It's been a really long time

I guess I'll start up this blog thing again......slowly and randomly in true Amie fashion. There has been a lot going on and it will probably end up as a spew section on this blog. For now, I just want to reminisce about my family in France. Whom I miss so much.
so here is a link to my cousins grocery site: http://www.le-relais-fermier.fr/
enjoy!

Greek Green Beans

Yes, it's the holidays again. Since people have been interested in my cooking I figured heck, if I am going to cook it, I mind as well take pictures of it and give the recipes.


Ingredients:


1 large sweet onion


2 cans of green beans


1 can of diced tomatoes


sugar to taste


salt to taste


pepper to taste


2 Tbl








Step 1. Open cans

Step 2. Chop onion and sautee until slightly brown. Add a bit of sugar (approx 1 tsp)

Step 3. Add caned ingredients all at once. salt and pepper, more olive oil if you like.

Step 4. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes.

Japanese Arachnids

Spiders kirai!
Totemo kowaii da ne.
Yet, Japanese spiders are kinda interesting.

I met this brown one when I snuck into a temple

I guess both of these spiders are quite harmless. The bright colored one is really common. Infact, one laid eggs on my neighbors ledge. I am glad it didn't hatch while I was in the apt. I am sure it will soon though! The brown on eats cacaroaches. Yes, it is really big and kinda looks like a tarantula(is that how you spell it?)

I have heard randomly, but with out much explanation that the Japanese believe spiders to be good luck. I tried to kill one in art class one time, but my friend Tomoko chided me for it. But her reason for not killing wasn't convincing.

After quite the mystic encounter with a gargantuan arachnid, I thought ask why spiders are good luck to Asami and Shiho sensei. Ok, ready? And the answer is: that at night spiders are the souls of our dead ancestors. (or that they inhabit spiders?) Therefore, you can't kill the suckers at night. They are fair game in the day! Bwahahaha! Die! But, what if you kill a spider in the day time? Does your ancestors' spirit have no place to go if there aren't enough spiders? Does that mean that our ancestors spend more time in fields wishing they picked the spider closer to their relatives place? Wakaranai, but luckily I am Christian and don't have to worry about that dogma.

On My Way

Chiisai update:
I am hanging out in a hotel near the airport today. I got sick a couple of days ago, so instead of doing anything interesting I am resting. For those of you who don't know, sometimes I get really sick and pass out. It's been happening more frequently than I like and it is extremely scary for me. I am thinking I got some intestinal or nerve damage when I got food poisoning in Turkey,(well it's my best guess and it's fun!) cuz that's when I started passing out. Thank God I have Keiko for a Japanese mom, otherwise, I don't know what I would have done.

A little about Narita: There's an airport! And some hotels! Wow! The airports in Japan are nice, but getting to any airport is a bit of a journey. I had to take the local from Shimizu to Shizuoka, the Shinkansen from Shizuoka to Tokyo, and the Narita express from Tokyo station to the airport. The total cost is around 8,700 Yen. Ouch, and it took a little over 2 1/2 hours. Yuckie...Just think a country the size of California with 3 international airports.

Other things:
I can't wait to see my dog! Shugii is the best. I love my bedroom. I am sure my bed misses me as much as I miss it. Although, I am bringing home my futon(for guests, but Shugii will probably end up marking it as her own.....no, not pee, fur). I haven't watched a T.V in over 4 months. I am sure that habit will fall back in place. I have a job interview....sorry bad economy, I've got things to do. I bought way too many strawberry flavored goodies as omiyage. I really hope I impacted peoples lives. I will miss my students so much. They were so encouraging and bright. I learned more from them than they did from me. without them, I wouldn't have learnt anything about Japan. It's greedy, but I hope they miss me too!

Sorry if this post is odd. I am very rummy from being sick and traveling.
See ya in Seattle,
Amie

CEMETERY TIMES!

This is the cemetery I hopped into.

The street had no entrance to the cemetery across the street from my house. So, I walked into some one's back yard and scaled the 9' or so wall to get a pick of the cemetery. Unfortunately, it had been raining cats and dogs (or neko and Inu) all day and when I jumped down I got stuck in the mud to my ankles and fell square on my ass in a huge mud puddle. It was so funny!

To the left is the side street where I trespassed to get to the cemetery.

The proper entrance to the cemetery behind my house. I previously thought it was a temple. Man, I am surrounded by dead people.

Some tomb stonage. Notice how fresh the flowers are. Japanese cemeteries smell really nice too. I love the smell of the incense they use.

the back ally path to the cemetery behind my apartment(I always use this one). If you look carefully, you can see that it is carpeted! It's like the Oscars for dead folk!

Below is a super nice example of a Bonzai tree. I would not feel right being in Japan and not letting you all see one. Think Karate kid and Mr. Miyage. It may make you appreciate it more!?

TV Shows and Gender Roles in Japan

I started to write this in January, but never got around to posting it. As you know, I am not gay. I do have a lot of wonderful gay and transgendered people in my life and I though that this would be of intrigue to them and are curious to their opinions and to know if I am off base with my conceptions. The role of "gay" as other also interests me, as a individual with depression, as I am also considered an other. The way people interact with each other always seems to fascinate me. So here goes:

During New Years Eve (shogatsu) we watched a pervy cos play bowling show, a wresting match where comedians slapped each other with slippers, Gobo(burdock root), wet towels, tarter sauce, etc. It was hosted by the guys from Down Town (a famous Manzai Style TV show) Down Town is a the show where they put the comedians in strange situations and if they laugh they get spanked really hard by men in full black body suits. I have to say, I love this show.......
On variety shows some sort of transvestites are quite popular. My favorite one is the punk school girl! The characters are really popular (I use sort of and characters cause I don't really know if they are cross dressing, trannies, or gay) and common on TV. Oddly enough I read in Lonely Planet that two people of the same sex wanting to stay in a love hotel will be turned away.
I don't see you average gay person (since writing this I actually met one and they called him a neeman....a sister man, very sweet guy). Although men here are quite effeminate. One the same hand the girls here are really girly or have really short hair do's and look like boys. Some times I confuse men for women an vice versa. Apparently. so do some of the Japanese people I have been around. (a few days ago my Japanese teacher told me that men nowadays are very manly and that they act too much like girls....just food for though...and one persons thoughts) By they way, the Japanese population is plummeting.
Getting off subject, but still on the subject of sex, Japanese people are closet perverts! One of those stupid game shows made me scared of elephants. You don't want to know why....I guess you can't wear an elephant with pants on? I have seen so many pervy manga (comics), anime, love hotels, love taxis and nearly every girl I have met here naked. Am I getting modest? Or do I just feel self conscious around these elfin folk? Whatever, me being naked in an Onsen is a show of some serious humility and nerve on my part.

And becuase Wikipedia actually had some good info on the subject of Jap gender roles take a look see if you are so inclinded.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_minorities_in_Japan

kusanagi-no-yu

The doctor told me I need to relax and do things that are enjoyable. So, this morning I went to Kusanagi no yu. This is a really nice public bath with water from place in Atami where Ieyasu brought his men to recover after battle. It also has a sauna and steam room. I spent an hour and a half there. You know your finished, when you feel like you're about to pass out and all pruny. The hot spring is only one stop away on the JR line. Convenient and it cost 650. A bit spendy, but that is why I stay till I am saturated with liquid.
Here is a link to thier website in case you're curious.
http://www.kusanagino-yu.com

My working life in Japan in a nut shell

Photos from Nagoya and Takayama

I am just adding my photos from a two day trip.

Tokyo

I bought this egg with custard and sesame seed paste at the bottom. It reminded me that Easter is just around the corner. Today is shrove tues.! Mardi Gras time!

This is NS7 where I got my tattoo. Kinda weird huh? The guy in the photo is Gouki my tattoo artist. He giggled all the time. Very cute.

Next to Minako's apt, was the building where they make Doremon. A famous Japanese cartoon.




This is me snoozing away at Minako's. Under the kotatsu with the heater blowing on me. It was so nice!

A view of Tokyo Tower from Ropongi. Minako and I had Turkish food here for dinner.

This was so weird. I don't know what it is, but Minako seemed to really enjoy it! Creepy.....

Harajuku. Yes, I went shopping here! I got some white pumps with black skulls (very Harajuku style) and some shirts at H&M. Most of the sizes were so small(like 2-6)!

Hachiko and I! I was so excited! Still am! What a dork; but Hachiko was such a good dog.

Shibuya had a entire area of sweets! I couldn't buy anything, so I just took a picture. I am sure they were delicious....ahhh

My mom is really interested in the Shinkansen(bullet train) So I took some pictures while in it.

Kore wa Fuji San Desu!

.......Welcome Party

This is a pictures from Shiho sensei's welcoming party. We always have parties at a reggae yakitori place. It's not very good or clean! But it's fun!. Then we headed to Shidax for Karaoke. The picture is of one of my coworkers so you see what I mean!

Your weekly update

This was Valentines week. On Monday after my Japanese lessons, I went to the Fujieda school manager's house , with their FT Brianna and our Japanese language teacher, to make cookies for our students. Yes, that means enough for two schools. I think we made over a hundred cookies. We made peanut butter and sugar cookies. I don't think anyone at my school is capable of domestic work except for Asami. She's great! I'll post separate about her later. It was a mess! Totally fun! Our Japanese teacher thought everything was too sweet and could barley finish a single cookie! Whaaa? In Japan it is difficult to find a mixer or an oven. Well, there are toaster ovens. But lets just say those are only good for heating things up that taste good burnt. Keiko our Japanese teacher brought ingredients to make gyoza. Delish!
My students were really happy to receive sweets. I gave the junior high boys crap about it yesterday. You see, in Japan Valentines day is for men and there is a separate day when girls get things from boys. It's called Whiteday. I told them they all owed me now! One boys said "but I don't have any money!" Fabulous.
This week I also decided to paint my nails Japanese style. That means gawdy. I love it but, it was a serious pain. They really go all out for nail fashion. Lots of applique.
Last note. My students behaved really well this week, so I actually felt like taking pictures with them. Well, the girl wearing pink is always great. She likes singing and we read some good books together like Frog and Toad. She really did well on her Jr. STEP test. Not because of me though. She's one smart little cookie!

Recap mismosh

A roasted sweet potato, delicious. There is a truck out side Shimizu station that sells these at night. There are two different pervayors though. The quiet old guy has the best sweet potatoes. Th group of two oyaji are halirious, but tend t burn the poor things. They also asked me if I was from Brazil. I think that comment might be slightly offensive since the Japanese don't like Brazillians. So, I just told them was French, becuase they didn't believe I was American.



The bridge closest to my room(apt) has Kappa figures on it. I have wanted to take a picture of them for a while. Kappa are river sprites.

I went out with a friend around Shizuoka. We ended up going to an area called Nihondaira. There are a lot of strawberries there. We walked up increbily steeps stone stairs to get to the shrine on top. We were so tired by the time we reached the top! Ahhhhh. The view was nice though. I also got a charm for taking tests.