A preview of this email..is don't send me money...where
are your
favorite actors from 6yrs ago, and watch out for pronounciation,
So a friend
of mine was sent a check for 7,000 yen...how nice huh?
Well you haven't tried to cash a check (cheque) in
Japan before. Here's
the process...go to the bank...that is after you get
a translator...and
then give them the check...they look at you as if
you are from Mars since
checks don't really exist in Japan and then after
2hrs of hassle...they say
that the commission fee is 1,500 yen and that another
bank might charge
another 1,500 yen, but the bank couldn't tell him
that until 2days
later...he still doesn't know why or if that second
bank will charge him
now that he went ahead and cashed it...cashing it
means it goes into your
account within a week...nothing happens sudden here.
So if wonder thought
crosses your mind to send me money...don't...my parents
have been told to
Where do
washed up American actors go after their limelight fades
in the US? Japanese commericals. Yes,
Kevin Costner went from the
blockbuster hits of Waterworld and the Postman to
advertising for a
Japanese automobile company...over and over he says.."Legacy"...really
nothing else...this isn't "Dances with Wolves" material...maybe
Dancing
with Ito-san. Though I haven't seen it, I've
been told Brad Pitt does a
Levi's commerical and actually says something in Japanese,
it's probably "I
know I look really stupid, but they are paying me
so much and my acting
isn't going anywhere...so why not?" ...from "Legends
of the Fall" to where
Legends go after they Fall.
A Japanese
woman asked me at one of my enkais if I like
konyoku...thinking that she meant a jello-like food
that I am quite fond of
here, I replied "Yes, apple is my favorite"...she
gave me a very strange
look...come to find out what I meant was konYAku..why
hers was
konYOku...mine was the jello and hers was skinny dipping
at a spa...now you
can see why she gave me a strange look. Needless
to say I didn't answer
the question, nor do I know why she asked. Still
this conversation is one
of my "go to conversations" with the people I meet...right
up there with
the taxi ride. In one of those conversations
I found out that konnyaku
(notice a longer "n" sound) is something that is done
during an
engagement...what exactly it is I wasn't told...nor
did I pursue the
matter. So when you come to Japan...be very
careful or you might wind up
engaged while skinny dipping with a bunch of old women,
which I was told
were the only women who do it.
Last week
was interesting for me to say the least. Four schools
and about 15 introductions...the kids make interesting
sounds when I tell
them my weight and shoe size. The sound compares
to the sound of a
motorcycle right before it needs to be shifted (for
those of you who don't
know that sound listen just ask...I'm sure someone
will imitate it). On
Friday, after my introduction, another teacher wanted
me to teach the whole
school that silly hand whistle thing...so I did...again
the teachers joined
in...some students as well as teachers got it.
At the end of the day, two
boys asked me for my autograph...seeing this all the
neighboring students
did the same...must be that whole idea if one Japanese
does it all do
it...well I signed more than 30autographs...and felt
like a celebrity...one
girl even told me that she like Leonardo Dicaprio
until I came..now she
likes me. These little esteem boosters are nice
since I feel really stupid
most of the time...and no it won't go to my head.
On Sunday
I went hiking with a couple natives and some ALTs in a
town about one hour away...we saw a volcano with the
most acidic lake in
the world...with a PH balance of 1.8 (if you don't
know what that means
consult your local science teacher)...so I won't be
brushing my teeth in
that...the town was really awesome...and I even brought
my video camera.
Today is
a national holiday...Respect for the Elder's Day..so for
all of those who are older than me....here's some
respect...don't expect a
gift.