September 24th

I havent updates in awhile because I havent DONE anything in awhile.
Bad weather means no bike riding and that sort of thing. It was just a
week of hanging out with Chris and stuff. So anyways, I thought, after
3 weeks of being here, that I would make some sort of post about my
initial thought to Japan.




ATMS:


Cons:

• Written only in Japanese


• We only have one bank card


• Close after 8 and on some holidays

Pros:

• They really ARE automated tellers. You can do most of your
  banking at the ATM. Like transfer money, pay bills, etc. etc.


• They balance your bank book for you. You just stick it in
  the ATM and it will print up all the transactions of the last month and
  your balance. Its great.

Restaurants:

Cons:

• Japanese people like to smoke and they smoke in restaurants like
  freight trains. The smoking and non-smoking sections arent really
  separated.


• Cant converse with the waiter/ress and sometimes confusion is
  caused. For ex: I tried to order a cheese pizza yestrerday from a
  menu and for some reason I couldnt have it. We dont know why and
  it was sad.

Pros:

• CHEAP! Most of the time we have a very full meal for about
  $15 for both of us. Yesterday Chris and I had unlimited drinks
  (refills are not the norm in Japan). I had a big plate of Shrimp
  Spaghetti with tobasco (hot!). Chris had a huge double
  cheeseburger (with american cheese not crazy japanse cheese) w/ cole
  slaw, mayo, mustard, ketchup, lettuce, and a fried egg.
  Holy crap was it tasty though. Anyways, we walked out of
  the restuarant paying about $14. I feel like thats cheap.


• Waiters/tresses dont constantly pester. You sit down and
  there is a button to call the wait staff when you need to order or need
  something. None of this wait staff coming back to constantly
  annoy with "can I get you anything, is everything all right?" I
  hate that. But in Japan, you have a button! A Button! That
  lets them know when you need them.


• NO TIPPING! Now, before you get all mad, they just dont tip
  in Japan. They actually pay their wait staff a reasonable wage so
  they dont have to survive on the generosity of others.

Food:

Cons:

• Raw fish is very popular here. 'Nuff said. Raw fish.


• No ranch


• No mexican food (cant even find tortillas at the grocery store)


• Food has flavor than in American. I dont think they use lots of spices. They have dipping sauces for flavor, though.


• We dont have an oven..so no baking.


• I cant cook.

Pros:

• Pino. Pino is lovely little chocolate covered ice cream
  things. Very taste. For that matter, most japanese ice
  cream is very tasty (minus the crazy tea and bean flavored ice cream).


• They like snack foods here and make yummy ones. I cant even
  describe all the wonderful goodies they have. (well I could, but
  that would be boring, just know they have good snack food)


• Dipping sauces! I mentioned before that they like to use
  sauces, probably because their food isnt seasoned much. But they
  have lots of tasty sauces.


• I actually like Japanese food. Donburi, ramen, tempura,
  gohan (rice), etc. Its different but still kinda yummy in its own
  way. Plus, rice is REALY easy to make in our rice cooker.
  Even mom could make it without her children's cookbook (I
  tease!!).
  
  


• Im trying more things and liking it. On Tuesday, I
  hung out with Angharad (another JET) and Kiyoko (another JET's fiance)
  and we ordered pizza...with everything on it (peppers, mushrooms,
  onions, sausage, canadian bacon, and peperoni). It was either
  that or dont eat. So I ate it and enjoyed it. Im much more
  adventurous and learning to put up with things I dont like (because we
  havent figured out how to order things "plain" yet).

General:

Cons:

• People do stare at us when we are out. Kids will actually
  stop and stare and either yell at their parents because they are
  surprised or something. Its a strange feeling. I had an old
  guy ramble at me yesterday...laughing at how different my hair was and
  how tall we were. Crazy!


• I miss home. Big downside of being here. I really miss my family and dog. Sounds silly, but I do.


• Fast food...what fast food? They have McDonalds and Mos
  Burger (think Krystal but bigger and with Curry) and thats it.
  Thats the only places you can go to eat fast food (though we think we
  found a fast food ramen shop last night).


• They try to recreate american food, but get it wrong every
  time. For example, Pizza usually has mayo and corn on it. It just
  makes me want normal american food


• Funiture is low to the ground. Really, it sounds silly but
  whenever I am sitting, I feel my knees are in my chest. The
  chairs are just really short!


• Bad TV. I really only ever watch the Super Channel (has american shows), MTV, and CNN when the other two are boring.


• Rains alot here.

Pros:

• Im with Chris and about to be married. How much better does it get, really?


• Im in JAPAN!
  
  


• Its very safe. I have no issues going out by myself, even
  late at night. Its just safe here. I actually feel safer in
  the city, than the outskirts (where in america, I would feel it would
  be vice versa).


• Everything is really close by. I can bike to any store I need to go to.


• Lots of new things to try. Restaurants, stores, that sorta thing. Its really fun to explore.


• Picture menus for most things. I guess this is a restaurant
  "pro" but I dont feel like going back up. Most menus have
  pictures on them of what to get AND some restaurants even have plastic
  models of the food. Makes it really easy to pick.
  
  


• No tax when shopping. Well, there is a tax, but its already
  figured into the price. So when you buy something that is 245
  yen, you KNOW that you only have to pay 245 yen for it and not worry
  about tax. Makes it simple.


• I get the best of both worlds, to the north and south is
  mountains, and to the west is a beach. Woo! And most of the
  stuff is a mere 15 minute drive away. Its great.


• Shrines. You can just drive around Izumo and see random
  shrines here. Its so neat. Same with cemetaries (though
  they arent actually cemetaries since I think they cremate people in
  Japan). Its just full of history and neat.


• Dude...Im IN Japan


• Chris.