Defending Japan!

Ox Tongue Set Meal

I don't mean to offend, but...

Someone posted a video about a women eat Frog Sashumi and said "The Japanese are a sick and twisted community". Now I am going to defend this wonderful country that is my home!

I am not going to link to the actual video, but I feel that people would hate me for it, so google it yourself if you really want to watch it!

Sashumi literally means "prepared alive". Now in Japan, you can get lobster, squid, shrimp, fish and octopus prepared this way. This a delicacy in Japan and can be very expensive to eat. I personally am not a big fan of sushi (raw fish), I have tried it here in and there is some that I like, but the herrings eggs was a little too much for me.  It really boils down to personal preference and no one is really forcing you to eat this kind of food. Its on the menu, you choose to buy it or not!

I feel that someone misunderstand this wonderful country and their taste in food. I have eaten food I never thought I could actually eat. So far I've only really tried Eel, which is made by my wonderful friend Ruri-san, and Ox tongue, which I tried when out friends at a local restaurant. But I will get round to trying Sea Urchin, which is my city's local speciality. Its just that sashumi is quick and easy to prepare and is best served as fresh as possible. The only way to do this with raw food is to kill it when the customer asks for what they want.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong at all with people killing the food and preparing the food there and then. If it means its better, than so be it.  We see it all the world where animals kill their prey and then eat them. How is this any different? We are killing are food with a swift blade before eating it. At the end of the day, its still food.

But its a different country and culture. You might not understand why they do this, yet it doesn't really call for such strong use of words.

I just don't like it when people see a video and then actually make assumptions that every where and everyone does that. I guess I'm just annoyed that people don't fully understand this countries culture and diet but are very quick to judge.  This country I now consider my home and I just want people to have the correct understanding about this country.

One Big Step

 

I finally took one big step today. Although, I did the cowardly thing and didn't give it to him directly, but I put in his shoe locker instead. But I am still embarrassed that I actually did something like this. I've been so long out of the dating game, that even the Japanese way of courting is confusing. But thank goodness for Shoujo manga lol Now I just have to wait. At least, I hope he noticed this bag inside... but if he didn't, then he had better find it tomorrow >.<

I am still going round in circles about if its really okay to pursue someone who works at the same school as you. But we don't actually work together or even sit together in the staff room. So that's a positive thing. Its just I don't want fellow staff members to think poorly of me for it either. I just like him for who he is and I have no hidden agenda.

However, how can anyone not like this guy for who he is? His way of say hello is adorable because he is a shy guy. But on Monday, he was shovelling the snow (yeah I looked at ass at some point or another.. well if he would have his back to me, what else am I meant to do :P ). He was standing under the porch roof, about to move more snow when a large pile of snow falls directly in front of him. So he turns round to see if anyone saw as well, and it just so happened to me. So he does this kind of "kyaaaaa" face and I can't help but laugh, but I am also trying to think of something to say in Japanese, but all the words escape my mind and I carry on laughing. I think I was the only one who saw so it was our little moment.

I think people who are smart enough must have caught on that I like him. I think I smile to him more than anyone else and I tend to look around the room more to see if he is there.

Except for today. The only reason I was able to sneak his chocolates into his shoe locker was because there was a meeting at 2pm and there wasn't any students around. So I put it in when no one was around. After that, I kept my head down went back to writing notes on a book I've been reading for almost a year now about planning lessons and classes. This is solely for my Eikaiwa's (English conversation classes). I know Interac. has their way of teaching so I follow their guidelines for school lessons.

Now its a waiting game to see if he actually contacts me. I am really thankful for my friends who helped me write in a card. It was only a little message in Japanese. So I hope he understands.

Fingers crossed people!

Another Job

I finally got the approval of my company to work at a small English Cafe school. I will be teaching a small group of adults easy English. It will be my first time teaching adults. So I will do my very best to teach them. I won't be alone, there will be a Japanese native speaker there to help me. It will also be great to have another job where I can earn that extra money so I can hopefully go to Tokyo this winter!

This will be the perfect opportunity to not only teach a different age range but I get to learn Japanese too. I've already had one of the English teachers I work with help me with a Japanese phrase I practiced on the board. I completely forgot about one particle, which I told her a little while before that I found はand が difficult, although I am better at them than I was. I was just happy that what I wrote made sense. A student who was still the room after class said I had nice writing. Its just a shame that I write better than I can speak. But I am working on the speaking part now.

So wish me luck in starting this new class!! Its going to be great to be teaching adult mothers who want to learn English but have never had a chance to learn because they have been busy with raising their children. The place where I will be work is more like a cafe and mothers can bring their children and be learning in a relaxed atmosphere so they won't feel pressured. I just hope I can do a really good job. I am going to try my best with using Japanese to translate into English for them.

頑張れ！！

お久しぶり

みんなさん、お久しぶりですね。みんなさんは元気、私はまあまあで。今日は種市町で雨模様と寒いです、これは天気の私に英語のを思い出させる。それはくつろがせるで！仕事は多分忙しい、でも私が楽しいです。私が教える生徒たちは驚くべきものだ。彼らが私の日本語で私を助けて。私の自由な時間で日本語を勉強します。まだ私は勉強です。頑張り！
私の日本語が間違っている場合は、すみませんでした。

English:
Its been a long time everyone. I hope everyone is healthy, I am so-so. It is cold and rainy in Taneichi Town today, this reminds me of English weather. It is relaxing!　The students I teach are amazing! They help me with my Japanese.  I study Japanese in my free time. I am still studying. I do my best!
If my Japanese is wrong, I am sorry.

本当にお久しぶり！It has been a month since I last posted anything. I've been on Summer vacation. Even thought it was a great time to go and sightsee, in the end, I ended up staying at home and going to the local festivals. I've not been saving up much money so I've had to try and cut back my spending to make sure I have plenty of money for October when I get for just about two weeks of work in August at the end of September. Although, I was able to practice more of the simple kanji. It may be strange trying to write it because I am someone who remembers things with practice. I can't just look at it and remember it. But it is fun to learn and I've managed to find a program for my computer which tests me every day on the Kanji I choose. At the moment I am only working on the JLPT NS5 Kanji. But its funny to look back at my old notebook of Japanese from a year ago and see how much smaller the kanji has become now. Surely, that means I am getting used to writing it now, right?!

Otherwise, I've been to the nearest bigger city a few times this summer. I even got sunburnt by staying out in the sun for three hours without sun cream. I was too busy taking photo's, which I have uploaded to facebook. It was nice to get out of the house and go for a drive. I also went to watch the fireworks in kuji and Noda. The fireworks here are so pretty to watch and colourful.

I finally went to a BBQ last weekend and I had a good time. I didn't get to speak to many of the local's much because I finally realised my Japanese skills is just so low T_T I really wonder why I have a job here sometimes. But it was strange to meat was constantly cooked while there was people there. Okay, so a lot of people actually brought a lot of meat with them. But, it was a good thing. I only took small bits at a time, as to not seem too greedy, but the food was delicious!

New music, New me

Well recently I've been listening to a lot of Japanese Rock. Some of the bands are really really good



ONE OK ROCK

Taka - Vocals

Toru - Guitar and Vocals

Ryota - Bass

Tomoya - Drums

My favourite tracks by then are; Wherever you are, Lair, My Sweet Baby,  Yume Yume and Nobody's Home. I dunno how I suddenly decided to see what they were like but I'm so glad I did. Their latest album Niche Syndrome (2010) is definitely the best so far in my personal opinion.

I think the reason for liking them is because they don't sing just random words in English/Engrish but whole verses and choruses. It makes a change from hearing some tracks where there is only a few occasional words in English and the rest in Japanese. So it makes a nice change. But they have a really great sound that makes me want to listen to them over and over again!

They also make me want to start my own band where I can hopefully play bass and sing.. so if anyone is up for it.. LET ME KNOW! I also play piano too if that will spark your interest :P



Abingdon Boys School

Nishikawa

SUNAO

Toshiyuki Kish

Shibasaki Hiroshi

The first track I fell in with from ABS is Howling, which is the OP to Darker Than Black, one of my favourite anime's and really did love this track! And then when I heard the other tracks they did for Anime's, I just had to listen to their albums and Love it!!  Abingdon Boys School Abingdon Road is my favourite album with the tracks From Dusk Till Dawn, JAP, STRENGTH, and Kimi ni Uta. Although Fre@k Show from their teaching materials album is another one of my fav's.

They might not sing many words in English but their sound is one that is easy to love and love. They are also the first Japanese band that I decided to listen to. They opened up my musical vocabulary.



Monoral

AniSS - Vocal, Guitar, songs, arrangements

Ali - Bass, Guitar, songs, arrangements

Now I first heard their track to Ergo Proxy when I watched it years ago and Loved it. Of course, that anime has a great soundtrack anyway. So of course the OP track is also going to be awesome! Their track Kiri and Perfect Gold are probably one of their best tracks but then all of their other tracks aren't that far behind. They are really a relaxed rock type duo but are still great to listen to.

Again, if you like listening to a band that sings in English, then they are another band you should listen to. I don't know what else I can say about them really. Just that you wouldn't really class them as a Japanese band if you heard their tracks but as long as they are great to listen to, then thats all that matters right???


Dir En Grey

Kyo - Vocals

Kaoru - Guitar

Die - Guitar

Toshiya - Bass

Shinya - Drums

Now I don't listen to Dir En Grey much but when I do, I can not complain at all! They are probably one of the best Alternate Metal Japanese Band. They might have a very metal style compared to the other bands I listen but it doesn't make me like them even less. Its also really hard to pick out any favourite tracks. They are all great to listen to so picking out the best is really really hard.

UVERworld

Takuya∞

Katsuya

Akira

Nobuto

Shintarō

Now they might be most well known to anime lovers as a band who has done a few tracks for Bleach. But once you start to listen to their albums... oh boy! Definitely a must listen to band. I only started to listen them like a few weeks ago so trying to pick out a favourite track is again hard. But the albums AwakEVE, Timeless and Proglution are my faves to listen to.  Always good to listen to in the same playlist as ONE OK ROCK.

So I can't really complain about that :P I really am a rock chick who can just simply listen to this band and know I've chosen well. Totally can't find anything bad to say about them. But once I really listen to them more I'm sure my favourite tracks will pop out and I do promise to post them here!
Coldrain

Masato - Vocals

Y.K.C (Yokochi) - Guitar

Sugi (Kazuya) - Guitar and Backing vocals

RxYxO (Ryo) - Bass and backing vocals

Katsuma - Drums

Only started to listen to this band last night and DAMN! If you prefer to listen to a band that sings in English, like ONE OK ROCK, then this is the band for you! Totally an amazing band! I really do like their cover of Stacy Orrico's STUCK. A by far better rocky version! I don't think you can wrong with this band.

All of their songs from their two albums (well the two I have) are amazing! I really don't know what else to say apart from the fact that you just have to listen to them!



Pay Money To My Pain

K - Vocals

PABLO - Guitar

JIN - Guitar

Tsuyoshi - Bass

ZAX - Drums

I've only just heard their tracks and although they are really a screamo band, still a great band to listen to. I did notice that their tracks are also a really decent length. You don't see many tracks that like 5 minutes long any more. And I guess that also helps them create really great music. Although I only started to listen to them, their track HOME... just has to be my favourite! Its a totally amazing song that really is one to listen to!