Just add kawaii.

A blog documenting my ordinary life in an extraordinary place

[secretagentpurplegoat]

Summer Lovin, happened so faaaaaaast

Uh huh, Uh huh, Uh huh...

Ok, that’s my wacky ‘Grease’ moment out of the way...

SO! Summer, ay! It’s quite the sticky, filthy season I loathe here in Japan, but I have to say, my first full Summer in Japan isn’t so bad. I mean yes, the constant humidity makes me want to simultaneously neck myself and punch everyone in my immediate vicinity in the face (and that’s usually my long-suffering boyfriend) but I’ve been getting into the Summer Spirit. It’s bizarre for me, as an Australian, to be experiencing heat like this in the middle of the year. But, I’m trying to roll with it, even though stepping outside is like stepping into a cloud of slow-burning death that instantly frizzles my hair. I haven’t even attempted curling my hair this Summer.

But, there are upsides; as I might have mentioned before, Japan is an incredibly seasonal country. That means, seasonal frappuccinos at Starbucks! I’ve indulged in one too many...

That peachy goodness...

And Mango Peachy Parfait...

It also means parties, though that has a lot to do with the fact that some of my friends have been returning to their countries, so it’s been quite the bittersweet affair. In honor of our formed friendships, we’ve just been celebrating hard! 

SHOTS SHOTS SHOTS

No, but seriously. I’ve been incredibly lucky to meet these people, and if they ever hit me up in Australia, I’ll be showing them the best time I possibly can!

I’ve been traveling recently, and I want to spread out my news a little, so I’ll leave you with this picture of my long-suffering man drinking a watermelon cocktail I made.

Why all the straws? We may never know.

Mata!

S xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

So you had a bad day...

One of the more amusing parts of Japan for me is the drinking culture here. Or rather, the excess of drinking..

As an Aussie, I’m no stranger to the jiggle juice. I enjoy a good drink and yes, I’ve had moments I’m not really proud of as a direct result of alcohol, and some of these moments have been in Japan. Australians have a problem with drinking and control; we’re notoriously known for binge drinking. It’s apart of our culture, and it’s certainly not a healthy habit, but it’s kind of what we’re used to.

In Japan, the drinking culture is a bit different. For starters, their ability to tolerate alcohol is completely different. I can outdrink a lot of business men here simply because I’m not 100% Asian and I have a bit of meat to my bones. Of course, give me five shots of vodka over 15 minutes and I'll end up on the floor; but over a night of drinking, I could probably outlast many a salaryman here, because most of their mixers are so weak, they don’t deserve to be called cocktails. However, I can't drink beer, and that seems to be the most popular drink of choice here. Alcohol is cheap, and unbelievably accessible. I'm not kidding; it’s not uncommon for my coworkers and I to go for a ‘Cheeky Chuhai’ after work; basically, we go to the nearest convenience store, by a beer or a chuhai (a Japanese alcoholic beverage that can knock me on my ass if I’m not careful) and drink it out the front on the street while we recap our days and do some people watching (an excellent activity, trust me). 

This is not unusual, especially in Tokyo. I don’t think many people here have the time to cultivate many friendships because they simply work and work and spend what little free time they have with their families; so, they will socialize with their coworkers after work, even during the week. I will say this for the majority; they work hard, but man do they play hard, too!

I believe they drink to relax; somewhat like self-medicating, though perhaps not quite as dramatic as that sounds. Frequently there are some business fellows who find themselves on the last train in a less than desirable state:

Bless these guys. 

So, if you’re having a bad day, just think: at least you're not passed out, sliding down a train seat at 11 pm on a Tuesday night. It could be worse.

I have found myself in such states, and I don’t feel like I can judge them. But I am more careful, and more aware of my limits because when I return to my own country, I know I won’t have the safety that is found here, and I may not be as lucky. The Japanese look after each other when they’re drunk, and they don’t take advantage of those who do find themselves practically catatonic. So, kudos to them!

Mata!

S

xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

Summer Lovin

Summer has arrived! I cannot say I’ve been enjoying it so much, but I have to say, having four set seasons does make me appreciate things as mundane as weather. 

Japan has a really interesting occurrence; for about a month running over June and July, it rains almost every day. I considered purchasing a pair of wellies, but then realised I’d have no use for them after the rainy season ended. I wonder if this is why the Japanese are so clockwork; they expect certain things to happen every year, and it hasn’t let them down so far. I can only imagine what would happen if it started snowing every day in April, though; Australia is unpredictable in terms of weather, but we can adapt fairly decently. Perhaps that’s the price we pay for flexibility, and it’s the price Japanese society pays for not being as flexible.

One of the best things about Japan…the flavours of alcohol available here that I can’t get my hot little hands on in Australia. Grape Smirnoff…my goodness, yes. 

That goes for good old Starbucks, too. The summer drinks are seriously awesome…I’m not sure if I’ll be able to give them up when I return to Australia. I don’t want to become one of those coffee-drinking yuppies, but when it tastes as satisfying chillicious as these frappuccinos, how on earth can I resist?

One of the more disappointing things about the summer here are the mangoes…now, coming from Australia, I equate Summer as Mango Season. I will have my mangoes as I’m sweating first thing in the morning when I wake. Unfortunately, this was the one and only mango I have purchased and eaten since the Summer has rolled around, and I have to say, it was the least sweetest mango I’ve ever tasted in my life. Have no doubt, I finished every bit, but with every disappointing bite, I lamented the fact it was not an Australian mango, but probably something imported from a South American country and is designed for salads rather than a cheeky summer snack. Honestly, the dried mango pieces I indulged in the winter was sweeter than this deceptive piece of fruit. I also can’t believe I’ve managed to rant about mangoes for as long as I just did.

Anyway, I have much more to say, but no energy to say it in the current hour. I will continue my summer rants, and I will not be indulging in the mangoes here unless it comes in some kind of drink form.

Mata!

S xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

Summer Lovin

Summer has arrived! I cannot say I’ve been enjoying it so much, but I have to say, having four set seasons does make me appreciate things as mundane as weather. 

Japan has a really interesting occurrence; for about a month running over June and July, it rains almost every day. I considered purchasing a pair of wellies, but then realised I’d have no use for them after the rainy season ended. I wonder if this is why the Japanese are so clockwork; they expect certain things to happen every year, and it hasn’t let them down so far. I can only imagine what would happen if it started snowing every day in April, though; Australia is unpredictable in terms of weather, but we can adapt fairly decently. Perhaps that’s the price we pay for flexibility, and it’s the price Japanese society pays for not being as flexible.

One of the best things about Japan...the flavours of alcohol available here that I can’t get my hot little hands on in Australia. Grape Smirnoff...my goodness, yes. 

That goes for good old Starbucks, too. The summer drinks are seriously awesome...I’m not sure if I’ll be able to give them up when I return to Australia. I don’t want to become one of those coffee-drinking yuppies, but when it tastes as satisfying chillicious as these frappuccinos, how on earth can I resist?

One of the more disappointing things about the summer here are the mangoes...now, coming from Australia, I equate Summer as Mango Season. I will have my mangoes as I’m sweating first thing in the morning when I wake. Unfortunately, this was the one and only mango I have purchased and eaten since the Summer has rolled around, and I have to say, it was the least sweetest mango I’ve ever tasted in my life. Have no doubt, I finished every bit, but with every disappointing bite, I lamented the fact it was not an Australian mango, but probably something imported from a South American country and is designed for salads rather than a cheeky summer snack. Honestly, the dried mango pieces I indulged in the winter was sweeter than this deceptive piece of fruit. I also can’t believe I’ve managed to rant about mangoes for as long as I just did.

Anyway, I have much more to say, but no energy to say it in the current hour. I will continue my summer rants, and I will not be indulging in the mangoes here unless it comes in some kind of drink form.

Mata!

S xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

April Blogs: Day 30! (Written in May)

To be fair, I've been extraordinarily busy this week. Between fare welling my friends and work, it's been a little bit crazy. My life has become a routine of travel, teach, eat, sleep. I know that sounds a bit depressing, but it's not all bad. I've definitely had worse routines and I know it's not forever, so that's something. 

This week is Golden Week in Japan; one of the few weeks in the year where it's acceptable for the Japanese to have a holiday and not feel like a nuisance. I've already expressed how ineffectively I think they work (quantity does not equal quality, and working hundreds of hours of overtime does not guarantee efficient work) but this is the week where they celebrate children's day, their previous emperor's birthday and a variety of other things. It's nice to see them go away, visit their families and hometowns, get drunk with their mates (not just in the dodgy nights after work) and NOT work. Having said that, a few of them opt to continue working. Go figure. 

I am also working through most of golden week, though in my defence, I'm not Japanese. And I can take as much time as I want off, without feeling guilty. Of course, I still need to pay the bills... Anyway, I'm still enjoying my job immensely. Last night I had a red booked client (someone who just wanted to have a lesson, unconcerned with who was doing the actual teaching) and he turned out to be an unexpected delight. I try not to put too much pressure on my clients to return to my lessons; of course, I want (most) of them to, but I'm certainly not going to make them feel bad if they don't. Everyone has their own style of teaching and whatnot; the truth is, sometimes the client and the teacher just aren't a good fit. I had a client who by all means was intelligent, though I could feel during the lesson that it just wasn't going well. And you can try and adjust all you want, but sometimes it's hardly possible to save the sinking ship in a forty minute time frame. So you let it go, because otherwise you'll beat yourself up or spend your time berating the client for the crappy atmosphere, which I really don't want to do. You can't expect a classroom full of children to get along; you can't expect coworkers to be best friends. And students and teachers just aren't always a good match, either. But the majority of my clients are very pleasant and it makes the long travel worth it. One of my clients recently went up a level; I felt so proud of him because I know he has been working his butt off with his lessons. Another of my clients has been booking many double lessons recently and frequently; he's clearly buckling down with the English study. And these people have jobs, families, responsibilities...but they're still giving it their best shot. So props to them!

 Summer is upon us

I won't be able to post as frequently as I had been (though my routine won't vary so much this month, so I probably won't be doing anything too interesting to report) though I hope to post a few times. Just to keep the old brain box going. It is getting hotter and hotter every day...so summer is definitely coming! 

Mata! 

S xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

April Blogs: Day 29

Eventually, everything we do becomes a memory. Some are good, some are bitter. But whatever happens, nothing stays the same; change is the only thing we can rely on. 

So, with that in mind, you should absolutely try and make sure that the things you do will leave you with a smile; no one wants to look back and wish things could have turned out otherwise. The thing is, I really believe we have control over our actions. We don’t really control our circumstances, and unfortunately we never control our feelings, but we absolutely control our actions. And the world is full of the results and consequences of actions and reactions; like a long chain of never-ending motion.

I suppose that in some situations, there are no ‘good’ or ‘right’ ways to act; in these circumstances, you have to decide to choose ‘the lesser of two evils’ as they say. Are actions ever evil? Probably. But the motives behind any action have to count for something; after all, the fact we can trace our actions to intentions distinguishes us from all the other animals in the world. 

We have the desires to eat, sleep, have sex...all those basic animalistic urges that drive our actions. In philosophy, there’s this concept of first-order desires (wanting to do something) and second-order desires (wanting to want to do something). So sure, I may want to eat that piece of cake, because it’s delicious and I’m hungry. But, I may want to not want to eat that piece of cake because...a minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. Or whatever. The fact we think about our first-order desires and then, on top of that have feelings about desiring or not desiring them certainly does set us apart. And I guess my point here is, we can have some serious depth on the levels of our intentions, but ultimately we still choose to act. Or not act.

So i’ll be taking that piece of cake, thanks. And the diet starts tomorrow.

Mata!

S xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

April Blogs: Day 28

Day 28?! Where on Earth has April gone? It’s that pesky time thing again...I can’t believe how fast this year is going! Once we get into May, we’re a month closer to June, which means we’re half way through the year! How absolutely insane is that?

So yesterday was my last full day with my two lovely ladies; after having lunch with the old classmates, we headed out to the old school vintage shops of Harajuku. it was pretty awesome; I bought some earrings because I realised how boring my jewellery choices are.

That there says ‘Harajuku’ in kanji. And it’s covered in hipster stickers.

Afterwards, we made our way to Shibuya; arguably the most famous part of Tokyo. They enjoyed the scramble very much, and got a picture with good old Hachiko. 

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with these girls, and I hope they have too! Now my upcoming May will be all work, and very little play :(

Mata!

S xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

April Blogs: Day 27

This month has gone by so fast, I’m genuinely afraid I’ve missed some days completely. I know time is relative, but everyone seems to agree with me that the older you get, the faster time goes. This seems to me a cruel irony; with age should come wisdom, but apparently the price of that wisdom is losing more time. #paradox.

So I took the ladies to see some old school Japan: That’s right, good old Asakusa. It was considerably warmer, and I approved because I can start using my collection of sunglasses in this sunny weather. 

And of course, indulge in the green tea ice cream I love so much...

We went later in the afternoon, which was a good call because we missed the massive crowds that usually inhabit nakamise street and Sensoji Temple. It was nice to amble around and enjoy the spring sunshine.

We saw various other tourists, including a couple of gaijin women dressed in the full Geisha get-up. They were very popular; many people were asking for their pictures. It makes me feel a bit weird witnessing this; I don’t think it’s really a reflection of the true Japanese style. I know it’s fun to dress in the traditional clothing and all, but it feels a bit...off, I guess. Maybe it’s just me.

Izzi, doing the tourist thing.

Carps mean May!

...and some real fish there.

...and some dead fish. Well, sea beings.

We also tried our luck at some fortunes. Del got a good fortune, Izzi got a regular fortune...and I got a bad fortune :(

So I did the only thing I could and tied it, hoping that the bad luck will be rid of and some good fortune will be coming my way! Or at least, the bad luck is neutralised and I go back to making my own luck without the help of the cosmic forces.

We also had a cheeky look at Don Quijote; this is a chain of stores that literally sell EVERYTHING you can think of. Different stores will focus on selling different things, but ultimately it’s an incredibly useful shop. I’m a big fan.

Completely unrelated, but...it’s hilarious!

Afterwards, we returned home and after a brief rest, indulged in some Indian food. We ate to our heart’s content, and left the restaurant with food babies and deep satisfaction that only Indian curry can cause.

NOM NOM NOM

Mata!

S xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

April Blogs: Day 24&25&26

Wooooo It’s been busy times lately! Juggling work and socialising and showing my friends around. I said goodbye to Nathan today; this was quite sad. However, we indulged in some sushi and some cake before I farewelled him :)

NOM NOM NOM

I was able to meet some new people; some wonderful European lads through my gorgeous French friend. I took some cheeky snaps, indulging in the wonder that people from all over the world can build such tight rapport, despite all the different backgrounds.

And this is my gorgeous friend, Del. A beautiful foreground and a beautiful background :)

Saying goodbye to friends, meeting new people...all the feels, up and down. But thinking about it, I only have four months left here, and then I’m headed back home. How crazy is that? It makes me rather bittersweet...have I done enough while I’ve been here? I’m not sure, but I should probably make the most of the time I have left! 

I will post more pictures soon :) I wish I had more profound things to say, but right now i’m just caught up in the whirlwind of living :P

Mata!

S xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

April Blogs: Day 23

Today I had the pleasure of hanging out with Nathan; we polished off some Strong Zeros I had dutifully promised to get rid of, and then we headed to the Electric City, a.k.a. Akihabara.

I think I’ve mentioned the dark parts of Akihabara before; there are some sex shops selling SERIOUSLY inappropriate things, and the Maid Cafes are an unsettling culture within itself...yet it was somewhat of a comfort to know that even from the tourist perspective, this is still common perception. 

Brushing those darker, filthier parts aside, we did have a lot of fun checking out a Don Quijote. This is a chain of stores that sell EVERYTHING, from Pikachu onesies to expensive alcohol to household items. There are weird, playful things that amused us to no end!

Nathan hitting the pose of the guy on the card next to him, spot-on!

Another disturbing, yet amusing feature...I’m not really sure if this product is just an unfortunate translation, or if they’re trying to go for the smooth, soft skin caused by being wrapped in a placenta. Either way, I had to laugh.

And now, guys can dress up in their favourite school girl uniform! Nathan spotted some VERY large platform shoes, and he asked me if they were for girls or boys. I was doubtful they were for men, until I saw this right behind the shoes...

Nathan wearing a squid; doesn’t he look fabulous?

And I caught this cheeky shot of a maid in the background. Usually you cannot take photos of them (though c’mon, when you dress like that, clearly you’re going to attract attention, especially from foreigners. It’s ridiculous to make people go to a cafe and pay a ridiculous amount to take a picture with you...) but I snapped this under the ruse that I was taking Nathan’s picture. MWAHAHAHA

All in all, a satisfying evening!

Mata!

S xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

April Blogs: Day 21&22

I’ve been posting pictures lately, which could be considered cheating (but hey, the truth is I don’t have a lot to say sometimes). Anyway, here’s another double day post, because I’m going to talk about what I’ve been doing over two days!

I’ve had the pleasure of hosting two of my girl friends from Australia; needless to say, we got straight to the partying, Aussie-style as soon as they arrived. I’ve grown to love showing people around Japan when they come for the first time. It kind of brings the magic of Japan back to me, seeing it through that tourist perspective. I don’t think i’ll ever be able to be a tourist in Japan again, and feel that ‘wooooooah’ factor, which is kind of sad. But the next best thing is watching my friends experience that for themselves.

Spiritual Cleansing...

The other day we met up with my classmates, so some of my new friends could meet some of my old friends (Izzi, Del and Nathan). It’s always a bit strange and awkward awesome; despite the differences, the one thing I found my friends have in common is that they’re all really good people. They have genuinely good hearts. I think it’s important to surround yourself with warm-hearted people; they keep you honest. 

Pictured: Honest sweeping.

Anyway, after that we did the more touristy thing and checked out Takeshita Dori, the main street in Harajuku. Izzi and Del were delighted by the shops and general weirdness of the whole business; I actually can find myself pleasantly surprised by some of the stuff there myself.

What are those gnomes doing...?

We had a stroll around the lovely Yoyogi Park after visiting Meiji Shrine, and then we had a delicious meal of Korean BBQ, complete with complimentary ice cream and tea. 

We ended the evening with some cocktails at my local bar, and the night was complete. Today the two girls travelled to Kyoto, so they’ll be off adventuring the next couple of days. Nathan will be hanging with me (mwahaha). I had to take the day off work today because I came down with a minor infection that totalled my voice and gave me a minor fever. I slept through most of the day, so I’ve recovered reasonably well. I have been going pretty hard lately without a lot of down time to relax; couple that with higher humidity and breezy nights, and I was bound to get a little sick. Anyway, I’m hoping I’ll be 100% recovered tomorrow and I can complete my April fun in full health!

This is what I do when I take some time out. Cheap water colours and a black marker...

Mata!

S xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

Trendy Japanese kids... matching shoes and brolly!

[secretagentpurplegoat]

Dat fashion...there’s nothing quite like it! Thank you, Tokyo, for producing some of the utmost weirdos :P

[secretagentpurplegoat]

The fish strung from the ceiling...May decorations!

[secretagentpurplegoat]

No music, no life: This is a rule I absolutely live by. Music IS life!

[secretagentpurplegoat]

April Blogs: Day Sixteen

There is nothing, absolutely nothing like a glass or two of wine, some amazing food, excellent company, cheesecake and a puppy.

SAH CUTE <3

You know, another wonderful thing about this country is that it becomes a place where people from many cultures can actually get together and talk about all the different things in the world. You don’t have to agree, you don’t have to think or feel the same way, but the nice thing is, you can learn about things you’ve never been exposed to, things you’ve never known before. I think one of the reasons this is so prevalent in Japan (and other monocultural countries) is because the outsiders are the ones who are different. Sure, I could meet many different people from various cultures in Australia, but the environment isn’t right to have the diverse discussions I participate in. It’s not anyone’s fault, I think it’s just the circumstances. But when you find yourself in the minority, you look for the things that are similar to you within the unfamiliar. And it makes you more receptive to different cultures, and it certainly makes you think about your own some more. I don’t think I think I about my own country and culture as much as I do when I’m not actually in it. Why is that? Maybe when you’re living there, you’re too close to it to see clearly. I’m not really sure, but it’s certainly food for thought.

And speaking of, I had some wonderful food when my Canadian host here treated me to some sushi, salad and cheesecake. You would all be jealous of the genuine, fresh deliciousness that was the cuisine I consumed tonight. Big thanks to Mama Ito!

Mata,

S xx

[secretagentpurplegoat]

April Blogs: Day 15

Another day, on the bump and grind! Actually, today was a relatively quiet day as a few of my clients cancelled! So I spent most of my working day talking to my coworkers and doing some Japanese study. You can take the student out of study but you can't take the study out of the student... My coworkers are an interesting assortment of folk. But they are really lovely; they're a big reason why I've chosen to work at a learning studio 45 minutes away from where I live. The working environment is a deal breaker for me! I've worked in many different workplaces, with many kinds of people. So I know a good thing when I see it!

Hot.

Something else I’d like to point out: I’ve always been good at falling asleep in impossible places. Ever since I was a kid, when I was sleepy enough, I could fall asleep under the table of a busy restaurant, or on a bumpy car ride. And I think I’ve discovered the source of this skill: my Japanese heritage. The Japanese can really fall asleep standing up, sitting down, even at their desks at work or school!

Case in point...

Mata!

S xx