The All Seeing Light in my Kitchen

Good Evening everyone!

Hope that life is peachy king, wherever you are and whatever you are doing. As long as its not something bad. For then I must shuuuunnnnnn you! >.> *a crazy reference to a crazy youtube video made popular by Hot Topic, Millions of teens, and Poprocks---ok, ok, I just threw in pop rocks to mess with you head.....OR DID I????*

Anyhow, silly greetings aside, lets get this party started.

I am writing the next part of my ten favorite things of all time to Eat, Drink and Make Merry, from Hakodate’s one and only Starbucks.

Remember my disaster of the last tumbler? Well I am now on the hunt for a new one. Wading into the torturous waters of Japan’s yahoo auction is akin to swimming in shark infested waters. I kid you not, in a world without paypal, Japan makes internet auction purchases difficult. And then there is you know, the language thing. *must work harder to learn Japanese*

Oh and another thing I am hunting for is a new Nacho Libre pen as my old one bit the dust. My students love to look at Nacho in his mid-air leap of awesome. They totally get a kick when I make kissy faces at it—I make it my life’s work to baffle them.
Although tonight is a school night, I needed to pick up some things at animate. I am trying to get the love of Hetalia (Hetalia is a web comic sensation about WWII where the characters are the countries themselves. Its really quite hilarious!) out into the world, one figurine at a time. This is my set.

Anyway, lets resume the rambling, shall we?

6. Japanese McDonalds. Some things taste better with age. Some things taste better in the morning. Some things just plain taste better in Japan, and McDonalds is one of them. Oh luscious SanKaKu Choco Pie, savory Shaka-Shaka Chicken, or just a plain cheeseburger a divine slice of home, cooked better, healthier and wrapped in a smile—by someone who actually means it. Like this hearty little worker.

When I lived in Japan the last time I went to McDonalds all the time with my friends—our favorite haunt, our half-way home landmark, across the street from Yoshinoya, to the left of the bowling alley and neighbor to Momotaro Park. It was our happy place we went to flirt with the staff and make them laugh and even though that location was torn down (much to our sadness) the feelings of joy found only in Japanese McDonalds has remained every time I saunter in.

These are some of my favorite eats from Japan’s McAwesome. Sankaku Choco Pie, which literally means Triangle Chocolate Pie makes geometry delicious and full of chocolaty goodness, wrapped in a flakey crust that faintly crunches when you take a bite.

This is the almighty Shaka-Shaka Chicken. It is a bag containing one huge, thick, crispy chicken nugget. Which, come on, you have to be dead not to like Chicken nuggets (and I have a suspicion that if zombies would THINK to nom on some, it would totally turn them off humans) so its already a win. What makes it Shaka-Shaka (shake shake) is that you pour in a pouch of one of three flavors you feel like eating that day. Lemon, Pepper, or Cheese. Personally Lemon-Pepper does it for me, and why tamper with perfection? Once you pour it in, shake it up and the bag neatly opens to procure a succulent treat that even Zombies would envy.

Next is the most amazing, most life-changing dish you will ever sink your teeth into. It will alter the way you eat pancakes forever. Petite Pancakes are straight from the kid’s menu, but don’t let that deter you at all. Remember what I said about eating stuff for kids? Oh boy, this is the foundations of that ideology. Six piping hot pancakes roughly the size of a silver dollar are yummy enough, but Japanese McAwesome gives you this:

After some initial issues in how to use the little packet-→which you have to squeeze it together, folded in half with the point facing the food product—this is important, otherwise it will squirt at you) It's a combination of apple flavored syrup and icing.

O. M. G. I think it is what heaven tastes like.

Oh dear, I think I will have to now stop off on McDonalds on my way back to Mori. The battery is dying so I better be off. That and my coffee is all gone and I made myself hungry.

*drives to McDonalds gets food and returns home*

Tragedy has struck, my sweet friends, for they have stopped selling SANKAKU CHOCO PIE. *weeps inconsolably*
Who knew it was to be a limited edition item!!! IT DID NOT TELL ME!!!!! T.T I am angry at you Japan McDonald. You give us release dates on these:
These are the heart clogging "American" hamburger limited editions out now. Pfft. I would rather have my pie. M.Y.P.I.E

Speaking of pies though, I am trying to workout (see new year's resolution) and was crunching my abs away, jamming out to ICONIQ, Change Myself http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfnyUmTWhws <---- A youtube link for you! and all of a sudden I notice that the light above me has a CREEPY eye in the middle of it. I don't know about you, but this freaked me out.


Memo to self: no more Ghost Hunters. But if that isn't weird enough, my computer puts itself on pause, TWICE, then...then THE SCARY part happens! Out of no where, I am mean no where, cause it looks like THIS outside:


(AKA WINTER---isnt my mountain the bomb though?!) A BEE starts BUZZING around my kitchen! Its big and slow moving, but I am at a utter loss at where it came from!!! I mean, REALLY?? A BEE?? This actually has me worried, besides the whole scared of bugs thing, as it very well most likely means that I have a nest somewhere in my house, probably in the roof or under the floors. Perhaps even under my kitchen cabinet. The chances that this bee is alone is rather unlikely. I ran to my entrence hall to grab my insecticide to do battle with my mighty foe. In one hand, a sauce pan and in the other hand, my rain-of-death-icide and I went forth to do combat. So in other words, I sprayed the S*%$ out of my kitchen.
And just like that, it disappeared, like magic. I'm slightly afraid that it didn't happen and I have lost my mind a bit.
I then retreated to my bed, all thoughts of exercise forgotten. In fact, I think this is the universe telling me not to exercise. What do you think?

Anyway, I will cower under my covers and pray nothing else comes out.
See you on the flip side.

Shocker: Part Two Cometh! And Spin It Right Round!

Today is not for children, so if any of my family reads this to K1 and K2 then gloss over the not kid friendly parts.

Oh look at me. I am actually updating! I promised I would and now I am. It was one of my many New Year resolutions, along with ‘get in shape’ ‘try snowboarding’ ‘finish your fanfiction story’ ‘take more pictures’ ‘collect as many starbucks mugs/tumblers as possible’ ‘travel, travel, travel’ ‘find a Nacho Libre pen’ ‘study more Japanese’ and ‘figure out how to do stuff’. Stuff can mean many things, like figuring out how to order swag online, using Japan’s yahoo auctions, setting up my wire transfers, or creating new lessons plans. I figure I would just use the umbrella term of ‘stuff’ and that should cover it.

Anyway. On to part 2! Things I adore to in order to Eat and Drink and Make Merry in Japan.

8. Rice. Oh sweet, sticky, warm rice. Many of the dishes I adore (on this list and other wise) have you as an essential ingredient. Many a night I trudge home and toss some rice in my rice cooker and just have rice and seasonings for dinner. The seasonings here are called furatake—and have a wide range of flavors, prices, textures and colors. I get most of mine at the dollar store. Cause I am boss like that.
This is my rice cooker. A bag like this will last about a month or so for me. I only get the rice bags with cute characters on them. That is generally a good rule of thumb for me; cute characters (or just pictures of babies) usually means its OK for kids and those with weak tummys. Here are some of the things I found with cute things on it. Like these dancing critters. These cute mascots to help you be ECO friendly. Cause I think disco bears when I think ECO.


Things made for kids means there is a good chance I will like it. Yeah, it sounds silly, but it means it will be mild and not insane like some things I have tried. Although this system works fairly well in the realm of the supermarket, this method is NOT foolproof and does not work well outside of a contained environment. (Not Kid Friendly) Japan is notorious for using cute mascots for everything. Including condoms. Would you think these as boxes of candy?


That is what two of my dear friends (J and Ally back in my Okayama days) convinced me of for a practical joke. I did eventually notice it was not candy. My friends were very very amused. But really, in my defense I had underestimated/not fully known the power of the cute mascot! I mean, the koalas??? The seal?? Thank goodness I figured it out before I tried tasting one. I got some smarts in there. Or at least smarts enough to know it wasn’t food. And then there are some mascots like the Tokyo
Tower twins who, well, just look and see- being mascot-ifed is not such a good thing. And sometimes goes terribly, terribly wrong.


I mean, come on, is anyone else seeing what I see? Or am I crazy? Wow. WAY off topic. But that is how this blog seems to go. ONWARD!!!!!!

7. 105 yen Kaiten Sushi. Oh delicious, sweet, cheap, sushi. I adore thee. Especially here in Hokkaido, when even cheap sushi is amazing. ‘Kaiten Sushi’ refers to the awesome sushi restaurants where the sushi is set on a rotating belt that is then paraded before the customer. I sometimes break out singing ‘you spin me right round, baby, right round, like a sushi bar, right round baby right rrrroooouuunnddd’ But singing is optional. Look how YUMMY it is!!!! *drool*


I love me some salmon- fry it, burn it, slap some mayo on it, whatever, its amazing. Each Kaiten sushi joint is a little different from the next; a special sauce at one, a special roll at another, slight changes makes it fun to try out new places. There is one place in Okayama which I ADORE. ADORE. Ebikatsumaki (fried shrimp roll) I miss you!!!! I love to go cause they got variety and price, as most dishes are only a buck and its fun to see all the bizarre stuff that floats around. It’s not odd to see French fries, fried chicken, cake, horse, roast beef and fruit make a round or two. And then the odd fish dishes, like this one.


(Not Kid Friendly) Its called Shiroko and its fish…erm..well, ‘shiro’ means white and ‘ko’ means child so what could that (white child)possibly mean? Oh you got it! Fish Jizz! *shudders* It happens to be a delicacy here. It was served at my bonenkai (year end party, the only one I went to this year, and cost me a whooping 100 bucks to attend) and I had to give it away. I mean, really. I am open to food but I draw a line at fish jizz. Urgh. Just look at the fancy version. It looks worse than the cheap one.
Really Japan. Sometimes I wonder. Jeez, my blog today was a little racy.

So besides Shirako, which is really really rare (like getting whale, blowfish and horse) and usually a requested item at kaiten sushi places, kaiten sushi is where its at. Riiiight roooouundd Baaaabbbbyyy!!!!

Ok and there she goes for today. Tomorrow I have my Mori Middle School and whooping 6 classes back to back all day. So early to bed tonight! I will update soon!

10 Things I Love to Eat in Japan Part One

So It has been a long, long, long, long while since I have updated.

Some stuff happened. Went to Okayama. Went back to Kansas.
Tried snow boarding the other day. Besides the pain in my inner thighs from a surprise spilt when going down hill, I rather enjoyed it. I know, I know, hell has frozen over. Also-- my toilet did too. Apparently I can't leave my house long in winter without it pitching a fit. Not as bad as some other JETs around, but still. Did you really have to freeze the toilet house? Really?

Anyway. My top ten favorite things to eat/drink/put on food in Japan.

10. Mayonnaise. Now don't freak, all you mayo haters out there. Japanese Mayo is a whole different beast. I mean, I like the American miracle whip ok, I guess, but nothing beats the weirdly addictive Japanese Mayo. I have two bottles currently in my house. The white top one is 1/3 of the calories. Look at me trying to be healthy yo. And notice it hasn't been touched. Its just because I have to finish one before I start on the other one. It would be wasteful. Riiight. Don't look at me like that!!! I see you rolling your eyes!!!

The Japanese are obessessed with their mayo. The mascot is this rather creepy naked baby called Kewpie. When you go on vacation you often purchase a little key charm of kewpie dressed up as the town's mascot.

And this is the normal verison on the packaging. *shudders* Some may find it darling, more power to you, but I find it, him?, her?, freaky.


9. Coffee Milk. In Japan, perhaps one of the things I miss most about America is my chocolate milk. Family, you know my lifetime love affair with Chocolate milk. (a shout out to Dad and G(not sure if you want me to put your name on here or not!) my step-mom who sent me a tub of chocolate mix that has lasted for the past 6 months!!) During my last time in Japan, I began drinking coffee milk--which is the Japanese substitute for Chocolate milk-- and became hooked. I love drinking all of the different flavors (honey and carmel coffee and custard pudding coffee are the two specials running now at 7/11). But most of all I love, love, love throwing a cold one back after a dip in the onsen. I happen to be located in cow-country and my town has really really really yummy local coffee milk.

This stuff is the bomb. The Bomb. And I can't talk coffee without tossing out my love with starbucks mugs. The big town nearby, Hakodate, finally FINALLY got its starbucks. OMG. Bliss. For a limited time they had this tumbler for sale:
I can barely look at this picture now, as my tumbler bottom became unscrewed and ruined my mug. I had to take a hammer to it to save the paper part. This tumbler is not for sale anymore and won't be brought back. Ever. T.T However, I have been buying other mugs to help heal the gapping hole the Hakodate mug has dealt to my heart. Like this gem.

There is a smaller version, which I also bought, that is red with black. It is the new 2011 New Year's version. It almost heals my soul. I think a few more oughta do her.

Ok so that is part one of five. It is way late, and I am tired~ all that snow boarding and jazz.

Long Time No Type. And smiles REALLY big

Ok, ok. Its been a month and a half.
So I got a little behind. Fine. A lot behind. Life has been CRAZY here. And mostly good crazy. Mostly.
So here is the lowdown;
Began teaching. Made some mistakes but also had fun too. Introduced myself--hey wait I am STILL doing that even now!!-- a billion times!
Self-introductions are called Jikoshokai. They are one of the most important things you do in Japanese society. I had to introduce myself to all my students in an auditorium--a total of about 500 people. Stressful. And that was just for one school. Remember I have ten! I was shaking. But after so many times of introducing myself to my students in my classrooms-I pretty much have my routine down pat. In fact, I think I will dedicate this blog entry as to how I introduced myself!

This is how it goes:

Me: GOOOOD MORNING EVERYONE *pauses and smiles REALLY big*
students: good morning Dori-sensei!!
Me: HELLLLLOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! *waves arms and motions to kids to respond louder and smiles REALLY big*
students: HERRO Dori-sensei!
Me: MY name is DORI WHITE!!! I AM FROM AMERICA *whips out map and points to America and smiles REALLY big*
students: OOOOOOOOOOHHHHH
Me: What do YOU know about AMERICA?!?!? *also tries to translate into Japanese and smiles REALLY big*
students: blank faces then---HAMBURGERS!!!! GUNS!!!!! and OBAMA!!!!!! (no seriously Obama is always one of the first things they mention)
Me: OBAMA??? *holds up a picture of Michael Jordan and smiles REALLY big* Is this Obama??
students: *shriek with laughter and all shake their heads* NO NO NO DORI-SENSEI!!!!
Me: Oh no! Its Michael! He likes Basketball! Is this Obama?!? *holds up a picture of a Japanese Comedian called Nocchi who is famous for his Obama impersonation...and smiles REALLY big*

This is Nocchi, doing his best YES WE CAN pose. In fact, all the kids love to say that catch-pharse. This so effective and both the kids and teachers love it. A sure-fire laugh every time.

students: *laugh like is going outta style* NO NO NO NO Dori-Sensei!!! He Japanese!!! Japan man!!!!
Me: OH! NO NO Nocchi!!! *wags finger at Nocchi and smiles REALLY big*
students: *continue laughing*
Me: This is Obama! *shows real pic of Obama and smiles REALLY big*
students: oh! Yes Dori-sensei! Right-o!
Me: America is also called the UNITED STATES because it is made up of 50 states, like a prefecture (Japan has prefectures not states) and I am from KANSAS!!! *points again to map and smiles REALLY big*
students: wft Kansas?! (ok so they don't say wft, but they might as well, cause of the loads of blank stares I get)
Me: KANSAS is GREAT!!! Anyone heard of Kansas? *nods against the sudden quiet and smiles REALLY big*
students: blank faces
Me: That's ok! Kansas is in the MIDDLE of America! Its famous for THREE things!!! *holds out picture of a field of sunflowers and smiles REALLY big* Number one is SUNFLOWERS!!! What is that in Japanese??
students: OOOHH!!! COOL!!! PRETTY!!! Sunflower is Himawari!!!
Me: Yes!! Good job!!! *flashes a thumbs up and smiles REALLY big* Now number two is an animal! What is 'animal' in Japanese?
students: Animal is....... dobutsu!!!
Me: YESSSS!!!! *throws up two thumbs up and smiles REALLY big* Kansas's animal is BIG!!! and HUGE!!!!
students: *began screaming random animals* Lion! Elephant!! Bear!!!!
Me: Its HEAVY!!!! and BROWN!!!! *stomp around, failing arms out to the side to show exactly just how big it is and smiles REALLY big*
students: OMG! (they really love to say 'oh my god' a lot) What is it!! Dori-sensei!!!
Me: and it is FULL OF MOJA MOJA. (ok, in Japanese the term Moja Moja means hairy hairy and it is really funny for foreigners to use it at all, let alone mixing it into English. No matter how stoic the kid--if I didn't crack 'em with Nocchi that is-- they crack a smile at me saying moja moja)
students: *laugh uncontrolablly and usually turn to the hairiest kid in the class and pet them* Like [insert Japanese boy name]!!! He moja moja boy!
Me: Uh-huh. Well my animal is much much much more Moja Moja! IT'S *whips out picture and smiles REALLY big* A BUFFALO!!!
students: EEEEEHHHHH??? What is THAT??
Me: Buffalo are like cows! They eat grass and are REALLY YUMMY!!! And REALLY Moja Moja!! Would you like to meet a BUFFALO? *gets out my travel bag, shows it to the class and smiles REALLY big*
students: *a little nervous* ye-yeah!!!
Me: OK! *reaches into bag, rumages around a bit and pulls out a little stuffed animal buffalo and smiles REALLY big* LOOK!! I found mini MOJA MOJA buffalo!!!
students:AWWWWW!!! ITS SO CUTE!!!! MINI BUFFALO!!!! *take my buffalo and pass it around*
Me: you know, I LOVE moja moja!! You know why?
students: *completely baffled* Why??
Me: Because my dad has Moja Moja! *shows picture of my dad* MEET my dad; MOJA MOJA PAPA!!!!!


This is the picture I show my students of my most awesome dad. It is from when he visited me in Japan; we all went to Kyoto and dressed up as geisha and samurai. The students are soooo impressed with this picture. As you can see it is a real sword (the boys swoon at that) and he is growling fiercely. My dad is now quite infamous here in Mori. Everyone is very excited to meet him. My big, harley riding, tattooed moja moja papa has a bit of a following. My supervisor asks after his health at least once a week and all my students ask when he is coming. Now now, if you wonder why I pick my dad over the rest of my family, its not cause they aren't amazing. My entire family is most awesome, but I don't have enough time to intro all of them *hugs to family love you!* Because Dad is so utterly foreign and dressed in a samurai outfit and works so well into my Moja Moja intro he is the most popular. I talk about all of my family-- no getting jealous!

So anyway----
students: MOJA MOJA PAPA!!!! *more laugher and ooohhhs!!!*
Me: Yes!!! I LOVE my MOJA MOJA PAPA!!!! *sets down picture and waits for the laugher to stop and smiles REALLY big* The third thing that Kansas is FAMOUS *repeats in Japanese and smiles REALLY big* for is a little scary!!!
students: *interested* oh??? Scary????
Me: Scary!!! Its bad weather!!! *frowns and shakes a little in pretend fear and smiles REALLY big---yes I frown and smile at the same time, I am that awesome*
students: Earthquake!!! Typhoon!!! Hurricane!!!!
Me: CLOSE!! Its TORNADO!!! Tatsumaki!!!! *make swishing noises and shows a picture of a tornado and smiles REALLY big*
students: OOOOOHHHH!!!!!! O.O;;;
Me:Tornados can be BIG!! Up to 3 Kilometers WIDE!!!! *nods gravely and shows picture of the aftermath of the Greensburg Tornado....and smiles REALLY big---ok, so I gravely smile REALLY big* This WAS a town. WAS a town.
students: *nod very solemnly* Oh no! Dangerous!!! Scary!!!
Me: When the tornado comes you can't run! No running!!! Bad!!! You must hide!!! *pretends to go down stairs and hides under a desk and smiles REALLY big*
students: *raise eyebrows at my antics but still a little overwhelmed at the thought of a tornado* Oh no!
Me: Yes yes, its a little scary. But tornados can be small too! Would you like to meet a tornado?? *grabs my trusty bag and smiles REALLY big*
students: NO NO No dori-sensei! Its scary!!! (although to be fair, some of the boys say YES!)
Me: Oh no! That is SAD! Poor Poor Tatsumaki-chan (~chan is an endearment, its attached to a person's name to signal familiarity- often only used with family members, close friends or when addressing young children) I BROUGHT a tornado today to show you!!! *I fondly pat my bag and smile REALLY big*
students: *look a little skeptical* ehh??? what??
Me: MEET *pull out my pet tornado in a can and smile REALLY big* TATSUMAKI- CHAN
students: *le gasp*
Me: OH NO! She is shy!!! (at rest there is nothing in the can) COME OUT COME OUT AND PLAY!!!! *I spin the can to produce a small tornado and smile REALLY big*
students: *MINDS WERE JUST BLOWN* OMG!!!! OMG!!!! WOW!!!!!! (That tornado in a can is WORTH its weight in GOLD!!!)

This is a picture of a tornado in a can, aka, Pet Tornado. A-Freaking-MAZING!! I have had the same reaction (which is a jaw-drop and a WOOOOW) from everyone who I do my intro to. From my second graders to my principles. They LOVE this thing. If I had to take only one thing from America it would be this bad boy.
Me: *hands them the Tornado in a can and encourages them to spin it and smiles REALLY big* OK!!! Are there any questions??

I find that they will ask me about simple things like my favorite food--katsudon I am looking at you!!!--- and my age. But I get a lot of rather personal questions; from the standard 'Are you married' to the super personal 'What is your boy type? Pick a boys you like in this classroom!!' to the out right weird 'What sake do you drink? Beer? Wine?'---ok so that last one wasn't so weird in topic, it just came from a 10 year old in 4th grade which most definately set it in the weird category.

But that is my self-intro, I can take it anywhere from 10 minutes to the whole lesson. I love having the kids ask me questions. I feel like a bit of a celebrity because I don't get to visit all the classes all the time. In fact, I have yet to go to four of my schools so I have more rounds of self-introductions coming up.

My co-workers are so sweet to me! They really have been so helpful! It is finally NOT hot here anymore and I love the fall weather! Fall time is also full of school festivals! In fact I have one in the morning! I have to go, I will try my best to update much more often!!!

The wonder of Food

So I am updating again but not quite the way I have been before. I am going to show you the amazing food I have been eating, the cool things I have seen and random wackiness that sometimes parades about; usually in the form of ojisans (old men) who want to give the foreign girl something to gawk at. Japan is amazingly great at starling me.
I adore my town, and the way it wiggled itself into my heart was through its Matsuri---the town festival. It was awash with fireworks, yakuza, great food, bugs, drunk people, beer and lots of chances to prove one's prowess.

These are the darling people who took me the night of the fireworks. I was really happy to meet little Taiyou and the Chikakos (both women are named Chikako). It was nice to socialize a bit!
The fireworks lasted for about 35 minutes. It was long and rather grand. Mori really went all out! In Japanese, fireworks are called Hanabi, with literally translates to fire flower--which in my opinion is both prettier and more actuate.


During the day on Saturday and Sunday I heard drums and shouting all over the town. When I peeked outside my window, guess what I saw??!? This! And they were pulling this thing in the HEAT.

The lovely Chikako has been a dear to me and has really been great at coming over and inviting me out to do things. For instance that Sunday, the Sunday of the Mori festival, she took me out to this yummy place. Which has REAL hamburgers.


It is a Hokkaido only hamburger place and is famous for its Chinese Chicken burger. Which was great except for all the mayo it was doused in.

The Japanese people have a love affair with their mayo--its epic and obsessive, a romance to last a lifetime of clogged arteries and heart attacks.
Ok, because it is super late, I will update in the morning!
Goodnight and be back soon!

Dancing Bears

Shocking!!! Look at this!!! Another update!!! No, no, please, don't drop the computer or fall off your chair. This isn't a real update with tons of writing. Its a fundate. Things about my house and Mori that I love so dearly I want to share it with you all.

My town's Mascot. The love child of a frog and a duck. A Ducog? A Frouck? Hmm...that last one is a little too close to a naughty word for comfort. Let's keep it PG.


I adore these brown shoes! They were on sale!!! In Japan I am a size LLL. I didn't have any brown shoes and I have two pairs of brown pants so it works out and is totally justifiable.


My name on my door! I had fun drawing the sunflower, which in Japanese is called Himawari.


I have to have my very own hanko, or seal. They made one for me, it says DORI WHITE in romanji and not in Japanese. Which now I kinda wish I had it in Japanese but all of my office workers are really fascinated with it and love to try it out. And I do so love it.


Ok! That was a little tease about some of the things I did my very first few days!

Meeting Mori Round 2

Welcome to part two of Meeting Mori! This is about day two, friday, and the hectic beginning of my life here. My BOE was incredibly kind to give me the day off, which worked because there was a lot to do. I woke up around 6 or so to my pred thumping and bumping in the living room. She had been desperately cleaning and packing for the past 24 hours, when not dragging me around to get paperwork. She wasn't near done. She was supposed to leave at 9. It wasn't going to happen-- she was going to be late. After a call to my supervisor, he was to arrive a quarter till 9 to help her ship boxes. This is how good byes work in Japan. You tell everybody a time, they show up to send you off, there are signs, tears, cheering, and presents.

This is the entire town waving off my pred. They held the train for her. I hope that they love me like this too.


Its a very big ordeal. If my pred could have, she would have gone later because she wasn't finished. After was all that was said and done, she had 13 boxes to send to her new home and the house was (sorry pred, you know how it was) a war zone littered with trash, dirt, and junk.
This is what the living room looked like with the boxes, before my co-workers took them away to Kuroneko, the national shipping service.

And this is after my co-workers lugged out the boxes and I had been working in it for a little while.

Honestly, I don't mind cleaning, but it was really overwhelming. When my two co-workers, who had been dealing with the boxes, left me and didn't come back right after lunch like they said, I got really, um, overwhelmed. However I didn't get down for long as I had my very very very first visitor, Chikako, whom I had meet at the welcome/birthday party. She came to welcome me to my house. I was extremely touched. And then the day really got amazing.

Not only did those two co-workers return, but they brought re-enforcements. It was all of the male office workers. It was rather moving for me to see all of these people cleaning in their little button-up white collar shirts. I believe there was 8, but some left to sort trash. And they were cleaning the shit out of my house. It was the beginning of the Hokkaido heat wave so it was getting hot too. The young thing in my office, Kasai-kun, took his shirt off to vaccum the ceiling. After a few hours of intense cleaning, in which I really felt that we bonded, the office lady took me shopping (I got an ethernet cable for my internet) and took me back to my house. She showed me how to make Miso soup and Yakisoba.
Here is the spread of amazing food after a day of hard cleaning.

For lunch I had to try the very famous Ika Meishi. Squid stuffed with rice. It is what Mori is famous for! It was pretty yummy too, but smaller than I thought it would be.


That friday is a day I will most likely never forget. And for now, I have to go!