7 Month Check In

Following up on Heather's post. 7 month check in...assemble!!!

Since we have been in Japan for about 6 months i thought it would be fun to do a survey for the blog. Kind of a way to catalog how we are doing and share it with others. 

Favorite Drink: Green Tea

It’s not like I’ve never had green tea before, but the powered green tea they have at a number of restaurants is delicious, and you get an unlimited amount.

Best food eaten so far: Niku Udon

Meat + noodles + soup = so so good.

Best dessert: karinto

 It’s more of a snack than a dessert, but these little fried sticks come in different flavors. My favorite is the white sugar variety, and I can eat them by the bag full.

Worst food eaten so far: Natto

I don’t even have to describe this food thanks to Wikipedia:

Nattō (なっとう ) is a traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis. It is popular especially as a breakfast food. Nattō may be an acquired taste because of its powerful smell, strong flavor, and slimy texture.

Yep. Slimy, fermented, bacteria infested soybeans. No thanks.

Favorite place to visit: Tamiya Park

It has a track, is a great morning workout spot, and helped introduce me to the leagues of pleasant elderly folk performing radio taiso. Check the video below for the awesomeness that is radio taiso. It is broadcast every morning, and it is popular among awesome elderly Japanese people who approach with smart phones and ask you to point out where you’re from on google maps.

Favorite activity: 

Going to Plum House bakery on a Saturday morning

Japan has a number of little bakeries, and they’re all awesome. I never thought this would be something available in Japan, but it is, and it’s fantastic.

Biggest daily frustration: Not being able to communicate with my coworkers

I get by with broken English with the teachers I share classes with, but I there are a number of other teachers that seem really cool and try to talk to me, but the language barrier prevents us from getting very far. I’ll be stoked when I’ve learned enough Japanese for us to have an actual conversation.

Small thing that makes you happy: 

That the kids never show any less excitement to see me everyday.

There is literally nothing better in this world than having a group of junior high students with giant grins on their faces waving at you at shouting, “good morning” in Japanese accented English.

Most thankful for: Having my wife here to share it with me

I know this one is cheesy, but it can be lonely when you don’t know the language, and having Heather here to laugh about things and complain about small frustrations makes life infinitely easier and more fun.

Something you wish you would have done before coming: 

Taken care of my teaching license and the IRS bill

Ugh, I let a few things slip before I left, and it’s a huge pain in the ass to get everything taken care of with the time difference and the lack of an easily reachable phone number and address.

Best experience so far: 

swimming in Katsuura and then going to the waterfall in Kamikatsu

Item most missed: My bike

The single speed cruiser is good for getting around, but I miss my Surly.

Food most missed: Anything from a real coffee shop, good beer

There is coffee in Japan, but I have yet to find a great coffee shop with delicious snacks and a solid Americano. The beer is ok, and it all tastes the same. The additions of sake and plum wine don’t make up for the microbrews I’m missing from home.

Most surprising/shocking discovery: 

Life here really isn't that different 

I get up, go to work, come home, workout, hang out with my wife, and spend time with friends. There are definitely strange things about being half a world away, but for me they are overwhelmingly positive. Besides the struggles with the language and the initial culture shock, my life hasn’t changed that much.

Goal for the next six months: Finish Minna No Nihongo book one

I’m taking private lessons once a week and working my way through this Japanese textbook. In six months I should be through the first book and hopefully a little bit better at speaking Japanese.