Ube

It's a pretty much established fact that I am now in Ube, but I realize that I haven't exactly announced. Since I've been here almost a month, having moved in on the 10th, I think it's high time I told you guys about Ube. 

                 But it's hard to find things to tell. You know I'm teaching more classes, you know I'm driving – You do know I'm driving, right? Well I am, here's my International Permit to prove it. 

The original idea was that I could drive both to the church (that's where I teach my Ube classes) and to the Honyura eki (about a twenty minute drive). But that has fast deteriorated. After a few trips out and about I have been banned from driving to Honyura, instead I will drive to the church and walk, or bike, to the Tokiwa station. ( It's a beautiful walk. I'm planning on blogging it, don't let me forget). Driving in Japan, at least here in Ube, takes a lot of concentration. There are bikes, pedestrians, mopeds, and more kinks then an unused water hose. It's kind of like driving on a college campus, only there's worse parking. Ube city employs the use of  these huge, orange mirrors to help you in the tough spots. Lets play a game, If you can identify the two pictures below (give it your best guess) I'll post pictures of three different mirrors and, as a bonus, I'll throw in a picture of five-points too, because it's a crazy intersection that perfectly defines how I feel about driving in Ube. Okay, here are the photos, can you guess what they are?

                 

Oh, I just remembered. A few days ago I went to FugiGrand, Ube's mall, with a very stylish young lady. Let's call her, um, Lady Trams. Anyway, we were there for a very specific purpose, to have our photo taken. See, Japan has something called a Pri-Cla*, which is katakana for print club. I'm sure that's about as helpful to you as it was to me, so I'll give you my word for the English equivalent: photo booth. Yes, Japan has some crazy photo booths. They can be found in the arcade section of your local Japanese mall (I'm going to take y'all to the mall here sometime, wait and see).  There are different kinds of Pri-Cla, for example, Jewlla Eye promises to increase the size your eyes in the photo. To use it is easy. You stand in line for a few minutes, then enter the both with your Lovely Native Speaker. The  Lovely Natvie Speaker is then responsible for clicking through the options offered, and showing you how to pick different backgrounds. Want you head in a heart? You can do that. Purple and white stripes? Roses and sparkles? If it makes you happy go ahead. With an "ich, ni, san" your picture is taken again and again, about twelve time in total. Then you exit the booth and duck under a plastic curtain, where you'll find a Touch Screen displaying all your pictures. With the use of the conveniently placed Touch Pad Pens, you choose which six pictures you want to keep and then kick them up a notch with glitter, crowns, and anything else you can think of. Don't forget to write a message on it, there are only about forty different "inks" to choose from, ranging from plain black to sparkling  yellow and even taking a detour at neon orange. After you've decorated to your heart's content (or ran out of time, it happens) you just pick your favorite layout and go around to the side to wait for it to print. There you have it, Pri-Cla!   

This afternoon I walked around Tokiwa Park and brought my total number of pending post up to three. Well, four, if you count the train series I'd like to start. So I need you guys to vote on what you most want to hear about, since time is the problem. No wait, that sounds wrong. Oh, I've got. Please tell me what sounds more exciting because "time is of the essence." Then, after I hear your opinion, I'll choose whatever one I feel like doing. 

I love a good Autocracy. 

So, the choices:

             1) Tokiwa Park - Flowers, Swans, and... is that the daughter of Frankenstein's Monster? 

             2) The Path to Tokiwa Eki - Houses, Flowers, and an underground tunnel.

             3) Trash - much more then it sounds like, experience the Japanese trash system first hand! 

             4) Trains and Ekies - This would be a series of short posts, each one with the picture of an eki that I pass when I ride the trains to Hikari. The first post would teach you how to use your train book. 

             5) What's in a People House? - Finally you'll get to see what a Japanese shower looks like, and why no one brush their teeth in the bathroom. 

If you have any ideas not mentioned here, go ahead and post them. Just remember, no people. 

(The Ube LightHouse just bought a new building)

*Did you spot it? There are some very fuzzy Pri-Cla in the first picture -_^

Happy, Happy Day!

"Even a muggle such as yourself should be rejoicing on this happy, happy day."

J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter, Book 1

Dear Sister,

You are always bugging me to post, so, since the box containing your birthday present (and that of another) is still sitting in my room, untapped and unlabeled, let this post be your official birthday present. 

There is some debate about what would make a good birthday post, some say pretty pictures, preferably old. I can't see me pulling that off, this is not exactly a personal blog. Luckily for me I can just follow the golden rule of birthdays, which is "always have food." In other words, here is your Birthday E-Feast Via Blog!

 

BiBinBa - This is a Korean dish, and very good. I got it at the Fugi Grand food court this Monday. There are various toppings you can pick but, following Mrs. Purewell's lead, I chose cheese. It's served in this huge pot of a bowl, and you are given an egg to crack into it. Don't worry, the rice is so hot that the egg scrambles when you mix everything together. It's slightly spicy and oh so good!

Seven Eleven - Yes, the local seven eleven. Right across from the church, so I can run over and get my self a lunch. From Right to Left: Rolled Sushi with Nattou (the only inherently nasty food I've had yet), Melon Pan, and a Chicken Pasta Salad (the chicken is on top with the salad and the salad dressing. Some assembly required). I've had all of these before, though at different places. In fact, I've had melon bread twice. They serve it every where, even at McDonalds.





Mabodofu - Here's what I had for lunch this Thursday. I had no idea what is was, but I bravely took it to the front counter anyway, just for you. Usually the cashier asks me if I want hashi, but this time they asked me something else. Needless to say I was thrown off. Eventually they found some way of communicating the simple question "shall I heat it up for you?" and I was able to stutter out an "onegashimasu." Then, once it was all nice and hot, and tucked into the bag with a spork, I asked the lady what it was called. "Mobarohu," she said. Or so I thought. But when I got back "home" and looked it up I found my hearing was a little off. Mabodofu it is then, and it's good. Though a little greasy, as though the hamburger meat wasn't drained properly. I think I've had something similar at the Toothy's, only without the tofu and with way more veggies. Yum!

There you go, your birthday feast. And for dessert why not forgo the usual cake and have some kakigouri, blue Hawaiian is my favorite. Make sure they drizzle it with plenty of condensed milk! (or put ice cream on top and call it a "cream frappe").



Love,
Little "B"

Recovered Impressions: Sept. 4th

"The children of Reuben and the children of Gad called the altar, Witness, 'For it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.'”
- Joshua 22:34







"It's a forty-five minute walk to their school." She said, "And not a simple walk either. There's this hill to go down (and, of course, it's up hill on their way back home), and then there's a real big steep hill they have to climb in order to reach their school." I looked out the window as we passed them. They seemed so small and young, every time I see kids they seem smaller and younger than before. It was there size that had attracted my attention, as they had waited to cross the street. Elementary students. It made me think of my younger brothers.

 "One of the moms in my class (you'll be teaching her in the fall) started walking the path with her son the year before he started school, just to build up endurance." She was informing me of all this, Mrs. Purewell, and I was ready to be informed. I like to know the different ways kids are brought up to be independent and capable. Did I mention I read Boy in August? It was an out cry against the British Boarding School system, which used to be very bad indeed. But it sure produced capable young men. It would probably be child abuse, though, to knowingly put a kid through that just to teach him a stiff upper lip. But forgive me, I am not making much sense. 

           To start over, yesterday I went to Ube to observe classes. The classes I'll be subbing for in the fall. I took a 7:44 train, arriving at 9:26. Usually it doesn't take that long to get from Hikari to Ube, but there was a bit of a wait at one of the ekis (err, stations).Then English all day, until about four, and dinner, and the Gospel Chrior practice, which I had to go to, I wouldn't have missed it for anything. In the end, bed time was eleven. The night was so cool, after the past few days of heat, and waking up in the morning I was cold, but I got up somehow, showered, studied my Japanese for an hour. Raided the Purewell's kitchen for food (and they had chocolate). Played the piano a bit, mostly just reading the lyrics to the old songs that Mrs. Purewell has - their pages yellow and chipping. Around ten we left for classes. Lunch from Seven-Eleven; Bread and some kind of vinegar salad with, I think, bean sprouts. The Seven Elevens are useful landmarks here, there's one just a few minutes bike from the Nijigaoka church in Hikari. But the colors seem wrong for Japan somehow I think peach, mint, and pink would go better. Not pastels, just.... just a cuter shade.

 Maybe I'm nuts.  

 

       Tomorrow is a big night. It's my second to last night in Hikari, and I'm making dinner for some of the missionaries. Biscuits, because thats one thing I'm sure of (thank you mom, I'm sorry I ever complained about cutting the butter into the flour); Yogurt Lemon Chicken (using chicken breast instead of legs, because I'm messy enough on my own), the kindhearted Ricers were brave enough to test run this for me and I don't think I can ruin it, unless I burn it; Asparagus, which I still need a recipe for, but I'll call my dad and ask him for his - when you talk to a good cook, like my dad,  the saying "honesty is the best policy" can quite easily be translated  "flattery gets you everywhere;" Lastly we are having a salad, because I hate to break tradition. Since I've been in Japan I've had a salad with almost every single homemade dinner, and quite often for lunch, whether there was another vegtable on the table or not. Actually, one night Mrs. Toothy made tacos (we get real exotic out here sometimes. Someday I'll blog about it) she set out the lettuce on the table and I went right ahead and tore the leaves to pieces and put them on plate as a salad without even thinking about it. I didn't realize it was for the tacos until I was half way done with it. I may be exaggerating a little, but the taco story is true, true, true. So salad, and I think chocolate cake for dessert. But I may change my mind, I've changed it five times already. Dessert is tricky out here, for the Tootheys do not really care for it, and certainly not in quantity. I know that the Moors are divided as a family on this point, so I think I will only frost half the cake. Still, it's hard to make a cake. Cakes are for parties, it seems, not for dinners. But what else can one make when it must be chocolate and casual? Pots De Cream? I think not. 

     So there you have it, that is how I've been occupying my time, half in the world of English Teaching, and half in the world of Dinners, failed and successful. And all the time I am in Japan, and time is moving on........ 

(Rice Field - going to seed in Hikari)