We had PE again today. I ran 1.5km in 5 minutes fifty seconds. I thought it was a pretty valiant effort if you don’t mind me saying. About the second lap in (since we just run in circles) I thought that there was no way I could maintain the goal of 1 minute laps. My throat had begun to burn like there was no tomorrow, and my feet were aching from the lack of sport shoes (it is a waste to buy them because they are too heavy to bring back).

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, I started to taste blood in my throat. People say things about Jesus having wept tears of blood, I’m sure this was pretty close to be honest. I’m still not really sure what it was, I think it could have been a blood nose, who knows. Still, we have a marathon to prepare for and willy-nilly ailments are no excuse for mediocre performance.

Seventh period was a fire drill. It began with a notice across the speakers that a fire had broken out in one of the buildings, so we had to evacuate. It was all pretty standard really, but afterwards was much more fun. Students got to extinguish real fire with real extinguishers. The teachers got all dusted out, which serves them right for nabbing a ‘better’ vantage point while we had to squat on the ground.

As for my Japanese, I’m sure it’s getting better and better every day. I can’t really remember what it was like when I came now, but I know I have learnt heaps more. We’re making chicken nanban (the best dish in the world) tomorrow in home economics, that should be a laugh and a half.

After a discussion about this the other night, I thought I would write down some of the things that I’ve been asked or told so far that just seem hard to believe. It’s not just a Japanese thing - every country has some completely wrong perceptions of the rest of the world, but these are mostly all things I have been asked more than once.

1. “Oh, we don’t really use fragrance deodorant so much, it’s probably because you don’t use soap in the shower”. It is true that they don’t really use fragrance, but I was pretty shocked when my host Mum thought that foreigners just stand under the water. When she told me this, I suddenly understood why she said that using the wash cloth and body wash was ‘Japan style’ on the first day I was here.
2. “Do you have seasons where you come from?”. This one comes up quite a lot, people either seem to think that we have two or that they are somehow different - ‘four distinct seasons is a Japanese thing’ is the impression that I get, I’m not sure where it comes from.
3. They don’t seem to get the concept of transferring germs between people when eating off the same plate or using someone else’s utensils etc. When my host Mum asked me “What’s the problem?” and I explained to her the stigma we have because of sharing germs and meningitis etc her answer was “But none of us are sick…” I thought this is probably one of those things where you just go “Oh, really?”. She also finds it amusing that I don’t like putting snotty tissues on the dining table, one would think it should be the other way around.
4. “Eating the skin of fruit will kill you”. They don’t actually think this, but it comes from way back in Japanese history, but even though they know that it’s ok now they very rarely eat the skin of fruit - including grapes. It does mean that I can eat twice as fast as everyone though.
5. “Does Santa surf in Australia and New Zealand?”. This one has come up a lot of times, and I’m guessing that it was spawned by Japanese TV (which deserves a post all for itself).

There is a lot more, but I’m forgetting at the moment. I’ll add them when I remember. I’m going to do one on foreign misconceptions of Japan because there are quiet a lot of urban myths that simply aren’t true within the anglosphere.

I can’t remember if I have commented on this yet or not - but in the classrooms here the students just sit there when they don’t know the answer (and it is meant to shame them out). My world history class, which is hard to understand at the best of times helped me understand how embarrassing it is for them.

My world history teacher often asks me questions which I can thankfully answer a lot of the time, but today was a little different. First he asked me something about Mohamed (since we are studying Islam at the moment) and then later on we were looking at a map. It was showing the spread of Islam, and he said - “Carey, what are the countries in the purple area?”. The borders between the countries weren’t shown, and the map was zoomed in so I wasn’t really sure where on earth (literally) it was. I saw the boot, so I knew it was Europe-ish, so I thought I would just pass it off with “Oh, sorry but I’m not sure what they are in Japanese”. Phew, I thought to myself - nice one, good save.

What happened next I wasn’t prepared for. The teacher threw a real curve ball and said “Oh, English is fine too” (not that he would understand). Great, my plan was foiled. I sat there for a few more seconds and then just said “It’s the Europe area” as though I didn’t understand that he was wanting the specific country names. I think it was better that I didn’t use English because he would have known that I really wasn’t sure. Turns out I was actually right, but the shame was immense.

Following that lesson all of the teachers were angry for some reason - something must have been in the water. One of the teachers yelled at the part-deaf girl and said “Are you listening?”, I don’t know if it was meant to be salt in the wound or not.

It’s really got cold this week, and I’m not used to sleeping in the cold (they just use these gas heaters here). My host Mum has put up so many decorations for Christmas, it’s really nice. Three sets of outdoor lights, a light up Santa Claus and a string of light up teddy-santas in the garden. I’m not sure how Christmas will be in Japan, but feel free to send me huge boxes of stuff. Specifically, I would love one (or more) of those Aunt Betties pudding / cake things in the red containers and some of the Swiss Maid custard for it too. That is all.

Well, who would have known that within months of being here I’d be showing Farlap how it’s done.
Miyazaki University had a big open day on that I went to go and see. The university students here seem a lot more like our high school students at home. They were really loud and in your face trying to sell me food, which I didn’t want.

I went and had my bone density tested after filling out a lengthy questionnaire about my calcium intake, diet and exercise. Right before I was about to go through, the machine doing the print outs broke so I was waiting for about 10 minutes. It turns out my density is at 105% which is slightly above average in case you were wondering.

Ku-ma-ra

After visiting the health department, we went and had a look at agriculture. I got to dig out some sweet potatoes, one of which I snapped out of lazyness in not wanting to finish the digging. We also picked a whole load of mandarins – as many as you can fit in a plastic bag for $3.
I got to ride a horse later on, which I haven’t done for years. Let’s just say that I put it the thing through its paces, and showed the owner a thing or too while I was at it.

Giddy UP (It wasn't very giddy)

It didn’t feel like I was riding on a horse really, more like I was just high off the ground and moving along – although maybe that is what riding on a horse is like. I gave it a carrot for being a good boy too. I really do live on the edge, don’t I?

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it yet, but something I wasn’t expecting in Japan was all of the different animals they have here. I saw a group of monkeys running wild and eating berries (had flash backs to school for a moment). One of them just sat at the side of the road and stared at me. I get the impression that there were more of them in the past.

Within days of being here, there was a gecko climbing up the window when I went to take my shower, and they have a lot more frogs here. At swimming club one time there was a frog climbing up the changing room wall, and so one of the kids cruelly took the insecticide and gave it a few squirts. I don’t know if it survived or not. It was really mean (despite the fact that I like to drown spiders in fly spray - that’s beside the point). I think I draw the line at amphibians.

Anyway, today at club after school the junior high students (who share the campus with us) were all joking and screaming about something in the hinge of the door which I couldn’t make out. When I moved closer, I realised that it was the underside of a pancake style frog. It was so squashed that when the door opened it’s back was the side of it that stuck to the door. Poor little guy (even if it was a girl).

Oh, and yesterday, to make a point, I counted the number of vending machines on my way home. In order for it to count, it had to be on the side of the road that I was travelling on at the time. In my 40 or so minute bike ride, I passed 33 vending machines. If only I had been thirsty enough to drink 33 cokes (or they even sell hot coffee and milo in cans from them too).

I wonder what the weekend has in store - I’m enjoying Japan a lot. I’m not really using my dictionary at school any more, and I show glimpses of brilliance in world history which I never used to understand (it’s still really hard).

Today we had a school trip to go and see an old fashioned themed Japanese theater. Something I found particularly interesting about the trip logistics is that they didn’t bother with letters home or permission slips - something that schools in NZ can’t seem to do without. On top of this, everyone was just left to make their own way there on their bikes. As you can imagine there were over a thousand students cramming onto the footpaths which was fun. On the way there, everyone was stopping at the convenience stores and stocking up on drinks and snacks for during the show.

The theater was in the culture hall, which is quite an elaborate building. The play itself was really well done, and I was pretty amazed at how they showed someone’s dream. I didn’t understand it - one because of all of the old language they used, and second because of the dialect used in it. They had one of the Samurais gutting himself (like on The Last Samurai).

Afterwards, we all returned for the all important club activities. I always feel like a day off them when school finishes as late as it does. But, it’s Friday tomorrow!

This weekend just past, I went to Shiba village (the place where I put my elbow through that paper sliding door).

As you can probably guess from the pattern of things at the moment, there was a festival on. I wasn’t particularly keen on going due to the fact that it has started to cool down and it was likely to be a wash out. Nevertheless, I soon changed my mind, and packed into the car for the 3-hour journey late on Saturday afternoon.

Does this not define the western perception of Japan?

The drive there is somewhat like New Zealand, with windy, narrow, one-lane roads. The speed limit here is still about 60km, which makes things even slower. Even bombing it through the country at that speed, you notice just how many vending machines they have in Japan. You are never more than 100m from one, usually closer than that (I am serious). They are dotted in the most random places, for example sitting next to a rice field with no sign of a shop in sight. They have one for every 30 people here, so I don’t know how they can make enough profit from them when you factor in the cost of them and then the electricity bills from leaving them running 24/7. Still, really convenient.

The night time show

Since we missed the parade, we had a bit of a browse through all of the shops and stalls before sitting down for the night time show. The best part of it was during one of the dances, the man holding the flag was falling asleep (which seems to be a Japanese pastime). Every time he would nod off, the flag would sweep dangerously close to the ground, before he woke up again and tried to make out that he had been awake the whole time. This went on for about 10 minutes, and the crowd was in hysterics by the end. I felt so sorry for him, because I know exactly what it is like wanting to sleep and not being able to.

This poor sleeping person holding that flag

Afterwards we headed back to where we were staying, (details deliberately omitted), and had a good old-fashioned Japanese meal. It has been a little hard adjusting to eating off the same plates as other people, but I do enjoy just picking at food until you are full. It is so much easier with chopsticks too, because you can pick up way more in one go than you can with a single stab of a fork.
I slept in a winter futon that night - it was so warm and thick, I want one to take home (but use on a mattress of course). The next morning we were up bright and early to hit the stalls.

Pow Pow

I had a go at the ‘air gun’ game where you shoot corks at the toys until you knock them off. I won a Pokémon figurine and a bunch of lollies. I also had a go at the lucky dip, in which you can apparently win a Nintendo DS, PSP, Gameboy Advance and a Wii amongst assorted smaller prizes. I am pretty certain that the whole thing is rigged, and they all just put out the boxes. I am thinking of asking to see a DS (not the packet) sometime and see what happens. You always win the smaller, cruddier prizes (like stationery sets and cheap makeup that will probably burn your face off). We also popped in to the Shiba village museum, which was very yabe considering how much it was raining, and the slippery slope to the top.

The entrance to the museum

After returning late afternoon, and picking up the dogs from the kennels, we went for curry for dinner, after which I slept, only to wake up at 6.20am the next day for school. And so life goes on.

Following the jimusama festival in Miyazaki city, I went to home with Mitchell and his host family before going to the festival in Saito. It was in an area where there are heaps of underground tombs from way back.

Flowers as far as you can see. Where are the Pokemon I wonder?

We went and popped in on one of the tombs, poor guy I think we scared him to death (no wait, he was already dead). To my utter dismay, we didn’t get to see any half decomposed body or anything, I think it was one that had been opened up for the public.

Tomb

Upon entering, I thought to myself that it was the exact kind of area where you take a photo and then see a ghost’s head in the background etc.

Exchange Student Come Tomb Raider

The tombs are little hills everywhere, but the biggest one was a massive mountain which I’m hoping wasn’t man made (it was massive).

I think that the whole idea behind this festival is that they try and summon the spirits of the dead people / gods in the tombs (yikes). I think most of the people there don’t believe it, but it’s more like Santa Claus where everyone just goes along with it.

The Fire

I brought dinner from this stall, where an older (much) lady tried to highlight the prospects of her 40 something daughter to me, laughing and giggling. Although, there were foreigners for Africa there, I spotted about 10 or so (excuse the irony in the last sentence).

I brought this huge beetle from one of the stalls, which was actually meant to be a prize that you win from a raffle - you win either eggs, a baby beetle or one of the big ones. I just flat out brought one of the big ones, and it is pretty cool - it’s one of the ones with big horns. You can buy accessories for them and cages too - all of the kids keep them here.

After dinner we went and got a seat, sitting on the ground because the bleachers were full. We got front row so that was ok with me.

After a recital of some song that repeated a number of times, the show got under way. There was dancing and a whole lot of cool moves with huge flaming torches. The Prince and Princess got to light the elaborate wooden structure that seemed fit for a sacrifice. It’s a pity that there was to be no burning of corpses that night.

Afterwards the people involved in the show tried to pull the whole crowd up and get them dancing around the fire. There was no way that I was going to get up - you are only asking to have photos taken of you doing those sorts of things in Japan. I saw a lady dancing with her pet cat on her head. It looked mortified. What a night.

Woo Woooo!

There were a few fireworks thrown in the mix right at the end, and I went and stayed the night at Mitchell’s house afterwards too. I’m feeling really settled in Japan, which is actually faster than I expected.

After a nice sleep in on Saturday morning, I got up and had breakfast. It was the usual corn-flakes and jumbo Japanese size toast with the new addition the the menu - hot chocolate too.

Around midday, I headed out to catch the Jimsama Festival. It is somewhat akin to a Santa parade, however there is no Santa (in which case it becomes a parade).

Jimusama Festival - Miyazaki City

They block off the main street in the city as hundreds of people flood the streets to watch the festival come through. The ‘parade’ marches from one shrine to another one (I think). I’m sure they got sick of doing the same things all day.

Real Staunch

These dragons came along and were pretending to eat all the children. Behind them they left a trail of crying children and laughing parents. It was pretty cruel really - parents holding out their little kids while the dragon comes and snaps its mouth shut right in front of the kid’s faces.

Grrrrr

There were a lot of people trotting around on horses. The horses seemed to be getting a little agitated, especially the ones carrying the ladies in traditional Japanese wedding dress. They had all of these ropes through their mouths, and from the look of things they were rubbing in the horses’ mouths and making them all dry and foamy. Every now and then, one would stop and look as if it was going to flip out. It reminded me of those programs with all of the wild circus animals going crazy and stomping on the crowds. That probably wasn’t the best thing to picture considering I was sitting on the curb.

Hora - obviously not a happy camper

Traditional Japanese Wedding Dress

I got heaps of photos, so I put some of them on my Flickr album. Later that night I went to the Saito Festival which I have split into a separate blog post because of all the pictures.

Even though I’ve mentioned it before, I think it wasn’t in quite enough detail. Since I detest being to made to clean like a slave every day, I thought I would share some of this burden with you all.

First, following the bell after lunch all the chairs must be turned up and put on the desks. Everyone then rushes out into the hallway and lines up against the wall. If you look down the hall way, you can see all the students standing like soldiers. Then the music starts for meditation, which is just standing there with your eyes closed. The meditation after lunch just lasts for about 30 seconds which seems pretty pointless. You are absolutely forbidden to walk during this time.

Next, you take a rag from the rack and dip it in the bucket. The desks must all be lifted individually and moved to the front of the classroom so that we can mop the floor, but before we mop it the girls sweep it (why do they get the easy job). Having been swept, the floor is then mopped as we work on our hands and knees covering every inch of the floor, up to the halfway mark. The desks are then moved a second time to the back of the classroom so that we can mop the front (duh), and after that the front is swept and then we mop it (by hand) too.

During this time, students are also mopping down the chalkboards (yes, they still use chalk in brand new classrooms), cleaning the dusters, and outside the classrooms students can be seen slashing grass down with machetes, and cleaning the sports halls etc.

With the classroom cleaning finished, the desks can then be replaced and cleaning is finished. Oh, and one more thing - you aren’t allowed to talk while you clean. I have no idea why. Taihen ne.

A little unrelated, but they have SO many exams here. They had exams (ie a solid day of them) on Monday and Tuesday, and lo and behold, they have exams on Saturday and Sunday this weekend (I’m not going of course)! It is so harsh, I can’t imagine the pressure they must feel. I am absolutely stuffed after school everyday, and to think that they then study all night is just crazy. If there is one thing the Japanese do well, it is endurance. As for me, I’m still learning.

Oh, and it’s Halloween tonight. They all go crazy about it here, but no-one celebrates it. All the shops have displays up and everything is halloween theme but no one does anything for it. Let’s hope it’s not the same for Christmas (it will be bad enough having to go to school on Christmas Day).