Japanese Elvis (Japelvis)

I survived the typhoon! Yes, it was quite windy and raining buckets, but I survived. It wasn`t anything too dramatic in my neck of the woods. Although there was one death and a few broken limbs.

In more dramatic news, I just survived an orientation seminar that lasted 4 days and 3 nights.

I would like to summarize the seminar situation as being close to jail. We had regular meetings, dorm rooms that were shared by 4 people, communal showers, b.y.o.s. (bring your own soap), ping pong tournaments (not in the showers), and a "lights out" policy at 10:00pm. We had to tiptoe around after 10:00 so that we weren't too loud (we didn't want to wake the "prison" guards).

The good news is that we had 3 square meals a day (like jail), and they gave us a welcome party on the second night where a japanese elvis (Japelvis) performed classic elvis tunes, and good old rock and roll (including Def Leppard). He had a bouffant with a hot pink shirt on. Yeehaw! He was singing about wise men saying that fools rush in... and that he can't help falling in love with me.

The kitchen crew that has been cooking and cleaning the cafeteria turned into the nighttime band too. I heard some people in the kitchen at about 10pm last night strumming on an electric guitar. I guess that must have been the chef getting ready for the big show tonight. Good times!

Also, the Head of the Board of Education (Hasegawa Sensei) also got quite tipsy and began dancing. Much like the chicken dance, the Japanese have a slightly different species they call the "frog dance". The frog dance has a series of moves which ends in the dancer descending down while holding his hands over his head and opening and closing his mouth like a fish. I had the honor and rare opportunity of doing the frog dance with Hasegawa. Luckily, my friend Jessica documented everything on her camera.

All in all, I had a great time these past 4 days. Jessica and I refined our ping pong technique. We were the ones who fully took advantage of the ONLY source of entertainment on the premises. Many of the others used the beer vending machine that dispenses 40 ounce "tall ones" 24 hours a day as their source of entertainment.

Hey, to each his own... I prefer to improve my ping pong skills. No hangover.

There is a First Time for Everything

Today I experienced my first Japanese temper tantrum. No, not me! There was a 3 year old little girl in a grocery store, and she wanted something that Mama-san said, "no" to, and the little one broke down.

Come to find out, there aren't many deviations from the American temper tantrum. In Japan, they do the foot stomp. They do the repetitive speech. They do the limp walk. They do the turn and attempt to go for what they wanted in the first place, and when Mama-san says, "no" again, the cycle starts all over again... only a little more severe. It was interesting to find out that temper tantrums are universal, the only thing that changes is the language.

My other "first" for today was that I ALMOST got into my first bicycle collision. Ok, I know that some of you may know that my driving skills are a little crazy. So, please don't assume that this "almost" collision was my fault. The bike lanes are wacky here! There is a designated bike lane, but some people walk in it, some people ride their bikes in it, and some people just stand and talk in it. Also, there are no rules about which side of the road you ride on. So, for all of you out there that thought that every aspect of Japanese culture is efficient and organized... this is one strike against that. ok, with all of that said, here goes my defense...

I'm riding to the grocery store to pick up a quick bite to eat (where I saw my Japanese-style temper tantrum). After I get a lunch to go, I get back on my bike to bring my lunch back to work to eat. Now, it's important to mention that I have a long skirt on. So I'm holding the bottom of my skirt with my left hand and steering with my right. When, along comes a gentleman heading in my direction, directly in front of me. Well, rules of the road say: when someone comes your way by bicycle, play chicken, and may the best man win. Since i was holding my skirt, I thought that maybe the man might take the initiative and move out of my way. Well, no, homeboy came right at me and we came within inches before I swerved to the right.

Now, just because he was wearing a badge and goes by the name of Officer Ichiro, does that mean that I always have to move? Come on, man, where did the days of chivalry go?

So, yes, I almost got into a bike fender bender with a policeman. So!

Oh, and another first that may happen this weekend... there's a typhoon coming to town. Yes, we heard it in the office today as one of the Japanese teachers said "typhoon, all of the foreigners (Stuart and I) gasped! What? A typhoon. Holy Kamoly! Should we get into the basement or what? But, they acted like it was no biggie. "Just heavy winds and rains" is what they said. So since they are acting like its no biggie, I'll do the same.

When in Japan, do as the Japanese do.

well well well. a big day of firsts, and possibly a big weekend as well. kyoto. typhoons. what`s next?