culture shock!

i think i experienced culture shock for the first time, yesterday. its a little embarassing.

its so hard to explain. you just have to be here to really understand. but try to understand and look up the 109 building in shibuya.

i am dead serious when i say i literally almost fainted being in that place. i was so overwhelmed. i could not breathe, my head got really dizzy.

EVERY GIRL IN THAT PLACE LOOKED LIKE A BARBIE DOLL!! EVERYTHING IS SO GLOSSY AND CUTE AND AMAZING!!!!

i know this is my honeymoon period, I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW! but a year from now when i am totally used to being surrounded by the nicest people in the world, in the most exciting city i have ever been too...please do not let me forget these initial moments of pure heaven. please!

can i just say, going back to america is going to be the most difficult part of living in japan...


p.s. i hung out with sumo wreslters in ropongi on saturday. genna, pictures please! oh my god!

i think its hitting me...

last night i met up with my friend maya. i spent literally 24 hours a day with her for ten days during my training time in omiya when i first arrived in japan. i cannot tell you how good it was to see her.

we instantly hit it off with each other. having her as a friend in tokyo is amazing!

we have not seen each other for the past week and a half, since training ended. and last night we walked through shibuya with all the bright lights and people everywhere. we stopped in the middle of the street and just laughed...it was amazing.

also, i can take all the pictures in the world and try to explain this feeling. but it would not translate. i am in tokyo! life is amazing!

i think its finally beginning to hit me...

phone! i have a phone!

japanese technology is INSANE! my phone is pink and has unlimited emailing capabilities!

dylag.pamela@ezweb.ne.jp

whoa!

communication adventures, etc!

its interesting not having ANY reliable form of communication in the communication mecca of the world...very strange. but actually, good.

i cannot remember the last time i went without a phone or internet for this long...and thats really sad. the other day, i am so ashamed to say, that i had a breakdown in the starbucks across from my school (a student told me that it is literally the most busy starbucks in the entire world!) because my computer died as i was sending an email out. seriously?! i cried over no internet?!

the cutest/nicest girl in the world saw me crying and was so incredibly sweet to me...she asked me why i was so upset. as the words "i have no internet..." started to leave my lips, i cringed...i felt so stupid.

I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF TOKYO! I GET TO LIVE IN ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING CITIES IN THE WORLD! AND I CRY OVER NO INTERNET?!

its actually starting to hit me how amazing my life is right now. everyday i walk through the busiest pedestrian intersection in the world. my classroom overlooks those giant tv screens that tokyo is so famous for, i meet new and interesting people everyday! i am a sensei!

so anytime i get frustrated that i cannot connect with the world, i stop and look around...i will have internet eventually. i will have a phone, as well. learn patience and stop being such a stupid spoiled american. because i did not come to japan to be on the internet all the time...geez.

(sorry this is a long post, but because of this internet situation i would love to update everyone because i of course miss so many people back in the states and everyone would like to know about japan)

teaching has been a whirlwind...the students are amazing. my staff is amazing. they threw a farewell/welcome party for three departing teachers and for my welcome. it was so beautiful! it was held at this amazing japanese restaurant downtown...we had such delicious food! oh, and i discovered my new favorite drink of all time...an apricot sour. yummy!

after they got me full on food, and drunk on sour drinks...i gave a little speech and was presented with a bouquet of flowers. the other departing aeon teachers gave speeches as well...

then, off to karaoke!

which was hilarious because my karaoke sense of humor does not translate well in japan...haha...imagine: my song choices were the doobie brothers and lionel richie. oops...next time i will opt for mariah carey or something, i guess.

i finally unpacked, so my tiny apartment doesnt seem so tiny anymore (i have a walk-in closet, which is unheard of in japan! haha!)...

and not to freak anyone out, but i really want to write a guide book for white girls in japan. some starting advice:


1. never forget your umbrella during rainy season
2. never wear a white tee shirt without your umbrella during rainy season
3. the "kindness" of japanese men offerring their umbrellas is not always so innocent

ah, yes...advice number 3...i ALMOST got into a bad situation. this guy thought it would be okay to try to grope me. but nothing bad happened...creepy dudes are everywhere in the world, apparently. even in japan.

other than that...life is amazing! everything is new and exciting! its also funny how vegetarian i am NOT anymore...last night i feasted on some delicious octopus balls! yummy!

first day in shibuya.

i've had the flu for the past four days. my manager, rie (who is six months pregnant!), came to my apartment at 11pm last night to give me medicine. i had no hot water. 

goodbye, omiya.

the omiya training center has been my home for the past ten days, alongside fifteen other english-teachers-to-be. tomorrow morning, we all embark separately to our own schools.

peace out: lawson, psychedelic boss, traditional japanese living, and stolen internet.

hello, shibuya!

oh, las vegas...

arabian rock!

after we completed training this evening, i headed out into downtown omiya with my two roommates: genna and maya (chicago and sydney, respectively). 

literally, the first restaurant that caught our eye was called "arabian rock" and not for any other reason than that it was there....and cheap!

so, we head up to the fourth floor of this building. a super cute (duh!) japanese girl greets us in a full costume of a gold head wrap and genie pants...after checking out the "budweiser carnival" (a budweiser themed bar, complete with girls in super tight budweiser dresses circa 1997?) while we were waiting, we were brought into a room. we were told to rub the genie lamp three times...afterwhich, the wall opened and we were greeted yet again with our new arabian hostess.

THIS PLACE WAS FUCKING INSANE!!!!!!!!

describing it would only ruin its true beauty...but i'll try. basically, take "aladdin" (the disney version) and mix it with some las vegas cheesiness and that was the restaurant! 

we had our own hidden bungalow that overlooked the entire place. our food was made with a giant fire that our waitress did in front of our table?! it literally took my breath away...

i felt like this place came out of nowhere...i can't even imagine tokyo after seeing this restaurant in omiya (which is a pretty small city). the japanese really go above and beyond...even the food came with tiny replicas of arabic newspapers!

OH! and the appetizer? just some gold painted hard boiled eggs. that's all.

greetings from japan!

back in february of 2008, i accepted an english teacher position with aeon. today: friday 13, 2008 we have just completed our training in omiya, japan.

this monday, i will be going to my school for the first time. its located in shibuya-ku, tokyo. having already been offered a position in tokyo was more than good enough for me...but to have my school located in shibuya was a dream come true. i haven't seen the area yet...however, one of my fellow "foreign" teachers (whom i've received two letters now) described it as being in the middle of the times square of tokyo.

basically: imagine gigantic television screens as high as the sky, glittering lights everyone, millions (literally!) of people walking on the streets.

i've been here a bit over a week, and i'm not sure when (if) i'll get over this...all these people are BEAUTIFUL here! and the most polite and considerate people i have ever encountered. 

this blog is a document of my time here. i want to share it with you through my eyes. 

these are my adventures.