and eager about AEON was that my fellow candidates were all more mature and more experienced than my NOVA interviewies 3 years ago.

The presentation and introductions from the AEON recruiters, Motoko Taki and Lars Frank were professional, friendly and extremely warm. It boded well. Then we were split into groups and given times to return for demo lessons and a grammar test. I was given a later group (3 hours later to be exact) so headed off to lunch with a sweet, yet terribly nervous girl from Singapore.

My demo was up first and went well. My lesson plan was well prepared and I felt my experience as a teacher helped no end. Yet I always think praise is HUGELY important in teaching and I made sure I gave my "students" as much as possible.

The grammar test was tricky, but not really difficult. Then it was out into the hotel foyer to wait for envelopes from the recruiters to see if we could return tomorrow for our personal interviews. In the foyer my other interviewees were nervous, but in good spirits and we chatted about previous jobs/applications etc.

When the envelopes came out, it was like being on the X-Factor. I opened my envelope to reveal that I had to come back at 9am tomorrow (Sunday). YATTA!!! I wandered on back to hotel room, after wishing the others good luck, and had some take out Sushi and a beer.

The personal interview went as well as I could hope. After presenting an AEON lesson to my interviewer, Motoko (as if she was an intermediate level student) which again recieved no negative feedback (DOUBLE YATTA!!!!), she then proceeded to ask me questions about myself, teaching, AEON etc. I gave it all I could. My heart and soul very much open to her scrutiny as an interviewer. If it isn't enough then I can do no more.

I have to wait 2 weeks to here a HAI or IIE.....GANBARIMASU!!!

Monkey Service

2008-10-08T07:21:00.002+01:00

Some people say that the bad service they recieved in restaurant was down to the fact that they pay the staff peanuts. Or Soy beans. And they might as well have monkeys.

Well in the Izakaya (Japanese style pub) , Kayabukiya in Northern Tokyo that is exactly what they have.

Yat chan and Fuku chan serve drinks to customers and are rewarded with soy beans. Fuku chan, who is the younger is only allowed to hand out hot towels, due to a lack of experience.

Both the animals are family pets, and the premises was vetted by Animal Rights regulators.

Japanorama

2008-09-27T16:35:00.002+01:00

If you haven't already seen it yet, I recommend that you track down the BBC 3 documentary series, Japanorama. Presented by Johnathon Ross, who obviously has a keen soft spot for Japan, it is a quirky look at the culture.

This is clip from the season 2 episode "Kakkoi" (which is Japanese for cool).

Teaching in Japan

2008-09-24T12:11:00.002+01:00

As some of you may know, I used to work for NOVA in Japan for just over two years. I enjoyed my time in Japan (well most of it) and had no problems working for NOVA. Luckily for me, I had already left Japan when the company began to feel the financial implications of the fine imposed by the Japanese courts. Some of my friends however were not so lucky, and had to either find other jobs or return home.

Teaching in Japan, is one of the easiest ways to get overseas. In many cases this means applying to one of the many Eikawa (large chain schools like NOVA, GEOS, AEON) as they will sponser a VISA for you.

I have included some links to these schools and others if you are interested in teaching in Japan.

ANOTHER new Japanese Prime Minister!

2008-09-23T15:06:00.002+01:00

After the resignation of Japanese Prime Minister, Yasuo Fukuda at the beginning of September, one would think that the job has become something of a poisoned chalice.

When I arrived in Japan in 2005, the Prime Minister was the flamboyant Junichiro Koizumi. He resigned in 2006 and was replaced by the younger and eager Shinzo Abe. However Abe was not a popular choice within the party, despite his father having been a powerful politician, and soon he found himself in a deadlocked situation.

He was replaced last year with the older Fukuda, but his leadership seem non-descript and anaemic at times. With the DJP (Democratic Party) holding the upper houses, Japanese politics seemed at a stalemate.

The man pictured is the new leader of the LDP; the tough talking, manga loving conservative Taro Aso. Aso is, and was during my previous time in Japan, one of the most charasmatic and recognisible faces in Japanese politics. He recieved 351 out of the 527 votes from fellow MPs and Party members, and it is now widely believed that he will call a general election to reinforce his leadership.

However, Tokiko Terada, a pensioner from Tokyo, states " I can't stand it! We can't choose the Prime Minister again".

The LDP has run Japan, almost without a break, since Mrs Terada was about the same age as her granddaughter Yuki is now. Yuki's mother Michiko Terada was born in 1956, the year after the LDP first took power.

But with the DJP rising in power, maybe there will be change or will the election of Taro Aso keep the LDP in governement ?

Happy/Sadness

2008-09-23T14:34:00.003+01:00

For those of you who know me well, you will be aware of the "trouble" I seem to have with women. Firstly I used to fret over being single. Finding despair and self esteem issues in the void of my single life.Secondly I would always attract women in pairs. It would force me to make a decision. One I didn't make well. Which leads me onto point three. I used to make terrible choices on the type of woman/girl who was "right" for me. I seemed to take an option that was ruled by my heart or head and not the two.

After Shiori, a nightmare of a relationship in which I was sucked dry emotionally and mentally, I emerged stronger, yet more harsh. An element of coldness had entered my heart. Relationships were unworthy of my time, my emotion. They were a a serious of misadventures where ups would counter-attacked by lows, and would always end in disappointment.I channelled all my energy into my family. Helping my Dad and co heal from the loss of my Mum. And bizarrely this aided me. Over time my hurt and frustration dropped away.

But this wasn't all down to me. Via emails and MSN conversations, a young Japanese woman, Rie Iwadate was fixing me without me knowing. She was restoring my faith in people. In life. In love. That people are fundamentaly decent. Our relationship grew over distance. Through written words. It was shorn of the shackles of physicality. Even though I did find her attractive.

Then one day it dawned on me. Like an epiphany of light in a dark room. The reason I felt no desire towards other women was because I had all my desire channelled in one direction. Rie's direction. Here was a relationship that had been built over a long distance, yet I felt closer to her than anyone in my life, and definately more so than any of my previous girlfriends.

Did she feel it too ?

She told me she wanted to come to England and visit me. But the caution in me, the scepticsm that has always lived in my heart was fresh now. Gone was the blissfully naive Justin of my first real relationship with Claire. The clinginess that had subverted me before had also vanished.

Yet when she arrived in England on August 29th the connection between us was solid. As soon as I saw her small delicate frame walk through those doors at Heathrow, I felt something in me click. She was real. This moment was real. We had a drink as we waited for the bus back to Bristol. It was euphouric. I had been as important in her life as she had in mine. In the bus station, we chatted and laughed, I could feel her body language as something positive. That she felt the same way as I did. She felt that 1 in a million connection.

And so she is now my girlfriend. No time was wasted whilst she was here. It was perfect. As if the grace of someone above was rewarding me for the sacrifices I had made to get here. We travelled to Bristol, Bath, Cardiff and London. We cooked for each other. Drank beer together. Laughed together. In many ways from the 29th of August until the 9th September we were lost in each other. I have never felt anything like it. Like all my previous relationships have been whispers, dress-rehearsals for this one.

When she left on September 9th, the sadness was unbearably. It was a sadness we shared, which made it even more special and bittersweet. Tears were shed. Promises were made. Promises we both wish to honour. When you find something as special as Rie, you don't throw it away. We miss each other, and will until I return to Japan, and I can hold her in my arms again.....

(This orginally appeared in the Notes section of my Facebook page 11/09/08)

I'm turning Japanese...again....

2008-09-22T21:11:00.003+01:00

So here goes. My attempts to get back to Japan, and the blogging of those adventures.

I promised that this blog would be back and so it is.

I hope to record my highs and lows, observations and adventures.

But first of all, I have to try and get back to Japan. One of my friends once described leaving Japan like the Malcolm McDowell character in Star Trek Generations. In that movie, Mcdowell plays an alien scientist who is attempting to get back to the Nexus, a kind of spacial Shangri-La. All he can think about is getting back there. The experience he has had there consumes him.

Of course, my time in Japan had a profound effect on me. Not that I am going to destroy planets and Sun's to return there. For one, it's probably too expensive, especially when I am attempting to save.

Seriously though, I felt that I had left something behind in Japan. And I did literally. 90% of my posessions. But I am talking here more about a part of myself. I know that if I do manage to get back then it will be different, but the same.

Usually I believe in the addage that you should never go back. But I left Japan, not under my own need to leave. My Mum had passed away and my family needed me. Now I have to make the opportunity for myself to go back to where I want to be.

Of course, Rie is another huge factor. But she deserves a post on her own, and I don't want to do her a misjustice in one post.

I have applied to AEON, GABA, EEC, and more schools than I can remember. I have an interview with AEON on the 25th October; an interview with Peppy Kids on the 28th and EEC have interview dates in November.

So please enjoy the ride.

And cross your fingers for me!