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The Katsudon of my (Anime) Dreams

One of the teachers took me to a family restaurant that sold katsudon (かつどん), a dish that’s common in anime and manga.
What is it besides a common anime and manga dish? It’s deep-fried chicken over eggs, rice and onions. It can be made in different ways, but it’s delicious anyways.
This katsudon was huge! It was as big as my face, and it came with miso soup and a small dish of pickled radish. For all of that food, I only paid 500 円 (around $5). What a deal! I only finished half, and I felt so guilty for not finishing it. Normally someone would say, “Mottainai”, which is a way of saying, “What a waste”, but thankfully no one did. (^_^)v

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Different Country, Different Candy

The wonderful world of Japanese candy includes a lot of Western candy, but the flavors are different. This Kit-Kat bar is a strawberry shortcake flavor bar, a flavor I have yet to see in the U.S. Even though strawberry shortcakes are notorious for their high sugar content, this Japanese spin on an old favorite concentrates on the taste, not the amount of sugar.

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If You Opened This in Okinawa…

If you opened a taco shop in Okinawa, you’ll make a lot of money. But the rule here is that the taco shop can’t be the typical Okinawan/Japanese taco shop. No El Paso corn taco shells from the box. Let’s think about the mom-and-pop shops where the owners only speak Spanish. They have the best tacos with the cheap prices!

If you opened an all-day pancake house, everyone who doesn’t want to cook and just loves pancakes would also love you. There is only one pancake house in Okinawa, but it’s far for the southern folk.

If you opened a Chick-fil-A, many people would flock to this all-day all-chicken fast food restaurant. In the United States, Chick-fil-A restaurants have spanned across the country with many loyal customers. And who doesn’t like chicken?

If you opened an American doughnut shop that was open by 6 AM, salarymen and single people could indulge in a sweet morning bite. Most doughnut shops in Okinawa like Mr. Donuts aren’t open until 9 AM, a time when everyone has to be sitting in their morning meetings.

If you opened a Planned Parenthood in Okinawa, local people and foreigners alike can benefit from the specialized help. Getting birth control is like a leap through fire. Women have to make an appointment, go through several tests, and talk to a gynecologist before they’re administered birth control that might not work for them while shelling out a lot of money, even when insurance can pay partially for it. And the unlucky part of it all is that, unless you get more than a month’s supply of birth control, women still have to go through the same process just to get another month’s supply. At Planned Parenthood, all you do is make an appointment, they give you a pregnancy test and ask a few questions before receiving a year’s worth of birth control for very little. Also, Planned Parenthood specializes in gynecology-related matters (i.e. pap smears, pregnancy, and abortions) and also, like it’s name, planning a family.

If you opened an independent DHL, Fedex, or UPS store, so many people would appreciate it. There were so many times I’ve needed to ship something or mail something, but I couldn’t because the post office only stayed open until 4:30 PM or 5 PM. (Yes, there is Black Cat shipping store, but you have to go in search of their green banners next to stores.)

If you opened a big-and-tall store, mostly foreigners and big Japanese people could be happy about being big in Japan. Clothing in Japan has a “one size fits all” only sign on the tag, so it’s really difficult trying to find something that actually fits people who are taller than 5’2″ with wide hips, broad shoulders, big butts, big busts, and big guts. The only places that sell big sizes–and ironically, they hardly fit–are in the plus size sections of San-A, Shimamura, or Uniqlo, that is, if you can’t get on base.

If you opened a sandwich shop in Okinawa, summertime would bring in tons of sweltering customers trying to find a delicious yet cold fix that isn’t shaved ice or ice cream. Right now, the only places that make good sandwiches–and we’re talking the Subway-esque type sandwiches loaded with ham, cheese, and a myriad of toppings–are on base with the real Subway.

Since October of 2012, a Subway opened up in Okinawa. It’s located in Oroku of Naha City. The prices are slightly expensive compared to the base Subway, but their menu is a little different from the American brand (expect to see teriyaki-flavored chicken and tandoori chicken). For a half-foot sub with french fries and a drink, it’s about 430 yen. If the Naha Subway is too far, it’s better to make your own sandwich.

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Goodbye,Rabbit. Hello,Dragon.

2011 is coming to a close, and I couldn’t be happier. With the U.S. economy in a downturn and the politicians doing more to make the situation more disgustingly difficult, this year has been a year of ups and downs.

Since I’ve become used to Japan, being there is like a lifesaver for a recent college grad as myself. I’m still doing a good and comfortable job in English teaching that grants me a relaxed atmosphere in both my work life and my personal life. Professionally, I’ve made a few good decisions, like renewing my contract for another year of teaching in case the U.S. economy continues to be a sanctuary for severe underemployment. Although I did well to continue with a good job and stable income, I’ve tried my hand at writing and art while in Japan. It’s a bit laughable how I haven’t won even one simple writing contest or that I’ve left my favorite manga writing position for writing for myself, but regrettable things happen like that every year, so it’s no big deal.

Financially, my life could’ve been better starting out. I didn’t really know how to save, and when I finally found an attainable goal, I learned. Still, my husband likes to make fun of how much I blew before he came to live with me and how bad I was at money. Now that I’m saving, the future looks a little brighter financially for the year 2012.

As for my personal life, I think my life went in the direction as the economy, with fluctuations here and there, and I’m not sure how I should feel about them. I can’t say I personally became a better person this year. I usually concentrate a lot of energy on my overall goals in my professional life while balancing a healthy relationship with myself. I usually dig a little bit deeper into my psyche and try to fix damaged areas, finding more and more reasons to be comfortable in my own skin. But I don’t think I’ve actually repaired anything within myself this year. I feel like I’ve taken a step back, and at times, I feel like I’ll break. I’ve thought that maybe 2011 was for me to change and break down and rebuild even stronger than before, like a fatigued muscle. But people don’t operate the same way as muscles.

As 2012 looms, I have no resolutions. They all seem futile  when I look at the scheme of life. But there are things that I want to accomplish while I’m trying to live. I want to go back to volunteering in my community so I can feel connected to people somehow. I want to make a difference somewhere in the world, and going away from that makes my heart feel heavy. I also want to work on being less selfish. My husband says I’m a brat and selfish. I won’t discount this because it’s true. I have an expectation of what I deserve, and there are a lot of things that I don’t feel like I deserve just because of certain nonsense things. And I have to work on being more loving and caring for my husband, being more understanding and be like an extension of him. If not, I’ll probably be a bad wife or a continuous selfish person. We won’t have to fight about my selfishness. We can just be a happy wedded couple. If I keep my professional life separate from my personal life, keep my finances controlled and abundant, and become less selfish and more understanding, I’m sure 2012 can be a great year for everyone and myself.

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It’s Not All About Democrats and Republicans

It seems 2011 has been the party-hater year. When people start talking about politics, the first thing that comes up is ‘party’. “Oh, Obama is a Democrat.” And the second thing that comes up is ‘division’. “Oh, Obama is a Democrat. I‘m a Republican, so let’s not vote in a Democrat.” But when it comes down to deciding crucial plans that deeply affect the American people, Democrats and Republicans can’t ban together to make the best choice for their constituents. In the end, the division between Democrats and Republicans only makes the poor and middle classes of the U.S. suffer.

What I absolutely hate about party division is how making informed decisions takes a backseat to a party’s ego. For example, many people voted for McCain because they were Republican, not because of merit. Some people voted for Obama because they were Democrats, not because of experience. It’s almost useless to have a democratic political system if the people can’t see past the political party lines and find concrete reasons why a candidate should be granted the honor of being the president of the United States.

In the 2012 presidential elections, Americans shouldn’t be looking at the candidate’s party. The people should be looking at the candidate’s political track record, their platforms, their plans for executing their platforms, their intelligent diplomacy, their ability to be cool under pressure, and their ability to lead without an ulterior motive. None of the things that I’ve noted are about the candidate’s religion, sexual orientation, skin color, gender, former occupations, personal assets, or physical appearance. These things are not important compared to being the representative for the top First-World country. A candidate needs to prove to the American people that they can concretely change America for the better by mending the broken economy through creating jobs, increasing the middle class population, and ceasing useless spending on tarp and “world policing”.

My husband, a Democratic voter, and I, an Independent, are considering voting for a Republican candidate if that candidate has all of the noteworthy qualities that a president should possess in meeting the needs of the people. We’re not here to pick sides or play the blame-game. What my husband, myself, and the American people need to do is strip each candidate’s campaign down to their essence and ask, “Can you meet the needs of the people in a realistic and timely manner?” No frilly rhetoric. No beat-around-the-bush speeches. No more talk. The American people need action–and the American people need to be the action by being intelligent about politics, not political parties.

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Buying Anime Gifts on a Budget

‘Tis the season to be jolly–or to be more exact, to be mall-y. It’s the holiday season, and that means, buying gifts for friends and family. Unfortunately, if you’re still new to shopping for your anime-lover friend or brother or sister, the mall is the last place I would go to shop. Why? Because it’s expensive! Imagine paying $10–whole price–for a manga volume! Well, if you’re on a budget and paying that much for manga, anime, or Japan-related gifts isn’t something that’s on your Christmas list, I would heed a few points that I’ve learned from buying some great gifts.

Before you head out there, actually make a list of who you’re buying what for. If you make a list, you’re likely to stick with that list instead of buying impulsively and spending all of your money. Also, you should set a price limit as to what you want to buy for each person.

Now that you know more about what to do before shopping, on with the tips!

1. If you have time, go online. There are a lot of websites out there that offer deals just for buying merchandise from them. Websites like rightstuf.com and jlist.com offer savings on anime, manga, apparel, and Japan-related items. And before you decide to roam their pages, sign up for an account with them. You can get additional deals just for making a new account. Re-sell sites, like ebay.com and half.com, offer new manga and anime for cheaper prices outside of regular retailer websites. For instance, you could buy a Bakuman Volume 1 manga for less than $3 on half.com, versus getting it at $7.49 (rightstuf.com) or $9.99 (retailer). The only thing about shopping online is making sure the shipping fee is reasonable, if any, and that the package will arrive on time.

If you’re worried about receiving the gift by Christmas, I would suggest getting a gift certificate. If the gift certificates are still shipped, the shipping fees are really low and it’s more likely to arrive on time because it’s not a box. On some websites, gift certificates aren’t sent out, like on jlist.com. They are sent to the purchaser via email, and all you have to do is print it out (on nice paper, I hope!) and wrap it like a Christmas gift. It takes the hassle out of buying a specific gift for your anime friend and they’ll appreciate not having to return an item they don’t like.

If you live outside of the United States, bookdepository.com offers free shipping to all countries.

2. If you have time and got a dime, get in line. If you already booked yourself to go to a convention, make sure to remember your anime friends and family. For a list of your local anime convention, check out http://animecons.com/events/. If you’re one of those people who don’t go to anime conventions, there’s always the option of going to your local comic book retailer (not a mall one, hopefully), and having them order the manga or anime, if it’s not available in the store. Normally, there isn’t an extra charge for ordering, but sometimes, a deposit of the item’s price will be asked, so come with some cash. In some towns and cities, there are also manga and anime stores. Although they don’t have as many deals as online websites, if you’ve signed up for a point card, you can earn some much-needed points on your Christmas purchases.

3. No dime, no time, draw a line. If you don’t have money but you have some artistic skills, like drawing, painting, or even using Adobe Illustrator, make them a gift. You can personalize it to your choice, and it’s something original for your friend or family to keep. If it’s drawing or computer-generated images, just make sure to frame the piece or put it in a plastic sleeve like the ones used for American comic books (any comic book retailer can sell it to you for less than $1 each).  If you have left over clay or plaster, sculpt a figurine of their favorite anime character, use acrylic paint to color it, and let it dry. Presto! You have a gift that didn’t take hours to construct and zero dollars to make.

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How to Survive in Japan: Basics Edition

Many people who have been looking to get away from the dragging economy in their home countries have come to Japan, either as teachers, military personnel, or translators. Though there’s much to be offered in the Land of the Rising Sun, newly Western-world expats still have a thing or two to learn about living comfortably in Japan.

Household

Japan has a lot of humidity in the air, which means that there is a lot of water coming into your apartment or house, becoming trapped in shoe boxes and closet spaces. To deal with the trapped moisture, it’s best to get moisture packs, which can be purchased from Daiso (105 yen shop), the local grocery store, or a D.I.Y. store. If there’s anything that you need in your household, moisture packs are those things. Otherwise, you’ll have moldy sweaters and boots.

COMMAND adhesive hook and strips

COMMAND Adhesive Hook (image from Select2Gether.com)

Although most people don’t come to Japan to decorate their apartments, some people (like myself) feel the urge to make their place as homely as possible. One way is by posting frames, pictures, and posters on the walls. However, if you live in an apartment and there’s no putting holes into the walls for fear of losing a deposit, using adhesive hooks are a good option. But just to say, adhesive hooks from Daiso (105 yen shop) or the local D.I.Y. shop aren’t the best things to use because they leave behind a sticky residue. Tape can also strip walls, especially wooden walls. Best option? Buy some COMMAND Adhesive Hooks in your home country or at your local D.I.Y. shop (online at Amazon also sells them). When using these hooks, the adhesive strips must be applied exactly as the directions state, otherwise, you’ll find some broken frames on the floor soon after.

Of course, clean up is important. My hated part of the household to clean is the bathroom. Do I use toilet paper or paper towels to clean the toilet seat? (There’s no way I’d use a rag or towelette!) Thankfully, Daiso has flushable toilet wipes, strong enough to wipe down the toilet seat without crumbling without worrying about losing a trusty rag or towelette. They’re only 105 yen for a pack of 50 wipes.

Food

Cooking at home is the best way to save money. You can easily rack up a 5,000 yen bill by going to an izakaya (bar) or eating out. Although 5,000 yen doesn’t seem like a lot, when you do it once a week, you’re spending 20,000 yen or more than $200 a month. Instead of spending that much on one meal each time, taking a trip to your local San-A or Marudai can save you a bunch of money. That 5,000 yen can feed you for 3 weeks, or 1,500 yen per week, that is, if you don’t mind making some simple meals. My favorite website to visit for this money-saving cooking skill is RealSimple.com.

Another money-saving option to grocery-buying is purchasing produce from a local produce vendor. Normally, they look like a bunch of obaa selling fruits and vegetables on the side of the road, or there’s a humbly-decorated store with fruits and vegetables in boxes. Either way, these modest vendors sell their produce for dirt cheap. My husband and I saved a bundle of cash (about 200 yen per bag of veggies) just by buying from a local produce vendor. Not only does saving money help you, but purchasing food from a mom and pop shop helps them out too.

Buying frozen foods can save even more money than anything else. If there are no frozen food stores in your local Japanese neighborhood, buying cheap meat in bulk is an alternative. Beef, for instance, can last for over 2 months frozen, so buying in bulk won’t make it go bad. Chicken and seafood are a little more sensitive, but they can be frozen for a while as well. I go to a local frozen food store and buy 7 pounds of frozen chicken breasts for 980 yen. For less than 1,000 yen, I can eat chicken breasts for dinner for a week. Not only does it save money, but your gut won’t expand as easily as your wallet.

Communication

Although English education has been incorporated into Japanese society as its second language, most Japanese people can’t speak English. It’s a reality that most expats realize the first month of arriving in Japan, and it puts a damper on communication efforts. If you’re planning to stay in Japan, learning some basic Japanese starts the process of breaking down cultural barriers. For me, the most useful thing to learn was katakana, a simple writing system that’s used for sounding out words, especially foreign words. I’ve mostly had to read katakana on restaurant menus, product covers, and most sports-related things and events.

Also, it’s good to have a paper dictionary or electronic dictionary that translates between Japanese and English. They come cheap in Akihabara (Tokyo) and in recycle shops. If you only have a paper dictionary and you need to use Japanese immediately, learning certain phrases ahead of time is good. I always use Google’s translation page to help me learn words and phrases that aren’t found in a paper dictionary.

Bank

Depending on where you’re working, getting a Japanese bank account should be pretty easy. First, you need your inkan, or your registered personal seal (it’s as valuable as a signature), your passport, your registered address paper (from your city office), work contract paperwork, and a few thousand yen to deposit. One other thing you need is a letter written by the director or supervisor of your company that states you are working for their company and the length of the contract. Some banks or bank tellers (depending on their viewpoint of foreigners) ask for this as an extra leap of bureaucracy. I personally think it’s stupid red tape when you already have an official work contract available, but you’ll face moments like this in Japan, so you might as well get this letter ahead of time. It’ll save a lot of time and confusion.

Since many people come to Japan with some type of debt or remaining bills to pay in their home countries, sending money home is really important. Still, many people worry about sending cash in airmail envelopes or even just talking to a nice person at the post office and asking them to exchange yen into dollar. Although Western Union is now available in Japan, it has limited offices around Japan. The simplest and best thing to do is link your Japanese account with your home country’s bank account. You can do this by getting a GoLloyds account, a Japanese company that specializes in transferring money. It costs 2,000 yen each time you transfer money, but the transfer also includes a money exchange based on the exchange rate available now.

Clothes

Finding clothes in Western sizes is a little difficult if you’re bigger than a medium size. There are a few places to get some fitting clothing, but the best thing to do is to bring your own clothes ahead of time. If you’re a bigger size (bigger than a size medium for women with a shoe size 7 or smaller, or size 36 pant size in men with a shoe size 9 or smaller), you should bring some comfortable walking shoes, “indoor” shoes, or comfortable slippers you can wear inside only, and a few suits with thin and/or cotton material. Still, if you’ve forgotten something, there are a few places to get clothes. San-A has a plus size section, though it’s very limited, but you can get business clothing there. Uniqlo also has larger sizes, but if you have a bust size bigger than 36″, San-A is better suited with it’s XXL sizes. Another place to get bigger sizes, especially for women on the heavier and bustier side, is Shimamura (しまむら). Like San-A, you’ll find a plus size section.

If you go online to buy clothes, I would recommend going on ebay. Sometimes, sellers ship worldwide (don’t forget to click that option on the left side options) and they’ll give a decent price for international orders. However, if you want something new and right away, some American brand companies are available, especially if you’re on mainland Japan. Forever 21, Victoria’s Secret, Old Navy, and the Gap are available brands in Japan.

Car

If you plan on driving in Japan and you have a driver’s license, you can get an International Driver’s Permit (U.S.) or an international permit to drive. It’s good for a year, but before that year is up, transferring your international permit to a Japanese driver’s license is a good way to go. Depending on what part of Japan you’re in, my advice would be to call a driving school and get lessons before taking the test. The Japanese driving test isn’t about driving safely or practically; it tests your ability to follow directions. Many people fail the first time because of the most trivial things, like not looking under the car before getting into the car. In some places, like Okinawa, the tests are more flexible, and in other areas, they’re more rigid. Just be prepared for it!

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Using Anime Influences in the Classroom

I’m a big anime and manga fan. I try to put anime into anything I can: art projects, interior decorum, notebook doodles, anything really. Now that I’m an English teacher, I get to expand all things anime into a new area–the Japanese classroom.
You might be wondering, “How does Japanese animation work in a Japanese classroom with Japanese students?” Speaking English is the first step. Although most students don’t speak and understand English, they know their anime. Using words from the anime puts them on track to understanding something, anything.
For example, I did a Halloween lesson about Venetian masks. I did a Venetian mask of Bleach’s Vizard mask. “The Vizards in Bleach have masks.” Maybe students will recognize the words “Vizards”, “Bleach”, and “masks”, and with the visuals, they can put two and two together. Plus, anime has become a medium for teaching, and students can relate to something within their generation. Already, most things in Japan have illustrative instructions, and you can see some recognizable mangaka’s work on something as mundane as hair dye. Bringing a little bit of their world into a class setting with English makes it all more relatable.
Even grammar lessons, like “Are you…” and “What is … doing this Saturday?” works wonders in getting the students to pay attention. I know for anime fans/English teachers like myself, I have fun with it every class lessons.

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Writing and How I Hate It

Maybe I’m a little angry. I lost three writing competitions and I’m not exactly enjoying my real life right now.

What gets me isn’t the fact that I lost. It’s the fact that I didn’t get any feedback. “Hey, you’re story sucked because of this and that.” Nothing. Just a copy-and-paste message, “There were so many participants, but we chose only # winners.” Jeez, thanks for the lukewarm message, but let’s not waste each other’s time, shall we? Just say, “You didn’t win.” Don’t lift my expectations with a beat-around-the-bush line.

And you know what frustrates me most? Is that I’m writing at the best of my ability, and it’s like they’re saying, “You’re just not good enough.” I’ll admit, I have an inferiority complex. Can’t help it; it’s just the way nurture vs. nature has treated me. Even my husband said, “Van Gogh didn’t sell one painting when he was alive. Charles Bukowski was rejected so many times before he was published.” All these examples, but none of them are me.

What writing has given to me is a realization that life–real life, not school life–is really not about idealism or principles or even love and feelings like the movies. Life is just a sad existence for man. Good times don’t outweigh the bad times. Life won’t give you money or a clear method in parenting or grant you a magic load in the bank or in your pants. Life is just life. Writing just records it all–the dreary, the blind, the molested, the raped, the stabbed, the deaf, the murdered, the insane, everything. And no matter how good things are, bad will always win out.

Death is bad, so bad always wins out. We’re all living to die. And writing records the life and makes up the dead.

I can’t even write positively right now. It’s like a whole heap of what is writing just landed on my shoulders and entered my head. There is nothing positive about recording reality. There is nothing positive about realizing what writing does. And there’s nothing positive about losing.

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Back from Hiatus: My Bads!

So, I’ve taken a hike for a while here in the Land of the Rising Sun, but I’m back. Where did I go? I mean, the Internet is right there. So are my fingers. But I decided to take a minor break just to collect my bearings and dive into the restart of my new high school.

What I love about my high school is that the atmosphere is really different from that of the other schools I’ve visited, both Japanese and American. It’s calm with a subdue excitement traced back to the students’ carefree nature and the teachers’ peaceful personalities. It feels fun and productive to work at my school.

Going from junior high school to high school is a bit of a jump. In junior high school, it’s a little more stressful than high school. The students are required to be there, and because the elementary schools don’t have a uniform, junior high school is the place where students suddenly have to conform to uniforms, amongst other things. Junior high schools impose some rigid rules on these innocent students, like constantly monitoring their ties and uniforms, or their hair land eyebrows. Teachers are more strict; they’re tasked with changing former elementary students into young, responsible teenagers. People are stressed on both sides: students for the sudden change and teachers for imposing that change.

As for high school, students pay tuition, but they’re left more to themselves to do what they want. They already know the uniform rules, but they have freedom to pick different shirts to wear, girls can wear pants, and everyone can fix their hair, makeup, and eyebrows the way they like. Depending on the rules of the school, teachers are also free to do what they want. There’s minimum supervision and micromanagement compared to junior high school.

I’m enjoying this freedom from being an English assistant teacher, too. I don’t get as many classes, and since teachers rely on me for activities and cultural exchange, I’m also free to do whatever I choose to. In the free time, when I’m done planning lessons and preparing materials for school or English activities, I’m reading. I’ve read many books since starting as a teacher, including some classics like Martin Luther King Jr.’s Why We Can’t Wait, Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, and Jack London’s White Fang and Call of the Wild. I’ve picked up some books by Haruki Murakami, or Japan’s contemporary noir-esque writer, George Orwell’s 1984 and Animal Farm, and several black civil rights books.

Of course, I don’t read all of the time. Normally after school, I train students for English speech contests, English spelling battles, and other English-speaking presentations. In some cases, I come back home after being at school for 10 hours. I really like my job, and recently, my husband and I decided on a career in speech-language pathology, or speech therapy. It’s pretty similar to this profession, so I’ve just been preparing for that.

But I really needed time away from blogging. It helps to step away and use that time to spend with people in reality or do things for yourself minus the blogging. Hopefully, once I get my bearings down, I’ll be able to get back to regular blogging until the next time I need some time off.

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Yokatta! Mexican Food in Okinawa

I’m from San Diego, home of many taco shops. Most are mom and pop shops, and they’re pretty good. Now that I live in Okinawa, it’s hard finding good Mexican food. After a year, I trekked out to Obbligato’s with my husband to try the food. It turned out to be a piece of back home.
Once you step into the restaurant, there’s a fresh atmosphere that greets you. The interioi itself draws from Mexican decor, with walls painted vibrant colors of red, green, and yellow. Sombreros and Mexican-themed kitsch also decorated the walls.
Our servers wore traditional pink and orange Mexican blouses, puffy at sleeves, low at the chest, and frilly to the max. They promptly bought menus, which were short but filled with pictures. Immediately, we ordered macho nachos, chimichanga combination plate, and a summer special plate. The macho nachos were huge, enough to satisfy three ravenous people. It came with guacamole, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, cheese and refried beans over flaky, crispy chips that seemed like corn tortila chips. The presentation itself was influenced by Japanese taste–a lot neater and easier to eat, minus the mess.
When the combo plates came, we were amazed by the quantity and quality. The plates were big and brimming with Spanish rice, beans, and shredded pork. My husband’s plate had only chimichangas, and mine had a chimichanga, a crunchy taco, and an enchalada. All tasted great and very close to authentic Mexican food.
The only thing that was below par was the salsa. It tasted more like spaghetti sauce than tomato salsa. My husband fixed that problem the second time we went; he brought his favorite salsa.

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Prototype to Black Manga Character

If you live and work in Japan, you’ll notice the lack of dark-skinned characters in hand-drawn advertisements, comics, even English textbooks. I’ve decided to alleviate that problem in my schools by drawing short comic strips for teachers to use in English class. And, yes, the character is based on my every day appearance.

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Getting Through a Typhoon

I remember my mother worrying about typhoons in the Philippines. I didn’t understand what a typhoon was really. I mean, I knew what a hurricane, tornado, and thunderstorm looked like, but a typhoon? Did it have all of those things? Now that I live in a place where typhoons hit as much as hurricanes hit any coastal U.S. town, I have a better idea of what a typhoon is, and why my mother worried so much.

I live in Okinawa, Japan, where the people seem to instinctively know when a typhoon is going to hit. They can even break down what kind type of typhoon it is and where and when it will hit. Particularly, they always warn me about them ahead of time because they don’t want me to be caught unprepared, as so many foreign residents are sometimes wondering where their buckets and patio furniture covers disappear to in the aftermath.

I’ve learned that if someone tells you a typhoon is coming, you have to hit the stores and lock up belongings that are outside. The normal warning is to stock up with enough food for 3 to 4 days, since some typhoons can last for more than 24 hours. Of course, the food that you get is really important. The best kind of food to get for typhoons is food that doesn’t require heat to be cooked nor cold to be refrigerator. In case of a power outage, which happens more often when the typhoon is a Category 3 out of 5 or higher, none of your appliances will work, and it may take some time before they work again. Food like canned perishables, bread, and fruits can be good for those times, as they don’t require heat or cold to stay fresh or be cooked. (Ramen may seem like a good option, but you need hot water for the noodles to become soft).

Aside from food, bringing in all of your outdoor belongings will keep your things from becoming gone with the wind. Anything can be blown away, from buckets and garbage cans to clothes and light patio furniture. Normally, my husband and I bring in our bikes from the veranda (we live in an apartment) so that the rain doesn’t turn them into rust. Whatever is easy to move is better to be taken inside. The wind is really, really strong.

I always have certain supplies on hand in case something does happen. Besides a first aid kit, I have a working flashlight for power outages, charged cell phones in any case of emergency, and entertainment items, like movies, games, and cards to keep from boredom, since you will get stuck inside your place during a typhoon.

With typhoons, you don’t want to be caught outside. Not everyone puts their belongings away, so it becomes a flying hazard for anyone outside. Power lines and trees can get dislodged, giving more threatening hazards. And even if you see cars outside, it’s better not to drive yourself because the roads are slippery, the rain is heavy, and the wind is howling.

All in all, typhoons can be really scary, but if you’re prepared, you won’t have to worry much.

 

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1 Year in Japan, 1 Year of Blogging, 1 Year of a Brand New Life

It’s been exactly one year since I started Jade’s Escape as a blog to talk about what I saw my first year living in Japan. At first, I wanted to just show how living in Japan was like, but as I kept writing and blogging, I wanted to do something else. I wanted to show other anime and manga fans that their loves are born from a rigid, yet sensible reality. I wanted to showcase Japan’s beauty in its strangeness and uniqueness.  Lastly, I wanted to show how the U.S. isn’t the greatest place to be in the world. There’s more to experience out there than just the “American lifestyle”. I suppose the best and the worst things come from separating what you once knew and being thrust into a whole new world.

Anime and Manga doesn’t equal a whole culture.

One thing that really irks me is how anime and manga fans think they know Japanese culture just because they watch anime or read manga. Though they may learn more Japanese honorifics than the average person, a fan–no matter how long they’ve been an anime or manga fan–can really know what Japanese culture is like unless they’ve lived in Japan for some time. It’s a sad reality for a fan to be told they don’t know anything about Japanese culture even after ten or fifteen years of watching anime and reading manga. As an anime and manga fan myself, coming to Japan the first time was eye-opening, but once you live here, anime and manga loses its appeal slightly because you’re surrounded by it. In a way, it’s good to realize the differences between anime and reality for fans because they become a little more culturally-aware.

Okinawa isn’t fully Japan.

Let’s get one thing straight: Okinawa isn’t like mainland Japan. It’s location, which is the very bottom of Japan, separates this island prefecture from its bigger and northern prefectures. Many of its culture is influenced from many global aspects: trade from China, wars between Japan and the U.S., and the presence of U.S. military bases. Okinawa shares the same climate conditions as the Philippines, and the biggest export for the southern islands is sugar cane. The people themselves speak various forms of Hougen, or the Okinawa dialect. (If you’ve heard it, it rings very differently than Japanese.) In what I’ve learned from being in Okinawa, the way Japanese is spoken in Okinawa is quite different from mainland Japanese speakers probably because of the dialect here. The dialect even permeates the description of food, which is similar to Filipino and Chinese food. Aside from the location, climate, language, and food, Okinawan people are viewed as the common farmer by mainland Japan people. Still, many of the folks in Okinawa have a very warm nature, like an islander mentality, that’s easy to connect with.

Okinawa soba

Typical Okinawa soba from the Okinawa Times website

I can appreciate nature more.

Every day, I can open my eyes in the morning and see green every where. Never mind my green window treatments. Japanese house uses natural tones and patterns to “refresh the mind,” and trees and plants sprout from the little space that’s available between the concrete jungles. Even at schools, there are gardens and potted flowers every where. You can’t help but appreciate nature in Japan!

Some Americans want to keep their college days going.

I’ll say it: some Americans shouldn’t be in Japan. Hell, they shouldn’t be outside of the U.S. These Americans give other thoughtful Americans a bad reputation. Not only do some Americans drink and party like they’re still in college, they drag out that same feeling that you, as a person who can think above a Neanderthal, can’t fit in with people from your home country. As a minority from America, it’s a very strong feeling, and one that I didn’t feel until I was around certain Americans. I’m not saying that these Americans are only military personnel; I’m saying that some Americans in general never shed the “American mentality”, a mentality that they have certain American privileges when in reality, they aren’t in America. We’re all in Japan, and I say we should give respect to a country that is willing to allow us the freedoms–even more freedoms sometimes than the U.S.

Skin ColorLearning to love my skin color.

I joke around a lot about being “too dark” for a half-Filipino, half-black woman, but really, I didn’t appreciate my cappuccino complexion until I came to Okinawa. I am different from many Japanese people– being that light-skinned entertainers grace every aspect of Japanese life– and I stick out. But I can’t see it as a bad thing; instead, I see my skin color as an external depth to my already-unique personality. My skin color is beautiful, even if stores in America and Japan don’t have my foundation color.

The economy in the United States is pretty bad.

I thought it wasn’t so bad, being that I could get an office job that paid a recently-graduated college student around $20 an hour. But that was before I came to Japan. It dawned on me that the economy in the U.S. was low enough to make me angry at exchanging U.S. dollars for yen. $1,000 quickly became about 77,624 yen, an amount only good for one month’s rent and food. (In essence, I lost money.) And while I live comfortably in Japan, my friends and family in the U.S. are struggling to find a minimum-wage job.

Maintaining a marriage in a foreign country

Falling in love and getting married has been one of the best things to happen in my life, and I’m happy that my husband can be with me in Japan. Being married is a completely different story than falling in love, but the ups and downs can be cherished in a foreign country like Japan because we don’t have family here. Sure, we call home on Skype every week to talk to our families, but not being surrounded by everyone’s eyes or questions can be more relaxing than taxing. We can learn about Japan and Okinawa with as much curiosity as children. And the problems we have, we have a clear picture because we don’t have our families witnessing every detail of our lives. Plus, since we’re newly weds, the experiences in Japan help forge memories for our children and our families.

I’m simply a guest, not a citizen.

One of the strongest feelings I knew without any doubt was that I am not a Japanese citizen. I have certain rights, but they’re human rights, not citizen rights. I can work in Japan and gain a paycheck. I can live in Japan and pay for the rent. I can play in Japan and find happiness. But I’m not a citizen. I’m not Japanese. It’s apparent, and I never expected to be a part of Japan’s society outside of being a spectator and teacher. This feeling is reinforced through the raised eyebrows on Japanese faces whenever I speak simple Japanese words. Or when I hold chopsticks correctly. Or when I know a lot about anything Japanese-related. For the anime and manga fan, the seemingly polite nature of Japanese culture is more of a facade to make sure things go smoothly. However distant I am from feeling like a citizen, I feel more welcomed here in Japan as an English teacher than in my home country as a black person.