Of All the People, in All the Places in the World

Today I was in the library at the study abroad program puttering away on my laptop, procrastinating and using the internet. I was also doing some work - I am going to lead a part of the class tomorrow so I figured a powerpoint presentation will help a bit, since I still have nerves about talking in front of people.

I print, and head down to Prof. S's office to show it to him. I knock on the door, and see him talking with a petite Japanese woman. She looks...familiar.

We both realized it at the same time - she was my old Japanese teacher from when I started Japanese waaaay back in January 2003 at the Japan Society. I continued with her for about a year, then I went off to London. Oh my god! Of all the places in the world - Kyoto and in particular in Prof. S's office to see my old Japanese language teacher. Prof. S explained what I was doing and in particular why I was in his office - "course assistant."

I waited outside until the two of them were done with their meeting. At first, I thought she was coming here to be a new Japanese language teacher, but turns out she is now at another school and the representative for the school since some of their students are here. After getting over our initial shock, we compared notes.

She asked how Mel was doing; when I began studying Japanese, I dragged him along, and she taught the both of us and knew we were a couple. She asked if I was married (guess she saw something on my finger) and told her I was engaged, and to him as well.

We exchanged emails, and I told her I would email her some photos of my time in Japan. I still can't believe it! So surprising, but a nice one too. She is a good teacher.

NH-Wha?

Spurred on by Libby's question on "What is the NHK?" I give you another edition of..."Maria in Japan."

This week's episode: "Battle with the NHK Lady!"

Dum, dum, dum.

***

Maria is in her apartment, puttering about one evening when she hears a knock on the door. Owner of hand that knocks on door does not announce him/herself.

Maria slowly creeps to door. Well it's more like two paces; this IS Japan, land of the tiny!

She looks at peephole.

Strange person in a suit.

Dum, dum, dum!

Tune in next week for what she does! (Hint: you guys already know.)

***

As several of you noted, it might be the NHK lady. Or person. They come to collect the fees that no one pays.

What fees? NH-Wha?

NHK is like the BBC. In fact, according to Wikipedia, NHK modeled itself on the BBC. I was able to make that connection pretty quickly since I lived in London, and remember the tv ads and bus ads and posters plastered everywhere warning people who don't pay the BBC fees. It's state-run television, to some extent (hmm, that sounds very Cold War Soviet Union). So in Japan, you have a lot of variety shows and samurai dramas and such.

Regardless, Japanese tv does suck. I only watched it extensively during Golden Week at Mayuko's condo in Shirahama and only enjoyed the commercials.

Japan does have a law stipulating that people pay certain fees. But they don't enforce it! Hence the NHK lady and attempts at freaking me out.

On the outside of the apartment doors in my building are the stickers with numbers for the gas and electric, and a sticker that says "NHK." I knew about the fees when I was checking out my apartment and asked my landlord about them. He actually started to laugh. No one pays the NHK fees. Just like no one pays the BBC fees. But in England you get screwed over more.

Umm...

Whoa...so I'm finally watching Borat on HBO on demand simply because Mel likes to laugh. Refer to Flight of the Conchords, also on HBO - but then again as a New Zealander pointed out to me, the humour is rather local, and since Mel did grow up in Australia, he gets the humour more then me but it is funny.

I didn't see Borat when it first came out because I was in Japan, so now I'm watching it. First ten minutes? My mouth is dropping more than I am laughing. The things people get away with these days, no wondrer Japan didn't want to show it there. I'm cringing more than laughing...OMG he is on the NYC subway, damn New Yorkers CAN be nasty.

Foriegn Languages are So Funny

This is bloody hilarious.

I listen to a Greek radio station online which is actually based in my dad's hometown of Florina. They play the Greek pop songs and I learn which ones are the newest singles.

Does anyone remember that song "When I'm Gone" by Three Doors Down?

The song that is playing right now is "When I'm Gone" - in Greek. The music is EXACTLY the same, but all the lyrics are in Greek.

That is hilarious.

Cue in the Techno Music and the Overpriced Art

Check this out - a graphic designer redid the flags of the world and put it in a slideshow, complete with techno music, comments and all white background. I feel like I am in a chic gallery party at the MoMA. However, some of the comments are a bit too snarky and "smart" for my taste; it was funny in the pretentious sort of way. The flags, if they were actually in hard print or actually made is something that people would scratch their heads at in an art gallery a la MoMA but cost thousands of dollars and people will pay for, that sort of ludicrous thing.

Personally, Britain, Somalia, France and Brazil were the best. The rest were a little under-redesigned or the comments were too snarky. Although the Japan one, with it's comment "Red is too agressive!" (it's the red sun disc) has SO many meanings that someone with a bit of Japanese history under their belt can read into - that or I am over-analyzing. Didn't get the last part though...

(Props to Daily Frappe, one of my daily reads for all things in Greece and the Greek diaspora.)

I Can Get No Peace

The weather is beautiful today. Sunny skies, 68 degrees Fahrenheit (don't ask me to convert it to Celsius for you Metric users), the birds were chirping, etc. etc. Since I live near the Kamo River I decided I would go again and chill out on a bench, and do some readings that I have been procrastinating about since last December for my research. Packed some green tea in my thermos, brought and orange, whole wheat crackers and bought a new highlighter, and I was off and running. Or rather, riding.

The usual suspects were along the Kamo River: dog walkers, elderly couples, a few tourists on bikes, young families, old biddies cleaning up the trash, college and high school students. I was minding my own business when a man walking a Shiba Inu (a Japanese dog, I want to get one - or an Akita - and name it either Daisuke or Miyako/Miya for short) took a look at me and started to walk in my direction.

"Hello," he said in a pretty clear voice.

Several things ran through my mind:

1) Ok, I am a mild sucker for Shiba Inus, and I like to look at them. He has a nice dog.
2) Hmm...his English isn't that badly accented.
3) Oh dammit - AGAIN strange people are talking to me! Please, just leave me alone.

Luckily for me, I was actually packing up my things, because it got too windy. I politely answered his question of "Are you a student?" (pretty obvious because I was wielding photocopied text and a highlighter) and turned back to put my bag in my bike basket. I guess he got the picture that he either probably freaked me out or that I was leaving so he just walked away and threw his ball with his dog.

I then rode my bike up along the bike path on the eastern side of the river under the blooming cherry blossoms (not totally out yet) and bought some tulips from a houseware/Home Depot/Ikea-ish store that is near me.

I'm Not Convinced - Do You Think the Rest of Asia Is?

When I went on the tour of the DMZ, not only did I see scary South Korean soldiers, puny-looking North Korean soldiers and jovial American soldiers, I also saw the cartoon renditions of the SK soldiers. I had to laugh because I had seen the actual soldiers up close and they were really intimidating. And here is a rendition of the soldier, made cute to Hello Kitty proportions. Yeah, right like I am going to warm up to that when I have seen them in their tae-kwon do stances less than two feet from me.

The same thing happened in Japan - that is, making the military look cute. Quick lesson for those that aren't in the know (or you probably are given all the news coverage on the comfort women and Yasukuni Shrine): up until the end of WWII, the Japanese Army had a pretty bad reputation from China all the way down to the northern tip of Australia. So, when the Americans rolled in, they instituted the infamous Article 9 in the new constitution which pretty much forbidded Japan to have a "military." However, a loophole was created; in place of a military toting guns and shooting about, they have the "Special Defense Forces" since Japan needs to have some form of self-defense right? Riiight. According to a history professor of mine, if you really take into account the size and the amount of money spent for the Japanese SDF, it's in the top 5 in the world for military size and expenditure. Nonetheless, they don't shoot.

They are only in a support mode, as indicated in the following advertisement. Note that this is an advertisement, NOT a cartoon mocking the army or making jokes:According to the Japan Times, this was created as a part of an ad campaign to make the Japanese military look less evil and more approachable, since there are still MANY cans of worms open regarding the opinion of the Japan and its military. When one of my friends who is from Asia (but not Japanese) told me that she told her family that she had some reservations about the scholarship (got the same one as me, but going for the Master's degree) because sometimes she feels like she isn't really doing anything productive (seriously, neither do I, I literally have no obligations to anyone in terms of producing anything final as far as I know which is sort of ridiculous and my advisor doesn't even know what is required of me as well); one of the members of her family then said to her, "Don't worry about that, remember what they [the Japanese] did to us." Translation: "The Japanese owe us big time for what they did to us."

Point being, it's going to take a lot more than a cute cartoon to change the opinion of the Japanese military in Asia, stripped-down as it is.

How Can I Sing, "It's A Small World, After All" in Korean?

Deena and I came to the conclusion that Everland is the Korean version of Disneyland. Note that we say DisneyLAND, not DisneyWORLD. Disney World is much bigger (and better in my opinion, though I have not been to Disneyland yet since I am an East Coaster) than Disneyland. Everland is miniscule compared to Disney World, even though it is comprised of more sections than the one we went to.

Every time I think of anything related to Disney, the tune "It's A Small World, After All" and the corresponding ride from the Magic Kingdom pops into my head. I mentioned that I have an uncle that works for Disney and thus get in for free, so you can imagine that I have been on the ride at least 5 times and no more than 10. It sort of sticks - those little animatronic kids are cute, and they don't run "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" because it cost too much to maintain. Said uncle is working on getting me a ticket to Tokyo Disney; to my surprise, TD isn't actually owned by Disney in the States outright - they just licensed the name so the rule might be a bit different. No matter - if I don't get the ticket, I am still going.

Everland has its own share of cute, fuzzy characters, the most memorable being this really fat, round sheep that I got in a cell-phone charm version. I was going to keep it for myself, but figured my sister would appreciate it more - and she did, by the squeals of delight heard over Skype as I showed her via my webcam. Not like they walk around and give autographs to the little kids. According to Deena, Everland is very popular with the kids around the area - her kindergarten charges always talk about it and have season passes. With the different parks that are open different times of the year (including a waterpark) and the fact that its about $100 for a yearly pass it's not that expensive and a good way to keep the kids occupied, especially when school is out.

Which does not mean that Everland is for people under the age of 13. When Deena and I were waiting on line for this ride that not only rocks back and forth, but spins 360 degrees at the same time, there were plently of high school and college age kids around. There are rollercoasters a la Six Flags (none of which are like Kinga Ka, which I refuse to ride on, and Mel has been on twice in a row) but Deena and I were a bit wary of Korean rollercoasters. So after the first ride, we then proceeded to the one next door, an American rodeo theme ride (as we were in the "American" part of Everland, while the European part looks like a cartoon-y Switzerland) and proceeded to get extreme headaches, and my stomach lurched to somewhere in my esophagus and stayed there for the rest of the day.

So we decided to pursue tamer attractions, and went on a "safari" (which was kinda cool since the lions were like right up in front of the safari bus we were on in the enclosure) and looked at all the zoo animals. There was a parade (what theme park DOESN'T have one?) but the interesting thing was that all of the people in the parade were foriegners, and they all had blond wigs.

After the (sort of lame) parade, Deena and I went on the carousel. I like carousels - regardless of which carousel I am on and where I am, I am reminded of the $1.50 carousel in Central Park, near the 65th street entrance. Which reminds me - next time I am in NYC, I am due in for a ride on the carousel, since I did not get to ice skate at Wollman Rink (even though the last time I skated I was 5, at the Queens rink in Flushing-Meadows Park) this past Christmas.

Woman In Black

Every hear of the infamous "Black American Express" card? You know, the one that supposedly comes in its own chaffeured (sp?) limousine and in a black box and is only for the people that spend on their original Amex's over $250,000 a year?

You do get your own personal concierge with direct email and phone in addition to other perks that I have no use of. I just look foward to the day when I can go to J.Crew and maybe buy a sweater without having to wait for a sale. However, I know that even if that day comes, I will still wait for the sale.

I wonder, how someone in Japan could get such a card especially when alot of the retailers don't accept credit cards and when they do, it's not usually American Express. Then again, those kinds of people shop at Gucci, Apple Store, Prada, Louis Vuitton (biggest market for the company outside of France is Japan), Hermes, etc. etc. without batting an eye.

The Black one has always remained elusive. That is, until yesterday:

I met up with Mayuko at the Apple Store in Osaka's Shinsaibashi area and proceeded to decide upon the orange iPod shuffle (more burnt orange than citrusy orange) after multiple incidents with triggering the alarm on those things. We then ate ramen (YUMMY, kimchi!) and walked around the arcades. Shinsaibashi is my new favorite shopping area and probably one of the very few places that I like in Osaka.

We ended up at Zara - I always knew that they had sales going on and I just wanted to see what they had on offer since that was one of the very few stores in Japan (the second being the Gap and the third maybe Uniqlo) that would have stuff in my size. Lo and behold, they list the American sizes in addition to the Japanese. I found the perfect spring coat that fulfilled my "Audrey Hepburn" requirements: short, interesting buttons and 3/4 sleeves. I will wait on it though and see what there is to offer in Korea.

I did find a pair of capri leggings on sale - I needed a new pair - and this long, light airy scarf that feels like a cotton-silk blend. Original price: 6200 yen. I paid: 945 yen. Awesome. I am starting to like Zara very much - it has changed alot from when I first stepped into one of the many Zara's in Athens back in 2002.

While I was looking for a register, I saw something in the little tray that they use here to put the money:

the black American Express. The Centurion American Express. In retrospect, I wonder if its the titanium version, since they only introduced those last year.

The amount shown charged on the cash register?

61,000yen. That is about 600 dollars.

The person who owned the card and charged all that money?

A middle-aged woman dressed all in black. complete with the Chanel earrings, fake Hermes Kelly bag, real Louis Vuitton wallet, hot-pink pimped out cellphone, fake hair scrunchie, and the hideous Japanese manicure (where they glue on rhinestones in addition to the glitter nailpolish). Even Mayuko remarked that she was too old to be pulling stuff off like that, and shopping at Zara to boot.

Then again, Japan is the home of Princess Tenko, nee TMariko Itakura - the illusionist whose passport Kim Jong-Il once siezed during a visit to Korth Korea because he obsesses over her - who is obligated to "look like 24 forever," as per her contract with Mattel (yeah the same ones who own Barbie). She started performing in 1977 as a teenager, and was born in 1959. It's now 2007. Do the math and you see another example of Japan's youth obsessed culture.

Who is Scared?

Oh holy crap.

I am shaking.

Seriously.

Why?

I am leaving in a week and a half.

I am TERRIFIED. I am sh*t-scared (pardon the phrase). I seriously don't know why. When I went to London I was actually thrilled to bounce the country. I have my Japanese guidebooks, got maps, will be getting suitcases on Friday, someone will pick me up, no problems, right?

WRONG.

DEAD WRONG.

I cried for two nights in a row.

Yeah this is bad. I am writing this in a moment of sheer panic, and my hands are still shaking.

I think it's because the stakes are a bit higher now, and I learned some really important lessons from London.

And - I have a bit of an impediment. Just a "small" one.

I freeze when I speak Japanese. Dead serious.

Impediment, that!

I finally got in contact with the international house that I will be staying at to confirm my date and I haven't gotten an email back yet. Granted that it took almost a month for the lady over there to respond to my email last time, I (naturally) started to panic. What does Maria do when she panics?

Off to google we go! I love that site.

I found a wrong number for the house, and then this evening - bam! I got the right number and after three tries I got through. Told them that I sent an email about my arrival. However, this conversation showed to me that I am terrified about going.

Did I mention that I almost pulled the plug two weeks ago?

Dum, dum dum...DUM!!!

I got my ticket today.

OH MY GOD. I AM REALLY LEAVING.

When, you ask?

October 3 - JFK to Narita, departing at 1:30 pm EST. Arrive in Narita October 4 at 4:20, have a connecting flight to Itami Airport near Osaka at 6:15, arrive 7:30pm Japan time. Someone from JASSO (Japan Student Services Organization) will meet me at Itami.

In a way, I am in shock. Because I knew that this was coming all summer, and to have it in your face - or rather, on your computer screen in the form of a e-ticket on PDF - is a bit daunting. I was expecting for JAL To contact me sometime like next week, but the first (full) week of September! Damn! They are prompt. I don't even have my visa yet, which will be rectified tomorrow. Must. Go. To. Japanese. Consulate. TOMORROW. AT. 9:30. AM.

I have to get two suitcases. My other one broke falling down an escalator at the Heathrow tube station in London and I don't want to go through the nightmare of carrying a 35 kilo duffel bag with no wheels again. I almost broke my wrist. And I don't like this thing of a 20 kilo limit...I am a GIRL. And a girl has shoes. With coordinating sweaters.

Not that I have like 20 pairs of shoes (HA!) but I do have a few pairs that I need/want/must bring with me.

Then again, I think I do have 20 pairs of shoes. Not like I wear all of them.

My mom is all depressed now. She KNOWS that I am leaving. Like, for REAL now. She berated my sister and I (again) on how she does not like this "traveling business" (Leah, like me, will study abroad in her junior year in Italy, then wants to do a Fulbright in Greece). I told her its not our fault that we chose fields that require travel. Hell, I am going to Japan on (practically) a free ride. Does she have to worry about paying a $2283 plane ticket that is one-way to Japan? I think not. But again, she is a mommy and when I was going to London it was her in the end that was telling me to go and my dad getting all depressed. Before, it was my dad ready to pack my bags - he was the one asking me at 13 why I wasn't going to Manhattan by myself yet (I still wasn't allowed to go to the main shopping drag that was walking distance from our old house at 13).

Going along the theme of foreboding-ness that is permeating this evening, along with anxiousness and excitement - did I mention that I SKIPPED down the hallway in the law school this evening when I finally got my ticket? That was me in my "OoOoO!" phase - which lasted a minute. Now I am thinking of all the crap I have to do before I leave - Mel and I went to Philadelphia this Labor Day weekend and we came back in two whole pieces (each of us counting as a piece). Ernesto was pouring buckets of rain on the city of brotherly love, so Philly was a bit deserted. I wanted to go to Antique Row (bought a lovely cameo bracelet that is probably from the 40s) so we took the SEPTA line that goes north and south.

Now then, I have taken the NYC subway by myself at 3 in the morning and gone through the South Bronx on the 6 train. Of course, there are dangerous spots that a girl wouldn't go to - the N train at 3 in the morning from 34th street is quite safe. When a father in an admissions tour asked me if the trains were safe, I was honest - I told him it depends on which line and which time of day and said my 3am anecdote and he blew up on me saying that the trains are never safe. Ignorant little person. Anyways, I was never nervous taking the subway on my own at 3am (granted that was only one time). However, I DO NOT LIKE the SEPTA. Never had a never been more terrified in my life - and Mel was a bit shaken up too. I turned my ring on the inside - and I NEVER have to do that in NYC. The SEPTA platform was deserted, had a disgusting smell and you really couldn't tell who was a homeless person. Mel said that it should be really called "SEPTIC." The smell was worse than 34th street (remember the 9 Circles of Hell?) on a 100-degree, 100% humidity day. My mother used to take me to 34th street every Wednesday when I was younger - dad and grandma used to work in the Garment District, so we would have lunch at Macy's - so I know that station pretty well. SEPTA was much worse.

I did get my deferral letter from UPenn when we first arrived. It was a very "happy" deferral letter, saying congratulations and "we wish you well" and whatnot. According to the secretary, I should be contacted soon by the department about the Ph.D. program - but in EALC, not history. When I said that I will most likely apply for the Ph.D. the secretary replied "No problem, I will just transfer your file there and reactivate your application so that you don't have to pay the fee again." Score! I just saved myself $90. Phew. UPenn is nice - Mel and I each got tshirts, although his is from Wharton (the "dream" business school) and mine is regular UPenn. I can see myself going to school there, University City is nice. But Harvard isn't that bad either. I think those are my top two now.

I was a bit disappointed by the Philly Museum of Art - it looked like there was going to be this HUGE museum like the Met, but it was very small compared to it. However - and I thank Cat for this - there was an actual Japanese teahouse in one of the Asian galleries, which I really enjoyed. Here is a kicker though - in a video on the side of the gallery, they presented a Japanese tea ceremony, and had koto music playing in the background. I actually recognized the tune - I have it on my iPod. My mouth just dropped, what a coincidence! And it was my favorite one too - I only have 4 but hey, I do have a favorite. Koto music puts me to sleep.

Speaking of sleep, I have to go sleep. Or try to. Every since I got that ticket, I can't help but feel a bit more excited.