"The Man" in Japan

With apologies to the Dead....

2007-06-29T08:43:00.001-07:00

What a long, strange trip it's been. Man, that quote is too easy, but apt.

To catch up on the last day or so...From the time I left the hotel in Tokyo, until the time I arrived home, I had been traveling for 24 hours. Just got a little under 6 hours of sleep, now I'm up for the day (hopefully). I should whip this jet lag in no time. However, for now I am a bit on the loopy side, so bear with me if this seems a little scattered.

Dana planned on my favorite, flank steak, tonight. We've got a two pound slab ready to grill. As much as I enjoyed the food in Japan, I find myself gorging on all kinds of food here. Dana said that she saved a fortune on food while I was away.

On the day before I left Tokyo, I went into a little convenience store (this is really cool). There were four other teachers in there as well. One of them says to me, "Do you have that blog, 'The Man in Japan?'" She said that her friends back home had asked if she had met "The Man" yet. I said something about being sorry to dissappoint her, but indeed, it was I. I got a real kick out of that one.

My last night in Tokyo, I wanted to get some final tastes of the culture. I went to the stand up sushi bar, where I became sort of a regular. There, I met a Japanese man who had spent some time in Westchester as an IT guy. We exchanged business cards. Then, I saw a sign for a Japanese whiskey bar on the second floor off the street. Calculating the odds of ever being able to go into such a place for the rest of my life at almost zero, I went up and in...to a place as small as my kitchen, populated by Japanese businessmen smoking. I sat at the only seat at the bar(looking rather American in my baseball cap and T shirt), checked out the menu, and enjoyed a very small shot of fine Japanese whiskey. While sitting and sipping, the bartender kept repositioning the bottle in front of me on the bar, for visual effect. A very cool place and experience. I then met up with some friends, and we went to another place for a half hour or so. Kind of a last night together type of thing.

I have come home to find my girls very excited to see me; to learn that my bathroom can actually be clean when I am not around to mess it up; and to find that camp is ready to go, thanks to the hard work of Mitch picking up my slack. The house is also a little emptier, as Sara (my dog) took a turn for the worse and is now gone. Haven't gotten used to that yet.

Tonight, I get to give some gifts to the girls and just hang out and be normal again. After over two weeks of meeting all sorts of new people, this is a welcome change. Very soon, I will need to submit my revised follow on plan, where I state to JFMF how I intend to use the knowledge that I gained.

A quick review of my trip to Japan "By the Numbers..."
6000- # of teachers who have gone to Japan on the JFMF scholarship, courtesy of the Japanese government.
900+- # of pics that I took.
400- Years Celebration of Hikone Castle the month I was there. Able to give official greeting to the Mayor of Hikone.
100- # of pics that I took that probably came out good.
24- Hours of travel to get home.
18- Days away
10- Pounds lost. Longer times between meals+less food at meals-weight facilities-time=Lots of work to do to get back in shape.
7- Different rooms where I slept (includes SF, Traditional Inn, Homestay, Kyoto, Hikone and Tokyo twice)
5- Truly enjoyable, extended encounters with local Japanese people whom I met in shops or in restaurants. These were only possible because of my seemingly odd behavior of telling the other teachers that I would meet up with them later as I wanted to wander around solo.
4- Nights that I participated in Karaoke.
1- # of times that I thought about Dana and the girls...but it lasted 432 hours. (Man, I should write poetry of something. Is that a good one, or what?)

I will continue to check in with information about either Japan or what I experienced. This is fun. For now, I need to go to the gym and drink a few shakes of something.

Penultimate Day

2007-06-26T23:33:00.001-07:00

Our presentation went off without a hitch. They were all a lot of fun. We did ours Letterman style, describing our experiences in Hikone. Each description had a haiku at the end. One of the teachers played the Japanese anthem in the background, which really "made" the presentation. Other groups did skits, used a variety of pictures, jeopardy, that sort of thing. Finally, at the end of the last presentation, a woman told a story that touched even me. It was so interesting and moving that I'll give you all a summary...

She was visiting her host family. After talking with the man of the house, she learned that his father was in WWII. Her father was also in WWII. The next day, he drove her to Nagasaki, where they stood together, at ground zero, as friends, 62 years after each other's father were enemies. Let that sink in for a minute.

I have a few hours now to pack and chill a little. We have a goodbye buffet later on. Then, I'll see what I feel like doing. I'll try to check in.

By the way, my flight tomorrow is from Tokyo to Chicago, which is something like 14 hours! Then, a 4 hour layover before the short leg to Albany.

Quick catch up

2007-06-25T23:53:00.000-07:00

With five minutes to spare here, wanted to get a quick update in.

Just had a very informative two hour Q and A about all aspects of Japan with Kyoko Jones, who is running this whole show. Immediately after, the 20 of us (Hikone group) met to discuss our presentation tomorrow. It seems the gist of things is that we are going to meet at our original scheduled time of 8pm instead. I want my 10 minutes back.

The roads here in one part of town that I hang out in are absolutely crazy. Full of people, with the occasional taxi plowing through and the people scamper out of the way. So, I thought I would have a little fun. I hailed a cab and instructed him to just plow though the busy streets for five minutes. He seemed to understand. That was a very well spent $6.60.

I forgot to mention something about my stay with my host family. Mom was telling me that she wanted to take her family to NY to visit, and to stay at my place. Naturally, I readily agreed. Then, she made me "pinky swear" that they could! I have no idea what the binding legality of a pinky swear is in Japan (Jay?) but I intend to honor it, given the chance.

I'm out to do a little shopping, then to rehearse our presentation. I should be able to check in later.

On Lake Biwa

2007-06-24T23:42:00.001-07:00

Damn! I look good with my hat backwards.

Host father(Yukio) is wearing a Brunswick Soccer hat that I gave to him.

Daughter is Miyu.

Mother is Kazumi.

Son is Kyohei.

Back in Tokyo

2007-06-24T23:09:00.000-07:00

After a couple of days shut out from the outside world, I'm back in Tokyo and able to fill you in on recent adventures.

To begin, I met up with my host family and spent a day and night with them. A very "normal" family which made me feel at home in no time. The girl (10) was being shuffled off to piano and ballet lessons. The boy (6) had soccer practice (Side note, "the Humpty Hump" is presently playing on the only English station in my room). We ate together, took a walk, lit some fireworks, which is apparently pretty common in Japan, did a little shopping, went to the library and just enjoyed each others company. The mother was trying her best to do all of the communicating with her English that she is practicing at home. She did a great job. A few miscommunications that got cleared up when they had some English speaking friends over in the evening. There were a few moments which are pretty funny, but are probably best told in person, as they may not translate well here. I have visited three public schools, a university, several shrines, museums and wandered around a lot. To have a visit with a family and feel like I can relax in a home ranks right up there with any of it. They even sang "Happy Birthday."

Yesterday afternoon, we went to a traditional Japanese Inn. The five men in our group shared a room, on thin mattresses laid side by side on the floor. We had a "bath" just outside. For this, the precedure is to wash outside the tub (shampoo, soap) with a hand held shower nozzle. Then, slip into the very hot water to soak. A little strange getting all lathered up outside with plenty of voices around, but a cool experience. There was also a public bath for hotel guests. This was much bigger and I took advantage a relaxing there as well. For dinner, we all sat around, on the floor, in a horseshoe shape. I am not exaggerating when I say that there had to be a minimum of 15 separate dishes, each in their own individual serving platter/plate/bowl. Several eyes staring back at me as well. After our fill of sashimi, beef, many vegetables a several unusual forms of sea life (jelly fish, anyone?) it was karaoke time. I am a little reluctant to print that this is my 4th time participating in this. The others were with smaller groups in our own separate room, sitting down. This was in front of all 20. It was fun, of course, although I felt a little out of my element with the lack of gangsta rap on the set list. I watched "Diehard" in Japanese, which was no problem, then went to sleep. Another 15 or so dishes for breakfast, more eyes staring back at me, at we were off to Tokyo.

Once we got here, there were a few hours to kill. I just went off myself, as I enjoy wandering around without a schedule. I have read that Tokyo can be difficult to navigate, but I kept the route simple at first, confident that I knew where the hotel was. Well, damned if I was completely confused after about 15 minutes. After asking directions and getting back on track, I did it again. Still, very cool to just seek out my own little experiences in Tokyo. No cool restaurant experiences, which is just as well, as the last bit of raw meat I had nearly killed me.

Our group of 20 is to do a presentation on Wed. We started planning it today while on the bullet train. Ever try to get 20 people to agree on anything? I think we're doing pretty good. Tomorrow night we are going to rehearse. So long as we all go with the flow and realize that this is not the end of the world and should be fun, we should be fine. Ken, if you're reading this, perhaps you can fill us in on how your group did?

Jay, you know, I can't print EVERYTHING on here. There are students looking in.

(To my students, I'm just acting cool for a friend and would never advocate anything other than reading, studying, getting to bed early, you know, that sort of thing)

Gift giving question

2007-06-22T14:28:00.000-07:00

Pat, gift giving is expected when visiting someones home. I think that the eateries just get a kick out of practicing their English, and the oddity of a tall, bald American hanging out there. Also, tell Bobby I have not seen any unusual Pepsi, but have had cantelope flavored kit kats.

I am leaving shortly for my home stay, then a stay at an Inn, then finally back to Tokyo. As I mentioned, my access may be limited over the next few days.

Finally, a Happy Anniversary to Dana. We Celebrated 11 years of marriage on the 22nd.

Whoa!

2007-06-22T04:14:00.000-07:00

This is the waiter in our hotel. Believe me when I tell you that this is the most caffeinated waiter anyone has ever experienced. If he hears someone leaving, he screams goodbye from the kitchen area. If you start pouring a coffee, he jumps over to you with huge excited smiles encouraging you to do so.

Buzzzzzzzz.......

2007-06-22T03:50:00.000-07:00

Went to the local Sr. High School today. Another great time visiting the kids, administration and teachers. Similar situation to the JrHS in that students all participate in intramural type activities after school for two hours, uniforms are worn, there is a bicycle garage instead of a student parking lot, and the kids are lots of fun. I received a nice piece of calligraphy that one student made that it interpreted to say "father."

However, as cool as this was, the part that I really got into was after we returned when I went to do a little wandering and minor shopping. I was with a friend, but soon went off solo. First, I poked my head into a tiny figurine store. Picture the size of a small bedroom. After looking around quickly and looking to duck out, the owner, a woman in her 70s(?) pointed to a seat and gave me a cup of green tea. Soon, she was giving me two small keychains, one for each daughter. We sort of chatted, which was not easy, given that neither of us spoke either language of the other. I then thanked her profusely and left.

Short walk later, I find myself in front of a barber shop. Not particularly needed a haircut, but thinking it would be cool to get one, I went in. I showed the confused owners (mom and pop) the symbols for "a little off the top" and was very clear about not being completely bald. After we all agreed what I wanted, he started to use the electric razor, which turned out to be shorter than I had pictured. After a few strokes, he said "ok?" I raised my hands and said "sure." We sort of chatted during the cut. This was a visit that was well worthwhile. For one, I got me a cool buzz. Secondly, I was called a "handsome man" by a 70 year old Japanese barber.

Next stop, food. Ducked (literally) into a tiny place, squeezed into a barstool and settled in among about 5 locals, some of which were chainsmoking. The cook spoke a little English and we spoke about all sorts of stuff, in minimal detail. I had the beef kabab (very rare and fatty, but excellent) and white rice. As I was about done, he handed me a plate of fried eggplant, saying, "present...for you." This was another great personal encounter, the kind of stuff that I really enjoy while I'm here. Back to the hotel I went.

Other stuff....

I visit my host family tomorrow, then to a traditional Japanese Inn, where we sleep 5 to a room on straw mats, I think. Internet access may be very limited.

Listening to music on the computer while in my room, the top choices have been the Grateful Dead, Live, Crash Test Dummies, with a little Doors and Motley Crue thrown in there...Fine, i listened to a Poison song too, I admit it.

Thanks to Maya for checking in. I love hearing about who is keeping up with this stuff.

Badmiton

2007-06-21T05:56:00.000-07:00

I'll bet many of you didn't know that I am an excellent badmiton player.

Kendo

2007-06-21T05:53:00.000-07:00

Kendo, as part of intramurals.

Jr. HS

2007-06-21T05:39:00.001-07:00

Went to the Hikone JHS today. After my experience with the Elem school, I had a clue what to expect...attention. Kids just looking at me and either gasping, giggling, shying coming up to me to say "hello" or generally staring in my direction. Fortunately, I was getting a kick out of it or it would not have been pleasant. Some ice breakers the kids tried with me:

"Do you like the rice?" This was during lunch and it was white rice. This question followed several minutes of some 8th grade girls giggling and conferring about what to say to me.

"What sports do you like?" They clearly expected basketball, but I just answered golf and football, then asked them the same thing. A few seemed pretty impressed that I coach soccer (well, it may the under 8 division, but I AM the coach)

"How tall are you?" This was usually followed by uneasy translations as neither of us could convert feet to centimeters.

After school, all kids participate in some kind of sport. Kind of like an intramurals. I wandered around the fields, stopping here and there to field questions from curiousity seekers or to play a little badmiton, ping pong, tennis or spin the basketball on my finger (to the oohs and ahhs of onlookers). My wearing a baseball hat and sunglasses outside made me even more of a freak show, but we were all having fun.

During the school day, I receieved a lesson in calligraphy. For some reason, I thought I would be better at it.

Back the hotel, started some laundry in the hotels only washer, got a bite to eat (raw tuna, mackeral, scallops, sea bream and squid and noodles), came back, did some ironing, now I'm getting ready to turn in.

Visiting the HS tomorrow. It will be interesting to see if they are a little "cooler" and less likely to act excited about seeing Americans.

AAAARRRGGGGG!!!!

2007-06-20T16:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, now I see that my original post last night DID take. Thing is, I cannot edit to get rid of any because this stuff is all in Japanese. Further, I just wasted my freaking time doing this all again! Damn!

Later

Keychain

2007-06-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

While at the Shrine restoration place, I got to make a sweet keychain. Yeah Baby!

Shrine

2007-06-20T16:03:00.001-07:00

Elem school

2007-06-20T15:48:00.000-07:00

Man, I thought I had a recent post and pics taken care of last night, only to find this AM that they didn't take. Given that all clicking for posts that I do are written in Japanese, it's possible that I hit the wrong area. I'll get through this quick, since I am off the Jr High today.

We went to the largest elementary school in Hikone yesterday, about 800 students. We lined up to greet the kids are they arrived, and they seemed quite curious about the 6'3'' bald American. I received more than my share of gasps as I wandered the school. At several points, I would have a group of about 10 around me, measuring themselves against me, hi fiving, comparing hand sizes, checking out my name tag (I was called "Para-vella-son"), just giggling and trying out their limited English. Lots of fun. When I was in my assigned 4th grade class, we did a little drawing on a small piece of wood. Then, I was SWARMED as every kid in the class wanted me to autograph their craft. Pretty aggressive kids about getting sigs, I can assure you.

Other stuff about the school:
-They have a pool. The kids all get changed right there in the classroom, with a towel around them.
- The students serve lunch to each other right in the classroom (Being a guest, and big, I was able to finagle an extra sardine).
- There are no vending machines in the school.
- Students do al the cleaning, mopping, scrubbing....there are no custodians. This surely translates into pride for their own school.

After school, we went to a place that restores Buddhist Shrines. Important work, since many Japanese families have one, some are 100-200 years old and can be worth up to $250,000.

I had the beef that Hikone is known for last night. Some raw, some cooked, all of it absolutely delicious but more momorable was how tender it was.

I wanted to go into more detail here, just that I am pressed for time (shocking) and need to get ready to go to Jr High shortly. You may contact me with any specific questions.

Elementary school

2007-06-20T06:59:00.001-07:00

Today, we got an early start to visit the largest elementary school in Hikone. We greeted the kids as they arrived all full of energy and giggling at all of these Americans in their school. I received a fair amount of attention right from the get go, just because I'm nearly 6'3". In fact, when they lined up the 20 of us opposite 20 Japanese classroom teachers, when the assignments were given out, my counterpart nearly burst out laughing at having me assigned to her class.

Once in class, I received plenty of attention. After we made some craft, every kid insisted that I autograph theirs. I was sitting on the floor and these kids (4th grade) were very aggressive in crowding around me, shoving their objects at me. Very fun.

As I wandered the halls, I would meet up with kids who wanted to hi-five, shyly say hello, match up their height to mine, and attempt to climb my back and hang on my arms. If this sounds like fun, believe me, it was. I had a blast. Part of the fun was picturing what Lauren would find funny and acting the same way to them. Kids are pretty universal in that they get a kick out of goofy adults.

Other stuff about the school:

The kids serve each other lunch within the classroom

There is a time when the whole school works together to clean up. There are no custodians as these duties are handled by the students.

After that, we went to a small plant where Buddhist Shrines are restored. The detail on these things is amazing and takes place in many steps. Many Japanese homes have these shrines, and some can be 100-200 years old. The value of some of the more elaborate pieces is $250,000!

I ate the beef that Hikone is known for tonight. I can now say that the most tender steak that I have ever had came while here. It comes in two large pieces. You pick up a piece with chopsticks and bite off a mouthful at a time. The bites came off as easily as can be with little pressure holding it on the other end with the chopsticks.

We get a later start tomorrow to visit the middle school. Hopefully, I can sleep in a little.

Cool Keychain

2007-06-20T05:59:00.000-07:00

After touring a facility that restores Buddhist shrines, I got to make a gold keychain. SWEET!

Excellent meal

2007-06-19T04:19:00.000-07:00

I went to the lobby earlier because I thought that I heard our guide mention that there would be a shopping tour at 6pm. After waiting around, I learned that the group likely left around 5:45. Shows how much attention I was able to pay after walking in the heat all day.

Anyway, I packed my bag (Jap-Eng Dictionary, photo album of my kids, passport, journal and cigar) and went wandering. I bought a shirt since three weren't cutting it. Then, I was hungry. I wandered, passing several places. My requirements were that any given place serve noodles and a refreshing beverage. My efforts were getting me nowhere. I was even considering just eating at McDonalds. Finally, I found myself in front of this place that had the doors covered, a few pictures of the food on the outside, and nothing else. I had passed it several times already. There was no one else around and no indication of activity, price, quality, anything. I took a deep breath and went in.

I found the equivelant of a NY greasy spoon. There was no one there. After a few "HELLO's," a guy in his 50's in an apron came out. I sat down. Then, his wife(?) came out. I simply said "biru" (beer). She smiled and went to the kitchen. (To my students, I only advocate ever drinking a beer should you find yourself in Japan, on a JFMF scholarship, and in need of an ice breaker in a shady retaurant).

My beer arrived. I then said "soba" (noodles) and "sashimi" (raw fish). I then kind of asked if the fish was good. They brought out a huge hunk of fish, along with a magnifying glass, for my inspection. I declined the inspection and motioned to serve it up. I think it was mackeral and maybe salmon, but I'm not sure. It was delicious. As I was eating it, the guy brought out about 8 little fish, which I was instructed to eat whole, head, tail and all. No problem. By his pointing to a map and waving around, I take it they were from the local lake.

Then, the noodles came. They were great. Then, I guess the guy liked me and my pathetic attempts with my dictionary because he brought me some sake, with a big smile on his face (students, see above disclaimer).

Then, I ordered another round of sashimi. They seemed startled that I would want more food, but brought it out with smiles.

At one point, I said that I liked the sake. However, judging by the laughter and weird hugging motions, I may had said that I was "in love" with it. Good stuff.

I soon paid my bill, telling them how much I enjoyed the meal (total about $16.50!). The guy gave me a big bag of some kind of chips, miming that there were for snacking on later. I went outside, lit up my cigar, and enjoyed a nice walk back to the hotel, reflecting on the day, Japan, whatever. I'll take a personal interaction like this one over a lecture any time.

A recap on other stuff...

Today, we met the superintendant of Hikone schools, then with three board members for a Q and A session.
Tomorrow, we being our visitation of schools. Early start for that one.
Tomorrow night, some of us (our guide and others) are planning on getting some of the beef that Hikone is known for.

That should do it for now. I know it was a lot about one meal, but it was one thing which I felt that I could explain a little and have it make some sense, without using a lot of superlatives like "amazing," "incredible...."

I'll check in again when I can. For those who are sending me messages or emails, thanks. It's nice to have a little piece of home, here.

The Castle

2007-06-19T01:33:00.000-07:00

No time for anything too detailed. Just wanted to let folks know that we went to Hikone Castle today. It is the castle on top in a the most recent pic.

This four week period, Hikone is celebrating the 400th anniversary of the castle, so it's a pretty big deal for this town.

I need to run now and will try to check in later.

Hikone, day one

2007-06-18T06:01:00.001-07:00

I participated in a tea ceremony in the building closest.

The Mayor and me

2007-06-18T05:48:00.001-07:00

Alright, I know the picture is awful. I am having some camera troubles at close range. A colleague actually videotaped the whole thing, and took more pics, which will be passed along to me. Still, this was the set up, so you get the general idea (I'm the tall, fuzzy guy standing, the Mayor sitting directing across).

It's a small world, after all...

2007-06-18T04:47:00.000-07:00

Lots to catch up on, since I could not get anything done yesterday. I'll hit everything I can...

- Yesterday, we traveled to Kyoto by bullet train. The train is very comfortable and goes very fast. We went to two shrines in Kyoto right away. It would be very difficult to get into descriptions here and make it meaningful. I can send pics to those who are interested. An amazing combination of nature, history, beauty, detail and religious significance all came together perfectly. Kyoto is a place that just about every other JFMFer wanted to go, and we were able to because it fit in with our stay in Hikone. Do a google search for some pics. Chances are that you will hit on where I was.

- On a personal note....we went to a montrous mall last night for dinner and shopping. While just hanging out on the outside steps with two others, 3 other friends came over. Then, then said that they heard it was my birthday yesterday and they gave me some cool little gifts and a small piece of cake from the mall. That was very nice of them to think of me that way and really made my day. I look forward to wearing my wristband with the dragon symbol and using my little baby Buddha keychain.

- Today we met with some officials, professors, and students from Shiga University. The students are going to school to be teachers. A cool, informative Q and A, and lecture. My favorite part, of course was hearing from the students themselves.

- We then took a tour of some Hikone gardens and participated in a tea cermony. Again, not to cop out on this, but I simply cannot describe the gardens without using a bunch of meaningless superlatives which cannot be pictured.

- After that, we met with the Mayor of Hikone and other officials from the Town (Disclaimer: I was only the rep speaker for our group because I volunteered first. No vote or anything). As we were in the government building, other teachers were asking me if my speech was ready, am I nervous, that sort of thing. If I wasn't nervous before, believe me I was as we entered the room. In one row of five chairs sat the government officials, with the Mayor in the middle. The seat directly across from him (5 feet?) was the only other reserved seat...for me. I was in the first of three rows. The Japanese press were there taking plenty of pictures of the whole thing. I am proud to say that I believe that I did a good job with my speech, which was interpreted to the Mayor every several sentences. Several other teachers congratulated me on a job well done, which is the highest priase one can get, in my opinion. I will try to copy it here when I get a chance.

- Tonight, I had noodles and tempora, which are both Japanese specialty dishes.

Other bits of info....

- Yesterdays breakfast included pickled pollock ovaries. Kind of mushy.

- As a quick snack heading to the Kyoto castle yesterday, I had a fried "pancake" consisting of octopus and cabbage.

- We are traveling with a guide and an interpreter.

- I have the smallest hotel room in the world. There is no closet, only two hooks on the wall. In fact three colleagues just popped by offering me an additional hanger (I only had two) and a pillow (I was issued one, and got a second at the front dest after miming what I was looking for). My wingspan just misses the width on each end by 6 in. I cannot move in the bathroom. There are no drawers in my room. Many others in my group have significantly larger rooms. They seem to be getting a kick out of my situation.

- There is a certain relief amongst the group. We are now a group of 20 in a relatively smallish town...as opposed to a group of 200 in Tokyo.

- The hotel "laundrymat" consists of one washer and dryer.

- Last night, Marky Marks "Planet of the Apes" was on...in Japanese. Right now, I am "watching" Japanese golf. By the way, who won the US Open?

That, my friends, is a wrap for now. I was told by our guide that we have a "busy day" tomorrow. I don't know how she would describe the previous week or so.

On the road again...

2007-06-16T15:09:00.000-07:00

Taveling to Hikone in a couple of hours. I hope to have internet access and all just as easily when I get there. This pic shows how a rock star travels.

Ken, thanks for the tip on seeing the concierge about the Sumo. His advice was dead on.

Sumo nation

2007-06-16T01:04:00.000-07:00

Good Lord, this is embarrassing.

In recent news, today...

A group of 7 of us started off by going to see a Sumo wrestling practice. It was located on a side street after a train ride. The concierge here at the hotel gave me the info on it and this was really not to be missed. The dojo was very small, just the circle, some space around it, and what appears to be a viewing area, where we sat on the floor. We were very apprehensive at first, kind of peeking in the door. One of them motioned us in, gave us some cushions, and there we sat for 2 hours. There were 16 of them and we were very close. The practice was very quiet, as match after practice match took place. Probably a couple hundred in all. For the first hour, it was the more seasoned guys. Then the less experienced went for an hour. Lots of grunting, sweating and incredible collisions! I mean heads and bodies collided with a force that one can only appreciate live. After practice was obviously over, I respectfully asked if we could take pictures. No problem. A few of them were somewhat happy to pose with us as well. An excellent start to the day.From there, we had lunch. Then, off to the Imperial palace/Gardens. A wide open area of gardens, flowers, trees, temples, waterfalls, etc...right in the middle of the city.After that, we took a train to shop at the 100yen store. This may not sound like a big deal, but the crowds in this city were were in were shoulder to shoulder, from the subway top, through the streets, in the store, and back again. Not what I would call a pleasant experience, but one I am glad that I did.In other news, my group of 20 is off to Hikone tomorrow morning. Tonight I need to pack an overnight bag, a bag to be sent by truck, and a bag to stay here for when I return. Almost everyone I have spoken to is ready for a little break from the city. Hikone should be a more relaxed pace, in a sense that there is not Tokyo, nor 200 teachers to contend with regularly. On Monday (Japan time) we will be meeting with the Mayor of Hikone. Yours truly will be giving the official greeting from our group. While I see this as a great honor, in all honesty the only reason that I am doing it is because I was the first one to blurt out that I would when it came to ask for volunteers to do this.Although it may seem like I am too busy to be thinking about life back home, in reality, I have looked at the photo album of my kids dozens of times, sent several postcards (two in one day, once) and think of them constantly. Also, if anyone has anything to ask, or would like to keep in touch otherwise without posting it here, keep in mind that I check my email regularly.Not sure how my internet access will be Hikone. My understanding is that it should fine once jumping through some hoops with the hotel.

A Word from The Wife

2007-06-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

What can I say, Chuck, you gave me your password!

We're all doing quite well here, except for Lauren, who was home sick from school today with a fever of 103. I took her to the doctor and she had a negative test for strep. Too bad for my patients, as I had to call in sick myself. Lauren is hopeful that she'll be able to play in tomorrow's soccer game, and she'll have a real fit if she's too ill to participate in her class trip to Howe Caverns on Monday.

Kristen is another story. She's generally happy, but every once in awhile she tells me that I am not in charge, and then she throws herself on the floor and screams, "I want my Daddy" over and over until I have to throw her in her room (and hold the door closed!). I am being put to the ultimate test! I'm hoping I pass the test with at least a C average.

Chuck, I called your school today to see if they needed anything further, and the grades are all taken care of. I guess you sent an e-mail. The seniors will graduate.

Keep learning and having fun. We all miss you.

Outside the Diet

2007-06-14T20:14:00.000-07:00

after dinner

2007-06-14T20:11:00.000-07:00

Brief info

2007-06-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

Couple of quickies....
- Got up this morning after 3-4 hours sleep and went to the fish market. More on that later.
- Just have a lecture on Special Education in Japan.
- Will be seeing a play this afternoon.
- Planning on Sumo tomorrow.
- No plans for tonight, no matter how damn gung ho anyone feels. I'm tired as hell.

Some answers to your comments/questions:

Pam, I will get something baseball related for Jon. Please give me your address so I can send a postcard.

Pat, I am doing my best to keep in contact with my family, but I appreciate your concern. I will see my host family next week.

Bobby, I will keep an eye out for Pepsi Cucumber

Ken, Our experiences do seem similar, though I am certain that I sing worse than you. Also, as good of a job you did explaining the fish market, I was still absolutely blown away. I feel lucky to have gotten out of there alive. I am going to a dojo to watch some sumo practice tomorrow. It's my free day. I'll spend it just wandering Tokyo.

To my students...after over a month, I have broken down and had an iced coffee. A couple more and I may last the day.

Sing it...

2007-06-14T06:32:00.000-07:00

I don't know where to begin. I've been here for two nights, though it seems like 20. The schedule we're keeping is pretty draining. All day, we are presented with tours, speeches, talks, that sort of thing. That comes off of only a few hours sleep (that's the consensus among the teachers). Then, when our required activities end around 4-5, it's time to go out and explore and enjoy for as long as we can take it, before starting it all again. I'll go over the past 24 hours...

Went to Karaoke last night with a group of 11. It's a bit different than in the US. Groups get their own room, complete with Karaoke set up, and sit (in the beginning) around a table, choosing songs, singing, drinking, it's a fun set up. No pressure to get up in front of a room full of strangers. Anyway, I did that until around 10, finally fell asleep around 1am, then got up at 6am to begin the day. Today, we were treated to a talk by members of the Diet (= to US Congress). One of them has been serving for 11 terms! Between them, and other speeches, we have got quite the overview of the state of Japan's education, challenges for the future, the economy, etc. They face similar challenges to the US in that the population is aging, birth rate is declining, and it is difficult to motivate kids in school.

After that, we were presented with some Kubuki theater. A very different sort of play, unlike any I have ever seen, or could imagine. Very difficult to explain here as it has to do with cadence of language.

After that, some of us walked to visit some shrines in Tokyo. Took us about an hour to get there, walking in the rain, asking for directions, generally being confused and looking ridiculous. Then, we stopped in what can best be described as an alley in a small restaurant for dinner. No one there spoke English, but we pointed to items on the menu and enlisted the help of a guy near us who spoke minimal English to help us. When I pointed to one item, asking him what it was, he said, "that...is the meat...of horse." No doubting what I ordered, is there? No use in asking how it was cooked, since it was raw. That, some octopus (I think) and noodles and I was set. From there, we went off for an hour of karaoke, and here I am. I have to get up in 5 hours to go to the fish market, which I am really looking forward to.

I really went through this stuff quickly and there is plenty of detail to add. Let me know of any particulars that you would like to know I will address them. For now, I am going to call Dana (hoping she's home) and go to bed. Another long day tomorrow.

Arrived in Tokyo

2007-06-12T17:43:00.001-07:00

After a smooth 11 hour flight, customs, and a 1 1/2 hour bus ride, I arrived in my Hotel. I need to say that we were certainly afforded the rock star treatment. From a special message welcoming us in lights from United Air, to about 10 FMF volunteers holding signs and showing the way ar the airport, to getting a mini tour and a wad of cash (meal money) on the bus. top notch.
A quick shower, luggage arrived in my room, did some laundry in the sink and off for our night time plans.
We had the option of meeting up with college student volunteers who would take us out to dinner in small groups. At first, the idea of going out after 20 hours of travel was not appealing. However, it worked out great. We met Kama, who is a lovely 20 year old girl, exchanged brief pleasantries, and out we went. Five of us teachers and her. she took us to a restaurant where we could sample quite a few things. In this restaurant, each "booth" was it's own room, with a sliding bamboo door. Inside was a "pit" covered by a table. We sat on the floor, with our legs in the pit under the table. Shoes off, of course. The waiters would knock, enter the room and immeditely kneel as they either took our orders or served our food. A nice assortment of things, raw egg, roe, raw tuna, chicken, tofu, and several others. Probably about 10 plates that we shared. I drank a traditional sake, while the others had beer.

Got back from dinner and immediately began to plan for my free day. Still looking at checking out a sumo wresting practice. I plan on going to the fish market tomorrow around 4 am, since I was up and working out at that time today anyway.

Today, we are going on a siteseeing tour and to see the Diet (equivelant to our Congress).

I cannot stress how helpful and polite the people in the hotel have been. The concierge last night was helping out with my sumo stuff. The woman who pushes the button to let you on the elevator then takes a deep bow as the doors close.

Not much time to continue at this point, though I will try to get more out later. Presently on about 5 hours sleep after being up for 24. This may be a rough day later on. fortunately, I haven't had any coffee in over a month in preparation for this.

Hours till take off

2007-06-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

Slept good. Ate a good breakfast. Practiced Karate on the beach.

I'm ready to go!

The Man In San Fran

2007-06-10T21:02:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this at midnight ET, after getting up at 3:30 am, so forgive any misspellings or general rambling.

First off, I should mention that the name of my host city is pronounced Hic-Cone-Ay. I have been mispronouncing it and was corrected today.

Uneventful flights overall. Pretty smooth operation by the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund as meeting up with everyone at the airport, then being transported to the hotel went without a hitch.

We have been having meetings and orientation for hours on end. I just finished dinner!

I have my itinerary for the complete stay. Again, everything planned out in great detail. I will be visiting the Diet (the Japanese equivelant of our Congress) in the next couple of days.

This pic is from the airport. I am surrounded by other teachers in the program, none of whom I knew. When I had this shot taken, I received a few quizzical looks. Since then, I have met quite a few people, as we are playing the "where are you from and what do you teach?" game. I have a roomie tonight, but will have my own room from here on out.

I'm too tired to continue this thing right now. And...I just found out that my flight tomorrow is 11 hours, and not the 9 that I originally thought. Lame.

Hours to go

2007-06-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

To catch up on the past day or so...

Last night Dana and I went out to dinner (ditched the kids). I only mention this because we were able to use the gift card that my awesome class gave me at the end of the school year. For the record, kids, I had the French onion soup, crab cakes and the 13oz Ribeye steak. Great meal. Thanks again.

If there is one downside to this trip, it is that I am home right now. For the past 20 years, on this weekend, I have been meeting my buddies at Belmont race track. Absolutely kills me not to be a part of it this year. I've called in a few times and they are having a great time, as usual. For those who think "big deal, it's a race," I'll tell you that we start tailgating when the gates open at 8:30am. The races start around noon, with the big one around 6:30. Then, we tailgate again until we get booted out. Great memories every year.

As for today, I have been packing, finishing up camp stuff, went to the gym, coached soccer, argued with my wife over how much stuff to bring (I was certain that two pairs of pants was plenty, she begged to differ), and now...I am heading out to the pool to relax with the family and enjoy a cigar. Of course, I'll be watching the Belmont Stakes in a little while.

For the record, my bigger bet is on CP West...for obvious reasons.

All in this together...

2007-06-06T16:57:00.000-07:00

In the past couple of days, I have:
- Taken care of gifts for my host family (purse for mom, hat for dad, Saratoga umbrella for both,Yankee team set for 6 yr old boy, High School Musical towel for 10 yr old girl)
- Purchased shoes without laces for easy on/off
- Bought some lithium batteries so I don't keep getting a "low battery" on my camera every 10 freaking minutes.
- Picked up a few other odds and ends.
- Received my itinerary (I leave at 6am Sunday), and made several copies of all kinds of other paperwork that I just received. For some reason, my father wants a copy of this.

Let me tell ya, the folks at JFMF seem to have this thing pretty well organized. From the time I arrive in San Fran (around 10 am Sunday) until well into the evening, every minute is accounted for. This includes people to meet everyone at the airport, hotel, meetings, lectures...And this is for 200 people! It's a good feeling knowing that someone has got control of this thing as I will be pretty clueless in Japan.

As a side note, I've got to mention that school has ended for me. I have taken on a new teaching position this year and did not know what to expect. These students that I had this year made it a great experience for me. Thanks to them, I looked forward to work everyday, which is all I ever wanted out of a career. Thanks guys!

Back to the prep stuff. I have now received well over 250 emails from various teachers going. Some are trying to get a postcard exchange going. Others are trying to plan for their free day. Many are griping about having so much to do (a legitimate gripe, as this is a pretty busy time for teachers). Others are planning what to do for their birthday while in Japan (mine is the 16th, on our free day). And still others are either asking for, or giving, wardrobe advice. I have yet to plan out my clothing. However, as my students and peers can attest, I'm a pretty snappy dresser no matter what the situation.

All about the yen

2007-06-03T16:59:00.001-07:00

I'm hearing many conflicting theories about how to handle money over there. Keep in mind that well over 100 JFMF winners are chiming in and offering advice. I have heard:
- Convert in the US
- Convert in Japan
- Travelers checks are the way to go
- International money orders are the way to go
- Credit card use is unreliable
- Credit cards are easy to use
- The worst conversion rates are in San Fran (where I will fly out of)

My plan, based on a number of factors...Buy International money orders here, with the intention to convert in a Tokyo Post Office. I'll carry cash as well (US dollars) and will likely suck it up and buy a small amount of yen in SF. I will also contact my credit card company, to alert them that all of this buying of stuff in Japan really is me.

In other news, today I purchased slippers (which are needed everywhere), some baseball cards for the kids I meet, and a Japanese-English conversion book.

Plenty of reading to do before I go, and I also need to tweak my follow on plan, which has already changed a little.

Keep it real.

Workin' the camera

2007-05-31T14:35:00.000-07:00

This is my second time posting this picture. I had everything all set to go many hours ago, only to lose internet access as I went to post it. Man, I was ticked. The good news is that this gave me a chance to continue practicing so I am able to do it in Japan. This was taken as I was trying to work the camera and upload pics.

Speaking of Japan, that's the reason for this thing so I'll get to it. I recently found well over 100 new emails since the night before in my in box. At first I thought I had a major spam problem. Even worse...The JFMF winners had been let loose. Everyone is emailing everyone about which prefecture they are in, how excited they are, where they want to visit, what to bring, that sort of thing. Main topics of conversation:

-The desire to climb Mt. Fuji. Many are looking forward to this. However, everything I have read states that it is not open to climbing in June.

-What gifts to bring. We are expected to bring gifts for our host family.

-What to wear. The women are bantering about hosiery and such. I'm not getting involved in that one.

-The urge to visit Kyoto. Some are planning a day trip from Tokyo on our off day. It is 2 1/2 hours by bullet train. I will likely hold off until I am in Hikkone, where it should be less than an hour. Seems to be a better use of time given my location.

-Possible going to a baseball game. While I may attend one, I am more likely to try to seek out some sumo wrestling.

My business cards came today and they are pretty sweet, if I do say so myself.

More pictures having nothing to do with Japan to come in the coming days, as I continue to become comfortable working all of this.

First practice photo...graduation

2007-05-30T05:44:00.000-07:00

I needed to work on my photo posting skills, so what better way than with a picture of my class from graduation last night? We had a great time, ending the evening with a performance by an excellent Elvis impersonator.

If I can figure it out, I'll post one of the goofier pics.

Two weeks out

2007-05-26T09:01:00.000-07:00

I'm using this weekend to get as much of the little stuff done as possible. Getting any paperwork in order, purchasing items that I will need, that sort of thing. One major purchase that I just made was my business cards. They should be in within a week. The business card is an important part of business and social interactions in Japan. When presented with one, you should receive it with both hands, study it and seem duly impressed. To simply take it and put it in your pocket would be an insult. Likewise, a card should be presented with both hands, with the cards writing facing the individual. My cards will be two sided, with English on one side and Japanese on the other (I suppose that's pretty obvious).

Also trying to plan on what to bring. I am only allowed one suitcase, one carry on and my laptop. Within my suitcase, I am bringing a large duffle bag, so that I am bringing two suitcases on my return, assuming that I'll be making a few purchases. Think about how you would pack for 18 days in a foreign country with only one suitcase. Formal attire is required.

Along with my clothing, I need to bring a gift for my host family (one night with them). It is recommended to bring something from the area where I live. I was thinking of a Saratoga umbrella, among some other ideas, such as something from the local soccer club where my daughter plays, maybe a cigar, still thinking about it.

More info coming up...

A little closer

2007-05-20T17:15:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe a lot closer. I received some more info from Fulbright. My host city will be Hikone, Shiga. It is a place historically significant for the Hikone Castle, which has been there for over 400 years. The city itself is said to signify Japan's Edo Era, a time of the development of a culture which still exists today. It seems to be a very interesting place and I will go into more detail at a later time.

Besides the obvious historical interests to me, I recently learned that Hikone is known for some other things that are right up my ally. For one, Hikone beef! As one who enjoys a good steak, it's great to be able to stay in a place known for it. And...Funa-zushi, which is thought to be the origins of Japanese sushi, is also a product of Hikone. It doesn't get much better than this. Knowing that I will likely be able to visit with local industry, I wonder if either of these will qualify?

Anyway, I just wanted to get this thing going again. I will offer up more details on my prep in upcoming posts.

First Entry...

2007-03-31T15:29:00.000-07:00

Hello ya'll... Charles R. Paravella here letting you know that I have been accepted to go to Japan, as did also some silly goofball named Ken Bevan (of www.kenbevan.com) from BOCES. In my stay, however, Iwill be far more productive and eat twice as much raw fish. WORD UP.