Lost and found in Tokyo...

My heros

2008-07-19T11:23:00.003+09:00

While she starts her second sentence the tears start pouring down her cheeks, I cannot believe what I am seeing. Her voice gets stuck and there is no way this girl can speak any further. I had the pleasure of receiving her dedicated help when I first entered the company, and I am still impressed that she found a way of communicating with me, although I do not master her language. It lasted for three weeks. Then we had to move to a different seat and she to another department. And she is no exception. Now, a couple of months later, I am having lunch with her and 9 other angels. Most of them having no troubles hiding their emotions, but happy of showing them to me. If it was not for them, I would have had a completely different experience, and I know it. Although back home, I have trouble making friends of the same gender, here it has never been a question, it was a fact that I was their friend. From the very beginning. They are my heros!!!

After I have received a speech of every one of them, they slowly line up around my desk in the last days to come say goodbye again. Some more than once. I cannot count them anymore. Neither their words, gift, tears and laughter. All bringing small presents and personally written cards, often using the two Chinese characters I still do not know the reading of, but very well understand; laughing and face. Combining these two needs no explanation about what the word might mean. Now, having cried numerous of times, I guess the whole company has seen that my tears well up as easily as my laughter does. I am happy.

My other personal hero is my manager, who let me write a proposal in the last week by myself, and took me to a sales meeting on the last day, something decided during one of my goodbye parties the night before. This has been amazing! I will definitely miss everybody. I realize I will not soon, if ever get an opportunity like this again. The chance to be REALLY part of the Japanese society, be part of the group, be one of the colleagues, be one of them. This has been a fantastic feeling.

The taxi drives off, while I keep bowing my head with a face full tears at the back seat, leaving behind my nomura family in the midst of neon lit Ginza. When passing Tsukiji and crossing the bridge to Kachidoki, I know this is the lasttime I am returning to my little tatami-covered apartment, my home. Four bags full with presents and stories, waiting to be read, ending up for the next to weeks in a suitcase, to be answered in a mountain less country far away where the people drink milk and eat sandwiches with cheese.

Tomorrow I am off to Shikoku, me, my bike, some food, my havaianas, bikini, Rene and I. While the sun sets, the boat will leave from Odaiba and I will be back home by the time the karaoke bar opens on the night before I arrive back on the other side of this world.

Please give me a soft landing in a country that currently feels completely unfamiliar to me.... meet me the 31st at 17:45....

See you all soon!!

Hugs,

Kirsten

You’ve been in Japan too long when ...

2008-06-24T12:03:00.002+09:00

A list of some funny jokes and habits you pick up while staying in Japan that Maru-chan (my JPP friend, neighbor) found on the Internet. Already taken out the most difficult ones to understand and tried to explain what is meant so now and then! When there is still confusion, let me know or see for yourself when I am back in my little pancake land... Enjoy!

You’ve been in Japan too long when ...

...you notice you've forgotten how to tie shoelaces.

...you rush onto an escalator, and just stand there.

...you find yourself bowing while you talk on the phone.

...when you are talking on the telephone with home and your friend says, "Why are you interrupting my explanations with grunts?" (Aisatsu, or active listening)

...you see a gaijin get on the train and think "Wow, it's a gaijin!" (foreigner)

...you start thinking can-coffee tastes good. (it is not all that bad…!)

...you have trouble figuring out how many syllables there really are in words like 'building'. (in Japanese six…)

...you think the opposite of red is white.

...when you do "yanki-zuwari" waiting for a bus to come. (sitting low to the ground, or in Dutch “gehurkt”)

...you phone an English-speaking gaijin friend and somehow can't bring yourself to get to the point for the first 3 minutes of the conversation.

...you automatically remember all of your important year dates in Showa numbers. (date of birth showa 59..!)

...you think every foreign movie title contains the word 'love.'

...you think birds cry. (and thy do..! at least in Japanese…)

...you get blasted by a political speaker truck and think "sho ga nai..." (nothing there is I can do about it…)

...you develop a liking for green tea flavored ice cream.

...you're talking to your mother on the phone, and she asks you what "genki" means. (healthy, good, alright!!)

...you think wet umbrellas need condoms. (this is really true though!They do!!... to give you an explanation… when you enter a building, you put an plastic bag around your umbrella so you wont wet your clothes or surroundings, or yet worse, those of others…)

...you have mastered the art of simultaneous bowing and hand-shaking. (this is a real art… and after a while.. comes naturally…!)

...you have run out of snappy comebacks to compliments about your chopstick skills.

...you think 4 layers of wrapping is reasonable for a simple piece of merchandise.

...you don't find anything strange about a city that puts a life sized, red-and-white painted Eiffel tower imitation in its center, as well as Statue of Liberty and a scale model of the Versaille Palace for its Crown Prince.

...when you get on a train with a number of gaijin on it and you feel uneasy because the harmony is broken.

...you ask fellow foreigners the all-important question "How long have you been here?" in order to be able to properly categorize them.

...when looking out the window of your office, you think "Wow, so many trees!" Instead of "Wow, so much concrete!" (actually never looked out of the window…, although I am working on the 12^th floor!)

...you think curry rice is food. (I tell you this… it is not!)

...when in the middle of nowhere, totally surrounded by rice fields and abundant nature, you aren't surprised to find a drink vending machine with no visible means of a power supply...

...and when you think nothing of it when that lonely vending machine says 'thank you' after you buy a coke.

...a non-Japanese sits down next to you on the train and you get up and move. You're not prejudiced, but who knows what they might do?

....you have a dozen of plastic transparent umbrellas in your entrance. (bought for 500 yen – 3 euros, ANYWHERE throughout Tokyo and Japan)

...when your arguing with someone about the color of the traffic light being blue or green...and you think it's blue. (free toilets and traffic lights ARE blue…!)

...you think rice imports should be prohibited, because Japanese consumers would never buy imported rice.

...you get a "Nihongo ga joozu" and feel really insulted. (meaning your Japanese is good… you also (just like youre good with chopsticks) run out of good comments on this on)\

...you see a road with two lanes going in the same direction and assume the one on the left is meant for parking. (For what else?)

...when you pull out your ruler to underline words.(or worse your three colored-pen)

...when having gaijin around you is a source of stress.

...you return the bow from the cash machine.

...you can't find the "open" and "close" buttons in the elevator because they're in English.

...when you think children should have to walk around in the freezing cold with only short sleeves and shorts up to their butt. (They are only allowed to change clothes at specific dates, indicating change of season)

...you can do arithmetic using man, oku, cho and kei.(And I will tell you, I cant!!!)

...you bow to other drivers who give you the right of way.

...you fully understand the concept of "cute culture." (in my offence, there is a lot of cute stuff here!)

... you think cod roe spaghetti with chilled red wine is a typical Italian dish. (Who is gonna teach this WHOLE country that red wine doesn’t belong in the fridge?!?!??!)

...you run for the Yamanote line (metro) pushing people left and right, jump on the train holding the doors open to let your bag follow you on. Because you know there will not be another one for at least a minute. (comes every two minutes)

...you no longer pay any attention to what anyone does when you sit down beside them on a train.

...when you write or phone home and say things like "In Japan we..."

...you find yourself apologizing at least three times per conversation. (and I do do so… it must be weird to hear…even my Dutch friends tell me to stop it)

...you buy an individually wrapped apple in the supermarket. (for 2 euros)

...you have to pause and translate your phone number into English before telling it to someone. (this is true in any language…)

...you order a "bottle of draft" in a pub.

...you are speaking in English but all references to money are in Japanese.

...when you draw a sharp distinction between "English" and "English conversation." (because there is a CLEAR difference)

...you use the "slasher hand" and continuous bowing to make your way through a crowd. (come in handy, as everybody understands what you want)

...you put eleven 10 yen coins in the vending machine before you notice it's sold out. (or like me last week, before you notice the door is open, behind it is a guy filling up the machine, and look only somewhat surprised when a hand comes from the right of the machine and hands you your coke, before you rush into the bullet train…)

...you are embarrassed because you don't have the NHK sticker on your door and the neighbors do. (means you don’t pay for watching TV, like I do…)

...you return from a hiking trip with brand-new, unscratched, unsoiled, top-of-the-line hiking gear. (as all mountains are paved up to the top… if not, have escalators!!!)

...you are disgusted by the thought of someone eating miso soup with a spoon.(that is disgusting though!)

...when you've learned to write you fours so that they don't look like 9s to the Japanese.

...if you don't wonder that all Japanese believe their ancestors were samurai.

...when you've noticed a marked tendency to say 'this one' instead of 'this' when using the word as a noun.

...if you have problems differentiating between "ancestor" and "decendent"...

...when you "send" someone to the station (or "send" a person standing right next to you a gift).

...if you have adjusted to Japanese automatic doors, which are oh-so-subtly different from the ones back home. (I must admit, two weeks ago I have been standing in front of a door at least five seconds before someone came and opened it for me!!! Does that still exist, doors that don’t open by themselves?)

...when you visit your home and when trying to enter your bedroom, you first try to slide the door open, then pull, then just before you yell from frustration, you realize you gotta push. (with this as a consequence)

...you get into the elevator and immediately push the "close door" button. (to avoid having other people waiting for you)

...you get disgusted when a "foreigner" tosses his business card on the table to you.(that is aweful!)

...you return home and find it odd that there is no speaker blaring music for you when the pedestrian crossing signal is 'walk.'

...when you pronounce words like "mix" as having three syllibles.

....when, on a cloudy day you open up your umbrella because everyone else has, even though you have not felt a drop of rain.

...when you "drink" pills.(instead of having them)

...you start to believe that "foreigner" is an adequate physical description, nationality or ethnotype. (is it not?)

...you see a trip to your local karaoke booth place as a 'complete night
out' (dinner, drinks, entertainment) (It is!!! Believe you me!).

... You instinctively know the opening hours of all ATMs in your area. (you got to!)

... You instinctively know to take out enough cash on a Friday to last the
weekend, because of those tricky weekend ATM opening hours.

... When you get back home and wave down a taxi and stand in front of the rear door waiting for it to open. (doors open automatically!! I tell you!)

And one of my own experiences of this week... when your friends tell you to stop saying that you dont wanna cause any trouble for them, and stop apologizing for the bother (of having to take care of me, as I am sick! waaahhh!), and when you colleagues tell you to stop being so Japanese... there is no need for it!!! And they are right...!

After a too busy week, and leading a working life too much like a Japanese, I have come to admit I am not and should not want to be, because this is the consequence... having a fewer lying in bed...! Good that it gives me some time to think things over and get back to myself!

Further, there is really no need to worry, everybody (Nichirangakkai, Dutch friends, colleagues, Japanese friends) are calling me every day to check if I am doing alright and need anything! Will be better in just a bit!!!

Kisses x x x Kilu

I love my work !!! Dutch Japenglish....

2008-06-13T23:06:00.004+09:00

I am dead tired (whats new...?!?!?!), but I am so HAPPY! Since the last two weeks I really have the feeling I am back to work again! From the moment I entered my new busho (department), my instructor had faith in me and my capabilities and put me straight to work. I had never had to ask for work, I am enrolled in two projects, and even when he was on business trip for two weeks he made sure I was kept quite busy. I am so happy I can participate in discussions, my opinion is asked and I can do my share of work and thinking.

Although I am still making my slides in English, the rest of the discussions of one project are completely in Japanese. I get so incredible much support from my colleagues, they help me with everything and bring their dictionary so they can explain everything the best they can. They even translate my slides so they can present them to the client (which I feel really bad about, because I give them so much work)!! It is such a relief to work with such cooperative, open people!! I am aware of the fact that my current experience is the complete opposite from what I described I felt during the kenshuu with the newcomers. I am so happy about it, and I am just so thankful that I received the chance to practice my Japanese during the kenshuu, so that I am now capable of fully participating at work. Everything serves for something! Moreover, I have not laughed so much at my work since the last two weeks, as my direct colleagues of the other project keep on making jokes during meetings, about Japan, Holland and Europe. It is extremely funny!!!

The consequence of me liking my job is that I am now working some 10 to 12 hours a day, which would be OK in Dutch/English, but combining those two with Japanese is sometimes a challenge. During one discussion this week, even some Dutch words came out of my mouth without me noticing, like I start my sentence with "bijvoorbeeld", or make English structure that completely resembles to the Japanese way of talking. The best thing is, it all doesn't matter, and everybody just takes me as I am. I have the feeling it is OK to be that elephant walking around in the porcelain filled closet, and nobody really minds if I break a cup here or there!! Finally I am so used to everything, I am at home in Tokyo WITH the Japanese... I DONT WANNA GO HOME!!! I wish I could stay a little longer, I have the feeling I am just getting started!!! My best friend has been telling this to me from the beginning, whatever happens, she said, in July you don't wanna come back! And she is right, just like coming from Peru, I will be in a bad mood having to get on that plane...

I am so tired now, I even skipped a night Roppongi, no going out for me, no Holland-France at 4am for me. I have decided it is better to get some extra sleep and then will go try some surfing again tomorrow in Chiba. Get some exercise, some color on that still white looking face, get out there in the sunshine! Looking forward!

Beso,

Kilu (my new nickname in Japanese)

PS Nobody worry, I will be there the 31st of July to enclose you in my arms and hug and squeeze you so much you will wish I would have stayed in Japan....

Anna-chan in Tokyo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2008-06-07T11:40:00.001+09:00

First evening, Anna is here !!! and joins dinner with my colleagues!
We end up in the Karaoke bar!!!
Together we dance and sing the night away!! Shibuya !!!
Friday night - Shibuya, Kaikaya!

Harumi and Odaiba !!

2008-06-04T17:00:00.004+09:00

Ik in mijn keuken... (dit komt bijna nooit voor.....)Lunch bij bakker Paul (Tokyo, Yaesu side)

Op de fiets, op de achtergrond het eiland waar mijn huis woont...

Odaiba beach, kwartiertje fietsen, op de achtergrond... Rainbow bridge babe!!

Do I need to explain why I LOVE this place...?

Lots of love and kisses and new stories shortly...

Kir (kiru)

Sieds in Tokyo!!!

2008-05-31T16:23:00.007+09:00

Arriving in Tokyo, drinks and cigarettes on my balcony

Roppingi Hills (Lopingi Hiluzu)
Mori Tower view
Out in Shibuya!!!
Looks like somebody tries to combine a lack of sleep with a lots of beers and sake....
Lots of fun though...
(Sieds you still look lovely;))
Breakfast with hamburgers...
Akihabara babe!

Omotesando !

Shin-nyuu-shain! A new tribe, a new life, a new experience...

2008-05-18T12:40:00.005+09:00

Everybody knows the feeling of literally falling asleep. You are lying in bed and on the edge of falling asleep, you dream you fall and you wake up while your body makes a little uncontrolled shock. This time, however, after the little shock, I look up and find myself in a kaigishitsu (a meeting room) surrounded by Japanese people. I go back to sit up straight and put on my “I-am-so-listening-to-your-presentation” – look, somehow this works. When you understand some 50 up to 60 percent (up from 40% this is kind of an achievement, at least I try to see the progress) of what somebody is talking about, I can tell you, it is extremely hard to stay awake. During the interview my group members are conducting, I try moving my feet under the table. I think if I keep on moving some part of my body it must help my eyes to stay open. It is ridiculous. I can now tell you from experience, it is not working.

I am participating in a training with the shin-nyuu-shain at my work. Shin-nyuu-shain, or shinjin literally “new employees entering” (the company) or new people, are just graduates starting all together at the 1st of April their new job, or for most them, their first job. They are 23 or 24 and entering their new tribe, their company, who they are most probably going to serve for their rest of their lives. It is their new family. They have to win the loyalty of their sempai. Sempai are those who started earlier then you in the company, and as you would understand, every year has a batch, you are stuck with your year for the rest of your employment. Employee batch 2008. That is were I am stuck with. For two weeks. In a training. I learn conducting interviews, I learn giving a presentation, I learn how to do marketing research. I am solving a case in a group of six. All in Japanese. The various trainings I sit through, not that I understand a whole lot, but I guess it is doable. The group work is killing. I have never in my life seen a group evolving the way I have seen this week, it is incredible. And I must admit, from a cultural perspective, it is probably one of the most interesting phenomenons I have ever seen in my life. I have solved quite some consulting cases in a group (during all the business courses I took in my last year of graduating) and it is the complete opposite from what I have been doing this week.

It basically becomes down to this. We have been having meetings. Now I know that Dutch people are fond of have meetings as well, but this is really nothing compared to that, this is meetings only (kaigi bakari)! The group discusses the time schedule of today (by the way quite awkward that I do see every day a schedule for the day, but never seen a schedule for the whole week until the deadline next Tuesday). The group discusses the story line. The group discusses all the material they found in the half an hour that we gave each other away from each other to collect evidence for our story. The group discusses the story line (again). The group has a meeting with their sempai. The group discusses the results of the conversation with their sempai. The group discusses the story line again. The end product of this group work, however, is a presentation for the sempai. Upcoming Tuesday. Weirdest thing being, I have not seen a single power point slide yet. Now I know that having a clear story line is very important, but it usually helps to make your slides to see if the story makes sense. I know this from experience. I have done this before. My group members do not know this. They don’t ask. My curiosity for what kind of presentation we are going to give our sempai upcoming Tuesday, was growing every day, by now every hour. During one of the interviews with the sempai I wake up of what was almost going to be an embarrassing moment of falling asleep. Do I really hear one of my group members asking how the company we are doing the project on is conceived in Europe? Hello!!! I am sitting here!!! I am Dutch! Holland? Ever heard of? It is in Europe? Hello! More shocking is the answer: “Honto-ni chigau”. Is our sempai telling us that Europe is really different? Hell-yeah it is, I am thinking. I almost fall off my chair when my group member leaves it with this answer and continues the interview on another track. I am left sitting there. Eyes wide open and awake. I want to go back to sleep.

Things only differ due to expectations. Upfront I felt I did not expect much. I felt open minded. Now I know I did expected that people from my generation, just graduated from university, would speak English. Shocking to tell; they don’t. At least not all of them, maybe 4 out of 40 people. And even they do not speak up, afraid to make mistakes. Writing is splendid however, no mistakes, having the ability to take the time makes emails perfect! Until now my reference point of a 23 year old Japanese has been a good friend of mine. He is extremely open-minded, eager to learn, interested in other cultures, and ask me all he can think of regarding Europe, and the countries and culture he feels I know more about then he does. I do the same to him. It is a great learning process we both enjoy to the utmost. I guess I now even more realized what an exception he is. He does want to learn from me, something I have not seen yet during this week. He speaks Japanese, English and Spanish with me. And although his language skills are not perfect, he is not afraid of making mistakes. He is not afraid of learning by doing, a concept I feel many have not even heard before. You learn by reading books. You learn by doing the same thing over and over again, not until you are confident enough, but until you know you can do it, 200 percent sure.

Having to go through something like this experience is sometimes killing. The most important thing, however, is to get on to that helicopter once in a while, you preferably take that ride every day. From a helicopter point of view, you see everything bright and clear. You know why you are doing this. Was it not me who screamed out loud to everybody, that I love culture shocks, that I love to learn from other countries, and that Japan for me is so great for that because the Japanese are so different? Yes that was me!!! And this is why I love what I am doing right now. At least I am trying. The weekend helps a lot with getting a little bit of distance from what you are doing. Thinking things over. Getting some extra sleep. I took two of the Korean employees from the training out into town. To the Sanja matsuri, one of the biggest traditional festivals in Japan. If I cannot go to Korea, let the Korea come to me. We laugh with each other about our experiences of this week. And I receive a chance from them to see things from a Korean perspective. Great! Yet another cultural experience to add…
Love,

Kirsten

Finally... pictures from April...!

2008-04-30T20:42:00.006+09:00

Tokyo Tower

With Joaquin out in Tokyo

Tokyo Dome, Yakyuu game (baseball)

On the way to concert of Jack Johnson in Yokohama!!!

Reading in the parc...

Flower viewing with Maru-chan!

Omotesando Shopping street.

Out with colleagues in Asakusa.

Ghibli Museum in Mitaka.

Earthquakes, Seikatsu, Birthdays and Playing around

2008-04-19T10:35:00.002+09:00

I wake up in the middle of the night because my bed is moving, my house trembles, and I hear the glass windows shaking. I think, “ha, an earthquake” and realize how tired I am, “I will go back to sleep, and if it’s a serious earthquake, it will wake me up again”, are the only thoughts I have as I tumble back to sleep.

Two weeks ago, I stayed home at a Friday night (yes, I know this sounds weird, to me too, it is the last night I remember being at home for the evening instead of just coming home to sleep, shower and change clothes), took a bath and around seven heard somebody at the door. A lot of noise came through the hallway and I thought “take it easy, who is at my door, and can you not just ring the doorbell?” when I realized that not only the door was moving, but also the walls and the rest of my house, while little waves appeared in my bathtub. My first earthquake experience. Hajimete desu, or “the first time”, and immediately I have a shita koto ga aru or “I have done, experienced something”. Which is probably the first thing that popped up, where after a “Good, I am thinking in Japanese”-feeling crosses my mind.

Sitting in that bathtub, though, I realize that there was little I could do. I quickly eliminated my options at hand down to two. One, I can get out of the bathtub, dry myself, stick my head under my desk in the living room (which I am taught to do), get dressed (or in another, more logical order) and optionally scream so now and then “help”, “earthquake” or “kaji” (fire, which hasn’t started yet, but still, it indicates disaster, right?). Option two is, remain sitting in the bathtub, scream nothing and keep on reading about the fifteen-year-old “Kafka on the shore”, who just got lost in a deep, dark mori, (woods) on the mountain, to see if he can find his way back to where he belongs. I opt for the latter and in a few days finish the book.

A bomb is not all that special if it can rain down on you any other day, I know that the Israelis themselves are the best to make jokes about self suicides attacks; little is enough, and no reason not to smile, sufficient I have seen across South America; and perspectives on life change all the time. You adapt to your environment. What is normal to you now, is not normal for you tomorrow, on the other side of the world. That is what makes living in another country interesting. With all the technology around us, a globalized world, familiar food chains around every corner, you sometimes easily forget you are in Japan, this is your seikatsu now, your normal, everyday life. If it wasn’t for the oh so many Japanese that live here, and oh so few foreigners, Tokyo could soon be any where around the world, but in Japan.

However, sleeping quietly through an earthquake; reading a mail without pop jisho (dictionary that pops up words for you when moving with you mouse over words, while the original (Japanese) text remains the same); keep on repeating to your mom she has to come to Tokyo Eki, not realizing the poor thing obviously doesn’t understand you, as you say eki instead of “station”; searching for my hashi (chopsticks) when eating in an Italian restaurant; finding it hard to type messages in alphabet, as really the hiragana writing style is way easier to do on your keitai (mobile phone); and consistently bowing, even while I shake hands when meeting another foreigner, are moments that make me realize I have somehow adapted to my new environment.

And next to the fact that I love to see my friends and family, this is exactly what you realize when they are visiting. They come with their unspoiled Dutch (or foreign) view and make you realize the things that surprise and shock them, have become normal to you. You not only receive the chance to experience everything that is normal now, all over again from a wow-how-fantastic-is-this perspective, you get the chance to be a tourist in your own city again, but above all realize that you do speak Japanese and read more kanji (Chinese character) than the average Dutch person (this being an humble, polite understatement). You realize that you might not understand everything, but in any particular situation do know how to behave, do know what is right and have learned to say sorry in many different appropriate ways instead and next to saying elaborated thank you’ s.

You know when you enter a restaurant that next to the counter nin for persons, there is a more polite counter mei (to understand this, you have to realize that in the Japanese language there are many counters for different objects, in other words, one book, two books, three books, are complete different words from 1,2,3, persons, trees, pens, cups, papers, dishes, days, computers, etc, and yes if you understand it correctly you could say that you can count in many different ways in Japanese), and that after the question with how many people you are, the question if you smoke comes. It doesn’t matter anymore that you are not able to repeat this question literally, you settled down with the fact that you know how to answer properly and politely.

The past two weeks have been crazy, and today it has really started to bother me that my wallet is really really empty and my email inbox is really really full. Next to the rain pouring down on me, this could be the reason why I am a bit moody today. Jitsu wa (the reality is), I have been playing around too much (literally translated from Japanese to English, as in the former the verb playing can be used to go drinking, visit a museum, have a good time, etc. Please refer to the listing below and you will grasp its meaning); I have been out too much and had an awful lot of fun!

I have been in the Ghibli Museum (from the famous anime movies), out in Shibuya, picked up visitors from Narita, showed them around Meiji shrine, Yoyogi park, again Shibuya, been to the Mori Museum, to the Oedo onsen (hot springs) in Odaiba (South Tokyo), been to Akihabara (electronic town), Nakameguro (West Tokyo), to my favorite Izakaya (drinking place where you eat, or restaurant where you drink, whichever you like best) to celebrate my birthday, to Mauro’s Winebar in Shimbashi (my new Italian friend) to celebrate my birthday (with my JPP friends), to Jack Johnson in Yokohama (to celebrate my Birthday, again), eat in Chinatown, go to the movies in Roppongi, to a Manzai (comedian) show in Shinjuku, play soccer in Shinagawa, tonight go on a welcome and goodbye party with my work (this needs explanation as each year many people change bu (department), get a new seki (place or desk in the office lay out), and this all because by the words of one of my colleagues “Japanese like change”), tomorrow go to Kamakura (city outside Tokyo, to visit lots of temples and a big Buddha) and Sunday go drink tea (in a ceremony, note that this is more than just drinking a cup of tea alone, and lasts a couple of hours) in Sankeien in Yokohama (city next to Tokyo).

This in a time span of two weeks (not to forget twice four days of working and two days of Japanese classes); it is crazy, and a lot of fun!!!! Thus, my excuses and thanks once again for all your postcards, emails, calls and sweet messages on my birthday last week, you guys are great!!!! I had more than three times a total blast celebrating it and looking forward to do it all over again, when coming back to Holland (and for sure find many other good reason to party with you). I will reply and call soon…. I think of you all! In the mean while, please enjoy the stories on the blog, and with another promise to upload some picture soon, I send you a lot of Love, Kirsten.

Okinawa, Hanami, and Japanese friends

2008-04-13T12:54:00.006+09:00

"Nobody just hangs around in Tokyo. If you are not Paris Hilton, it will become soon quite expensive to just hang around here. So what are you doing here?". I am at hanami party (flowerviewing) and talking with other gaijin (foreigner). There are many tonight and although it does not necessarily has my first choice, it is nice to discuss living in Tokyo with other nationalities from around the world. I explain the program in which I am participating for yet another time and get like always interesting remarks and wows back. Yeah, it is indeed amazing. Nobody thinks something like this exists, myself included until I came across it a year ago.

I love living in Tokyo, and maybe the reason it gets easily expensive is not necessarily because life has to be, but more because there is so much to do here. There is fun, entertainment, interesting people, dancing, karaoke, delicious food from all over the world, and new friends around every corner, every building, metro and park. Just get out there, enter a small hallway take the elevator to your chosen floor for entertainment and at the same time the elevator opens up, for sure a whole new world will open for you. This is what I love about Tokyo.

Exhausted I come back from my business trip from Okinawa and Minami Daitooshima (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E
5%8D%97%E5%A4%A7%E6%9D%B1%E5%B3%B6&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=
32.66491,82.265625&ie=UTF8&ll=25.870152,131.227205&spn=0.009055,0.020084&z=16&
iwloc=addr --> copy paste the broken link in four times). It has been an amazing experience. I learned a lot, seen a lot, talked a lot and flew a lot. I have been in places where most Japanese have never been and probably will never come. The people look different, I look different. I am a real gaijin (foreigner, white person) here, moreover a giant. "May I take a picture with that tall girl?"

We come for the sugar cane on the island and for sure see a whole lot of it. I try to get to know as much as possible about everything, but whenever we go deeper into the subject, my Japanese is not good enough. For sure, it is a disappointment. Often I get confronted with how much I do NOT know, not with how much I do know. That remains little. It seems. Surviving in business Japanese is something completely different than ordering food, a beer and asking the way to your next destination!

I spend my interview with my freshly received meishi (business card) in front of me. The one with the name with the kanji (chinese character) I do not know the yomikata (reading) from on the left, the other from which I cannot read the kanji on the right. On the right is sitting the sachoo (the boss), I know, that is not hard to distinguish. And in case of doubt, it is written on his meishi, so far I do get. He is talking. The other not. My shempai (older person, the one above you, manager) is talking. I am not. After an hour the conversation loosens up. Now it is my turn. Hey, pay attention, that is a remark about my height. We are making conversation. A few sentences are interchanged. Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu (please be kind to me). And we are off to the local government. Same story. Conversation ends in windmills. Happy I recognize the word. That's the least I can do.

We drive back to the "airport". 30 meters squared. Another gaijin (foreigner) is walking around. He hasn't seen a gaijin in 7 months, I am a point of interest for him too. Of course he wants to talk, but is shy. The rest of the island people watch, one screams we are going to get married. Because we are both white and from far a away. I am happy to get back on the small plane to Naha (capital of Okinawa islands). The stewardesses are great. Nothing we much understand from each other in a few minutes, but one thing she does has noticed. That girl is big!! Once I enter both the small plane to Naha, and later that night the plane back to Tokyo, I am greatly thankful, I have seats without a neighbor in front of me. After three days together, my colleague and I are happy to tell each other good weekend and get on our different metros. He has been a great companion, but we both now that after three days, six meals, and quite some time on airports, airplane, metros, and cars, all the conversations about food, family, hobbies and sugar cane have been held and there is nothing more between us to discuss... in Japanese we have reached my limit of topics that I can talk about. That is simply it.

On the way back in the metro, I make new friends and go out to have dinner. The next Wednesday after class, when I am sitting in the Hibiya park under a sakura tree (cherry tree) to eat a hambaagaa (hamburger), I meet a couple; the boy tells me he is a manzai performer (comedian). He invites me to his show and I gladly accept. I talk with him and his girlfriend for more than an hour and promise him to go to his show. At work, I ask my female colleagues if they know the comedian’s group, and they tell me they are quite famous. The fourteen I will go watch their show and laugh, even if I do not understand the jokes (I think I will manage just fine).

The other day I sit at the Starbucks and talk with a girl, who is trying to find a job, she wears the usual white blouse, black suit, and a black bag. She laughs about it herself and her outfit. I love to talk to different people. Also at my work, I try to make friends with both the consultants (usually male) and the girls (often supporting staff, sometimes even part-time with temporary contract). I like to view the society from different angles through other people’s eyes.

Since I start my internship, I make more easy contact with the Japanese and positive surprisingly discovered that the Japanese are quite open, sometimes even direct. They may come across closed at first, but the contrary is true. They easy start a conversation, and once talking, ask you questions you would most probably not ask someone at first in your own language. What is your favorite food? Where were you born? How old are you? Moreover, they tell you things without asking, I have traveled to Slovenia or I hold the Japanese record in swimming under water. My hobby is baking bread. I love Macchu Picchu. I have been to Groningen. They know how to make a conversation, and put the effort. Of course, you also experience the opposite, people who do not want to help you, or are confused about how much you understand and thus remain silent, afraid of speaking English and Japanese. In general though, the experience is positive.

One night, after having slept very badly I sit in the bus to work. I-pod on, bag on my lap, hands on my knees, Japanese-like I do not want to bother anybody; my music is not to loud, there is space for somebody to sit next to me. Not that they easily do though. Sometimes I thought that was because I am foreigner. It is not. It is because they do not want to cause meewaku. If they sit next to me, and another chair is free, they move there, so I have the two seats for myself again. A lady enters the bus and I give her a smile. She sits next to me. I take my I-pod off. Once another spot is free, see moves there. She searches in her bag and hands me a postcard with a animal that to me looks like an Aries, on it. She explains that this scenery comes from Nara and is very important for the Japanese history. I am aware of this, because this animal with horns was regarded a messenger back in the days, and I have seen it walking around the temples in Nara. She tells me, it is just a small present, but she really wanted to give me something. “Welcome to Japan”, she tell me. My eyes water when I tell her she made my day, if not the whole week, I am thinking. People like this are little angels send to you at times you have it most difficult.

At my internship I work hard to get things done before Wednesday. Thursday and Friday I am not able to do anything, as Michiel and I join the shinnyuushain (new, just graduated employees) in a training in Yokohama (near Tokyo, famous for its the biggest Chinese neigborhood in the world). We listen to a lot of presentations and understand half of it. Reading kanji (Chinese character), trying to get the meaning of words, it is a busy and tiring task. I notice that I sometimes know the meaning of a word, sometimes the yomikata (reading), and sometimes I just recognize the kanji, but neither know how to pronounce it, nor what it means. Guessing and filling in the blanks is a job on its own, and we have become experts in it. Of course, sometimes you get away with it, and occasionally you are caught. There is nothing we can do about it.

Monday afternoon we join the meeting where the whole consulting division is present. More than 300 people listen to the sachoo (boss, CEO) and even the one above him. I fight against falling asleep. I got pretty good at it. This, too, require practice. And there is certainly no shortage of meetings. For the first time however, I do actually fall asleep. I am ashamed of myself. But I know, my colleagues are sleeping too. The difference being, they don’t fight against it, but give in immediately, wake up at the end of the presentation clapping their hands like nothing happened.

Dear all,

My email inbox is flooded with emails, facebook messages, my room is filled with presents and sweet letters, blog messages, all the calls and messages on my phone from all around the world, what can I say, I had an amazing birthday!!! It was the best!! Thank you so much!!! Next story on the blog.... Birthday stories!!!

Love you all x x x

Home sweet home

2008-03-29T10:39:00.006+09:00

Finally.... I managed to make my "home video" smaller, with the help of Bangumichan!!

So now featuring.... My new home in Tokyo!!!!

Enjoy! (and don't forget to take off your shoes when entering!) x x

For more videos, please notice the movies at the left of the page (below my profile picture), which are links to my home videos in Japan! (Gewoon met de muis erover heen gaan en dan verschijnt er vanzelf een handje, klikken op de linkmuis, misschien heeft t wat tijd nodig om te laden en dan zie je de video.)

To see them all published on Youtube, please visit : http://www.youtube.com/kirmovies I am currently loading up loads of movies, so check it out!

Love from Tokyo covered in Pink.............

Clubbing, Yoyogi, Karma, Nomura, and Okinawa

2008-03-18T21:09:00.005+09:00

It was lovely weather Sunday, what a perfect day to wake up like that and go to the park. I had my second visitor last weekend. This time from Peru. Quit a trip, as apparently you cannot fly straight over the ocean but have to come through either Europe, America, or Australia would only be an option through Chile. Funny, that still so many Japanese ended up in Peru and Brazil.

Saturday we went to Tokyo Tower, Ginza, and Kabuki during the day and in the night to Shibuya. A perfect way of showing both the traditional and modern Japan in one day. Sunday we went to the Yoyogi park and visited the Meji shrine, Omote Sando and Harajuku brigde. It is a shame to tell that for me the first two were for the first time as well. I do not know if I have any good excuse for this any more (of being busy or so much sick!). It was amazing. I should have gone before! It is so nice to see so many different Japanese people. In the park everybody is dancing, acting, playing music, the drum, frizbeeing, playing and lying around. The atmosphere is really good. The best option for a lazy Sunday.

I must say I am really starting to feel at home in Tokyo since I started working and moved away from the hotel. I am so happy that I am finally socializing with the Japanese. Not that I did not grew extremely fond at the companionship of my JPP buddies, but in the end of the day I am here to get to know the Japanese and their culture and not to talk all day Dutch with the other students (although I must say that I have never learned so much Dutch sayings and words since high school, you can really notice I did not spend much of my university time with Dutch people).

At Harajuku bridge I received a free hug and a "Welcome to Japan" from a boy who was giving hugs away. Although it is so simple, and maybe some people do not understand the reason of these people doing this, it does circumscribe my general feeling of the past two weeks and my experience at my internship. The people at my work are great. I have had three different welcome dinners, next to a karaoke night out after the international forum where I helped the first week and a business trip in prospect! My mentor, who keeps a good eye on me (even while having been away a great deal of the time) and my Bucho has been really taking good care of me. I have not had lunch twice with the same person, which means I have had lunch with around 20 different people already (I keep a record of all their names and interests). I cannot say otherwise than that I am really received more than well at Nomura.

Looking forward to Japanese class and leaving to Okinawa tomorrow! What an unexpected adventure! I still cannot believe it is really happening! I am definitely starting to believe that somewhere out there karma does exist.

Love from Tokyo,

Kirsten

Concussion, Kansai, Kochidoki, Kenshuu

2008-03-06T20:00:00.005+09:00

Concussion

After being recovered from all the illnesses in the first weeks of my stay in Tokyo, we finally went on the long planned ski-trip! It was amazing. The first day for the first time on the snowboard was great. I really enjoyed the sport and the teacher (Brandon) was kind and helping us very well with trying to get up and slowing sliding down. Unfortunately, I fell the next day when Brandon tried to teach me how to turn. Instead of letting the board do the work, I tried to go left and face the mountain while the board was not ready. This made me fall a couple of times before, but as we all know that is part of being for the first time on the board, so I kept insisting. And thus forced it. Both Brandon and Yoost saw me fall and came up the mountain immediately. My goggles were broken and thus I worried about getting new ones and spending once again four thousand yen. I boarded down hills and we went to sit in the nearest “curry” place. There I collapsed, and could only hang on Yoost's or Margreet’s shoulder with my eyes closed. I guess this is when they decided that I had to go the doctor and the next thing I knew I was sitting in the car to yet another hospital visit.

The first two months have not been easy, and the only thing I wish was that I could stop dragging on about yet another illness. The truth is I have no energy, backup, or resistance in any kind to fall back to. Last weekend I went shopping for new things for in my new home and after an hour I was literally exhausted and had to sit down. I guess it is a general lack of sleep and not having enough time to truly come to oneself. Further, I really miss contact with Holland and do apologize to a lot of my best friends not letting anything hear from me, as I feel I should. The only thing I can say to myself is that I barely have time to relax and be with myself and do nothing for a bit, that a phone call with home can already be too much, how weird that might sound.

Kansai

After another check up in the hospital in Tokyo (which was insisted on by the NRG, as a "sensei" (doctor) or in other words somebody with the authority to say "you are healhy enough to travel" had to give the green light) I was found seventy percent OK. I could join the rest of the students on the Kansai trip! It is funny how the Japanese know exactly how many percentage something is. Even more funny is that for several “percentages” they have grammatical constructions. Kamoshirenai. Shiyoo to omoimasu. Tsumori desu. Each one indicating how sure one is that something is going to happen or that you are going to do something. It is a delicate matter...

I was happy to go and now looking back to it, I did have a great time. Although during the trip I had difficulties enjoying the moment. This particularly, because still was so tired and the schedule was so overly full. And although there was time to rest, very little is enough if you have a general lack of sleep. I am beginning to understand how hard really the Japanese work and how they got the word "dead due to overtime” (karoshi) in their vocabulary. In Leiden we had already been joking, if Nihongo is like a train (the grammatical construction of needing a verb in the end of each sentence), then the JPP is like a shinkansen (bullettrain) or rollercoaster! I am learning that it is important to take your rest and come to oneself when the time is given, although it sometimes is so little. Moving last weekend to my new apaato (apartment) has definitely helped an amazing lot to be able to do so.

Kachidoki

Kachidoki. Meaning "Victory", "triumph". Harumi. or Clear sea, Open, Blue sky.

Indeed there is no better way to describe this place. I love my new home!!! I looked so much forward to moving last Saturday and for sure the feeling I got was everything I had hoped for. I finally have the feeling I am living in Tokyo. With moving and the start of the kenshuu (internship), I have the feeling I get the chance to make a new start and I am definitely grabbing it. I realize how lucky we are moving to this place, it is truly a unique opportunity to live here. It is totally Japanese style. Even most Japanese dont live like this anymore. After hitting my head a billion times the first day, I am now getting used to the low doorways and only do it when I wake up in the morning and not yet awake. The futon (bed on the ground that is put in the closet after waking up) sleeps perfect. The ofuro (bath top) is great. It is sometimes a bit cold (as it has no heating, nor airco), but that also makes it cosy. Now I have also Internet, I can start replying to the overload of emails of the last month and regaining contact with Holland and the rest of the world....

Kenshuu

The internship is so far so good. I am enjoying it. I am happy that I am back to what I like. I mean, studying Japanese has been a great challenge, but after half a year, eight hours a day, every single day Japanese, you sometimes forget what you did it for. Entering an open office space of more than 100 meters squared, sitting in between all Japanese at your desk is definitely a weird, but amazing. It is so extremely quiet that the first day I was afraid to get up to get a glass of water or go to the toilet. The people are extremely friendly and my department organized a welcome party for me on my first day. That was great. Sitting at the dining table with 10 other Japanese, including my “buchoo” (boss, head of the department, have to be in the office before he does, and leave after he does), "sempai" (higher in rank, older, in Dutch "meerdere") drinking, eating, laughing, and the occasion is you. That is special. The Japanese know as nobody else how to welcome someone, how to prepare everything tip top. I have never seen anything alike. Today and tomorrow I am helping at an international event on global warming after reading myself into the subject in my first days. I had a perfect day and looking forward to go again tomorrow. We will end the event by going to Karaoke with some Italian, Scotts, German, my Buchoo, sempai and me. Looking forward…

Big kiss from the girl who still has black eyes, a white spooky (or "angelwhite" looking) face, with a big smile on it.

Kirsten

Snowboard, Nagano, Consussion

2008-02-20T10:30:00.002+09:00

Yappari in het Japans betekent... zo als verwacht, as expected....

Ik heb zaterdag een hele mooie dag gehad op de bergen vlakbij Nagano en ben met veel plezier het oefenweide vlakbij olimipische pistes afgedaald op het snowboard! Het was geweldig! Anders dan het surf board glijd je gewoon naar beneden en staan je voeten vast, dus ik had al gauw de eerste bewegingen te pakken! We hebben echt heel veel lol samen gehad.

Nu dan het hard hoofd en het "yappari" verhaal....

In heb mijn board leraar waarschijnlijk meegesleept in mijn enthousiasme en overmoedigheid en toen hij me de tweede dag een bochtje maken wou leren ben ik niet zo prettig op mijn hoofd terecht gekomen. Recht met mijn snufferd in de sneeuw... ik denk dat ik een gen mis die het signaaltje uitzend "steek je handen uit als je richting de grond gaat met je hoofd"...

Maar geen zorgen, er is een CT-scan gemaakt en alles zit nog op zijn plaats! Margreet is zondag met me naar de kliniek geweest en voor me gezorgd op de weg terug naar huis (Tokyo). Verder is Rene de hele tijd bij me geweest. Hij heeft me vancht om het uur wakker gemaakt en is vandaag de hele dag bij me gebleven, niet naar school gegaan, en deze zieke doch altijd hongerige meid verzorgt. Ik heb bijna de hele dag geslapen.

Gister is Sjors bij me gebleven en smiddags zijn we nogmaals naar het ziekenhuis gegaan. Nog een keer alles gechecked en het zat nog op zijn plaats. Ik ga nu al weer met sprongen vooruit, dus

GEEN ZORGEN MAKEN, T KOMT ALLEMAAL GOED!!!

For the English speakers, I am sorry to write this quickly in Dutch... I had a concussion last Sunday during snowboarding, but am already recovering quickly.

Sorry for not replying emails for a while, as you might understand it is still not very good to spent too much time at the computer... But don't worry about me, I am more than good taken care of!

Big kisses x x x

New home, sunshine, temples and tunas

2008-02-12T22:28:00.012+09:00

Last weekend was great, and it is only getting better. I can finally enjoy everything to the utmost without having to worry to much. Unfortunately I had to cancel my plans I made for last weekend as the time of my appointment with Yanagisawasan about moving and the kenshuusaki (Internship) changed from 1800 to 1300, meaning I couldnt make my weekend trip as I had to be back already early. I must say it did not bother as much as some thought. I had wanted to go for the weekend to Kamakura, but that might be better anyways when it is warmer outside. So instead I enjoyed the city, in which there is still plenty to see!

Friday went properly out for the first time with a small group and danced together with the Japanese, which entails as much as dancing on the same dance floor, and next to yelling subarashii (cool, great) so now and then, everybody leaves each other alone, funny to experience the Japanese culture in the disco. Trying to have a conversation is a whole other dimension, as the plain form used when going out and among friends, sounds like a complete different language than we learn in class. If I want to master this in the future, there is only one thing I can do... go out... a lot!!!!!!!!

Saturday went to Omotesando with Oneesan (decided to use our "ingroup" for my fellow JPP students, so nobody would be offended having his/her name displayed on the world wide web....) and we had just a relaxed day together, ending in going to the cinema in Shibuya. A perfect Saturday. I have never heard such a silence before in the cinema (same silence I was socked by at the beginning in the metro). People just do not laugh, talk, nor wishper while watching a movie, which might sounds logical, but is not once you experience how it is when people do not!

Sunday had my appointment with Yanagisawasan, and got more information on the place where I am going to live and the internship. As she had everything prepared, explained and printed on paper in detail; how I had to go to my new apartment, go from home to work,which bus and metro would be easiest, including the minutes how long it takes to get from one to the next (even the walking parts in minutes, the Japanese leave nothing, really nothing unprepared...) I decided to make the trip immediately afterwards. It was perfect weather and the neighborhood is a beautiful spot. As it is near the dock where the boats leave to Taiwan, China, etc, and the area is pretty new, spacious and with several bridges, so it reminded me a little bit of Rotterdam and I couldnt help feeling at home already! I realize how lucky I am going to live in this place, the location is perfect. I took the bus to Tokyo eki (eki=station, this is the neighborhood where I am gonna work, called Marunouchi) and it was only 30 minutes all together with walking, looking for the building, etcetera, so nothing to complain about!! Made my homework in a cafe in Ginza, and thus I had the Monday to enjoy another part of the city I hadn't been yet....

....Asakusa, where I went together with Shachoo to explore the famous Sensoo ji temple .

Trying my luck at the temple... where it is custom to buy a fortune telling note... and like the other times before.. there is only bad luck in prospect... in life, health, love, work and traveling is also advised against... FORTUNATELY... if you dont agree with the outcome, you hang your fortune note and leave it for what is.... hmmmm... I wonder what they say about putting it on a web blog...

We ended the day at the 22nd floor in the building on the other side of the river enjoying the sun setting over this beautiful city. It was perfect! whaaaaaa, I love sunsets...

Looking forward to weekend! Gonna trade my surfboard in order to learn how to snowboard!! In order to most probably find out that I am as bad in the snow on the board as I am on the waves.. :)

So here some dates in order to keep track of me. So please do not to worry when I do not write on the blog too much... it is gonna be a crazy time..! Got the schedule today and in the next coming three weeks, gonna snowboard, make the sankyuu (name of the big Japanese test, next Thursday), pack all the stuff I already collected after living here for two months, go to Kyoto, a trip during which we approximately get up between 4.00 oclock and 7.00 in the morning, get back, sleep two days in the hotel here (Ajia kaikan), pack again, and move the last weekend, starting to work the Monday straight afterwards... I guess the the black below my eyes and my (angel, according to Japanese ideal) white face will not disappear for the next coming weeks... months...

Soooooooooo...........

Next Friday 15th gonna take the shinkansen to Nagano!!! Coming back Sunday late...
Thursday 21st big test time
Saturday 23th gonna be in the Kansei region for a week with my JPP tomodachies (fellow students), coming back the 28th.

Moving the 1st of March and starting to work the 3rd!!!!

Pic above: Shibuya the weekend before last by rain...

New address from the 1 of March onwards:
Shokuin Juutaku 405
Harumi 3-11-10
Chuuoo-ku
104-0053, Tokyo
Japan

house phone:
0081 3 3536 7067

Below some promised pictures of last week Wednesday visit to the Tsuiji fish market, where we went at 5.00 in the morning to see the tunas being sold.... It was the best experience ever, I loved it, seeing the big tuna sold in an old fashioned auction, to the smaller fish middleman, to the restaurants, to my plate of sushi just next to the market, the best sushi I have ever had!!!!! hmmmmmmmmmmmm mmm.......................

Three pic at the left: Tuna being sold on the market! Wow there are so many!

Pic to the left: This is no tuna....

Hmmm... to end with some good news... tomorrow we are gonna play soccer, revival of the Genki Henkie's !!! Our soccer team started up in Leiden start training in Tokyo!!! Finally after two months gonna do some sports again, before going extreme on the snowboard... :)

Big KISS and hug for all :)

X Kir

Weekly report: Tunahead, no more headaches and our sensei

2008-02-07T20:56:00.001+09:00

Dear all, next to my other messages, I will post a weekly report every Wednesday. This because we have to write a report about the happenings in Tokyo for the institute (JNI) and I thought it would be nice for you guys to read those as well, as you might get a better idea of my world reading it like being part of it... Below my report of last week. In case you want to read the (boring, sick) stories of the last two weeks, please scroll down for the first and second report...

Third week (this week)
Finally, I succeeded to achieve my objective of getting healthy! Last Saturday I joined the group to eat sushi at Suzikisan's "maguroya" (maguro mean tuna, the "ya" ending stands for shop, Suzuki is one of Tokyo best sushi chefs). Suzikisan made us a real party meal. He thought of everything. He even cooked us a head of the tuna (magaro no kama). There were cheese and salads on the table, the second course was sashimi, and afterwards came the sushi. We even had to order our favourite sushi and he went to make it for us. Now we thought we were really full, he came with fried shrimp heads and some other very strong tasting Japanese specialty, some kind of vegetable. In the end we couldn't take it any more! We were so full and ate so many to us strange tasting things. Of course out of politeness we ate everything. Especially the tuna head was hard to finish as it was such a distinct taste. It was great to see that all sixteen of us joined in trying to finish the plate completely and to not disappoint Suzikisan everybody swallowed without complaining. Drinking a bit of sake helped naturalize the taste. It was a great night, ending in going for a small drink in Roppongi (city district where lots of "foreigners" go out). I joined going to the bar and enjoyed the couple of hours with the others which up till now I had to miss out on several times. Evelien came up to me and said that everybody thought it was so great hearing me laugh again during dinner, that they had missed that, and were happy I joined that night. It is great that everybody is so open to each other and that, according to Evelien's words, such things are not left unsaid. I was grateful to receive such a sincere compliment from the others. Very smartly I did not drink alcohol and stayed on the cranberry alcohol free cocktails. For sure I have to stick to this a little bit longer, because also after last night (when we went to play some darts) I noticed this morning how bad I felt, only because I went to bed at 11.30. Not that late at all, but for sure not have any reserves yet, nor resistance, so will watch out carefully with my undertakings.

In class some things have changed after I had stayed at home for two days. The speed of the classes is definitely higher and we don't have to listen again and again to this overly too easy and boring tape as we had to do before. The sensei (teacher) had a talk with some of us during my absence and asked for feedback. This has definitely helped and I think a lot of things have change positively. Also, I have more faith in being able to get closer to the sensei, something I doubted before. At the beginning I felt a large cultural difference between the sensei and us, and felt we had difficulties understanding one another. Next to cultural differences, it was moreover due to the fact that the classes were really too easy for us at the first with the negative consequence that we not really acted interested and motivated during the classes. The sensei work very hard for us, and I think everybody realizes that. In Leiden we did have five sensei, and here in Tokyo they are coping with teaching us with just the three of them. I think the mutual respect for one another has grown in the first month and I definitely enjoy the classes more now that the level is somewhat higher.

Two more highlights of this week were the visit to the Tsukiji market, it was amazing!! And the visit to the Canon factory in Toride, which I also really enjoyed. The time flies here in Tokyo and exactly today one month ago we arrived in this overwhelming city of which I hope to see a lot more in the upcoming half a year that rests us. Looking forward.

Second week
In my weekly report of last week I made one resolution and that was to rest as much as possible and be totally healthy next week. Unfortunately I did not succeed. I left my window open during the night last Wednesday and got yet another flu... Thursday and Friday I went to bed at nine hoping to feel better. In an effort to be healthy, get some exercise (which I have not been making free time for since December) and be out of the city a little bit, I went to the ice skating event with four other JPP buddies (Japanese Prizewinars Programme, the program I follow this year) . It was amazing to be out of the city for the first time and see Fujisan up close. Unfortunately, it turned out not to have a positive effect on my general state of health and Sunday I spent all day in bed in the hope to be better the next day. I did not.

I must say it is not so much that being sick is really not nice when you just moved to another country, it more the 'meewaku' that I am causing to everybody around me because of my sickness. (meewaku is untranslatable as it means the negative social consequences one could give another persons by ones actions) It seems that being sick is not part of the Japanese culture. And I do understand why. Trying to act according to a new set of customs in this case is not easy. Being used to individuality, while thinking about the whole is were I am used to, now I try to think about the group, but I am also urged to also put myself first as I know that otherwise I keep on bugging everybody with my ongoing sickness. Ever since I got here I tried and do my best to show up everywhere although I felt horrible and just rest after I came back home at the hotel. It has unfortunately not worked out, as I kept on being sick. I hope the three days that I spent in bed are going to help, although I must say that after a full day today, I am completely broken.

Lastly I must say that next to the care of the NRG (Nichirangakkai or in Eng. The Japanese Netherland Institue, JNI) , my JPP 'tomodachies' (Japan Prizewinnars Programme, tomodachi means friend, i.o.w. my fellow students) have been amazing. They are not letting me participate in anything and say I have to stay in bed and take it easy. Obviously they also know that the 'healthy me' is way more fun and do all their best to make me feel better. There is almost no one that hasn't not knocked on my door to bring food, salt (with the advice of sniffing it through my nose in order to feel better), apples, peers, tangerines, movies, books, sushi, Muji (famous japanese store, comparale to the HEMA only then better) bath oil, homework, or just for a little chat. It was really heartwarming that one without knowing of the other came by to check on me. My humble contribution to our Japanese this week is that everybody, including myself, knows how to say 'get well soon' in Japanese, 'odaijini'... Therefore... yet one more time this will be my resolution for next week, including a weekend without any intensive activity...

First week in Tokyo
Last week has been amazing and quite tough at the same time. "You experience everything so intensively and with so much emotion, no wonder that you are so tired", remarked Margreet (fellow student) yesterday to me, when I had to cry because of a general lack of sleep and the pain of my bladder infection. I know she is oh so right. And because of this, I felt happy, because I got confirmed that my fellow students really got to know who I am and what I am about. The support of my fellow students is heartwarming, and I really think that we have a great group with a good balance. We do a lot of stuff (sumo, karaoke) together and try to involve everybody, while there is enough space to also go out into the city on your own, or go out in smaller groups.

I love Tokyo, and I am really happy that I am here. I love to get to know the Japanese, to try out all the food and to get to know their traditions. Last week I made a start by going to the sumo and seeing two kabuki plays. Both events I really enjoyed and definitely belong to the highlights of last week. To the lowest points of this week I definitely count in all my small sickness that I got since I got here. Starting off with pain in my throat, I moved to having to a headache, having a cold, ending up in a nasty cough I was just trying to get rid off, when I got a bladder infection. The truth is, I would like to do a lot a stuff at the same time, but on the other hand know that my body needs of lot of rest to process all these different impressions and new things that I experience intensively. My resistance is very low, although I am eating 500 mg of vitamin C a day in order to keep it up, and I get easily sick. I am grateful for the way Remmelinksan, Yanagisawasan en Miyazakisan (of the Japanese Netherlands Institute, JNI) helped me with my bladder infection problems and other sicknesses and my resolution for upcoming week is do rest as much as possible and be totally healthy next week.

Both the lowest point of my tiredness/sickness, my most intensive and best experience got together in the highlight of last week; last Thursday when we had the "jikoshookai" (selfintroduction) and met our hosting companies. First of all I was really proud of the group, as all of us, after quite some struggle both in Holland as well as here in Tokyo, ended up having fantastic self introductions. Further, the people of Nomurasoogookenkyuujo (my internship company) were really great and we talked the whole evening in Japanese. At least we tried to do so. It was amazing. In the end of the evening I was broken, but happy. I am looking forward to start my internship.

The Big Japan Quiz for Beginners - ANSWERS

2008-01-27T20:38:00.000+09:00

The answers of the Big Japanese Quiz for Beginners! Watch out, if you haven't made the quiz yet, and you do want to before seeing the answers, scroll down for the quiz without answers, posted Sunday (the week before last).

1. How do Japanese ride their bicycles?

A. They are special lanes in Tokyo where bikers drive, just as in Holland. In the smaller towns, bikers just drive on the street.
B. People do not drive bikes in Tokyo, you barely spot them.
C. People bike on the sidewalk in between the pedestrians.
D. I don't know, but for sure not on the sidewalks, as Tokyo is a way too busy city for this.

Japanese drive their bikes on the pedestrian lane. Whereas in Holland you get a fine for doing so, in Japan you get a fine when you bike on the street, meant solely for cars!! This means, watch out while you are walking the sideways... don't look up to much to the tall buildings, commercials and people around you, bikers coming from all directions!!

2. Why does the toilet start flushing as soon as I sit my ass on the toilet seat?

A. This clearly is to make you pie more easy, the sound of running water is perfect for that.
B. This is to flush anything that comes out immediately, Japanese do not like to waste their time, and want everything clean at any point in time.
C. This is in order to cover up the noises you are making while doing your business on the toilet, it is shameful if other people would overhear that.
D. It is simply because the Japanese have such a large water supply that they can afford constantly running the toilet.

If the toilet does not start running upon taking your seat, covering up for noises is provided by a small sound system attached to the wall indicated by the sign: "flushing sound effect". In any case, you should avoid the possibility that other people hear what kind of business you are doing in that small room called the toilet.... and therefore spilling water is accepted like that! This while the water supply in Japan can certainly not be called perfect, being an island country and having so many people concentrated on such a small areas (read: Tokyo), all kinds of systems are implemented to get clean water running out of the tap. Therefore, and extra surprise for me to find out that the running toilet was just to cover up bad noises...

3. Why do people in the metro and on the street wear those white mouth covers?
A. They have a cold.
B. They do not want to inhale the bad air of the city.
C. They do not want to smell the bad odor of their neighbor in the metro.
D. They want to protect themselves from getting a cold.

This is because THEY have a cold themselves! Obviously you don't wanna make somebody else sick because you are (totally unaccepted!!), so in order to avoid this, one should keep his/her own basils to oneself and wear a mouth mask.

4. What do the Japanese say when they hang up the phone?

A. It was nice talking to you.
B. Goodbye.
C. Sorry to have bothered you.
D. Have a nice day.

Japanese always excuse themselves... also when we would say "thank you" they oftentimes say "sorry", and therefore as one can imagine, have several words for saying sorry.
So remember, "thank you" may seems to be translatable in "doomo", or more polite, "doomo arigatoo", or even more politer "doomo arigatoo gozaimasu", but actually one should choose one of the "sorries" and thereby once again choosing the appropriate level of formality...
As an example, when hanging up the phone you also say "sorry to have bothered you", and as a last trick, the one who made the phone call should hang up, in case the other party hangs up this is considered rude, as the calling party might not have been done making the phone call!

5. If you have a cold, you better....

A. ...take a hot bath.
B. ...take a hot bath, but the best you can do is go to an onsen (Japanese natural spring).
C. ...do not take a bath.
D. ...do not take a bath, and moreover are not allowed into an onsen.

Once again, due to the fact that you could make other people sick, you should not go to the public onsen when having a cold. Now you may think this may seem reasonable, as all share the same bath, but how does that work at home taking your own hot bath?! Well... here the trick is that the bath is shared by the whole family and thus one should also not bath at home, as making your family members sick is of course not OK... :)

6. In a Japanese onsen....

A. ... you first take a long bath where after you completely wash you self. This is because it is dirty to bath together with others, and thus it is important to clean yourself afterwards.
B. ... you first wash yourself completely before you take a long bath with others. This is because it is dirty to get into the bath just like that.
C. ... you were a bikini or a towel, the Japanese are easily ashamed and do not like to walk around naked like that.
D. ... you are naked, more over you share the bath top with both men and women.
E. Both A and C are correct.
F. Both B and D are correct.

The previous question might has given away part of the answer... Yes, you first wash yourself completely before you take a long bath with others. This is because it is dirty to get into the bath just like that. Showers complete with shampoo, soap and all the necessities are provided, before you reach the actual onsen. Further, the only piece of clothing is a small towel you get to put on your head (this so your sweat from your forehead doesn't drip in the bath and so doesn't make the bath dirty) and oftentimes onsen are unisex shared public places. Separate bath facilities do exist in some places as well.

7. In the metro...

A. ... it is extremely noisy as they are so many people.
B. ... it is extremely dirty because they are so many people.
C. ... it is extremely quiet although there are so many people.
D. ... it is extremely noisy because everybody is watching TV and movies on their cell phone and playing computer games all journey long.

I have never been in a more QUIET yet overly crowed place than the metro in Tokyo!!! At first it was scary to be with so many people in the same place and hear no sound at all.. Further people with claustrophobic tensions (read: Niqui) will NOT survive taking the subway in Tokyo during rush hour (read: most of the day, maybe the weekend days could be seen as outside the rush hour). Although PACKED, nobody is talking, it is moreover NOT allowed to use your phone, it is NOT allowed to eat nor drink... As expected Tokyo is EXTREMELY CLEAN as well, although surprisingly there are NO trash bins to be found... a mystery one would think at first... but think about it, when you don't eat, smoke, nor drink outside, why would you NEED trash bins..??

8. When leaving the restaurant you thank the waiter and chef (owner) by...

A. ... giving him/her a long speech full with words of thanks.
B. ... giving him/ her a large tip.
C. ... saying the dinner/ lunch you just had was like a party fest.
D. ... greeting and wishing the waiter a nice day, if you want, you also leave a tip.

First of all, in Japan you DON'T TIP. It is simply not done. I still cannot get used to it. Not only in restaurants, no where. You never tip anywhere. Secondly, you thank by saying you had a dinner/lunch like a fest; it was a real treatment. Goshisoo sama deshita!! If you want to express more gratitude you say may express words of thanks, and greet by saying "I go and come back", or "I will come again".

9. One of the first Japanese words that I learned was Jidoohanbaiki (vending machine) because...

A. ... the Japanese invented the vending machine.
B. ... vending machine are found everywhere in Japan, from street, office, school, to onsen and kabuki theater.
C. ... in Japan the vending machines sell hot coffee and tea from a can.
D. Both A and B are true.
E. Both B and C are true.

And because a picture tells more than a thousand words ;)
Yes, this kind of vending machines are found EVERYWHERE in Tokyo!! And no, I am not over exaggerating. Even in the relax room of the onsen, which was completely in traditional Japanese style, with tatami (floor) and low tables, the drinks had to be bought from the vending machine...

10. In the Japanese language there are....

A. Two levels of formality just like in Dutch, German and Spanish.
B. Three levels of formality one for friends, one for family and one for your boss and seniors.
C. More than three levels of formality, as they are several combinations possible for example being your friend, but older than you, or being your senior but younger than you.
D. More than five levels of formality, for each group a specific one that you always use towards that person.
E. More than six levels of formality, depending on the context you may use various forms to one and the same person thus switching level when the situation requires necessary.

This is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY to complicated to explain and still keep it interesting... it is too difficult to explain how the language works, and I must say that without an effort to try to speak a small small little bit, it would have been even harder to ever ever ever understand only a small little tiny bit the social context, culture and way of doing of the Japanese....

11. About laughing: Kirsten...

A. Has indeed a large problem in Japan, because laughing is not considered appropriate.
B. Has a large problem in Japan, because laughing is not considered appropriate for female, especially not so loud as I do, if you laugh you have to hold your hand in front of your mouth.
C. Has no problem at all, as laughing is just as in Western society extremely appreciated.
D. Has the same problem as back home, sometimes I laugh too loud in too public places, which may not always be appreciated.
E. Both A and B are true.
F. Both C and D are true.

Yes, I was afraid of A and B (dont ask me way), but the opposite is more than true, a smile is truly universal (at least let me say that in Japan this still holds), a smile open doors, giving a smile makes the people receiving one feel good. So therefore... I have no problem at all, as laughing is just as in Western society extremely appreciated and still have the same problem as back home, sometimes I laugh too loud in too public places, which may not always be appreciated.

12. Kirsten, since she has arrived in Japan did not have a day without...

A. ... drinking alcohol.
B. ... getting lost in Tokyo.
C. ... taking medicine, visiting the pharmacy or hospital.
D. ... getting into trouble because of her bad manners in speaking Japanese.

And I official broke this record! Let me inform you that from last Monday onwards, I already had my first two days without any medicine!!!! And secondly add an record of not drinking alcohol for almost two weeks (I am not sure how proud I should be on the fact this is actually recorded as a record.... hope you still follow me.. ;)). Lastly, yes I am already member of two hospitals in Tokyo (ik heb een portomonnee vol met Japanse pondskaartjes)!! (also not really proud on that record I have to admit...). Further happy to inform I had many days without getting lost and without getting into trouble... :)

13. About food: Kirsten...

A. Eats fives times a day, as a meal here certainly not suffices for her strong appetite.
B. Has a stock of food in her hotel room, as one hour after dinner she is already hungry again.
C. Is full after a good dinner of sushi.
D. Never eats sushi alone for dinner.

Sushi in Holland should change its name, as I became of the opinion that it is NO sushi! It is in no way comparable to sushi here.... At to my bigger surprise, I do get full of it!! It could be a proper meal indeed!

14. About Japan and Tokyo: Kirsten is lost in Tokyo because...

A. She does not know the way.
B. She does not speak the language.
C. She looks so different than the Japanese.
D. The city is so big.
E. None of the above.

If in any way I am lost in Tokyo it is because... Tokyo is many worlds in one... every metro station (and there are about 600) is a new world, every exist of every metro station is a new world (and a metro station has about 10 to...), every corner is a new world, every department store (huuuuuuuuge) is a new world, every small restaurant is a new world, every sentence, conversation, bite, smell, or sight is a new world... that is why I am lost.... in my new world.

15. About Kirsten's state of mind:

A. I am happy because I live in Tokyo.
B. I am sad because I am still sick.
C. I am amazed by everything that Japan has to offer.
D. I am about to break a leg on a ski trip.
E. I won the second price in the Robeco ice skate tournament near mountain Fuji.
F. I am surprised that I still didn't get properly drunk of sake.
G. I am extremely looking forward, but a bit frightened as really EVERYTHING is in Japanese.
H. All of the above.
I. None of the above.

ALL OF THE ABOVE, except B!!! I am not sick any more!!! Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Further, now officially booked... the ski trip... leaving Tokyo with the shinkansen (bullet train) the 15 of February (Yes, Niq on your birthday I fly over the rails with 550 km/uur and will be thinking of you!), coming back the 17th....

More writing on my latest trip (this morning at 4.30 A.M...) in my next posting...
Curious what I have done this early in the morning?? Find out which animal was recently sold for a record price of 130,000 euro... or read again later this week....

Big kiss X X x x x x Kirsten

Skating and sick

2008-01-27T20:24:00.000+09:00

Dear all,

A quick note next to the quiz published below. I feel extremely sick (this is the reason why I only leave a small message and are so slow with replying my emails, telling all the time that you are sick is not my most favorite thing to do and pisses me off). Spent most of the day in bed and staying home from school tomorrow, something I have up to now refused to do.

Further, some happy news; went ice skating Saturday (ignoring my general state of health), was out of the city for the first time, saw Fujisan (mountain Fuji) closeby, had some good fresh mountain air, and went to an onsen (Japanese natural hot spring bath house). It was great!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Kisses x x x

PS. For some more happy news, take the quiz below and test your knowledge on Japan so far!

The Big Japan Quiz for Beginners

2008-01-27T12:41:00.000+09:00

Find out how much you already understand of Kirsten, lost in Tokyo, and the Japanese after two weeks of following my blog, by taking this quiz!!!

QUESTIONS:

1. How do Japanese ride their bicycles?

A. They are special lanes in Tokyo where bikers drive, just as in Holland. In the smaller towns, bikers just drive on the street.
B. People do not drive bikes in Tokyo, you barely spot them.
C. People bike on the sidewalk in between the pedestrians.
D. I don't know, but for sure not on the sidewalks, as Tokyo is a way too busy city for this.

2. Why does the toilet start flushing as soon as I sit my ass on the toilet seat?

A. This clearly is to make you pie more easy, the sound of running water is perfect for that.
B. This is to flush anything that comes out immediately, Japanese do not like to waste their time, and want everything clean at any point in time.
C. This is in order to cover up the noises you are making while doing your business on the toilet, it is shameful if other people would overhear that.
D. It is simply because the Japanese have such a large water supply that they can afford constantly running the toilet.

3. Why do people in the metro and on the street wear those white mouth covers?

A. They have a cold.
B. They do not want to inhale the bad air of the city.
C. They do not want to smell the bad odor of their neighbor in the metro.
D. They want to protect themselves from getting a cold.

4. What do the Japanese say when they hang up the phone?

A. It was nice talking to you.
B. Goodbye.
C. Sorry to have bothered you.
D. Have a nice day.

5. If you have a cold, you better....

A. ...take a hot bath.
B. ...take a hot bath, but the best you can do is go to an onsen (Japanese natural spring).
C. ...do not take a bath.
D. ...do not take a bath, and moreover are not allowed into an onsen.

6. In a Japanese onsen....

A. ... you first take a long bath where after you completely wash you self. This is because it is dirty to bath together with others, and thus it is important to clean yourself afterwards.
B. ... you first wash yourself completely before you take a long bath with others. This is because it is dirty to get into the bath just like that.
C. ... you were a bikini or a towel, the Japanese are easily ashamed and do not like to walk around naked like that.
D. ... you are naked, more over you share the bath top with both men and women.
E. Both A and C are correct.
F. Both B and D are correct.

7. In the metro...

A. ... it is extremely noisy as they are so many people.
B. ... it is extremely dirty because they are so many people.
C. ... it is extremely quiet although there are so many people.
D. ... it is extremely noisy because everybody is watching TV and movies on their cell phone and playing computer games all journey long.

8. When leaving the restaurant you thank the waiter and chef (owner) by...

A. ... giving him/her a long speech full with words of thanks.
B. ... giving him/ her a large tip.
C. ... saying the dinner/ lunch you just had was like a party fest.
D. ... greeting and wishing the waiter a nice day, if you want, you also leave a tip.

9. One of the first Japanese words that I learned was Jidoohanbaiki (vending machine) because...

A. ... the Japanese invented the vending machine.
B. ... vending machine are found everywhere in Japan, from street, office, school, to onsen and kabuki theater.
C. ... in Japan the vending machines sell hot coffee and tea from a can.
D. Both A and B are true.
E. Both B and C are true.

10. In the Japanese language there are....

A. Two levels of formality just like in Dutch, German and Spanish.
B. Three levels of formality one for friends, one for family and one for your boss and seniors.
C. More than three levels of formality, as they are several combinations possible for example being your friend, but older than you, or being your senior but younger than you.
D. More than five levels of formality, for each group a specific one that you always use towards that person.
E. More than six levels of formality, depending on the context you may use various forms to one and the same person thus switching level when the situation requires necessary.

11. About laughing: Kirsten...

A. Has indeed a large problem in Japan, because laughing is not considered appropriate.
B. Has a large problem in Japan, because laughing is not considered appropriate for female, especially not so loud as I do, if you laugh you have to hold your hand in front of your mouth.
C. Has no problem at all, as laughing is just as in Western society extremely appreciated.
D. Has the same problem as back home, sometimes I laugh too loud in too public places, which may not always be appreciated.
E. Both A and B are true.
F. Both C and D are true.

12. Kirsten, since she has arrived in Japan did not have a day without...

A. ... drinking alcohol.
B. ... getting lost in Tokyo.
C. ... taking medicine, visiting the pharmacy or hospital.
D. ... getting into trouble because of her bad manners in speaking Japanese.

13. About food: Kirsten...

A. Eats fives times a day, as a meal here certainly not suffices for her strong appetite.
B. Has a stock of food in her hotel room, as one hour after dinner she is already hungry again.
C. Is full after a good dinner of sushi.
D. Never eats sushi alone for dinner.

14. About Japan and Tokyo: Kirsten is lost in Tokyo because...

A. She does not know the way.
B. She does not speak the language.
C. She looks so different than the Japanese.
D. The city is so big.
E. None of the above.

15. About Kirsten's state of mind:

A. I am happy because I live in Tokyo.
B. I am sad because I am still sick.
C. I am amazed by everything that Japan has to offer.
D. I am about to break a leg on a ski trip.
E. I won the second price in the Robeco ice skate tournament near mountain Fuji.
F. I am surprised that I still didn't get properly drunk of sake.
G. I am extremely looking forward, but a bit frightened as really EVERYTHING is in Japanese.
H. All of the above.
I. None of the above.

ANSWERS:

The answers to this quiz will be published any time soon this week!

Monday morning troubles last a day...

2008-01-21T21:56:00.000+09:00

After having had almost all annoying small sicknesses (headache, fever, caught a cold, etc), I ended the weekend yesterday on the edge of my bath hanging above the toilet, so I thought I now had it all, seen there done that. However to end this lasting sickness in style, I started the week with a little doctor visit for some antibiotics (ja, mamie, het was weer zover, voor degene die mijn zwakheden kennen het begint met een b en eindigd op ing..., nu dus na Grieks, Russisch, en Spaans, ken ik de naam van deze ziekte ook in het Japans, jawel bokooen). But no worries, nothing serious, already feel a lot better.

So after not being able to finish my huge box of sushi tonight (bought for 5 euros... and wow who ever thought that getting completely full of sushi IS in fact possible), finishing my homework and checking my inbox (which next to all your loving emails contains a dozen of mails about the upcoming ice skating next to mountain Fuji trip of this Saturday and a ski trip next to the Nagona olympics resort of next month of all my fellow students here), I am now trying out my desert mango pulin (pudding), and heading to take my almost daily ofuro (bath - I love it). Nothing to complain about!!! Everything is going well in Tokyo!! Kisses x x x

Sumo, Kabuki, Jikoshookai

2008-01-20T13:28:00.000+09:00

Dear everybody,

Due to my illness of the past week, I have not been able to write a lot, so here a small update in writing and image....

Below the sumo tournament we went to on Tuesday this week. Thanks to Magreet, who got us all gathered up to go straight after class to make it in time for the best matches, which starts around four oclock. It was awesome to experience, especially those latter ones, as they last longer (some 20 sec instead of just a few) and moreover because the sumo wrestlers put up even more a show before they start fighting.

Above: A match, me as sumo-san, and the stadium.

Next highlight was last weekend Sunday, when I went to see the city from above, wow!!!! It is sooooooooooooooooooo big, happy finally got a good view of my new home town...

On the left, the Tokyo Metropolitan building and the view fromt he 45th floor. Below movie with view.

Below: A crossing in Shibuya, where we went to visit the NHK (say the Dutch NOS, or British BBC studios) before and after the green light. Look at the people on the left waiting to diagonal cross the streets...

Yesterday, we went to the Kabuki theater (Kabuki, traditional Japanese theater, what so much means as sing, dance and play, the word is made up out of these three characters), and although it was hard to follow the Japanese from such a distance, it was beautiful to experience a performance like this real life. The funny thing is, that women are still not allowed in Kabuki and thus still all the roles, including the female parts, are played by men (which makes it even harder to understand, as they try to put up high voices). Afterwards, we went to buy an obento (lunch packet) in the depaato (department store), and ate in in the middle of the Ginza street (Ginza, the business centre in Tokyo, expensive neighborhood, our institute is located nearby, and it means so much as "Sit on gold", the word is made up out of those two characters), which in the weekends is blocked for cars. By the way, in this parts of Tokyo you see very few cars in general (in comparison to the amount of people I mean), as you have to buy a parking space in Tokyo in order to own a car, something very few can afford. Hence, the developed metro network and the extreme crowdedness in them at any point in time (especially in the rush hours, which in the mornings for sure way earlier than in Holland, and in the evening way later, around ten it can still be crowded from people getting home after work).

See on left, me in front of the Kabuki theater (unfortunately you are not allowed to make pictures inside, so you will have to come see it for yourself), posters of the Kabuki, and me enjoying my maguro (tuna) sushi lunch in Ginza.

Last but not least.... the Jikoshookai... the Self-introduction of Thursday which is finally and happily behind us. Watch the video to see me struggling trying to prepare it after revising it a thousands times (and I honestly have to add that this was even not the last version... and yes, even more happy to say the pronunciation improved a lot of the last week as well --> sorry the video was too big, will try uploading later this week). Furthermore, although surprisingly enough my illness reached a highlight on Thursday (stress, stress... ;) we had an awesome day and each and every one of us was happy with the first introduction to their companies. Meeshi (business card) ceremonies took place, and I talked the whole evening in Japanese with my new colleagues. ... That evening everybody was dead tired of all the intensive concentration of the day and the past weeks. However, no time to rest, the next day we were all present at nine at the Nichirangakukai (institute where we have classes, in English the Japanese Netherlands Institute, the JNI) for our next Japanese class.....

And very very lastly, next to meeting the wonders of old time Japan, sumo and kabuki, an update on my integration in to modern Japan. After a visit to Akihabara (the electronical neighborhood, below on the picture) I am in the possession of an DS (who would ever thought I would by a game boy) so I can look up any Kanji (Chinese character, Japanese writing system) that I meet on street. A web cam, so you can all see me through Skype. And last but not least... a Japanese phone!!!

Reach me on 00818035834764.

Big kiss X, Love from Tokyo, Kirsten

A little bit sick - Sukoshi Byooki desu

2008-01-12T19:47:00.001+09:00

Hey everybody,
Thanks for your sweet replies, it is really nice to read. I finally have some vacation (this means half an afternoon today (Saturday) and tomorrow rest a little. It has really been a hectic time, before coming here and after arriving we have been quit busy here. So.... today I got sick in the metro and tonight decided to stay safely in my hotel room for a night and stay away from all the new impressions awaiting me outside, while the rest is off for some karaoke.
Above: Shibuya

Yesterday we went out in Roppingi with all eighteen of us and ... my first visitor... Weikang!!!! Was really a lot of fun!! Of course a group of 19 gaikokujin (foreigners) draw a lot of attentions, but we definitely had an amazing first night out!!

Above: Weikang and me enjoying our first sake together.

Last week also went to the Karaoke myself, and it was amazing, never thought I would enjoy it so much!! It is great fun!! Looking forward to be able to go again!

Above: Left: On each floor in the building you can do some different game. Middle: The Karaoke room we rented out. Right: Eduard and me performing ;)

Next week we have our jikoshookai (self introduction) and we are still practicing and changing our speeches. It is a lot of work, especially because everybody has to be present when we practice and listen to each other. Any meeting, the most important thing is that everybody is present (and on time present) before one can start. This however, we are already quite used to, due to the good preparation we received from our Japanese teachers in Leiden.

Further, we went to the to practice distinguishing firers and feeling earthquakes today in the fire department center of Japan. This was very good, as we are know so much more prepared of what might happen and in case so what we have to do. (dus emmie, maak je geen zorgen!! Ik houd je kadootje ook bij me) We were in a room were an earthquake of 7 was simulated, it was so hard to imagine that this could really happen to the ground, that we all started laughing, a weird first reaction of the body. Then we hid under the table holding pillows on our head. Also we had to fled through a hallway with a lot of smoke to practice finding the way out.

Lastly some instructions of the toilet here, which is equipped with music of waterfalls (I think to make you pie more easy.... ), water running in the pot automatically once you sit down (any who understands the meaning hereof please let me know), heating so the seat is warm to sit on (something I always thought everybody regarded as disgusting), and a shower.... here the instructions on its usages in order to make up the last toilet option yourself.... :) Good luck understanding the English!!

So you see, anything, as basic as toilets, are different here.... loving it!

I am going to try our Japanese television tonight! Have a good weekend you all!!!

Kisses xx x x

Safely arrived

2008-01-09T17:17:00.000+09:00

Dear all,

I am safely arrived!!!

I feel like I fell off the planet... and there it was... Japan, the long island at the end of the world...

Still trying to get used to everything here, it is amazing and cannot believe I really am here, and gonna stay for seven months....!

Must say four months of studying is paying off, am glad I understand at least something although still very little. It is crazy how you are trying to read everything around you. It is very tiring focusing on all the new stuff, words, and letters that make up my new world, so now locked myself up in my hotel room for an hour, a little away from everything to recap all that is happening.

Thanks for all your emails, small hidden notes, fb messages, smsjes and coming to Schiphol, it was great!!

As pictures speak so much louder than any words can describe my feeling at this moment.....

My first Japanse Noodles,

registering at city hall,

and our wish for good luck hung at the temple...

Love from Japan,

Kirsten

Arrived!!!

2008-01-08T20:08:00.000+09:00

Lieve allemaal,

Een klein berichtje... ik ben goed aangekomen!!! Verder voel ik me van deze planeet afgevallen en ga ik nu me aankleden om even de buurt te verkennen!

Ik heb internet op mijn hotelkamer, nu alleen nog een goede kabel, want ik heb de verkeerde stekker meegenomen!

Voor alle een dikke zoen X

Contact details

2008-01-02T04:35:00.000+09:00

Ok.... as promised, here my contact and flight details.....!

To Japan Tokyo: JL 412
Leave Schiphol Airport 7th of January 20.15, arrive Narita Airport 8th of January 15.45
Do not forget that this is including the 8 hour time difference!

Coming back is the 31st of July with flight JL 411, arriving 17.45 at Schiphol.

In case of emergency you can always reach the JNI (Japan Netherlands Institute or Nichirangakkai) where we will be following our Japanese classes the first two months, and the last five months every Wednesday.

JNI
Kyobashi Plaza 3F, 25-3, Ginza
1-Chome, Chuo-ku
Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
tel.: 0081 3 3567 2123
www.jni.or.jp

The hotel where we will be staying the first two months:

Ajia Kaikan or Asia Centre of Japan
8-10-32, Asaka, Minato-ku
Tokyo 107, Japan
tel.: 0081 3 3402 6111
www.asiacenter.or.jp/eng

Further can always reach me on Skype (username kirstenkir) or through mail!!

Keep you up to date on Japanese mobile upon arrival.

Bye for now,

Kirsten

Goodbye at Schiphol....

2007-12-31T19:41:00.000+09:00

Minasan!! (Everybody!)

Just another week to go.... and then finally... after studying our asses off for four months, we are leaving.... Me, and my seventeen fellow students... to live and work in Tokyo, Japan for seven months....!

We are flying the 7th of January and in order to get us all checked in on time, we are expected at five o'clock at Schiphol airport. As you can imagine, checking all those people in will be a big hassle and I am not sure if we are still released between checking in and going through the customs.

Thus in order to have a proper goodbye drink as customary, I will be sitting at the cafe next to the Burger King at Schiphol (my family for sure knows this place by heart, as all the goodbye and welcome take place there...;) from 15.30 onwards. Lets have a coffee... uhhh... beer.... before taking off!!!

Hope to see you there and otherwise, keep following my blog in the next seven months....

In any case, see you soon!

and... Happy New Year! (Yoi otoshio!)

x x x Kirsten