Hikone and Such

UPDATE!

Typical onigiri and sandwich convenient store food

So I’m in Hikone City now which is on Japan’s largest lake, Lake Biwa! It is very serene and surrounded by mountains. Rice Crabby paddies are around too, but not in such quantities that this place would come off as the stix.

My apartment is the building on the right

One of my first duties was to purchase a sweet feminine bike, basket and all. I told myself I’d break the norm and get a mountain bike, but after trying them all out I realized how much more comfortable and convenient the standard bikes are. The basket has already been beyond useful.  Especially when I’m collecting homeless cats to stash in random people’s mailboxes…I cannot describe how much bliss I get riding along the lake or town without a helmet and without road rules or bike laws with the wind going through my dreadlocks. It’s especially nice while the weather is still somewhat cool and comfortable. It’s true you never forget how to ride a bike but you definitely get worse, or at least I did. I come so close to sideswiping other bikes and pedestrians on a daily basis, especially after having a few Suntory whiskeys in me ;)

My town actually has a Michigan State University branch in it! The students all left early due to the earthquake and tsunami but I think a new wave of them are heading over this summer.

My parking lot hehe

I joined a gym as well, purchased a mifi thing..which is amazing…why are the States not mass producing these! You just carry the thing in your pocket and have wireless internet anywhere you go at high speeds. Anyone can connect to it too, as long as they have the password. Similar to aircards I suppose but not as cool. My cell phone continues to baffle and bark at me but I’m getting more efficient at using it…it’s like a company walkie talkie.

My standard softbank phone

I keep looking for this area in my town where yakuza supposedly hang out so I can challenge them to a walk off…it’s a walk off…or a dance off ;) but alas I have yet to see any in this area just yet. I know there’s a huge shopping mall area where some hang one stop over.

I’ve met a bunch of people of course. My co-workers in the area have been warm and welcoming, inviting me to lunch and a party this Sunday but we’ll see if I go. I actually prefer the company of natives/locals. I experience more of the real Japanese cultural experience hanging out with them. I keep going to this place called bar Paraiso which is just a 2 minute bike ride from my place. They love speaking to me in English there and asking me about NY USA… it seems some previous employees have taught them some naughty things as they randomly blurt out that they have boners in English - _ - tsk tsk Nicole.

I’ve asked many people here what their dreams or intentions are. Foreigners come for many reasons, but some of the typical answers:

Obama town in Japan! Pretty rural and boring though -_-

1: to escape something from home, people, a broken relationship, pressure from family, it’s easy to hide in japan, all you have to do is turn your computer off and you are off the grid. There’s a strange sense of independence here. The areas are dense and crowded and people DO hang out, but at the same time people have this lonely/loner mentality as they go about their days, it’s intriguing. One thing I used to pride myself for back at home was being an amazing judge of character. But here I’m so confused by everyone. Everyone is a mystery to me.

Delicious Italian Cuisine Japan Style near my gym called Cannery Row

2: Some people just want to see the culture of japan. These are more anti social types who go traveling every chance to shrines, other areas, mountains, so on.

3: Some the girls - _- . Sure Japan has very exotic and pretty faces walking around but as a sole reason to come here… I tend to not like the people who give me this answer as much :P

4: This one kind of bothers me too. A few people…maybe more than a few. Come just because. It was a job that came available so they took it. And that’s fine, but then all they do is complain about how. They don’t like Japanese food, they hate visiting anything historic, they don’t enjoy or rant about cultural conflicts…why are you in Japan…what did you expect? Go somewhere else.

The locals I’ve met are all about getting married and running away to the US (They find their areas in Japan boring) or pursing their careers long term here.

Today I go on a business trip to a town called OBAMA where they sell president Obama merchandise…I will post pics once I’m there. Luckily, I’m only there for 2 days. I’d rather get to know my homie Hikone city a little more and establish a good routine at the gym and with my Japanese lessons. Adding martial arts to the queue as well. So much to do.

As long as this is in my pocket, internet access anywhere :)

My birthday is next week on June 3^rd! I feel so old hehe physically, but so young mentally :P We have a big office meeting that day so we’ll see what happens after :P I’m hoping to go to Osaka with a co-worker from PKC, maybe,  and a couple locals I met at bar Paraiso to celebrate at a very popular bar/club in Osaka called Acacia! Ja matta!

The Lake near my home