Winter's End

Greetings from the center of Nagano! It's the end of April, and the spring weather has finally arrived. That only means that a blog post is in order. As much as I enjoyed snowboarding, I can't say that I'd be able to handle too much more winter. My shorts were beginning to collect dust, and for those of you who know me all too well, Jimmy and shorts are like flies and cake.

Hi! I like shorts! They're comfy and easy to wear...

So, even though the first day of spring is technically in March, the month of April is when the weather takes a turn for the better here in Nagano. People start putting away their winter toys, tools, and woes, and start gearing up for spring.

One of the more popular activities for Japanese people is お花見, or "viewing of the flowers." This term is used from March to May, depending on where you live in Japan, to specifically refer to enjoying the さくら trees and their blossoms. People gather with their loved ones in the parks and castle grounds of the country to eat picnic-style lunches and consume excessive amounts of alcohol. 

Just last weekend, my local chapter of AJET hosted an Ohanami picnic to get all us foreigners together. The theme was pub-trivia, and I had the opportunity to be a question master alongside my friend, Angela. I thought we made a great team. It was a great turnout, and everyone was super nice. I met a few new foreigners to the area, and also got to catch up with people I hadn't seen since we all went into winter hiding.

Along with the great changes in the weather, this season is also the fresh start of the new school year for students in Japan. Unlike back at home, the school year here starts in April. I saw the ninth graders from last year graduate and move up to senior high, and the cute little elementary school sixth graders start their first few weeks of middle school. My best friend, Japanese citizen wise, has also left 塩尻中学校 to teach at another junior high school in the area. I'm still not sure how I feel about the changing of teachers every few years or so, but it's something that I can't control, so I try not to think about it too much. The whole cycle is pretty reminiscent of real life. To be pretentious and zen about it, I try to look at it the same way the seasons turn.

Winter, spring, summer, and fall- Four seasons for love...

With all the season changes, and the moon, and the stars, and the this, and the that, I too decided that it was time for a change, and what better way to start fresh than with a brand new hair cut? It had been  more than three years since I've had my ears lowered, and I welcomed the clippers with open arms. I walked next door to my neighbors' house, as she happens to operate a barbershop, and asked her to cut it all off. After nearly giving her and her mother both a heart attack, they agreed to cut my hair for twenty bucks. I think she was just nervous and excited at the same time. In my most basic Japanese, I asked her if it was her first time cutting a black person's hair and what was going on in her head. She told me that it was indeed her first time, and she said it was interesting and fun. Although it was just another hair cut for me, I'm sure that woman will remember that day for the rest of her life... You're welcome.

April 22, 2014- It's been quite the run, dreads...

Is this a piece of the set from 2001: A Space Odyssey?

No. It's an epic sink that looks as though its heyday was about thirty years ago.

Hooray for haircuts!

The reactions I got from everyone in my town were all of shock and surprise. These people have only known me for nine months, and in that time, my hair has been about shoulder length from the start. "You surprised me!" is the most popular response I've been greeted with. A few other common ones are "Wow," "New face," and "かっこいい!" Perhaps the most interesting reaction I've received is "Did you just get dumped by your girlfriend?" The answer to that, of course, is "No." I cut my hair for the same reason most people cut their hair: I wanted to. I wish there was some magical reason that involved a spiritual awakening or a major metamorphosis, but the truth is there wasn't. I woke up one day and decided to cut it off, and that was that.

With my new fresh-cut I was off to Tokyo with my Ace from Shiojiri, the lovely Miss Karen. Anytime we get together, we act a fool, and this time was no exception. Our main mission for this excursion was to dance the night away on Saturday and check out the goings on of Tokyo Rainbow Week on Sunday. Usually events like this aren't my jam, but c'mon, who wouldn't want to go to a gay pride parade in one of the most popular cities in the world? I had only been to one "gay pride parade" type event in my life, and that was a few years ago in Houston. It was wild and crazy. Lots of beautiful people- both men and women doing their thing and letting their hair down. I figured that Tokyo's would be like Houston's parade but on steroids. Boy, was I wrong.

Much like everything else in Japan, this event was super structured and in order. I didn't see a single person who was visibly drunk, and with the exception of a few of our western brethren, everyone was quiet and orderly. I felt like this event ranked just below "The Pleasant Paws Pet Place Annual Fun Run for Feline Leukemia," as far as noise levels go. In fact, it was so the opposite of what I imagined it to be. That they didn't even stop traffic. The police officers were directing the traffic lights, allowing a few parade "floats" at a time to go, followed by pedestrians, followed by regular vehicular traffic.

Police officer allowing pedestrians to cross the road. Looks like a grand parade, doesn't it?

The larger than life first banner for the parade start

Official mascot of the whole event. Notice how elaborate the float is.

I really enjoyed checking out the festival, despite how quiet and low energy the crowds were. There were many people from all over the world, mainly white Europeans and Americans, but nevertheless, many countries were represented. I even found out later that the First Lady of Japan made an appearance too. Above all else, I spent time with Karen, and it seemed like she enjoyed taking in the sights and sounds as well.

Let's enjoy the sun in Tokyo. 

Jimmy, Karen, and some furry culture- esque dudes in dog costumes...

On Sunday afternoon, Karen returned to Shiojiri, and I went to hang out with some friends that were also in town from Nagano City. Alicia was on a grand tour of Japan with her friend Nicole from Florida, and Frank was catching up with an old friend from University who recently moved to Tokyo. We walked through the Harajuku neighborhood and did some window shopping, and the ladies ended up buying some cute Japanese girl costume pieces. For dinner, we went out to a nice sushi restaurant, and I ate thirty dollars worth of ocean critters, rice, and miso soup. Some was raw, most was cooked. All was delicious.

Nicole, Alicia, Aliyah, Frank, and Jimmy take a dinner selfie. Notice this photo was taken before all the dirty dishes and straw wrappers appear on the table...

Monday was also a big day for me: I went to Tokyo DisneySea with Alicia and Nicole. I've wanted to visit this park since I learned about it on the web, and I'm glad I finally had the chance to go. The park has a nautical theme, and is situated right off Tokyo Bay. It's geared more towards the adult demographic, and its scenery is unparalleled. We were there from opening to closing, and it was worth every yen spent.

Getting excited for a day at the park- Mount Prometheus in the background

Disney's tribute to Jules Verne: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and Journey to the Center of the Earth

When all was said and done, my trip to Tokyo was just what I needed. I had the chance to both play and relax in one of the world's greatest cities, which is conveniently located just a few hours away. I spent time with people I care about, and experienced new things through the eyes of my imagination. It was a great holiday and a nice segue into Golden Week. I'm well rested and looking forward to my next Tokyo adventure. Who knows what will be in store the next time?

The Dreaded Gaijin Talks Food: Part 1- Lunching in Heartful Nagano

"Food- gotta have it. Food- got to have it. Food- gotta have it. Food- got to have it. Gimme that mac 'n' cheese! Gimme that mac 'n' cheese! Food- gotta have it. Food- got to have it. Food- gotta have it. Food- got to have it. Gimme that mac 'n' cheese! Gimme that mac 'n' cheese!"

For those of you who don't recognize the above chant, and I'm assuming that's the majority of you, this little cheer can be heard all across America in highly caffeinated, white bread social environments. For example, high school student council conventions, cheer camp, and youth group church retreats. You know the type: "My super cool church- it's not like other churches- our youth pastor plays the guitar and has a pet ferret."

At first glance, it may seem like I'm knocking all of these "wholesome" environments, but I can't say I'm not guilty of partaking. (Do you partake?) In college I was involved in student housing, or "Res Life," and whenever we would go to a national or regional conference, this obnoxious jingle could be heard in the dining hall around lunchtime.

No-I haven't taught the little Japanese children how to do this... yet, but yes- its high time I talked about my favorite time of the school day: lunch.

While I cannot speak for the entirety of Japan, I can speak for my town of Salt Butt, Long Field. Much like back home, junior high students eat their lunch at school, but there are a few differences in how they go about it.

Act I: Let's talk about lunch, baby!
給食, or meal served at school, is one of the highlights of everyone's day. It starts promptly at 12:40, and the duration of everything surrounding it lasts about an hour. However, the work that goes into 給食 starts early in the morning.

According to the 栄養士, or nutritionist, the first of several trucks comes around 1:30 in the morning with milk. The milk itself is probably no different than what is served in schools back in Houston, but something about it being in that carnival game-o-chance-style glass bottle makes it that much more yummy. It reminds me of soda, too. It's still the same soda, but you and I both know it tastes better out of that glass bottle.

Throughout the morning, various trucks come with all sorts of foodstuffs: the vegetable truck, the fruit truck, the meat truck, the bakery van, and once every three days or so, the rice truck makes an appearance too.

Around 9AM, the Kyuushoku Sensei(s) begin working on the meal for the day. This usually takes them about three hours from start to finish. They have to not only cook the meal, but also divide the portions for each homeroom based on the morning's student attendance record. For example, a homeroom with thirty children will get more food than the special education department that only has twelve kiddos. The members of the front office get their own set of military grade food containers too.

Rice, rice, baby

Much like everything else in a Japanese junior high school, students eat lunch in their homeroom with their classmates and teacher. Every week I rotate from class to class. When the 12:40 lunch bell rings, each homeroom sends down a few students to the school kitchen. They grab their lunch tubs, milk, and any tableware needed, and make the awkward schlep back to their classrooms.

Students pick up lunch for their class.

Act II: 
While the food runners are off on their Quest: The Search for the Golden Goblet, the other students are preparing the classrooms for lunch. The desks are arranged from individual rows to three long tables. Students then line up at the sinks and wash their hands. There's a hand washing song that plays, and during this, everyone "washes up" for lunch. Students are encouraged to wash their hands before and after meals to prevent the spread of germs.

"You will remember to wash your hands before you eat anything?"

By now, the food has made its way to the classrooms, and the serving  of lunch begins. Every week, there are designated lunch leaders who are in charge of dishing up the food. They sometimes wear face masks, gloves, and hats. These leaders pass out the milk and chopsticks, or forks if we're eating non-Asian cuisine. They divvy up the food in appropriate portions and set the various bowls and plates on the desks.

Students serve up curry and rice.

A display case shows how to serve the lunch.

Once everyone has their food on their desks, the lunch leaders then begin to do a double check of who's missing what:

(In Japanese, of course)
Lunch Leaders: Does everyone have their chopsticks?
Everyone: はい！(Yes!)
Lunch Leaders: Does everyone have their milk?
Everyone: はい！
Lunch Leaders: Does everyone have their salad?
Everyone: はい！
This continues until all items have been checked off. Everyone is now ready to eat lunch together.


Act III: GRACE! Loved it!
Lunch Leaders: Hands together please!
Everyone: はい！
Lunch Leaders: いただきます！
Everyone: いただきます！

I-TA-DA-KI-MA-SU is the Japanese version of saying grace or what have you. It is usually spoken before every meal in Japan, and it acknowledges that the food one is about to eat didn't come from thin air. Itadakimasu is a way for the eaters to thank the chef, farmers, food servers, restaurant staff, in this case- lunch leaders and school cooks, for the hard work they have put into the meal. It's also an opportunity to pay respect for any animals that have been slaughtered for nourishment purposes.

A Typical Day's Lunch
The lunch menu varies from day to day, and there is rarely a perfect repeat of menu items within a month. That isn't to say that there's not a system, though. Usually the meal consists of five items: A milk, a soup, a veggie, a meat, and a carb- with the carb being the main staple. Rice is served on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Noodles are served on Thursdays, with the exception of the last Thursday of the month- bread day. The lunches are samples of various cuisines from around the world, and are usually revered by the children. If we're lucky, we get dessert in the form of  fresh fruit, cake, or pudding.

Milk, cabbage soup, cucumber salad, baked pasta au gratin, rice with furikake

Milk, vegetable soup, Tandori chicken, stringy-veggie salad, too much rice to eat

Meatballs with rice cooked in the middle. Don' worry, Joe. The Merry recipe is much tastier.

Winter break dinner- It was bread day AND we got Christmas cake!

After the students finish the meal, they claps their hands together once more and say in unison ごちそうさまでした！(GO-CHI-SO-SA-MA-DE-SHI-TA:It was a great meal thanks to all entities involved!) Everyone cleans up, washes their hands, and brushes their teeth. The last 15 minutes of the lunch hour transitions into recess. The kids go buck wild. They run around the halls screaming like chickens with their heads cut off; they wrestle, play fight, and engage in general horseplay; they burn off that pent up energy from the morning and are nice and sedated for their last class in the afternoon.

Running! Running! Screeching!

What I like about Kyuushoku:
1) The meals are usually pretty tasty, and the kids seem to like them too. In my book, they have a 85% success rate. 10% are meals that are just "meh."
2) The meals are always filling. The school nutritionist sets the lunch to average about 850 calories, and I feel every one of them by the end of the meal. I often have to turn down offerings of seconds or extra helpings.
3) In comparison to back at home, the school lunches here are fairly healthy. While they may be high in calories and carbohydrates, they are relatively low in fat. Children aren't allowed to bring any food or money from home; vending machines and junk food don't exist within the walls of the school. No greasy pizza with a side of hot chips for you, Tanaka-kun.
4) I don't have to think much about it. My lunch fee comes out of my paycheck before it ever reaches me, and I don't even have to be fussed with packing a lunch or spending money on lunch out of the office.
5) The children are pretty educated in what they're eating. A lot of the foods come from local farmers and businesses, and it's made a point to let us know what comes from where. If there's a featured item, such as fresh fruit, it gets its props. Hashtag: michelleobamaswetdream

"You're late... again!"

What I don't like about kyuushoku:
I don't have many negative things to say about it, but if I were to say something bad, it'd be that other five percent that's missing from #1 in the above section. Sometimes the lunches can be a miss. It's a rare occasion, but it does happen.

Why it works for Japan:
1) Japanese society is often times centered around the group mentality. Everyone eats the same lunch as their peers on a daily basis, and not much complaining is to be had. If a student doesn't like something they simply don't eat it, or try to pawn it off onto one of their friends. There isn't a different option for every dietary deviation under the sun. You get what you git, and you don't throw a fit.
2) Often times, both Mommy and Daddy are busy during the week. They don't have to worry about grocery shopping or lunch packing, and they're okay with trusting the school with their child's nutritional needs. They pay the lunch fee every month, and they kiss their kids goodbye knowing that they'll have a good meal away from home.
3) The high cal-high carb/ low fat diet works perfectly for the generally active lifestyle of Japanese youth. The kids are pretty food-savvy, and they still eat junk food; it just isn't happening from 8 to 3 on school days.

Why it wouldn't work back at home:
1) As a society, we pride ourselves on diversity and novelty. I love my fellow countrymen, but we're outspoken and fussy: "I'm lactose intolerant. Look at me, I'm trendy and only eat brown rice. I have an aversion to gluten. I can't eat this. I'm a vegetarian. I only eat organic whole foods-nothing processed. Did I mention that I absolutely hate seafood?" I have my food idiosyncrasies too, trust me. Anyone who has lived with me (Mom, Dad, Liz, Erin, Dennis, Brooke, Joe) can probably rattle them off. The point is, as a child I liked having a choice on what my Mum packed in my lunch or what I put on my tray in the school cafeteria.
2) There doesn't seem to be as much trust in the school lunch program at home as there is here. Some parents will go as far as not letting their kids eat school lunch in fear of what it contains. Also, the choice issue comes into play again. "I don't want my child eating X-Y-Z. It's un-American for kids not to get a choice. This is communism. Blah blah blah. Obama's a Muslim form Kenya. Blah blah blah. Let's all load up in the Suburban with Me-maw and hit up the buffet."
3) (See #3 from the section above for a reference point) We're not the high cal-high carb/low fat diet type. We like having calorie dense, greasy, high fat foods in our tummies at every meal- our kids are no exception. Mix that in with a fairly inactive culture of people with little to no chance for recess, and there you have it.

One thing I will miss when I move to the next chapter of my life will be the school lunch. Not to keep score or anything, but Japan is kind of pwning us when it comes to the nutritional well being of kids in public schools. That being said, I wouldn't  mind having a nice meat product chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy right about now.

Mr. Darden. I don't come to school on Wednesdays anymore...

I begin today's blog post with an anecdote from my not-so-distant past. Based on the title alone, many of you already know where this is heading, but for those of you who don't, let me fill you in:

It was my first year of teaching, and I was in the hallway supervising the children as they passed from one class to the next. As I was thinking the thinks that a first year educator thinks, one of the Spanish teachers approached me. To protect the innocent, her name has been changed. For grins, let's just call her  Dernabette Derano. Yeah. That has a nice ring to it. Anyway, Ms. Derano looked angry, and she was heading my direction. My first though was Oh no! I've done something wrong!

"Mister Dar-Den!" Her voice rang out in a high-pitched tone.

"Um... Yes, Ms. Derano?"

"I don't come to school on Wednesdays anymore." She was clearly fishing for a listening ear, a captive audience, if you will.

I'll bite, I thought. "Why?"

Without missing a beat, and in direct earshot of everyone in the hall, she responded "Because the Panda Day Schedule is f***ed!" She turned around, stormed away, and we both went back to our respective duty posts, as if nothing happened.

This little slice of life has become somewhat of an inside joke between myself, a few close friends, and a handful of colleagues from my former position at Pershing Middle School; however, it also sums up the main idea of this blog post. Something was bothering Ms. Derano that day, and she just felt like she needed to get it off her chest. The Panda Day schedule didn't affect me one way or the other, but in her little world, it clearly meant a lot, and I think that's the point. Something has been bothering me recently, and I'd like to share. I hope this doesn't turn into a pity party, or an airing of my hot mess of a life online, but if it does, apologies in advance.

January 27th marked the end of my first six months here in Japan, and I can proudly say that I am glad I made the decision to come. That being said, the road hasn't been 100% footloose and fancy free. For the past month or so, I have been rubbing my ashy elbows with Seasonal Affective Disorder. Overall, my demeanor has been genki, but there are times when I get sad. For those of you who read my blog, please indulge me in my rant. Humor me as a "captive audience." Be the first-year-of-teaching Jimmy Darden to my Ms. Reda... I mean, Derano.

In case you didn't know, I have lived in Houston most of my life- with the exception of about a year, give or take, in Michigan, and the four years I spent at university in Lubbock. Needless to say, I have little to no experience with severe winter weather. It rarely gets below the freezing point in Houston, and snow is a once-every-few-years-or-so miracle. In regards to Nagano Japan...

...that's just not the case.

The winters here are nothing like they are back at home. On a typical day, the temperature gets up to about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The nightly average is about 20 degrees, but it can get even lower if Mother Nature feels like showing off. Combine that with a home that's built for earthquakes and summer highs, without winter insulation or central heating, and you get the perfect storm of a Texas boy who seems like he hasn't got a prayer.

I sometimes feel like this monkey.

There are mornings when I wake up and sit in bed for thirty minutes or so, just thinking about how bloody cold it is. I inevitably have to go to work and teach the future of Japan, but that snooze button gets so much more use in the winter. There have even been a few times when I have shown up to work within seconds of being tardy. That's never a fun feeling...

"You're late!"

On top of the cold weather comes the snow. According to many of my fellow Nagano JETs, my town doesn't get very much snow, and compared to the other regions in the ken, they would be correct. However, many Nagano JETs come from the American Midwest. For them, snow is something that is a common occurrence. For me, not so much. I am still learning how to deal with walking, biking, and even driving in these treacherous conditions.

Regular snow day...

...Mother Nature showin' her ass.

On a side note, I finally made the decision to get a motor vehicle. I was getting annoyed with walking/biking to the grocery store in the dead middle of winter, and I grew tired of being at the mercy of someone else driving me around whenever us expats get together. I'm completely grateful of their kindness, but it's so much more comforting knowing that you can come and go as you please, without having to always go when and where another driver takes you.

Of course, driving only benefits me when I need to run errands or attend to social matters. Contractually, I'm not allowed to drive in to work, so walking it is. That old, and somewhat annoying "parentism" of having to walk to school uphill in X feet of snow blah blah blah... holds true to an extent. When you're snuggled up inside with your boo, or in my case, video games, the snow is a remarkable sight to behold. It's a heavenly painting of white awesomeness that makes you appreciate living in a place with four seasons. When you have to walk to work in it, it's a hellacious sea of slippery slush that sucks the fun right out of your workday before it even begins.

The road to hell is paved with good intentions. The road to my elementary school isn't paved at all.

JHS students hanging out after class.

Okay, enough with the gloom and doom of my winter woes. I thank you for putting up with my rant on what a cold and miserable little twit I can be. I promise I'm not all grumpy during the winter. "Hold on, hold on, hold on. I can't do it. I can't sing no more sad songs. One, two, three, HIT ME!" (Cue the brass stage band) For those of you who have seen Dreamgirls, enjoy that little Easter Egg. If you haven't seen Dreamgirls, you're missing out. 

Jimmy want a piece of yo' choc-o-late cake!

With all of this snow and Japan's mountainous terrain,  winter sports are sort of a big deal here. I've gotten swept up into the craze of snowboarding, and I try to go as often as possible. As of now, I've been out seven times, but I want to make that number twelve before the end of winter. When I go snowboarding, I can magically awaken and spring out of bed without a problem. The cold doesn't bother me, and it's fun to use nature for recreational purposes. It kind of reminds me of back home. The summers are unbearably hot. Most of the time, Texans battle the heat by staying indoors, but it's also nice to do an activity in the heat to take your mind off the heat. The snow resorts of Nagano are like the Gulf of Mexico and the Guadalupe River.

I can't believe this is in my backyard...

Whenever I am snowboarding, I don't feel any of the sadness that I feel on normal work days. It's a fun activity that enhances my coordination and balance, along with cardiovascular strength.  I've never been stellar at ball sports, though I do appreciate a low stakes game of volleyball or "21" from time to time. I'm not overtly strong, I'm not a particularly fast runner, and I would never describe myself as Sporty (but I am interested in other things- Spice). Snowboarding is different though. In this sport I feel what little athletic intelligence I have being put to use. I'm no scientist, but I'm willing to bet the same kinesthetic skill set I use to snowboard now, is the same set I used when I did gymnastics all those years ago. 

I'm a total beginner, but I think the dreads make me look like a BAMF... 

Resting with my board.

Snowboarding also reminds me of my all time favorite hobby: going to theme parks. While there are no roller coasters of note in Nagano-ken, snowboarding is a suitable consolation prize. You get to ride the chairlift or gondola up the mountain, and going downhill on the slick snow is like a ride in and of itself.  The coolest thing about snowboarding, though, is that it's a fun thing to do with friends.

Hanging out on the slopes with friends isn't the one-step-saves-all answer to my seasonal depression, but it is something that I don't take for granted. I still miss all my friends and family back at home, and I don't think that will ever change. While I'm here, though, I want to make the most of my overseas experience: For better and for worse. Looking inward, this is just another step along my journey into adulthood. 

Mister Dar-Den!

Blue-eyed Seoul

December was a busy month for me. Besides writing blog posts charged with toilet humor and tacky political jokes, I was participating in the Holiday Season. While I don't want to dwell on it for too long, I want to share my feelings on Christmas 2013. It was, in one word, different. This was the first Christmas away from my family, and it was quite the learning experience.

I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams...

While trying to keep up with the Spirit of Holiday Cheer, I decided that I would host a White Elephant Christmas/ dinner party, and for those of you who know me, you know all too well that tacos is a Jimmy Regular: They're affordable, they can go a long way, though not quite as far as spaghetti, and I've made them so many times that I don't need the recipe. Besides, it's always good to make something you're comfortable with when throwing a dinner party. The last thing a host needs is to be second guessing whether the entree is going to be a hit or a flop. To make a long story short, and to get on to the main topic of this post, the party was a hit, and I enjoyed my guests' company. It made Christmas seem a lot less lonely.

Holly, Cassandra, and Huz Aan in my industrial-looking kitchen...

After Christmas, I was off to Seoul, South Korea. Denny-sama, a former JET who is a close family friend of my friend Emily, offered to put me up for a few days and show me a good time in Seoul. He's an educator at a local university, and has been living in Seoul for quite some time. I went into the vacation knowing I would have a good time, but I didn't realize just how much of an adventure it would be:

My journey started on December 28th, bright and early. The goal was to get from my house in the highlands of Nagano to the busy metropolis of Osaka. I had a flight out of KIX at 6PM, and needed to be at the airport by 4. I had no train tickets to get there, just a bunch of yen, and the hope that I wouldn't be stuck in a standing room only train car for the duration of my trek to the airport.  I caught a cab from my house to 塩尻駅, and hopped on an express train headed for Nagoya. This first leg set the tone of my entire journey to Seoul. It was quiet. It was snowy. It was serene. 

After the two hour express train ride to Nagoya, I then hopped on a Shinkansen (Japanese bullet train) from Nagoya to Osaka. The Shink covered the distance in less than an hour, putting me in downtown Osaka at about 10AM. Seeing as it would take about 45 minutes from downtown to the airport, that gave me roughly four hours to burn before I had to be anywhere. I decided that it would be interesting to do some urban exploration.

Above: Exploring the新世界 ward in Osaka

At about two, I decided that it was time to start moseying towards the train station to get to the airport. Now, if there's one thing I like more than a city with a good rail transit system, it's a city with a good rail transit system that links directly to one or more of its airports without me having to fork over money for a taxi. With this being Japan and all, I wasn't disappointed. It was painless hopping on a train from the heart of downtown to Kanku, the nickname for Kansai International Airport.

The airport is on a man-made island in the middle of Osaka Bay.
I thought that was pretty interesting. 

Airport security was overwhelmingly easy- I didn't have to remove my hoodie, beanie, metal "seatbelt" belt, or shoes! I felt like I was living in "Pre 9-11 America." It made me happy that getting through security was such a breeze, but it made me sad at the same time. I began to reflect on the harsh reality of where we are as a country and the tough, but necessary measures that must be taken to board an airplane.

On  a lighter note, the realness of air travel back home kicked in. Its form: budget airlines. In The States we have Spirit. Japan has Peach. Based out of Kansai International, Peach Airlines is the first Japanese budget airline to do international travel. Trust me, you get what you pay for. I flew Spirit last summer when I went to Disney World, and the experience I had with Peach was about the same: cramped seats with bare minimum cabin service. Even the terminal and jetway, or lack thereof, were indicative of the low fares. I have to admit, though: It was pretty cool walking to the plane on the tarmac. I felt like I was straight out of the 1950s.

It's blurry because I wasn't supposed to be taking pictures...

When I arrived at Incheon, my host for the week was waiting for me outside of customs. He seemed ready and eager to receive guests, and I immediately felt the "Southern Hospitality;" It was nice being with a fellow Texan. Mr. Denny took me to his apartment where I'd be staying: right in the heart of downtown. His apartment was only a few blocks away from the U.S. Embassy and the President of South Korea's house. Needless to say, if things get rough, he'd be able to make it to the U.S. Embassy within five minutes on foot. If things got really rough, you know, like in the form of an invasion from an unnamed country to the north, well...

View from Denny-sama's apartment at night.

While I was there, I had a chance to get a private tour of Gwanghwamun. This is Seoul's biggest palace square, and it backs up against the president's house. I don't have much to compare it to from home, but I would imagine that if we had an emperor or a king instead of a president, the white house would look something like this.

Main entrance: recently refurbished

Inside the palace walls

Colorful throne room

Me with my lunar new year animal

...She's' slipping. 

 The most interesting thing about my historical tour was the tour guide himself. His "American" name is Mark, and his Korean name is unpronounceable. He's a grad student in the field of Asian studies, and he wasn't afraid to say what was on his mind. Anytime we would pass an official tour, he would listen to what the guide was saying, in Korean of course, and would translate for Denny and me. Most of the time, Mark said the spiel was pretty accurate, but every once in a while, he would go on a long rant about why what they were saying was not true. Many people find things like this annoying, but I totally get where he was coming from. It reminds me of when I go to amusement park with a group of people, and someone says something along the lines of "This roller coaster flew off the tracks last year, and that's why it's closed." I know it's incorrect, they probably know they're just repeating some rumor they heard too, but they have no idea that there's one amongst the group, me, who can smell the bullshit from a mile away. The tough decision is to either "free park" it, or call them out on it. Whereas I usually let things like this slide, Mark was the total opposite. While he didn't interrupt the paid tour group, he was adamant about letting us know how he felt about the fabricated stories. The language was peppered with expletives too. The English ones.

Mark the tour guide and the D.G.

Of course I had a few different ethnic Korean dishes while I was there. I ate kimchi with virtually every meal, and it was amazing, but the highlight meal was when I went out with Denny-sama and his colleagues and students. It was not Asian fare, but rather food from the motherland: Texas. Seoul had an On the Border. For those of you who don't know, On the Border is a chain restaurant that serves up various Tex-Mex dishes, ranging from tacos to fajitas to chimichangas. All they friends. When I lived in Texas, I wanted nothing to do with OTB. I found their food mediocre at best, but when one lives in Asia, the Tex-Mex desert, one must learn to be a man and eat their words. Oh, I ate my words alright, and I ate the hell out of a combination plate that night too. One crispy beef taco and two cheese enchiladas with a side of rice and beans. It had that "Overly processed, loaded with preservatives, tastes just like it does 7000 miles away" feel. I couldn't have been more satisfied.

Nom nom nom...

Look at all those dirty glasses...