Divine Gate- March 15th

NEW NEW ANIME!!! I started watching a new anime called Divine Gate about how the three different worlds including the living world, the heavens, and the underworld were combined by the divine gate. It is said that whoever reaches the gate can get their wish granted and gain the power to shape the world. Apparently this anime was adapted from a smart phone game. My favorite character so far is Aoto, a water-user, whose history is as ice cold as his light blue eyes. I'm only on the first season but things are heating up! I don't want to spoil anything but the anime includes myths, legends, fairytales, gods, and monsters that you might find interesting. So you should check it out! 

Rick and Morti- March 13th

My friend Shelby introduced me to the the quirky yet funny sci-fi animated comedy Rick and Morti. The show is about a kid named Morti and his genious Grandpa as they go on crazy adventures all over the universe! It's hilarious and I'm sorry I only got around to watching the first season now. I'm going to watch the 2nd season next! Hopefully after I get more used to the comedic style I'll be able to share my favorite episodes and some funny quips to get people hooked on the show haha.  

Julio and Lisa's Goodbye Party- March 12th

Tonight was a sad night and morning because it was the last night I'd be able to hang out with Julio who is going back to New York! Also, Lisa is moving to Kanagawa near Tokyo so she is quite a ways away. Per usual, we did the nomikai at Tap, then went to OXO, and finally got ramen because we were all drunk and hungry at thus Chinese restaurant I'd never been to. We even did after hours at   Julio's apartment and played Crazy 8's, BS, and Egyptian Rat Screw. Julio had a plethora of rules to add to Crazy 8's that I have never heard of in my life lol, but it was fun to play a different version. After I took a short nap we walked Julio to the train station through the freezing morning air. After that we got breakfast at a new 24 hour family mart in Toyohashi Station. Julio and I bonded as true brothers over this past year and I'm sad to see him leave because I want to have more adventures together. When I come back to America, I really hope we get the chance go hang out and also travel around America a little bit! This is not goodbye.   

Aunties Ann's- March 11th

There is an Auntie Ann's in Tokyo's Seibu Shinjuku Station. One of the workers tempted me with a sample of fhe new cream cheese prezel with strawberry icing, but I had to go classic with the cinamin sugar prezel sticks. Before I left America, I got hooked on the pepperoni pizza prezel and strawberry lemonade, but of coarse they didn't have it and I should have known because Japan just doesn't do cheese like America. Besides that, I did enjoy my cinamon sugar prezel stick with cream cheese dip. 

Frijoles- March 10th

After coming to Japanese, almost fresh out of college, I have been feigning for some Chipotle! Mind you, Indian food to Japanese is like Mexican food to American which means that finding good Mexican food restaurants in Japan is difficult to say the least. So after some internet searching I came across the Japanese equivalent of Chipotle called Frijoles that's locates in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo. I wish I had good news like the burrito hit the spot, the price was resonable, and I'm glad I went, but alas Frijoles didn't get the job done. First of all I paud twice the amount of money for a burrito that was half the size. Where I would normally pay around $10 for a burrito, chips, and guacomole, I paid $20. The steak they used was quite different then the one used im America and the quality wasn't as good as the beef I've at at other restaurants with similar pricing and the guacamole wasn't mixed well. I was surprised that they had sour cream and cheddar cheese, but the cheese blend wasn't all that great. Even though it was pretty good. It didn't meet my expectations or my needs. The servers did speak English though so that was a plus. I guess I'm going to have to wait until I go back to America to get my burrito fix. 

Sakura's and Ridiculous Weather- March 9th

It's not quite spring, but the sakuras, cherry blossoms, and plum trees are beginning to bloom throughout Japan. Unfortunately, I think it might be a bit premature because the weather lately had been really contradictory and unpredictable. I mean one day feels lile spring, the next winter, the next fall, and the next summer. So many people are getting sick from the sheer inconsistency of the weather patterns as of late. This is not only happening in Japan. Back home in Cincinnati, OH they went from a snowstorm one weekend to 60 degree weather the next weekend. Can you say RIDICULOUS!!! I'm afraid that the blossoms are going to die because the weather is tricking them into budding too soon. I want all the trees to bloom so that I can enjoy my first authentic Sakura festival here in Japan!  

Toyohashi to Tokyo Night Bus- March 8th

Finally found a website that has detailed information about the over night bus from Toyohashi to Tokyo which may include the day bus. Its a bit late considering I'm moving go Nagoya, but non-the-less it might come up on someones search while they are in Japan so they too can be informed. If that's you, then I'm glad you are able to use the information I post on my shotty little blog for reference and help. Here is a link to a website detailing the night bus and links to Japanese websites so you can buy tickets for the bus:  

http://www.kanto-bus.co.jp/english/guide/nw_honokuni.html 

Spring Break Moving Disaster- March 7th

So today I found out that Japanese teachers and even the principals can change schools every year! Usually principals and teachers will stay at on school from 3 years all the up until 10 years sometimes. Although, the school year starts at the beginning of April, teachers and principals sometimes wob't betold that they have to move to another city in the prefecture until the end of March. Meaning, they basically have to pack up and move their lofe at a moments notice. It's no wonder that the end of March and beginning or April is the craziest time in Japan to move and that Japanese moving companies can charge sometime double the fees for moving people at this time of the year.  Even though it not the fault of Japanese people, but of the system in which their occupation operates.   

Last Club with my Boi Julio!- March 6th

I'm glad I got to go clubbing one last time with my boi Julio who wil be leaving next weekend. We started off the night at a Mexican restaurant in Kanayama that jad pretty good enchiladas. Then we pregamed at liquor mountain and went to Club Ibiza. Per usual some funnt things went down, like a twerk battle with a brazilian guy on the front of the dj booth, some unruely persuers, some Japanese/Brazilian girls who could actually dance and much more, so it was a fun night to say the least lol. Our our way back to the station to head home, Julio wanted to dtop and get some souvenirs at Don Quote, so Breanna and I decided to take a nap in the park across the steet. To my surprised I woke up to a call from Julio sayingg they had already caught the train- THEY LEFT ME😭. After we talked, they said they'd wait for me at Kanayama before taking the train to Toyohashi, ao it wasn't all bad I guess haha.  

Update Fragile Age- March 5th

We finished off the last of the rebels thanks to the army of centaurs. Without revealing our alliance with the nonhumans to the Greek government we Negociated a truce with the Emperor. After much deliberation the Emperor relinquished control of the city to the centaurs and non-humans until order is established between the different races and the city is rebuild. After which the Emperor gave us some choic words after the centaurs handed the palace over to my team revealing that he knew all along where Pandora and the jar was. Also, that he had known about our alliance with the nonhumans, secret meetings with the rebels, our theft of the museum weapons, the murder of the museum owner and his wife, the assiassination attempt by the cult, and our protection of the brothel all thanks to the spies he sent to monitor us throughout the city. After telling us this and giving us a clue to the location of Pandora, he left us with one final warning. " You will not be able to leave the city with Alexander's Spear." Later we met with Pandora and Hermes to warn her of the coming danger and to figure out how best to protect her from it. We fiddled around with the idea of hidding her in Olympus, but that was a no go due to the fact that her persuer is himan and the god don't want a human toinfiltrate Olympus. So for the tme being she will roll with us as we protect her and try to find a more perminent solution fo our current dilema. 

Japanese Slang Words- March 4th

Not to get on my political soapbox or anything but I think that it is important for me to speak out and say that different cultures are amazing and should exist. This includes African American culture with all of its societal contributions from music to food, stereotypes, and all. It's up to us as individuals to educate others about our own culture because it is a part of who we are and it should be celebrated, not silenced because people don't or refuse to understand it. That being said I had the chance to teach my students about Slang, or African American Vernacular English for the more academically inclined lol. Slang is not only spoken by African Americans, but is shared with everyone and is primarily used by the younger generation and students. As an ESL teacher I think it is easy to forget to share culture along with language to peek the interests of students and promote culture understanding as well as foreign language competence. I gave the student a taste everyday Slang and a few more target Slang used by American today. 

Here are the words I taught them: 

What's up=> Hello 

What's good?=> How are you? 

My bad=> I'm sorry 

For real=> Really

Deuces=> Goodbye 

At the end of the lesson, I asked student to teach me some Japanese Slang Most Japanese Slang are just shortened words, but here are some of my favorite ones:  

まじで(Majide)=> Is that true?, Really?  

すげー (Sugeー)=> Incredible, huge 

いいなあ(iinaa)=> I'm jealous, I want to do that 

ぱねえー(panee)=> You suck! 

たりー(tariー)=>tiring, exhausting, or troublesome 

Mew Mystery Gift- March 3rd

So I had some trouble getting Mew on the Japanese 3DS considering how you only get the Mystery Gift code after you download one of the original Pokemon games on the 3DS via dowload code. After trying to figure it out myself I had to go call the store and go to the store to have a store clerk help me figure it out using my terrible Japanese lol. Here is how l the store clerk lady helped me do it:   

1. After you downloading the 3DS version of the original Pokemon game. Go to the Nintendo Shop.  

 

2. Go to the Menu 

 

3. Go to Settings 

 

4. Go to Software Confirmation and get the 16-digit code. 

5. Open up 1 of 4 approved Pokemon games including: Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, Pokemon Omega Ruby, Pokemon X, or Pokemon Y and go to Mystery Gift. 

 

6. Go to Receive Gift 

 

7. Go go Get With Code 

 

8. Enter the 16-digit code 

 

9. Then you'll receive your Mew!  

 

Fish Cakes- March 2nd

Not getting too fansy with the cooking, but I made some fish cakes and they turned out great! I got the idea after I saw cheap cans of saba, mackerel, at the grocery store and thought I'd try a new recipe with them.They are a breeze to make. Just add onion, garlic, seasoning, and breacrumbs then fry the patties till golden brown and your done. I ate mine on buttered-toasted buns with lettace, tomato, mayo, and sweet chili sauce with a side of fries and green beans. Although it wasn't that difficult to cook it turned out to be really delicious. P.S.- this is my second time making them.  

Pokemon Green for 3DS- March 1st

I know this is late, like everything in my chaotic life right now, but I just wanted to post about the 20th anniversary of Pokemon which was on February 28th, 2016. I think this is the worldwide anniversary of Pokemon because I believe Pokemon was introduced on Japan a year before. In honor of this the Pokemon company has released 3DS versions of the original Pokemon Yellow, Blue, Red, and Green amidst their other projects including Pokken Tournament, Pokemon Z, and the new Pokemon Sun and Moon games. Also, as a special promotion, if buyers bought the download for any of the original Pokemon games in February, they can get a Mew for Pokemon Alpha Sapphire, Omega Ruby, Pokemon X, or Pokemon Y . The Japanese promotion lasted a little bit longer, so in order to help my friend, you know who you are, get his dream Pokemon I bought Pokemon Green which was only released in Japan during the release of the original games worldwide.  

College Friends in Japan- February 29th

I'm so excited I got to spend time with my fellow Chubu students! We didn't meet when I was at Chubu, except for Eric and Ukyo, but we have really bonded as we have gotten to to know each other. While waiting to meet up with the ever so charming Josh, who we thought was im Austrailia surprised us with his presence. We started off the night at a pirate themed nomihoudai with a tabe set at this place above CREAM in Sakae. We were celebrating Benny's birthday and since he didn't join the clubbing I'm assuming he had a good time haha. The highlight of the night mario kart on the original nintendo and a shock game. Afterward we hit up I.D., then cafe Ibiza, then finished off with karaoke- where I slept haha. Needless to say another amazing weekend in Japan.  

Skype with Katie- February 28th

I'm really glad I got to reconnect with my friend Katie from college. Katie and I came to Japan for the first time together to study abroad at Chubu University. Her Japanese is better than mine though haha- she passed the JLPT N2. We caught up on everything in our lives and reminisced about our amazing study abroad experience which we both miss a lot. She is working hard to come back to Japan and hopefully we can relive some our best experiences here in Japan together. Good luck Katie you can do it! 

Update Fragile Age- February 27

Backstory- My team and I are in Egypt and we are currently in the throws of a rebellion. The Greeks gave taken over Egypt, denounced all the Egyption gods replacing them with Greek gods, demilitarized its citizens, and created a huge separation of power and economic status between them and the citizens. So needless to say the citizens loath the current government and have created a rebel alliance to overthrow the government. Enter us who have been given a mission from the gods to to find and protect Pandora and her jar in Egypt,  yes in the lore it was also called a jar, who is beening hunted so she can sacrificed for an ancient ritual to worship a Titan named Thianitus that would start a war between the gods and destory the world. There is also a crazed cult of assassins on our backs and a league of nonhumans also vyjng for the city. My group has the potential to fight a war on 3 fronts. 

After much delibaration,secret meetings, incentives, negotiations, and assassination attemps my team and I decided to side with the nonhumans lead by the centaurs whose leader is no other than my original character Shadow Storm . We agreed to act as triple agents and help both the government and rebels kill each other off and have the nonhumans take over the city. After acquiring weapons for the rebellion, helping them throw the city into chaos by setting the city a blaze, and thwarting the rebelions attempt to steal money from the wealthiest brothal in town, my team and I join the goverment in the final fight against the rebels.  

Update- We were succuessful in protecting the southern wall of the palace  by taking out more thank half of the first wave of rebels. We also managed to smash the battering ram so they couldn't get into the palace.  

Japanese Culture- Work Hours- February 26th

Before I start off I just want to clarify that I have no grounds to really complain about this piece of Japanese culture because I have not experienced the grunt of it and have only had a taste. With that said, one really odd thing about work life in Japan is that the amount of work hours trumps the amount of work being done in any work environment. This is really strange, so I had to ask a few Japanese people about it. The few that I have talked to have expressed lack in vacation time, overtime work with no pay, and wasting time at the work place just simply because they had to be there. I have to say that I don't really agree with this culture because I think the American way of praising fantastic results rather than the time spent encourages people to work more effectively and efficeintly. I'm not saying that Japanese people don't because we all know that they do, but if I were in their shoes I think I would be more prone to laziness because despite finishing loads of work I would still have to come in to work even if I'm just going go be sitting there twiddling my thumbs lol.