How Peter Got His Groove

Paraiso Live Reggae Band

I've released my falcon like claws around the culture shock that once was. I am now a local, a native, forever a gaijin, yet perpetually comfortable. Routine embraces me. I get up; I go to the gym; I spit banter with Mai or Ryuuta (two personal trainers); I clean my apartment; I shop for my apartment; I do laundry; I go to work; I pay bills...does this sound familiar?

Every few nights I stop at my local watering hole: Bar Paraiso :) I was encouraged to come to a live reggae party there last Friday...how could I refuse. I met another American there, my first encounter with a non-coworker foreigner. The owner of the bar and staff had injected several rounds of alcoholic syringes into their veins. I wan invited to several outings, I listened to good music, I was offered many a tequila shot: Life is good.

Tiny car, I had to document.

Kappo and his new pad...toilet paper...

We'll get back to that, later. I went to see Kappo briefly. His pad was aight. Kappo was doing aight, I knew he would be. He'll be doing better soon once he joins a rockband. He's gonna be big...Iceman big...better get your tickets to see him at the Tokyo Dome soon...they're gonna be sold out...

We met up with Kiki, a competitive and kind of cool Chinese girl, and her friend, Chun Li. Girls are dumb...they were ok though they were ok, but I guess I wasn't...I rarely am. Country to country, one thing, or person, I will never understand is myself...the second...girls O_o. I'm told constantly in foreign countries that I'm "handsome", "attractive", "intriguing"...talk is cheap. It leads me no where. I assure them that I'm, at most, average in the States. I'm sure the fault is my own. 

The most rural shot I can take in my town...pretty imo

As any foreigner living in Japan will tell you, there is a constant void. It's hard not being able to completely speak the language, even if I am studying it as much as possible. It's hard not having a friend a phone call away. All I have to do is turn off my computer and I'm dead to the world. They won't notice for a while. It's ironic, considering I've never been so busy in my life. I'm never really bored as I'm always doing something. There's a laundry list of tasks to accomplish at any given moment. If I'm not working or doing anything work related, I'm at the gym, exercising, checking out dance and or martial arts studios, trying new food, exploring the area, shopping, socializing at a bar. I miss the days/nights when I'd chill at home and play a video game or watch a movie...not that that's impossible to do here, I just haven't had the time...I'll make time...sooner or later.

On route to the gym, I've never felt such humidity. Losing kilos each day

I'm finally comfortable calling my apartment home. It's getting cozy. After a long day of speaking English for only 4 hours, it's there waiting for me. I'm lucky to have found such cool hang outs near my place, or I'd be going mad at this point. I'm getting into really good shape :) There's a hip hop studio called Geiya Studios near my home. I stand next to the glass windows and pretend to be lost when I'm really just watching them dance and working on building the courage to walk in and ask how much lessons are and how often they meet. Maybe once my Japanese is a little better. 

Natto with eggs and noodles 

My sister told me to take it easy, get some sleep; she's the 20th person to say such a thing...I guess that makes it true so I'll bow my stubborn head and listen. I'm giving myself a 2 week break from anything crazy until Paul (bff from American) arrives. I'll show him a good time for a week and then take a long vacation. I'd like to save money from that point on anyway. Skiing won't be cheap in the winter ;). 

I bought some Japanese hair gel. My hair line is receding rapidly so I felt like trying it out while I still can.

I went on a date tonight. That's all I'll say... XD. Communication is so important to me, as is honesty. I'm glad I've found a handful of people (native Japanese) that I can actually converse with. We are good practice for each other. My health still sucks, but I'd rather be here doing battle with it, than in American. I'm still figuring out who my friends really are. Being here puts things in perspective. I'm starting to realize what people I meet expect or want, and what I expect or want. The people I meet here...it's hard to tell if they truly desire friendship. I don't like games but I'm forced to play. It's okay. I'm experienced at this point and everything is going to be just fine. As another wanderer put it "Sometimes it only takes a 2am bike ride to realize how truly happy I am here" ~

Dream State

So it's been a minute...

I'll give you, my loyal friends, family, and strangers... a very brief rundown of what's been going on of late, but I'll dedicate this post to the following: A semi-detailed description of what a typical night out is in this crazy town, where trains stop at midnight and you have to wait until sunrise to catch a ride back, or dish out thousands of delicious dollars for an absurdly overpriced cab a lab.

In the last 60 seconds, my friend from America, the famous Kappo (Marque) has arrived in Japan. He will be teaching for ECC in Saitama, near Tokyo. He stayed with me for a few days before his departure to that region of Japan. The following events occurred between 7pm and 11am Japanese Standard Time...

Will this decision haunt me forever?

So Marque arrived, and I over-planned the limited time we had. I gave him a tour of my town, we frolicked across rice paddies and lake front piers while riding bicycles and holding pink ribbons across the many beaches of Biwa. After some scrumptious ramen, the kind of scrumptious that could make a man unfaithful, we headed off to Nagoya to meet up with Yukari, infamous femme fatal bartender of the one and only Cream Bar. We arrived a bit early and hit up ID bar instead. It's a popular multi level dance club/bar/gas chamber filled with trendy beautiful people. After listening to the typical American beats that Japanese venues have to offer, we said good bye to Lady Gaga, had ourselves about 4-5 free biiru's and went over to Cream.

The  popular and classy Yukster

Yukari was still working. With the alcohol settling in convenient pockets of brain matter, I was feeling loose enough to show the bar patrons my dance moves for an hour or so. Once people began begging me to stop I decided it was time to put the show on hold until I partake in a little more practice :x

I used to think I was a strong boy...The people in my town call me big city boy, because I grew up in D.C. and went to high school in New York. The truth is I suck hard. I lack the stamina and strength, at least right now, to keep up with these natives. With an early start of Suntory Brandy, plus the several drinks in ID bar, my eye lids seemed to disagree with me by 2 in the morning. Kappo and I head out to the nearest bench...30 minutes later, a call from Yukari woke me up. I found myself rising from an unconscious Kappo's lap in a very public area.

Do the bags under my eyes tell the time?

Off to bar number 3 X_x. We're practically carried and dragged over to Stepps Bar. Yukari hits the social scene, while Marque and I struggle to fight off Yakuza we've offended and continue drinking. I don't know where the rest of my drinks came from that night. Come to think of it. I paid for the bottle of Brandy we had, but after that and the first cover charge to the club, I don't recall actually buying another drink the entire night/morning. People kept handing me ruffi colladas and other cocktails. By god, there was more dancing. Except it was more of a foreigner fest of dogs fighting over a bone. I recall mingling and speaking English with a girl who had lived and studied in North America for sometime until a pack of 4 or 5 strays literally yanked her in multiple directions.

Dream Bar... pretty much a closet...I think I was sleeping vertically here

After a shrug of the shoulders, thinking it's not worth the effort at this hour and level of intoxication to do battle with sleazy foreigners for a simple conversation, we head off to Dream bar...bar number 4 of the night at around 3 or 4am to meet up with Mei, another friend and bartender who gets off at 6 O_o.

From Dream on the night begins to blur. I start to feel the sickness I've had for the entirety of June creep up on me, along with more alcohol. Liquor kills germs, right? Honestly, I don't remember too much except seeing other passed out comrades on velvet couches. Oddly enough, every club/ bar we went to in this section of Nagoya are owned by Africans... My favorite line of the night came from an intoxicated Marque as we entered the gateway into Dream, "Oh no, not more Nigerians..." I lol'd. Point for Kappo.

My favorite pic of the night...or ever...oh and I see someone in perpetual snooze in the background

So my time at Dream is hazy, more of the same: Talking, mingling, sipping on aluminum or glass, inhaling various fumes and second hand smoke, the occasional interesting person or conversation with a single serving stranger I'll likely never encounter again, who has the time? Am I right? Yeah...yeah I'm right ;)

BUT what I do recall is that dream is where I put the savage alcohol monster to rest. I start to sober up, as Mei gets off of work. Yukari, Mei, and Candy, (What names these girls have) carry Marque and me in stretchers to bar number 5 (Kennedy's). The sun has already risen an hour ago...one of the most disgusting feelings.  As, Marque and me hit the bar...with our foreheads...vicious foreigners swarm in attempts to dance with the girls. "Save me, Peter" they cry. I put on my robe and wizard hat and dance with them to block off any openings the evil doers may have had. At this point I'm so dehydrated and tired I only need to stand. My body shakes from fatigue so much, that I can just pass that off as dancing.

Sakae, the area of Nagoya where we lived...where we died...

10 or 11am roll around and it's time to throw in the towel. I can no longer raise my gloves. I excuse Marque and myself and we give our hugs, say our goodbyes. But at this level of delirium a trip home is no simple task. We fall asleep on one bullet train missing our stop and waking up all the way in Kyoto. We back track, but whoops, we hopped on the wrong train that does not stop at the stop required. Third time's a charm as we somehow make it to my town in the afternoon... good lord...what I sight we must have been.

Forget shame and pride. Nothing mattered by that golden grail I call a futon. With stains on our already sweat  embroidered clothes, eyes cracked open half a millimeter, and the most delightful complexions in the world, we drag our feet in a walk of shame kind of way and make it back to my apartment. We then proceed to literally sleep for almost 20 hours. I wake up feeling sicker than ever...good times :D

So that's a night on the town -_- sign a waiver, not for the feint of heart...so on...

In other news...I'm getting better at teaching, my apartment is slowly becoming more complete, I'm hanging out with locals more and experiencing more Japanese culture. I'm still doing battle with some sort of plague but I'm confident in my resolve. My life goes on...as does everything else...Catch you later ~

When it Rains it Pours

Oh, hi...

Kareoke Place right next to my home and the train station...I'll go there soon I'm sure...they offer all you can drink for 20 dollars and you can stay til the break of dawn in a private kareoke room

Japan...Yeah...it's been a roller coaster. I had my birthday last week, which was eventful to say the least. <3. They were kind enough to make me a cake out of doughnuts, thankfully, I didn't devour the thing and adhered to my diet somewhat, even if the beers did negate it in the end...

Right after my haircut...can you even tell :P

After Thai, I got to see what I consider to be a pretty posh Japanese co-worker apartment. It was interesting seeing the variations of Kings (drinking game) even if I did end up losing to the Kings cup for ultimate drunkification in the end. Nicole took me to Osaka for a factory/warehouse techno dance party which was sahhhweet but!...

Foreigners, come off as foreign even to me sometimes. I thought I had escaped most of the sleazy attributes of American culture in the past month, since I've only seen rural nightlife, for the most part, and been in the company of native Japanese at the local watering holes; they are so friendly and fun :) But at the club it was a cocktail of international diversity. I met some great people, like this one cool French model (male unfortunately ;) ) who told me my 4 years of French from all the way back in high school was very impressive and clean.

Ahhh Japanese work ethic...If only I was so tired from my limitless efforts that I  could pass out on trains in such a way

The place was packed but it was cool having to pay less than girls, for a change, to get in, maybe they prefer foreigners there, or it was my Tobi appearance paying off. The only thing I did not enjoy about the night was witnessing other Americans or other English speakers going through the same old "sarging" or "pick up" routine on naive or drunk Japanese girls, clueless to the game. But I'll rant no more on that.

My euphoria stage is coming to a close as I really need to stop spending and buckle down in many areas. I've seen and experienced a ton in only one month's time as I've been to Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Obama, Nagoya, and several other little towns, although I've only seen snips and pieces of each. I can't seem to refuse an invite out or a chance to go experience something fun. I need more consistency and structure...at least I'm doing well at the gym ;) I can't let myself be frustrated so easily by my flaws, as well. I really need to leap or make better attempts for things I really want. I'm tired of letting good things pass by, especially great things. I have to keep moving forward, even if is one small improvement or step at a time. I am surprised by how much I enjoy teaching kids, even if I don't love other aspects of the job as much, but I seem to have a stronger nack (sp?) for teaching 5-13 year olds than I do for 2-4...I am the suck at that -_-, must improve like GTO would. Today comes as a therapeutic post for stress relieving purposes: classes could have gone better today, my internet is slow as butt tonight, I got home too late to go work out so now I need to get up early to do it, I was sick all Saturday and Sunday from a chest cold and hangover, and I  didn't get half the errands I had intended to, finished.

My bar! Bar Paraiso (a two minute bike ride away)...Love the staff...they always say "see you tomorrow" when I leave...haha I need to slow down

Also, I got my first haircut in Japan!...if you can call it that haha. I tried to explain that I practically wanted it buzzed to a crew cut, but in the end he left it to be, what I consider, still pretty long. I didn't have the patience or heart to ask him to fix it, but it looks fine...can't wait for my hairline to recede more though X_x

Random kitties I saw at a store...nothing real Japanese about it :p

So that was MY weekend! How was yours. Kappo-kun is coming in a little over a week which should be noice. Sadly, that means more debauchery of my own and money down the drain...but totally worth the Japanese experience ;) Better days to come. Catch ya later ~

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

My New Life in Japan

Nagoya Castle

Japan is sahhhweeeeet! I'm currently in Nagoya. It is awesome and all worries have melted into oblivion. So far, the culture shocking aspects of moving to Japan have been for the better. There are so many aspects I’ve fallen in love with that just one post would go on for pages, BUT there are a few things I hate having to get adjusted to so it might be quicker and more interesting to quickly touch upon that and I’ll christen this first Japan post with a list of those not so loved aspects of this country thus far:

Disgusting Fetus Egg I was talked into trying.

1: The garbage system. It’s absurd. Such a system would only work in Japan. Americans are way too lazy and fat, myself included, to adhere to such an implementation. Japan is huge on recycling. At first, it was the most time consuming process for me. Every single piece of garbage has a very specific place to be thrown out and several items have to be broken down. For example, let’s say I’ve been seducing ladies with my siren song all day and my throat’s a little parched. I go to the closest vending machine, which is probably 10 feet away from any given location (vending machines are everywhere and sell a variety of goods…anything from water and snacks to beer and panties) and purchase a plastic soda drink or water. I finish the drink, probably in place, since drinking and or eating while walking is considered rude in Japan (even snacks), then I have to get rid of the thing… garbage cans are a rarity. The USA has spoiled me in terms of having them readily available at every turn. I can’t just toss the thing in ANY garbage receptacle. There are friggen five types of bins… and I heard in some areas more.

Burnable, PEP bottles (like soda bottle or water plastic bottles), non-bottle form plastic, a bin for things like cans and certain metals, and then the non-burnable/non-recyclable bin. But it gets even gayer -_- … pardon my language. If I have a plastic bottle to toss, I’m SUPPOSED to take the paper wrapper off, throw that in the burnable, take the cap off, put that in its special place, then toss the bottle in the PEP bin. YOU’RE ALSO EXPECTED TO DO THIS AT HOME and garbage trucks for certain bins come on certain days. It’s frustrating and annoying to the point where I think twice about buying certain things at times because I’ve ended up just stashing a bag of trash collected over the day’s course in my backpack on several occasions.

Night on the town...with...sigh....spiderman

2: Bathroom’s VERY RARELY have paper towels. Some don’t even have soap. Sometimes machines do the drying for you, just like toilets pretty much do everything short of shave you, which isn’t bad, except for the fact that I hate washing my hands and having several bathrooms offer nothing to dry.

3: Crosswalks : XD this one is minor, but Japanese are so proper and formal, especially when it comes to adhering to the rules that pedestrians will wait at a one lane 7 ft wide street side walk with no traffic in sight, until the light changes and the little green man flashes giving the go ahead to cross. It’s not really a problem for me since I’m a foreigner I’m already expected to break most of the rules so my feet make it rain on those crosswalks on the red “don’t walk” sign, but I only do it when no one else is in sight. If there are others around I’ll patiently wait just to try and build up some respect for myself and other “gaijin” alike.

4: Another super minor one but the trains and buses stop running at midnight and taxis are renowned for being the most expensive luxuries in this country. So if you’re out partying, drinking, dining, hanging, anywhere remotely far from your apartment or place of residence, you either go home early, stay out until 5am when the trains start back up again for a fun memorable night, or pay the price of a cab.

5: Getting used to the metric system…of course the whole world uses it and it’s probably better or more convenient once you get it down, but being an American I’m stubborn and prefer to not have to input things into a formula every time I see the metric system in use ie: degrees Celsius or kilometers and several other measurements.

6: I’m still referred to, mistaken for, recognized as, or called Spidey, Spiderman, or Toby McGuire. Sometimes, it can be a good thing or used to my advantage, but in the long run…ugh :P

My new friend Ukari! She's been very helpful showing me around and introducing me to other natives.

And that’s it…so far...Aside from the garbage thing and those minor other details, I can’t think of any complaints at all. So I’ll quickly spit out a couple things I like or find interesting.

-You can drink beer outside or anywhere and practically all bars stay open until the sun rises.

-Vending machines are everywhere and offer everything, even hugs <3

-The transportation system here is amazing, the best I’ve ever seen, and given that Japan is smaller than the state of California, you can get anywhere relatively quick.

-TV commercials, advertising on the streets, and marketing here are hilarious and entertaining

-The clothing styles are out of control in a cool way, I used to think people watching was boring.

-Japan is one of the safest countries in the world, people don’t lock up their bikes half the time and you hear stories about wallets left behind on benches only to be found in the same place the next day. On a minor side note, I haven’t seen or heard anything at all in relation to the earthquake and tsunami on this half of the country.

Bro-mancing the only other Hispanic

-Drugs and anything to do with driving under the influence or while intoxicated are soooo taboo, that if you are caught driving with either you lose your license here for life, foreigner or native. Any drug related offenses will probably get you deported as a foreigner.

Life seems surreal since my arrival to Japan. There are times I’ve felt completely lost, disconnected, and overwhelmed – in a good way. Other times, mainly when working, training, and commuting, I feel as if I’m in a more familiar and natural state. In terms of work, and maybe life, the hardest challenge to meet here is the “do your best, even if you’re going to die, try your hardest” mentality. It’s one of the many mantras the company goes over every morning with the employees during the daily pep talk. Every profession is done to the utter most state of perfection and with complete professionalism. If you’re a garbage man, you’re the best garbage man the world has ever seen. I’m in envy of such discipline and thankful to see every single person going above and beyond in whatever job they undertake. The level of customer service, energy, enthusiasm, and respect for each other cannot go higher; this is one of the main reasons I fell in love with Japan; in America, there are days where it feels like absolutely no one cares and everyone’s miserable.  I came early for training and assimilation purposes, but officially, I don’t start the REAL business until the 25^th of May. (At least, that’s when my training wheels come off, so to speak)

But enough about work, for now…

Blue Steel...of course

I’ve met so many people and done so many things in two weeks. People always say time goes by so fast, but my co-workers and I have been saying how it’s so weird that these past two weeks have felt like months, since every day starts at 6-7am and ends either around or well past midnight. The days have been beyond eventful and every night brings something new to the table. Japan is 13 hours ahead of the east coast in the USA. I’m probably delirious from lack of sleep so I’ll use today to try and catch up J

My post today was pretty general and long but I think it’s a good icebreaker into specifics. I’ll cover actual things I’ve done and people I’ve met next time!

~See you

Making out with my beer