trash talk

I went to a cool department store last night called Loft and they have some great great stuff. It’s kind of a cross between Shoppers Drug Mart, Urban Outfitters and Ikea all under on roof. I tried on some vintage dresses that actually fit but the dressing room was about two sizes too small. I came across these interesting trash cans and had to take a photograph. I don’t quite understand what it means but it’s a little bit twisted. What I do know is that I don’t want one of these trash cans in my home when I’m PMSing.

I also had to own this notebook…

Listening to Explosions in the Sky Those Who Tell The Truth…

good day sunshine?

Why are kids so scary?

I think our trainer put it correctly when she said they are ten times more perceptive than adults.

I had Kids Training on Wednesday and…well…I guess I’m now qualified to teach kids?
Training was ok but I found it to be quite rushed, my head was spinning for the rest of the evening. We were taught to teach three different levels Kinder 3 – 6, Junior 6 – 9 and Senior 9 – 12 years old. We got to sing such classics as Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Head, Shoulders Knees and Toes. I have a fascinating bit of information for you, did you know that the Head and Shoulders song varies with each country? Apparently the North American version is a song taken from My Fair Lady. I think we’re the only ones who ripped off an original tune. Every other country made up their own. I’m not sure who’s version we’re singing here, I think it might be the Australian one.

The ABC song also created a bit of conflict with the zed and zee situation. Which one’s right and which one’s wrong? We can’t very well end the song with zed because it doesn’t rhyme with vee. Oh the dilemma!

So there were some moments where we struggled a bit and tried to meet eye to eye but in the end there were no tears or bloody noses. In my case there were just a few aching muscles. I guess we just go with whatever feels right. So, never fear, I’m going to sing the letter zed with my fist planted close to my heart while the kinders will be climbing things, the juniors will be fighting over what colour crayon they want and the seniors will be…I dunno, I have yet to teach some.

The following day I was faced with my biggest fear…the little people. My heart was beating out of my chest, what if they know I’m nervous? Will they start crying uncontrollably? Will I be charged for traumatizing an innocent child with my Canadian English? Will parents grab their children and run in fear from a 5 11” female instructor who can’t teach their 3 year old how to hop slowly? I’m sure I was quite the vision in my first class. Imagine me in a suit, on my knees (no comments from the boys or Jenny please) trying to get one 5 year old to get off the table and trying to get a 3 year old to clap fast, hop slowly, jump slowly and run slowly. It was a no win situation, I gave up about half way through and just started running after them and tickling them…my roommate said this is pretty much her answer to everything. I think the worse part was the parents watching. I have to keep reminding myself that they’re not watching the 5 11” Canadian girl jump slowly, they’re simply there to see if their kids are behaving…right?

My second lesson that day was a “Man to Man”. Yuuki is a very sweet little junior who likes to kick the ball around. I was trying to teach her the four seasons and the appropriate clothing for each but she just couldn’t keep her eye off the ball. We started kicking it around and things got a little fun. We shared a lovely moment Yuuki and I. At one point I looked outside and saw a glowing orange sun on the horizon, I lifted her up to the window so she could see. She smiled and I asked her what it was, she responded by singing “Don’t let the sun go down on me”

I was absolutely floored! I didn’t know this little 7 year old was such an Elton John fan! Suddenly I was having a Bjork moment from Dancer in the Dark. All of the adult students in the other room started singing along, raising their hands towards the sky and shaping them like a sun “Don’t let the sun go down on me”, making goggles out of their hands and placing them over their eyes for “Although I search myself, it’s always someone else I see”, miming a piece of something out of their hand and letting it fly away for “I’d just allow a fragment of your life to wander free” and raising their hands towards the sky again making a circle like the sun “Cause losing everything is like the sun going down on me”.

OK, I’m kidding about the whole Elton John thing, she didn’t even know what the word sun meant but do look forward to kicking her butt at soccer in the very near future.

I now need to get some shut eye after yet another day of training and a couple few beers.

I miss you all

Good night

Delphine

TV

A show set in somewhere in Egypt with some ape hosts.

Television here is a little wacky. Every time I watch there’s either a cook off, men dressed like women and/or people smacking each other with things.

One program I watched had 8 grown men, about 40 years of age, sporting tutus, long wigs and rollerblades. They were all crowded at the top of a big slide waiting to attack an obstacle course below. Their goal was to roll down the slide and jump through a foam cut out of an outstretched body. Most of the men managed to roll down the slide unscathed except for one; thankfully he was wearing a helmet over his long mane of blonde hair. I think he hurt himself pretty badly but the roaring laugh track and cut aways of pointing and mocking from his competition took away from any evidence of a concussion.

If Jeopardy were a game show in Japan Alex Trebec would have a giant anvil above each contestant and conk them over the head whenever they didn’t phrase their response as a question. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, without knowing a word of Japanese, it’s that people really get a kick out of causing bodily harm to one another. It’s a bit like watching Benny Hill I suppose.

If people aren’t hurling themselves into foam cut outs or hitting each other over the head, they’re eating. You cannot flip through all seven channels without coming across some sort of cook off competition. The iron chef has about 100 different spin off shows here. Often times there are a panels of about 5 people tasting the food and rating it. This seems simple enough until they put on a crazy techno tune and cut away to a leather boy gyrating his hips with his hands behind his head. He’s even sporting a moustache !! It’s like he jumped straight (eh hem) out of a Tom of Finland illustration.

So those are my impressions so far. The only thing I find remotely similar to television in Canada is The Home Shopping Network and David Curuso’s cheesy comments on CSI Miami. “Let’s question the man in the…tutu”, “ I think the victim’s rollerblade may have been…tampered with.”

Listening to Cat Power The Greatest

take the last train to yono

I have a curfew and I don’t know if this is a good or a bad thing. The trains here stop running around 12:30am and it’s really tough to get used to after the freedom of walking or cabbing it home for years. I feel like I’m stuck in Ladner again. I used to have to take the last 601 bus from Vancouver and it was such a pain. I hated having to come home so early. Thankfully I finally got a car and found a few couches to crash on if need be.

So here I am, back in Ladner with no car. I enjoy my nights in Tokyo but the end of my evenings are spent stressing out over whether or not I’ll make my last train to Yono. I think I may have to move soon or find myself some couches to surf on. Last night Joe and I ran like mad to catch our connecting trains and we just barely caught our last one. Booking it up and down steps after 5 pints of Asahi is not a good idea, I felt like an accident waiting to happen.

The other option is to pull an all nighter. If I miss my last train I can head back to the bar and put my heels up until the first train at 5am. I have yet to attempt this, it could be ugly, especially if I have to teach screaming children the same day.

Went to a lovely Okinawan restaurant last night with Joe and a couple of his friends. The food was quite interesting. One particular noodle dish was quite delicious but after I had consumed it I was a little bit shocked when I found out the pieces of meat were SPAM. What the hell? I’ve managed to avoid that stuff for 32 years and I encounter it at an Okinawan restaurant in Tokyo? Dear god, what next?

We all had a giggle after seeing this air freshener in the restaurant washroom...

Listening to The Ladies and Gentlemen Small Sins

tall tear flavoured mocca

No matter how much I try to ignore Valentines Day it always gets me down. I sat at Starbucks in Omiya station yesterday morning sipping on an afternoon mocca watching the people pass below. I had a card in my purse from Margot in Vancouver. For some odd reason I felt like crying. I don’t know who I am right now, I don’t think I’ve ever been so confused in my life. Margot’s words of encouragement brought me to tears. I have so many special people in my life and yet here I am on the other side of the world. I don’t understand what I’m doing here. A little voice inside my head associates a city I love with a whole lot of heartache and I don’t know how to make the pain stop. I thought it would stay in Toronto but it manages to find me here. It hides in the oddest places, a bottle of shampoo when I’m in the shower, a reflection of myself when I’m on the train, a look of complete wonderment in a little child’s eyes or in a cup of coffee at a busy train station. These momentary lapses of reason pass by quickly though, it’s nothing a couple of big breaths can’t help.

Thankfully I have a new gay boyfriend. We shared the same sentiments at work yesterday over a ton of chocolates. I think I had the perfect Valentines date last night. There’s nothing better than going out for beers and revealing your most inner self to a perfect stranger.

Listening to Kings of Convenience Quiet is the New Loud

californiaaaa

Monday February 13, 2006

Tradition here in Japan states that St.Valentine’s Day is actually for the men. Women buy men chocolates and one month from now on March 14^th men return the favor with candy or lingerie. So, today I went to Omiya Station where there’s a Lumini department store and bought my coworkers some chocolates for tomorrow. There are many treats to eat at work on a regular basis. The boys are always getting interesting flavored cakes and candies from their students, naturally they share : )

Today was the first day I had to work mildly hungover and I did alright if I do say so myself. Nothing a little Starbucks mocca couldn’t help.

Sunday night was my first so called club night in Tokyo. My roommate Amy invited me out with friends from her Nova orientation class and we had a good time. I felt like a giant towering over everyone and it didn’t help that I was wearing my work cloths. The heels I was wearing weren’t really the best choice. It was freezing outside and we had a little trouble finding the place but the power of text messaging helped get us there.

I wasn’t feeling too social after a long day at work and my feet were killing me so I decided to pull out my digital camera and geek out for a while. Amy’s friends thought I was a bit strange putting my camera up on shelves and snapping longish exposure pics. She said I was an “artist” to which they responded with “ooooooohhh”. So yeah, I guess I’m now Amy’s strange artist roommate. I’m comfortable with this. I guess I’ve been in my Toronto bubble so long I completely forgot what it’s like to live outside of such an artistic community. Of course there are many artists living here, I just haven’t made contact with any yet. I did exchange emails with a cute Japanese DJ that night, he checked out the blueScreen website while we were at the club and he was so thrilled. Perhaps maybe we’ll hang out soon.

So, when you meet a fellow teacher the same questions always come up.

1) Where are you teaching?

2) Where do you live?

3) Where are you from?

I’ve had this discussion about 15 times in three weeks...

Instructor A – Hi I’m Matt

Instructor B – Hey I’m Delphine

Matt – I’m sorry?

Delphine – Del feeen

Matt – Pleased to meet you

Delphine – Pleased to me you too

Matt – So you work for Nova?

Delphine – Yup and you?

Matt – Yeah me too.

Delphine – Where are you working?

Matt – Yoyogi

Delphine – Hrmm?

Matt – It’s on the Saikyo line, just after Shinjuku.

Delphine – Ahh, ok. So where are you living?

Matt – Oh I live at Nishinippori.

Delphine – (blank look on her face)

Matt – The next station after Tabata

Delphine – (looks clueless)

Matt – It’s on the Saikyo line too, just a little to the north/east.

Delphine – Ah

Matt – Where are you working?

Delphine – I work at Iwatsuki (pronounced e watt ski), it’s a nice little place.

I like that it’s small and quiet, some of the branches sound really busy.

Matt – Yeah mine’s alright.

Delphine – I live at Yono, it’s just below Omiya on the Keihin-Tohoku line.

Matt – Oh (clueless) So where are you from?

Delphine – I’m from Toronto, Canada.

Matt – Oh yeah, I’m from Minnesota, Missouri

Delphine – Oh yeah. So how long have you been here?

Matt – It’s been 5 months.

Delphine – I’ve been here 3 weeks.

Matt – Wow, only three weeks! How are you liking Japan?

Delphine – It’s pretty good and you.

Matt – Yeah, it’s alright.

Delphine – How long are you staying?

Matt – I think a year, I don’t really know yet…

It’s quite repetitive and no one really likes going through the drill but I guess it’s the best ice breaker.

I’m hiding out in my room, listening to David Bowie. Both of my roommates have the day off so they’re doing their laundry etc. I feel it’s best to stay out of the way. I don’t work until 5pm this evening so I think I’ll catch up on some writing and perhaps attack my mini casio at some point.

My roommates and I watched three episodes of The OC back to back last night while sipping tea and nibbling on chocolate goodies. I had a small moment while my butt was numbing on the yoga matt I had placed on the floor. I looked at my surroundings and smiled. Who knew I would one day be lying on the floor of a small apartment on the outskirts of Tokyo watching the OC with two American gals hearing “California here we ccccccccccccccccooooooooooooooooooommmmee” ? Life can be so strange.

me a bored

Today I compiled a list of my favorite train-riding/station-walking songs. Test it out some time when you take a train somewhere…sometime...good times.

The Juan McLean – Give Me Every Little Thing
Junior Boys – Under The Sun
Air – Universal Traveler
The Album Leaf – Easter Glow
Boards Of Canada – Chromakey Dreamcoat
The Church – City
The Cure – A Forest (Tree Mix)
Final Fantasy – This is the Dream of Win and Regine
Hood – Any Hopeful Thoughts Arrive
Laltra – Mail Bomb
Lush – Undertow
The Notwist – This Room
Orbital – Adnan’s
Simple Minds – Love Song
Max Richter – Vladimir’s Blues
Out Hud – Dear Mr. Bush, There are over 100 words for shit and only 1 for Music. Fuck You,Out Hud
Tom Vek – Nothing But Green Lights
Underworld – Juanita/Kiteless/To Dream of Love

I found some more postcards today, here’s one of them…

Listening to my roommate watch Garden State

stuffy subway?

I was sandwiched next to this advert this morning and started to fantasize about a special spray that can miraculously decongest the trains at rush hour. Now that would be something worth smiling about.

Listening to Lush 'Split'

...like a race horse

Not too much to report at this end. I'm slowly getting back into the reality of work but quickly adjusting to my new work place. The people I work with are very cool and the students have all been very nice so far, I look forward to working with many of them again.

I went to Shibuya this morning in search of a bank machine. I finally ran out of the cash I brought with me. Finding a bank machine that takes foreign cards is a workout in this town. The only place that will accept our bank cards is Citibank which takes about 45mins to an hour via train. Oh well, it got me out of my place and into Tokyo for a couple of hours. Now I have to dress for work...sigh. I thought my short 4 hour shifts would be great but they're actually quite the marathon! I worked 10 - 2 yesterday which means I taught 5 lessons in a row. We get a 10min break between each lesson to grade the previous one and prepare for the next, I've never had to pee so badly in my life! They really don't allow enough time for bathroom breaks in this company, I'll have to watch my liquid consumption before I work these shifts.

One of these things is not like the others...


Listening to The Juan Mclean

strawberry punch!

The 100 yen store in Yono is a lot of fun. I think I spent about an hour in there this afternoon looking at all of the goodies in the stationary section. I stumbled across the cutest post cards I have ever seen. One of the things you quickly notice here is how English words or phrases are put on various things but don’t necessarily make a lot of sense, they get lost in translation…

This next one is my favorite, I laughed out loud and people thought I was strange...
Here are few more characters I found interesting...























MILK CARAMEL

"A caramel is very sweet. And it is delicious. Everybody is pleased with it. I also laugh together. It is my pleasure. Do you eat?"


RETRO GIRL

"Have favorite clothes on and have a red bag. A girl walks vigorously. A surely good day should come!"

This delicious bag of chocolates also caught my eye...

Listening to Jacques Dutronc's Greatest Hits

i feel the earth move under my feet

wednesday February 1, 2006

I experienced my first Japanese earthquake this evening. Our training was in session when all of a sudden my chair appeared to be moving back and forth. I informed the group we were having an earthquake, the lesson stopped as the shaking got stronger and stronger. The florescent lights above rattled a little bit then everything calmed down. I had felt a few earthquakes when I lived in Vancouver but they were always over before I realized what was happening, this was quite different.

Our trainer said it was a pretty big one. She told us that she has felt earthquakes during some of her lessons and her students have been completely oblivious. I found it quite exciting to tell you the truth. Apparently the best way to know you’re experiencing a serious earthquake is when you see the locals panic. I think I’ll start freaking out when I start seeing debris fall from the ceiling and hearing people scream…ah happy thoughts. My friend Paul was nice enough to let me know about the big HUGE earthquake that is due to hit Japan. If anything happens to me, just know that my final moments were spent in a karaoke bar singing “you’re the one that I want, ooh oooh ooh honey…” sporting black satin pants with a matching jacket accompanied by a non-scientologist dashing middle-aged emaciated non-musician. Hell yes I’m teaching English.

love
d-boughten