Sleepy Weekend

I didn't get a chance to take any pictures this weekend. The weather was nice but I didn't go or do anything worth photographing. I'll be heading to Tokyo (again) next weekend for some work-related stuff so, hopefully I'll be able to grab some interesting shots then.

I don't have much planned in the way of sight-seeing except a short trip to Kairakuen Garden in Ibaraki Prefecture. It is ranked as one of the Top 3 traditional gardens in Japan and, as luck would have it, the Plum Blossom Festival will also be held during the week I am there; so, expect lots of photographs of .. yep, you guessed it, flowers. :)

On Tuesday I'll be heading to a FREE baseball game (courtesy of my Japanese language class.. huzzah!) so, that should give me a chance to play around with me new telephoto lens.

That's it for now -- see ya.

難しい〜

皆、こんにちは。

今から、このブログによくより日本語で書くつもりです。出来るかな。。？　多分ちょっと可笑しく日本語を書けて、意味を分ければ、大丈夫でしょう？

今、決めることをたくさん考えています。ちょっと心配する〜　

例えば、試験を落ったらば。。どうする？　実は、次善策にまだ予定しないよ。もちろん、僕の生活設計にちゃんと考えた、けど時々自分の予定ことを出来ない。

カナダに帰る？　オレも、まだ信じられないよ〜　さぁぁぁ。。

Photo Update and then some..

I'll be getting THIS telephoto lens soon to round out my camera for the time-being. It is not a top-of-the-line model lens -- nor is it terribly expensive -- but it will more than suffice for my photographic purposes. Expect to see sniper-shots of things more interesting than this dull bird.


I was at one of my "inaka" schools this week and these wretched roosters kept interrupting my classes.


While I was trying to frame this photograph, the rooster turned and cock-a-doodle-doo-ed (I bet most of my Japanese readers are checking their dictionaries right now) at me! It's a shame we didn't have chicken for lunch that day. :)


On a positive note, the colours on the roosters were brilliant.


This was one of the strangest looking plants I've encountered so far. My mom likes to grow flowers and plants. In fact, in my house in Canada, both of my living rooms have plants and flowers covering half the floorspace; not to mention 1/3 of the kitchen and the entire back and front yards. Unbelievable!


Again, lots of flower shots because, well, it's spring.


Hannah correctly guessed February's "What Am I?" challenge. This time the challenge is to name all the flowers/plants/weeds in THIS post.


F4.


This photograph requires an inspiring message of some sort at the bottom of the frame. Something like, "It's your time to blossom..."

Okay, maybe not.


Man, this is a lot of flowers!


To those of you that aren't really interested in flowers, like me to be perfectly honest, my apologies. I'll try to think of something witty at the end of this post.


Last one! That makes 8 flowers/plants/weeds that require identification! Who is willing to waste their time on this utterly pointless endeavor?


Like I said, one can get pretty interesting shots using these mirrors. It all depends on the surrounding environment. Next time I'm in Tenjin (downtown Fukuoka for those of you not from Fukuoka) I'll see what else I can see. It will be quite embarrassing photographing these mirrors surrounded by people but, I guess I have nothing to lose except an opportunity, eh!

新年快樂!

Happy Chinese New Year!

Arguably the most important day on the Chinese calender, this year welcomes the year of the BOAR and all the astrological superstitions that come with it.

However, I'm betting this year will be better than the last! Anyways, I hope everybody has a great New Years -- wherever you might be.

新年快樂! 恭喜發財!

Photo Update

It's been a little slow at school because the students are busily studying for exams. Not wanting to just sit in the teacher's room and study all day, I grabbed my camera and walked around the school taking photos.


There are a lot of flower shots in this update because, well, they caught my eye.


Can you spot the bee?


There are a lot of different flowers around my school -- unfortunately, I don't have any interest or personal inclination to find out what they are.


My school is at the forefront of technological innovation in Fukuoka. This board describes and explains the solar-energy panels at my school. We've even been featured on NHK! Although it will be many years before the investment costs will be recouped in energy-savings, the point is clear: it can be done.


Pink Flower.


Does this photo look centred?


Goal 38: Take more photos of trains.

A Day Off

Yesterday turned out to be a great day to go outside, grab some fresh-air, and to just, you know, relax. Despite the dire prediction -- forecasted by my eternally-optimistic friend James -- of more cold weather to come, I can safely say, "It ain't so!"

The photograph featured above is an example of a very typical Japanese-style park, i.e., lots of cement.


I haven't roller-bladed in almost 10 years so, I was a little rusty coming out (going into?) the park. An interesting tidbit: rollerblading is uncommon in Japan. I guess it's just one of those sports that never really caught on here.


One thing that I do truly admire Japanese people for is their penchant for recycling and cleaning-up after themselves. Litter on the street, public transportation, public spaces, etc. is -very- rare. I could go into a long discussion regarding littering but seeing as it will definitely offend a particular group of people (I've succumbed to PC-ness), let's just say, the Japanese concept of "love for ones' nation" isn't that bad of an idea.


Our mini-obstacle course.


Excellent guess James! You got it. Here's a trickier one -- especially for those that don't _____.


Taking the subway home. This is Fukuoka's subway system. There are only about 3 lines which makes it rather small by Japanese standards. Oddly enough, all Japanese subway and rail systems stop running at about 12-12:30! Very early by North American standards.


I'm sure you already have an idea of what those gates are for. It has already been established that Japan has a serious problem regarding suicide. Those gates are to prevent people from jumping onto the tracks into an oncoming train. Monday mornings are the most popular time for people to commit suicide because, and I'm just repeating what I've been told, it inconveniences the most amount of people on their way to work. So, for those of you in Japan, heading to work on a Monday morning on the rail and there is a "technical delay" -- there's your answer.


2 Ads are better than one!

Last Chance

And now, for a real post.

My time in Japan will be coming to an end. I've decided not to re-contract for another year which means at the end of July, I'll be heading back to Canada. It took a lot of time and thought to reach this decision, and I -still- have doubts, but I think it's for the best.

I could go into many reasons why I made this decision but I guess the one that stands out is that I am ready to do something else. I love my life in Japan and I couldn't have asked for a better experience, but as much as I would like to stay for "just another year", I know there is a bigger world out there and, well, I want to see it. I am currently pursuing various options for my post-Japan life and nothing is confirmed, but I'm ready, and willing, to take that chance. Call me foolhardy but I know that I can do so much more; I just need the opportunity.

I'm not sure if I can, or will, continue this blog after I leave Japan. There are just too many uncertainties right now but, if things work out, I will definitely try to continue writing and posting photographs; not necessarily for you (the readers), but for me.

However, until I'm on that plane heading back to Canada, I plan to cherish and live out the rest of this once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's time to make these last 6 months count!

That's it. I promise no more cheesy posts for at least 5 months!

皆さん、こんにちは。

ちょっと日本語、いい？
　
今年、最後年に日本で住んでいます。僕は、七月にカナダに帰ります。そのことが、とても難しい。。狐疑逡巡だった。今も,　疑いがあるんです。だけど、僕のためにその一番いい決めることです。

僕は、日本で住んでいて、本当に嬉しかったです。実は、この経験が「一期一会」あったと思います。カナダ帰った時、このブログには毎日書いて、分からない。。でも、頑張ります〜

それじゃ、皆さん、ありがとう。最後月は、日本生活を楽しみ〜ね！（＾ー＾）v

Weekend Brunch

Thank goodness for weekends. In most Western countries, and I believe every other country on the planet -- except Japan (of course) -- regard the weekend as a time to relax and for personal recreation. This weekend is a long-weekend in Japan but, as I asked the teachers at one of my schools what they would be doing this weekend, most of them replied (roughly translated), ".. umm, probably work." Not only are some club activities held before and after school, but also on weekends and, in some cases, national holidays. Unbelievable, eh! The Japanese addiction to work is world-renowned and is the principle cause of several salarymen deaths each year. The Japanese call it 過労死 ("karoushi") and it literally means "death from overwork". You can read the Wikipedia entry HERE.


Since "karoushi" is the last thing that can happen to me while on JET, I took the opportunity this weekend to check out the annual Kyushu Shouchu Fair at Fukuoka's Yahoo Dome. It's similar to a wine-tasting event minus the pretentiousness that surrounds wine-drinking. There were exhibits and shouchu from all over Kyushu -- some sweet, some bitter, some strong and some, well, even stronger. I went mainly for the free alcohol.


The blue tint was a result of fried-food stands releasing toxic fumes in the arena. By the 25th stand I stopped noticing.


Coming from a country accustomed to sitting on furniture, it always strikes me how often one sits on the floor in Japan (heck, I'm sitting on my tatami right now!). It doesn't bother me as much as other people (in fact, in a lot of situations, I prefer it), but for those of you that haven't been to Japan, I thought this was an interesting photograph.


Absolutely Atrocious.


My friend and I decided to split one since neither of us has eaten one of these things before. As you can tell from the expression on my face, I did not enjoy this particular Japanese dish.


Red Umbrella.

Thanks for reading!

And the Results Are In..

FAILED! That's right, I failed the level-3 Japanese Language Proficiency Test. If this test is any indication of my future plans, I'm in big trouble. On the bright-side, I did manage to pass (barely) all the sections of the exams but failed to achieve the necessary 60% to get the certificate. I guess there's always next year.. ?


In light of this disaster, I think it's TIME to REFLECT on what the heck happened (get it?! get it?!).


I brought my camera to school today and walked around the area taking photographs. There was nothing particularly spectacular to photograph around the school (not yet anyways) so, here are the "best of the worst".


These orange mirrors are everywhere in Japan. One can take some pretty interesting shots with them depending on the surrounding environment.


Okay, this isn't exactly a great shot but I just wanted to showcase how awesome my camera captures certain colours. The above photograph has not been re-touched or altered in any way.


This photo has absolutely nothing to do with my school but I forgot to post it last time. This is the photograph from the water-feature in the park near my office.


In other news, I got invited to a wedding the other day. I was quite surprised since I don't know this teacher particularly well. We occasionally exchange greetings but aren't exactly close colleagues. Maybe it was an "obligation-invitation".. ? Regardless, I am looking forward to this rare opportunity to experience a Japanese wedding and, well, to photograph what should be a unique event.

Realization

I've come to realize that most people in Japan don't get my sarcasm.

First, some context:
I was at my JHS today and was asked to "monitor" 2 classes simultaneous while an open class was being conducted down the hall. "Okay, no problem," I said. The two classes were pretty quiet (regardless of me being there or not); indeed, I think my presence -in- the classroom was actually a worse distraction for the students.

Towards the end of the period, while I was walking up-and-down the rows checking the students' work and answering questions, one student had written the word "clever" on his desk. He pointed at the word, then pointed at me, and said my name with the distinct inflection inquiring whether I was, indeed, "clever". I did the usual awkward foreigner-teaching-English-in-Japan-laugh plus waving-hand-in-front-of-face-as-if-batting-a-spider-that-has-somehow- fallen-from-the-sky and said, "No, no.. (one "No" never seems to suffice; and three is just excessive)." The student persisted in pointing to the word, then pointing at me, and insisting, in no uncertain terms, that I was in fact "clever". So, instead of just laughing awkwardly again and moving towards the next student (that's probably what I -should- have done), I pointed to my myself (in Japan it's to ones' nose) and said, "baka".

"Baka" has many meanings in Japan. It can mean a fool or an idiot; it can also refer to a trivial matter or something folly, foolish and/or stupid. Needless to say, this created quite the disturbance in the classroom. After the open-class ended, I went back to the teachers' room to just clear up some things before heading home. I ran into my JTE and she asked me what happened in the classroom. Apparently some of the students' retold this encounter to my JTE (leaving out all the important elements) who had difficultly understanding why I would say something so "foolish" about myself. I had some problems trying to explain that in North American culture, it is perfectly okay to occasionally "insult" oneself, and others, without either party taking it personally or literally. Usually this "banter" is done to illicit a humourous response and, for the most part, nothing more.

That explanation didn't sit well with my JTE. She didn't outright say I was being grossly offensive but made sure, in that subtle, Japanese-ninja way, that what I said was inappropriate. And, upon reflection, she's probably right. But, that doesn't mean I was necessarily wrong in what I said -- I just said it to the wrong audience.

A year-and-a-half later and I'm -still- learning something new about Japan. That's kool.

SUNday

Winter has come and gone. Friday's unusual snowstorm had me worried that we would be in for another few weeks of cold weather -- fortunately, that hasn't been the case. Today was a balmy ~15 C in Fukuoka and, while it may be a little premature to say, I think spring has finally arrived! :)


A real Mexican dog in real Mexican clothing! If this dog could talk I bet it would say, "Get me out of these stupid pants."


"What's your blood-type?"

When I first got to Japan I thought this was a very unusual question to be constantly asked. I used to donate blood so, I knew the answer right away but didn't know the implications of being a certain blood-type. Here is a -general- outline of each blood-type. I'm taking this right off of Wikipedia but if you want a more detailed outline, just google it.

Type A:
Best Traits: Conservative, introverted, reserved, patient and punctual. Perfectionists.
Worst Traits: Obsessive, stubborn, self conscious and uptight.

Type B:
Best Traits: Creative, passionate, animal loving, optimistic, flexible and individualistic.
Worst Traits: Forgetful, irresponsible, and self-centered.

Type AB:
Best Traits: Cool, controlled, rational, introverted and empathic.
Worst Traits: Aloof, critical, indecisive and unforgiving.

Type O:
Best Traits: Ambitious, athletic, robust and self-confident. Natural leaders.
Worst Traits: Arrogant, vain, insensitive and ruthless.



Sunday evening I went to a farewell party for a Japanese friend who was moving back home to Okinawa (lucky!). We went to a Korean restaurant with a ceiling that would certainly fail the fire-safety code in most Western nations. The ceiling was, and I kid you not, ~ 1.25 meters high, or about 5' feet.


The first ume blossoms of spring.

Snow!

I apologize for not didn't bring my camera with me to school today but, it finally snowed here in Fukuoka. It was a fairly heavy snowfall that lasted about 2 hours; however, it completely melted by noon. That's it for this week -- enjoy the weekend!