japanese mash

Christmas at Home

2006-12-25T09:32:00.000+09:00

So I finally decided to stop gallavanting around the world neglecting my family and go home for christmas. I had a brilliant time, even though I no longer have a bedroom!! The food was good and it was great to see everyone. Next time christmas dinner at mine in Hagi. Ok mum?

Mr January!! Published Photographer!

2006-12-18T15:53:00.000+09:00

Every year the Jet Programme invites JET participants to take part in a photo competition with the best entries featuring in a calendar. The calendar is then distributed to all participants and contracting organisations around Japan. It is also sent around the world in order to promote the Jet Programme. I sent a few photos in on a whim and I got chosen!! My photo appears in January of the desktop calendar.

The photo was taken in Yamanashi ken in April when my family and I visited Mount Fuji. Chuffed!

Rugby Final

2006-11-23T16:12:00.000+09:00

Today my technical high school played in the Yamaguchi High Schools Final. We won 24-3!!! Again, sport in Japan was weird. People would be cheering and then as soon as someone scored a try it went silent. I kept thinking that the tries were disallowed but no, it was just Japan being weird. It was cold and wet - reminded me of Saturday morning rugby practice when I was a student.

Well done Hagi Kogyo!!

School Festival

2006-11-03T20:39:00.000+09:00

This year my base school and my technical school are merging so our cultural festivals were combined. It was really good fun. Much bigger and better than last year. There were food stalls, a haunted house, tea ceremony, rock bands, break dancing, a brass band, fishing and more. My job was basically to go round and talk all day. It's not bad being an ALT. I only teach at the technical school once a month so it was good to get to know the students and for them to see me outside of the classroom (the english lessons there really suck!!)How small do I look? People are meant to be short in Japan!!!!

The anticipation of the Haunted House was just too much!! Paul and I decided to turn the tables and actually scare the "ghosts and zombies" instead. They were wimps. Not scary at all.

No more Halloween PLEASE!!

2006-10-31T13:58:00.000+09:00

I have done so many Halloween lessons recently that I'm sick of it!! But I did have fun. Every Thursday some of my students go to Paul's school for optional English lessons (are mine not good enough?) Paul kindly invited me to his Halloween extravaganza. We carved pumpkins, had a mystery box of eyeballs, guts and brains and then ate so many sweets that I felt sick. It was great!!
At elementary school we made masks, played Halloween games and went trick or treating at the Headteacher's office.

I actually went through my town looking like this. People's reactions were great. I made someone literally jump on the other side of the road to me. haha.

Yanai Halloween 2006

2006-10-29T23:05:00.000+09:00

So last year I took the best male halloween costume as Jackie Kennedy. How was I going to top that this year? Well I just couldn't. I had decided not to go for the title this year and let someone else have the chance. So the day of the party I was still without a costume but with some last minute shopping in Tokuyama, some buttons, a straw hat, a tshirt, sticky back plastic and face paint I managed to throw together Luffy from the popular Japanese animation "One Piece".

I WON TWO YEARS RUNNING!!!! WTF? I feel slightly guilty as Saki should have won as Michael Jackson (It was creepingly good). I put my win down to the Japanese vote and Hannah's artwork on Luffy's tongue. The foreigners definitely didn't vote for me as I had to keep explaining who I was all night.

Dear Kat was sorely missed at Gotcha - that place will always remind me of you (and that mash up night we had with Steph and Yakuza)

Costumes worth a mention: Michael Jackson and Bubbles (Saki and Hannah), The Hulk (Eugene), Steve Irwin + Sting Ray (Jeff the Marine), Hard Gay (Stirling), Greek/Roman Goddess (Jess - I forget which one you were) and David Hasslehoff (Paul).

tsunoshima

2006-10-14T14:18:00.000+09:00

Mabo, the barman at our local, decided to take us to the island of Tsunoshima on his day off. A movie was filmed here last year and they built the chapel especially for the movie. Now the chapel is public toilets. Dont watch the movie it sucks.

It was a really relaxing day. Jo and I decided to go for a swim but it was bloody freezing!!

Saijo Sake Festival

2006-10-08T20:45:00.000+09:00

I have been to (and thrown out of) a few Real Ale festivals in my time. It's guaranteed drunkeness. Would the Japanese version live up to these expectations?

We headed to Saijo in Hiroshima ready to sample the finest sake that Japan has to offer. So here was the deal: 1000 yen (five pounds) entry fee then unlimited sake from 11am to 5pm. You are given a sake cup, then you line up and choose your poison, drink it and then move on to the next line.A recipe for happiness/disaster. We foresaw the likelyhood that there would be projectile vomiting throughout the course of the day so were taking bets on the time when the first person would spew. I chose 3:45. Yours truly was the first to ralph at 3:32. I had the closest time but due to the chance of foul play and intentional spewing the next closest person (Cass) took the money. Bastard.

I haven't been so happy for ages. I was loving japan all over again. That was until it closed and we headed into Hiroshima. Tiredness and drunkeness kicked in and I participated in the worst ever, wrist slittingly bad karaoke session of my life. I was not loving Japan.

Sake doesn't give you that much of a hangover though.

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY
Now if that isn't the face of an alcoholic I don't know what is. (Sorry Satomi)
My Sake cup.6 hours of drinking was obviously too much for the Japanese lightweights. Bless them.
Rick and Brett also fell victim to the Sake. Brett passed out for three hours in a toilet. I think we're going to get on well. Yes Pete, that's Yasue. She seemed to be really genki but I can't remember what we talked about.
Not so HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY

Japan has gone too far

2006-10-08T19:15:00.000+09:00

Japan is obsessed with everything kawaii (cute). Everything is cute. But this is taking it too far. If I ever get a cute number plate for my car I know it's time to leave.

Camping

2006-10-07T18:37:00.000+09:00

AJET organised some camping at Akiyoshidai and invited some of the Nagasaki JETs. A very drunken night - that's all that I can say. Indoor barbecue. mmmmmm. but I missed most of the food becuase I was drinking instead. ooops

This is me drinking red wine out of my inflatable sheeps ass. Classy.
errr.....
Rosie was the leader of all the misbehaving as usual.Jo and Eugene looking very pleased with themselves. You're welcome back to Hagi anytime Eugene!!Beer + Steph's Jungle Juice + Jungle Gym = Dangerous

Aio World Shrimp Catching Contest

2006-09-16T10:55:00.000+09:00

The small seaside town of Aio invites a few foreigners every year to take part in their shrimp catching contest. This is the only way they can call it a "World" Contest. You're given a net bag and white gloves and dash into the seA where they have released hundreds of shrimp. You use your index finger to dig around in the sand and hook the little buggers. Afterwards you head back to the beach and cook your catch on the bbq.

The world champion caught around 70 or 80 shrimp. I managed a measely 11 but when you compare it to the other foreigners (0-4 on average) I did very well. Was also interviewed on TV with my awful Japanese.

New Piercing!

2006-08-28T21:16:00.000+09:00

There was once a time in Uni when my friends and I would wake up hungover/still drunk and march up to the closest tattoo/piercing parlor for a new random piercing. Before coming to Japan, all of my piercings came out one way or another - probably a good thing as I thought I needed to look respectful. My friends have continued the tradition back in blighty (my favourite being the bit of skin between your thumb and index finger - Dicks, Conk, the rails are nowhere to be seen). Now that I've realised that it's impossible for me to be anywhere close to respectful I decided to get a new one!

I've just realised how ugly ears are - or is it just mine?

Its all a blur

2006-08-24T09:35:00.000+09:00

Here we go.....

The last few weeks have been mental!! I don't know what I can say about them really. Somewhere in there was two weeks of solid drinking and I think I am on the verge of checking myself into the Priory along with Pete Doherty

After Fuji we welcomed Jo (a Hagi newbie) at the Hagi festival.I remember arriving during the festival last year and it was just too much to take in. Jo did well! She managed to make it out to Karaoke afterwards (that's what I like to see!) And no I was not walking the streets with a can of Asahi Super Dry in my hands whilst talking to students. They did however tell me to use a condom if I took Becky home that night. They might be dirty but at least they're careful!

Then onto Tokyo where I was working as a TOA (Tokyo Orientation Assistant) for the next batch of newbies. I had one day to spare so I met up with Christine, Louise, Kat and Sarah for one last night of misbehaving before they left Japan. It resulted in piercings, seeing boundaries and eating them, very bad karaoke, something very shocking in a very posh bar, and then wandering the streets at 2 in the morning singing "You were always on my mind". Great Night!! Next day onto Narita airport to wait for the newbies who were arriving the next day. We were told that there were no bars in the area so we couldn't go out even if we tried. We tried and we succeeded! Managed to find "The Barge Inn" and got heavily smashed on beer, vodka, redbull and tequila. Don't remember the whole night. The next thing I know, I'm wandering lost in the streets of Narita at 5 in the morning. No idea how I got there, why I was on my own and how to get back to the Hotel. Then slept late and almost missed my bus for Airport duties the next day. I soon got a reputation. (Oh you're the Welsh one!) (^_^)

Anyway, managed to make it through the whole orientation: gave a presentation, met the newbies, took the newbies on a night out (and despite being tired they were really good fun!), tried to sound like I knew what I was doing on information desks and tried to look happy rather than hungover throughout the four days. It was great fun!

Then back to Yamaguchi for the prefectural orientation and another welcome party. Not quite as crazy as last years but still a lot of drunkeness!

Then back to Hagi for another welcome party (for Jo Flic and Simon) I dont actually remeber what happened after this one but I'm sure it was drunken.

I had promised to see Megan and Dave in Shikoku but by this point I just couldn't do it. I needed to rest. But then I remembered that I had promised the use of my appartment to 10 people whilst I was meant to away. I did manage to rest in the days on the beach but the nights....well they were a different story. I did hold myself back somewhat due to fatigue but still enjoyed watching 8 heavily tattooed bikers pass out across the bar after drinking competitions with the foreigners.

Then Pauline, Paul and I Kidknapped Starsky (another newbie) for the weekend and took him to Fukuoka. If he wsn't such a nice guy I would hate him. His Japanese is as good as mine and he's only been here 3 weeks! Bastard. There we met up with Kaoru and Mayumi at a Thai restaurant, then Karaoke and then the Happy Cock. Slept 3 hours in the car and then we headed for the island of Nokoshima for the Isla de Salsa Festival. Salsa, Sun, Sea Sunburn and Sewage. Perfect!

That's about it. Glad to be back at school to be honest. I need some sort of routine to give my life some meaning. Sorry for the lack of pictures but I broke my camera at some point in Tokyo and can't remember how.

Fuji: Been there, Done that, Dan bought the Tshirt

2006-08-04T13:14:00.000+09:00

After a brief stop over in Nagoya (Don't know why, just fancied a bit of Nags action), Dan and I headed for the Fifth Station on Mount Fuji. We were soon joined by Dave, Megan, Matt, Crystal and their friends Kim, Torry, Josh and Scrumplet. Totally unprepared (no torches, not enough warm clothes, wearing trainers) we started our ascent in cover of darkness.

Fuji isn't quite the romantic climb that you would imagine: vending machines and tacky souvenir shops managed to make it all the way up. We were also being chased by a bus tour of elderly luminous green monsters waving light sabers. Despite this, it was a great experience and watching the sunrise on from the top of Mount Fuji with such good company will undoubtedly be one of my lasting memories from Japan.

おつかれさまでした

2006-07-21T21:38:00.000+09:00

Wierd Japanese Potty Training Video

Wait for the end. It gets even funnier!

Ri-chan and Teri-chan in Gion

2006-07-21T20:26:00.000+09:00

Finally I've got round to posting photos of my mum and sister in Kyoto. You can go to a studio where they dress you up as maiko-sans and let you wander around a shrine in the kimono. My mum was slightly reluctant to do it at first but with some " I'll never get to do it again" spirit she jumped straight in and loved it. Apparently having the make up put on is very relaxing and an experience in itself.

Hagi Weekend

2006-07-15T21:28:00.000+09:00

Once again, Dan and Rosie kindly held a bbq and all hell broke loose. Politicians were actually called!! Anyway, it was a great weekend full of beer, fireworks, volleyball, swimming and skinny dipping. The most surreal moment was around 10 of us sitting on the wave breaker, stark bollock naked, listening to Nate rapping. Weird!

Katobasehagishoipatsukimerou!

2006-07-15T20:45:00.000+09:00

Every year there is a huge baseball tournament and almost every school in Japan takes part. It is every High School baseball player's dream to win this tournament and they take it very seriously - and I mean SERIOUSLY. The team had been practising since they first picked up a baseball bat, the cheering squad and brass band had been practising for weeks and then the rest of the school had to spend 4 hours in total in a sweltering gym to practise songs and chants. What happened to just shouting "come on! fucking 'av it!!"? I decided to join in and managed to disrupt the orderly rehearsal and distract all the students. Oooops.

So the after all the rehearsals, the actual match day arrived and we all headed down to Shimonoseki to support the team (supposedly). We were all too busy concentrating on our cheering that we weren't paying much attention to the game!! the team lost, the other teams chants were better and then there were tears!! But I had a great time. I learnt far too much about my students on the bus ride down and they learnt far too much about me in return.

"Chin Chin"

2006-07-10T19:03:00.000+09:00

Today I have a killer hangover and I almost spewed when they placed natto (fermented decomposing bean like shit) in front of me for school lunch. However, the night before made the hangover well worth it.

Yesterday I took part in a soft volleyball tournament with the teachers and the parents from my base school. It was far too serious - standing in lines, bowing, trophies, opening and closing ceremonies etc but it was still good fun. It was about to get a lot better....

The volleyball was followed by an enkai (party) with the parents and teachers. The students act and look exactly like their parents - it was soooo weird! Due to their similarities I soon found out that I got on really well with the parents of my favorite students. One got me started on the straight vodka and we soon got battered. He asked how to say "kanpai" in English and other languages so I taught him "Cheers" "Iechydd da" "Chin Chin" . WAIT A MINUTE - "CHIN CHIN"? Why did I say this? In Japanese this means "penis"!!!!! Well, before you know it, we were toasting "chin chin" to the whole room (including my principle, vice principle, heads of the PTA, and many housewives). Everybody got involved.

Then he felt my "chin chin" to see how big it was. He told everyone that it was like a "daikon" (big thick radish) and that his was tiny (all with hand gestures). Then other parents tried to set me up with their daughters from the school. They didn't think it was wrong at all and were actively encouraging me to persue my students. Well if they insist..... and then there was a fight - always a sign of a good party!

Talking to the students tomorrow will be interesting. I'm not saying anything but I wonder how much their parents told them. I think there should be more enkais with the parents. It's so much fun!!

Sayonara!

2006-07-08T19:52:00.000+09:00

The time has come to say goodbye to all the people that are leaving. The AJET girls (Rosie, Setph and Anita) did a marvellous job organising locations, drinks and food for 60 rowdy foreginers. We couldn't have asked for a better send off. Goodbye to everyone that I didn't get the chance to speak to. Good luck in whatever you do. Could you not just wait 5 minutes Mark? The AJET girls. I'd do them all!! (you first Rosie!)Pretending to be friends -we hate eachother really.The pants pincher herself!! She didn't get them this time round.Rosie!!!! Aaaaah Takagi.
Kick his ass Steph!! "Mordoooooooooooorrrrrr desu"

God Bless America!! (I never thought I'd utter these words)

2006-07-04T14:29:00.000+09:00

In November I celebrated my first ever Thanksgiving with Paul (ok, so it was KFC and a bottle of wine but it was the best we could do) and today was my first Independence Day. I feel almost like an honorary American (I even spell like them now! doh!). For all the bad press that they get in the U.K, the one's I have met are all sound as a pound and Independence day lived up to my expectations - Fireworks on a beach in the rain. Great Fun!! Paul, Mark and Saori enjoying fine weather, wine and negiyaki.
Is this this the coolest firework you have ever seen? It starts shooting sparks out of the canon!!

To become a fully pledged honorary American I need to make it onto a cheerleading squad. The training starts here!!

PS. Don't be worried. I don't actually want to be American. I'm quite happy shagging my sheep thank you very much.

'Guch Yukata Party

2006-07-01T21:55:00.000+09:00

The wonderful Louise organised a Yukata party/ bender in the Guch. The girls looked spectacular in their yukatas (summer kimono) but the beer and fags soon made an appearance. It was all down hill from there as many fell victim to the 2 hour "all you can drink". Louise wanted me to take off my underwear, and as she had done such a good job organising it, I obliged. She then stole it the little minx! Great night!!

Sightseeing in Shimane

2006-06-18T17:00:00.000+09:00

Making the most of our time in Shimane, we headed for some of the most exciting attractions on offer - a lighthouse at Hino-Misaki and the Nima Sand Museum, Hamada beach and then the five storey pagoda in Yamaguchi City. The weather was beautiful and we had a relaxing day driving down the coast.

Outside the sand museum we stumbled across the biggest slide in the history of man!! It was huge!! but unfortunately not as fun as it looks.The Nima Sand Museum boasts the world's largest sand timer. At 5m long it takes exactly a whole year for every grain of sand to drop. On December 31st at midnight the timer is flipped. Stirling could not control himself with the fine array of sand timers.

Shimane Soccer Tournament

2006-06-17T16:39:00.000+09:00

We weren't the best on the pitch but we definitely brought the party (in the form of Tom Smith's dancing) He's a wild one.

This one's for you Skye

2006-06-16T11:34:00.000+09:00

School lunch at elementary school. A lot of people complain about it but my school usually serves up pretty decent meals - until today. Dried fish. head, eyes and all. It was disgusting. Oneof the teachers came up to me and saw that I was slow at eating it. She assumed that I was finding it difficult to eat with chopsticks. Yeah, that's it. eurgggggh!