Osaka – Underground Japanese CULTURE!

7 Apr

Dude, if you thought you liked going into NYC or Philly for the weekend due to the plethora of people watching, shows, music, random things to happen, etc… CHECK OUT THIS CITY.Osaka has heart.  Imagine a people raised in a culture centered on politeness and gratuity, and yet for these pure-hearted folks to find a unique personality and very specific culture in which to belong. Isn’t that what we ALL really want though?  It seems as though worldwide humans are trying to belong to some culture.  Music culture, art culture, work culture, hobby culture.  Complete individuality would be total separation from humanity.  You would be a robot.  Like the guy who drew the manga version of bubs and I (coming soon!)I have met the most kind-hearted and giving people here.  Some rides we hitched actually bought us drinks or gave us money.  !!???!?!?  What kind of world is this?  I LOVE JAPAN.  It’s karma, but with obligation.  You are obligated to do good for others, and in return they will do good to you. Japan is also home to the most technologically advanced and LONGEST escalators I have seen.  They turn on as you walk up, motion sensored to save electricity, and are realllly smooth. There is only one word in Japanese to show agreement.  HAI.  Instead of continuing a conversation with a million different “uh huhs” “yea”  “word”  “cool”  “yes”  “yep”  “okay”  ettttcccc… you just hear HAI.  HAI.  HAI.  HAI.  HAI.  HAI.  Simple and beautiful, you grow to love the HAIs. How did I ever truly LIVE without heated toilet seats?  All bathrooms have super-advanced toilets with super powered sprays AND (my favorite) a motion sensored automatic toilet flushing sound bit (for those public deuces.)  No need for the fake cough in Japan! It is possible to ride a bicycle on a sidewalk of 300 people, in the rain, while holding an umbrella, and sending an email via cell phone… in stiletto heals.  I SWEAR.  I never would have imagined such a thing, but in Japan… anything is possible.   Silence.  The subways are generally SILENT, with the ever-so-often cough or throat clearing.  No matter how packed the subway cars are, even at RUSH HOUR, no eye contact, usually eyes closed napping or listening to MP3s… all people are in their own little universe.  Any attempt to disturb this universe by asking directions, is typically highly embarrassing.   I had the fantastic experience of catching two “rock” bands play at this totally underground space in Namba.  No one said a word to me for the two hours, I was able to really check out the scene.  If you have time, google this band:  Noise-a-go-gos.  Their live show was SO GOOD. The current Osaka fashion:Women – styles range from roxy girls to vampiress goth metal fiends… the girls often match the dude who is walking beside them.Men – rockabilly / business.  I swear, it’s a style here!  You see dudes with mohawks sporting business casual jackets and then these HIDEOUS crocodile skin pointy boots that extend AT LEAST a full 8 inches beyond the wearers feet… Some dudes simply dress up as punks, but they are not tough at all.  They are more feminine than anything, with the tight ripped up pants all hand sewn looking but purchased… chains hanging, “vintage” chucks, leather jackets with spikes, spiked up hair and dark shades.  I have made lots of friends here, and thanks to Adam’s suggestions, have found some really sswwweeeett places to hang out. If you are visiting Osaka, check these out:

  • Ken’s House – 2500¥ hostel 3 minutes walking from Namba Station!
  •       osaka-kens-house@hotmail.com  06  6213  5188  /  090  6068  2658
  • Namba Bears – Underground live music space
  •       http://home.att.ne.jp/orange/bears/info.html
  • Ground Zero – GREAT rock live music bar… owner OT is the coolest!
  •      http://www.weightzero.com/zero_pc.html
  • Apple Store – FREE INTERNET near Namba Station!
  •      http://www.apple.com/jp/retail/shinsaibashi/week/20080406.html

Osaka is much cooler than I can explain.  Wish I could stay and work here for a bit… but onward and southward!  Taiwan beaches are waiting for us, as well as thailand! 

Japanland: Dragons, sunsets, and bamboo

31 Mar

Japanland: Dragons, sunsets, and bamboo

Questions, questions.  Prior to leaving I had many.  One Mr. Lee verbalized on my arm:

Thankfully, the answer was “Yes.”

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New Jersey Ramblers

19 Mar

New Jersey Ramblers

 

Two siblings, two backpacks, conquering the universe with the power of ANICCA.

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Pookah

10 Feb

Pookah

I’ve been catsitting for the last few months. I’ve grown to really love and adore Jen’s male cat named Pookah. He’s uber affectionate and snuggles better than any other boy I’ve met. He licks my face when I’m sweaty or sad and meows so sweet and high-pitched he sounds like a baby crying.

He only eats when I’m home. He loves dried sardines. I tried to teach him to poop in the toilet. It worked, but then he got confused and thought the toilet is for poo and my bed is for pee. The litter box was immediately reinstanted. My apartment now has a funk that will not go away. I love him, regardless.

This is what he looks like:

“It’s the Year of the… Rat…”

10 Feb

“It’s the Year of the… Rat…”

Hello from Korealand. Home of the fusion of many different Eastern traditions and celebrations, including Chinese Lunar New Year! In Korea, your age is different. Yes, that’s right kids. If you are born in, say November 1982… by the Lunar New Year in February 1983… you are officially 2 YEARS OLD in this crazy world. So when you meet someone here and they say how old they are, you can almost always assume it’s at least a year or two less. Interesting tid-bit.

But, the best part of the LUNAR NEW YEAR (aside from it being more accurate and sensical than whatever calendar we westerners follow) is that I GET FIVE CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF WORK OFF! And you know what that means… ADVENTURE TIME!
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Winter in Gangneung

10 Feb

Winter in Gangneung

The weather has gotten bitter. So bitter, in fact, that my kindergarteners cheered when I asked them, “Did the temperature get warmer or cooler?” after our morning calendar/weather bit. They’re awaiting a HUGE snowfall. They wished, and hoped, and dreamed… and just after I returned from California… it happened.

T H E S N O W S T O R M .


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Keesang’s last night in Gangneung

10 Feb

Keesang’s last night in Gangneung

The night begins with the sound of a SMASH and HOWL as KeeSang and I enter my apartment. “What was that?” “I don’t know, I think the motion light is broken!” “Oh, a cat is stuck inside! Let’s catch it!” (more…)

Christmas in South Korea

10 Feb

Christmas in South Korea

Being my first Christmas away from the fam, I was a little sad and hesitant to get excited this holiday season. Gangneung’s charm warmed me back into spirit. This city’s lack of commercial Christmas technicolor lights, plastic billowing santa lawn ornaments, and the traditional American waste was a relief. The Christmas spirit was very much alive in my coworkers and students at school. I spent the preceding weeks teaching my students about American Christmas, as well as my family’s unique traditions. They told me of their Christmas. I was surprised to see how the holiday doesn’t come close to equaling Korean holidays such as New Year or Chusak. (more…)

Karate Chronicles

31 Jan

Karate Chronicles

In 2006 I was trained in Shotokan, a Japaense karate style, for about a year.  The immense amount of understanding and knowledge gained will never outweigh the pain and difficultly I experienced. 

As I drove home at 6:15 one morning with aching neck pain and a clear mind, I decided to keep a log of my struggles in learning shotokan karate.  Thus far I’d been: ridiculed, mocked, embarassed, and sore.  I’d been made to do exercises in front of the rest of the class, not knowing whether my sensei was laughing because I was doing it wrong, or because I was doing it right and better than the black belts.  (Both had been true.) 

Some people think this way of teaching is degrading, but I disagree.  I think its nice to trust someone every so often, and do what they say, knowing it is correct and right.  Training was hard on me.  Every minute I was breathing “I hate this.”  But I felt my body getting stronger, my reflexes getting quicker, and my balance getting more solid. 

I was training 3x per week, the only white belt in the school.  This is my experience. (more…)

California Lovin’

13 Jan

California Lovin’

 

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