Friday, June 23, 2006
'Cause I know you want more Korea info...
Cindy's blog has a way better summary than mine!!! She includes the cultural and funny stuff that I forgot by the time I posted. So yes, reading her blog is my osusume. Douzo.
Japan is clazy, as always
Some observations:
-Chuugakkou is where the genki-human-to-societal-robot transformation starts, so teachers (especially 1nensei teachers) always have to tell kids how to behave and what they should do in certain situations. Actually, it’s mostly only 1nensei teachers that do that, as 1nensei have no idea what they are doing, and they can mold them however they want.
Anyway, every day after school, a student from each club comes to the staffroom to get the keys for their club activities (to open a room, or a closet with equipment or whatever). The students are supposed to say who they are and what they are taking. So yesterday a 3nensei comes in and takes the key and starts to leave, and this 1nensei teacher (high pants, huge visor woman) is like, “Wait, wait, wait, you didn’t say anything! You should say what class you’re from and what you are doing, or people will think you’re a suspicious person (I don’t know how to translate that well) trying to steal the keys!” Um, I don’t think that anyone is going to be worried about a student in uniform (and the student body president, might I add!) being “suspicious” and randomly stealing the keys to a closet! Hahaha.
-There are flags around town (and now in the staffroom, waiting to be hung) for “Bike Manner Up Day.” The 15th of every month is Bike Manner Up Day in which people are apparently supposed to bike safer and have better bike manners than every other day of the month? Hmmm.
-Just after starting 3rd period (a 3nensei class), my JTE suddenly turns to me and says, “A student has escaped. I will go look for him.” He came in halfway through the class, looked at the lunch menu and was really disappointed. It turned out that he had just arrived at5 school, and his sole purpose for coming was to have kyushoku. Nice.
-Chuugakkou is where the genki-human-to-societal-robot transformation starts, so teachers (especially 1nensei teachers) always have to tell kids how to behave and what they should do in certain situations. Actually, it’s mostly only 1nensei teachers that do that, as 1nensei have no idea what they are doing, and they can mold them however they want.
Anyway, every day after school, a student from each club comes to the staffroom to get the keys for their club activities (to open a room, or a closet with equipment or whatever). The students are supposed to say who they are and what they are taking. So yesterday a 3nensei comes in and takes the key and starts to leave, and this 1nensei teacher (high pants, huge visor woman) is like, “Wait, wait, wait, you didn’t say anything! You should say what class you’re from and what you are doing, or people will think you’re a suspicious person (I don’t know how to translate that well) trying to steal the keys!” Um, I don’t think that anyone is going to be worried about a student in uniform (and the student body president, might I add!) being “suspicious” and randomly stealing the keys to a closet! Hahaha.
-There are flags around town (and now in the staffroom, waiting to be hung) for “Bike Manner Up Day.” The 15th of every month is Bike Manner Up Day in which people are apparently supposed to bike safer and have better bike manners than every other day of the month? Hmmm.
-Just after starting 3rd period (a 3nensei class), my JTE suddenly turns to me and says, “A student has escaped. I will go look for him.” He came in halfway through the class, looked at the lunch menu and was really disappointed. It turned out that he had just arrived at5 school, and his sole purpose for coming was to have kyushoku. Nice.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
No sex please, we're Japanese
This definitely earns the award for the most amusing headline of the week.
Korea some more hamnida!
On Monday morning Cindy and I got up earlier than the others, so we decided to get yummy Korean donuts and try Korean Starbucks. Little did we know that Korean Starbucks is for freaking MILLIONAIRES! I got a grande frappuccino (I don’t know why, I so didn’t need grande, but oh well) and it was $6.50!!! That is crazy! However, it was worth it, as they have white chocolate mocha frappuccinos (I don’t know if they have those in the States now, but they don’t have them in Japan) and it was sooooooooooooooooooo good. But still, that is way too much money! A tumbler there was $40! Um, okay?!
After getting ripped off by corporate America, all of us went to a palace in Seoul that was purty, tho like every temple-type area in Japan/Korea/Asia. Hehe. It was nice to do some obligatory touristy stuff, though. For lunch we found out there was a Chili’s in Seoul, and us being the sad American-food-depraved JETs that we are decided to be losers and go there. IT WAS GOOD! Mmmm, chips and salsa! And I got quesadillas and a huge margarita. MMMMM! Good stuff!
After lunch we did some shopping, then in the evening Sean, Tim, Cindy and I went to Seoul Tower, where we could see a smoggy view of the city, as well as a pretty sunset. Cindy and I only wanted to go there because it was on our favorite Korean drama! Actually everything we did in Korea was based on our Korean drama, hahahaha. Oh, on the way down from the tower I gathered some apparent stalkers! I was standing with the others, waiting for the cable car, when I realized this Korean girl was standing next to me and her friend was “sneakily” taking our picture?! I was like, um, okay…..then they continued to do it with like their five other friends, one-by-one! They were the least sneaky people EVER! Finally I ended up posing with them because I couldn’t ignore them. What can I say, I am incredibly sexy in Korea ;)
After that we went to a university area that was VERY cool and fun! I wish we would have found it sooner in the trip! We tried Haagen Dazs’ AMAZING ice cream fondue, which I must say was life-altering. You will have to see the pics later! MMMMM. Then we got a HUGE dinner and wanted to die. After that we got some beers and watched some more World Cup before going back to the hotel.
On Tuesday we had to get up far too early to go to the airport, then we nearly died on the flight back to Japan. Well, not really, but Sean and I were NOT amused with the horrible amount of turbulence throughout the flight. Let’s just say I was thinking of who would be most nutritious were we to land on a deserted island!
After finally landing safely, we made our way back to Gunma, which always takes far too long.
And yeah, that was the trip! It was very fun, and I spent less money than I expected, so that was good! The bad thing is I gained SO MUCH WEIGHT in three days, I didn’t even know it was possible! I am on a detox diet right now as I feel nasty nasty nasty! Bah! But yes, it was fun :)
P.S. Rain is fucking HOT.
After getting ripped off by corporate America, all of us went to a palace in Seoul that was purty, tho like every temple-type area in Japan/Korea/Asia. Hehe. It was nice to do some obligatory touristy stuff, though. For lunch we found out there was a Chili’s in Seoul, and us being the sad American-food-depraved JETs that we are decided to be losers and go there. IT WAS GOOD! Mmmm, chips and salsa! And I got quesadillas and a huge margarita. MMMMM! Good stuff!
After lunch we did some shopping, then in the evening Sean, Tim, Cindy and I went to Seoul Tower, where we could see a smoggy view of the city, as well as a pretty sunset. Cindy and I only wanted to go there because it was on our favorite Korean drama! Actually everything we did in Korea was based on our Korean drama, hahahaha. Oh, on the way down from the tower I gathered some apparent stalkers! I was standing with the others, waiting for the cable car, when I realized this Korean girl was standing next to me and her friend was “sneakily” taking our picture?! I was like, um, okay…..then they continued to do it with like their five other friends, one-by-one! They were the least sneaky people EVER! Finally I ended up posing with them because I couldn’t ignore them. What can I say, I am incredibly sexy in Korea ;)
After that we went to a university area that was VERY cool and fun! I wish we would have found it sooner in the trip! We tried Haagen Dazs’ AMAZING ice cream fondue, which I must say was life-altering. You will have to see the pics later! MMMMM. Then we got a HUGE dinner and wanted to die. After that we got some beers and watched some more World Cup before going back to the hotel.
On Tuesday we had to get up far too early to go to the airport, then we nearly died on the flight back to Japan. Well, not really, but Sean and I were NOT amused with the horrible amount of turbulence throughout the flight. Let’s just say I was thinking of who would be most nutritious were we to land on a deserted island!
After finally landing safely, we made our way back to Gunma, which always takes far too long.
And yeah, that was the trip! It was very fun, and I spent less money than I expected, so that was good! The bad thing is I gained SO MUCH WEIGHT in three days, I didn’t even know it was possible! I am on a detox diet right now as I feel nasty nasty nasty! Bah! But yes, it was fun :)
P.S. Rain is fucking HOT.
Korea!
K, I was going to do a highlights of Korea thing, but decided my parents would want more details than that, so I wrote a long-ass description of the trip. I will break it in two, but it is long, so don’t read it if you don’t want to. I don’t think I would want to! Hehe.
So, Saturday morning I woke up wayyyyy too early (for a Saturday) and caught the train to Narita. About halfway there I met up with Cindy, Tim and Sean, then we met up with Ann and Emily on another train. We got there, checked in with the tour place, then had some lunch before heading off to Seoul! Unfortunately, the damn plane didn’t move until an HOUR after our scheduled departure! BAH! Not amusing. We got to the airport at about 4:30, then met up with our small tour group that took us into the city. It is funny because I listened to more Japanese in Korea than I do in Japan! Hahaha. The tour was meant for Japanese people (I booked it through a Japanese site because it was the cheapest), so the lady talked non-stop for an hour in the bus. Eventually we got to the hotel, which was better than I expected for the price we were paying! It had its ghetto moments, but it was good for the most part. It was also in a great area, as it was very central, so we could get anywhere really easily!
That night we went out for yakiniku (Korean barbecue) and it was very yummy!!! We ate WAY too much, which was the theme of the trip, sadly. After that we were complete losers and went to see X-Men 3, as it doesn’t come out until September in Japan, and I couldn’t wait that long! But it turns out I could have waited longer than that, because the movie SUCKED! It was soooooooooooooo bad! Not cool at all! Hrm.
After that, Cindy and I wandered around Seoul for an hour to burn off some of the dinner, then we slept!
Everyone but Cindy and I were very motivated and got up early for a tour of the North Korean border in the morning, but Cindy and I were too lazy and cheap to do so, so we slept in a bit, then went to a big market. We ended up buying Korean jerseys to cheer on the soccer team in the World Cup, as Koreans are BEYOND CRAZY cheerleaders. The whole country was red for the game, it was crazy! They sold stuff EVERYWHERE, and everyone was covered in jerseys, flags, etc. I can’t even describe it!
After that we got a GOOD (but huge) lunch, then shopped in a more western area, where we both bought a pair of shoes. I bought these cool green and yellow funky Pumas (U of O colors!) that I had been eyeing for like six months….it’s a much easier decision to buy something when on vacation ;) We also bought a DVD set of Rain (a Korean popstar) in concert…..HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT. Rain is SO FUCKING HOT. He is seriously SEX. ROWR! Sigh.
After that, we met up with the others and went out to dinner part one, hehe. We wanted to watch the Japan vs. Croatia World Cup game that night, so we decided to have a “small” dinner in the evening, and then another “small” dinner late at night while watching the game. Well, of course both meals ended up being huge feasts! Hrm. We got REALLY good street vendor food in the evening, then wandered around Seoul for a while before going to another yakiniku place for some beers, TOO MUCH FREAKING FOOD, and the game. It was fun, tho. We were very vocal, and the people kept laughing at us while we yelled at the TV, hehe. Stupid Japan should have won!
To be continued...
So, Saturday morning I woke up wayyyyy too early (for a Saturday) and caught the train to Narita. About halfway there I met up with Cindy, Tim and Sean, then we met up with Ann and Emily on another train. We got there, checked in with the tour place, then had some lunch before heading off to Seoul! Unfortunately, the damn plane didn’t move until an HOUR after our scheduled departure! BAH! Not amusing. We got to the airport at about 4:30, then met up with our small tour group that took us into the city. It is funny because I listened to more Japanese in Korea than I do in Japan! Hahaha. The tour was meant for Japanese people (I booked it through a Japanese site because it was the cheapest), so the lady talked non-stop for an hour in the bus. Eventually we got to the hotel, which was better than I expected for the price we were paying! It had its ghetto moments, but it was good for the most part. It was also in a great area, as it was very central, so we could get anywhere really easily!
That night we went out for yakiniku (Korean barbecue) and it was very yummy!!! We ate WAY too much, which was the theme of the trip, sadly. After that we were complete losers and went to see X-Men 3, as it doesn’t come out until September in Japan, and I couldn’t wait that long! But it turns out I could have waited longer than that, because the movie SUCKED! It was soooooooooooooo bad! Not cool at all! Hrm.
After that, Cindy and I wandered around Seoul for an hour to burn off some of the dinner, then we slept!
Everyone but Cindy and I were very motivated and got up early for a tour of the North Korean border in the morning, but Cindy and I were too lazy and cheap to do so, so we slept in a bit, then went to a big market. We ended up buying Korean jerseys to cheer on the soccer team in the World Cup, as Koreans are BEYOND CRAZY cheerleaders. The whole country was red for the game, it was crazy! They sold stuff EVERYWHERE, and everyone was covered in jerseys, flags, etc. I can’t even describe it!
After that we got a GOOD (but huge) lunch, then shopped in a more western area, where we both bought a pair of shoes. I bought these cool green and yellow funky Pumas (U of O colors!) that I had been eyeing for like six months….it’s a much easier decision to buy something when on vacation ;) We also bought a DVD set of Rain (a Korean popstar) in concert…..HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT. Rain is SO FUCKING HOT. He is seriously SEX. ROWR! Sigh.
After that, we met up with the others and went out to dinner part one, hehe. We wanted to watch the Japan vs. Croatia World Cup game that night, so we decided to have a “small” dinner in the evening, and then another “small” dinner late at night while watching the game. Well, of course both meals ended up being huge feasts! Hrm. We got REALLY good street vendor food in the evening, then wandered around Seoul for a while before going to another yakiniku place for some beers, TOO MUCH FREAKING FOOD, and the game. It was fun, tho. We were very vocal, and the people kept laughing at us while we yelled at the TV, hehe. Stupid Japan should have won!
To be continued...
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