Getting Settled

So here I am, sitting in ninety-degree sopping wet heat, trying to figure out the best way to sum up my first week or so in Uchiko.

To start with, as soon as I got off the plane from Tokyo I realized I had made one very inaccurate assumption about Shikoku. My only previous experience with Japan had been my visit to Okinawa, an island which is undoubtedly tropical. I know Shikoku would get hot and humid in the summer, but I figured that – since it is roughly 600 miles north of Okinawa – the muggy, sticky Vermont summers would have prepared me well enough. Ha! Shikoku is most definitely tropical itself: today was around 32 degrees Celsius and the humidity is so bad that the pages of my books have already begun to wrinkle. I have to remember to air out my futon next week or else it will begin to mold (I also have to get used to rolling up my bed every morning).

That said, Uchiko is a beautiful town! The mountains surrounding us are like a pointer version of VT’s oversized hills and the houses around here are amazing: Uchiko was the first town in Japan to have government protection for the preservation of its historic buildings. Looking out my bedroom window, I see old homes with traditional ceramic tile and, walking down the streets, you would almost forget which century you’re in if it wasn’t for the vending machines and yellow-plates everywhere.

The most remarkable thing about my three days in Uchiko, though, is the situation I find myself in linguistically. Apparently, Uchiko has a sister-city in Germany (Rothenburg) and so learning German is just as popular, if not arguably more so, than English. Also, Marco, the CIR (Coordinator for International Relations: a JET whose job it is not really to teach, but to act as a sort of ambassador) who was assigned to Uchiko is German. So, right from the beginning, all conversations between the JETs and our contractors/supervisors/coworkers are in 3 languages: Japanese (primarily), German (when Marco’s Japanese fails him), and English (when my German fails me). In fact, at a goodbye/welcome party held last night for both new and old JETs, only a few English words were spoken the entire night since the majority of the guests were Japanese who have taken the local German classes.


So, now I find I have to remember my German as well because I will have better luck talking to the locals in German than in English if I cannot think of the Japanese! I wish you guys could here a normal conversation in our office…

Hiroko-san (coworker): Ashta wa yoobinkyoku ni ikimashoo.
Marco-san (CIR): sumimasen, watashi no hanko wa…aa no…aa no…Freitag ni kuremasu ka?
Hiroko-san: Hai. Freitag wa ii desu ka? Kirusutein-san wa ii desu ka?
Me: Hai, ii desu. Aa no...mmm…unsere…alien registration cards mo kuremasu ka?
Marco-san: Sie werden uns am Freitag den "Alien Registration" Ausweis geben.
Me: Aa, so desu. Danke.
Marco-san: dozo.

Now, since I had to write all three parts, I had to dumb down Hiroko- and Marco-san’s vocabulary considerably (honestly, the Japanese is probably wrong too), but you get the idea.

Even though I still only comprehend a fraction of the conversations around me, I am extremely happy for the few times when the conversation will switch from Japanese to German and, since I was still miraculously able to follow, I didn’t notice the language shift. I should mention that’s happened a grand total of…twice. :P

Alright, this entry is extremely long, so I’m going to call it quits now. Still don’t have internet at my apartment so this will get posted whenever I can manage to snag a cable for a bit. Til then, Tsuess!

Almost There!

Since the next two weeks or so are going to fly by like a whirlwind (and I will not have internet for some time after I leave the Keio Hotel), I figured I should write a bit about what we JETs have experienced thus far…

…to give you some idea of the Japanese welcoming spirit: we’ve only spent a single night in Tokyo and I have already penciled 4 parties into my planner: one for ALTs in general, one for those of us stationed in Ehime, another for those residing close to Matsuyama (mainly Uchiko and Matsuyama JETs), and a fourth for us New Englanders/Canadians who just plain rock. *wink* I should note that, also in Japanese fashion, all of these parties revolve around large quantities of alcohol. I’m glad I’ve met a couple other Ehime ALTs who would also rather not greet their mayors brutally hungover.

Beer parties aside, I’m very encouraged to finally meet many other JETs here in Tokyo (there are hundreds staying in the Keio Hotel at the moment) because I am no longer worried about being the odd one out. I’ve seen a guy with a mohawk (not spiked, but still clearly there), several people with visible tattoos, a hippie whose idea of formal business wear included cargo pants, and a gal from Washington with two lip piercings. I asked the Washington girl if she was going to remove her rings and she said she would remove one, but try a stud in the other. I was expecting resistance to my tragus piercing, but was going to keep it as long as it was no risk to my job.

In my defense, I want to point out that I clean up well: at the Boston orientation, I (being a tad impatient) decided to skip the line at the check-in counter and walk straight through security. Our orientation was held at the Consulate-General of Japan on the 14th floor of the Federal Reserve building; security included armed guards. I figured the worse they could do would be to refuse me entry, so I wasn’t all that concerned. Well, I made it through, no questions asked, and it was fun being the only JET at the orientation without a neon yellow “guest pass” sticker. One JET said he saw me walk by and assumed I worked in the building, although I did look “a bit young”. Hehe.

Although I am nervous about meeting my superintendent and supervisors for the first time (and having to go through the formal introductions in Japanese), I feel comfortable already. I’m sitting here snacking on a matcha-flavored KitKat and drinking a carton of Milk Tea (my apologies B, but it’s good :D ). I can’t wait to see my apartment (first time ever having one of my own, woot!) and explore my town.

That’s it for now I guess. Tokyo is amazing – it beats out both NYC and Boston (I can’t believe I’ve stayed at all three cities in only a week’s time) – and I wish I could explore more. Oh, and I met several JETs from the southern coast of Ehime, which is known for its surfing...yeah, baby! We all want to try. Ok, now I’m done. Keep in touch, I’ll get lonely once I’m alone at my station.

Departure!

Wow. Two days left...and I have literally just gotten back from an amazing road trip to see the Rock the Bells Festival in NYC and some friends in Kingston, Ontario. Because my wonderful sense of timing brought me back home just one day before I have to leave for Boston, I had to pack for Japan before the road trip. Stressful, but so worth it!

I hate goodbye's and, unfortunately, I've had to experience a lot up until now. Luckily, I've been blessed with amazing groups of friends who've made the whole process so much easier...

To my UG crew: Big hugs for all! It's going to be hard to top a job that had whipped cream fights, dangerous amounts of sugar, prank battles, and random late night shenanigans. You supply my chai and I'll send you more mochi *wink*.

To my Tuesday night poker pals: pray for me that gambling is legal in Uchiko, hahaha. And I've got one word for you all: bodog! There's some of you I still haven't the luxury of stacking *cough* Evan *cough* and so if you ever have the erge to play on an off day, let me know. Oh, and don't let James bully you - dude can't hit every flop, he just wants you to think he can. ;)

And my road trip buds: you guys (and gals) are honestly the best traveling companions anyone could wish for and this trip was seriously just what I needed. Also, riding in the cab of pickup trucks for over 1,200 miles has gotten me comfortable with the thought of being crammed in a plane for 13+ hours, heh. Thank you SO much for those of you who put me up and provided food and showers. Well, here's to negotiating both monster cities and back-country roads, fighting lost cell signals, singing along to fuzzy pop stations, and making crazy ideas work!!

Cheers, guys. Next time we talk, txt, or email I'll be thankful it's in English! I love you all from the bottom of my heart and if any of you suddenly become millionaires, I expect a visit!