. . : : Japan takes the QUEEN : : . .

The highlight of most, if not all of my trips is VEGGIE DINING! YAY! I went to 3 vegetarian restaurants today. All of them were closed :( Apparently vegetarians do not eat on holidays. As my students say, "That's news to me!" It's a good thing that Joey hooked me up. Joey? Who's Joey? No, he's not my new Australian boyfriend. He's the man at the Moroccan restaurant. I went there again and had lunch. I was there for a while and ended my falafel platter with probably the best soy hot chocolate that I have ever had!

I didn't have my salsa shoes on yesterday so my shins were killing me today. As a result, I bypassed going up to the blue mountains b/c I knew that I probably wouldn't feel up to walking up a mountain or two in my clogs. I did end up walking around a lot today, just window shpping-esque kind of stuff. After lunch, I thought I was going to check out the wonderful Sydney Aquarium...SIKE! It cost $26. I don't know, but I felt "some type of way" about paying that much for the museum. When people mentioned things to see in Australia, they didn't say that the aquarium was the place to be. So, no aquarium for me. Instead I took the ferry back over to The Rocks and got some GREAT shots of the bridge.

I am in early tonight b/c my flight to Melbourne is at 915a. Somehow, I must make it downstairs by 730a. My chances of accomplishing that will be much better if I go to sleep by 1000p. So that is where I am heading after my $5 runs out on this computer.

Since I am already forgetting stuff, I figured that I might as well post something. So I got here on Friday (3/25) and got settled. That took me a good number of hours, so I just headed to the music festival. I think we already know that part. One thing I must say is that "Trinis are everywhere!". I met Mr. Clyde (a Trini) playing pan on the harbour. We chatted for while, then he told me about a Caribbean festival/eventt going on Monday. I will try to make it.

Okay, so Saturday. Hmmm...what did I do? I went to the harbour and walked around. I saw the opera house...it was raining so that part wasn't too good considering that I didn't have an umbrella. Once I got back from the opera house, the weather was great. I had a quick though...Get on the ferry and head to Manly . So I did. It was a nice ride. I guessed I must have felt like I was on the J subway system, b/c I was knocked out fore a good portion of the ride. The weather turned out to be really great. I ended up staying at Manly for a few hours.

After Manly, I went back to the Circular Quay and the Rocks. I did a bit of walking, then went up the hill to get a good view of the harbour (as suggested by MS). Then, I got back on the ferry and headed to Cockatoo Island to see a West African percussion group. They were pretty good. I was invited on stage to dance*. I had a great time. I didn't get back in until after midnight.

Today (3/27) was Sunday and a holiday, but it didn't feel like it. Apparently the gov't told businesses that they couldn't open for those reasons. The average business said "So what?!" and opened anyway. I am sure the fine that they might receive is significantly smaller than the amount of money they made by staying open.

I didn't have any plans, so I decided to go to Chinatown and Darling Harbour. The weather was great so I just walked around to different sites. I saw a show at the Outback Centre about the yidaki [instrument typically known as the didgeridoo...not really it's name. not surprised about that]. I bought a yidaki, by the way. (That was yesterday, though.) Had some great FOOD at a Morroccan restaurant under the sun. Then I got back on the ferry (sound familiar?) and went to see Cubanismo! They were GREAT! I danced and danced and DANCED!

So that's the brief version of things. I hope to head to the Bluie mountains in the AM. I fly to Melbourne on Tuesday, so I have to see all the rest of the Sydney sites tomorrow.

* I think I need to just travel as an artist. Everywhere I go, people think that I am a musician or dancer of some sort. As a result of my mini stint during the West African drumming show, I was invited to perform at a show her in Septemeber. Then afterwards, a photographer came and asked me about how often I perform with them. I had to keep telling people "I never met them before...I was just dancing". Well, if anything, if all of these experiences in my life do not work out, I can always make a career out of dancing and singing in Japan and Australia!

;)

After a bit of time travel, I made it to Sydney! It's cool so far. I haven't even made it out yet. I am about to get some veggie food (the highlight of most of my trips) and then later on I am going to see The Wailers (of Boab Marley and the Wailers fame).

In a couple days, I'll be heading to Australia. YAY! NO exact plans yet, except that I am flying into Sydney. Will hang there for a few days, then I will fly down to Melbourne, stay there for a few days, then fly back to Tokyo. I also have a 7 hour layover each way in Ho Chi Minh. That works out nicel b/c I can see a site or two within that time period. Hopefully the visa situation works out nicely.

Study. Browse. Study...

I often have women, even the ones married with grown children, asking me about the prom and things like that. They are really into it and have a lot of questions. My prom was a bit different b/c technically speaking, I was already in college then went back for the prom and graduation. The morning after the prom, I had a Physics exam 3 hours away at my university. I remember that I really didn't like my hair, but I LOVED my dress and would still wear it today. I am sure it fits me still...but anyway, this subject came up b/c of this article about Japanese princesses.

EDIT: click the word "article"

Today I read some simple words about my performance and it made me feel great! In response to my assignments in my class, my teacher said, "Nice Work!" Now of course, considering my past performances, that doesn't seem like much. However, I have been really working hard to keep up with the work in this class. The material isn't difficult, I have just be behind from day 1. So anyway...I jumped and kicked my heals...okay, maybe I didn't but I was happy! YAY!

So, I am happy I am not shiftless. According this article "Japanese students are shiftless". The survey compares them to students in the US and China. I think that at first, one might agree when comparing them to students elsewhere. However, there are many students that have ambitions and want to do well, but they lack support, role models, or mentors to show them that they can do better (things) in life. Of course, this is based on my experience.

I deal with some shiftless adults on the daily. Not all of them are shiftless but there are a handful. These are the same people who choose 10 1-yen coins over 3 100-yen coins because 10 is more than 1. These are the same people who isolate my co-worker because he enjoys foreign language, sees the benefit in improving his ability and the students' abilities, and wants to improve the department. So basically they hate on him. They hate on him so much that he only has me to support him when it comes to doing anything related to improving things, for the students. The unfortunate part about it is that the next generation suffers, then they end up in the newspaper...being called shiftless b/c they haven't been shown anything different. Happens in many places, though. Today I am talking about here.

On a high note though...history was made yesterday. My Eikaiwa [English conversation] class spoke for a full 2 HOURS yesterday. No probing. No games. No silence. Straight up and down conversation for a full 2 HOURS! I was so happy. I had a lesson planned, but then we got to talking about all kinds of things....running businesses...changing careers...education...it was GREAT! The class is usually an hour and half, but they kept on talking so I didn't even bother stopping them. \ ( * . * ) /

'Zuiunsha should stop the publishing and marketing of 'Chibikuro
Sambo'.'

Zuiunsha plans to re-release 'Chibikuro Sambo' (Little Black Sambo)
on April 15, 2005. 'Chibikuro Sambo' is a book that carries anti-
Black overtones. The images and the title are racially offensive and reflect blatant anti-Black sentiments.

Protest Chibikuro Sambo Petition to Mr. Tomio Inoue/Zuiunsha:
1. Go
2. Read
3. Sign HERE TODAY!

I made a Japanese dish the other day! I was oh so happy and pleased with it. One would think that since I am in J, that I owuld eat J food often. Not so. I rarely eat Japanese food. I use J ingredients and hook myself up , but I rarely pull out my cook book and throw down. (The story is already out there about how the restaurants do things... dekinai )

So I present, soba! YAY! It looks like it does in the picture menus. It's actually something that people buy any and everywhere for about 300YEN, but I would say mine is worth at least 350YEN.



:: Soba [buckwheat] noodles, tofu and BROCOLLI in
kombu dashi [kelp broth] topped with nori and negi [onions].
TASTY! ::

I must be the most gradschool applying-est person I know. I received my acceptance to UM. So after I leave J, I will have only 2 (hopefully not 3) courses to go before I get my Masters. YAY! I mean, it's only taking me, what? 5 years. 3 separate applications. HA! Oh well, I can say that I have lived during the years so I don't feel bad or down about it. Now that I know I am going to be taking classes in the fall, I need to find something/someone to pay for them...like...a job. I hope to get an assistanship to cover the costs of school and pay me. Maybe I can set up some interviews for my April visit.

I managed to get a great deal on my tickets to Australia. Although the trip is definitely worth it and cheaper than going from the US, I just don't understand why 25% of the ticket price is/has to be 'taxes and fees'.

Little Black Sambo is being re-released in Japan. It was orginally published in Japan in 1953 and was
Various versions of the news stories can be found on-line, * , * , * , and many other places.

The President of the publishing company even said

I don't think the book has discriminatory expressions compared with other picture books. The illustrations in Iwanami's version were beautiful and loved by many people. We must hand it down to the next generation. [credit]

Other people are saying that it will be a good way to begin dialog about discrimination and racism. I agree that things like this 'can' be a way to bring up the subject, but honestly (and perhaps it's b/c of where I live in J), I don't feel like people will be into any type of dialog. It will be all about saying it's kawaii [cute]. There is nothing cute about it.

So what will be done about it? it's in the works.

I had a very nice weekend! I hung out with a whole bunch of 17/18-year olds (some of my students who graduated). They always expressed an interest in hanging out so I decided that we do so after they graduated. PLUS, I LOVE this particular group of young ladies.



:: Sotsugyo Omedetou Gozaimasu!::






:: Given to me by one of my (former students), MO.
She's going to school for graphic design. ::

ok...I'm going retro here...let's rewind back to my March 2nd post. Here is the scenario...we'll let it marinate after.

B has a place of employment, CIRCLE, but volunteers at SQUARE. B asks SQUARE to write a letter stating that s/he volunteers at SQUARE. SQUARE says, "No" they will not write the letter to acknowledge that B volunteers at SQUARE....But! SQUARE wants B to still come/go to SQUARE to volunteer. SQUARE feels that B should only volunteer during his/her freetime and not during B's "usual work hours" with CIRCLE. Basically, the volunteer work that B does at CIRCLE falls under B's job description. Although SQUARE has no idea why B wants the letter of acknowledgement, SQUARE refuses to write the letter. SQUARE thinks that writing the letter will cause too many complications at CIRCLE. SQUARE says that they will write the letter of acknowledgement only if B is using it for his/her personal records. B wonders, why is SQUARE getting involved in details related to CIRCLE? why is SQUARE trying to stipulate whether or not B's volunteer work can be recognized by CIRCLE? why is SQUARE using it's personal ideas about what B's should and should not be doing during work at CIRCLE, to determine whether they can write the letter?

I am sure there is confusion (but, B may still be in negotiations)...



So basically I volunteer somewhere and technically speaking, it falls under my job description. The person/company is refusing to write the letter b/c they have their own idea of what they think a "teacher" should be doing during the daytime. Of course, my supervisor is co-signing with them (as far as I know). How are you gonna curtail my "real supervisor's" decision by refusing to write the letter?!

. . : : posted by The Queen  @ 4:52 PM

Out of all the times I have been to Tokyo, I have never gone to Yokohama. I liked it a lot. There's a GREAT Chinatown there also. I really went there for a business trip/conference which was also great too. There is always room to mix a little business with pleasure pleasure with business.




:: With GN in Yokohama ::




:: Enter the dragon ::




:: Chinatown, Yokohama ::




:: For those still wondering about the key to SUCCESS in Japan ::


YES Success!

I have a hard time not getting bothered when people need or want you around enough to fulfill their need, thus making their work successful and productive. THEN within the same breath, these same people do not want to acknowledge your contribution. If course there will most likely be more elaboration at a later time. Right now, I am in Yokohama* working with a bootleg LAN card** in my hotel...off to bed!

* really beautiful! I had no idea how nice it was here. I went to Chinatown today and felt very natsukashii [nostalgic] b/c they had preserved plums and haw falkes there.

** YES! bootleg does exist in J..."bootleg" is international