Training’s Over

I should of wrote this post yesterday…but I was too tired. But anyways training is now over. Met some cool people. Unfortunately most of us live four hours away so this will most likely be our last meeting, but it was a good one. One girl was really attractive, but of course she lives more than 4 hours away by bus haha. Someone being in a situation where you have 10% of the friends you had back home or makes bonding with people happen so fucking easy. Most people were really cool. Learned some stuff too which is the point I guess.

We went over some grammar points, and I really found myself not caring. Like in my head I know enough English you know? I know that a bad way to think because the students pay good money for me to know English, but for me it was difficult to care. When you study another language 3 hours a day its difficult to study your native language you think you know as well. Bad philosophy I know.

Yesterday night was one of those rare times I’m not worry about learning Japanese and can just enjoy being in Japan. I wish I could do that more but my fucking mind will not allow it. I really need a psychiatrist of something. It always takes a few drinks and fun people around..but then finally and can not worry about not knowing the language and enjoy just being here. I know that might sound stupid becuase it’s all in my own head, but thats just the way it is with me. I’m so fucked up like I try to start an English movie I brought but I can’t finish it becuase I’m not studying or learning by watching an English movie. I have a hard time listening to English music becuase I my head tells me I should be listening to Japanese music. I have to FORCE myself to listen to hockey games and howard stern even though without them I think I would go crazy. It’s really fucked up. I wish I could change it. Sort of.

Japanese of the Day…. I fucked up…. Two VERY common phrases in Japan are….”Let’s Eat” and “I’ll be back”..

Let’s Eat – “itadakimasu” -  いただきます

Seeya – “itte kimasu” – いって　きます。

Don’t say the wrong one and the wrong time like me..

Your thoughts guest Japanese advisor?

<—”dumb ass….”

Music of the Day…Nightwish “Ever Dream” Keep dreaming people!

Not much to say…

Studying pretty heavily but needed a break, hence the blogging. Tomorrow is training. So…got to wake up a little earlier than usual. Sucks. Also have to give a model lesson to a group of observers ready to rip me a new one. But the night should be cool to hang out with all the people. One of the dudes I went to Tokyo is coming too so that should be a good time.

Today I got my hair cut for the first time here in Japan. My Japanese teacher came with me to help translate what I wanted…but wow is it short. This is the shortest I’ve ever had it in my life. I don’t want to have long long hair, but I always liked a little bit of length to hang on the the long hair I once had in high school. Well that is gone lol. I got the traditional Japanese business look. Sucks. I know a picture would be beneficial here, but I still need to buy new batteries for my camera so just imagine a dude with normal looking short hair.

Japanese of the Day….Tough Point for me… Potential Form….

I can’t remember her number.

Kanojo no bangoo o oboeraremasen.

彼女の番号を覚えられません。<-Kanji

かのじょのばんごうをおぼえられません。<–Hiragana

<—-Mika’s Not Impressed…

Music of the Day.. Yuna Ito again……..”I’m Here” She throws in English words at random times.. but this song is just good. Her Fruit hat in the video is weird though…..

Yuna wishes you sweet dreams”Yui yume o……………..”

What’s Up?

I sort of have made that English greeting my “thing” at work to students. When I first arrived, I would always use it without thinking. I was always met with confused faces or the response of “Good” or “I’m fine”. While it was funny for a while, I soon started explaining the correct answer. So now the whole school uses it like crazy! It’s really cool to see what I have started. Students walk in and say What’s Up? to  and that’s really cool. It’s cool to have an effect. I guess that’s why I like teaching. Sometimes all the other sales shit, paperwork, and answering phones gets old, but teaching gives you an opportunity to affect people in a positive way, and thats what I love about the job.

Japanese of the Day.. Extended Today Since I’m in a studying mood…..

Some interesting Kanjis will suffice…..

川 – river – kawa or sen　州 – state – shuu or su

For river, it looks like a river. Easy. For state, think of the river as a boundary in between the different lands. For example I am in Kyushu. 九州    kyu=9 shu= state. 9 state maybe?

日本語 – Japanese – Nihongo

語(go) = word, so that part is easy enough…but what about the rest?

日(nichi,jitsu,hi,ka)=can mean a few things….usually day but in this case it means sun

本(hon,moto)= also a few meanings.. most popular is “book” (hon) but it can also mean “origin”

Sun+Origin+Word=Japanese.. Land of the rising sun words?? Make sense? I didn’t think so either.

花 = Flower

化　＝change  = grass ….. So Change + Grass = Flower! Easy enough right?

東京 – Tokyo

東 = Eastern – Higashi

京 = Capital – (yeah in my dictionary the word for capital is totally different, ,more research will need to happen to fully explain this-please comment if you can explain better)

Tokyo is the Eastern(Tokyo is the Eastern(東) Capital(京)   Bitches!

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“Gaijin thinks Japanese is difficult, he make me laugh”

Music of the Day….noo ideas really…..Good Song… Yui – “Life” Shes pretty in the “I dont care about how I look” pretty. Understand? lol Enjoy People.
 

Long Week Now Over

Long Week. Let the weekend begin. We just got a new manager this week, so my whole week was consumed with trying to calm her down from all the work they throw onto managers. It really is a shitty job. 6 days a week, at least 9 hours a day, and they get paid less than me for sitting on my ass half the day, teaching a few classes every once in a while. Same with the Japanese teachers. They get paid only hourly, but do more work than me. I feel guilty sometimes, getting paid what I do for doing so little compared to them. But what can you do. I’m not going to turn down money lol.

Yesterday I had an interview with someone that was one of the best conversations I’ve ever had. I can’t explain how it happened, but all of a sudden I realized we had been talking for like 30 minutes when I’m supposed to go in there for only 10. I wish I could explain it better, but I can ‘t. She was a dentist, maybe 30 or so, and we just clicked instantly. Not romantically (perverts! jk jk) but like our mental levels or something. It was really cool. She said at the end, if you are my teacher I will come here. I said THAT I can take care of. But shes busy so she has to have a variable schedule which is difficult, but for her I will do it. She is calling back next week to make sure she can fit the classes into her schedule. I really home she can.

While picking up my usual Saturday night curry, I met a fellow Gaijin!(foreigner) He was a really nice guy. He invited me out for tonight, which I should of accepted, but I had all my groceries and my curry order coming to go. But he asked for my phone email so he said he will email me next time they are going out. He has been here for two years, so if nothing else he can be a good avenue to meeting new people. Cool.

Japanese of the Day…….I didn’t study much this week…No one feels like shit about it more than me beleive me. When I say not that much, I still probably hit an hour a day…but I know I can do more. But this weekend I will make up for it! So as for me little japanese lesson…..

Using multiple adjectives in a sentence!!!!!

Two different categories exist in Japanese.(i) adjectives and (na) adjectives. They both require different ways to use more than one adjective in one sentence. For example;

Her hair is lovely and black.

Kanojo no kami wa kirei de kuroi desu.

かのじょのかみはきれいでくろいです。

Her hair is interesting and delicious.

Kanojo no kami wa omoshirokute oishii desu.

かのじょのかみはおもしろくておいしいです。

For (i) adjectives…drop the last i and add “kute”. For (na) adjectives drop na and use “de”

Guest Source: Ken Watanabe

“This is ok….but it doesn’t dominate like me in Memoirs of a Geisha….bitch”

He’s right.

Music of the Day…Student Recommended Glay - ”Mermaid” It’s Pretty good.

Bang your head! Or nod in place thats cool too.

If only it was this easy….

Japanese Proverbs are the Best

During some random study/internet surfing time I found this site with some sweet Japanese proverbs….just some of the best;

To meet, is the beginning of parting. – あうはわかりのはじまり -au nowa wakari no hajimari. Most pessimitic way to look at life ever! But I love it!

One who chases after two hares won’t catch even one. – にとおおうものはいっとおもえず – Nito o ou mono wa itto o mo ezu. I know this one as When you burn a candle at both ends, you will get burned.

 A frog in a well does not know the great sea. –  I no naka no kawazu taikai o shirazu. – いの中のかわずたいかいおしらず。Good motto for travelers.

Ugly women are more passionate. - あくじょのふかなさけ. True??? You be the judge lol.

The fish which you fail to catch is always big. So true. So So So True.

Hunger is the best sauce. Makes sense. Soy is not bad either though.

It is a sad house where the hen crows louder than the cock. So true…Jk Feminists!…………sort of..haha

There is a lot more, but copying and pasting and then bolding is time consuming people!

Japanese of the Day..Look Above

<—”You are lazy..Lesson not just japanese only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have a balance. Everything be better. Understand?……bitch”

Music of the Day.. Evanescence’s best song hands down - “Imaginary”  Bambi video just makes it cooler.

Rock out!

this should wait for Valentine’s Day but…

Valentine’s Day(Feb 14th in Japan too) is basically the same in Japan except for the glaring difference that the only people that give presents are the ladies and it’s usually chocolate. If you don’t have a love one, don’t worry your lady coworkers are supposed to buy you chocolate anyways…. which is called giri (obligation)-choco (chocolate). Can’t wait to recieve my obligation chocolate lol….Sort of takes the feeling out of it doesn’t it??

Don’t worry ladies your day comes a month later. White day is when the men buy the gifts.

This holiday was started in Japan by the three major chocolate companies. Good Idea. Holidays are all about those dollars lol.

Anyways in a mall I saw this awesome little set up where you write a message on a heart, and put it into the correct corresponding flower pot for your love life situation; In a relationship, Looking for someone special, have someone special in mind, family(mom,dad, sister,brother), Famous person love, and Love Lost. I took a picture of the someone special pot. It had the most flowers as well lol. This message was just cool. Good luck to this person!

My Japanese Age Rule

Over 20, Subtract 4 years. Under 20 Add 2 years. While it’s not fool-proof, it will get you close. It’s that simple. When you meet someone for the first time, and your mind is still wrestling with compartmentalizing their good and bad points, age will enter the picture at some point. When that happens and you, subtract 4 years or add 2 years, depending on what your original guess was. Take it to the bank. This will stop you from being as shocked as I am on a weekly basis. High school seniors seriously look 15-16, and 3o year olds always look like thier in their early 20′s. If someone looks over 40, call the morgue.

New Manager today. She one of those bubbily Japanese people, which is cool. Always in a good mood. Plus she lives in my building, so that’s a person to go to Fukuoka with for any company parties. Not particularly hot though, but ultimately thats better for the workplace isnt it lol.
She looks about 28..so using my own formula, she is 24. I will find out tommorrow. She is very relaxed in her rules which is good. She seems very accepting of whatever I want to do, as long as I get the job done, which is all you can ask of from any boss.

Japanese of the Day….3 different verbs for (break)(and another im not sure how to use)

oru, kowareru, and waru. 

折る（おる）means pushed past the limit – Leg would be a better example but this is funnier;(Watashi wa)kao o otta. I broke my face. かおをおった.

割る (わる) means shatter into pieces. A Glass is the best example. – (Watashi wa)kuppu o watta. I broke the glass. コップをわった。

壊れる(kowareru) means break like a computer. So computer will work. – (Watashi wa)Konpyuta wo kowaretta. I broke the computer. コップをこわれた。                                    

  <——”That took WAY to long…Man who catch fly with chopstick accomplish anything.”   More wise words sensei……(先生)

Ok that really did take forever.. So music time…

Music of the Day….Yuna Ito + Celine Dion ” A World To Beleive In”… it’s ok… but big song in Japan these days so I should include it I guess…..Goodnight!

EDIT: Sorry it was toooo gay…Heres link if you REALLY want to hear it and like Brokeback Mountain….click. But I had to change it lol

Take Two….HIGH and MIGHTY Color “Okizarisu” Cool song. Nice scenery as well. Or Eye Candy. You decide!

My Promise

After washing my hands, Bowing twice, clapping my hands twice, I pulled the bell. And as that bell rang out, I sort of prayed. Not really a prayer to anyone in particular, but more to myself. I know you shouldn’t tell your wishes becuase it won’t come true but fuck that. I promised myself;

“I’m happy with myself for how far I’ve come, but I also hope I can reach the places I want to go even if they seem so far away. I hope, when this Japanese adventure is over, I will be happy and satisfied with all I have done. Lastly, that I will somehow, someway, sometime, be able to enjoy the chases in life without focusing only on the catch. “

I got my fortune as well. Instead of tying it the tree, I kept it. My teacher told me it said, if you want something and you go after it right away with no waiting, you will get it. Perfect advice for my life.

It was a very thought-provoking day.

I’ll add the pictures to this post once I upload them.

What do you hope for yourself?

Music of the Day – Michael Bolton – “Go The Distance” Gayest hair ever. Best Message.

I’ll be there someday
I can go the distance
I will find my way
If I can be strong
I know ev’ry mile
Will be worth my while
When I go the distance
I’ll be right where I belong

Down an unknown road
To embrace my fate
Though the road may wander
It will lead me to you
And a thousand years
Would be worth the wait
It may take a lifetime
But somehow I’ll see it through

Party, then temporary homelessness

The party turned out to be cool, but the real story occured afterwards.

Well first we met up at this restaurant and enjoyed nomidai. Talked to some cool people. After around two hours, we went to the next bar. This was much more fun. Seeing coworker with her guy was good since now I know……… But anyways all the foreigners were congregating in one side of the bar, and I had already talked to everyone so I said fuck this I’m talking to some Japanese. So I went to the other side of the bar and found the best looking non-company Japanese person I could find. I saw a table of two girls one dude, and started up a conversation. They all turned out to be really cool people. We played Jenga, which has to be the best bar game ever, for a long time. Eventually the foreigners all saw me having fun and quickly herded around. It was fine though since I had to catch the last train anyways. I got the girl’s email, but of course she doesn’t even live on the same island as me. 

Coworker walked me out of the bar, to be nice I guess, and I went to the station. When I arrived, I realized the last train only took me half way to home. Oops. I still rode it and got off when I had to. But I had no plan from there. I didn’t have enough money on me for a taxi, so I was basically fucked. I walked around for about an hour, then found a bench to wait it out. I texted coworker my predicament to just kill time. At this point I had accepted that I had to wait untill 5 for the first train, but she said I might be able to pay with a credit card so I stopped the next taxi and attempted to ask. He quickly said no and drove off. Fuck. About 45 minutes later, next taxi stopped. He wouldnt accept credit cards either. So I attempted to explain I have money at home. He said Yes! Sweet.

The taxi driver was awesome. He asked me about sex with American girls, He told me sex with Japanese is good, becuase they are small(chiisai) and American girls are big(okii) lol. Since I couldnt understand everything, he had to use hand signals for some which was also classic lol. I asked about maguro since I heard a little about it before. He said Dame!(bad) and pretended to just lay there lol. Based on his acting, a maguro (tuna) is a girl that just lays there during sex.  It was a classic ride home.

Japanese of the Day – “Maguro” is tuna, but ALSO a girl that just lays there during sex!

 <—”That is bullshit….you suck.”

Music of the Day – Yuna Ito(伊藤 由奈) – Precious – Cool Song, Awesome Video