Two Weeks In...

Well I can certainly say it has been quite an adventure so far. We have been here for 12 days or so and are kinda starting to get into the groove of things. I think so at least. You may have to excuse some of my sentences or spelling because I have been talking to kids all day for the past few days and that really dumbs down your English. Not that it was the good in the first place. Its not just the kids either, its everyone you come in contact with. The most simple things are difficult to do. But lucky for us the Japanese people are very very patient and very kind. I can't help but think that back in America, I wouldn't have so much patience with someone that I could understand.

*Before you read to far into this, here is a link to our pictures so far, copy and past into your browser:
http://oc.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2037&l=3f2f6&id=504402219

We have been very very busy the past 2 weeks. THe 13 hour plane ride from Chicago was just a start. By the way if you ever get a chance, fly over Alaska. After we landed in Tokyo we took a 2 hour bus ride to Mito, where we are living. In Mito we were greeted by many of the current AET's (Assistant English Teachers), And were taken to our apartment. Slept like a rock but still woke up at 5am. The sun comes up here around 4 in the morning so until just recently we haven't been able to sleep past 5:30 or so. It was a tough adjustment to make.

I never believed in "Culture Shock" until this trip. I have been all over Europe for three months, to Mexico and Honduras. Not once did I experience what one would call "Culture Shock". But I can tell you that there is something very different about going to a place you know you wont leave for at least a year. Saturday morning that hit me. Moving somewhere and traveling somewhere are two very different things. As simple as it sounds, I had never thought about that before.

All of the current AET's have been incredibly helpful. We were lucky enough to live two doors down from Marianne, who has been in the program going on 6 years now. She knows everything (so far) and can speak Japanese as if she has her whole life. She has been incredibly helpful. It takes a long time to get things done around here. There is tons of red tape for foreigners. But she has made it easier

It wasn't until this past weekend that we got our scooters. We have been, and at the moment still are riding our bikes most everywhere. The scooters are great. I will try to post some pics of them later. We ride our bikes to school everyday, just like 4th grade. On average we ride about 30 minutes or so to school and back. Which in this city is not bad at all. Mito is very similar to OKC in that it is very spread out.

Because of having the scooters we have been able to go explore Mito a bit more. Mito contains much of Japan's rich history. Alot of stuff has happened here in the past. In WWII it was bombed very heavily. Much of its historical buildings were destroyed by the bombings. Its really pretty sad.

School has been crazy. Both of my schools are relatively large and I teach about 5 classes a day. The kids are just like American kids for the most part, loud, noisy, short attention spans, and really really cute. Some of the teachers I work with speak English, some don't. And that makes it very challenging. But it is pretty fun. I walk out of every class really tired. The teachers I work with are all for the most part really nice and helpful. They are also very kind and patient. There is always a fresh cup of green tea on my desk. I like it more than I did before I came.

THE FOOD... is really pretty good. they have a McDonalds, a KFC, a Red Lobster and even some Italian places. But the good stuff is the authentic Japanese food. We had sushi the other night and that was quite an experience. I had raw Horse, which was actually pretty good if you can eat it without thinking about the ones you rode at camp as a kid. I had Unagi which is eel. That was the only thing I gagged on. I had squid balls which were really good. And I had a delicacy that Mito is know throughout all of Japan for... Nato. Nato is fermented soy beans. Most people describe it as smelly and sticky. Those are good descriptions, however when they said it tasted like feet, I didn't really understand how thats possible. But when I took that first bite, I promise you that was the first thing that popped into my head. In high school, while cleaning out my soccer bag the day after a game, that is what this particular sushi tasted like. Smelly, nasty, wet socks. And every single Japanese person here loves the stuff. All the kids at school, the teachers, the guy under the bridge who you pay when you get a ticket... That's a whole 'nother story.

Things are good, things are hard, but the best thing of all is, I am experiencing something that I can already tell is changing me.

This was stupid long and I apologize for that. But it's the first one and I had alot to talk about. I left alot out too, that stuff will have to wait until next time.

Carla and I will be posting separately so that you can see both of our point of views on stuff. If you made it this far in the post without falling alseep then, "It does, it really does." - If you get that then Hi-5

I think I'm Turning Japanese.