Genius-Crazy

Here are some pictures I took:
I don’t have much control over the order they post…so I will describe them and you can figure it out! Fun!
First is an awesome bar/restaurant we went to for our weekend celebration. Awesome place, every table has a little tablet computer for ordering, and everything on the menu 270 yen, or about 3 dollars. You put your order in the computer (in English!) and they bring it out in about 2 minutes. We ordered some fatty salmon, pizza, French fries, different bowls of fried rice with toppings (always with a raw egg on top that you stir in, delicious), cabbage salads, little omelets with roe on top, and fried manta ray wing….I kid you not, I saw it on the menu and had to try it. It was pretty awful…taste kind of like turkey but with the consistency of a leathery shoe. I will never order it again. Everybody shares, everything is 270 yen. Perfect.
We met some nice dudes there and talked for a few hours.
We went to an English style pub after and watched the soccer game. I finally drank a Guinness…it had been a long time, 900 yen for a pint was well worth it. I ended up sitting with 2 other Jewish dudes, one from south Africa and one that is in my training group from London, never did I think I would meet so many Jews in Japan. We must all think alike about this country….
After the night of partying, I was craving some greasy American style breakfast, we found a place called Johnathan’s (think Japanese Denny’s) and I ordered me some pancakes. I was craving biscuits and gravy…alas, pancakes and a club sandwich sufficed. I tried to order some eggs over easy…utterly impossible in this country.
My first cup of black coffee since I’ve been here…oh how I’ve missed you, black coffee.

The rest of the pictures are just parts of Omiya nearby to the train station. Beautiful tree lined walk ways in the middle of the bustling streets are common here, quite a nice idea.

The gentleman leaning on the railing is my awesome room mate, using what we call the internet café. (Sorry for stealing your wifi if you are reading this.) Yes, I have to lug my computer out to an alley to post to this blog. Its always a gamble whether the battery on my computer will last long enough to upload the photos.

The photo of the dog might not seem very interesting (that dog is very cute though), but look at the contraption on the back of the moped…a lot them have that same device here. It’s this swinging basket thing with shock absorbers, basically like a truck bed for your motorbike. Genius and crazy at the same time. Kind of the impression I get from this country as a whole. I love it.

5 days of training left, starting tomorrow.

Well, off to the internet café to post this…

First week

Today is the last day of the first week of training. What a relief-this training is set up like boot camp. We are learning to teach 2-11 year old children, my face is sore from smiling so much. And I cannot get this song out of my head:
Hows the weather,
Its sunny,
Hows the weather
Its sunny
Hows the weather,
Its sunny, its sunny today!
You should see all the cool moves we have to with it too….the kids love the gestures apparently.
Luckily, the youngest student at my school is 13, so I wont have to do any of this.

Well, I’ve been typing for 5 minutes and my computer battery is already 50% (with no way to recharge for now), so I will make this short and sweet. Here a few photos from Omiya, Saitama where the training is being held. The bright lights of the city are only a few minutes walk away, our house is in the nice and quiet suburbs.

To-o-kyo-o!!

Konbanwa! good evening!
I finally made it to beautiful Japan. I am in a training session in a cozy traditonal Japanese home. Paper walls, sliding doors, slippers, and a deep bath tub.

The nine other english speakers are from all over the world, most American though. Everybody is friendly and excited to learn to teach.
Wearing slippers and a suit is most excellent.

Everything I have eaten so far has been delicious. It is quite impressive, the first thing I got in the airport was a blueberry yogurt shake...I dont know if it was just because I was hungry and thirsty but it was perfect. Sweet blueberry and tangy plain yogurt.

I am in an internet cafe as I type this, so I cannot post pictures. next to my monitor, in my private cubicle is a tv. The only thing they are playing in English is Pro wrestling, what a said export to represent America.]

I hope to post some pictures soon, Japan is so photogenic!!!

George and Dragon's

Saturday was USA vs. England, excellent game. I wish we (USA) could have avenged all the poor sea creatures covered in the British Petroleum mess...actually that wouldn't help any animals, but I wish we beat them anyway.
I went to an English pub in phoenix (ha!) at 5:30am to get a table, I didn't believe Kalin when she told me it would be full by 6:30. It was full by 6:00am. 300 people, drinking, at 6:00 am. I guess I was wrong about pub's in Phoenix, they do exist. These pictures are testament.
I treated my self to a proper English breakfast. 10.00 got me: 1 tasty banger link, 2 runny over-easy eggs, 1 nasty stewed tomato, 1 bowl of disgusting beans and some delicious french fries, i mean crisps or frites or chips or freedom potatoes or whatever. Included in the price was one creamy and warm (good warm and cold) pint of Boddington's pub ale and coffee. I was thoroughly satisfied, not because it was good food, but because I was starving and it was 6:15am (for all of the people reading this in England, that is 6:15)
You may be wondering: "wasn't the game at 11:30, what did they do from 6:30 till 11:30?" We sat inside and sweat our balls off waiting for the games to begin, occasionally braving the beautiful day outside for some fresh air. It was like the opposite of England, we went outside to breathe and went inside to be miserable.


After the games, Kalin and I went swimming in Bartlett lake. It was a dream come true after the stench and claustrophobia of the pub.

Dinner was at Z Tejas, an excellent restaurant in Old town(e) Snotts I mean Scottsdale.

Sunday was detox day started with Kashman's Lox Platter...perfection

fake money

ever wonder what $1000 in yen looks like? i got my money exchanged ahead of time so i can buy an umbrella when i get off the plane...or a beer ha. i like how they put a woman on their 5000 yen, america would never do that. or a black guy, too much ink they'd say.
i figured i'd use my bed as the backdrop, tonight is the last night i will be sleeping on it...im gonna miss it. hopefully my tatami floor/futon setup will be okay. 11 days till i find out!

Work Visa

I received my work visa in the mail yesterday, good for three years! Hopefully that is a sign that people usually succeed over there....My contract is from June 23, 2010 until July 6, 2011.

I will be using this blog to describe my adventures and share pictures. But, until I get over there, I wont have much to say. My mind is spinning already just trying to pack and prepare.

-Uri