Dentist in Japan: They'll Rip Your Teeth Out

Yea, I'm one of those people that floss daily

 I shouldn't have to remind any adult that dental checkups are necessary, but, I'm going to do it anyway - if you work in Japan (or don't), please, please, please do not skip out on the dentist. It's covered by medical insurance and therefore, it is cheap. Speak to other ALTs in your area and ask where they go for their cleanings. If they don't have a recommendation and they are an ALT veteran, feel free to judge them and never ask them for anything ever again. Not Just kidding.

Once you find a dentist, there is no need to make an appointment - just walk in, sign in, hand them your insurance card and tell them why you are there.

However, be ready for multiple visits because Japanese dentist complete one procedure at a time. For example, if you need your teeth cleaned, the the dentist will clean the bottom row one visit and the top row the next. Moreover, if you have multiple cavities, they will fill one cavity (maybe two if they are tiny) each session. It can be exasperating, but remember it's cheap.

Here is the fun part: dentist in Japan do not use anesthetics when filling a cavity. Thankfully I was forewarned, but I was frightened nonetheless. The dentist actually made fun of me for stiffening at the sight of the drill, but he assured me that it won't hurt. The only felt  uncomfortable when he blew air into my freshly drilled cavity. It was a strange cold sensation that was suppose to register as pain. I know, I'm weird.  I have nothing but wonderful things to say about dentist in Japan so practice some dental TLC and visit your local dentist!

Also, be sure to ask for white fillings! They are inexpensive and look better than metal fillings.

Good Luck!

Turn Down for (Angkor) Wat?

I wish I could tell  you that leaving Vietnam was a piece of cake, but it wasn't.

I woke up at dawn to await the bus from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap, Cambodia. The estimated time of arrival was around 12 hours, but there must have been a x2 somewhere in the paperwork because it took forever. Our first stop was at the border where our bus conductor haggled with immigration to stamp our passports. I am not kidding! He haggled! There were bills placed in between every passport to "encourage" the immigration officer. The only problems was that there were hundreds of monetarily stuffed passports. It looked like a flee market or Forever 21 during a good sale - a nightmare! I found a pillar in the middle of the room where I sat and leaned against it FOR THREE HOURS.

Once my passport was stamped, I queued at Cambodia's orderly and efficient immigration office and strolled into Cambodia. Go Cambodia!

The bus ride up to Siem Reap was cold, bumpy and long, but the bus driver, who had an affinity for Rowan Atkinson, played the movies Rat Race, Mr. Bean's Holiday, Johnny English and Keeping Mum.

We arrived in Siem Reap at the unGodly hours of the night, where I checked into my hotel and woke up the next morning to tour Angkor Wat. Angkor Wat is a  large, beautiful yet crowded temple complex with absolutely breathtaking sites. I feel in love with the wall carvings and Buddha-faced stone gates. Take a look!

Angkor Wat Advice:

1. Tour the complex for at least three days. 
2. Ladies, dress modestly. Some places will not allow women to enter if they are wearing shorts or tank tops. Sorry!
3. Rent a bike. You can also rent a tuk tuk driver for a day, but I saw many tourist stranded after 5pm. Don't let that be you!
4. Eat all the food! The food is great and cheap! Plus, their menus are in English!
5. Take plenty of pictures. Now is not the time to be modest with your selfie stick. It's an amazing site!

Despite my short time in Cambodia, I found its people very welcoming and hospitable. As a poorer nation, Cambodian food is cheap (and good!), but their preference towards the U.S. Dollar bothered me a bit because they become visibly upset when you pay in their currency, the Cambodian Riel. I almost had it out with an inexperienced receptionist at the hotel's spa who rudely requested that I pay in U.S. Dollar. Yes, I am foreign and sure, I'm an American but [Linda] honey, I get paid in a fictional currency known as the Japanese Yen.** It's either Riel or Monopoly money.

*Thanks you Xavier for the title of this post  ;)
** The exchange rate is killing me! 



Fifty Shades of Censorship

Mr. Grey will see you now

The Announcement

 Last year, the teaser trailer to Fifty Shades of Grey announced movie's worldwide release on Valentine's Day. Worldwide release? I snickered a bit knowing that the announcement naturally excluded Japan, a country where movies were released months after their original release date.

 

Don't believe me? Let's take a look at the release dates for Mockingjay Pt. 1, where you'll notice Japan's ridiculously delayed release date in comparison to the original release date in the United States and its neighboring countries. 

 

U.S. release date was November 20th, 2014.  Japan's release date is May 15th, 2015!

 

I can't tell you why this is but multiple sources have suggested that certain movies are released during holidays for the convenience of families and, in particular, students. In short, no matter the reason, Japanese bureaucracy plays a heavy hand. Nevertheless, these delayed release dates, in conjunction with expensive ticket prices ($17), are the reason why I have mostly abstained from movie theaters and relied heavily on online streaming. Therefore, I was skeptical about this "world-wide release" until I saw the Japanese trailer for Fifty Shades of Grey.

 

 

 

Wait, what? February 13th! What! Whose first child did they sacrifice for this? I couldn't believe it, but I rallied the OkiJETs ladies for a Galentine's Day appointment with Mr. Grey either way. 

 

Censorship

There were a couple ladies who attempted to ruin my excitement with their distain over the movie's possible censorship. Censorship? Yes, as I discussed in this post, pornography, whether bought or streamed, is censored in Japan. However, I was unsure how this censorship law would transfer to a non-pornographic movie. To be honest, I didn't care much either way, but I found it interesting that the movie was given an R15+ rating.

 

The Result

I don't want to spoil the movie for anyone living in Japan, but just know that the movie is censored. It's difficult to explain, but it seemed like negotiations took place in order to see how far they could go with the mature content. For example, the audience got a good, close up view of Ana's pubic forest, but all other possible sightings were blurred. There was one strong sex scene, in particular, that would switch from a giant black blob to no censorship. I couldn't see the reason for censoring one scene but not another and thus, it seemed like a give-and-take situation; as though someone said, "We'll give you this nude scene, but censor the next." Despite the censored scenes, I saw plenty! We all saw too much! The movie definitely exceeded and surpassed my low expectations. The OkiJET ladies had a good laugh, and I was happy they eliminated most of the abusive elements from the book and made Ana's character stronger.

 

Once I see the original uncensored version, I'll have more insight as to why certain scenes were censored. Until then, enjoy the naughtiness! ;o)

 

Update!

I saw the uncensored version online and there wasn't really much to see aside from a man-bush shot. However, I am still unsure as to why certain scenes were censored over other similar scenes.

Long Hair I Do Care 2

Gorgeous hair is the best revenge - Ivana Trump

I refused to step foot into a another Japanese beauty salon after my dreadful experience in this post. I decided I would wait until my visit home in August for some "hairapy." The problem was that my hair faded, my roots grew in about 4 - 5 inches, and my ends split. I looked like a walking disaster, and it took the strength of Jesus Cristo for me to not to shave my head a la 2007 Britney Spears.

The day after I landed in Miami, I saw my beautician and she worked wonders with my hair. I kept my natural ash blond roots, but she changed my warm blond ombre to match my new cool blond look. Now I would no longer need to dye my hair while in Japan, but she suggested that I at least cut it.

Fast forward to four months later during recess when my 5th grade student told me that my hair looked bosa bosa or "unkempt."

Japanese kids are brutally honest and so when a student told me that my hair looked bosa bosa, I left work and drove straight to a nearby and well-known salon. Luckily, there was an opening and the owner asked me to sit in a swivel chair so that she could check my matted hair. I asked for a trim, and she followed up with basic questions about my part and layers. After a short discussion she went to work on my hair.

My dry hair. 

She literally cut my hair while it was still dry. 

She also cut my hair dry while it was parted to the side.

I was so confused.

I waited it out, and I was eventually asked to move to the washing station. There, I received the hair wash and neck massage of my life. It felt great, but I was still a bit worried about my hair cut. Afterwards, I was placed back in the chair where two assistances finger dried my hair into a Hagrid-like state. Once it was 90% dry, they introduced round hair brushes and continued to dry. I waited for the flat irons or curling irons, but they never came. The owner cut my hair a little more and asked if I wanted to balance/thin the right side of my hair. No thank you!

This is my "I don't know what the f*&$ is going on"  face

The verdict

Although I was unhappy with the procedure or the lack of styling, the cut looked amazing. My now thick and healthy ends naturally curled inward - including the back! Unfortunately, my hair was 4 inches shorter (thanks a lot imperial-system Obama!), but it was healthy and free of split ends. Now that I know what to expect, this may be the last rant/post about beauty salons in Japan.

Do anyone have Japanese beauty salon blunders that they would like to share?

#FaithInHumanityRestored

More often than not, I witness ridiculously heartwarming situations that restore my faith in humanity.

Here’s one example:

As I taught the 2-1 class at Ginoza Elementary words to describe the weather (i.e. sunny, rainy, cloudy, etc.), I noticed that Kota, a special needs student, was in attendance. This wasn’t a problem because I have taught him before, but I hoped the lesson would not be too difficult for him. After I reviewed the words, I asked the students to push back their desk and make a circle with their chairs in order to play Fruit Basket. 

Fruit Basket is a game where the students sit in a circle with one person standing in the middle as “It.” After handing out word (in this case, weather) cards, the person who’s “It” calls out a card; for example “sunny.” Those who have “sunny“cards have to stand up and switch sits with the other students who also carry a sunny cards, while the person who’s “It” tries to take an empty seat. Eventually, one person is left without the seat and that person becomes the new “It”. You can also yell out “Fruit Basket,” and watch all the students switch chairs. However, I always eliminate that option because the students would rather say “Fruit Basket” than practice the vocabulary. 

Before long, Kota was left standing the middle, visibly upset as the new “It.” I tried to reassure him, as I slowly reviewed the vocabulary words. However, another boy called out to Kota. I assumed that the boy was going to give up his seat so that Kota would no longer be “It.” Instead, the sitting boy, held Kota’s hands and asked, “何がいい？” or “What is ok? Sunny? Rainy? Cloudy…” The list continued as Kota fiercely shook his head but when the boy said “Snowy,” Kota nodded and the boy instructed him to loudly say the word and run. Kota said the word and was able to find a sit in order to avoid becoming ‘It’ once again.

The interaction between the two really pulled on my heartstrings. It was really touching to see a student helping his special needs friend that I couldn’t help but wonder if that sort of exchange would happen in the U.S. 

(By the way, it's not a secret to his classmates that Kota is a special needs student. They all know and understand that he is limited. Even then, he is not shunned or excluded by any means. What happened to "the nail that sticks out, gets hammered in" philosophy?)

Boy Problems

Japanese children are a mystery to me

I'm not trying to promote the exotification of Japanese culture, but sometimes I feel as though I don't know my students at all.

Alright, that is a bit of an overstatement, but let me explain. The younger children are more forthcoming about their feelings and emotions but as they age, they become more reserved and withdrawn. As a female teacher, the girls are at ease with me; and while there are boys who confidently interact with me, the majority are shy. This reservation and fear does not help me understand their personalities and it also does not necessarily help gain respect, as I've had issues balancing kindness while also commanding respect. Let's give some examples!

Yūga

6th grade

 M. Elementary

Yūga is one of the few outspoken boys who actively participates in English class. All the students participate, but he goes above and beyond to learn and use as much English as possible. Also, it's not rare for him to ask me how to say a certain phrases in English so that he can use them during class. In general, he's a good kid. However, last week as I glanced across the room to check everyone's progress, Yūga looked at me and said, "馬鹿野郎 (ばかやろう, Bakayarou or idiot)" assuming that I wouldn't understand. I changed my expression and asked, "Who is?" Seeing the stern look on my face, he smiled, pointed to himself and said, "I am." I told him he was right and walked away. 

Rin

6th grade

G. Elementary

Rin is an outspoken boy who enthusiastically disrupts English class. His participation in class usually depends on his interest in the lesson. I remember my first interactions with him consisted of him repeating the word "China" even though the lesson had nothing to do with countries:

Me: Do you like baseball?

Rin: China!

Me: Let's try again. Do you like baseball?

Rin: China!

Me: Well, I guess we're done here.

I referred to him as the "China Kid" until the 6th girls from my other schools confessed that they were in love with him and with that confession, I learned his name. He is also the only student who refuses to call me by my name. Instead, he either calls me ★のカービィ先生 Hoshi no Kābī sensei (Star Kirby*-sensei) or ★のガービィ先生 Hoshi no Gābī  sensei (Star Gabi-sensei). To retaliate, I call him Rin-chan (Baby Rin), which also makes his name sound like a girl's name.

"Kābī" ("Kirby" in Japanese sounds) a lot like "Gabi."
 If only they knew how much ass I kick with him in Smash Bros.

Last week, the homeroom teacher asked me to begin class without her because she needed to speak with a student in the hallway. I walked into the class and inquired about the day's classroom leaders, who were suppose to lead the English class chant. When the students remained silent, it was Rin who ratted out his friends and told them to hurry up because class had started. What!?!

Maybe he was polite because the English Advisor, who was visiting the school at the time, had to co-teach with me because the homeroom teacher's "talk" turned into a 20-minute yell-fest? Nope! He did it again another day and even told a few a his friends to shut up while I spoke. Weird!

Hyūto 
a.k.a. Kyūto Hyūto (Cute Hyuto)

5th grade

K. Elementary

Hyūto is an another outspoken boy who enthusiastically disrupts English class, but he also actively participates. Does that even make sense? For example, one day Hyūto kept interrupting my lesson, so I asked if he would like to be the teacher for the day and lead the class. I assumed that he would remain silent out of embarrassment but to my surprise, he rose to the challenge and took my place in the front of the classroom while I stood behind his desk like a student. The lesson went well, and I even received compliments from the principal.

Last week while we were practicing the days of the week, I noticed that Hyūto was not only saying the words with me, but also rudely imitating my voice. I gave him a menacing look but he continued until I finished my review. My co-teacher stopped me from reviewing the months of the year and began to scold Hyūto in front of the class. Hyūto was then asked to sit alone in the back of the classroom. After class, my co-teacher called Hyūto to him and began to scold him once more. 

Giving you the stank eye!

Co-teacher: Were you making fun of Gabi-sensei? 

Hyūto: No, I wasn't.

Co-teacher: Then why did she look at you? Were you not saying the words at the same time? Were you not saying the words in a high pitched voice? Like a girl?

Hyūto: ::Silent::

Co-teacher: Well, answer!

This went on for 15 minutes, but my co-teacher used Hyūto's silence to berate him on his lack of respect. I knew it was necessary, but I couldn't help feeling bad when Hyūto began to cry. 

Co-teacher: Now that you understand, what will you do? 

Hyūto: Apologize to the class.

Co-teacher: To the class?!?

Hyūto: And to sensei

Co-teacher: Which sensei?!?

Hyūto: Hirofumi-sensei.

Co-teacher: To me?!? (my co-teacher lost it at this point)

Hyūto: to Gabi-sensei

Co-teacher: That is the only person who you should be apologizing to. Now go apologize!

Hyūto walked over to me, but remained silent as he used his shirt to wipe his nose and shield his face. My co-teacher left the room to speak to his homeroom teacher, but instructed Hyūto that he was not allowed to leave the room until he apologized. While he stood in front of me crying, I glanced around the room in search of tissues. I couldn't find a box, so I succumbed to  standing and waiting for his apology. After 10 minutes, he popped out of his shirt, apologized, and quickly walked back to rejoin his classmates.

Kind of like this, but his face was inside his shirt.

Boy Problems

From these situations, I learned that I shouldn't judge my male students' level of respect for me solely based on their participation in class. Their hesitation to interact with me is an issue but, in the end, boys will be boys. I never take instances of their disrespect to heart, but I will correct it if it occurs. Until then, I will continue to be that "friendly American face."

Tokyo Disneyland: The Rides

There's a great big beautiful tomorrow shinning at the end of every day. There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, and tomorrow is just a dream away. - Carousel of Progress

Unfortunately the Carousel of Progress isn't featured in Tokyo Disneyland, but below I break down the differences of some of my favorite rides to their Magic Kingdom counterparts!

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Location: Adventureland; to the left of Splash Mountain.
Queue: Outside queue was identical to the Magic Kingdom, but inside the was slightly smaller
Language: Japanese and the English "Howdy Folks!" Instructions
Ride: The ride was nearly identical to the one found at the Magic Kingdom, but the drops did not seem as high.



Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters

Location: Tomorrowland
Queue: The queue for this ride was mirrored, because guest enter from the opposite side.
Language: Japanese. Buzz Lightyear spoke Japanese, but his mouth moved to English words. Ouch!
Ride: Identical to the Magic Kingdom.
Side note: Mike talked so much shit, and lost. Lol Also, sponsored by Fujifilm!

That score though!

Haunted Mansion 

Location: Fantasyland (No Liberty Square at Tokyo Disneyland)

Queue: There were several differences to the queue. The first was the absence of the horseless carriage. Instead, two large Gargoyles peered over the entrance gate. The exterior was much more worn with broken gates and windows. Instead of an interactive queue, small patches with tombstones (including the pet cemetery) divided the queue. Moreover, Madame Leota’s and Master Gracey’s tomb were absent.

Language: Japanese (except for Madam Leota and the little Leota found at the end of the ride). 

Ride: Almost identical to the Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom. Differences include a stagnant Madam Leota, and the older version of the Bride in the Attic and Hitchhiking Ghosts. Also, the ghosts that pop up behind graves were arranged differently and gave me quite a scare
Note: This is one of my favorite rides at Disney for various reasons. As a kid, I believed that, for a moment, I was actually taking a tour of a haunted house; and I remember being particularly traumatized over the idea of the Hitchhiking Ghost. What I particularly loved about this ride were the “actors.” As a kid, they would torment me by standing close and intensely staring at me during the stretching room scene.  As I got older, the “actors” found new ways to scare me. The one time I went with my cousin, a particularly creepy actor ushered us into a Doom Buggie. Right before we entered the first scene, the actor popped out from the side with manic eyes and told us “Have a nice time.” He got a good scream out of the both of us.
WTF Moment: The actors at Tokyo Disneyland ushered us in with the most polite and cheery Japanese humanly possible. Lame!

Pirates of the Caribbean

Location: Adventureland 

Language: Mainly English, except for the talking skull before the small drop 

Queue: The queue took place inside, what appeared to be, a small house with only small paintings of pirate ships reflecting the ride's theme. 

Ride: The first portion of the ride passed through a scene of  what looked like the Louisiana bayou. It was very odd and unCaribbean. The ride was extremely similar to the one found in the Magic Kingdom, but a few scenes were mirrored because we entered through the opposite side. There was also an additional scene with a large amount of treasure, skeletons, and a never-ending chess game. The ride was almost entirely in English, and I wondered if anyone  understood the difficult pirate lingo. 

Note: The ride was sponsored by Kirin Beer! Kampai!

Lousiana-ish swamp lands

Space Mountain

Location: Tomorrowland 

Language: No dialogue
Queue: Missing from Tokyo Disneyland were the interactive queues, the clearly-made-in-the-90's warning video, and the Omega and Beta Track. Instead, the queue featured a gigantic space ship!
Ride: The ride was completely different from the one in Magic Kingdom, starting with the cars, which were made for double riders. The beginning scenes were different and did not include a look into outdated mannequins fixing a spaceship. Instead, it looked like a blue room where the car charged for launch. The ride itself was ridiculously fast, with many twist and turns. There were a lack of dips, but what made up for that was the complete darkness. I couldn’t see a thing!
WTF Moment: Having to tolerate the rudest foreigners who had no concept of personal space.

Splash Mountain

In Japanese: I'm sorry if you get wet

Location: Critter Country (probably the only ride in Critter Country)

Language: Japanese

Queue: The entrance consisted of a barn with a large water wheel that lead into a cave. Inside, Bre'r Owl told the story of Bre'r Rabbit (Usagi-dono) in the most unintelligible Japanese imaginable.
Ride: Most of the scenes, except for the ones before and after the drop, were rearranged and mirrored. The Tokyo Disneyland version of this ride also used lap bars. Moreover, the final drop was noticeably lower than the one in the Magic Kingdom.
Note: I wondered if anyone in Japan understands the connection between the ride and black Southern culture.

The Enchanted Tiki Room: Stitch Present Aloha E Komo Mai

Location: Adventureland
Language: Japanese, Hawaiian, and a few English phrases.
Queue: Although the building was identical to the one found in the Magic Kingdom, just outside lied Stitch's crashed spaceship. Inside the queue Stitches footprints led to a hole in the roof. Also, although the set up was there, it lacked the queue's pre-show.
Ride: Because the differences between the traditional show and when it was under management differ greatly to Stitch's Tiki Room, I decided to include a video for you to watch and enjoy. Spoiler Alert! It's the whole show with English subtitles. Enjoy!

Note: Lilo and Stitch became so popular in Japan that they created their own show where Stitch crash lands on an (fake) Okinawan island called Izayoi. The Japanese version of the show continues to mix Hawaiian culture (especially the ohana concept), but also showcases Okinawan culture. I'm sure Stitch's popularity has waned over the years in Mainland Japan, but he is still very popular in Okinawa.

He brought The Ugly Duckling with him!

Frozen in Hokkaido

I heard the white snow crunch underneath my feet and I felt a sharp pain in my hands. I wondered, what the hell I had gotten myself into.

In October, it was decided that I and a few fellow OkiJETs would take the tour to Japan’s most well-known yuki matsuri or snow festival, the Sapporo Snow Festival. Sapporo is the capital city of Hokkaido, the Japan’s most northern prefecture and island. The snow festival, held between February (insert day), displays an exhibition of snow and ice sculptures at Sapporo’s Odori Park. With my suitcase full of thermals and Frozen’s “Do you want to build a snowman” stuck in my head, I boarded the plane for the coldest weather I have felt in my life.

Upon arriving in Sapporo, we stowed our belongings in a locker and made our way to the snow festival. Sapporo station was immense! It contained an underground shopping mall and those underground walkways found in most cities where the cold is unbearable.

At the snow festival, I first encountered enormous snow structures in support of Japanese athletes in the Sochi Winter Olympics and the upcoming 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The snow festival spanned several blocks and each block represented a certain theme. I paid less attention to the themes and scouted for some of my favorite Japanese characters such as Hello Kitty and Totoro. Aside from the more typical structures, I noticed that some snowmen were of company mascots, and assumed the companies paid hundreds of thousands of yen to create and display their frozen mascots, sort of like snowy Super Bowl commercials. 

Kitty-chan <3

Tots <33

Ice sculptures were displayed on a main street in Sapporo that reminded me of Tokyo’s Shibuya ward due to the amount of jumbotrons. The ice sculptures were beautiful, but my favorites were those that contained real fish and crabs within the ice. It seemed a bit cruel, but they stood out from the rest because of it. 

The food at the snow festival was delicious! I’m not a big eater, but the seafood was amazing! Moreover, they have plenty of hot food, like ramen, crab leg soup, and corn on the cob to warm your innards.

Vegetarian Nabe was so delish!

Well, technically I'm pescatarian ;)

Although the Sapporo Snow Festival and onsens were the highlight of my trip, I also took  a personal day and explored town near Niseko, which was overrun by foreigners on their annual skiing trip. I relaxed, ate at a café, and discovered the one mountain that may rival Mt. Fuji (although Mt. Fuji is technically a volcano). As I walked back to the hotel, I could only hear the snow crunching under my feet. I paused for a moment to listen and I heard nothing. It was eiry but the scenery coupled with the silence brought about a peace that could only come from the stillness of cold.

Those are clouds!

I was happy to experience the snow, but I was also grateful that I didn’t live in it. As a Venezuelan girl who was raised in Miami and is currently living in Okinawa, I was not built for long periods of cold. Maybe I’ll visit Sapporo again, but during the summer. Maybe ね? 

So peaceful (much lens flare!)

Teaching Update

We are almost at the 6th-month mark as my time as teacher here in Japan, and it's time for an update!

M. Elementary

There have been no changes aside from the 6th grade teacher taking a temporary leave of absence due to his health. Last semester, he was gone for a few days as the vice principal and another teacher temporarily took over the class. When he returned, I noticed that he was skipping lunch to drink what looked like baby formula. He was prohibited from eating solids for a week, and then afterwards changed to a bland diet. Last week, I was told that he would be out for the entire semester and would possibly have surgery in his intestines. I felt really bad for him. He and I are both 27, so I felt some camaraderie with him. I recently had a class with the substitute teacher. At first, I had my doubts because she seemed so quiet, but once I had English class I quickly noticed that she is a no nonsense woman. I think she was fairly surprised as well concerning the active participation of the 6th graders. This 6th grade class is full of class clowns but they really get into English class, so it's very enjoyable. I know I won't have issues for the rest of the semester, but I do hope the other teacher has a speedy recovery.

I also brought my boyfriend to the school where he helped out with an English class. Everyone was excited to meet him and it was very cute to see the exchanges between him and the students. Surprisingly, one 5th grade girl came up to him and asked him multiple questions in English. My instruction coming into fruition! Bam!

K. Elementary

Nothing has changed at this school aside from daily greetings from the substitute teacher that once ignored me (haha). Also, there is a new running gag/rumor about me being secretly in love with the 4th grade teacher. During the bonenkai, the 4th grade teacher expressed displeasure at the fact that he and I never talk. I replied saying, "Well, you're always on the computer, right?" which made him laugh because it's true. Either way, a couple weeks later someone asked me if I thought he was handsome and I sarcastically agreed. Well, sarcasm does not carry over in Japanese because the one day he wasn't there because of training, the vice principal said, "Oh Gabi, 4th grade sensei isn't here. That's too bad, huh?"  Umm? Ok? Sure?

Aside from my non-crush, the students and the classes are great! I know most of the 5th and 6th graders by name so it's nice to interact with them between classes.

G. Elementary

As you can imagine, not everything is perfect in Okinawa. I have expressed in my previous post that I feel as though I have not warmed up to this school. I think it would be correct to say that this school has not warmed up to me, as there have been several incidents that have made my Thrusdays and Fridays my least favorite days. First, the students are behaved aside from my Satan 6th Graders. They have not disrespected me since the first incident, but they remain uninterested in English. The one positive change is that the teacher is now more willing to harshly reprimand them during class. At first I think she was worried what I might think, but I think we both know that the students needed the discipline. The first time she yelled at a students she apologized to me afterwards. I told her that there was no need for an apology and reprimanding them was necessary. Out of the 38 student in that class I only know that names of four: two are in the disability class and the other two are tiny troublemakers. 

Second, my largest problem comes from two staff members. Let's start off with the gist of the problem: I think they see me as a distraction and probably don't think that highly of English education. I feel as though they do not want me to interact or speak with other teachers or staff members. 

The first time I noticed this was a few months back when I was speaking to the office lady (a.k.a. the tea lady) about my traditional Okinawan dance performance. I noticed she had a picture of the dance (not mine, but a general one) displayed on her desk and I told her that I knew the dance. She stated her surprise, but then she was suddenly interrupted by a staff member who swoops in, says there is work to be done, and proceeds to talk to the office lady. If this was the only incident, then I would have thought nothing of it, but it was not. The next few times involves one of the young teaching assistants. Since my classes are frequently canceled (for example, last week 3 out of my 4 classes were canceled), he and I would quietly chat during our free period. Twice, he has been asked by the staff members as to whether or not he had a class to attend. Mind you, they aren't asking him nicely. I genuinely felt bad and we both agreed not to speak unless it's during recess or during the breaks in between classes. During one of the interruptions, I was also asked if I can meet with the kindergarten teachers to see when I can teach there during my free time.

At first, you may think that they don't like him and this has nothing to do with me. However, if he speaks to anyone else, he's left alone. It's only when he's speaks to me that they interrupt. Maybe it's because he's guy and I'm a girl and Japan is conservative? Nope, he usually speaks and hangs out with the other teaching assistant who is also a woman (and this is 2014 people). Mind you, my Japanese is intermediate at best and he has no English, therefore these are not in-depth or long conversations, like those he has with his other coworkers. 

Last week, during one of the breaks, the same staff member asked us to sort out scantrons for the students upcoming test. The assistant later told me that it was a waste of time, because they get sorted out in the classroom. It seemed to me as though they were giving us busy work to keep us from talking to one another. Then, the next day, while I spoke to the younger girl assistant who sits next to me, the same staff member interrupts and asks me to put the now completed scantrons into numerical order. Once again, I felt as though they were trying to keep me busy. 

During recess that same day, the male assistant took a seat next to me. Five minutes into our conversation, the staff member announced their interruption and began to rip him a new one in the fastest Japanese I've ever heard (they already speak really fast, but this was like damn). Basically, they told him that although it may be fun to talk to me, all the teachers are busy working (they weren't, it was recess time) and that there was work to be done. Then, turned to me and began to rip me a new one as well. It was harder to for me to understand because I was put on the spot, but they said something along the lines of that I'm there to teach English and (I think) to interact with the children more. However, I understood the previous actions and words as a way telling me not to distract or speak with the other teachers.

After her tongue lashing, I went upstair to the second floor of the school and just sat there for a while. I also realized that I shouldn't mess with my iphone as often in this school and mused that with no one to talk to there will be nothing that needs to be translated. Later in the day, the male assistant apologized for getting me in trouble, and also stated he didn't know that he couldn't speak to me during recess time either. I told him that I was sorry since I knew he may or may not be at this school the following year, and I didn't want to harm his chances of getting re-contracted. The girl assistant who overheard everything also came by and told me that the  two staff members have never warmed up to him, and I told her that I feel as though they haven't warmed up to me either.  

After I gained some perspective, I realized that there is nothing that can be done to fix the situation aside from keeping quiet and staying out of the teacher's room. I just know that I'm not going to let this experience jade me. Plus, I could always hangout with them outside of school. :)

My future

* Side note: The purpose of this entirey is not to fiercely criticize the Japanese workplace, as issues can arise in any job, but instead share my experiences with family, friends and those interested in the JET Program.

Long Hair I Do Care

It's no surprise to those who know me that my hair is a very big deal. Growing up, I've had both short and long hair, and I've even donated my hair to Locks of Love. In 11th grade, I grew my hair long, and it's been that way ever since. After high school, I began to dye my hair starting with simple highlights and going extreme with half blonde/half black hair (not ombre). Afterwards, I settled for the brunette look and after I got tired with that, I tried ombre. I have a very serious love/LOVE relationship with my hair, and I put complete faith in my hairstylist who has been doing my hair since 6th grade. Since 6th grade, people! My hairstylist, Margarita, knows my hair and knows how to dye it. If I show her a picture of a hair color or style, she will give me that exact same color and style. She never disappoints! Every time I've gone dark to light or visa versa, she makes it into a process so that the color is rich. In Miami, I've had hairstylist friends of friends who try to solicit their services, and I always tell them that I'm happy with my hairstylist and changing would be like cheating on her. Sorry, but NOT sorry.

Before I left to Japan, she dyed my hair once again, but this time changed the color subtly so that when it grows out, it would match with my natural hair color, which sits between a ashy and dirty blonde.  My hair grows like bamboo so after a few months, I needed to get my hair done again. This is an issue in Japan since most hairstylists here are not familiar with foreign hair. I don't mean to be a jerk; Asian hair, black hair, caucasian hair differ in color and texture. There is one girl here who wanted her light brown hair dyed darker. Her hairstylist BLEACHED her hair blonde, and then dyed it dark. They didn't know how to do work with hair that is not black. Therefore, with reluctance, I asked a close teacher/friend where I could get my hair done. She made an appointment for me at her salon in Chatan, which is known for having a a stronger foreign/military presence. 

We drove together to Chatan and I showed a picture of what I wanted. Essentially, I wanted a ombre with more contrast. In Okinawa, my sun lightened my hair and my roots came in, so I wanted to be a little "milk chocolate" on the top and have it fade to my golden blonde at the bottom. So with my broken Japanese, and my friend translating as well, the hairstylist set to work. Two gorgeous Japanese men worked on my hair and they brushed the dye into my hair. They told me that they were experts in gratiation (Japanese for ombre) and I relaxed a little. After they finished the top, they changed dyes and proceeded with the bottom portion of my hair. 

After the dye set, they moved me to wash it out. At first, handsome guy #2 (who I think was the assistant, or hairstylist in training) washed my hair, but he switched with another lady because they were so busy. I was kind of bummed, because it felt like I was getting a massage. The lady wasn't so great and for a while she washed the ends. Actually, I think she washed the ends, I couldn't tell what the hell she was doing back there because I couldn't feel it. When I sat back down at the station with wet hair, I began to panic because my hair looked extremely dark. 

Another women came to blow dry my hair. This is when my stress levels rose because she finger dried my hair. I looked around and noticed that it was the standard procedure. However, my hair is wavy/curly so as she dried it, it turned into a puffy mess. I was also upset, because everyone complimented my hair saying that I had a natural perm and how pretty it looked. I wanted to ring their necks. I looked like Hagrid and I refuse to walk out looking like that. As I sat in my Hagrid hair, I noticed that the blond portion of my hair looked like an ashy blonde, almost white or grey. I wanted the Earth to swallow me. Gorgeous guys came back an styled my hair. They reassured me that it would lighten. I knew that, but it was absolutely nothing like the color I wanted. Luckily, it was not expensive and I left for home with the intent to wash my hair 3 or 10 times to lighten it.

I'm not leaving here looking like this!

After I used the all of the shampoo I had, I successfully lightened my hair, and I even got the grey blonde to revert back to the golden blonde. I am happy with it now, because it's great winter hair, but I wish I hadn't gone through all of that stress. 

My hair before
(Red eye reduction -___-)

Assessing the damage
(Nice styling though!)

After 3 or 10 washes
(My own curls)