It’s 10:00 AM on my first official weekend as the TSCA ALT in Kashiwa and I’m vacuuming. I’m not sure if it’s because I want the floor to be clean because I’m worried what the J.Comm internet installer will think of my collection of dust bunnies, or if it’s because keeping busy—doing menial things around the house—keeps me from dwelling on how alone being in a country where I can’t even understand the TV makes me feel.
It’s all about simulating a sense of “control.” For now, “gambare” is my friend.
I think I will fry up some salted chicken cubes for lunch, which I will likely also eat for dinner. Even then, I continually run into the problem of not knowing how to use any of the appliances here. Not only are the buttons not in English, but they’re riddled with kanji! It took me two hours to figure out how to use the rice cooker the other night! Anyway…
So those are my plans for today: cook and clean. The same plans I had since Thursday when my parents flew back home
1 Non-sequitor: there’s this absurdly cute “Chicken Ramen” (dried flavored ramen noodles) commercial on the TV right now. For some reason, all of the Japanese markets in Torrance stopped selling them (my guess is that the rules about chickens and eggs in Japan are much more lax than in America). When the teachers took me and my mom to the market for our first “grocery trip,” my mom saw that they were selling the Chicken Ramen packets in bulk and got so excited she bought two sets: “one for me and one for Lauren.” None for me.
1.Well, after the J.Com guy comes, I may take the bike out for a spin and explore Kitakashiwa in concentric circles. Or just get lost. But there’s a typhoon supposedly coming in over the next week and it’s been sporadically raining in the evenings, so I may just stay in.
Tomorrow, though, I am going to get out to Tokyo. I think I’m going to start in Asakusa and every few weeks make my way around the loop. Though it’s not strictly pleasure: I do need to pick up cash from the bank
2 Ironically, I have been looking for CitiBank ATMs under the assumption that it’d save me money to use the Citi ATMs since I’m a Citi-NA customer, but it turns out they charge me a $15 fee every time. What a bust!
2. Originally, the plan was that the program provides a few thousand dollars for moving expenses and seed money, but because my reporting-date was so late, they need to wait to get the cash in hand to pass on to me. That means that I am starting to run low on funds, especially since virtually everything here is paid in cash (or debit, rather than credit).Once I get some cash in my pocket I’ll feel much better, until I get my banking information
3 Well, better than using my American CC at places like UniqLo—where I’m mere cms from a XXL—and BicCarmera… which is another story in and of itself
3. I’ll probably end up using that moving money as “seed” money, then. After that I can set up auto-bill pay for my utilities (and rent, hopefully), and then even start signing up for things like the iPhone 5 waiting list and the Kashiwa Megalos!I’ll let you know how that goes.
Earlier in the day a couple of trucks were driving around blaring an announcement from the loud-speaker. Apparently they’re asking for large trash disposal like appliances, televisions, and motorbikes. When we were in Kyoto looking for Daigoji we saw a similar truck driving around one of the suburbs. I assumed that it was a political advertisement truck, but it too was probably a trash truck. Though I’m not sure there’s much of a difference.
Anyway, I’m trying to figure out what to do with these four summer vacation days I have. I really want to use them but, as I mentioned, I’m a little short on cash-up-front at the moment. Even Yoshida-san is encouraging me to take them! I will definitely take one of them to go to the Immigration Bureau to pick up my Gaijin-Card (Foreigner Registration Card) and change my Single-Entry to a Multiple-Entry, just so that I don’t have to worry about it for the holidays (or if I end up going to Taipei on a whim).
I’ve played around with the idea of going back to Kansai (super takai) or taking day-trips to Tokyo, but I have no clue what to do, and though the idea of “not working” (yes, even before I start working) is nice, the prospect of spending 24 hours in my apartment alone is less interesting since I can’t watch any of the TV. Well, that may change now that the J.Comm guy is here
4 There are actually two of them and, much like the TEPCo Gas Guy, they are super polite and junk. They’re even overly-concerned about the laminate hardwood floor, only doing work on this tiny, soft-foil mat.
4.Maybe I’ll start considering that trip to Hokkaido to visit Kari more seriously…
Anyway, I wasted too much of your time already.
Oh, and since you asked, here are some of the shots from Kyoto:
The rest of “Part 1: Narita to Kyoto” can be found HERE, while Parts 2 and 3 (including Hiroshima and Osaka as well as Fushimi Inari and Daigoji) will be posted in the next few days. Gotta leave them wanting more if we want the traffic, right?
Pictures from Kashiwa will be forthcoming as well.
Post script: chicken frying was a disaster. I need to do some more research before I try that again… Ended up baking the chicken in an impromptu shoyu/dried herb mix. Came out a little tough, but tasted fine otherwise.
I highly recommend getting on the train and going into Tokyo! Loads to discover. Asakusa temple is beautiful. Be sure to fan the incense on yourself for good luck. Do you have a guidebook?
ReplyDeleteHave fun and ganbatte!
Lori